U.S. Supreme Court receives emergency plea to block Illinois' assault weapons ban

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A firearms retailer and a national gun rights group have filed an emergency plea with the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking to block Illinois' assault weapons ban.

The plea argues that law-abiding citizens in Illinois are facing irreparable injury as their fundamental right to keep and bear arms is being infringed.

The Protect Illinois Communities Act, enacted in response to a massacre at an Independence Day parade in Highland Park last year, prohibits assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines.

The law went into effect on January 10, 2023.

Meanwhile, the Illinois State Police is urging gun owners in the state to register their assault-style weapons in compliance with the Protect Illinois Communities Act. The legislation prohibits the sale of 170 firearms, but owners of previously possessed weapons can maintain them if they are registered with the state before January 1, 2024.

Gun store owners in Illinois have voiced strong opposition to the ban, claiming it is "blatantly unconstitutional." However, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the Protect Our Communities Act does not violate the federal Constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the law, nor does it breach the state constitution's prohibition on special legislation.

The law not only bans the sale of assault weapons but also limits the purchase of magazines to 10 rounds for long guns and 15 for handguns. Additionally, it makes rapid-fire devices, often referred to as "switches," illegal as they have the capacity to transform firearms into fully automatic weapons.

Illinois is one of ten states, along with the District of Columbia, with gun bans similar to the one in place. California, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, and New York have also implemented registration requirements for firearms purchased prior to the law. In contrast, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Washington do not require such registration.