BREAKING NEWS: Illinois Gun Ban Allowed To Stand By US Supreme Court

Steven Tobin Editor

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois Gun Ban Allowed To Stand By US Supreme Court

Ruling with a unanimous decision, the United States Supreme Court turned down a 2nd Amendment appeal from Illinois gun owners.

The case before the Court was National Assn. for Gun Rights vs. Naperville.

Typically, the Supreme Court enjoins laws from taking effect it might deem to be unconstitutional, which bodes well for the Illinois law as well as laws on the books in eight other states which also ban the sale of assault-style weapons.

The high court has not ruled directly on whether an AR 15-style rifle is protected under the 2nd Amendment. In the past, it had turned away 2nd Amendment challenges to similar state and local laws.

The Illinois law was passed in response to the July 4th mass shooting in Highland Park that allowed the alleged shooter to fire 83 shots within one minute, killing 7 & wounding 48.

The 7th Circuit Court had refused to block the law from taking effect while gun owners filed their appeals in court.

In defense of the ban, state’s lawyers argued these rapid-fire rifles “were developed and marketed as military-style offensive weapons rather than as a means for self-defense.”

A federal judge agreed, and allowed the Naperville ban to take effect.

“The history of firearms regulation establishes that governments enjoy the ability to regulate highly dangerous arms,” said U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall, and “assault weapons and large-capacity magazines
fall under this category.”

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago said it would hear arguments on the constitutional issue in late June, after waiting to see the direction the Supreme Court would take.

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