HR0163LRB102 17806 MST 24151 r
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, As members of the General Assembly, we are
3elected by the people of Illinois to debate and pass
4meaningful legislation in their best interests; and
5 WHEREAS, When a tragedy occurs, it behooves us to
6re-examine the status quo and decide how we can improve State
7laws to prevent another tragedy from occurring; and
8 WHEREAS, When guns are used in the commission of a hate
9crime, the tragedies are too often lethal; and
10 WHEREAS, Hate crimes have affected many minorities, such
11as the African Americans who were shot dead as they prayed
12during a Bible study in Charleston, South Carolina because of
13someone who was filled with hate against African Americans,
14the Jewish people who were murdered mercilessly at the Tree of
15Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by a person who
16hated Jews, and young people at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando
17who were hated because of their sexual orientation; and
18 WHEREAS, Anti-Asian hate has risen over the past year and
19has reached a critical point with the gruesome shooting deaths
20of eight people in Atlanta, Georgia on March 16, 2021, which is
21yet another incident to be added to this long list of

HR0163- 2 -LRB102 17806 MST 24151 r
1preventable tragedies that heightens the need to address the
2deficiencies in our State's gun policies; and
3 WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 pandemic, Illinois has led
4the nation in gun sales; and
5 WHEREAS, With so many people obtaining guns, many for the
6first time, we must address how we can maintain public safety
7and prevent more tragedies by passing meaningful gun safety
8legislation that will keep people safe; and
9 WHEREAS, As legislators, we cannot and shall not stand
10idly by for the next person filled with hate to easily obtain
11firearms because of weak gun laws; therefore, be it
12 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
13HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14we commit to passing meaningful legislation that will prevent
15people filled with hate from obtaining the means by which to
16end innocent lives.