Illinois becomes ninth state to ban assault weapons

Content material warning: this text mentions gun violence and loss of life.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a invoice Tuesday banning the sale and distribution of assault weapons in Illinois, efficient instantly. Illinois is the ninth state within the U.S. to undertake such a ban. 

In his inaugural speech Monday, Pritzker mentioned banning assault weapons was one in every of his objectives for the time period. The Senate handed the ban later that evening, and the Basic Meeting handed it Tuesday afternoon 68-41. 

Along with halting the sale of assault weapons within the state, the laws will restrict the variety of rounds in purchasable magazines to 10 rounds for lengthy weapons and 15 for handguns. 

The invoice may even prohibit rapid-fire gadgets due to their capability to show weapons into automated weapons.

The passage of the invoice comes half a yr after the Highland Park mass taking pictures July 4, during which seven died and dozens extra have been wounded. The shooter used an AR-15 fashion weapon. 

“It doesn’t need to be that approach,” Pritzker mentioned throughout a press convention after signing the invoice. “This assault weapons ban is a step in the best path, however there’s no magic repair. We should maintain preventing, voting and protesting to make sure future generations solely need to examine massacres like Highland Park, Sandy Hook or Uvalde of their historical past books.” 

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