Senator Dick Durbin met with some of Chicagos top law enforcement officials today to focus on preventing gun violence in Chicago.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel today indicated he will put forward his own city gun control ordinance in the next few days after state lawmakers did not reach agreement on the divisive issue.
Emanuel refused to give details about what specifically his proposal will address. But he said he isn't willing to wait until state lawmakers take up gun control. Last month, a federal appeals court tossed out the state's longstanding ban on carrying concealed guns in public. The court gave the state six months to set up new rules.
During his remarks today, Emanuel hit on several of the firearms regulations he has said he would like to see in place at the state level since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Connecticut.
"Waiting is not a strong suit of mine," Emanuel said when asked today about the General Assembly's failure to pass a proposed state ban on assault weapons. "First of all, I believe there's, I know there's a majority in the state, an overwhelming majority in the city for a ban on assault weapons, clips, and comprehensive background checks on all sales, wherever they take place, wherever the location may be. And there's also a majority in the legislature."
There was not, however, enough votes in the Illinois Senate last week to pass bans on assault weapons and high-capacity clips. A new legislature featuring greater numbers of Democrats was sworn in Wednesday.
Emanuel also has spoken in recent weeks about the need for laws requiring people to report if their guns are lost or stolen.
Emanuel said he will introduce his gun legislation to the City Council at its meeting next week. It would then have to receive a committee hearing before coming back to the full council for a vote at a later date. "I will not wait when it comes to protecting our neighborhoods, our communities, our children, the residents in the city of Chicago," he said.
The mayor has been dogged by rising gun violence during his first term. His predecessor, Richard Daley, saw a city handgun ban overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Even when Chicago banned handguns, the city continued to be plagued by shooting violence for decades.
Emanuel acknowledged the possibility of a court fight over his upcoming plan.
"We have run it through the (city) corporation counsel, we believe this stands the muster of the court," he said.
"I can do certain things in the city," Emanuel added. "We're going to take those steps and do that."
The mayor also nodded to the fact stronger gun regulations in Chicago will have limited impact if the state and federal governments don't also take action.
"I hope this will not only be the responsibility I take for what I control. I hope it will be a spur to action for Springfield to take the steps that are necessary for them," he said during remarks at the Budlong Woods library on the Northwest Side.
