Politics & Government

Assault Weapon Legislation Tops City Council Agenda

Lake Forest, Deerfield consider laws regulating assault weapons in wake of Highland Park's outright ban.

An initial discussion of a potential Lake Forest ordinance regulating assault weapons is expected when the City Council meets at 7:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall.

The City is one of a growing number of North Shore communities to consider legislation. Deerfield is poised to vote on an ordinance requiring safe storage and security of assault weapons at its Monday meeting and Highland Park passed an assault weapon ban last Monday.

This flurry of activity became important when the Illinois General Assembly passed a bill which allows the concealed carrying of handguns late last month. A provision of the legislation prevents home rule communities like Lake Forest from legislating about assault weapons in any way if they do not act within 10 days of Gov. Patrick Quinn signing the bill into law. He has yet to do that.

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Almost immediately after the state legislature passed its conceal carry legislation, state Rep. Scott Drury (D-Highwood) began meeting with municipal officials to let them know what they had to do to preserve their rights.

“This is an overreach,” Drury said about the assault provision of the conceal carry legislation. “I am acting as a facilitator to let communities know their rights and when they need to act.” He spoke at the Deerfield Village Board meeting June 17, at Highland Park last Monday and plans to be in Lake Forest Monday.

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Preservation of home rule was foremost on the mind of Lake Forest officials when they set the matter for discussion Monday, according to material contained within the agenda for Monday’s meeting.

“An important consideration in tonight’s discussion is the preservation of the City’s home rule authority,” the agenda material said. “One of the critical reasons the City adopted home rule status by referendum was the ability to implement rules and regulations that best meet the needs of our community and resident interest.”

Members of Lake Forest’s municipal staff are preparing an ordinance which gives Mayor Donald Schoenheider and the City’s Aldermen significant flexibility to before finalizing the legislation and taking a vote at a future meeting before the state’s window closes.

“In order to help frame the discussion at tonight’s meeting, staff drafted an ordinance which provides the City Council with options including storage of assault weapons, registration of assault weapons, and an alternative ban of assault weapons,” the agenda material said. The agenda packet also made it clear the ordinance recognizes individual gun rights.

According to Drury, some form of action like Deerfield’s proposed requirement for safe storage protects Lake Forest’s right to pass a more or less restrictive ordinance in the future. This was also stressed in the agenda material.

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