From a McHenry County Blog reader:
“As of 02/01/2020 my FOID (Fireowners Ownership Identificiation) card expired.
“I sent in my renewal on 11/2/2019 or 92 days ago.
“As of today I lost my job because I don’t have a valid Foid card.
“I have tried for the last two weeks to contact anyone at the State Police by phone multiply times every day to emailing everyday.
“No response from anyone.
“At 9:00 am the message is high call volume try later then goodbye and hang up.
“Can you help?
“The State processed my Payment immediately .
“The online site says under review since day one.”
= = = = =
I have often said that the only parts of government I think work are the ones about which I know nothing.
There is a bit of irony in Governor JB Pritzker’s bragging about the low unemployment rate when his Administration is keeping people like this man from keeping his job.
The advice I offered is for him to call his State Rep. and State Senator.
It is a mark of a bad government when elected officials have to itervene to get bureaucrats to do their jobs.
If the person has proof of their application, their FOID is still valid.
It’s wrong that ISP has taken this long, but legally the FOID is still valid and your reader shouldn’t lost their job.
Took me 65 to renew FOID and.184 to get my CCW it’s ridiculous.
Bring a lawsuit against them and while you are at it, add that this (FOID) is an unlawful tax and the extra $1 fee charged to process the credit card is also a blatant fleecing of its citizens, especially when all you were doing was changing your address.
A federal lawsuit has recently been filed over this matter.
https://www.saf.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1-Complaint.pdf
Cliff Notes version: State residents who apply for an FOID or concealed carry permit pay fees to the State that are supposed to be used to administer these programs.
The State has used the money for other things and claims it does not have the money to properly administer the FOID and concealed carry permit programs, hence the unconscionable delays.
According to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, the State has diverted away nearly $30 million from these programs.
146 days for my CCW and I got the optional finger prints to “speed it up”
112 days for my FOID renewal, and now over a month since my original FOID card expired.
Have your local state Senator or state Rep.look into it, they can be a tremendous aid.
@SKI
Use caution.
An expired FOID card remains valid past the expiration date ONLY if the renewal was submitted PRIOR to the expiration.
DAMHIK! 🙁
If you get caught in possession or carrying with an expired FOID and you didn’t submit the renewal prior to expiration, you run the risk of a hard charging LEO or prosecutor ruining you eligibility for either the FOID or CCW.
Thanks for the info Chuck.
It’s FOID not FOIA in the headline.
+ 1 with Gus…
Sorry. I shall correct the typo.
This man needs to contact the Illinois State Rifle Association immediately.
They sent an email update to members about suing the state with help from the Second Amendment Foundation.