Prairie State Wire

The Illinois State Rifle Association is informing Illinoisans how to file slips of opposition against what opponents are calling the most restrictive gun legislation in the country. 

“By now all our 2A friends know that the Anti-Gun Politicians are indeed coming for your guns in the form of HB5855, the so called Protect Illinois Communities Act,” Richard Pearson, executive director of ISRA said in an email. 

“Here at ISRA we call it the “Surrender to Criminals that don’t Follow the Law Act.”  

"If you follow any 2A groups on social media I’m sure you are getting inundated with requests to file what are called witness slips opposing this legislation. The State of Illinois “graciously” allows its’ subjects to voice their opinion on pending legislation through the filing of online witness slips.  But they don’t make this very easy.” 

“Witness slips are a powerful way to let legislators know how residents of Illinois feel about a certain subject. The process unfortunately is daunting and time consuming. The issue is that for every committee hearing that HB5855 will be heard in, we must file a new witness slip," Pearson wrote. "Presently, HB5855 is scheduled for a hearing in the House Judiciary Criminal Committee on December 12th. We have also been told to expect hearings on December 14th and December 19th. The bill will then be heard in committee come lame duck session in January. Add in the fact that we think the bill number will change come January, that’s a lot of witness slips. Daunting indeed.” 

“The following video hopefully can shed some light on the process to file a witness slip.  Keep filing witness slips and show the Anti-gunners whose boss! It’s time for all of us to use our 1st Amendment Rights to protect our 2nd Amendment rights.”

HB5855 received its first hearing House Rules Committee on Dec. 12. 

The bill would make the possession of several types of firearms and accessories illegal. 

According to the bill's synopsis, it “Makes it unlawful to manufacture, deliver, sell, or purchase or cause to be manufactured, delivered, sold, or purchased or cause to be possessed by another, an assault weapon, assault weapon attachment, .50 caliber rifle, or .50 caliber cartridge. Makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly possess an assault weapon, .50 caliber rifle, or .50 caliber cartridge 300 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, except possession of weapons registered with the Illinois State Police in the time provided. Provides exemptions and penalties. Prohibits the manufacture, delivery, sale, purchase, or possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices."

House Minority leader Tony McCombie (R-Sterling) said the bill is  unconstitutional. 

“While HB 5855 is likely far from in its final form, the constitutionality of the bill will certainly go before the courts,” McCombie told Prairie State Wire.

Illinois already has the sixth most restrictive gun laws in the country and some of the worst instances of gun violence. 

Opponents say HB5855 would bring the most restrictive environment for lawful gun owners in the history of the country.