Rockford Sun

Last week, Governor Pritzker signed Senate Bill 8 into law. The measure will require gun owners to report a lost or stolen firearm within 48 hours, reducing the previous deadline of 72 hours. The new rule takes effect on January 1, 2026. Those who do not comply may face significant fines and risk losing their Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) card. Repeat violations could result in more severe penalties.

Senate Republicans have criticized the law, arguing that it targets responsible gun owners rather than addressing violent crime. They say many gun owners keep firearms stored in places like safes, cabins, or vehicles that are not checked every day, making compliance with the new deadline difficult.

State Senator Syverson said, "this new law is just another one-size-fits-all mandate that turns law-abiding citizens into offenders while failing to crack down on actual criminals."

Syverson has served as a Republican member of the Illinois State Senate since 1993, representing the state's 35th Senate District after succeeding Christine J. Johnson.