East Central Reporter

In a Dec. 15 interview with WGLT, Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) talked about the House Bill 5855, which is also known as the "Protect Illinois Communities Act."

"I believe this whole thing is unconstitutional,” Caulkins, who has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association, said. “And will be proven that in court. I'm not optimistic at all that people will come to their senses or that the Democrats in the General Assembly even consider or care that much."

He also talked about concerns over AR-15 style weapons. "But truthfully, the vast majority of the murders that have been committed in Chicago, Cook County, almost anywhere else, are all done with handguns. They're easily concealed and easily wielded. We have seen mass shootings with semiautomatic rifles by deranged people. And that, to me is something that we need to look at. We have the ability to tag those people that need mental help, and those are the things we ought to focus on.”

Also on Dec. 15, Caulkins urged his constituents to donate to the Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois in a Facebook post: "Your 2A rights are under attack. Fight back against HB-5855! Donate to the legal defense fund: https://fflil.org/donate/"” 

The Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois is an organization supporting firearms dealers in the state. According to its website "Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois (FFL-IL) is an 501(c)(4) organization for federal firearms licensees in Illinois. FFL-IL was founded this year in response to relentless attacks against Federal Firearm Licensees by anti-gun and anti-Second Amendment groups. Our focus is primarily dealer issues in Illinois."

And on Dec. 12, as hearings on House Bill 5855 were set to begin, Caulkins urged his constituents to fill out witness slips to speak against the bill.