(ConservativeHub.com) – On Monday, the Illinois state Senate passed what is believed to be one of the toughest measures regarding banning assault weapons. In a statement issued by Senate President Don Harmon, along with Gov. JB Pritzker and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, they wrote that following negotiations between both leaders and stakeholders, they struck a deal for what they believed would be one of the “strongest assault weapons bans.” They further stated that there is a gun violence epidemic in the country and that in Illinois the people are calling for lawmakers to take action in order to curb the levels of gun violence.
The House and the Senate then came to an agreement shortly after the Senate advanced the measure. By Wednesday, Governor J.B. Pritzker had signed the measure into law.
Assault weapons and the degree to which they should be regulated or restricted has been a major point of debate in the US. The issue has had a significant impact in Illinois, particularly after the Highland Park Shooting in 2022 that killed seven people.
Dr. Sheena McKenzie, a pediatrician from Highland Park, was reported by WGNTV saying that there was a stark difference between shootings with handguns and shootings with assault weapons. McKenzie noted there is greater damage suffered from assault weapons.
Before he signed the bill, Pritzker noted that he was approving it so it would “take immediate effect” and stop people from selling “weapons of war,” Fox2Now reported. It will now be illegal to sell assault weapons in Illinois, and new restrictions for ammunition magazines will be put into place. People already owning the weapons will be allowed to keep them as long as they register them.
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