In the wake of the Fourth of July mass shooting in Highland Park, State representative Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, and other State lawmakers from Illinois, California, New York, and Delaware met with senior White House officials on efforts to prevent gun violence and hold gun manufacturers accountable for their role in the gun violence epidemic.
“Gun manufacturing is a multi-billion dollar industry that consistently puts profits ahead of the health and safety of our families, communities and children. The fact this industry faces little to no consequence for their products’ role in the devastating violence done to communities like Uvalde, Buffalo and Highland Park is disgusting and fundamentally wrong,” Hirschauer said. “As we continue to fight for solutions to prevent gun violence, we must hold these powerful companies accountable for the irreparable harm they’ve caused.”
At the meeting, legislators from all four states discussed the steps New York, California, and Delaware have taken to hold the gun industry accountable for their part in fueling the current gun violence epidemic, as well as possible measures and tactics Illinois leaders are considering to address this issue.
“Gun violence is a complex public health crisis that necessitates multifaceted, shared solutions. I am extremely grateful to the White House and my contemporaries in New York, California and Delaware for their collaboration as we look to solve this disturbing issue,” said Hirschauer. “Illinois has a long way to go, but we are fortunate to have the power and resources to take serious action to prevent gun violence and keep our communities safe.”
Hirschauer previously introduced two bills to prevent gun violence. House Bill 3222 would create Illinois’ first assault weapons registry, which would help law enforcement solve gun crimes and disarm dangerous individuals. She also introduced House Bill 5522, a complete ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines, both of which are often used in mass shootings. Both bills are currently awaiting consideration by the Illinois General Assembly.
—Abigail Steinberg, Illinois House of Representatives