(The Center Square) – With Illinois legislators scheduled back to the capitol Saturday, Jan. 4, some are watching what the lame duck session could mean for gun control laws.
During the previous lame duck session in early January 2023, legislators approved the ban on certain semi-automatic firearms and magazines. That measure continues to be challenged in the courts.
Before adjourning the fall veto session last month, state Rep. Daniel Didech, D-Buffalo Grove, said legislators should approve an expansion of the state’s red flag law.
“That will clarify and strengthen the law to require a firearm to be removed when a domestic violence survivor is granted the firearm remedy in an order of protection,” Didech said. “I understand that this is a complex issue, but the time to get this done is now.”
Current law already requires subjects of an order of protection to turn over their firearms. The proposed measure would require police to go and take possession of firearms in such instances.
Illinois State Rifle Association’s Ed Sullivan said this is a “straight confiscation” proposal.
“And the Supreme Court ruled in Rahimi v. United States that those charged with domestic violence can be temporarily disarmed as well, assuming they have due process, meaning a hearing,” Sullivan told The Center Square. “So that’s kind of the problems we see with this bill.”
Gun control advocacy group One Aim Illinois said in a statement the measure should pass.
“We will continue our work to pass Karina’s Bill, a lifesaving piece of legislation that helps to remove firearms from situations where domestic violence is present,” said Yolanda Androzzo, executive director of One Aim Illinois. “But, until legislators act, we are left alone and powerless against the dangers of firearms in situations like these.”
Two other measures, one requiring quicker lost and stolen reporting and another requiring firearms to be locked up in certain circumstances, are opposed by ISRA.
State Sen. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, said such measures won’t make the public safer.
“This is nothing to sell it to suburban limousine liberals that they’re going to be safer because they’ve disarmed law-abiding citizens and it will do nothing, it will have zero impact on the safety in their community,” Chesney told The Center Square.
Instead, Chesney said legislators should focus on working with the incoming Trump administration on public safety issues.
Legislators return Jan. 4 for lame duck session. They could pass new bills out of both chambers between then and when the 103rd General Assembly ends Jan. 7.
New legislation can then be filed beginning Jan. 8, when the new General Assembly is seated.