SUMMARY:
Last night, along party-line votes, the amendments to HB-815 and HB-1263 passed the Senate Health and Safety Committee.
First, the good news: Todd Vandermyde says our calls are beginning to have some effect. We lost a battle against a stacked deck of Chicago Democrats, but “we’re winning the war”.
Now, having said that, you need to act now to avoid losing most or all of your semi-automatic firearms, pump-action rifles and shotguns, public ranges, regular capacity magazines and/or face onerous regulatory schemes and fees. Or become a felon for possessing even gun parts. That’s right… gun parts.
All gun owners in Illinois (and it probably wouldn’t hurt for those outside Illinois to join us, and we’ll tell you why shortly) need to contact their State Representative’s and Senator’s respective offices, both in Springfield and in their home district right now and again this afternoon. Don’t let “voice mail full” messages discourage you. Keep calling. Don’t have your Rep and Senator’s number’s handy? We can help. Here’s the link.
Also, Dan Kotowski seems to be the ringleader of these gun-banning leftists. Call his office in Springfield at (217) 782-3875. His Park Ridge office number is (847) 656-5414.
And, last but not least, call Senate President John Cullerton’s office as well.
What to say: I’m calling to oppose ANY restrictions on gun ownership, magazine capacity or ranges in Illinois.
Another meaningful step you can take is to submit a witness slip in OPPOSITION on HB-815 and HB-1263. Here’s the link.
Fill it out and submit it, skipping the firm, business or agency and title fields (or put N/A and self), along with section II (or fill in “self”). Check “record of appearance” in section III. (I assure you, Guns Save Life has already made an appearance in opposition.)
The good news is the House isn’t scheduled to reconvene until Jan 6th.
The Senate is scheduled to be back tomorrow.
BACKSTORY AND ANALYSIS:
ISRA & NRA-ILA’s announcement to follow…
Notable quotes from yesterday:
From ISRA (not sure of sourcing): MESSAGE FROM COMMITTEE DEMOCRATS: “Eliminating law-abiding gun owners is a good ‘first step’ towards a ‘civil society.’”
From Belleville News-Democrat: When asked how a ban on assault weapons would keep them off the street, when a Chicago ban on handguns wasn’t able to keep handguns off the streets of Chicago, Munoz said: “You can never be 100 percent, but we’re hoping that by having that ban, at least in our state, it’s a start.“
A magazine ban is the primary goal of this push by Cullerton and his merry band of gun-hating leftists. Sure, there’s a gun ban going to be introduced and the gun haters are going to push it as a target of opportunity, but the primary goal for them is magazine bans.
Both bills, and even the “magazine bill”, have range-killing language (ranges must be operated by a federally licensed firearms dealer, and the Illinois State Police can promulgate as many regulations and restrictions upon ranges as they wish as part of the licensing requirements). They also have language which would end training at Illinois ranges (only members can use the facilities) along with competitive shooting events or even just a fun day at the range with friends. Also, non-FOID holders would be prohibited from receiving live-fire training. Yeah, it’s like the gun haters threw in every wish they ever had into a couple of bills we’re looking at.
What’s gotten into Illinois gun grabbers to spark their orgy of action?
Well, the hysteria from the Connecticut massacre gave them the impetus for this, combined with the fact they know they are going to get bent over the barrel with regard to right-to-carry here in Illinois this spring – and they want a consolation prize for losing the last state in America to right-to-carry.
This is also serving as a test bed for Bloomberg and his friends at the national level, and if their freedom-hating leftist allies can pass sweeping gun and/or magazine bans and range-killing legislation in Illinois, using legerdemain as needed, they will take this template to other states to enact similar legislation.
The only problem is that Illinois has a fairly-well organized gun rights community, with two of the nation’s largest gun rights organizations in the state, along with a full-time NRA contract lobbyist. Gun rights in Illinois aren’t a Democrat vs. Republican issue, but rather a Chicago leftist Democrat vs. Republicans and moderate Democrats outside of Cook County. (With notable exceptions of the borderline communist representatives from Champaign and East St. Louis.)
So far, it’s looked “easy” for the freedom-hating folks who would rob you of the means with which to protect your home and family from criminals. Rest assured, it’s going to get a lot tougher for them when these measures come up for a senate-wide vote.
Don’t get all mopey. All hope is far from lost.
Keep making a difference in our favor. Call your reps and senators. Fill out those witness slips. Every call, every witness slip is like a snowflake in our collective avalanche of gun owner reaction to this proposal to grab OUR guns.
Call them early and often.
Call them twice more if they are from the suburbs.
Heck, even if you aren’t in the suburbs, you might call the suburban Senators and Representatives.
NRA-ILA’s announcement
Illinois: Gun and Magazine Ban and Registration Schemes Pass in Senate Public Health Committee Tonight in Springfield
Posted on January 2, 2013
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If you own a semi-automatic firearm or detachable magazine, they may be banned, taxed, and registered and you could easily become a felon unless you act NOW
Anti-gun legislators led by Senate President John Cullerton and backed by Governor Patrick Quinn (D) substituted and passed sweeping draconian gun and magazine bans in the Senate Public Health Committee today. House Bill 1263, amended to include a ban on many commonly owned firearms passed in this committee by a 6 to 4 vote. House Bill 815, which was amended to include a magazine ban and shooting range restrictions, passed by a 6 to 3 vote. Additionally, amendments have been filed to remove the hunting exception and could be introduced and considered on the Senate floor tomorrow. These actions prove once again that Chicago politicians seem more focused on creating new classes of criminals out of law-abiding citizens than dealing effectively with their current violent crime problems.
New amendments have been introduced which add some specifics to the time limits for registration of previously owned firearms and magazines, and set the fees to register firearms and magazines. These amendments will be heard in the Executive Committee tomorrow morning at 11am. Both bills are expected to be heard on the floor of the Senate tomorrow afternoon for their third and final vote, and this is where the real fight will take place to maintain your Second Amendment rights and defeat Senate President Cullerton’s anti-gun agenda. It is imperative that you contact your state Senator IMMEDIATELY to express your opposition to House Bills 815 and 1263 and any additional anti-gun amendments.
Among other things, House Bill 815 would:
– Prohibit anyone without a FOID card from using a commercial shooting range, which in many cases would make it impossible to introduce new shooters to the safe and responsible use of firearms.
– Grant the State Police broad discretion to impose design, construction and operation standards that could shut down most commercial shooting ranges.
– Ban possession of magazines and other feeding devices that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. A “grandfather clause” would require registration by owners of such devices and give the State Police discretion to impose and charge fees. Registration would require “proof of ownership” that could be impossible for most people to provide, and even registered owners could not transfer magazines within Illinois, except to an heir or a licensed dealer. Transfers of “grandfathered magazines” would have to be reported to the ISP.
– Violations of this magazine ban would be a felony. Failure to report theft or loss of a magazine would be a misdemeanor until the third violation, which would be a felony.
House Bill 1263 would:
– Ban, at a minimum, all detachable-magazine semi-automatic rifles and pistols. Remington 7400 deer rifles, Ruger 10/22 squirrel guns, Glocks, 1911s, etc. This ban would include about 80% of handguns now sold in the U.S.
– Possibly ban all semi-automatic rifles and even revolvers or single-shot pistols with the capacity to accept muzzle brakes or compensators.
– Ban “assault weapon attachments,” so possession of a thumbhole stock, a pistol grip,or a fore-end (a “shroud” that “partially or completely encircles the barrel”) would be a crime even if you didn’t possess a firearm.
– Ban all .50 BMG rifles.
– Contains “grandfather” provisions that would require registration by owners of devices and give the State Police discretion to impose and charge fees. Registration would require “proof of ownership.”
– Create felony penalties for violation of this ban on guns or attachments.
– Create lost and stolen penalties that would criminalize victims of gun theft.
Anti-gun politicians are attempting to sacrifice your constitutional rights as a scapegoat for the criminal acts of violence in Chicago by gangs and drug dealers. Don’t let them succeed in banning your firearms or magazines as an excuse for stopping criminals from misusing them. Criminals — by definition — violate laws, especially gun control laws, including often: murder, rape, robbery, drug-dealing, gang violence, firearm theft, carrying concealed firearms without a license/permit, federal gun-free school zones. They do not obey gun bans, register their firearms, or get subjected to any gun control schemes (like the lone state ban on carrying concealed firearms for self-defense) that only affect and penalize law-abiding citizens like you. Your telephone calls TODAY will determine the outcome of this very serious assault on your Second Amendment rights.
The NRA-ILA will continue to send legislative updates as details become available. However, it is of the utmost importance that you act NOW to stop this gun and magazine ban. Call your state Senator IMMEDIATELY and express your opposition to banning firearms or magazines and urge them to vote against House Bills 815 and 1263.
To reach the main line for the Illinois General Assembly, please call 217-782-2000.
Contact information for your state legislators can be found by clicking here.
ISRA’s announcements
SPECIAL ALERT UPDATE– YOUR ACTION REQUIRED
SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES BILLS TO RUN RANGES OUT OF BUSINESS AND BAN 80% OF YOUR GUNS
MESSAGE FROM COMMITTEE DEMOCRATS: “Eliminating law-abiding gun owners is a good ‘first step’ towards a ‘civil society.’”
Votes on HB815 and HB1263 were split along party lines in the Senate Public Health Committee Wednesday night with the committee Democrats voting 6-4 and 6-3 to send the bills to the full senate. If these two bills become law, they will resulting most, if not all ranges in the state going out of business as well as the banning of ALL semiautomatic rifles, pistols and shotguns as well as banning all pump shotguns and rifles.
In comments made during testimony, committee Democrats stated plainly that HB815 and HB1263 were “first steps” and that these bills have as their objective the creation of a “more civil society.” In other words, elimination of lawful gun owners is a required first step for creating a more civil society. Of course, there was no mention of the impact of eliminating criminals.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO ON THURSDAY:
1. Call Senator Dave Syverson at (217) 782-5413 and tell him “THANK YOU” for supporting lawful gun owners by voting “NO” on HB815 and HB1263.
2. Call Senator Shane Cultra at (217) 782-6597 and tell him “THANK YOU” for supporting lawful gun owners by voting “NO” on HB815 and HB1263.
3. Call Senator Christine Johnson at (217) 782-1977 and tell her “THANK YOU” for supporting lawful gun owners by voting “NO” on HB815 and HB1263.
4. Call Senator Carole Pankau at (217) 782-9463 and tell her “THANK YOU” for supporting lawful gun owners by voting “NO” on HB815 and HB1263.
It is very important that you praise these Senators for their support.
The ringleader of the effort to shut down shooting ranges and take your guns away from you is Senator Dan Kotowski. You may wish to call him at (217) 782-3875 and politely explain to him that, as a law-abiding gun owner, you do not appreciate being treated like a criminal and that you oppose any efforts to regulate shooting ranges, ban semiautomatic firearms, or ban standard capacity magazines.
URGENT ALERT – BAN ON GUN RANGES AND BAN ON ALL SEMIAUTOMATIC FIREARMS ON THE MOVE IN THE ILLINOIS SENATE
YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
A pair of nightmare bills is on the move at this moment in the Illinois Senate.
These two bills would:
1. Run all gun ranges out of business by imposing heavy fees, imposing special staffing requirements, warrantless searches of ranges and customers, unlimited unannounced “inspections.”
2. Ban all semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns as well as pump action shotguns.
Here are direct links to the two bills:
and
EITHER OF THESE TWO BILLS WOULD END YOUR GUN RIGHTS ENTIRELY
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO PROTECT YOUR GUN RIGHTS.
1. Follow the instructions below and contact your Illinois State Senator. Politely tell your senator that you are a law-abiding gun owner and you want them to vote AGAINST HB815 and HB1263. CALL NOW!
2. Pass this information on to your gun owning friends and family, tell them to call as well.
3. Post this alert to all Internet blogs and bulletin boards to which you belong.
The worst of the two bills, HB815 is being sponsored and pushed by anti-gun Senator Dan Kotowski. Go to his link: http://www.ilga.gov/senate/senator.asp?GA=97&MemberID=1724 Call him at the numbers listed and tell him that you do not appreciate him trying to shut down gun ranges and taking your guns away from you. He needs to hear from you!
As a resident of a more sensible part of the country, I’m baffled by several things related to this. If someone can enlighten me, that would be great.
1. I read the Heller decision, and I cannot see how any of this will stand up to a constitutional challenge. It seems to me that this is far more “infringing” than the DC laws that were struck down.
2. For those of us not living in Illinois, what standing do we have? I can’t imagine anyone in the Illinois legislature cares a whit for what I think.
3. Why would any person who cares about their Second Amendment rights remain in that state?
4. Even up there, this looks like political suicide to me. Have all the Democrats in Illinois lost their minds?
Even if you’re not an Illinois citizen, go ahead and still call them! Burn up the phone lines expressing your opposition. All gun owners from every state need to stand united!
People like Cullerton & Kotowski need to be removed from office and tried in court for treason & complete and utter dereliction of duty. When an *elected official* feels the need to trample the rights of the people into the dirt, they are wasting taxpayer money that this bankrupt state can’t afford to waste. It is gross negligence and they should be removed from office at once.
I agree with what DC said, except I do live in Illinois, but hope not for long. Believe me right now I wish I lived any where but Illinois.
These law makers are so busy hating the “LAW ABIDING GUN OWNERS” that they can not see what wrong they have done. And I am sure will open up a can of worms across this country that no one can put a lid on.
The 2nd amendment means nothing to these people, and our rights mean even less.
Chicago has the toughest gun restrictions laws than any other city in this country. And has the most gun crimes over any city in this country. That alone would tell any one with any sense at all that tougher gun control does not work.
I have always been proud to be an American. To stand up for my country. But folks today it seems to me that we do not live in a free country any longer. I am ashamed.
Watch out what you say folks. Free speech is next. Then what else?
Common sense and liberalism/statism don’t go together. Their goal is to rewrite or do away with the Constitution, so anything that furthers that goal is ok by them. The 2nd Amendment is the safeguard that lets us keep the Constitution. Without it, this is no longer the “Land of the Free”.
Glad they backed off for now and dropped the gun bills.