Illinois Supreme Court Upholds Assault Weapons Ban

 

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Illinois Supreme Court upheld the state’s assault weapons ban on Friday after months of legal challenges. This lifesaving law, also known as the Protect Illinois Communities Act, bans the sale of assault weapons, large capacity magazines, and rapid-fire devices.

“The Supreme Court’s ruling upholds the legislature’s commitment to value the lives of our children over guns,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “This ruling makes it clear that the safety of our cities, our suburbs, and our small towns is not subject to the veto of the gun lobby. Such statements should not be profound or controversial, but in a time when the specter of gun violence looms over every aspect of our lives and preventable tragedies are seemingly a daily occurrence in communities small and large across the country, this ruling in favor of commonsense gun safety is monumental.

“I want to thank Representative Bob Morgan and Representative Maura Hirschauer, who championed this legislation, along with all the members of the Firearm Safety Working Group who dedicated so much time to meeting with stakeholders, studying efforts undertaken in other states, and utilizing that insight to create one of the nation’s strongest gun safety laws.

“We know there is more work to be done. We know no single law can make up for decades of Washington politicians allowing federal regulation to wither and neighboring states refusing even the most reasonable measures to address unregulated gun sales. Our commitment to value innocent lives calls on us to continue the work to get guns out of the wrong hands, to expand access to mental health treatment, and to invest in community-based approaches to violence prevention. I encourage our Republican colleagues to join in these efforts as partners, rather than litigants.”

“With the Illinois Supreme Court upholding the Protect Illinois Communities Act, this commonsense gun reform law continues in full force, despite the efforts of the gun lobby,” said Rep. Morgan (D-Deerfield). “Since its enactment in January, this law has already prevented the sales of thousands of assault weapons and high capacity magazines, making Illinois safer for our families. The federal courts will continue to assess this law, but today’s ruling prioritizes public safety over the gun lobby trying to impose their dangerous, extreme views through the judiciary.”

“I applaud today’s ruling for commonsense gun safety as a lawmaker, as a Moms Demand Action volunteer, and as a mother myself,” said State Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-Batavia). “I’m glad to see our Supreme Court upholding the work so many of my neighbors sent me to Springfield to do. I know there is more work to be done, so I am heartened to see that the voices of so many students, moms, and other advocates mean more than the money and clout of the gun lobby. And I’m grateful to know, at least in Illinois, we will value our children more than we value guns.”

Read more about the 4-3 ruling here, here, and here.

 
Andrea Garcia