(PartiallyPolitics.com) On Tuesday the state of Illinois lost an appeal that would reverse a lower court judge’s restraining order on the enactment of a ban on some semiautomatic rifles and high-capacity magazines. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the gun control law on Jan. 10. The new law would ban the sale and distribution of assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and switches and was supposed to be enacted immediately after its approval.
However, on Jan 24, Effingham County Judge Joshua Morrison issued a temporary restraining order against the enactment of the law. This decision was a response to a lawsuit filed by four gun merchants and 850 individuals who argued that the law was improperly enacted and the required public input was not provided.
It was also noted that the law violated the state and U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause which should provide certain groups of individuals, such as retired law enforcement officers, with an exemption from being affected by the ban.
Morrison in his ruling had decided that the ruling going immediately into effect could cause damage to the plaintiffs’ fundamental rights. The Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Illinois’ Fifth District appellate court also ruled in a 2-to-1 that the temporary restraining order should remain. They further extended the restraining order, making it statewide whereas previously it only applied to the plaintiffs in the case.
This is not the only lawsuit that Illinois is facing regarding this law. The National Rifle Association has also filed a lawsuit against the law.
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