Lawsuits stack up as FOID delays reach an average of 116 days

[InterestedBystander]

Full article at link...

 

https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/lawsuits-stack-up-as-foid-delays-reach-an-average-of-116-days/article_12841ae6-0d8c-11eb-ae40-6f0fc578f4ea.html

 

..."(The Center Square) The delays for Firearm Owner Identification Cards are getting longer, up to an average of 116 days. They're even longer for concealed carry cards.

 

As the backlogs increase, lawsuits against the state are also stacking up.

 

Illinois State Police say the average time for FOID card processing is 116.35 days. FOID cards are supposed to be processed within 30 days.

 

For Concealed Carry Licenses with fingerprints to go with the applications, ISP said the average time is 129.9 days. Without fingerprints with the application, its 154.19 days.

 

The state is facing 12 active lawsuits over the delays, the Illinois State Rifle Association said. The group filed one in federal court on Tuesday.

 

These delays have gone on long enough. We had hoped to avoid litigation, but at this moment, we have no choice, the association said in a statement. This is not an issue of funding as money has been allocated to ISP for issuing FOID cards. When it was unused, it was returned to the state's general fund.

 

Delays in processing FOID cards have been a problem since before the COVID-19 pandemic. In January, about 62,000 applications backlogged with some people waiting eight months or longer. Six months later, officials reported nearly 64,000 backlogged applications. As of Tuesday, Illinois State Police reported 142,324 pending FOID applications"...

[Flynn]

Imagine if it took 100+ days to get your voter registration completed so you could exercise the right to vote, there would be no one saying it wasn't a civil rights violation!