CHICAGO — In his closing remarks before a vote on a sweeping firearms ban, Illinois Senate President Don Harmon pushed back at critics who contended the prohibitions would violate the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The Oak Park Democrat concluded with a message for Republican lawmakers and other opponents of the measure, which was passed in response to the deadly mass shooting at Highland Park’s Fourth of July parade: “We’ll see you in court.”
When Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the measure into law on Jan. 10 after the Democratic-controlled House gave its approval, Illinois became the ninth state to ban so-called assault weapons, winning praise from President Joe Biden. It also set up inevitable legal challenges from gun rights advocates that could take years for the courts to resolve.
