An Illinois proposal has been drafted in response to the deadly shooting at a Florida high school last week. The newly filed measure would ban so-called "ghost guns."
The guns are assembled outside of a factory or store by individuals who don't file serial numbers for the weapons. State Rep. Martin Moylan, D-Des Plaines, says these guns should not be available to the general public. "You can order online parts and when you get them you can assemble a workable, fire-able firearm."
Moylan says another important step in preventing gun violence is a total ban on AR-15s, a very popular semi- automatic rifle. He plans to file a separate measure that would do just that.
"That's the one that is mostly used [in] these mass shootings. It's an assault type rifle that seems like these kids and mass shooters favor to use because they're killing machines," says Moylan. "The hunters I know don't use these guns."
Many in favor of gun regulation measures refer to AR-15s as an "assault rifle." The "AR" actually stands for ArmaLite rifle after the company that developed the gun in the 1950s.
Moylan says he does not believe this proposal would be an intrusion on second amendment rights. "Just like prohibiting people to drive 100 miles per hour in a car, there has to be rules and control."
Moylan and other gun control advocates say increasing regulations in the state could help prevent more mass shootings from happening in Illinois. Moylan sponsored a measure in 2017 attempting to ban bump stocks, devices that make rapid firing easier, in response to the Las Vegas shooting. That bill failed in the House.
