Illinois this week became the ninth U.S. state to ban military-style weapons, prohibiting their sale, manufacture or delivery in the state, The Associated Press reported.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the bill into law on Tuesday. It went into effect immediately.
”Today, we made history, becoming the ninth state to institute an assault weapons ban — and one of the strongest assault weapons bans in the nation,” Pritzker said before signing the bill.
The law bans dozens of specific brands and types of rifles and handguns, .50-caliber guns, attachments and “switches” — devices that enable guns to become rapid-fire weapons. The bill caps the purchase of magazines at 10 rounds for long guns and 15 for handguns.
Those already owning the banned guns would be allowed to keep them but would need to register them with the Illinois State Police by Jan. 1, 2024, according to a story from the Chicago Sun-Times.
Some Republicans in the General Assembly slammed Democrats over the law.
State Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, complained that Democrats “despise our Founders,” for passing the bill.
”A government willing to defy our Constitution is a government that is completely out of control. So, you can sit here and dictate whatever you want today,” Wilhour said. “But I can tell you that we will not comply, and you’re not going to do a darn thing about it because the law, the Constitution and the founding principles are on our side.”
Illinois joins California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Washington D.C. in banning military-style weapons.
Most of those laws are being challenged, and the challenges are based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen.
Ed Sullivan, a lobbyist for the Illinois State Rifle Association, said legal action challenging the Illinois law would be swift, the AP reported.
When signing the bill, Pritzker spoke about the killing of seven people at a 4th of July parade last year in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park.
Survivors of the shooting and family members of those killed filed 11 lawsuits against Smith & Wesson, the manufacturer of the rifle used in the attack.
”For a long time now, I and many other leaders in the Illinois General Assembly have prioritized getting the most dangerous weapons off our state’s streets,” Pritzker said.
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