Under the recent statewide legislation, municipalities in Illinois have 10 days to pass new or updated assault weapons legislation, and this ordinance was passed within that window.
"Weapons that are designed for the battlefield have no place on the streets of Chicago," Mayor Emanuel said. "By strengthening our ordinance, we will have a clear, comprehensive and enforceable law that continues to prevent dangerous weapons from threatening the safety of our residents. Chicago will continue to lead the way in enacting the toughest gun control measures possible while still respecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens."
This ordinance would ban a list of specifically named weapons and their equivalents; any semiautomatic rifle or handgun that is capable of accepting a detachable magazine and has at least one military feature; any shotgun that is capable of accepting a detachable magazine, has at least one military feature, or has a fixed capacity of more than five rounds; and any weapon with a fixed magazine of more than 15 rounds. Military features include telescoping stocks, pistol grips, grenade launchers, barrel shrouds and other features.
Penalties will remain the same as the current law, and any person who violates the law would be fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000 and incarcerated not less than 90 days nor more than 180 days.
The council also passed a measure to increase penalties for serious weapon and gun-related offenses in "student safety zones" along Safe Passage routes, in schools buses and around schools and some parks in an ordinance introduced Wednesday.
