gun retailer

New Security, Video Surveillance Requirements For Illinois Gun Dealers Go Into Effect

The regulations originally required gun retailers to have a backup of all video surveillance feeds, but has since been changed.

Nearly one year after Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Firearm Dealer License Certification Act into law, new regulations dictating security requirements for retail gun dealers went into effect in Illinois.

The law requires dealers with a federal firearm license to obtain a state certificate by meeting a set of standards for video surveillance systems and gun storage. The measure aims to prevent theft or other diversion of guns from dealers and put an end to “straw purchases,” according to Capital News Illinois. Straw purchases involve a person who buys a gun on behalf of someone who is legally prohibited from owning a firearm.

“These laws were a long-overdue step to do more to prevent gun violence, to make sure guns don’t fall into the wrong hands, to make sure that we license gun shops just like restaurants and other businesses, and deter straw purchases, so that we can prevent someone from buying a gun for someone who is not legally allowed to own a gun,” Pritzker said in a statement about the regulations last year.

Gun dealers have opposed some of the regulations, particularly those around video surveillance requirements. A proposed rule, later eliminated by the Illinois State Police, would have required dealers to maintain video surveillance at several areas in their stores and store those recordings for 90 days. In addition, the dealers would have been required to back up those files on an offsite cloud system or server.

This rule would have been particularly expensive for stores required to have over 100 cameras on premises, according to dealer advocates who had the chance to provide feedback to agency officials at an October hearing.

“I know stores that have over 125 cameras in there,” Todd Vandermyde, executive director of the Federal Firearm Licensees of Illinois, told Capital News Illinois. “You’re not requiring a backup system, you’re requiring a backup generator.”

Since then, the state police have revised many of the proposed rules introduced last fall, and the backup storage requirement has been removed. But since the ISP has passed the Jan. 2 deadline for the rule-making process, the agency plans to use its emergency rule-making powers that put rules into effect immediately for a maximum of 150 days while final rules are drafted.

Many dealers say compliance will still be difficult if other proposed regulations become law, including requirements to have written plans for storing all inventory and keeping ammunition in a restricted area of the store that customers cannot access.

There could be another hearing on the final rules this year, allowing the state police to incorporate final feedback from gun dealers and other stakeholders before releasing the final regulations.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Freedom of Choice

    In today's security landscape, we are witnessing a fundamental transformation in how organizations manage digital evidence. Law enforcement agencies, campus security teams, and large facility operators face increasingly complex challenges with expanding video data, tightening budget constraints and inflexible systems that limit innovation. Read Now

  • Accelerating a Pathway

    There is a new trend touting the transformational qualities of AI’s ability to deliver actionable data and predictive analysis that in many instances, seems to be a bit of an overpromise. The reality is that very few solutions in the cyber-physical security (CPS) space live up to this high expectation with the one exception being the new generation of Physical Identity and Access Management (PIAM) software – herein recategorized as PIAM+. Read Now

  • Protecting Your Zones

    It is game day. You can feel the crowd’s energy. In the parking lot. At the gate. In the stadium. On the concourse. Fans are eager to party. Food and merchandise vendors ready themselves for the rush. Read Now

  • Street Smarts

    The ongoing acceptance of AI and advanced data analytics has allowed surveillance camera technology to shift from being a tactical tool to a strategic business solution. Combining traditional surveillance technology with AI-based data-driven insights can streamline transportation systems, enhance traffic management, improve situational awareness, optimize resource allocation and streamline emergency response procedures. Read Now

  • Midtown Manhattan Shooting Kills 4, Including NYPD Officer

    Four people were killed, including a NYPD officer, in a midtown Manhattan shooting on Monday. That’s according to CNN. Read Now

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.