Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn has signed legislation that exempts the names of Illinois residents with a Firearms Owner ID card from the state's Freedom of Information Act.
The bill was overturn to block a March ruling by Attorney General Lisa Madigan that the FOID list is a public document. Gun owners argued that releasing the information would make it easy for criminals to locate homes with or without guns.
Quinn released the following statement:
"As Governor, I have made increasing openness and transparency in government one of my top priorities. It is essential to have an open and transparent state government; however, it should not come at the expense of the public’s safety. This bill has the support of the Illinois State Police because it ensures that individuals who have FOID cards or who have applied for FOID cards are protected from having their personal information made public, which could make them vulnerable to potential crimes and jeopardize public safety."
The law takes effect immediately.
