Springfield, IL – Illinois' governor wants to ban assault weapons, but state lawmakers from western Illinois say they do not support the plan. Governor Rod Blagojevich used his State of the State speech to say no law-abiding citizen needs an Uzi or AK-47 to be safe or to hunt. However, State Senator John Sullivan (D-Rushville) and State Representative Rich Myers (R-Colchester) believe the ban is not needed. Both say they know people who use the weapons for target practice or who simply enjoy collecting them. Myers says it's ironic the governor proposed a weapons ban during the same speech in which he touted a shooting complex being built in Sparta.
Both lawmakers also believe Blagojevich's proposed construction program - which the governor called a "jobs bill" during the speech - will not be approved quickly. Myers says the governor's proposal to use Keno to fund school construction is hurting the bill's chances. Sullivan says if a construction bill is passed, it's likely Keno will not be a part of it.
Local Lawmakers Oppose Governor's Gun Ban
