WASHINGTON D.C. (WMBD) — A new bill banning assault weapons is being introduced by a group of senators and supported by two from Illinois.
Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced via press release their support of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2021.
“Military-style assault weapons are designed for one thing: firing a large number of bullets in a short amount of time. They have been used repeatedly in acts of mass violence in American schools, theaters, concerts, and neighborhoods. Civilians do not need a military-style assault weapon to engage in hunting, sport shooting, or self-defense activities, and the risk of mass violence from these weapons is too great.”
-SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL)
If passed, the bill would, “ban the further sale, transfer, manufacture, and importation of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines for civilian use.”
“I don’t want my daughters to have to grow up in a country that won’t protect them from firearm violence – and I refuse to accept that there’s nothing we can do, especially at a time when we know that domestic terrorism is on the rise. People are dying and Congress has not only the power, but also the duty to act by passing common-sense solutions like this one. We owe it to the countless and growing number of firearm violence victims to take action, not just deliver thoughts and prayers.”
-SEN. TAMMY DUCKWORTH (D-IL)
Key provisions of the bill include:
- Banning the sale, manufacture, transfer, and importation of 205 military-style assault weapons by name. Owners may keep existing weapons.
- Banning any assault weapon with the capacity to utilize a magazine that is not a fixed ammunition magazine and has one or more military characteristics including a pistol grip, a forward grip, a barrel shroud, a threaded barrel, or a folding or telescoping stock. Owners may keep existing weapons.
- Banning magazines and other ammunition feeding devices that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, which allows shooters to quickly fire many rounds without needing to reload. Owners may keep existing magazines
- Requiring a background check on any future sale, trade, or gifting of an assault weapon covered by the bill
- Requiring that grandfathered assault weapons are stored using a secure gun storage or safety device like a trigger lock
- Prohibits the transfer of high-capacity ammunition magazines
- Bans bump-fire stock sand other devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire at fully automatic rates
Exemptions to the bill include:
- The bill exempts by name more than 2,200 guns for hunting, household defense, or recreational purposes
- The bill includes a grandfather clause that exempts all weapons lawfully possessed at the date of enactment
