Proposed Chicago Ordinance Would Require All Gun Sales to Be Videotaped, Limit Citizens to One Handgun Per Month — Guess Who’s Behind It

Chicago alderman have given preliminary approval to a new ordinance that would require gun sales to be videotaped, records be stored and restrict citizens to one handgun per month. The measure would also restrict where gun stores can be located.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Credit: Getty Images North America

The proposed ordinance comes in response to a federal court ruling that it is unconstitutional for the city to ban gun sales. Rather than simply lifting the unconstitutional ban, the city is attempting to “craft rules that comply with the court order, yet still make it nearly impossible to buy a gun within Chicago’s city limits,” the Chicago Business Journal reports.

The proposed ordinance also mandates a 72-hour waiting period for purchasing handguns and a 24-hour waiting period for rifles and shotguns. Gun stores would be required to keep records that would be subject to quarterly audits.

“The courts have ruled we had to do this so we did it and I think it’s a common sense approach. It is well-crafted and it’s good,” Council Public Safety Committee Chair Alderman James Balcer told WBBM’s Craig Dellimore.

Further, Alderman Ameya Pawar called on other areas that are allowing gun sales to “step up” and implement more restrictive gun polices.

No gun rights activists bothered to testify at the hearing before the aldermen voted to give the measure preliminary approval.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is believed to be the driving force behind the anti-gun proposal. The full Chicago City Council will consider passing the ordinance next week. 

It is expected that gun rights activists will challenge the ordinance in court should it receive final passage.