This week, One Aim Illinois gathered with Domestic Violence Prevention Advocates and elected officials to voice their support for Karina’s Bill, which would strengthen state law to protect domestic violence survivors from firearms. In recent months, the Illinois State Legislature has failed to prioritize and pass the piece of legislation during the veto session.  In the time since legislation was filed in October, there have been multiple alleged domestic. In fact, Chicago closed out 2023 with 19 percent more domestic violence shootings in than the year before (New York Times). In July of 2023, Karina Gonzalez and her 15-year-old daughter Daniela were shot and killed by Karina’s husband even though she was granted an order of protection that could have led to the removal of his firearm by law enforcement. Advocates and elected officials discussed how the Karina’s bill clarifies an existing law, clarifying for a judge to issue a warrant for immediate removal of firearms and close the loophole that would otherwise allow transfer of firearm ownership. The legislation is named in honor of Karina Gonzalez, who was shot and killed in July along with her 15-year-old daughter Daniela by Karina’s husband even though she was granted an order of protection that could have led to the removal of his firearm by law enforcement. Currently, court-ordered protection from firearms in the home is applied inconsistently and ineffectively across the state. Even when survivors are granted an order of protection, law enforcement often does not have a clear directive to remove a firearm from the home. This legislation makes it clear for law enforcement to remove any firearms from the home when certain orders of protection are granted.