Updates on cases, laws, and other topics of interest to local governments

Subscribe by Email

Enter your Email:
Preview | Powered by FeedBlitz

Subscribe in a Reader

Follow Municipal Minute on Twitter

Disclaimer

Blog comments do not reflect the views or opinions of the Author or Ancel Glink. Some of the content may be considered attorney advertising material under the applicable rules of certain states. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Please read our full disclaimer

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

What’s Concealed in New Illinois Gun Bill?


On June 5, 2013, the General Assembly sent Illinois’ first legislation authorizing the possession of concealed handguns to the Governor. Ill. H.B. 183 was adopted in response to the 7th Circuit decision in Moore v. Madigan, which deemed Illinois’ ban on concealed handguns unconstitutional, and gave the legislature until June 9, 2013 to craft a new gun law. The Attorney General requested, and was granted, a final extension of this deadline, to July 9, 2013, to allow Governor Quinn an opportunity to review the legislation.

As the Governor reviews this legislation, Illinois local governments are asking what this legislation will mean for them. Most significantly, the Act contains comprehensive preemption of local regulations imposing restrictions on people licensed to carry concealed handguns.

Section 90. Preemption.

The regulation, licensing, possession, registration, and transportation of handguns and ammunition for handguns by licensees are exclusive powers and functions of the State. Any ordinance or regulation, or portion thereof, enacted on or before the effective date of this Act that purports to impose regulations or restrictions on licensees or handguns and ammunition for handguns in a manner inconsistent with this Act shall be invalid in its application to licensees under this Act on the effective date of this Act. This Section is a denial and limitation of home rule powers and functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution. (Firearm Concealed Carry Act).

Therefore, a city, village, or other unit of local government may not impose restrictions on licensees that are inconsistent with the Act. For example, the City of Chicago’s gun registration program would be preempted by this legislation.

Bans on assault weapons are also preempted; however, existing bans, and bans enacted within 10 days after the effective date are grandfathered in.

(430 ILCS 65/13.1)

(c)        Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this Section, the regulation of the possession or ownership of assault weapons are exclusive powers and functions of this State. Any ordinance or regulation, or portion of that ordinance or regulation, that purports to regulate the possession or ownership of assault weapons in a manner that is inconsistent with this Act, shall be invalid unless the ordinance or regulation is enacted on, before, or within 10 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly. Any ordinance or regulation described in this subsection (c) enacted more than 10 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly is invalid. An ordinance enacted on, before, or within 10 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly may be amended. [ . . . ] For the purposes of this subsection, "assault weapons" means firearms designated by either make or model or by a test or list of cosmetic features that cumulatively would place the firearm into a definition of "assault weapon" under the ordinance.
 
This legislation is effective upon becoming law, so municipalities that want to enact a ban on assault weapons would have to act quickly if Governor Quinn signs the bill into law. Municipalities, which sometimes meet only once or twice a month, are not relieved from the notice and agenda requirements of the Open Meetings Act. Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon has already called on home rule units to act quickly to ban assault weapons. Some municipalities might choose to exercise their police powers to regulate assault weapons on or before the 10-day statutory deadline.

Governor Quinn recently called a special session beginning June 19, 2013, and there is speculation that an amendatory veto could be in the works.  That could send this legislation back to the General Assembly with the final July 9, 2013 deadline looming on the horizon. Nevertheless, this sweeping preemption could become a part of the final law, and interested municipalities should be prepared to act quickly.
 
Post Authored by Daniel J. Bolin, Ancel Glink (Happy Birthday Dan!)

0 comments:

Post a Comment