Council To Discuss Assault Weapons Ban Monday

The Evanston city council is moving forward with an ordinance that would ban assault weapons in Evanston before state legislation limiting such a measure goes into effect.

An ordinance banning the "possession, transfer, sale or display of assault weapons in the city of Evanston" is listed on Monday night's city council meeting agenda.

Aldermen asked the city's law department to draft an assault weapons ban last week, shortly after the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation that would allow concealed carry in Illinois, once Gov. Pat Quinn signs the bill into law. That legislation also contains a provision prohibiting local assault weapons bans, unless those ordinances are enacted before, on or within 10 days of the date the bill goes into effect. 

“I’ve been concerned about … making sure we have something for the 10 day window, because if this comes up in August, it would be hard for us to pull a meeting together,” Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl said at the meeting on June 17.

Ald. Jane Grover (7th Ward) and Delores Holmes (5th Ward) both said they, too, would support an assault weapons ban. A handful of people also stood up to speak in support of a ban.

For the full text of the ordinance, see the agenda packet for Monday night's meeting.