Will County Gazette

State Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) introduced legislation that would increase the liability for parents who help their children under the age of 21 obtain a FOID card.

Illinoisans under the age of 21 who want to get a FOID (Firearm Owners Identification Card) can only do so with the written permission of a parent, according to a release. 

"We need to take gun safety seriously and ensure that our younger adults are prepared, trained and fit to own a firearm by adding this layer of accountability," Batinick said.

Batinick has filed House Bill 5769, legislation that would hold parents criminally liable for damages that result from their child's firearm if the child is under the age of 21. Parents are at present just civilly liable. Batinick was motivated to file the legislation by the recent mass shooting in Highland Park, as well as the shootings in Texas and New York.

On July 4, Highland Park residents were gathered for a parade when a man began firing into the crowd from a rooftop, ABC News reported. The shooting left seven people dead and dozens more injured. Person of interest Robert 'Bobby' Crimo III, age 22, evaded capture for approximately eight hours until law enforcement took him into custody in Lake Forest. On May 24, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos shot and killed 19 fourth grade students and two teachers and wounded 17 other people at Robb Elementary School, AP News reported. 

The school is situated in Uvalde, Texas, a majority-Hispanic town with a population of 16,000. Ramos barricaded himself inside of a fourth grade classroom and began shooting at the people inside, until law enforcement officers were able to break into the classroom and kill him. Batinick's statement references a study from the National Institute of Justice issued earlier in the year which discovered that between 2010 and 2019, 77% of people who committed mass shootings had purchased at least one of their firearms legally.