SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Governor J.B. Pritzker says he is “pleased” with the Illinois Supreme Court upholding the constitutionality of the state’s assault weapons ban.
The 4-3 ruling on Friday upholds the “Protect Illinois Communities Act” that bans assault rifles and high-capacity magazines. It also requires those currently with assault rifles to register them with the Illinois State Police.
In a statement released after the ruling, Pritzker called the Act a “commonsense gun reform law to keep mass-killing machines off of our streets and out of our schools, malls, parks, and places of worship.”
“Illinoisans deserve to feel safe in every corner of our state—whether they are attending a Fourth of July Parade or heading to work—and that’s precisely what the Protect Illinois Communities Act accomplishes. This decision is a win for advocates, survivors, and families alike because it preserves this nation-leading legislation to combat gun violence and save countless lives,” Pritzker said.
Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton also released a statement after the ruling. She says the ruling affirmed that “we are on the right side of history in the work to end mass shootings.”
She says the ruling improves gun safety efforts and builds healthier and stronger communities in the state.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul says he was also happy with the court’s decision.
“The Protect Illinois Communities Act is a critical part of a multi-faceted approach to addressing gun violence. We are firmly committed to protecting Illinois residents from the gun violence that impacts too many communities throughout the state. We will continue to defend the constitutionality of the Protect Illinois Communities Act and other measures that reduce gun violence in our communities,” Raoul said in a statement.
Republican legislators were opposed to the decision. State Representative Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur), who brought forward the lawsuit challenging the assault weapons ban, says he was disappointed in the decision, but expected it.
“This is more of a political decision than anything else. The truth is JB Pritzker spent millions in the last election cycle to ensure the outcome of cases just like this. In fact, the Justice writing the opinion for the majority received more than $1 million in funding from JB Pritzker. The ruling today is not the outcome I wanted, but it was sadly the outcome I anticipated,” Caulkins said.
Caulkins says violence is still occurring and people murdered, even with the law taking effect.
State Senator Sally Turner (R-Beason) says the ruling is “disappointing and unsurprising.”
“While the Illinois Supreme Court has chosen today to rule against law-abiding gun owners, the federal judicial system will have the final say on this blatantly unconstitutional law on the merits of our 2nd Amendment,” Turner said.
State Senator Neil Anderson (R-Andalusia) released a statement as well, saying that Prtizker “was protected by his hand-picked Illinois Supreme Court, which chose not to rule on the merits of the 2nd Amendment.” He continued to say that Illinois residents will get a “fair shake” when the law is brought up in federal court.
The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police came out against the decision.
“The Illinois General Assembly’s recent actions have made it harder and more dangerous to be a cop and for police officers to protect the general public. Now, with this decision, the Illinois Supreme Court has indicated it is willing to go along with a law that removes an important self-defense option for law-abiding citizens to use when the police aren’t nearby. Thankfully, this case will now be taken to the U.S. Supreme Court, where Illinois’ citizens may be given the fighting chance they deserve,” the organization said In a statement released Friday.
https://t.co/GbpDH1PPSs pic.twitter.com/al3N9Fwohn
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) August 11, 2023
There is more work to do, but today the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that, once again, Illinois is on the right side of history. pic.twitter.com/Hpv0Nd0VlA
— Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton (@LtGovStratton) August 11, 2023
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