Assault weapon ban target of lawsuit in Decatur

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) – State Representative Dan Caulkins, (R) Decatur, and other plaintiffs are expected to file a lawsuit Thursday in Macon County Circuit Court over the states new ban on military style assault rifles and high capacity magazines.

“We’re going to round up the people in Macon County who want to protest this gun grab,” Caulkins told WAND News Monday morning. “We’ve retained an attorney here who will do the actual legal work.”

Representative Caulkins expects several licensed gun dealers to join as plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Gun dealer Dan Cooley, who owns The Bullet Trap in Macon, confirms he will be one of the plaintiffs.

On Friday, an Effingham County judge issued an injunction against the ban. He has set a hearing date of February 1, 2023 to listen to issues in the case. The state is expected to file an appeal.

The Democratic controlled Illinois legislature passed the ban in the remaining hours of the 102^nd General Assembly. Governor Pritzker signed it into law a few hours later.