|
Thank you for visiting my legislative website. It is my privilege to serve the citizens of the 1st Senate District in the Illinois General Assembly. On this website, I will provide information about myself, my legislation and the services I can assist you with. Feedback is always welcome. Feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns or ideas. Please continue to check back for updates on how I am working for you. Sincerely, |
SPRINGFIELD- Retiring Illinois State Police Officers could soon have the option of purchasing their service weapon and badge under legislation sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Tony Munoz (D-Chicago).
“As an officer, you carry your badge and gun every day,” Munoz said. “They are symbols of a career in law enforcement, and retiring officers have earned the opportunity to keep them as an honor to their commitment and service.”
SPRINGFIELD –The Illinois senate passed a resolution today condemning Gov. Bruce Rauner’s statement that he would comply should President Donald Trump order Illinois National Guard soldiers to the Mexican border.
State Senator Martin A. Sandoval (D-Chicago), son of immigrants and Illinois Latino Caucus co-chair, sponsored the measure, Senate Resolution 1593, and had strong words for the governor.
“Gov. Rauner’s inability to stand up against the president’s racism and intolerance of the immigrant community is shameful,” Sandoval said. “Sending Illinois National Guard soldiers to the border is a misuse of taxpayer dollars, a disservice to Illinoisans who may need their services and insulting to a nation our state has strong ties to. Our immigrant communities deserve better from the governor.”
The Illinois National Guard helps Illinoisans during floods, snowstorms, tornadoes and other disasters. Its mission is to “provide trained and disciplined forces for domestic emergencies or as otherwise provided by state law,” and it is only called by the president to serve outside the state in emergencies or dire situations.
Assistant Senate Majority Leader Tony Munoz (D-Chicago), who served in the U.S. Army, said the border situation does not constitute and emergency that would require deployment of the National Guard.
“We should be working to protect our state’s immigrant communities from the president’s harmful and irrational policies,” Munoz said. “In this case, our National Guardsmen can better serve Illinoisans from within our state’s borders.”
SPRINGFIELD – A bipartisan group in the Illinois Senate took part in a symbolic walkout Wednesday to demand gun control in solidarity with the nation’s youth, then accompanied the move with practical action.
That action is a ban on the sale of assault rifles to individuals under the age of 21.
“As a former police officer, I have seen firsthand the damage these weapons can do in the wrong hands. It’s horrifying,” Assistant Majority Leader Tony Munoz (D-Chicago) said. “We have to do better to prevent this violence, and this is a step in the right direction.”
SPRINGFIELD – Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson joined gun safety advocates this morning at a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing to support several proposals aimed at preventing gun violence and mass shootings.
The committee took subject-matter testimony on five proposals that would separately increase both the waiting period and the age to purchase an assault weapon, ban “bump stocks,” increase mental health screenings for individuals wishing to obtain a FOID card and ban large ammunition feeding devices and body armor in response to the shooting death of Commander Paul Bauer last month.
“As a city, we’re still heartbroken. We must remain committed to never forgetting Paul Bauer and being there as a support for his wife and daughter to recognize the enormous debt that we, as a society, can never repay,” Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said in support of House Bill 1469. “One of the things we can and should do is take every step that we can to prevent this from happening again.”
House Bill 1469, sponsored by Senator Tony Munoz (D-Chicago), would prohibit large capacity ammunition feeding devices and the use of body armor. Munoz is also proposing House Bill 1465, which would ban the sale or transfer of an assault weapon, assault weapon attachment, .50 caliber rifle or large capacity magazine to an individual under the age of 21. This legislation is in response to 13 people being shot by assault-style rifles last May in two of the neighborhoods Munoz represents.
”There’s no reason for anyone, especially under the age of 21, to be in possession of an assault rifle. Too often, these weapons are used to commit crimes and terrorize our communities,” Munoz said. “As we have seen in incidents nationwide, we are far beyond the time to take action on gun violence.”
