In Illinois a radical new gun law has passed through committee and is on its way to the house floor that could severely limit gun owners rights even more than the state already has. The House Judiciary Committee passed the anti-gun House Bill 4117 by a narrow vote of seven to five. The House Bill 4117 mimics the bill proposed by Senator Diane Feinstein on the heels of the Las Vegas tragedy.
House Bill 4117
The synopsis of the bill makes it unlawful to purchase, sell, possess or deliver an assault weapon or assault weapon attachment. It also prohibits the possession use and sale of any .50 caliber weapon, cartridges or weapon attachments as well. Additionally House Bill 4117 makes it unlawful to deliver, sell, purchase, or possess any large capacity feeding device or trigger modifications devices which can extend to muzzleloaders, certain magazines, and other popular accessories.
In effect, the ban would prevent the purchase, ownership, and possession of many popular accessories with semi-automatic weapon owners as well as impose additional registrations on the current law-abiding owner. The list includes a broad range of what is considered “trigger modification device,” and it even makes it a felony to possess magazines that can hold 15 rounds or more.
So citizens who lawfully owned their weapons and accessories could become criminals overnight with the simple stroke of a pen. Possession of these restricted devices would not only add a felony to otherwise law-abiding gun owners record but would also risk sending them to jail for anywhere from three to seven years.
Senate Bill 1657
Another part of the anti-gun act that is now pushing its way through the Illinois house would put a restriction on gun dealers in the state of Illinois. The synopsis of Senate Bill 1657 states that those selling, leasing, or transferring firearms will be required to have a license issued by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
The bill also creates the Gun Dealer Licensing Board which will consist of 5 members appointed by the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation who will be responsible for recommending policies, procedures, and rules relevant to the administration and enforcement of the Act.
With the new restrictions and bureaucratic red tape that Senate Bill 1657 would create could cost thousands of dollars in regulatory fees and licensing requirements for gun dealers that already are established and operating legally. These additional expenses and added restrictions are likely to prevent many new gun dealers from opening shop as well as penalize others enough so that they have to close their doors.
What is the True Plan of Illinois new Legislation?
While anti-gun activists have seized on the recent tragedy to push their gun restriction agenda, the question is will these regulations really prevent crime and other tragedies from happening again?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. No matter how many regulations and restrictions are imposed it will not change the mindsets of those that intent on harming others. So the question becomes what is the true purpose of these bills?
Senate Bill 1657 will not only make it costly for current firearms shops to become compliant but may also deter others from opening shop in the state of Illinois thus reducing a significant amount of tax dollars that goes to the state as a result of these shops. It seems that the primary goal anti-gun activists may have intended with this bill is to disrupt the sale of firearms in their state by making it cost prohibitive for legal shops to operate.
House Bill 4117 is the start of the slow stripping away of gun-related accessory that are used by law-abiding citizens to exercise their second amendment right and right to self-defense. Some of the items being restricted are most often used by gun owners for competition, hunting, and by those who have a disability that may require certain accessories to allow them to exercise their rights.
If this legislation comes to pass, it may be an open door for the systematic removal of law-abiding citizens rights to gun ownership in the state of Illinois. Once the floodgate opens, there may be no end to the legislation until gun rights in Illinois are considered a thing of the past.
~ American Gun News
