State Senator Wants Illinois To Allow Local Assault Weapon Bans
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A north suburban state lawmaker is moving forward with her push to get the state to allow local governments to decide if they want to ban assault weapons.
State Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) said, based on the past two months alone, with the destruction wrought across the U.S. by assault weapons, local communities have to be given the flexibility to decide for themselves whether such guns should be outlawed.
The senator believes such a law would "absolutely help."
"There was a period of time, not that long ago, when there was a federal ban on this type of weapon; and studies and reports show that the number of deaths at the hands of assault rifles was greatly decreased," she said.
Morrison said other municipalities have indicated they'd like to do what Highland Park did before the state's concealed carry law was enacted, and ban assault weapons.
"This is the absolute minimum we could do to help communities be safe, to allow them the flexibility to do what they need to do for their own community," she said.
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Morrison said a Senate subcommittee has scheduled a hearing for Aug. 23 at the Michael A Bilandic Building downtown.
"I hope that we have an opportunity to hear from reasonable people on both sides of the argument, and to move this forward," she said.
The senator said she's not seeking a statewide ban, because the votes aren't there in the Illinois General Assembly.
