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Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser has been named a member of the Illinois Commission on Implementing the Firearms Restraining Order, according to a news release.
The commission was created this spring by the Illinois General Assembly to advise on the strategies of education and implementation of the Firearms Restraining Order Act.
According to the release, the law allows a family member or police officer to request an emergency order to restrict access to guns if they believe someone poses a danger to themselves or others. The emergency restraining order must be granted by a judge and is temporary, lasting up to 14 days. A plenary firearms restraining order remains in effect for an additional six months after a hearing on the merits of the petition or an agreement by the respondent.
The Firearms Restraining Order Act has been state law since 2019, but it’s been sparsely used. This prompted state officials to create the commission. Panel members are working to improve public awareness of the law and its intent among the public and among officials who are responsible for applying the law, including court and law-enforcement officials, according to the release.
Mosser is among five Illinois state’s attorneys on the panel. The remainder of the 16-member panel, appointed by Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly, includes municipal police chiefs and sheriffs, along with other legal, public safety and public health officials and experts, according to the release.
The panel has met four times since its inception, identifying goals and best practices. It expects to soon begin establishing protocols for the law’s application.
“If we can implement a process to safely and fairly remove guns from people who pose a danger to themselves or to others, we create a safer community. My thanks to [Illinois State Police] Director Brendan Kelly for recommending me for appointment to this commission, where we can propose meaningful changes to this law and can provide education to law enforcement and our community on how and when to apply for the Firearms Restraining Order,” Mosser said in the release.
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