Illinois Assault Weapons Ban Passes House, Signed By Governor

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Less than six months and one week after a gunman opened fire on 4th of July paradegoers in Highland Park, Illinois lawmakers passed a ban on guns like the one legally purchased by the alleged shooter.

It was signed by the governor shortly after its final passage Tuesday evening.

In addition to defining certain semiautomatic rifles, pistols and shotguns as "assault weapons" and banning their sale and unregistered possession, the bill approved by Illinois General Assembly this week also introduces restrictions on magazines that carry more than 15 rounds of ammunition for handguns or more than 10 rounds for rifles and shotguns.

The man awaiting trial for murder in connection with the Highland Park parade shooting allegedly twice reloaded his AR-15-style rifle with 30-round magazines as he fired 83 bullets into the assembled crowd in under a minute. Authorities said he left the murder weapon at the scene before driving to Madison, Wisconsin, in his mother's car with a second semiautomatic rifle that would have been banned under the new law, one of five guns had legally purchased in the summer of 2020.

The final version of the Protect Illinois Communities Act passed both chambers with mostly party-line votes as House Bill 5471 in the waning hours of the end of the 102nd General Assembly. Democrats hold a supermajority in both chambers, but legislative leaders had never before called for a vote on an assault weapons ban.

Two Republicans supported it — retiring House GOP leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs and State Rep. Brad Stephens (R-Rosemont). Democratic Sens. Doris Turner of Springfield and Patrick Joyce of Essex, voted against it as the Senate approved it 34-20, with five senators not voting. The final House vote was 68-41, with three Democrats voting "no" — State Rep. Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa), State Rep. Anthony DeLuca (D-Chicago Heights) and State Rep. Michael Halpin (D-Rock Island). More than a dozen lawmakers either declined to vote or were absent.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he would be proud to sign what he described as "one of the strongest assault weapons bans" in the country. Illinois is set to become the ninth state with such a ban.

"No Illinoisan, no matter their [ZIP] code, should have to go through life fearing their loved one could be the next in an ever-growing list of victims of mass shootings. However, for too long people have lived in fear of being gunned down in schools, while worshipping, at celebrations or in their own front yards," Pritzker said in a statement after the House vote.

"This legislation will stop the spread of assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and switches and make our state a safer place for all. I look forward to signing this bill immediately, so we can stop the sale of these deadly weapons as soon as possible," the governor said.

There were nearly 650 mass shootings — defined as any incident in which four people are wounded or killed — last year in the United States, including more than 50 in the Chicago area, according to the Gun Violence Archive. In 2022, there were also 36 mass murders — when four or more people are slain by another — including the July 4 Highland Park mass shooting.

In the deadliest shooting by a single gunman in state history, a rooftop shootershot more than 50 paradegoers, seven fatally, at the city's Independence Day parade. Authorities said a local high school dropout had legally assembled an arsenal, including two assault weapons, during the summer of 2020.

Following the shooting, House Democrats formed a working group to develop firearm safety legislation. The proposal that emerged from that group, the Protect Illinois Communities Act was introduced last month by State Rep. Bob Morgan.

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In a message to supporters after the final vote, Morgan thanked other members of the working group and the leadership of Pritzker and the House and Senate leaders.

"This sweeping gun reform bill is among the strongest in the nation and will ban the kind of assault weapons and high capacity magazines that tragically killed our relatives and neighbors on July 4th," Morgan said. "This is a huge step forward — Illinois residents have demanded common sense gun reforms for decades to reduce the ripple of firearm deaths, and this week the legislature met the urgency of the moment."

Morgan had been set to march in the parade when the shooting began and witnessed the immediate aftermath.

"Above all, I am in awe of the countless victims, survivors, and family members who sat with us, told us their stories, and refused to give up until they got the change we all needed," he said. "This victory is a testament to their strength and resilience in the face of unimaginable pain, and I am forever grateful to them."

Morgan's bill was amended in the House and the Senate before its eventual passage.

Among the changes: the ban on firearm owner identification, or FOID, cards for people under 21 who are not in the military was dropped.

Current Illinois law requires parents to endorse applications for FOID cards if the applicant is under 21.

The accused Highland Park shooter was able to purchase the guns he did at the age of 19 because his father signed off on his FOID card application, which was later approved and issued by Illinois State Police, despite documented reports of threats of violence and suicide. The father was later been indicted on seven counts of reckless conduct in connection with his signature on the form.

Another change: the ban on what the bill defines as a "large capacity ammunition feeding device" was softened to allow owners of existing magazines that hold more bullets that the law permits to keep them on private property and moving between specified locations.

In the final bill, the high-capacity magazine ban makes it a petty offense with a $1,000 fine to manufacture, deliver, sell, purchase or possess such a magazine, except in specific circumstances.

Illinois State Rifle Association Executive Director Richard Pearson responded to the bill's passage with a response to Senate President Don Harmon's closing remarks — "See you in court" — ahead of Monday's Senate vote.

"Challenge accepted," Pearson said. "The Illinois State Rifle Association will see the State of Illinois in court."

Highland Park has had a municipal assault weapons ban on the books since 2013, which has been upheld by federal judges under earlier U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

The city's attorneys are currently litigating a legal challenge to its ban filed weeks after the shooting by the pro-gun group National Association for Gun Rights and Highland Park resident Susan Goldman, who cited the mass shooting as a reason she should not have to store her AR-15 outside of city limits.

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering issued a statement applauding the sponsors of the bill and all state lawmakers who took action on the ban and calling on the federal government to do more.

"Banning assault weapons has proven to be effective at curbing gun violence, as shown by the ten-year Federal Assault Weapons ban that expired in 2004. While we know that no town or county is an island and appreciate that this state-wide ban will make it that much harder for someone with horrible intentions to obtain a combat weapon, neither is a state," Rotering said.

"This important step taken by our [Illinois] legislators sends a clear message to other states and the [federal] government that we need continued bold action to address mass shootings across our nation," the mayor added. "We urge them to continue their work towards protecting all Americans’ rights to live free from fear of gun violence."

Earlier:
Assault Weapons Ban Approved By Illinois Senate With Amendments
Illinois House Sends Ban On Assault-Style Weapons To State Senate
Gun Ban, No FOID Under 21 Included In First House Democrat Proposal