Illinois ban on ‘bump stocks’ fails due to poorly written ban
The Illinois House of Representatives rejected a ban on gun modifications known as “bump stocks” as both Democrats as well as Republicans complained the bill was too broad.
The motion moved quickly to a vote in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Martin Moylan, a Democrat from Des Plaines, Illinois, failed in a vote of 48-54 on Thursday.
photo/ Gerd Altmann via pixabay
Bump stocks are modifications to semi-automatic rifles that increase the rate of fire to the automatic weapon performance, relying on inertia from the recoil to allow quicker trigger suppression. The Moylan’s measure would have banned any trigger modification that allows faster firing.
He proclaimed that the measure would save lives: “It will reduce the destructive power of military assault-style weapons,” Moylan said.
Republican state Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer of Jacksonville said modify triggers to get an edge in competitive shooting is routine. He said Moylan’s measure would mean “turning law-abiding citizens into criminals. Things they currently have are going to be illegal.”
Rep. Jerry Costello, a Democrat from Downstate Smithton, called the bill too far-reaching “I don’t view this as a bump stock ban, I view this as a ban on 40 to 50 percent of the guns in the state.”
Costello said his district includes the World Shooting Recreational Complex in Sparta, which is 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of St. Louis, and has a $24 million annual economic impact on the region.
“The language in the actual bill matters,” said Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield. “If you want to address the issue, let’s address the issue in a thoughtful, bipartisan manner.”
Bump stocks were used by Stephen Paddock, the Vegas shooter, and immediately drew a call for regulation.
Moylan’s confusion over the bump stock and its use is a common mistake. CNN ran a graphic over and over with the incorrect information on the bump stock, fueling complaints and attacks from gun rights advocates.
California already bans bump stocks, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence , and 12 other states and Washington, D.C., have various prohibitions on rapid-fire devices or weapons.
Stephen C. Paddock
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