Dems Settle on Assault Weapon Ban, Tell Gun Supporters "We'll See Ya in Court"
Senate President Don Harmon advanced an assault weapons ban package out of his chamber Monday.
After contentious back and forth between Governor JB Pritzker, House Speaker Chris Welch, and Senate President Don Harmon over a Senate version of an assault weapon ban progressives say didn’t go far enough, all sides came together late Monday on a plan to ban assault weapons, require registration of existing assault weapon serial numbers, and limiting the size of magazines on all guns.
Harmon, who presented the bill in the Senate, said it is time to take high powered rifles off the streets.
“We have been dealing with gun violence, in all fashions, for far too long,” he said. “What we believe is the proliferation and ready access to high powered weapons that have an original basis in military and combat have no place in common commerce and on our streets.”
Democrats were in an internal war leading up to the introduction of the final Senate bill, but a statement from Harmon, Welch, and the Governor eased the internal strife.
“After continued negotiations between the leaders, stakeholders and advocates, we have reached a deal on one of the strongest assault weapons bans in the country. Gun violence is an epidemic that is plaguing every corner of this state and the people of Illinois are demanding substantive action. With this legislation we are delivering on the promises Democrats have made and, together, we are making Illinois’ gun laws a model for the nation.”
Republicans pushed back on the constitutionality and necessity for a ban impacting gun owners who don’t break gun laws.
Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) said law enforcement and prosecutors should be enforcing existing gun laws.
Why don’t we go after the bad guys, put them behind bars, and actually keep them there? Put the bad guys behind bars, not the taxpayers, not the citizens,” he said.
The bill passed the Senate 34-20.
Four Democrats voted against the bill, including lame ducks Sen. Eric Mattson (D-Joliet) and Sen. Kris Tharp (D-Bethalto). Swing district Democrats Sen. Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) and Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield) also voted against the bill. Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) “took a walk” and didn’t vote on the legislation. No Republicans supported the bill.
The bill bans the sale of new semi-automatic rifles in Illinois and requires serial numbers of existing assault rifles to be registered with the Illinois State Police.
Furthermore, the bill would includes an immediate ban on the “manufacture, delivery, purchase, or sale” of most semi-automatic rifles, similar to AR-15 style rifles. It’s unclear how that would impact Illinois-based gun makers like Springfield Armory in Geneseo.
But it appears the issue will be settled by the courts.
“We are gonna get an immediate stay on this,” said Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Andalusia). “And this will be deemed unconstitutional.”
Todd Vandermyde, a retired former NRA lobbyist who still actively works on gun issues, says he’s confident the ban, as written, will be struck down by the courts.
“We warned them over their carry fight and they laughed and we won,” he said. “Since they’re playing with taxpayer money and not their own, they seem to have as much contempt for taxpayers as they do for the constitution. We look forward to our day in court.”
The feeling appears to be mutual.
“We’ll see ya in court,” Harmon said.
The House is expected to take up the bill sometime today.