Sheriff Scott Yunk held a promotional/swwearing-In ceremony at the Public Safety Building to announce promotions and new hires for the Boone County Sheriff's Office early in January. | Facebook/Boone County Sheriff's Office
Sheriff Scott Yunk held a promotional/swwearing-In ceremony at the Public Safety Building to announce promotions and new hires for the Boone County Sheriff's Office early in January. | Facebook/Boone County Sheriff's Office
Boone County Sheriff Scott Yunk has noted he will not be enforcing the sweeping gun ban.
He assured the Boone County community that he and other several sheriffs across the state "are all trying to work through this new bill."
“On Tuesday, January 10th, 2023 Governor Pritzker signed into law House Bill 5471 banning the sale of "assault-style semi-automatic weapons" and certain types of magazines effective immediately,” Yunk said in a statement. “It also requires existing owners of semi-automatic rifles to register their ownership. While I understand Governor Pritzker's intention to make Illinois and all of its communities a safer place, I do not believe placing stricter gun control laws on, or disarming, law-abiding citizens is the best way to do this. I also believe this type of legislation is a clear infringement on our 2nd Amendment Rights and are confident this legislation will be challenged and struck down in the courts.”
Sheriffs across the state are refusing to implement the Protect Illinois Communities Act – HB 5471 – that bans over 100 commonly owned firearms, State Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) noted on his Facebook page. Pritzker has threatened local law enforcement for not enforcing the law which is currently under legal challenge.
Altogether 85 of Illinois’ 102 counties have said they will not enforce the ban due to constitutional violations, according to Colion Noir. The ban affects 170 types of guns commonly available in the state.
The Protect Illinois Communities Act HB 5471 redefined all semi-automatic weapons as so-called “assault weapons.” The law also requires local firearms be registered, according to Central Illinois Proud. The Illinois State Rifle Association, the Firearms Policy Coalition, Inc., and the Second Amendment Foundation, along with several gun owners from across Illinois have filed joint action in federal court against the State of Illinois over a sweeping gun ban enacted just nearly two weeks ago.
As many as five million firearms and ten million magazines in the state may be affected. Gun rights advocates have begun litigation against the state, claiming it is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment, according to Chicago City Wire.
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