FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 1st, 2022

Statement by Michael Ziri, Director of Public Policy at Equality Illinois, the state’s civil rights organization for LGBTQ+ people, regarding the legislation announced this week by members of the Illinois House Democratic Caucus:

Equality Illinois thanks State Rep. Bob Morgan and the members of the Illinois House Firearm Safety and Reform Working Group for their thoughtful, hard work crafting a common-sense legislative package that would curtail gun violence and enhance public safety.

LGBTQ+ people in our country and our state are not as safe as we deserve to be. Violence erupts when the match of America’s pandemic of gun violence is struck against the kindling of anti-LGBTQ+ hate stoked by powerful leaders. We are reeling from the violence directed at our communities, including the mass shooting last month at Club Q in Colorado Springs and the frequent yet often-overlooked killings of trans people of color across the country.

While we recognize that legislative negotiations will continue, we urge the Illinois General Assembly and Gov. Pritzker to take decisive and expeditious action in the lame duck session to save lives and advance public safety for all Illinoisans, including LGBTQ+ people.

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