Rockford Sun

Illinois State Police testified before a legislative panel this week regarding proposed rules for the enforcement of the state's "assault weapon" ban. The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) heard from various agencies, including the Illinois State Police, on their proposed permanent rules for the ban. The temporary emergency rules currently remain in effect, and action on the proposed permanent rules will be held until the January meeting of JCAR. State Senator Dave Syverson expressed concerns about the confusion surrounding the banned firearms and accessories. He also opposed the law, believing it infringes on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners and may be unconstitutional.

In a separate matter, a proposed agreement was reached between pro-life advocates and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul to halt the enforcement of a controversial law affecting crisis pregnancy centers. Senate Bill 1909, proposed by Raoul and passed by Illinois Democrats, aimed to root out deceptive practices in the crisis pregnancy industry. However, critics, including Senator Syverson, argued that the Attorney General already had the power to address such practices, and the bill was unnecessary. A federal judge had previously temporarily blocked the law, calling it "both stupid and very likely unconstitutional."

In positive news, Illinois is now offering a $500 non-refundable income tax credit to eligible volunteer emergency workers. This credit will assist volunteer firefighters and EMTs in covering the costs of training and equipment. To qualify, individuals must meet specific criteria, including serving as a volunteer emergency worker for at least nine months during the taxable year and not receiving compensation for services exceeding $5,000. The application process opens in February, but individuals must ensure their names are on the list within their organizations by January 12 to be eligible.

Lastly, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) collaborated with professional fishermen to remove over 700,000 pounds of invasive carp from the Illinois River. This effort, conducted at the Starved Rock pool of the river, aims to control the population of invasive carp and protect the Great Lakes from these species. IDNR officials consider this year's removal operation to be the most extensive and possibly the most significant freshwater harvest in the United States. The IDNR and fishermen remove over one million pounds of invasive carp annually from the Upper Illinois River.

These were the key developments in the Illinois Senate during the week of Dec. 11-15, 2023. The Senate heard testimony on the proposed rules for the state's "assault weapon" ban, a proposed agreement was reached regarding crisis pregnancy centers, a tax credit was introduced to support volunteer emergency workers, and significant progress was made in removing invasive carp from the Illinois River.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://senatordavesyverson.com/2023/12/15/senate-week-in-review-dec-11-15-2023/