Tis’ the season to curb gun rights, I guess. In New Jersey, it’s now illegal to own so-called high-capacity magazines. How that ban will be enforced remains to be seen? Will the New Jersey State Police go door-to-door? Well, they’re sort of avoiding that question on that front. In Illinois, we have two laws going into effect. One law mandates a 72-hour waiting period on all firearm purchases, while another establishes an extreme protection order for individuals who might pose a danger to themselves or others. In other words, these folks, if they own firearms, can have them confiscated without their consent if they’re considered “too dangerous” (via WQAD 8):
According to the Office of Senator Neil Anderson, the first law titled “SB 3256/PA 100-0606” creates a 72-hour waiting period on all firearms, not just handguns.
[…]
The second new gun law titled “HB 2354/PA 100-0607” allows family or police to petition the court for an ex parte order (Restraining order or an order that benefits only one side in a case) if the person:
“poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to himself/herself or another by having in his/her custody or control, owning, purchasing, possessing or receiving a firearm.”
This new law would allow family or police to take away a persons right to own a firearm without their knowledge if they are deemed “too dangerous.”
WQAD added that the waiting period law eliminates the exemption for non-Illinois residents buying firearms at gun shows. Waiting periods are worthless. They don’t reduce crime. It’s window dressing and at worst, infringes on one’s constitutional right to own firearms. Suppose you’re in a life or death situation, especially with a violent stalker or an abusive spouse or significant other, and you needed a firearm for protection. This impedes on that immensely. The restraining order, as I’ve mentioned before, isn’t something that I’m against outright. I think this is one area that both sides can agree on, but the language and how the law is crafted needs to be hyper-analyzed to avoid abuse. What is deemed “too dangerous”? We’ll see how this law plays out, but in deep blue Illinois—you know the chances of abuse are probably high. Government corruption is not an alien trait in this state. The laws go into effect on January 1.
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