Gun control has once again become a hot topic since the Sandy Hook shooting in December and in Illinois, it is certain to become even more controversial in the coming days. According to the website thetruthaboutguns.com, a bill that is being introduced into the Illinois Senate and the sponsor of the bill, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, is hoping to push the bill through quickly and have it signed by Governor Pat Quinn by the end of the week.
The bill is known as the "assault weapons ban" and according to thetruthaboutguns.com, what it means for gun owners is that gun owners would be required to turn over firearms covered under the ban to the Illinois State Police or face prosecution. Under the bill, the ISP will be able to confiscate firearms such as semiautomatic rifles, pistols and shotguns, including pump shotguns.
Part of the bill also limits the amount of ammunition gun owners can have and would require registration of amounts over the limit.
This bill and the potential ban comes less than a month after proponents of concealed carry in Illinois were encouraged after a U.S. appeals court struck down the state's ban on concealed carry laws. The Chicago Tribune reported on December 11 that the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Illinois ban on allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons was unconstitutional. The 2-1 decision gave Illinois citizens hope that concealed carry would finally be available to Illinoisans but the new potential ban Cullerton is pushing would impede such laws as citizens may be forced to give up the guns they have already legally acquired.
If you are an Illinois resident, how do you feel about such a bill that would outlaw guns you own? Leave a comment or send an email to Southern Illinois News Examiner at tammyleemorris@gmail.com.
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