The Village of Deerfield plans to appeal a judge’s March 22 ruling permanently blocking the village from enforcing a ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.

In a short statement Tuesday, the village announced that Mayor Harriet Rosenthal and the village board had unanimously agreed April 15 to appeal the ruling of Lake County Circuit Court Judge Luis Berrones to the Illinois Appellate Court.

In that ruling, Berrones contended that Deerfield overstepped its authority in April 2018 when it enacted a ban on assault weapons after the Illinois legislature had declared such regulations to be the exclusive power of the state.

Gun rights’ groups that filed suit against Deerfield include Guns Save Life, which has the backing of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action; the Illinois State Rifle Association and the Second Amendment Foundation.

In 2013, the Illinois legislature had given municipalities until July 19 to enact assault weapons regulations before a new Illinois Concealed Carry Act and an amended Firearm Owner’s Identification Card Act eliminated their ability to do so. Timely laws could later be amended, state statute specified.

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Deerfield officials assert that the 2018 ban on assault weapons is an amendment to a 2013 ordinance that defined assault weapons and required their safe storage and transportation within the village.

Berrones found Deerfield’s ordinance to be a new ordinance and preempted by state statute.

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