With legal challenges ongoing to Democrats’ new firearms ban and registration law, State Representative Brad Halbrook today pressed for answers to crucial questions on behalf of gun owners.
The Illinois State Police, tasked with managing the registration portion of the new gun ban law, today held the first in a series of public hearings to answer lingering questions. Rep. Halbrook joined a capacity crowd in a statehouse conference room seeking clarification about what will happen if the law is declared unconstitutional, and what happens in the interim for tens of thousands of gun owners who are awaiting the ruling before registering their firearms.
“I am very confident that the Democrats’ gun ban and this new registration component will ultimately be found unconstitutional, but what happens in the meantime?” Rep. Halbrook asked. “According to reports, in the past month, about one tenth of one percent of guns that fall under the new registry requirements have actually been registered. What punishments may be handed out to those who won’t comply while the legal challenges continue? Once it’s declared unconstitutional, what recourse will be available to those who have been penalized? What will happen to the personal information submitted by those who did immediately comply? This is a mess that Democrats have unfortunately dropped in the State Police’s lap.”
You can watch Rep. Halbrook’s testimony and questions and answers here:
231102 Halbrook ISP hearing – YouTube
Rep. Halbrook noted that he is co-sponsoring House Bill 4150, that, when the gun ban law is found unconstitutional, would require that all related registration information submitted be destroyed.
The State Police’s second firearms registration public hearing will be held this Friday in Chicago. The third hearing will be at Caseyville Community Center in Caseyville on Monday, Nov. 6.