Gov. JB Pritzker signs bill aimed at hold gun industry accountable at Chicago safety conference

ByStephanie Wade WLS logo
Saturday, August 12, 2023
Pritzker signs bill aimed at hold gun industry accountable
Gov. JB Pritzker spoke at the annual Everytown for Gun Safety after the state supreme court upheld the Illinois assault weapons ban.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Gov. JB Pritzker spoke at the annual Everytown for Gun Safety conference in Chicago on Saturday.

He says it's the perfect place that depicts the dire need for gun reform in this country.

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Surrounded by a sea of 2,000 gun safety advocates, Pritzker signed the Firearm Industry Responsibility Act into law, aiming to hold the gun industry accountable for unlawful sales and unsafe marketing practices towards children.

"We hold opioid manufacturers accountable. We hold vaping companies accountable. We hold Predatory lenders accountable. Gun manufacturers shouldn't get to hide from the law - and now, they won't be able to," Pritzker said.

This comes after the Illinois Supreme Court found the statewide ban on assault weapons constitutional on Friday yesterday.

"We've had enough, and we want action. And together, we got it done," Pritzker said.

Founded 10 years ago, the group Moms Demand Action, with 10 million members nationwide, grows by the day.

It just hits home. I'm also a gun violence survivor. I had my ex-boyfriend, he took his life from gun suicide. And so we know that this is an epidemic in this country," said Sheri Williams, a gun violence survivor and co-Illinois chapter leader with Moms Demand Action.

Organizers said there's never been more support for gun reform in this country than there is now.

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I've had a lot of friends who have been affected by gun violence. I endured threats of a mass shooting in my high school, and that was really hard for me. I realized this isn't normal," said Mirabella Johnson, a Northwestern student.

Several lawsuits have been filed against the assault weapons ban in federal court. They've since been consolidated, and are now awaiting action in an appeals court. Meanwhile, the Republican Senate minority leader said Saturday action will also likely be challenged in court.