Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Freeport) had good news and bad news for the readers of his website recently.
Stewart collaborated with Sen. Tim Bivins (R-Dixon) on Senate Bill 607, which removes a ban on the use of spring-assisted knives in Illinois. The measure passed the House and Senate.
"While some people still have a negative opinion of this particular tool, many others know that this instrument is useful to professionals such as paramedics and law enforcement," he wrote.
On the other hand, Stewart found fault in SB1657, which would create the Gun Dealer Licensing Act, arguing that it would be a “lousy law” that would “hamstring” law-abiding gun dealers and operators. He said that gun laws do not reduce crime, citing Chicago as an example.
"I could talk about how you don’t have to own a gun store to legally sell weapons," he wrote. "Those law-abiding private citizens would be slapped with fines and cumbersome regulations. Our legislature may not be very good at passing budgets, but we sure know how to impose fines and regulations."
Stewart wrote that despite some of the strictest gun laws in the country and a ban on gun stores, Chicago saw 762 gun-related murders last year.
“Criminals have little to no regard for the laws that govern us,” Stewart wrote. “Understanding all of this, we must conclude that gun laws do little to deter criminals and much to deter law-abiding citizens.”
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