State Senator Rachel Ventura (D-Joliet) joined other lawmakers representing DuPage County to call for the enforcement of Illinois' ban on assault weapons. After the passage of the ban under the Protect Illinois Communities Act, the DuPage County Sheriff unilaterally directed his office to disregard the new law.

To the People of DuPage County:

We are the 16 Illinois State Senators and Representatives that represent the overwhelming majority of you and your families in DuPage County. Like so many concerned individuals who have contacted us in recent days, we are dismayed and angered by the recent pronouncement by the DuPage County Sheriff to unilaterally direct his office to flout and disregard the duly passed and signed Protect Illinois Communities Act. The Sheriff has no authority to determine the constitutionality of a law–that is up to the courts. Nor can he pick and choose which laws to enforce; he must enforce them all.

This bipartisan law was the product of hundreds of hours of negotiations and advocacy from across our shared community and constituents. It will fight the senseless barrage of gun violence that has plagued our state for far too long. By banning the sale and distribution of assault weapons, high-capacity ammunition magazines, and switches in Illinois, the Act makes our schools, neighborhoods, parades, grocery stores, and workplaces safer from the gun violence that is a threat to our wellbeing everywhere.

The DuPage County Sheriff’s intention to violate his sworn duty to uphold our state’s laws is a dereliction of duty and puts our safety at risk. The Sheriff’s words send a clear message that lawbreakers are welcome here. Should any related tragedy occur within our borders, not only will he bear responsibility for the resulting and everlasting scars upon our community, but he also will put our livelihoods and property tax dollars at risk, as his declaration now opens us up to financial liability.

Please know that even if the DuPage County Sheriff will not do his job to protect you, we as your Illinois Senators and Representatives are already doing so with the full weight of our offices. We are working closely with the Illinois State Police, the Governor’s Office, the Attorney General, and additional levels of state and local government and law enforcement to ensure that we will fill the void left when the sheriff abandoned his duty to protect our community. We will never abandon the constituents that we have sworn to serve, not only in DuPage County, but for the whole state.

Sincerely,

Senator Laura Ellman, 21st District

Senator Laura Murphy, 28th District

Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton, 23rd District

Senator Rachel Ventura, 43rd District

Senator Karina Villa, 25th District

Rep. Dagmara Avelar, 85th District

Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock, 46th District

Rep. Terra Costa Howard, 42nd District

Rep. Barbara Hernandez, 50th District

Rep. Norma Hernandez, 77th District

Rep. Maura Hirschauer, 49th District

Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, 84th District

Rep. Jenn Ladisch Douglass, 45th District

Rep. Michelle Mussman, 56th District

Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, 81st District

Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, 41st District