Lake Forest City Council Will Not Regulate Assault Weapons

The Lake Forest City Council will not vote on any ordinance to regulate assault weapons, despite protests on Monday night from members of the League of Women Voters of Lake Forest/Lake Bluff League of Women Voters to do so.

"There was a discussion," said Jane Partridge of the League of Women Voters after the meeting. "They're not going to vote."

Partridge and other community members spoke during the public comment section of the  Lake Forest City Council meeting to ask for public action on the regulation of assault weapons in the City.

The Council tabled a proposed ordinance July 1 to give it further study. The ordinance was proposed because home rule municipalities like Lake Forest would lose their power to regulate assault weapons 10 days after the state’s conceal carry legislation became law.

On July 9, the Illinois General Assembly overrode a veto of the conceal carry law by Gov. Patrick Quinn creating the July 19 deadline. City Manager Robert Kiely said Friday the City would take no action.

“Lake Forest will allow the 10 days to lapse without taking up an ordinance pursuant to (the conceal carry law allowed under) the City’s home rule authority,” Kiely said. “The mayor and City Council do not think it is appropriate to control assault weapons in Lake Forest.”

Stay tuned for more in-depth coverage of Monday's meeting.

For complete Lake Forest News, sign up for our free newsletter, "like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.