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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
SUPPORTING THE RESPONSIBILITY IN FIREARM LEGISLATION (RIFL) ACT (HB 3320 / SB 2279)
WHEREAS, The Responsibility in Firearm Legislation (RIFL) Act (HB 3320 / SB 2279) offers a fair, evidence-based solution by establishing a no-fault Firearm Injury Restitution Fund financed entirely by firearm manufacturers; and
WHEREAS, firearm injuries in Illinois generate an estimated $18-20 billion in direct and indirect costs each year in medical care, mental health treatment, criminal justice, law enforcement, lost productivity, funeral and burial expenses; and
WHEREAS, firearm injury is the number one cause of death for children and teens, pregnant women, and means by which suicide is committed; and
WHEREAS, despite this staggering financial and human toll, firearm manufacturers have been exempted from indirect regulation through tort liability by the 2005 federal law, the Protection in Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; and
WHEREAS, the tobacco, opioid, and other comparable industries have been held financially accountable for their for-profit activity's exorbitant social costs; and
WHEREAS, the RIFL Act ensures that entities profiting from firearm sales share responsibility for the public costs and harm caused by their products, modeling its framework after longstanding and effective no-fault schemes such as Workers' Compensation and the State Guaranty Association; and
WHEREAS, this fund will provide support for medical and mental health care, rehabilitation, and other direct expenses following firearm injury-providing essential support to victims and their families while also providing additional funding support for proven community violence and suicide prevention efforts; and
WHEREAS, in 2025, Cook County expanded evidence-based investments in gun violence prevention and intervention by supporting residents most at risk of gun violence and survivors of violence, strengthening the county's overall safety infrastructure through the successful C...
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