(By Cole Lauterbach for the Illinois Radio Network)
Even if lawmakers pass a bill that bans assault weapons in Illinois, a state’s attorney in southern Illinois says he won’t enforce it.
Williamson County State’s Attorney Brandon Zanotti said state Sen. Julie Morrison’s bill to ban common firearms would turn law-abiding citizens in his county into felons.
“I can start naming people off on my hand and thinking of how many of these people have these types of weapons,” he said. “They’re going to be felons now?”
After reading the proposed law, the Johnston City Democrat attended a town hall and announced that he would use his discretion as an elected state’s attorney should the bill become law. He said he wouldn’t prosecute anyone with an otherwise clean record under the terms of Morrison’s bill. Prosecutors have wide latitude when it comes to bringing criminal charges.
“Barring acting outside of our bounds and engaging in prosecutorial misconduct, the discretion aspect is very broad,” he said. “I think it’s important for the people in Williamson County to know my opinions and positions on things like this.”
Senate Bill 107, introduced last month, would prohibit a range of rifles, pistols and shotguns and require every such weapon in the state to be registered with the Illinois State Police. Owners would pay a $25 fee for that registration. A person found in possession of one of the prohibited weapons without registration could face a Class 3 felony, which carries a prison sentence of up to five years and a $25,000 fine.
“For too long, our federal government has failed to act on a number of important gun safety measures,” Morrison said in a statement. “…a statewide assault weapons ban would create needed clarity instead of a patchwork of regulations from municipality to municipality.”
Zanotti said he’s spoken with other state’s attorneys that plan to announce similar positions on the enforcing of the proposed ban.
Dozens of counties across central and southern Illinois have passed nonbinding resolutions declaring their counties “gun sanctuaries” and proclaiming support for the Second Amendment.