Good and Bad news on Illinois gun legislation
Attended the State Senate Committee heating today. The short story is all the gun control legislation was either not passed or withdrawn because they didn't have the votes to pass it - all that is except the worst bill of the bunch SB1195 the semi-auto ban that also includes provisions to ban magazines over 10 rounds and ban all 50 caliber weapons, which as written would include shotguns, modern muzzle loaders, and pistols. As written it would also require that all magazines and semi-auto so called assault weapons would have to be turned in, destroyed, or removed from the state. It also included no exemption for dealers or manufacturers – meaning that Springfield Armory, DSA, and Armalite would all be in violation and would have to shut down or move out of state. Also no Illinois gun dealer could sell any high capacity magazines or so called assault weapons in Illinois – even to police. There was no exemption for police or military either – only an affirmative defense clause – meaning that a police officer or national guardsman could be arrested and charged with a felony for possessing an assault weapon – and could get off – but only after going to court and raising the defense in court.
Daley’s waterboy Senator who sponsored the bill was unable to answer basic questions about the bill and when pressed kept back-pedaling and saying things like, “uhhhh, well we could look at that,†and ummmm I’m don’t think that was what was intended,†and “we could probably change that.â€
The NRA was there not only the Illinois NRA lobbiest, but also a young gun out of headquarters. Also there were between 100 to 200 gun owners – mostly ISRA members there at the committee hearing.
When the vote came on SB1195 what happened was that the NRA was able to pressure and deal with a Democrat on the committee and one other Democrat also turned our way – but a downstate republican stabbed us in the back. The bill passed with two Senators, (one Democrat and one republican), saying they would vote for it if significant revisions could be made to it, (implied revisions included grandfathering weapons, making sure muzzle loaders and shotguns were okay, making dealers and manufacturers exempt, making cops and military exempt, ect….a long list), the sponsoring senator agreed to hold the bill from the senate floor until the differences could be addressed and worked out with the NRA and ISRA representatives. However the NRA and ISRA reps told them to stick it, that they weren’t going to help them write a watered down bill and pass it. Therefore any changes in the bill are likely to be from the one republican and one Democrat who voted yes with resevations. However the “promise†by Daley’s waterboy to hold the bill and not present it to the full senate for vote is not binding and the NRA reps figure he will wait a week and then put it up for a vote in the full senate, with or without revisions. They feel there is still a good chance of defeating the bill – especially if there aren’t extensive revisions – as even many Democrats are wary of it the way it is.
Interesting notes:
Met a gun dealer from Southern Illinois who was in Somalia in the BlackHawk Down incident and was wounded in the fight. The NRA rep found out and had him testify on SB1195 – He really put the anti’s back on their heals.
When the Western Coordinator – their top gun – for the Brady Campaign testified on the semi-auto ban, he stated that it was important to pass this bill in Illinois because the federal assault weapons ban would expire in 2004 and not be re-enacted.
NRA reps reported that only the Brady Campaign and Chicago PD testified for the bill as for a change the FOP and Sheriffs assoc and other police orgs all opposed SB1195.
One other bit of bad news – while we were all in the Senate – they pulled a fast one in the house – after the state license for FFL’s lost in the senate – they suddenly brought it up in the house in the house version of the bill – this was unexpected because it was believed that they wouldn’t since they didn’t have the votes on the house committee to pass it – but they also then removed a Democrat rep from the committee who wouldn’t vote for the bill and replaced him with another Democrat rep who would vote for it and it passed.
The upshot is no clear victory but things look a little better over-all then they did yesterday. For everyone who called, wrote, or showed up – just know that you had a impact.
The next step is to keep up the pressure by calling your senator and rep and letting them know not to pass the Daley gun bills. The NRA reps suggested that you get one or two friends and arrange that you each call on alternate days and call their home office as well as their Springfield office. Also letters or post cards with your name and address – so they know you are an active voter in their district is very helpful. So please let us not stop now lets get even busier. The senate vote on SB1195 could happen anytime – probably in the next two weeks so plan on making arrangements so you can be there now.
I’m sure I missed some important stuff but I’m tired, more later.
Attended the State Senate Committee heating today. The short story is all the gun control legislation was either not passed or withdrawn because they didn't have the votes to pass it - all that is except the worst bill of the bunch SB1195 the semi-auto ban that also includes provisions to ban magazines over 10 rounds and ban all 50 caliber weapons, which as written would include shotguns, modern muzzle loaders, and pistols. As written it would also require that all magazines and semi-auto so called assault weapons would have to be turned in, destroyed, or removed from the state. It also included no exemption for dealers or manufacturers – meaning that Springfield Armory, DSA, and Armalite would all be in violation and would have to shut down or move out of state. Also no Illinois gun dealer could sell any high capacity magazines or so called assault weapons in Illinois – even to police. There was no exemption for police or military either – only an affirmative defense clause – meaning that a police officer or national guardsman could be arrested and charged with a felony for possessing an assault weapon – and could get off – but only after going to court and raising the defense in court.
Daley’s waterboy Senator who sponsored the bill was unable to answer basic questions about the bill and when pressed kept back-pedaling and saying things like, “uhhhh, well we could look at that,†and ummmm I’m don’t think that was what was intended,†and “we could probably change that.â€
The NRA was there not only the Illinois NRA lobbiest, but also a young gun out of headquarters. Also there were between 100 to 200 gun owners – mostly ISRA members there at the committee hearing.
When the vote came on SB1195 what happened was that the NRA was able to pressure and deal with a Democrat on the committee and one other Democrat also turned our way – but a downstate republican stabbed us in the back. The bill passed with two Senators, (one Democrat and one republican), saying they would vote for it if significant revisions could be made to it, (implied revisions included grandfathering weapons, making sure muzzle loaders and shotguns were okay, making dealers and manufacturers exempt, making cops and military exempt, ect….a long list), the sponsoring senator agreed to hold the bill from the senate floor until the differences could be addressed and worked out with the NRA and ISRA representatives. However the NRA and ISRA reps told them to stick it, that they weren’t going to help them write a watered down bill and pass it. Therefore any changes in the bill are likely to be from the one republican and one Democrat who voted yes with resevations. However the “promise†by Daley’s waterboy to hold the bill and not present it to the full senate for vote is not binding and the NRA reps figure he will wait a week and then put it up for a vote in the full senate, with or without revisions. They feel there is still a good chance of defeating the bill – especially if there aren’t extensive revisions – as even many Democrats are wary of it the way it is.
Interesting notes:
Met a gun dealer from Southern Illinois who was in Somalia in the BlackHawk Down incident and was wounded in the fight. The NRA rep found out and had him testify on SB1195 – He really put the anti’s back on their heals.
When the Western Coordinator – their top gun – for the Brady Campaign testified on the semi-auto ban, he stated that it was important to pass this bill in Illinois because the federal assault weapons ban would expire in 2004 and not be re-enacted.
NRA reps reported that only the Brady Campaign and Chicago PD testified for the bill as for a change the FOP and Sheriffs assoc and other police orgs all opposed SB1195.
One other bit of bad news – while we were all in the Senate – they pulled a fast one in the house – after the state license for FFL’s lost in the senate – they suddenly brought it up in the house in the house version of the bill – this was unexpected because it was believed that they wouldn’t since they didn’t have the votes on the house committee to pass it – but they also then removed a Democrat rep from the committee who wouldn’t vote for the bill and replaced him with another Democrat rep who would vote for it and it passed.
The upshot is no clear victory but things look a little better over-all then they did yesterday. For everyone who called, wrote, or showed up – just know that you had a impact.
The next step is to keep up the pressure by calling your senator and rep and letting them know not to pass the Daley gun bills. The NRA reps suggested that you get one or two friends and arrange that you each call on alternate days and call their home office as well as their Springfield office. Also letters or post cards with your name and address – so they know you are an active voter in their district is very helpful. So please let us not stop now lets get even busier. The senate vote on SB1195 could happen anytime – probably in the next two weeks so plan on making arrangements so you can be there now.
I’m sure I missed some important stuff but I’m tired, more later.
