State Senator Dave Syverson voted on Nov. 8 to extend a criminal penalty enhancement designed to keep more felons convicted of gun crimes behind bars and off the streets. House Bill 1440 was passed in the Senate by a 41-12 vote, but it appears to have stalled in the House of Representatives, which means the criminal penalty enhancement will sunset at the end of this year.

The statute was originally passed at the request of law enforcement to help them keep violent repeat offenders and gang members behind bars.

Senator Syverson says that the partisan games used to kill the statute will make the state less safe, by allowing violent gun criminals to be back on the streets sooner.