When the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence failed to file its Annual Report with the Illinois Secretary of State and was eventually declared "Involuntarily Dissolved" by the Secretary of State, another organization The Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) checked the status of the name of the former organization and was told it was 'Available' for use. So the ISRA took the name for itself, the Chicago Sun Times reported May 23.

Officials of the former Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence said a move two years ago led to the confusion surrounding the missed annual report filing. The group had updated its new address with a department within the state, but had failed to officially notify the Secretary of State's business service department. As a result, the organization never received official notification from the Secretary of State reminding the organization to file its State of Illinois Annual Report to remain in Good Standing.

Alison Barkley, attorney for the new council, said the move was legal and was made because the name more accurately describes the mission of the new group to increase "accessibility of firearms for self-defense." The former group has now lost its name. Following are Guidelines for Timely Filing of Your Company's Annual Reports:

1. Call each Corporation Division of each state in which the company is authorized to do business on an annual basis to inquire about annual report requirements (ie. some states require electronic filings and other states only accept paper returns), due dates, and other important changes. Each state is different and requires different filings from different types of entities.
2. Begin the process a month before the due date. Give yourself time to coordinate with your Tax Department and/or your Legal Department. Obtain the necessary Annual Report forms as soon as the state makes them available. Some states are rather simple and may not require that much time. Other states like Illinois will take every bit of that time. - For help obtaining free Annual Report forms call 877-275-2767.
3. Make Sure an Authorized Officer Signs the Annual Report.
4. Send a Signed Check Made Payable to the proper State Department for the exact amount (Include Any Penalties & Interest if Applicable). Always double check the address you are sending the Annual Report.
5. Maintain file copy of the Annual Report.
6. After submitting the Annual Report, contact the Secretary of State Corporation Department to verify that the filing was accepted. In some cases, you can visit their web site for verification.

For a list of all Secretary of State's web sites and phone numbers go tohttp://www.sosconnect.com. OR, have ARMS manage the entire process for you less expensively, less

time consuming, and more efficiently. ARMS reduces internal expenses.