Gov. JB Pritzker signed Karina’s Bill into law Monday, a measure that requires law enforcement officers to promptly remove firearms from those accused of abuse.
“It’s a good day for Illinois,” Pritzker said. “It’s also an emotional day as we remember those we have lost and those who have suffered along the way to get us here.
The law, named in honor of Karina Gonzalez who was killed allegedly by her husband in 2023, passed both the Illinois House and Senate during the General Assembly’s lame-duck session in January — almost a year and a half after her death.
The new law clarifies existing language around firearm remedies, by mandating law enforcement officers confiscate guns from alleged abusers within 96 hours of a judge’s order.
Gonzalez and her 15-year-old daughter, Daniela, were fatally shot in their home in July 2023, just weeks after she reported her husband Jose Alvarez’s threatening behavior to Chicago police.
She was granted an order of protection against Alvarez, which led to the automatic revocation of his firearm owner’s identification card. But his weapon was never seized.
On July 3, Alvarez allegedly fatally shot his wife and daughter and wounded their 18-year-old son, Manny Alvarez, according to prosecutors.
Since their deaths, Manny Alvarez, now 20, has joined advocates in demanding legislative action to better protect victims of domestic violence.
“Manny, you have been through so so much and I know that there are no words comforting enough to ease that sorrow,” Pritzker said to Alvarez Monday. “But what you have done, to stand up for survivors and use your voice to prevent this from happening again is nothing short of remarkable.”
On Monday, Alvarez said his family has endured some of the “worst pain ever imaginable,” but “what makes us different is we turned that pain into action.”
“As I look forward towards the future, I hope that the future survivors won’t have to suffer as much as our family and countless others have had to at the hands of abusers,” Alvarez said Monday. “And while there is still much work to be done, the future is brighter than ever.”
The Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline received over 1,000 calls last year from survivors affected by domestic violence and firearms, Amanda Pyron of the Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence shared Monday.
There was a 63% increase in firearm-related domestic violence deaths between 2019 and 2023 in Illinois, according to Pyron.
“This law is a clear signal to survivors that they are believed, heard and trusted in addressing their needs as they escape the cycle of abuse,” Pyron said. “While our work is not over I hope this moment sends a clear signal to everyone that Illinois is a state that stands with survivors.”
Under previous law, those seeking an order of protection could request the removal of firearms, but advocates have long warned that enforcement was inconsistent.
“The reality is this: there are abusers that have access to guns and are not turning them in because they’re using it in order to harass, to hurt and to harm people that they claim to love,” sponsoring state Sen. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago, said. “That’s not OK, and in the state of Illinois, we are giving victims and survivors recourse to be able to do something about it”
Under the new law, a judge issuing an order of protection can also issue a search-and-seizure warrant for firearms, if prosecutors demonstrate probable cause that the alleged abuser poses an immediate and present threat. Law enforcement would then have 96 hours to execute that warrant.
An earlier version of the bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate, as leaders waited on a U.S. Supreme Court decision that was handed down in June. Justices ruled the government can forbid someone with a domestic violence restraining order from possessing firearms.
“The road to get here was long but the results will save lives,” said Illinois Senate President Don Harmon.
Opponents from the Illinois State Rifle Association and the Republican legislative caucus have previously argued that the bill violates due process rights for gun owners.
Pritzker addressed those opponents on Monday as those who “mistakenly believe that the 2nd Amendment has no limits.”
Pritzker added that it is “imperative we adequately fund and support our police officers,” who will carry out this law. “Confiscating weapons from dangerous individuals is too important a task to carry out without proper resources.”
The new law will take effect across Illinois in 90 days.