Illinois: State Senate Leadership Postpones Floor Votes on Gun and Magazine Bans, Registration Schemes and Shooting Range Restrictions

Illinois Senators were poised to vote today on two bills that aimed to trample on your individual rights by imposing sweeping semi-automatic and magazine bans, requiring registration of firearms and magazines, and crippling shooting ranges through onerous restrictions. However, thanks to your timely action and the volume of telephone calls to state legislators in Springfield, the Senate leadership decided to postpone its votes on these issues. These legislative threats have not yet been defeated and can still be voted on as early as Tuesday, January 8 when the Senate reconvenes for the last two days of its lame duck session. In order to defeat these assaults on your constitutional rights as law-abiding citizens, it is critical that you contact your state Senator IMMEDIATELY to express your opposition to House Bills 815 and 1263 and any additional anti-gun amendments. If you own a semi-automatic firearm or detachable magazine, under the proposed legislation they may be banned, taxed and registered, and you could easily become a felon unless you act NOW! Anti-gun legislators led by Senate President John Cullerton and backed by Governor Patrick Quinn (D) have been garnering support for draconian gun and magazine bans, and gun and magazine registration and shooting range restrictions in the state Legislature. House Bill 1263, amended to include a ban on many commonly owned firearms passed last night in the Senate Public Health Committee by a 6 to 4 vote. Also House Bill 815, amended to include a magazine ban and shooting range restrictions, passed by a 6 to 3 vote in that same committee. Additionally, amendments have been filed to remove the hunting exception and could also be introduced and considered on the Senate floor. These actions prove once again that Chicago politicians seem more focused on creating new classes of criminals out of law-abiding citizens than dealing effectively with their current violent crime problems. Both of these bills are expected to be considered on the Senate floor as early as Tuesday for their third and final vote, and this is where the real fight will take place to maintain your Second Amendment rights and defeat Senate President Cullerton's anti-gun agenda.