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Residents of Deerfield, Ill., have until June 13 to hand over their assault weapons—or else face hefty fines.
Deerfield Mayor Harriet Rosenthal ordered the new legislation after a gunman entered a Parkland, Fla., school with an AR-15 and shot 17 people dead on Feb. 14.
“I believe the time has now come to revisit a complete ban of assault weapons,” Rosenthal said in a press release.
Local politicians contend that assault weapons are “not reasonably necessary to protect an individual’s right or self-defense.”
The Deerfield Village board unanimously approved the legislation, which is set to take effect on June 13.
Residents who violate the ban by not rescinding their weapons by then will be fined up to $1,000 per day for each offense.
The ordinance could be challenged on constitutional grounds, but a similar law passed in Highland Park, Ill., in 2013 survived in court.
Local high school student Ariella Kharasch said she supports the new legislation.
“This is our fight,” she told the Chicago Tribune. “This is our generation’s fight. We’re going to keep fighting and this is part of it. Change happens gradually step by step. The fight does not end at the borders of our village,” she said.
Rosenthal praised survivors of the school shooting for their advocacy.
“Enough is enough,” she said. “Those students are so articulate just like our students. There is no place here for assault weapons.”
Opponents of the ordinance claim it infringes upon their second amendment rights.
“First it’s going to be assault rifles. [There will be] new bans in the future. It’s just a matter of time,” resident Larry Nordal told the Chicago Tribune.
Residents of Deerfield, Ill., have until June 13 to hand over their assault weapons—or else face hefty fines.
Deerfield Mayor Harriet Rosenthal ordered the new legislation after a gunman entered a Parkland, Fla., school with an AR-15 and shot 17 people dead on Feb. 14.
“I believe the time has now come to revisit a complete ban of assault weapons,” Rosenthal said in a press release.
Local politicians contend that assault weapons are “not reasonably necessary to protect an individual’s right or self-defense.”
The Deerfield Village board unanimously approved the legislation, which is set to take effect on June 13.
Residents who violate the ban by not rescinding their weapons by then will be fined up to $1,000 per day for each offense.
The ordinance could be challenged on constitutional grounds, but a similar law passed in Highland Park, Ill., in 2013 survived in court.
Local high school student Ariella Kharasch said she supports the new legislation.
“This is our fight,” she told the Chicago Tribune. “This is our generation’s fight. We’re going to keep fighting and this is part of it. Change happens gradually step by step. The fight does not end at the borders of our village,” she said.
Rosenthal praised survivors of the school shooting for their advocacy.
“Enough is enough,” she said. “Those students are so articulate just like our students. There is no place here for assault weapons.”
Opponents of the ordinance claim it infringes upon their second amendment rights.
“First it’s going to be assault rifles. [There will be] new bans in the future. It’s just a matter of time,” resident Larry Nordal told the Chicago Tribune.
