State approves gun control laws

Dheven Unni, Editor-in-Chief

In the weeks following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Illinois legislators have passed multiple pieces of new legislation regulating the gun sales industry. These policies have been approved by the General Assembly and await approval by Gov. Bruce Rauner. They take effect automatically if he does not veto within 60 days.

House Bill 1467 bans bump stocks and trigger cranks while providing definitions that include devices that can make a semiautomatic weapon fire at the rate of an automatic and guns that fire by turning levers in a circular motion.

House Bill 1465 bans sale of assault weapons and 50 calibre ammunition to persons under 21 excluding the military, those transporting for sale in another state, people using them only for sport and actors using prop weapons.

House Bill 1468 expressly defines “assault weapon” to include guns with folding or telescoping stocks and ammunition in a revolving cylinder or 50 calibre weapons excluding shotguns and antique weapons along with a previous list of weapons not considered to be “assault weapons.”

Senate Bill 1657 specifies new license requirements for gun dealers that mandates they receive a license from a not-yet-appointed Gun Dealer Licensing Board.