Illinois 2026 FOID Reform Bills: Mental Health Reporting, Safety Courses, and Stalking Revocations

What the Bills Would Do

Several bills advancing through the 104th General Assembly would amend the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act (430 ILCS 65) in significant ways^[1]:

HB0018 — FOID Denial and Revocation for Stalking: Would add stalking convictions and active stalking no-contact orders as grounds for FOID denial and revocation. The bill has been referred to the Gun Violence Prevention Committee via House Committee Amendment No. 1, indicating active legislative work^[1].

HB2406 — FOID Firearm Safety Course Requirement: Would require FOID applicants to complete a firearm safety course as a condition of card issuance. Currently, Illinois does not require any training for FOID eligibility (unlike the concealed carry license, which requires 16 hours). HB2406 has been assigned to the Gun Violence Prevention Committee as of March 12, 2026^[2].

HB5209 and SB3466 — FOID Mental Health Reporting: Both bills would strengthen the "clear and present danger" mental health reporting requirements that feed into the FOID background check system. Under current law (430 ILCS 65/8.1), mental health professionals must report individuals who pose a clear and present danger to ISP, which triggers FOID revocation. These bills would expand reporting obligations and streamline the adjudication process. HB5209 is assigned to the Gun Violence Prevention Committee^[3]; SB3466 has a committee deadline of March 27, 2026^[4].

HB4999 — Mental Health Disclosure Exception: Would amend the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act to create an exception allowing broader information sharing with ISP for FOID adjudication purposes. Assigned to Gun Violence Prevention Committee^[5].

Current Status

All bills in this group have received committee assignments or have active deadlines, placing them ahead of the vast majority of the 241 firearms bills filed this session. The Gun Violence Prevention Committee is actively hearing firearms legislation, and these FOID reform bills are positioned for committee votes before the spring deadline.

What to Watch

The safety course requirement (HB2406) would be the most significant structural change to the FOID system since its creation in 1968. It would add cost and time to the application process, drawing opposition from gun rights organizations who argue the FOID system is already an unconstitutional burden. The stalking revocation provision (HB0018) has the broadest potential bipartisan support. The mental health bills continue Illinois's post-2013 focus on strengthening the "clear and present danger" pipeline that was exposed as inadequate after several high-profile shootings.