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Massac sheriff speaks out against new Illinois gun law

Massac sheriff speaks out against new Illinois gun law
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By West Kentucky Star Staff
Jan. 11, 2023 | METROPOLIS
By West Kentucky Star Staff Jan. 11, 2023 | 06:13 PM | METROPOLIS
Massac County's sheriff is speaking out against an Illinois bill signed into law Tuesday banning the sale and possession of certain types of semiautomatic weapons.

Sheriff Chad Kaylor said in a statement that he is sworn to protect the rights of citizens as protected by the Constitution, and believes this law is a violation of the second amendment. Kaylor said he and his office would not be checking to see if gun owners register with the state, and would not arrest or house anyone arrested "solely for non-compliance of this Act."

A number of other sheriffs in southern Illinois have echoed the same sentiments.

The bill, known as the Protect Illinois Communities Act, makes Illinois the 9th state to ban this type of weapon. The new law will require anyone who already owns the now-prohibited guns to register them with the Illinois State Police. 

Opponents say the new law will be challenged in court.


Full statement from Massac County Sheriff Chad Kaylor:

"As your Sheriff, I wanted to give citizens of Massac County an update on the recent passage of HB 5471, also known as the Protect Illinois Communities Act.
As your duly elected Sheriff my job and my office are sworn, in fact, to protect the citizens of Massac County. This is a job and responsibility that I take with the utmost seriousness.
Part of my duties that I accepted upon being sworn into office was to protect the rights provided to all of us, in the Constitution. One of those enumerated rights is the right of the people to keep and bear arms provided under the 2nd amendment.
The right to keep and bear arms for defense of life, liberty and property is regarded as an inalienable right by the people.
I, among many others, believe that HB 5471 is a clear violation of the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution.
Therefore, as the custodian of the jail and chief law enforcement official for Massac County, that neither myself nor my office will be checking to ensure that lawful gun owners register their weapons with the State, nor will we be arresting or housing law abiding individuals that have been arrested solely with non-compliance of this Act.

Sheriff Chad Kaylor"


(Photo courtesy of the Massac County Sheriff's Department website)
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