Illinois Governor JB Pritzker on Monday signed Karina’s Law, a measure intended to improve protections for victims of domestic violence by requiring law enforcement to confiscate firearms from anyone whose Firearm Owner Identification (FOID) card has been revoked due to a restraining order.
The law is named for Karina Gonzalez, a Chicago woman who was granted an order of protection against her husband, Jose Alvarez, weeks before he allegedly shot and killed her and her 15-year-old daughter Daniela in early July 2023. Alvarez also shot their son, Manny, who survived and lobbied for the passage of House Bill 4144, also known as Karina’s Law.
“Karina’s law will protect survivors of domestic violence and give them the comfort of knowing their abuser will not have easy access to firearms,” Pritzker said in a release. “We owe it to Karina and Daniela — to Manny — and to all the victims and their families, to continue building all the support and protection that we can.”
The bill requires law enforcement agencies to remove firearms, firearm parts and firearm identification/licenses from people whose FOID cards are revoked within 96 hours of a judge issuing a search warrant. Current law allows anyone filing an order of protection to ask for a “firearm remedy,” or the removal of firearms from an alleged abuser’s home. Karina’s Law clarifies that local law enforcement is responsible for the firearm removal.
Between 2019 and 2023, Illinois saw a 63 percent increase in gun-related domestic violence deaths, according to The Network, an advocacy group for survivors of gender-based violence.
The bill’s chief sponsors were Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) and Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-Batavia).
The legislation has attracted national attention, including from GIFFORDS, the national gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
“Karina’s Bill takes a meaningful step toward protecting victims of domestic violence from experiencing further harm and trauma at the hands of their abusers – a critical step, as women in America are 21 times more likely to be killed by a firearm than women in other high-income countries,” said GIFFORDS Executive Director Emma Brown in a release. “We thank the Governor and members of Illinois’ General Assembly for their leadership on this important issue. Survivors across the state can rest a little easier with this law in effect.”