In Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker signed a bill into law that makes it illegal to carry assault-type weapons.
The bill, which was passed by both the Senate and the House, was first passed in the Senate in 34-20. After that, it was passed by the House in 68-41. The bill, which targets over a hundred types of weapons, prohibits the sale, purchase, and delivery of assault-type weapons, and those who already own them will have to register them.
Pritzker announced his signing of the bill over Twitter.
I'm tired of living in a world where a mass shooting needs a title so you know which one we're referring to.
I just signed the Protect Illinois Communities Act, which immediately bans the sale and distribution of assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and switches in IL. pic.twitter.com/xvVfrlLSaU
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) January 11, 2023
"In his statement, the governor said that he was proud to sign the bill, and he vowed to continue fighting for stricter gun laws in Illinois. He also noted that he would like to see the state's schools only talk about mass shootings such as those that happened in Sandy Hook, Uvalde, and Highland Park."
The signing of the bill by the governor was no surprise, as he had previously promised to sign it if it was passed. The bill's rapid passage was also due to the incoming members of the legislature being sworn in on Wednesday.
Opponents of the bill, which include Republican members of the legislature, said it would infringe on the rights of citizens to carry weapons.
"In response to the bill, the Gun Owners of America called it a dangerous proposition. According to them, semi-automatic weapons are commonly used to prevent crime and save lives. Banning these weapons would only make it harder for law-abiding citizens to buy the best firearms. Additionally, the registration requirement would be unconstitutional."
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Washington Examiner.