Rock Island Today

Members of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) convened on December 12th to listen to testimony from various agencies regarding proposed rules. One of the key topics discussed was the Illinois State Police's (ISP) proposed permanent rules for enforcing the state's "assault weapon" ban (AWB).

Currently, the ISP's temporary emergency rules are still in effect while the proposed permanent rules await action at the January meeting of JCAR. The emergency rules include provisions for registering existing firearms covered by the AWB. Owners of banned firearms purchased before January 10th, 2023, are required to submit an affidavit to the ISP.

Earlier this year, the ISP conducted hearings on their proposed rules. However, critics of the bill, such as Senator Anderson, have expressed concerns about the lack of clarity regarding which firearms and accessories are banned or require the affidavit. Senator Anderson stated, "There is still significant confusion on which firearms and accessories are banned or require the affidavit."

To clarify the rules and provide more information on the process, including the specific weapons and attachments covered, interested individuals can visit the Illinois State Police's website at https://isp.illinois.gov/Home/AssaultWeapons.

In the meantime, multiple court cases challenging the constitutionality of the AWB are still pending. As of now, the ban and the January 1st deadline to register firearms remain in effect.

Senator Anderson strongly opposes the new law, believing that it infringes on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners and is likely unconstitutional. He expressed hope that the AWB will be deemed unconstitutional within the court system, stating, "I hope the AWB will be ruled unconstitutional in the court system."

The issue of the AWB and its enforcement continues to be a matter of debate and legal scrutiny, with lawmakers and stakeholders closely monitoring the developments in the upcoming JCAR meeting and the ongoing court cases.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://senatorneilanderson.com/2023/12/18/lawmakers-hear-testimony-on-awb-rules/