Karina's Law:
96-Hour Confiscation for Protective Orders

Karina's Law, signed by Governor Pritzker on February 10, 2025, took effect on May 11, 2025 and addresses firearm surrender requirements for individuals subject to domestic violence protective orders. For criminal domestic violence orders, an officer may seek a search warrant upon the request of the petitioner or the State's Attorney on the petitioner's behalf. The agency to which the court directs that warrant must execute it no later than 96 hours after issuance.^[1]

The Problem the Law Addresses

A person subject to an existing domestic violence order of protection under the Code of Criminal Procedure may not lawfully possess firearms or firearm parts that could be assembled to make an operable firearm, subject to the requirements for ex parte relief. Civil orders have separate statutory conditions for imposing the firearm prohibition. The FOID Act (430 ILCS 65) lists an active order of protection as a disqualifying condition, and 430 ILCS 65/8.2 requires the Illinois State Police to suspend or revoke and seize the FOID card when it finds that the holder is subject to such an order. Within 48 hours of receiving notice of revocation, the cardholder must surrender the FOID card, complete a Firearm Disposition Record, and place the firearms in the location or with the person reported in that record. The person must retain a copy of the completed record and provide a copy to the Illinois State Police.^[2]

The Governor's February 10, 2025 announcement describes Karina Gonzalez receiving an order of protection against her husband weeks before he shot her and their daughter in July 2023. Karina's Law requires the agency to which the court directs a criminal-order search warrant to execute it no later than 96 hours after issuance. Civil-order warrants follow the separate procedures described below.

96-Hour Confiscation Requirement

Under Karina's Law, firearms or firearm parts subject to a surrender order on the respondent's person or at the place of service must be surrendered to the serving officers at service. Other firearms or firearm parts must be surrendered to local law enforcement within 24 hours of service. For criminal domestic violence orders, the court must issue a search warrant at law enforcement's request if sworn testimony establishes probable cause that the respondent poses an immediate and present credible threat to the petitioner's physical safety, possesses firearms or firearm parts that could be assembled to make an operable firearm, and has those items at the residence, vehicle, or other property of the respondent to be searched. Ex parte relief also requires a finding that personal injury to the petitioner is likely if the respondent receives prior notice and that the petitioner has otherwise satisfied the statutory requirements for ex parte relief. The criminal-order warrant must be executed no later than 96 hours after issuance. For civil orders, when the court finds that the petitioner made a credible domestic violence report to local law enforcement within the previous 90 days, the warrant must be executed no later than 96 hours after receipt. Without such a report, the agency must evaluate the warrant within 48 hours of receipt and seek any corrections and, if applicable, add to or negate the warrant. If the warrant is changed, it must be executed no later than 96 hours after the correction is issued. On the agency's petition, the court may modify a civil-order warrant or extend the time to execute it for no more than 96 hours. The warrant directs the agency to seize the respondent's firearms and firearm parts that could be assembled to make an operable firearm.^[1]

Interaction with Existing FOID Revocation

Karina's Law operates alongside the existing FOID revocation process rather than replacing it. The FOID revocation process includes the following steps.

• The ISP is notified and suspends or revokes and seizes the FOID card, with suspension permitted when the order is expected to last less than one year
• The ISP sends a revocation notice to the cardholder, who must surrender the FOID card, complete a Firearm Disposition Record, and place the firearms in the reported location or with the reported person within 48 hours of receiving notice^[2]
• A copy of the FOID revocation notice must be provided to the sheriff and law enforcement agency where the person resides. If the person fails to comply with the FOID disposition requirements, the sheriff or local law enforcement agency may petition for a warrant to search for and seize the FOID card and firearms

The FOID Act's 48-hour duties do not replace Karina's Law's separate surrender requirements. Firearms or firearm parts subject to a surrender order on the respondent's person or at the place of service must be surrendered at service, and other firearms or firearm parts must be surrendered to local law enforcement within 24 hours of service.

Connection to Firearms Restraining Orders

Karina's Law complements Illinois's Firearms Restraining Order Act (430 ILCS 67), which allows courts to issue orders temporarily restricting firearm access for individuals deemed a danger to themselves or others. Firearms restraining orders address danger to the respondent or another person. Karina's Law governs firearm surrender and search warrants in domestic violence order-of-protection proceedings. Public Act 102-1116, effective January 10, 2023, extended the maximum duration of firearms restraining orders from 6 months to up to 1 year.^[3]

Broader 2025 Gun Safety Package

Karina's Law was signed on February 10, 2025. The July bills included the Safe Gun Storage Act (SB 0008), which established storage requirements and reduced the lost/stolen reporting window, and HB 1373, which requires all Illinois law enforcement agencies to participate in the federal eTrace firearms tracing platform.^[4]