* Background on Dr. Baum is here. The Senate Democrats have shown some reluctance to support the House-approved assault weapons ban as-is, so this robocall is just one aspect of the proponents’ advocacy efforts. Other things are happening as well, but the main message is that the advocates want the bill passed as-is. The Senate has balked at House language requiring FOID holders to disclose serial numbers of their grandfathered assault weapons, apparently because this would be too much like formal gun registration, which Illinois doesn’t currently have. Advocates say deleting or altering the House language would gut the ban.

Anyway, here is one of the calls targeting Democratic voters in every Senate district yesterday and today…

Hi, this is Dr. David Baum calling with Protect Illinois Communities.

We only have days left to pass bans on assault weapons and high capacity magazines in Illinois that are enforceable, and we need your help.

Assault weapons are simply too lethal to belong anywhere near our communities.

I attended the Highland Park Fourth of July Parade with my family, and what I expected to be a celebration quickly turned into a nightmare.

I helped treat victims on the scene, and it was a sight which I will never forget. The injuries I saw were unspeakable.

Now is the time to take action. Ask your State Senator to vote yes on bill SB2226, the Protect Illinois Communities Act, today.

Paid for by Protect Illinois Communities. ‪(773) xxx-xxxx. Thank you.

Again, this is just one angle on the effort to push Senators into voting for the House bill. More later.

…Adding… House proponents of the bill have been expressing concern about the Senate’s reluctance for several days. This is some of what I told subscribers early Friday morning…

“I’m concerned about what the Senate is going to do,” said Rep. Fred Crespo (D-Hoffman Estates) during debate over the assault weapons ban bill (SB2226) in the House last night.

“If the Senate does not pick up this bill and we don’t pass anything at all and end up empty-handed, you’re basically giving people a false sense of hope,” Crespo said. “And that is a crime in itself.”

*** UPDATE 1 *** The Senate’s language has been filed on HB5471. The serial number language from the House bill has been deleted…

This Section does not apply to a person who possessed an assault weapon, assault weapon attachment, or .50 caliber rifle prohibited by subsection (c) of this Section before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, if the person has provided in an endorsement affidavit, under oath or affirmation and in the form and manner prescribed by the Illinois State Police on or after 180 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly but within 300 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly:   (1) the affiant’s Firearm Owner’s Identification Card    number; (2) the serial number of the weapon or weapons;  (3) an affirmation that the affiant possessed the    weapon or weapons identified before the effective date of     this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.    The affidavit form shall include the following statement printed in bold type: “Warning: Entering false information on this form is punishable as perjury under Section 32-2 of the Criminal Code of 2012. Entering false information on this form is a violation of the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act.”   In any administrative, civil, or criminal proceeding in this State, a completed assault weapon or .50 caliber rifle endorsement affidavit submitted to the Illinois State Police by the individual as required by this Section creates the     rebuttable presumption that a person lawfully possessed or had completed a purchase of the assault weapon or .50 caliber rifle before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly and is entitled to continue to possess and transport the assault weapon.

Advocates say the Senate has also reduced the number of assault weapons covered by the House bill. The Senate proposal also grandfathers in high capacity magazines…

This Section does not apply to any person who possesses a large capacity ammunition feeding device prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.

A “large capacity ammunition feeding device” is defined as “a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that has a capacity of, or that can be readily  restored or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition for long guns and more than 15 rounds of    ammunition for handguns.”

But it will be lawful to possess these devices only on “private property owned or immediately controlled by the person,” private property not open to the public with permission of the owner, on firing ranges, during competitions, at the repair shop and while traveling to and from those locations as long as they have no ammunition in them and are stored in a case.

The Senate sponsor is Senate President Don Harmon. You may recall that the sponsor of the House proposal was Speaker Chris Welch. An interesting showdown is coming.

*** UPDATE 2 *** Three gun law reform groups are standing behind the House’s version which includes serial numbers…

Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords, and Brady issued the following statements urging Illinois Senate lawmakers to pass an assault weapons prohibition that is comprehensive and can be fully implemented and enforced. This prohibition is part of the Protect Illinois Communities Act, a critical gun violence prevention legislative package currently on the Senate floor.

Requiring current owners of assault weapons who wish to keep those firearms after the law goes into effect to register their weapons with the state protects public safety and the rights of law abiding gun owners. A system that clearly identifies grandfathered assault weapons and their current lawful owners–including unique information like the firearm’s serial numbers– is necessary to ensure that law enforcement officials can identify illegal assault weapons in the months and years ahead and get them off the streets of Illinois communities. On Friday, the Illinois House passed their version of the legislative package, including this critical provision. We endorse the House’s version of the legislation, specifically the inclusion of this critical measure.

Emphasis added. Full release is here.