Carbondale Reporter

Terri Bryant, a senator for Illinois State Senate District 58, commented on the recent ruling regarding the Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card. She described it as a "wait and see" situation, noting that the Attorney General was expected to appeal. Bryant made her statement on Facebook on February 10.

"Some interesting news out of White County this morning," said Bryant, State Senator, according to Facebook. "I have always agreed that the FOID Card is unconstitutional, which is why I have filed legislation in the past to repeal it. We now have to wait and see how this case moves through the legal system as the Illinois Attorney General is expected to appeal and ask for a stay on the ruling as early as this afternoon."

The Facebook post referenced a report from WRUL 97.3, which announced that Judge T. Scott Webb ruled in the State of Illinois v. Vivian Brown case that Brown's possession of a firearm in her own home was protected by the Second Amendment. Brown faced charges in 2017 for owning a firearm without a FOID card after her husband contacted the White County Sheriff's Office when she fired a gun inside their residence.

Screenshot of State Representative Terri Bryant's Feb. 10 Facebook post | State Senator Terri Bryant's Facebook page

Webb's order highlighted that at the time of her charge, Brown had no criminal record and was eligible to possess a firearm. The judge also noted that law enforcement found no evidence of gunfire inside the home. Brown was charged with a Class A misdemeanor for possessing a firearm without the required FOID card and said she had been defending herself.

According to the Illinois State Police (ISP), which issues FOID cards, they are necessary to legally possess firearms or ammunition under state law. Applicants must meet several conditions, including having no felony convictions or orders of protection against them and no history of inpatient treatment for mental illness.

Bryant has represented Illinois' 58th District since 2021 and previously served seven years in the Illinois House of Representatives. Her career includes work at the Illinois Department of Corrections from 1994 to 2014. She currently serves as minority spokesperson for several committees and is involved with higher education funding initiatives.