House Bill 4132 to ban Airsoft in Illinois's?

[gixser13]

found this on another  airsoft site

House Bill 4132 to ban Airsoft in Illinois's?

Raif dropped me a line about some proposed legislation changes that may well affect Airsoft in Illonois, you can read more about this in the forums:
Arnie: I am following the news about attempts in the UK to ban airsoft. Thought it would not happen here in the USA. Guess I was wrong! Thought I would drop you a note about this new bill proposed in our state legislature. House Bill 4132 would ban all replicas of "weapons designed for military purposes." While this appears to be aimed at full size replicas of things like RPGs, clearly this would make airsoft guns illegal (at least those that are copies of military hardware).

I urge any of your Illinois readers to check out the Illinois State Rifle Association's website at www.isra.org and find out how to contact their local legislators to kill this bill. This also would ban real guns that are otherwise legal in illinois (Garands, M1 Carbines, 1911 handguns).

Bill is reprinted below in its entirety from the state's website:

"94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB4132

Introduced 10/20/05, by Rep. Daniel J. Burke

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

720 ILCS 5/24-11 new

Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that it is unlawful for any person to purchase, possess, use, sell, give away, or otherwise transfer, or to engage in the business of selling, or to exhibit for sale, any replica rocket propelled grenade launcher, bazooka, artillery piece, grenade, mine, bomb, or items similar to weapons designed and manufactured for military purposes or replicas of those items. Provides that a violation is a Class A misdemeanor.

LRB094 14522 RLC 49459 b

CORRECTIONAL BUDGET AND IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

HB4132 LRB094 14522 RLC 49459 b

1 AN ACT concerning criminal law.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by adding
5 Section 24-11 as follows:
6 (720 ILCS 5/24-11 new)
7 Sec. 24-11. Replica military style weapons.
8 (a) It is unlawful for any person to purchase, possess,
9 use, sell, give away, or otherwise transfer, or to engage in
10 the business of selling, or to exhibit for sale, any replica
11 rocket propelled grenade launcher, bazooka, artillery piece,
12 grenade, mine, bomb, or items similar to weapons designed and
13 manufactured for military purposes or replicas of those items.
14 (b) Sentence. A violation of this Section is a Class A
15 misdemeanor."

[Doc Hollywood]

Keeping in mind that a lot of bills are introduced every year in state and federal legislatures that never even make it out of the gate.  Secondly, any bill that restricts a perceived right or creates a criminal offense where once there was none MUST pass both state and federal constitutional muster.  This means that the state must have a significant interest in restricting the right (i.e. police power) and must use the least restrictive means available.  Additionally the law in final form must not be violative of the federal exclusive right to regulate interstate commerce.  A first year law student would rip this bill apart.  

Its not the first bill of this type, nor will it be the last.  Any freshman dickwad legislator an introduce any crap as a bill.  Will it live ...??  Somehow I think this bill might be better used to wipe the ass of the NRA lawyer who unloads his lobby on it.....

IMHO

[gixser13]

remeber its  Illinois there pretty anti gun

[Doc Hollywood]

A bit about our errant legislator:

Gun Issues
(Back to top)


2004  Based on lifetime voting records on gun issues and the results of a questionnaire sent to all state legislative candidates in 2004, the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund assigned Representative Burke a grade of D (with grades ranging from a high of A+ to a low of F).

2002  Based on voting records and a questionnaire sent out to all state legislative candidates by Illinois Citizens for Handgun Control, Representative Burke was assigned a grade of A+ (with grades ranging from a high of A+ to a low of F).

2002  Based on lifetime voting records on gun issues and the results of a questionnaire sent to all state legislative candidates in 2002, the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund assigned Representative Burke a grade of F (with grades ranging from a high of A+ to a low of F).

2000  Based on lifetime voting records on gun issues and the results of a questionnaire sent to all state legislative candidates in 2000, the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund assigned Representative Burke a grade of F (with grades ranging from a high of A+ to a low of F).

Hmmm... seems he can't quite make up his little mind... but he is up for re election in 2006....

More:

Business and Consumers
(Back to top)


2003-2004  Representative Burke supported the interests of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce 27 percent in 2003-2004.

2003  On the votes that the Illinois Manufacturers' Association considered to be the most important in 2003, Representative Burke voted their preferred position 14 percent of the time.

2002  On the votes that the Illinois Chamber of Commerce considered to be the most important in 2002, Representative Burke voted their preferred position 13 percent of the time.

2001-2002  On the votes that the Illinois Manufacturers' Association considered to be the most important in 2001-2002, Representative Burke voted their preferred position 55 percent of the time.

2001-2002  On the votes that the Illinois National Federation of Independent Business considered to be the most important in 2001-2002, Representative Burke voted their preferred position 38 percent of the time.

1999-2000  On the votes that the Illinois National Federation of Independent Business considered to be the most important in 1999-2000, Representative Burke voted their preferred position 9 percent of the time.

1997-1998  On the votes that the Illinois National Federation of Independent Business considered to be the most important in 1997-1998, Representative Burke voted their preferred position 17 percent of the time.

1996  On the votes that the Illinois Chamber of Commerce considered to be the most important in 1996, Representative Burke voted their preferred position 56 percent of the time.


Seems the average consumer might not think to much of this goober...

And:

REPRESENTATIVE DANIEL J. BURKE REPEATEDLY REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY
RESPONSES TO CITIZENS ON ISSUES THROUGH THE 2004
NATIONAL POLITICAL AWARENESS TEST


REPRESENTATIVE DANIEL J. BURKE REFUSED TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION WHEN ASKED TO DO SO BY:

Major News Organizations

and key national leaders of both parties including,

John McCain, Republican Senator
Geraldine Ferraro, Former Democratic Congresswoman
Michael Dukakis, Former Democratic Governor
Bill Frenzel, Former Republican Congressman
Richard Kimball, Project Vote Smart President


In conclusion, I think this bill is doomed...


*References found at: http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=BS024414

[Ricky]

If we as airsofters took it upon ourselves to NOT allow anyone under 21 to obtain, buy, sell, posess airsoft guns.............then maybe laws likr these wouldnt be written, maybe airsoft could be enjoyed for years to come. But continued sales to minors with the brain size of a pea, who take them to school, and wave them around till they get shot by the cops....well, kiss airsoft goodbye!


FLASH

[Bobaganoosh]

If we as airsofters took it upon ourselves to NOT allow anyone under 21 to obtain, buy, sell, posess airsoft guns.............then maybe laws likr these wouldnt be written, maybe airsoft could be enjoyed for years to come. But continued sales to minors with the brain size of a pea, who take them to school, and wave them around till they get shot by the cops....well, kiss airsoft goodbye!


FLASH

Perhaps it is not only minors who have the brains the size of a pea as i see less of news covering kids bringing airsoft guns to school as i see grown men and women using airsoft guns to rob stores or banks or shoot  at innocent bystanders. Please just silence yourself becuase i don't want to have to read your crap anymore. If you want to be the crazy guy yelling at the kids who are playing on the street in front of his house... fine, but please stop talking about how minors are ruining the sport becuase it is a bunch of bull****.


Edit: also, it is clear that this bill was written to address realistic weapons "terrorists" might use such as RPG's and explosives. It was not written because some 12 year old brought his airsoft M4 variant to school to show that bully who's boss.

[Dust2Dust]

If we as airsofters took it upon ourselves to NOT allow anyone under 21 to obtain, buy, sell, posess airsoft guns.............then maybe laws likr these wouldnt be written, maybe airsoft could be enjoyed for years to come. But continued sales to minors with the brain size of a pea, who take them to school, and wave them around till they get shot by the cops....well, kiss airsoft goodbye!


FLASH

Wait a second... so you don't want me to purchase a replica, aka airsoft gun, but it's cool if I buy an AR-15 or an Ak-47?  Wow, you're sense of reality is so fucked up man, good thing you hide behind a computer screen.

[Ricky]

If we as airsofters took it upon ourselves to NOT allow anyone under 21 to obtain, buy, sell, posess airsoft guns.............then maybe laws likr these wouldnt be written, maybe airsoft could be enjoyed for years to come. But continued sales to minors with the brain size of a pea, who take them to school, and wave them around till they get shot by the cops....well, kiss airsoft goodbye!


FLASH

Perhaps it is not only minors who have the brains the size of a pea as i see less of news covering kids bringing airsoft guns to school as i see grown men and women using airsoft guns to rob stores or banks or shoot  at innocent bystanders. Please just silence yourself becuase i don't want to have to read your crap anymore. If you want to be the crazy guy yelling at the kids who are playing on the street in front of his house... fine, but please stop talking about how minors are ruining the sport becuase it is a bunch of bull****.


Edit: also, it is clear that this bill was written to address realistic weapons "terrorists" might use such as RPG's and explosives. It was not written because some 12 year old brought his airsoft M4 variant to school to show that bully who's boss.

Bobtillyaganoosh----Why the hell should I silence myself, because you dislike what I said?
if you dont like it-dont read it.

As far as your claim of terrorist weapons--re-read it-it includes any military replica.

Maybe when you get older, you will learn to read?

FLASH

[Ricky]

Dust2Dust [/quote]
Wow, you're sense of reality is so fucked up man, good thing you hide behind a computer screen.[/quote]

Who is hiding? And why is it good? Sounds like a veiled threat.

I aslo obviously belive no gun ownership till tou are 21.

But then, if ya really want a gun, sing up for the USMC, they take ANYONE!!!!


FLASH

[busta_cap]

Dust2Dust

Wow, you're sense of reality is so fucked up man, good thing you hide behind a computer screen.[/quote]

Who is hiding? And why is it good? Sounds like a veiled threat.

I aslo obviously belive no gun ownership till tou are 21.

But then, if ya really want a gun, sing up for the USMC, they take ANYONE!!!!


FLASH[/quote]Actually, the Air Force Takes anyone, which would explain how you got in....

[gixser13]

well there is a reason why the drinking age is 21 but at 18 you can buy a long gun.


Anyway, lets just not give congress any more fuel for this bill

[Doc Hollywood]

shhh dont tell Ricky/Flash/WTFE that this thread is a bait thread just to keep him busy so he doesn't post anywhere else !

[Comrade Commissar]

Who is hiding? And why is it good? Sounds like a veiled threat.

I aslo obviously belive no gun ownership till tou are 21.

But then, if ya really want a gun, sing up for the USMC, they take ANYONE!!!!

FLASH

Maybe we should move the voting age back up too, heck, lets just repeal all the amendments and the whole constitution and go back to being colonies again and scrap 250 years of democracy... It sounds fun, im up for it... Then, if we are still allowed aegs under British rule, we can pay that $250 importation tax that weve all been longing for, ontop of the gun price...