Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation Monday that criminalizes selling a gun privately without having the buyer go through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) first. “Prior to this change people with dangerous histories who shouldn’t possess a weapon—and the Illinois State Police denies firearm licenses to thousands of these individuals a year—could avoid detection through a private sale. That’s a deadly loophole, and in Illinois, we are closing that down for good,” said the Democrat governor, describing private gun sales as a “deadly loophole.” The legislation that was signed by Pritzker takes effect in 2024. However, it’s not clear if the law will reduce gun-related crimes, homicides, and shootings—which have surged in major metropolitan areas. Conservative lawmakers have said that gun control won’t decrease the number of murders or shootings, while they have pointed to a sharp rise in anti-police animus that erupted last summer following George Floyd’s …