05/22/2026
HOUSE REPUBLICANS STAND UP FOR THE SECOND AMENDMENT
SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois House Republican lawmakers gathered at the Capitol today to show their support for law-abiding gun owners. State Representatives Dan Swanson (Alpha), Dennis Tipsword (Metamora), and Patrick Windhorst (Metropolis) spoke on the importance of standing up for our Constitutional Right to Bear Arms and fighting back against legislation that infringes on those rights.
“Every year, we see bills designed to chip away at the Constitutionally protected rights of law-abiding gun owners,” said Rep. Dan Swanson. “This year is no different. Earlier this spring, we saw a proposal to stamp every round of ammunition with a serial number. This proposal would just create a whole new market for revolvers, which some proponents of this legislation do not know do not eject a cartridge. Having people who are unfamiliar with fi****ms write legislation means this legislation will not do what they think it will do.”
Rep. Dennis Tipsword, a 32-year veteran police officer, spoke against HB 4471, the de facto ban on the sale and manufacture of G***k pistols in Illinois.
“This bill is a direct attack on our Second Amendment rights, and an attack on the fi****ms industry in Illinois,” said Rep. Tipsword. “The problem here is not the guns or the ammunition; the problem is dangerous criminals. No matter how many ways Democrats want to attack our Second Amendment rights, the dangerous criminals will always have access to guns, switches, G***ks, etc. And by outlawing the manufacture and sale of G***k pistols, even more guns will be available for criminals.”
State Representative and House Republican Floor Leader Patrick Windhorst serves as the House Republican ranking member on the House Judiciary Criminal Law and Gun Violence Prevention Committees. The 117th District State Representative says House Bill 3320, the so-called RIFL Act, moves Illinois further in a troubling direction.
“Every one of us wants to reduce violent crime and protect innocent lives. But the approach we’ve seen this session misses the mark – and in many ways, it moves us further away from real solutions.,” Rep. Patrick Windhorst said. “The RIFL Act is being presented as a tool to address gun violence, but in reality, it places new burdens on law-abiding citizens rather than focusing on the individuals who are actually committing violent crimes. In Southern Illinois and across this state, responsible gun owners follow the law, respect their communities, and take safety seriously. We will not legislate our way to safety by targeting the rights of responsible citizens while ignoring the failures in our criminal justice system. That approach may generate headlines, but it does not deliver safer streets or communities.”
