(The Center Square) – A proposed bill gun owners say will price lower income buyers out of the market continues to get attention at the Illinois state capitol.
Opponents of House Bill 3320 estimate the Responsibility in Firearms Legislation, or RIFL Act could tack on thousands of dollars in taxes to one firearm purchase, and that would price lower income people out of exercising their Second Amendment rights.
Advocates for the bill, like Dr. Anthony Douglas, said there’d be minimal added cost.
“I think poor people don’t benefit from owning firearms,” Douglas said during a House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force subject matter hearing of the bill Wednesday. “I think more people benefit from access to education, access to resources.”
State Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Harrisburg, said that’s an elitist opinion and people of lesser means want to be able to protect themselves.
“The Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States guarantees that to them,” Windhorst said. “And it’s really not our place to say, ‘well, we think you’re better off not having this thing,’ which is the tone of this committee.”
Committee chairwoman state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batvia, later said the goal of the committee is to reduce gun violence.
Robyn Thomas with the Community Violence Legal Network, said the RIFL Act will stand constitutional challenges.
“We have done a thorough legal analysis of all possible legal issues, and concluded that the legislation passes muster on all fronts,” she said during the committee.
Representing several organizations in the Second Amendment space, lobbyist Ed Sullivan said not so fast. He estimated if the RIFL act were law, it could cost an extra $2,200 per gun.
“That might fall under an exorbitant fee per gun, under the Bruen constitutional challenge,” he said.
The measure was heard in committee, but no vote was taken and has not advanced.
Legislators return to the state capitol Tuesday.
Gun owners plan to rally and lobby for Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day on Wednesday, and the RIFL Act is in their sights.
