The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday denied a request to put a hold on Illinois’ assault-style weapons ban. The request had been made by the National Association for Gun Rights and Robert Bevis, owner of the Naperville gun shop, Law Weapons & Supply.
Gun rights advocates hoped for hold on assault weapons ban
The gun rights advocates had hoped to have a temporary halt placed on the Illinois ban, as well as a Naperville ban on assault-style weapons sales, while an appeal in the matter is pending. The Supreme Court had also denied a similar request for an injunction in May.
Earlier this week, the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago also made a ruling against those groups, denying their request for a review of an earlier ruling which also let the gun ban stand.
Illinois’ ban took effect on Jan. 10, 2023
Illinois’ statewide ban on the sale and distribution of assault-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines was signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker on Jan. 10, 2023, and took effect immediately.
Naperville City Council had voted in August of 2022 to prohibit the sales of certain high-powered rifles within the city. That ordinance went into effect earlier this year.
Bevis argues that the bans are unconstitutional
Bevis told NCTV17 in January of this year that he believes the bans are unconstitutional. “This is a Second Amendment right,” Bevis said. “They don’t have the right to prevent the sale of firearms. If you have the right to bear arms, you have the right to acquire firearms and buy them.”
He said the majority of the weapons he sells at his shop now fall into the now-banned category.
There were no public dissents by any of the justices on Thursday’s decision.
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