WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to put on hold a new Illinois law that would ban high-powered semi-automatic weapons like the one used in the mass killing of seven people at a parade in suburban Chicago.
The justices made no comment in rejecting an emergency appeal by a gun rights group and others.
The law bans the possession, manufacture or sale of semi-automatic rifles and high-capacity magazines. It takes effect on 1 January.
Last month, a three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 in favour of the law, denying a request by gun rights groups to block it. The Illinois Supreme Court separately upheld the law in a 4-3 decision in August.
At least eight other states and the District of Columbia have some sort of ban on semi-automatic weapons, and several cases challenging those laws are making their way through the federal courts, relying at least in part on the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision that expanded gun rights.
The Protect Illinois Communities Act bans dozens of specific brands or types of rifles and handguns, including the popular AR-15, .50-calibre rifles, attachments and rapid-fire devices. No rifle will be allowed to hold more than 10 rounds, with a limit of 15 rounds for handguns.
Those who own such rifles and accessories when the law is enacted must register them, including serial numbers, with the Illinois State Police. This process began on 1 October.