CHICAGO – State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) released the following statement in response to the passage of a comprehensive gun safety and modernization package in the Illinois House today:

“This critical legislation will keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, empower partners in law enforcement to act before the next tragedy can occur, and dedicate life-saving mental health funding to communities most impacted by gun violence.

“We chose to move forward with this bill to not let perfect be the enemy of good, as this package contains most of the provisions offered in our initial legislation. It will expand the number of fingerprints on file for police to conduct universal background checks and crack down on illegal gun purchases.

“I strongly urge Gov. Pritzker to sign this vital legislation.”