Dupage Policy Journal

As the new year draws near, Jerry Evans, a candidate for the 11th Congressional District, has voiced his concerns about the forthcoming enforcement of Illinois' gun ban. The Protect Illinois Communities Act requires law-abiding citizens to register their firearms with the Illinois State Police.

“In the new year the Governor and liberal leadership in Springfield will enforce a law that will force law abiding citizens to register their guns with the state police ’as needed,’” Evans said on Facebook. “Any American should be scared by those words.”

“This is an intrusion on privacy and the 2nd Amendment. As a father and husband, I reserve the right to protect and defend my wife and children. I am deeply upset that the legislature would demonize law-abiding citizens instead of addressing the rampant crime in Chicago and its suburbs.”

While this debate unfolds, Illinois is wrestling with how to implement the Protect Illinois Communities Act. Concerns over data privacy and legal challenges from gun rights advocates have cast doubt on the future of this controversial assault weapons ban.

The General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) has faced criticism for delays in finalizing rules. This has left firearm owners in a state of uncertainty about compliance with the 2023 law which mandates registration of "assault weapons" by Jan. 1, 2024; temporary rules are effective until Feb. 11. JCAR, tasked with overseeing state agency rulemaking, has deferred decisions on proposed rules due to perceived need for further research and consideration. According to WTTW, more than 6,000 people filed affidavits for 12,000 guns, 6,000 accessories and 117 ammunition disclosures following several meetings held by JCAR.

As the deadline for registering firearms under the Protecting Illinois Communities Act looms, a legal challenge to the controversial gun ban is experiencing delays. A resolution before the deadline seems unlikely. The lawsuit, Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois v. Pritzker, argues that the ban on over 170 types of semi-automatic firearms infringes upon the Second and Fourteenth Amendments. The coalition of plaintiffs has expressed concerns about the law’s classification of commonly owned firearms and its potential violation of constitutional rights, Prairie State Wire reported.

Evans, who is running a campaign in the Chicago area, is a small businessman dedicated to education and community service. He founded a suburban music school after graduating from Wheaton College with a music degree in 2002. Currently residing in Warrenville with his wife Lisa and sons Michael and Levi, Evans devotes his time to mentoring and training missionaries. His website reveals that he also participates in missions to India, Mexico, and South Africa.

The 11th Congressional District is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.). According to his website, the district includes most of McHenry and Kane Counties along with parts of Boone, Lake, DeKalb, DuPage, Cook and Will Counties.