The Supreme Court has declined to review the ban on certain semiautomatic guns in Illinois.
Tuesday's announcement means the lower court's ruling remains in effect for now.
The Hill reports:
In a brief order, the justices turned away a series of challenges to Illinois's law and local ordinances. Conservative Justice Samuel Alito publicly dissented, voting to take up the case.
The decision leaves the bans in place, for now, though the challenges will continue in lower courts. Taking up the appeals could've stood to impact laws passed in more than a dozen states banning assault-style weapons like the AR-15 rifle or certain magazines.
Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a statement indicating the court is “rightly wary” of taking up the challenges now because they remain in a preliminary posture, but Thomas said the issue is worth taking up down the road.
“But, if the Seventh Circuit ultimately allows Illinois to ban America's most common civilian rifle, we can—and should—review that decision once the cases reach a final judgment,” Thomas wrote.
The ban on certain semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines in Illinois went into effect on Jan. 10, 2023. Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) signed the legislation, known as the Protect Illinois Communities Act, into law on that date.
The law prohibits the sale, purchase and manufacture of assault weapons, .50 caliber rifles and high-capacity magazines, which are defined as magazines holding more than 10 rounds for long guns and more than 15 rounds for handguns.
The law also includes a requirement for current owners of such weapons to register them with the Illinois State Police. The registration deadline was set for Jan. 1, 2024.
Democrats argue that the ban will successfully address gun violence and enhance public safety. Here are some of their key rationales behind the ban.
- Public Safety: Lawmakers believe that restricting access to these weapons can reduce the number of deadly incidents and make it harder for individuals to commit acts of violence.
- Crime Reduction: The ban is intended to lower the overall rate of gun-related crimes, particularly those involving firearms with higher average velocity and larger ammunition capacities.
- Preventive Measure: By implementing stricter gun control laws, Democrats in Springfield say they aim to prevent future incidents of gun violence and protect communities from potential threats.
- Following National Trends: Illinois' ban is part of a broader trend among blue states to enact similar measures. These efforts are often influenced by high-profile shooting incidents and pressure from advocacy groups calling for stricter gun laws.
- Constitutional Considerations: While the Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms, left-leaning courts have upheld that reasonable regulations on certain types of firearms are permissible. Democrats say they seek to balance gun rights with public safety concerns.
While there have been some improvements in specific areas like a reduction in homicides in Chicago, the overall trend for violent crime in Illinois has been upward.
Overall Violent Crime: Violent crime in Illinois increased by 11.5% in 2023 compared to the previous year. This includes a rise in incidents involving firearms, carjackings, and assaults (Safe and Sound Security) (Illinois Policy).
Homicide Rates: While there was a decrease in homicides in Chicago by 14% compared to 2022, the overall homicide rate in Illinois remains higher than the national average. In 2023, Illinois reported 982 murders, translating to a homicide rate of 8.18 per 100,000 residents, which exceeds the national average of 6.3 per 100,000 (Safe and Sound Security) (University of Chicago Crime Lab).
Firearm-Related Crimes: Incidents involving firearms increased by 15%, with a significant rise in gun-related homicides and the seizure of illegal firearms, which rose by 25% (Safe and Sound Security).
Domestic and Juvenile Crime: There was a 20% increase in domestic violence cases and a 30% increase in juvenile involvement in violent crimes (Safe and Sound Security).
Public Transit Crimes: Crimes on public transit systems rose by 20%, affecting the safety of commuters across the state (Safe and Sound Security).
