Contact: Richard Pearson of the Illinois State Rifle Association, 815-635-3198, Website: http://www.isra.org

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Jan. 25 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA):

"What kind of nut would want to ban squirt guns?"

That's the question that tens of thousands of law-abiding Illinois firearm owners are asking today after it was revealed that Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora) has co-sponsored a measure that would ban the possession of everything from water pistols to hunting rifles.

The bill in question, HB4132, would ban the sale and possession of so-called "replica weapons" including anything that looks even remotely like a firearm or other materiel produced for military purposes.

The ISRA stands firmly opposed to HB4132 as the bill is a thinly veiled attempt to ban private firearm ownership in the state.

"Never in my career have I seen such a slick attempt at instituting a state-wide gun ban," commented ISRA Executive Director Richard Pearson. "Nearly every firearm model for sale in Illinois was either designed for military use, or is used by the military for one purpose or another. Therefore, under this bill, nearly every pistol, revolver, rifle or shotgun owned by Illinois citizens would be banned."

"The laughable part is that the scope of this bill goes way beyond conventional firearms," continued Pearson. "Every VFW and American Legion Post would have to remove the tanks and howitzers from their property or face prosecution. The cannon adorning town squares across the state would have to be rounded up and destroyed. The dummy grenade paperweight on your desk would have to go as well. Oh boy, and won't all the honor guards look pretty snappy shouldering broomsticks in the July Fourth parades next year?"

"HB4132 is so sweeping that it would go as far as to ban cap guns and water pistols," said Pearson. "Given that this is an election year, I can't wait to see how Rep. Chapa LaVia will spin her ban on squirt guns to her political advantage."

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The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. For more than a century, the ISRA has represented the interests of over 1.5 million law- abiding Illinois firearm owners.


Just to say this bill violates the 2nd amendment and is completely moronic to start with as the man says what type of nut would want to ban a squirt gun?

they would never get away with this shit in California, Arizona, or New Mexico! what de-de-de would try to ban squirt guns?! now, regular firearms, i understand why they would want to try to ban those (NOTE: i never said i agreed with it, i just said i understand their line of thinking) but squirt guns?! come on!

What are water gloves? Those sound interesting.

Oh my... What about water gloves?

those would be banned to they are considred imitation hand grenades

Aw. I like squirt guns. But water balloons are better.

Stupid. I like my water gun! Oh wait, I don't have one...

Just goes to show that politicians have no interest in finding real solutions to problems, so they go and make up garbage proposals to make them look like they're "doing something".

Speaking of Airsoft I just got my Airsoft M-16

Welcome to politics. As an airsoft player myself, this bill really scares me.

The real issue is the realistic BBguns known as airsoft guns they look just like a real gun so...you can end up with things like the guy who just got himself killed.
I still think it's foolish as hell

Completely agree with Bored.

Where oh where do the taxes which are supposed to be used for worthwhile matters and not to create moronic restrictions go?

These sorts of things drive me insane. Ms.LaVia is not the only one in power with useless ideas--they're everywhere. Instead of spending time figuring out how to get homeless kids off the streets this winter, for example, let's focus on banning Cheerios because they are discriminant of other letters.

this is a complete waste. this wastes the time of those who have to review this bill over and over. it wastes whatever money (taxpayers and w/e) goes into the making and passing of a bill. i don't know much about the process a bill goes through (as i sit in my law class) but i'm sure that it's all being wasted on this. i don't think that a 5 year old with a $1.00 squirt gun is going to be a great threat to the country. i don't think someone is going to be able to take down a commercial airliner with a potato gun. i don't think it's possible to rob a bank with a nerf dart gun