UPDATE: At the bottom of this post.
Illinois has a new governor in JB Pritzker. Neither he nor the Democrat super-majority legislature particularly like guns rights or gun owners. Really, they dislike gun owners almost as much as they hate President Donald Trump. So it should surprise exactly no one that a Prairie State Democrat Senator has introduced Senate Bill 107 to ban almost all semi-automatics.
Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly possess an assault weapon 300 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, except possession of weapons registered with the Department of State Police in the time provided. Provides exemptions and penalties. Effective immediately.
What, specifically, does the bill ban? Any semi-auto pistol or rifle that can accept a magazine holding over 10 rounds. Thanks to 10+ round aftermarket mags, that includes your Colt 1911-style handguns. It also includes your GLOCKS, Rugers, Smith & Wessons, and even your new, really nice SIG P365 concealed carry pistol.
The bill also has language mentioning features that make your tubular-fed semi-auto .22 rimfire rifles verboten as well. Thanks to .22 shorts.
Shotguns, you ask? SB-107 bans every semi-auto shotgun that can accept 5+ rounds. “Oh, but my shotgun only holds five rounds!” you say. Slow your roll, kemosabe. Thanks to the existence of shorty shells, your 5-round tube can now holds about eight or so rounds. Banned! Class 3 felony – up to five years in prison! Merry Christmas!
Yes, this includes most semi-auto hunting and competition shotguns, too.
Hey, it’s not all bad news for existing gun owners. Yes, the bill allows current owners to register their guns with the Illinois State Police. For $25 each.
The bad news? I can just about guarantee Land O’ Lincoln Democrats will introduce a magazine ban this spring which will outlaw the magazines for your registered guns. No doubt gun-grabbing Illinois Dems will look at this coming magazine ban for registered guns as a feature, not a bug.
And don’t worry. A couple of years from now, they’ll be back to confiscate the registered guns, too (assuming you haven’t had any tragic boating accidents). You just watch.
The odds of this bill passing? Pretty strong since Democrats have supermajorities in both houses of the Illinois legislature. You can do the math.
Not only that, but we had also a handful of Republicans sell us out last year on gun control votes. Gun rights folks like Guns Save Life worked with the NRA to remove one of those — Peter Breen — who in past years campaigned as pro-gun. But a couple remain.
Gun owners in Illinois face a difficult future. Unless, that is, the NYSRPA suit comes down in our favor later this year at the US Supreme Court. If that happens, we could be looking at a whole new ballgame when it comes to state and local governments respecting our constitutional rights. Until then, hold your breath.
UPDATE:
First off, thanks to eagle-eyed reader Douglas V. who caught a big mistake on my part. I read right over the word “fixed” in the description of pistols that this bill would ban.
(B) a semiautomatic pistol or any semi-automatic
7 rifle that has a fixed magazine, that has the capacity
8 to accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition;
Frankly, while I regret making a big mistake like this, I must say I’m thrilled he caught my mistake. I and hundreds of thousands of my fellow Illinois gun owners won’t have to spend $25 each to register our defensive handguns to remain legal.
Other commenters pointed out that the bill bans possession of “components”, including parts kits. I didn’t even tackle that aspect of the bill in the original post as I saw the gun bans as intrusive enough. However, yes, possession of things like a simple flash hider, collapsible stock and barrel shrouds would give you a felony conviction in the Land of Lincoln if this bill passes.
