Dupage Policy Journal

Heather Brown, a candidate for the Illinois State Senate District 25, has expressed her concerns over the potential infringement of constitutional rights and noted the lack of a press release from Kane County following the Jan. 1, 2024 gun registry deadline under the Protecting Illinois Communities Act. The law affects the registration of more than 170 types of commonly owned firearms including pistols, shotguns, and rifles.

“Grateful to live in a county that protects our constitutional rights that have been pushed so hard to be rid of,” Brown said on Facebook. “Have not heard a press release from Kane County as of yet when the Bill was passed on firearms. This includes pistols shotguns and rifles that now have to be registered by law abiding FOIA Card owners.”

Her comments were made in response to a letter from DuPage County Sheriff Jim Mendrick to DuPage County residents. In his letter, Mendrick assured residents that his office would not be visiting homes of those who have not registered their weapons by the Jan. 1 deadline.

“Do not listen to the media. I was not threatened to be censured or anything else during this meeting. The meeting that I had with States Attorney Bob Berlin and County Board Chair Debra Conroy yesterday was the first day three tiers of government came together in discussion on this topic,” Mendrick wrote.

“We ALL agreed that our police should not be going to the homes of our law-abiding residents to harass them over gun registration. They get the issues. We will not be sending deputies out proactively to take your lawfully owned guns. Please remove that stressor from your lives.”

“What we will be doing is enhancing penalties for those that use guns illegally in the commission of crimes. Those that commit gun crimes in DuPage will find out how seriously we take gun offenses. If you are not using a gun to conduct criminality, you have nothing to fear from us. If your use of a gun is to harm someone within DuPage County, we are united to make sure you endure every possible penalty that we can bestow upon you for your crimes.”

“We have reached a time where we must protect our citizens from illegal gun use and at the same time allow law-abiding citizens the ability to defend themselves. The media will make up their own version of this interaction to create conflict, but the truth is that we all agree on the difference between lawful citizens and criminals.”

As the Jan. 1 deadline approaches for Illinois gun owners to register their assault weapons under the state’s Protecting Illinois Communities Act, confusion and legal challenges continue to surround the specifics of the ban. Capitol News Illinois reports that nearly 4,900 individuals had filed disclosures with the Illinois State Police (ISP) by the end of November, raising concerns about potential criminal penalties for failing to file disclosure paperwork. 

The law’s impact on hundreds of thousands of gun owners in Illinois remains uncertain due to ongoing legal battles challenging its constitutionality and state officials still settling rules and implementation details. The Protecting Illinois Communities Act was enacted in January 2023 and immediately prohibited the sale of numerous weapons and attachments, including popular models such as those based on the design of the AR-15. While current owners can keep their assault weapons if purchased before the law went into effect, they must register them with ISP by the end of this year. The law also regulates accessories that could classify a firearm as an "assault weapon."

The deadline comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear a challenge to this controversial gun ban. 

A legal challenge to the Protecting Illinois Communities Act faces delays, with a potential appeal unlikely to be resolved until after the Jan. 1, 2024 registration deadline for Illinois firearm owners. The lawsuit, Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois v. Pritzker, challenges the constitutionality of this gun ban asserting violations of both Second and Fourteenth Amendments. The coalition of plaintiffs includes Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois, Guns Save Life, and Gun Owners of America. They argue that the law unjustly classifies commonly owned firearms as "assault weapons" and raises concerns about registration infringing on constitutional rights, according to Prairie State Wire.

The legal challenge, with broader implications for gun legislation and Second Amendment rights, highlights ongoing debates and resistance among gun owners in Illinois.

Chambana Sun reported that State Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) has voiced concerns about the gun ban and the potential resistance from gun owners in the state. Halbrook noted in a recent hearing that “hundreds of thousands of people absolutely will not comply” with a registry of those firearms as a federal appeal is being considered.

Brown, who said she is “proud to have such a close relationship with our men and women in blue” pledged to keep the State Senate District 25 safe, according to her website. The district which is currently represented by State Sen. Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) includes all or parts of Aurora, North Aurora, Batavia, West Chicago, South Elgin, Wayne and Bartlett.