Kankakee Times

In a May 1 Facebook post, Illinois state Rep. Jason Bunting (R-Dwight) shared the decision of a Southern Illinois judge pertaining to the State's automatic weapons ban.

"Southern Illinois judge temporarily blocks assault weapons ban," the representative's social media post said.

Bunting's post also shared a link to a story from the Rockford Register Star, which reported that in a 29-page opinion Judge Stephen P. McGlynn stated the the law known as the Protect Illinois Communities Act, or PICA, is likely to be found unconstitutional when the case goes to trial. The report also noted that the plaintiffs in the consolidated cases would have to deal with harms in the absence of a preliminary injunction to prevent the enforcement of the ban.

Local news outlets quickly issued comments about the case.

"McGlynn's decision came less than a week after another federal judge, Lindsay Jenkins, of the Northern District of Illinois, reached an opposite conclusion and denied a motion to halt enforcement of the law," a report from ABC 7 Chicago said. "Plaintiffs in that case have indicated they intend to appeal to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals."

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed the bill creating the assault weapon and high-capacity magazine ban on Jan. 10, a CBS News report said. The legislation went into effect immediately upon Pritzker's signature. The state House of Representatives had passed a slightly different version of the bill the week before.

Bunting was selected to represent the people of Illinois' 106th House District, which spans parts of Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, LaSalle, Livingston, McLean and Will counties; his website biography said. His previous experience as an elected official consists of a seat on the Livingston County Board and as highway commissioner of Broughton Township. Until 2023, Bunting served as president of the Livingston County Farm Bureau. He is currently a director for the Illinois Corn Growers Association.