Dupage Policy Journal

SPRINGFIELD – Moderate Democrats are expected to push back on provisions of a “gun grab” bill – as described by opponents – when legislators reconvene on Thursday.

House Bill 5855 would outlaw the sale and purchase of firearms that don’t operate manually.

The proposal has no sponsorship support among Democrats south of Urbana.

It would define "other firearms" as assault weapons, and a current owner of such a weapon would have to register to keep it.

Law makers looking to compromise seek to grandfather ownership and eliminate an age 21 ownership requirement, among other things.

As written, the firearm registration period would last four months and owners would have to sign affidavits swearing they own locking ”mechanisms.”

The bill defines the mechanism as a device other than a safety to render a firearm temporarily inoperable or a container that can be securely locked.

Democrat Rep. Bob Morgan of Highwood introduced the bill on Dec. 1, and 33 more Democrats signed up as sponsors as of Jan. 3.

Ten sponsors represented Chicago and 22 represented Chicago suburbs.

Rep. Carol Ammons of Urbana signed up as the sole Downstate sponsor.

Female sponsors outnumber males 21 to 13.

Keeping such a firearm without registering it would constitute a felony just like buying or selling one.

Exceptions would involve tight restrictions.

For coaches or competitors at the Olympic range in Sparta, they could carry an otherwise illegal firearm “if the firearm is broken down in a nonfunctioning state.”

Owners of otherwise illegal firearms could transfer them only to heirs, persons in other states, or licensed dealers.

Persons receiving those weapons would notify Illinois State Police within 10 days, pay a $25 fee, and swear that they own locking mechanisms.

Citizens of other states transporting their weapons across Illinois would need to keep them unloaded in a container and would have 24 hours to leave the state.

The bill wouldn’t apply to police, prison and jail personnel, members of armed services and National Guard, and security officers at nuclear energy facilities.

The bill wouldn’t change state wildlife code, which expressly permits possession of a weapon only for hunting.

The bill defines 20 models of specific brands as assault pistols that qualify as assault weapons.

It defines 49 models of specific brands as assault shotguns or rifles that qualify as assault weapons.

It defines a semi-automatic center fire rifle as an assault weapon if it can accept a detachable magazine and it has a folding or telescoping stock, a forward pistol grip, a flash suppressor, or a grenade or flare launcher.

It defines detachable magazine as an ammunition feeder that can be removed readily without disassembling the action or using a tool.

Semi-automatic center fire rifles shorter than 30 inches qualify as assault weapons.

A semi-automatic pistol qualifies if a magazine attaches outside the grip or it has a second hand grip, a shroud around the barrel that permits a shooter to fire without being burned, or a threaded barrel for a flash suppressor, forward grip, or silencer.

A semi-automatic shotgun qualifies if it has a folding or telescoping stock or any grip or stock “which would allow the individual to grip the weapon, resulting in any finger on the trigger hand in addition to the trigger finger being directly below any portion of the action of the weapon when firing.”

A semi-automatic shotgun qualifies if it can accept a detachable magazine.

A shotgun with a revolving cylinder qualifies.

A semi-automatic pistol or a semi-automatic center fire rifle with a fixed magazine that can accept more than ten rounds qualifies.

The definition of assault weapon doesn’t include firearms manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action.

It doesn’t include unserviceable or permanently inoperable firearms, antiques, firearms that use rim fire ammunition or cartridges, or air rifles.

The bill wouldn’t apply to props for motion pictures, television, video production, or entertainment events.