CHICAGO – State Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins celebrated a new rule through the Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that modernizes the definition of a firearm to better address the proliferation of “ghost guns”.

“Our communities have become too accustomed to the tragedies of fatal gun violence,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “Keeping our most vulnerable populations safe requires a bold strategy to end the market for ‘ghost guns’.”

ATF’s “Frame or Receiver” rule takes effect this week, making clear that parts kits that are ready to convert to functional weapons, or functional frames or receivers of weapons, are subject to the same regulations as traditional firearms. The rule clarifies that background checks must be run on individuals purchasing parts kits, requires serial numbers on parts, and requires gun retailers to keep records for the entire time they are licensed, rather than for 20 years.

Senator Collins passed House Bill 4383 to require the serialization of parts kits in Illinois, making our state a leader in the fight to reduce gun violence. Unserialized guns prevent law enforcement from thoroughly conducting criminal investigations, which hinders their efforts to address the violence in our state. Illinois law enforcement has seen a 400% increase in these types of weapons in just the last five years. The new federal rule will apply Collins’ policy to federally licensed gun dealers across the country.

“Applying our policy at a federal level will make communities across the nation safer, and save countless lives,” Collins said.

Learn more about the new “Frame or Receiver” rule at the ATF’s website.

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