The Illinois Supreme Court upheld the state’s assault weapons ban.
In a 4-3 decision, the court ruled that regulations preventing the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines are constitutional.
The decision overruled a lower court.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) said in a statement, “This is a commonsense gun reform law to keep mass-killing machines off our streets and out of our schools, malls, parks and places of worship.”
“This decision is a win for advocates, survivors, and families alike because it preserves this nation-leading legislation to combat gun violence and save countless lives.”
Challengers of the law said it violated the Second and Fourteenth Amendments.
At the time the law was signed, Pritzker said, “This legislation will stop the spread of assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and switches and make our state a safer place for all.”
Reporting from The Hill:
The suit questioned the carveout for security workers, claiming it created an illegal protected class to which different laws applied. The state Supreme Court disagreed with the argument. “Plaintiffs are not similarly situated to the trained professionals,” Justice Elizabeth Rochford said in the majority opinion. “To the extent plaintiffs claim they possess restricted items, they are not treated differently from the grandfathered individuals.”
