Illinois going after guns, criminals volunteer to comply - not

Illinois Dems advance ban on most modern firearms

Fox News: Illinois Senate Democrats advanced legislation late Wednesday to restrict  semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines, pressing forward with new gun  control measures in the waning days of the session over the objections of  firearms groups.

Amid the developments, the Illinois State Rifle Association issued an “urgent  alert” to its members warning them that Democratic legislators were trying to  push through last-minute anti-gun legislation.

“There would be no exemptions and no grandfathering,” the group stated in its  alert. “You would have a very short window to turn in your guns to the state  police and avoid prosecution.”

A Senate committee approved two bills, one dealing with the weapons and the  other with magazines. Democratic supporters could face a tough sell in the full  Senate.

One measure would ban the possession, delivery, sale and transfer of  semiautomatic handguns and rifles. People who currently own such weapons could  keep them but would have to register them. The bill would allow semiautomatic  weapons to be used at shooting ranges, but those facilities would be  regulated.

National Rifle Association lobbyist Todd Vandermyde told lawmakers the bill would restrict about 75 percent of handguns and 50 percent of long guns in circulation today. He also said it would treat law-abiding gun owners like criminals, and is in conflict with Second Amendment rights upheld by the courts. “I’ve never seen a piece of legislation that tramples on so many court  decisions,” Vandermyde said.

The other bill, introduced by Democratic state Sen. Dan Kotowski, would limit  ammunition magazines to 10 or fewer rounds.

Those pushing for enhanced restrictions say stricter rules are needed in the  wake of a string of high-profile mass shootings — most recently the deadly  school shooting in Newtown, Conn. Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn had been trying  earlier this year to pass new legislation in the wake of the Colorado movie  theater shooting, but lawmakers are taking another crack at it.

Kotowski sponsored legislation in 2007 that would have prohibited assault  weapons and .50-caliber rifles. His bill made it through a Senate committee but  died on the floor.

Another Democratic state lawmaker, Antonio Munoz, introduced the ban on all  assault weapons “designed for war.” Quinn has repeatedly tried to get stricter laws on the books but has fallen  short.

The state Senate got back to work Wednesday. The House plans to return  Monday. Both legislative bodies are working against a Jan. 9 deadline — when  the state’s new General Assembly will be sworn-in.

Gun manufactures in Illinois have already threatened to leave the area if  laws limiting guns are put in place. ArmaLite owner Mark Westrom told  FoxNews.com that he’s been fielding offers from at least two others states to  move his operation if gun control laws in Illinois are pushed through.

I’m sure all the criminals will readily volunteer to comply with this law. Especially those in Chicago, where five murders have already occurred during the first three days of the year.

DCG