Time is almost up for a Chicago suburb that banned the possession, sale and manufacture of “assault weapons and large capacity magazines” in April.
The village deadline to hand over any such weapons, including the AR-15, is June 13 before a fine of up to $1,000 per day becomes a reality. Residents must hand over their weapons to police or destroy them.
In April, the Deerfield Village Board voted unanimously in favor to restrict some semi-automatic firearms by June 13.
Residents of the village will receive a fine of up to $1,000 for each gun in their possession, per day, past the deadline.
‘Everything Is at Stake’: State Rifle Association Fights Weapons Ban in Illinois Town https://t.co/qMGH81hJlD
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 5, 2018
The new law defines an assault weapon to include semiautomatic rifles that have a fixed magazine with a capacity to accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition; shotguns with a revolving cylinder; and semiautomatic pistols and rifles that can accept large-capacity magazines and possess one of a list of other features.
Only the mentioned weapons will be regulated.
“Every law-abiding villager of Deerfield has the right to protect themselves, their homes, and their loved ones with the firearm that best suits their needs,” Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA’s lobbying arm, told the Washington Post.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) and the gun rights group Guns Save Life said they would file a lawsuit against Deerfield to have the ordinance reversed.
Similar bans in other communities have been challenged in the past, however the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled in the city’s favor.
In 2013, a neighboring community approved an ordinance that was very similar to Deerfield’s. A lawsuit was filed by gun rights advocates, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled in the city’s favor.
The Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) and Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) filed a lawsuit against the Village of Deerfield on April 5 to challenge the ban.
