As Mayor Rahm Emanuel headed to Washington Monday to push for gun control measures, new details have emerged in his effort to impose tougher gun laws in Chicago — including developments affecting city workers' pensions and residents outside city limits.
On Jan. 10, Emanuel announced he was drafting a new "Chicago-only" gun law after the Illinois General Assembly failed to new gun control legislation in the lame-duck session.
Sure to draw the ire of gun rights advocates, the mayor is now broadening his scope for the new rules. Monday, the Associated Press reported Emanuel is aiming to widen the requirement for gun owners to report the loss, theft or sale of weapons to include all of Cook County.
The "companion legislation" to the Chicago-only rules would mean gun owners in Cook County—and not just city firearm permit holders—would have to report all weapons movement to both the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County Sheriff’s office, according to the Sun-Times. Jail time for violators of the reporting requirement would double to up to six months behind bars.
Though the mayor will have to be extra-cautious to avoid running afoul of constitutionality issues, he has an ally in Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle who plans to introduce her companion legislation at Wednesday’s board meeting. Preckwinkle's legislation reportedly carries a stiff fine for violators of the county laws, to the tune of $1,000.
Monday also marked Emanuel's trek to the capitol where Fox Chicago reports he participated on a panel with the Center for American Progress Action Fund to discuss his role in getting the federal assault weapons ban passed in 1994 during his tenure as President Clinton's senior advisor.
While Emanuel is expected to introduce his new ordinance at the next City Council meeting, he announced Monday he's ordered all pension funds in the city of Chicago to divest their interests from gun manufacturers.
According to progressive political blog Think Progress, Emanuel said in the Monday panel "I’m going to lead a charge among all mayors to have that effort, as a compliment to everything else going on."
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