: Pending House Votes on Three Anti-Gun Bills in Illinois

[aardvark]

Three anti-gun bills passed yesterday in the state House Rules Committee andcould be voted on at anytime when the House convenes next Tuesday. The three following bills are a direct attack on your Second Amendment rights and must be stopped!

House Bill 1294, introduced by state Representative Edward Acevedo (D-2), seeks to ban countless semi-automatic handguns, rifles, and shotguns, many parts for them, as well as .50 caliber rifles and ammunition.
House Bill 1599, also introduced by Representative Acevedo,would classify countless semi-automatic handguns, rifles, and shotguns as“semi-automatic assault weapons,” and would classify as “high capacity ammunition” any “ammunition of .50 or more caliber.” This bill would also create enhanced felony penalties under the Unlawful Use of Weapons (UUW)statute if a “semi-automatic assault weapon” or “high capacity ammunition” is involved. Much of the UUW statute deals with simply possessing regulated“weapons.”
House Bill 1855, again introduced by Representative Acevedo, would create penalties for individuals who have had their firearms stolen if they fail to report the theft in an arbitrarily determined time-frame. Under this bill, (which should be titled the “Crime VictimVictimization Act,”) if a law-abiding gun owner has a firearm stolen and fails to report its theft “within 72 hours after obtaining knowledge of the theft,”the crime victim would be charged with committing a petty offense. Asecond “offense” could lead to the crime victim losing his or her Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card, thus losing his or her right to own ANY firearm. In other words, as a crime victim, you would be treated the same as the criminal who stole your property if you fail to jump through this bureaucratic hoop in the arbitrary time that the government deems to be a timely fashion.
Please contact your state Representative TODAY and urge him or her to protect your Second Amendment rights and oppose HB 1294,HB 1599, and HB 1855! To locate your state Representative and their contact information, please click here.

[bucky9mm]

I just contacted my state Representative on this. Have you?

[Sixgun]

My Rep is gun hating Democrat who wouldn't listen to me anyway. Best I can do is to continue to not vote for her.

I'll keep supporting the NRA and ISRA with my contributions and dues.

[rock 'n roll_X]

My rep is Democrat as well but I'm just e-mailed her anyway...this is too important to stand by and do nothing. All I can offer is a threat to work against her re-election so that's what I said.

[Ironshadow]

It's amazing to me, this state of Illinois is the worst in the nation, taxes here are out of site, they're making laws that are against the constitution, but the people keep voting the same people/party in office. Nothing will ever change in this state until people wake up and pick a different party.......I won't be holding my breath.

[3 SLEDR]

Parties split on gun registration, ammunition tax proposals

Handguns would have to be registered and a new tax would be imposed on ammunition sales under bills approved Wednesday by the Illinois House Executive Committee.
With Democrats voting “yes” and Republicans “no,” the committee approved House Bill 5831, which requires handgun owners to register their weapons with the state. The bill is an initiative of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanual.
The Executive Committee frequently approves gun bills that are later defeated in the full House.
“Handgun registration laws provide the cornerstone of responsible gun policy,” said Rep. Will Davis, D-Hazel Crest, the bill’s sponsor. “It provides law enforcement with essential information about crime guns, reduces illegal firearms transfers and creates a fair system of accountability for gun owners.”
Felicia Davis, Emanuel’s first deputy chief of staff, said most guns used in crimes in Chicago come from Illinois, but outside of the city. A handgun registry will help law enforcement trace guns used in those crimes, she said.
“The city of Chicago already has a handgun registry, but with a majority of illegal handguns arriving from elsewhere in the state, Chicago’s gun laws are only as good as those for the rest of the state,” Davis said. “This is not about restricting the rights of law-abiding gun owners.”
Illinois gun owners must obtain Firearm Owner’s Identification Cards, but are not required to report the number and types of weapons they own. Under Davis’ bill, gun owners would have to report the handguns they own, where they were bought and other information.
The bill carries a $65 registration fee for each gun. Davis said that might be changed to $20.
Todd Vandermyde, representing the National Rifle Association, said the bill is simply a tax on gun owners. Vandermyde said the bill would personally cost him more than $1,000 because of the number of guns he owns.
Republican lawmakers said the bill won’t do anything to deter criminals.
“Criminals don’t care if they register guns,” said Rep. Mike Tyron, R-Crystal Lake.
Republicans also opposed House Bill 5167, which would place a 2 percent surtax on ammunition sales in the Illinois. Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, said the tax would raise $800,000 to $1.2 million, which would go to hospitals that treat gunshot victims. Cassidy said the tax would amount to one penny a bullet.
Vandermyde said a tax on ammunition sales is the same as taxing the right to vote.
“The courts say we have a right to own guns and ammunition,” Vandermyde said.


isn't this the same thing Rich Daley tried to pass?