Illinois House Bill 3320, called the RIFL Act was filed last February, and forwarded to the Rules Committee in March 2025. It seems to be stalled in the committee and hopefully will never advance. However last month another Chicago Democrat co-sponsor signed on showing they are still trying to build support for this huge anti-gun/anti- commerce/Socialist agenda/tax grab bill. Whew, that is a lot to wrap in one bill! Attempted Dem money grubbing at its finest.
Well, what is this bill about? The Responsibility in Firearm Legislation (RIFL) Act is a proposed Illinois law that would create a state licensing system for firearm manufacturers to sell their products in Illinois and require them to financially contribute to a victim‑compensation and violence‑prevention fund (which does not exist) and this fund would receive mega millions of dollars and will be administered of course by the oh so beneficial state of Illinois. (cough, cough… couldn’t get that one out with a straight face!)
What could go wrong there? The same administration overseeing the sorry state of Chicago, the highest tax burden in America (2025 title earned!), lowest credit rating, pro illegal aliens, statewide pension crisis, Department of potholes, extortionist toll roads and bridges, and wildly overtaxed fleeing population.
If passed, the proposed RIFL Act would of course ultimately be found to be unconstitutional, following years of litigation, because it assumes the manufacturers are guilty without trial, intent or actual involvement with the crimes and “pre‑confess” liability for crimes committed by third parties.
It is also obviously a form of punitive taxation designed to drive manufacturers out of the state-against the U.S. Commerce Clause as well as being a violation of federal protections under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which shields manufacturers from liability for criminal misuse of their products. (I cite the not so famous U.S. vs Spoons case, litigated by Moe Dewey, Larry Cheatem and Curly Howe, where maybe Spoons were being held liable for making people fat and pencils causing mistakes…)
Photo credit Pintrest.
The RIFL bill is one of the most aggressive attempts in the country to shift the claimed financial aftermath burden for gun violence from taxpayers to the firearms industry. It would only kick in after guns have been misused in thousands of state crimes each year. Well by God! No sense blaming the poor misunderstood criminals for their wanton and intentional acts! We might as well try to blame someone else- and collect undefined fanciful billions too for the state coffers!
If Dems can ramrod this terrible law through the legislatures, it would require Mandatory Licensing for Firearm Manufacturers wishing to sell guns in Illinois. They would have to obtain a state license, and failure to do so would permit up to one million dollars a month in civil penalties. One million dollars a month! How utterly egregious! Is there another product so regulated? No. Simply no.
This bill is so far overreaching even California legislators are going “Damn.” Remember in California, to sell a new gun there the manufacturer must first submit a sample to California for “safety testing.” I thought that was restrictive and silly, and so did some manufacturers who said “Nope. Not doing it.”
How much money are we talking about in Illinois? (What with the pension fund fiascos and money grubbing for every tax they can think of …) Big big phony dollars. The bill claims the total licensing fees will equal (fanciful and/or completely made up) public health and financial costs incurred by the misuse of firearms injuries and deaths by felons- claiming this amounts to $18-$20 BILLION annually!!! Why that’s Minnesota fraud kind of money right there! Surprised they kept their “estimates” south of “One Gozillion Dollars.”
On the application side, this ridiculousness could equate to hundreds of millions of dollars per gun manufacturer to hold an Illinois sales license. Double whammy there- forcing makers into bankruptcy or making it so prohibitive to sell their interstate commerce product in Illinois.
Liberals say they believe such a large amount of money would be used to pay for funerals which of course they don’t control, lost wages (We owe private employers now? Good thing most Chicago miscreants don’t have jobs!), medical bills – trauma- what’s yer dollar amount there, round it up to the nearest million? The oh so efficient community violence intervention programs, and other victim assistance programs they have not dreamed up yet!
Oh the humanity.
Anti-gunners have dreams, don’t they? If this awful bill dies in committee good riddance, but it is worth noting- this is the type of shenanigans the shameless anti-gun lobby and reps feel free to advance. “If we keep throwing slop on the wall, maybe some of it will stick.”
Remember kids, take it from your old Uncle Mike-never, ever underestimate the stupidity of large groups of people advancing “new good ideas.”
