The link between firearms and domestic violence in our nation is undeniable. A woman is five times more likely to be murdered when her abuser has access to a firearm, and an estimated one million women have been shot or shot at by an intimate partner with a firearm.
We need you to THANK Governor Pritzker for helping keep domestic violence victims safe from firearms. Please thank him for supporting Karina’s Bill and signing it into law.
Background:
On July 3rd, 2023, Karina Gonzales and her 15-year-old daughter Daniela were killed by Karina's husband, even though Karina had filed for an order of protection that could have protected her from the firearm. On October 22 that same year, Adrianna Lopez was killed after filing an order of protection against her ex-boyfriend. Karina and Adrianna are two different women who were victims of domestic violence and turned to our legal system for help, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough.
That’s why the Illinois Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC-IL) advocated for the passage of Karina's Bill, named in honor of Karina Gonzalez. Karina’s Bill clarifies and strengthens the law to require a firearm be removed from a home when a domestic violence survivor is granted an order of protection.
When regular session ended in May, RAC-IL was disappointed that Karina’s Bill did not pass. We learned that the bill was not considered due to a pending decision in the United States Supreme Court case United States v. Rahimi. This case specifically addressed the intersection of firearms and domestic violence regarding orders of protection.
United States v. Rahimi was decided in June 2024, and the Supreme Court ruled that the government may disarm an individual subject to a domestic violence order, limiting the reach of earlier decisions that vastly expanded gun rights. This meant that Illinois could move forward with Karina’s Bill knowing that it is constitutional.
After more than a year of advocacy, the Illinois Legislature passed Karina’s Bill, and the Governor has signed it.
Jewish Values:
Jewish tradition emphasizes the sanctity and eternal value of human life. The Talmud teaches that:
“One who takes a life, it is though they have destroyed the universe. And one who saves a life, it is as though they have saved the universe” (Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5).
The dehumanization of individuals and the carelessness with which human life is taken during incidents of gun violence stand in direct violation of these affirmations of our tradition. We are called upon to take action to prevent the loss of lives.
Leviticus 19:16 teaches us, "Do not stand idly by while your neighbor's blood is shed." Instead of issuing empty calls for thoughts and prayers as substitutes for action, we are compelled to heed the lessons from our scripture and demand reform.
More Information:
For more information on this issue, contact RAC-IL state organizer Aaron Sofian at asofian@rac.org.
Notes
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