Illinois House passes assault gun bill
After a lengthy debate that stretched into Friday, the House voted 64-43 to pass the measure that would also ban “rapid-fire devices” that turn firearms into
fully automatic weapons. It must still clear the Illinois Senate.
By Shia Kapos for POLITICO
January 6, 2022
CHICAGO - The Illinois House passed a ban on assault-style weapons at 12:47 a.m. today with Gov. JB Pritzker in the chamber for the two hours of sometimes-heated floor debate before the vote.
Grim anniversary: The 64-43 vote came six months after the July fourth mass shooting in suburban Highland Park in which seven people were killed and 48 wounded.
Praise from Pritzker: The governor issued a statement after the vote saying Illinois residents expect lawmakers “to tackle tough issues” and the gun legislation — and a separate bill on reproductive rights — are “historic steps in the right direction.”
Both bills head to the Senate, where lawmakers have been working on their own version of an assault-weapons ban that could pop up today. The governor and Democratic leaders want to pass legislation during the lame duck session that runs right up until noon on Wednesday when the next General Assembly takes office.
Looming concern: On the floor, Rep. Fred Crespo said “I'm concerned about what the Senate is going to do. If the Senate does not pick up this bill and we don't pass anything at all and end up empty-handed, you're basically giving people a false sense of hope,. And that is a crime in itself.”
Devil in the details: The gun measure prohibits making, possessing, delivering or purchasing assault weapons — with exceptions if you’re in the military or a police officer. The duration of a Firearm Restraining Order “FRO” would go from six months to one year. And there’s a grandfather clause that allows current assault weapons owners to keep their guns as long as they’re properly registered. More details here.
Along with Democrats voting for the bill, Republican House Leader Jim Durkin did, too. The move prompted criticism from fellow Republican Rep. Andrew Chesney, who said it was “nonsense” and that “no wonder” Republicans are losing traction in the House.
High emotions during debate: House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch talked about the gun violence that changed his life. When he was a child, his aunt was gunned down in front of their church. Welch’s parents took in his three cousins. Here’s some background.
Families grieving: Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth recalled her son, Derrick Booth Jr., who would have been 31 this week. He was gunned down nine years ago by an illegal weapon. AndCrespo said three of his family members over the years were killed by guns.
Their stories didn’t sway Republicans, who said weapons aren’t the problem, shooters are. They criticized the bill for not addressing systemic issues within communities that fuel crime and for not addressing mental health as part of the problem.
Rep. Bob Morgan, who carried the gun legislation and was on the scene of the Highland Park shooting, called the bill’s passage “monumental.” In a statement, he credited “all the activists, organizers and survivors who have flooded this building with their advocacy.”
On the House floor, he urged lawmakers to support a separate resolution being introduced that supports “wrap-around services” for communities as it relates to gun violence.
