The Marion County Board unanimously went on record at Tuesday night’s meeting against passage of the Protect Illinois Communities Act that would ban the sale and manufacture of assault weapons in the state and make current owners register their weapons.
At the time, it was not known that the Governor had signed the bill Tuesday night.
Later States Attorney Tim Hudspeth and Sheriff Kevin Cripps addressed how they would handle enforcement of the law. Both oppose the legislation. Hudspeth understands not registering the required weapons by January 1st, 2024 will make violators a felon.
Hudspeth state, “The Sheriff and his deputies have arrest discretion and I have prosecutorial discretion and we will exercise that discretion as needed.”
To which Cripps responded, “I agree with what the State’s Attorney just said. Officers do have the discretion to make any arrest for any crime and that’s exactly what we will do.”
Cripps says the law is not necessary.
“We need to address the people that break laws and the State needs to address those people with the laws we have on the books already. Whenever those aren’t being addressed or taken care of, then we have a problem. The State has their own problem, and are trying to make criminals out of law abiding citizen across our state. And I am not going to stand for it myself. And I hope every Sheriff and law enforcement officer across the state also sees it the same way. I can’t see how anyone can interpret it different.”
Cripps expects most sheriff’s across the state will band together to avoid making arrests on the new law.
The county board resolution also asks for the FOID card to be eliminated. Hudspeth says with the current legislative make up he feels there is no chance for passage.
