Here's the scoop as I understand it: In an interesting turn of events, Senator Kwame Raoul, the moderate-talking but really avowed Leftist appointed to replace then State Senator Obama some years ago, has introduced an amendment to the House's bump stock ban (HB-1467). Raoul's little gift (Senate Amendment One) would add an end to pre-emption of long guns. Because he and other gun grabbing Illinois senators (including the hate-filled political hack Lil' Donnie Harmon) bitterly cling to their anger over losing on the concealed carry fight years ago.
It will be thrown to a friendly Senate committee with an hour or two's notice, advanced out of committee to a Senate floor vote where it needs a simple majority to pass. Given how much pressure squishy-on-guns pols have endured in the past few months – and especially since Parkland, FL – its passage through the Senate with the new anti-pre-emption language added would not come as a surprise to anyone.
In other news today…
The Illinois Senate will probably take up an attempted veto-over-ride of the Gun Dealer Licensing Bill. If you haven't called your senator on that one, urging them to stand with gun owners in their district (who vote religiously) to oppose the over-ride, you should. RFN. Also call Senator Andy Manar. He's a swing vote on this. The other side knows this as well. It's not a secret. Go ahead and call him too. RFN.
In other news, Todd Vandermyde, the former NRA-ILA contract lobbyist whose now working for the Illinois delears trade group, put up a quick and dirty update over at Illinois Carry. I got much the same in a phone call last night. In short, everything is extremely fluid. Our goal is to make it through this week without too much bleeding.
There's a sad amendment to HB-1465 which would provide some affirmative defenses to felony charges for an 18-20-year-old in possession of a black rifle, standard capacity magazines or .50 caliber firearms or ammo. Yeah, get arrested for a felony, strip search, anally probed, hire an attorney, spend a ton of money, revocation of FOID card, potentially go to trial, MAYBE get an acquittal. Yeah. That's a pretty great concession, folks. Too bad they didn't have this affirmative defense for acting like a would-be tin-horn dictator masquerading as a state legislator.
For all this targeting of guns from leftist Chicagoland Democrats (and some downstate as well), there needs to be a price to dissuade this behavior… We, as gun owners, need to replace these people trying to distract from sexual harassment complaints and scandals with gun control. We need to replace them with folks far more moderate to supportive of our basic, fundamental constitutional rights.
Most troubling is news that former Springfield Armory and Rock River Arms' trade group lobbyist Jay Keller has been slinking around the Capitol Complex. Is looking to do unsanitary things to gun owners after finding himself fired from a cushy, well-paying gig after last year's fiasco on Gun Dealer Licensing? Is he coaching the Senate President on how to defeat our efforts? Time will tell. If so, Jay's life could get a whole lot more disgraced. A whole lot.
Here are a couple of ACTION MESSAGES from our friends at the National Rifle Association. Read them. Take action. Help us beat back the angry mob. If we fail, we'll all become members of the Future Felons of Illinois club thanks to legislative fiat by gun-hating leftists who can't win a public debate, so they'll legislate us out of existance.
Thanks to your hard work, Governor Bruce Rauner has vetoed the two anti-gun bills that would drive your local gun stores out of business. However, the fight is not yet over, as anti-gun Senators will attempt to override the veto. Please contact your state Senator and urge them to OPPOSE overriding the veto on SB 1657 and HB 1273. Click the “Take Action” button below to contact your state Senator.
Senate Bill 1657, sponsored by Senator Don Harmon (D-39), was passed by the House with a vote of 64-52 and House Bill 1273, sponsored by Representative Kathleen Willis (D-77), was passed by the Senate with a vote of 30-23. These bills would create an onerous gun dealer licensing scheme within the state. While the purported intent of this legislation was to enhance “responsible business practices,” these bills only prove that the intention is to close as many federally licensed firearm dealers (FFLs) as possible. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) licenses and closely monitors all FFLs and strictly enforces any violation of federal law. SB 1657 and HB 1273 go so far beyond federal law in its mandatory regulations and red tape imposed at the state level that they would almost assuredly force the closure of most firearm dealers and prevent prospective owners from opening new ones. This legislation seeks to create so many department divisions, anti-gun 5-member licensing boards, and licensing fees that dealers would be forced to close through oversight by anti-gun appointees or being priced out of business.
SB 1657 & HB 1273 go far beyond federal law and are designed to shut down as many FFLs as possible.
Again, please use the “Take Action” button above to tell your state Senator not to override the veto on SB 1657 and HB 1273.
On Wednesday, March 14th, the Illinois state Senate will consider a number of extreme gun control bills. These bills ban the possession of most semi-automatic firearms and magazines by law-abiding adults aged 18-20, requiring them to be surrendered within 90 days, impose a 72-hour waiting period on modern semi-automatic firearms, and ban certain firearm accessories and historical firearms. These bills have already passed the state House of Representatives and it is urgent that you contact your state Senator and ask them to OPPOSE House Bills 1465, 1467, and 1468. Click the “Take Action” button below to contact your state Senator.
House Bill 1468, sponsored by Representative Jonathan Carroll (D-57), previously passed the House by a vote of 79-37. It would require a 72 hour waiting period for certain commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms and .50 BMG caliber rifles. Current Illinois law requires a 72 hour waiting period for handguns and a 24 hour waiting period for long guns. The arbitrary distinction in this bill will cause confusion among firearm sellers about which long guns require a 72 hour waiting period. In addition, it would also ban the sale of these firearms to non-residents.
House Bill 1465, as amended by Representative Michelle Mussman (D-56), previously passed the House by a vote of 64-51. It would deny law-abiding young adults under the age of 21 their Second Amendment rights by prohibiting them from possessing or purchasing commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms, standard capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, and .50 BMG caliber rifles. The bill would require adults under the age of 21 to dispose of such firearms within 90 days and to dispose of standard capacity magazines over ten rounds in capacity immediately. In addition, language in the bill would prohibit out-of-state visitors from being present in Illinois for longer than 24 hours with such firearms or standard capacity magazines.
House Bill 1467, sponsored by Representative Martin Moylan (D-55), previously passed the House by a vote of 83-31. It would ban “bump stocks” and “trigger cranks.” The broad and vague language could be interpreted to ban components used on competition grade firearms. It would ban various antique and historical reproduction firearms such as Gatling guns, which are owned by collectors and historical reenactors. It would require owners of “bump stocks” and “trigger cranks” to dispose of them within 90 days.
Again,please contact your state Senator and urge them to OPPOSE House Bills 1465, 1467, and 1468.
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