HARDIN - Today, the Calhoun County Board of County Commissioners, unanimously passed a resolution to make Calhoun County a Gun Sanctuary County.

As of early July, the following counties had declared themselves a Gun Sanctuary County: Brown, Christian, Clark, Clay, Cumberland, Douglas, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Henry, Iroquois, Jasper, Jefferson, Lawrence, Monroe, Perry, Pope, Saline, Shelby, Washington, Wayne, White and Woodford. Iroquois County Board was the first to pass the resolution. The resolution opposes the gun control bills in the General Assembly.

Calhoun County Sheriff Bill Heffington is a strong supporter of the “Gun Sanctuary” status and the Second Amendment to the Constitution. The Second Amendment protects the right of people to keep and bear arms and was adopted Dec. 15, 1791, as part of the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Sheriff Heffington and the entire office said they were very pleased about the vote.

“It’s very nice to know that Calhoun County has a State's Attorney and a County Board that supports the Second Amendment and helps the citizens protect their Constitutional Rights,” Heffington said. “Your rights are protected here in Calhoun County. The ordinance lets the state know they support people’s gun rights and the Second Amendment.

"The sheriff’s office is not supposed to be involved in taking guns away. Our job is to protect people’s rights and uphold the Constitution. I am a pro-gun person myself and I like to hunt, and shoot sporting clays, too, like everybody else. I am a big supporter of the Second Amendment rights to bear arms.”

Heffington added: “Guns don’t hurt anybody, it's the person using it that causes the problems if not used appropriately. The state’s attorney wrote up a good ordinance.”

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