Chambana Sun

Illinois state Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) released his weekly newsletter via Facebook that highlighted a petition against a House bill that he and other Republican legislators feel is unconstitutional.

The petition pertains to House Bill 5855, and he called for his readers to sign it. As of Dec. 21, the petition had gathered 254 signatures. 

“A sweeping new gun control effort by Democrats has been introduced in the Illinois General Assembly and may be voted on in a Lame Duck Session in early January,” Halbrook said in the newsletter. “Second Amendment Rights of legal gun owners would be severely limited under HB 5855. Within the bill, Democrats have created a new definition of 'assault weapon' to include almost every kind of semi-automatic weapon currently available to law-abiding citizens. This legislation represents a direct attack on the Constitutional rights afforded to citizens of the United States to protect themselves, their families, and their property.”

He listed the provisions included in HB 5855 such as creating a gun registry for many semi-automatic weapons; outlawing magazines of more than 10 rounds form being made, sold or possessed; restricting people under 21 from getting a FOID card; limiting the age to hunt to 21 and over; and requiring people to pay $25 for some firearms currently owned or risk being charged with a felony for not doing so.

Halbrook noted that the state of Illinois leads the nation in background checks for gun sales. 

“Legal gun owners buy more guns when there is uncertainty,” he said in the newsletter. “In Illinois, the potential implementation of the SAFE--T Act is exacerbating this. Another issue is the proposed ban on certain types of guns in Illinois House Bill 5855. A second hearing on HB5855 is scheduled for December 20th and can be viewed on the ILGA.gov website. The sponsor of this bill is aiming to pass it by January 10th during lame duck session with legislators who will no longer be accountable to the people as they are leaving office. This is the same way the misguided SAFE-T Act was passed."