It didn’t take long for discussion to begin Monday about how quickly Democrats would move on some sort of gun control legislation, even as early as this week, had the Senate still been planning to return.

From both sides of the aisle, we a lot of different possibilities, including limiting purchase and ownership for those under 21 to an all out “assault rifle” ban. Highland Park, by the way, has an existing assault weapons ban that has been challenged in court multiple times since 2013.

Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield), who was in attendance at the Monday parade, issued a statement urging action.

“What I do know is that there are families that have been torn apart; children who will have nightmares from their trauma; a community that will never fully heal,” he said. “I will fight every second of every day to do whatever possible in the General Assembly to make sure this tragedy never happens again.”

Morgan declined to discuss legislative options in more detail.

Rep. Marcus Evans (D-Chicago), a member of House Democratic leadership, called for “gun control and regulations now” in a statement Monday.

“At some point we have to put politics aside and focus as a nation on gun control,” Evans said. No community is safe, there are just too many guns in this country and too many guns in the hands of individuals with criminal intentions or mental challenges.”

A spokesperson for Senate President Don Harmon said Monday “no specific measures are under review” right now.

Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley), a pro-gun lawmaker, said Monday Democrats are overreacting to the latest crisis.

“They may look at the need to fund another program or implement more restrictions, like have worked so well in Chicago,” Syverson said, cynically. “What’s so sad is the fix is so simple, but requires personal responsibility and accountability for a person’s own actions.”

The debate likely won’t go away anytime soon.

Patrick Pfingsten

@pfingstenshow

patrick@theillinoize.com