Illinois Assault Weapons Ban 'Facially Unconstitutional,' Judge Rules

Associate Judge Rodney Forbes found that exemptions to the gun restrictions lawmakers passed early this year in response to last summer's mass shooting at the Highland Park 4th of July parade violate the equal protection clause of the state constitution. "The appellate court held the right to bear arms under article I, section 22 of the Illinois constitution is fundamental for equal protection purposes, that the challenged exceptions are subject to strict scrutiny as a result, and that the challenged exceptions did not satisfy strict scrutiny," Forbes said in a...