SP2605, doesnt the state have only 30 days to issue the card? If so taking longer is breaking state law. Is there any way to charge the state with a violation of our rights and for breaking the law? I am assuming ISP is for IL state police. Are the people in the office punished for not following the states guidelines and law?
Come on now. Get real. Let's put life and reality in perspective.
The stautute says 30 days but there is no penalty section tied to the statute. Why don't you get yourself an attorney, have them draw up a complaint, have it filed with the state's attorney of your choosing, and then wait to see just how long it takes. You'll be waiting a lot longer than 30 days to get any of the SAs to move. If you get a quick response it will be a refusal to file charges because 1) you'll have to show where you were adversely affected by the action, 2) where you have standing, 3) that the action was done intentionally for the purpose of harming you, and 4) there is no penalty section to the statute. In addition, you'll have to show why you waited until the last minute to apply when you knew your card was set to expire and why if that was a concern of yours you waited so long to reapply.
Here's the reality. On average the state processes over 250,000 renewals a year. That does not include new FOID cards. Do the math. On average 20 working days a month. 240 working days a year. 250,000 renewals a year. That's over 1000 cards issued everyday. Run that out further. 8 hour shifts not including lunch, breaks, or break downs of equipment. 126 cards issued every hour or more than 2 cards every minute. The printing alone takes longer than 30 seconds a card. There's also the criminal history check, review, and checking over the application for incorrect, incomplete, and inaccurate information and then all that has to be computerized. That doesn't even come close to the amount of work required when someone pops up with a similar name as someone who is wanted or has a criminal record and the people have to decide if the applicant is the same as the person with the record.
None of that takes into account what happens in the fall. About August and September hunters begin looking forward to the hunting season. One of the things they decide to look at is their FOID card. You'd be surprised at how many people call up in a panic because they've failed to renew their card thru the year and come hunting season they learn their card has expired. No card, no hunting. So in the fall FOID is flooded with applications from people who haven't paid any attention during the year and now find they can't go hunting. So who's to blame for creating the backlog? Blame your fellow citizen. Try suing them.
What's amazing is that FOID can average a card issued every 30 seconds every work day of the year.
But let's put in all in perspective OK? The law says the state also has to pay all their bills on time. You might have better luck getting an SA to charge the Comptroller or someone in FHS or CMS for failing to pay bills on time. Those are mandated by statute. If you think a 45 day wait is excessive then take a look at what health care providers, pharmacists, gas companies, and everyone else who does business with the state have to wait. Some of those wait 12 months or more for payment which far exceeds state statutes. If you own a business and are depending on business with the state to stay open then think how it would be to wait 12-18 months after you provided services/goods before you ever got paid. 15 days or so past a due date is insignficant taking those into consideration.
You can't force any movement faster than they possibly can. Here's the reality. People think the world revolves around themselves. They don't see the big picture of what's really going on. FOIDs budget was cut, along with other state agencies. Employees were not replaced. Just a couple of years ago there were only 6 people doing the FOID issuance. People yap about doing away with state employees so now you see what happens when state offices are cut people. Deadlines don't get met and citizens don't get the services, businesses don't get paid.
So if you think waiting a few extra days is a major crisis in your life then stop by your local pharmacist and ask them how long they have to wait to get paid. Ask them how they manage to pay their bills, their employees, and their rent when the person who owes them money hasn't paid them in over a year. Let's put life in perspective. Get your FOID renewal submitted in plenty of time and you'll get your card before it expires. At least you won't have to worry about paying your bills, laying off employees, and losing your business.
