South Central Reporter

The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) has endorsed a call for enhanced clarity and transparency regarding the Democratic firearms ban registry rules in Illinois, amid concerns and legal challenges related to the state’s gun and magazine ban enacted in January.

“Yesterday, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) approved a measure calling for more clarity and transparency as it relates to Democrats’ firearms ban registry rules,” State Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) said on Facebook.

Wilhour’s comments come after the bipartisan committee has urged greater clarity and transparency in the state’s gun ban registry, established under the Protect Illinois Communities Act.

The emergency rules, introduced by the Illinois State Police, mandate registration of certain banned firearms, attachments, and .50 caliber ammunition before January 1, 2024, or risk potential criminal penalties.

While over 1,000 firearm owners have submitted disclosure affidavits, there are concerns regarding a lack of detail, particularly with only 17 “accessory disclosures” noted, despite there being more than 2.4 million Firearm Owner Identification card holders in Illinois.

The committee recommended additional public hearings and clearer information, and the Illinois State Police agreed to address these concerns.

The emergency rules for the gun registry are connected to a broader state gun and magazine ban enacted in January, which has faced legal challenges on constitutional grounds.

A stay on the injunction has allowed partial implementation, the appeals are pending in both the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals and the Southern District federal court, with a hearing scheduled for Nov. 2, in Springfield, according to the Center Square.

The Protect Illinois Communities Act HB 5471 redefined all semi-automatic weapons as so-called “assault weapons.” The ban affects 170 types of guns commonly available in the state. The law requires that included firearms be registered for $50 apiece.

In August, the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the assault weapons ban, which was passed following the Highland Park mass shooting, rejecting a lawsuit that claimed it violated the equal protections clause of the 14th Amendment but not commenting on Second Amendment claims, ABC News reported. The law is still being appealed federally.

Wilhour is a member of the Illinois Freedom Caucus along with State Representatives Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich), Chris Miller (R-Oakland), Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville), Jed Davis (R-Newark), and Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur).