The Illinois Senate could take action on a proposed assault weapons ban Monday, a move eagerly sought by proponents of the legislation before the 103rd General Assembly is sworn in Wednesday.
The Senate was expected to take up a vote on its own version of an assault weapons ban Sunday, but adjourned without bringing up the measure for a vote. Instead, the Senate has planned to resume session at 1:30 p.m. Monday following a planned hearing on firearms held by the Senate Executive Committee.
Late last week, the Illinois House voted 64-to-43 in favor of the "Protect Illinois Communities Act," a 77-page bill that serves as a legislative response to the tragic shooting at the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park last year that left seven people dead and more than 40 others injured.
The measure, authored by Highland Park represented Bob Morgan and passed by the House around midnight Friday, would make it illegal to sell or purchase any assault weapon in the state. It would also make it illegal to possess such a weapon 300 days after the final passage of the bill.
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However, the legislation passed by House and the one currently being considered by the Senate aren't quite the same. And Sunday, the Senate took up neither the House's bill, nor their own proposal, which House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch referred to as "watered-down."
Pritzker also criticized the Senate's current version of the bill, saying it fails to address the "urgency of now."
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So, if the Senate passes its own version of the bill, what happens next?
Per standard procedure, the bill will return to the House for lawmakers to discuss the changes and conduct a concurrence vote. Both chambers must agree on any differences before the legislation heads to Gov. Pritzker.
If an assault weapons ban does pass, the Illinois State Rifle Association has vowed to sue the state, claiming the measure is unconstitutional and violates Second Amendment rights.
"We believe that this is unconstitutional," stated Richard Pearson, Illinois State Rifle Association executive director. "And so if it goes further, and you get to the senate and the governor signs, we will, of course, be back and take it to court."
Supporters of the bill are hoping that lawmakers pass the legislation before Wednesday, when Illinois' 103rd General Assembly is set to get sworn in.
"We have until the 11th of January to get this through in the lame duck session," said Ashbey Beasley, who was at the Highland Park parade when the shots rang out. "And we are just staying really optimistic. We're looking forward to seeing this go to the senate."
Currently, seven states have laws on the books that ban assault weapons in at least some capacity, including California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.
