Pritzker signs Illinois gun ban as opponents prepare to sue

[January 11, 2023]  By Greg Bishop | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – The sale of certain semi-automatic guns and magazines is now prohibited in Illinois with a law Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed Tuesday night. Gun-rights groups say they’ll see him and legislative leaders in court.

The Senate passed amendments to House Bill 5471 Monday night. The House approved the measure Tuesday afternoon. Pritzker signed the bill with an immediate effective date late Tuesday evening. Just before the measure was approved on the final day of the 102nd General Assembly, state Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, lobbied for its passage.

“The people of the great state of Illinois have been waiting decades for legislation just like this. Let them wait no longer,” Morgan said.

The measure grandfathers in certain semi-automatic guns already in possession, but they must be registered by Jan. 1, 2024. Violation can be a Class 2 felony. Future sales of long gun magazines of more than 10 rounds and handgun magazines of more than 15 rounds are now banned, but already owned items are grandfathered. They do not have to be registered. Penalties for possessing them outside of private property is a petty offense with a $1,000 fine per violation.
 

State Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, said the measure is overreach and is unconstitutional.

“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,” Wilhour said.

Pritzker made good on his promise late Tuesday and signed the measure as soon as it was sent to his desk.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker amid legislative leaders before signing a bill to ban certain guns and magazines
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“This legislation will stop the spread of assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and switches and make our state a safer place for all,” Pritzker said in a statement after it passed the House Tuesday. “I look forward to signing this bill immediately, so we can stop the sale of these deadly weapons as soon as possible.”

The measure allows Illinois-based gun manufacturers to sell certain weapons and components banned by the legislation, but only to customers in other states, countries and law enforcement. Some worry the measure will impact revenues for their rural hunting communities.

Gun-owner rights groups and organizations representing gun stores have long promised to file litigation against the various elements of the proposal.

Dan Eldridge with Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois and Maxon Shooter’s Supplies in Des Plaines said a lawsuit would be filed as soon as possible to get immediate relief from the courts to block the measure.

“It’s not going to last, we will win and when we’re done with this we’ll have an energized membership base, we’ll have a pretty big war chest and we’ll go after everything else that we can,” Eldridge told The Center Square after the bill passed.

Also promising litigation is the Illinois State Rifle Association.

“Challenge accepted,” ISRA Executive Director Richard Pearson said in a statement. “The Illinois State Rifle Association will see the State of Illinois in court.

Greg Bishop reports on Illinois government and other issues for The Center Square. Bishop has years of award-winning broadcast experience and hosts the WMAY Morning Newsfeed out of Springfield.