Lake County Gazette

Senator Craig Wilcox has raised concerns about the enforcement of the "assault weapons ban" in Illinois. In a recent Facebook post, Wilcox revealed that the Illinois State Police is moving forward with a registration requirement for owners of firearms deemed "assault weapons."

Wilcox acknowledged that the ban is currently being challenged in federal court but emphasized that the state police are proceeding with the registration requirement. He stated, "Even though the so-called 'assault weapons ban' continues to be challenged in federal court, the Illinois State Police is moving forward with a registration requirement for those who own a firearm deemed an 'assault weapon' if they want to keep them."

The senator's Facebook post shed light on the implementation of the law, stating that the Illinois State Police released rules on September 18 to enforce part of the ban. The law prohibits several types of firearms classified as "assault weapons," but allows current owners to keep their weapons if they submit an endorsement affidavit through their Firearm Owner's Identification Card (FOID) account before January 1, 2024.

Sen. Craig Wilcox | SenatorWilcox.com

According to Wilcox, the affidavit must include the applicant's FOID card number, as well as details about each firearm, such as make, model, caliber, and serial number. The Illinois State Police will begin accepting these affidavits online starting October 1, and they must be submitted through a FOID Card account by the end of the year.

To implement the registration requirement, the Illinois State Police filed an emergency rule with the Illinois Secretary of State's office. This emergency rule includes information on the electronic endorsement affidavit needed for FOID card holders to register their weapons.

The "assault weapons ban" in Illinois has faced legal challenges, but in August, the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the ban as constitutional in a 4-3 ruling. The law prohibits various types of rifles, handguns, 50 caliber guns, attachments, and rapid-firing devices. The popular AR-15 rifle is among the firearms targeted by the ban.

Senator Craig Wilcox, a Republican, has been actively involved in addressing the concerns surrounding the "assault weapons ban." They were first elected to the Illinois Senate in 2018 and serve on committees such as Agriculture and Appropriations I. Wilcox resides in McHenry, according to the Illinois Senate website.