Assault Weapon Ban 'Infringes Constitutional Rights': Kendall Sheriff

KENDALL COUNTY, IL — To Kendall County Sheriff Dwight Baird, the state's new ban on banning assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines "infringes on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens."

The recently reelected sheriff's statement was released Thursday afternoon, two days after Gov. J.B. Pritzker and state legislators passed the Protect Illinois Communities Act by a mostly party-line vote of 34-20, with four more "yes" votes than the minimum needed for passage, Patch reported.

The new assault weapon legislation defines an "assault weapon" as a semiautomatic firearm that has one of a number of banned features or is included on a list of dozens of banned guns. The bill also introduces restrictions on magazines that carry more than 15 rounds of ammunition for handguns or more than 10 rounds for rifles and shotguns.

State officials praised the bill, which is the ninth of its kind in the nation, saying it is one of the strongest in the U.S.

RELATED: Assault Weapons Ban Approved By Illinois Senate With Amendments

Baird said he supports legislation meant to increase the safety in a community but does not believe the Protect Illinois Communities Act accomplishes this, arguing it infringes on people's inalienable right under the Second Amendment to bear arms.

"Further, I do not believe stricter gun control laws or disarming law-abiding citizens will make the State of Illinois or the citizens of Kendall County any safer," his statement reads.

He continued: "The constitutionality of HB 5471 will almost certainly be challenged in court and I look forward to a court ruling that resolves this matter."

The Kendall County sheriff's stance is similar to that of Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain, who said his office will not "proactively "proactively investigate" legal, Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card-holding gun owners and seize their weapons, Patch reported.

RELATED: Legal Guns Will Not Be Proactively Investigated Post Ban: Kane Sheriff

Baird said his office is "actively working" with the Kendall County State's Attorney's Office and other law enforcement partners to determine and address the ramifications of the legislation.

The new bill comes six months after the July 4th parade shooting in Highland Park, where the accused shooter twice reloaded his AR-15-style rifle with 30-round magazines and fired 83 bullets into a crowd in under a minute. Robert "Bobby" Crimo III, 22, faces 117 felony counts in connection with the state's deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman.