Monroe Co. IL, becomes a Sanctuary for Second Amendment

May 7, 2018

In a public statement by Sheriff Neal Rohlfing

I want to commend the Monroe County Board for voting today on making Monroe County a “Sanctuary County” for gun owners. I am proud of the County Board and stand firmly with them in support of our residents rights. The Sheriff’s Department will not enforce any law that is deemed unconstitutional nor will we infringe on any residents Second Amendment! The following is the resolution that passed today in the County Board meeting.

Resolution opposing the passage of HB1465, HB1467, HB1468, HB1469, SB1657, any trailer bill, or any bill similar to, or any bill where the 100th Illinois General Assembly desires to restrict the Individual right of U. S. Citizens as protected by the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.

WHEREAS, the Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms is guaranteed as an Individual Right under the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and under the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and;

WHEREAS, the Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms for defense of Life, Liberty, and Property is regarded as an Inalienable Right by the People of Monroe County, and;

WHEREAS, the people of Monroe County, Illinois derive economic benefit from all safe forms of firearms recreation, hunting and shooting conducted within Monroe County using all types of firearms allowable under the United States Constitution, and;

WHEREAS, HB1465 is a violation of the 4th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution requiring responsible persons under 21 to surrender lawfully owned firearms or face becoming instant felons; fails to define how to relinquish firearms; only allows possession at the Sparta shooting complex, but fails to provide similar exemptions for recreational shooting at gun clubs, private ranges or under supervision of responsible adults or parents, unless certified as a firearms instructor;

WHEREAS, HB1467 is a violation of the 4th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution requiring persons to immediately relinquish lawfully owned bump stocks or trigger cranks, while also failing to provide where and how to relinquish firearms devices, thus creating instant felons upon passage;

WHEREAS, HB1468 contains broad and unclear definitions which will cause confusion amongst firearm owners and dealers as to which type of firearm is subject to 72-hour wait period; bans nonresidents from purchasing certain long guns defined loosely as assault weapons, puts dealers in jeopardy of unknowingly violating the law;

WHEREAS, HB1469 is a violation of the 4th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution requiring persons to immediately relinquish lawfully owned magazines, fails to provide how to properly relinquish banned magazines, creates instant felons if enacted as written, creates conflicts allowing for sale to out of state persons while stating possession is a felony, bans body armor worn as protection for those who employ the use of chain saws, motorcyclists, range officers and firearm instructors, shop owners and employees who work in dangerous neighborhoods or during night shifts;

WHEREAS, SB1657 and trailer bills will create economic hardship on lawfully owned and operated small business firearm dealerships, in effect forcing them to close; will create undue burdens and price increases on person to lawfully purchase firearms; will have a direct negative impact on local economies through job loss and sales tax loss; will create another layer of burdensome government regulation on top of the heavy Federal regulations; imposes new fees on top of existing Federal license fees;

WHEREAS, the Monroe County Board of Commissioners, being elected to represent the people of Monroe County, and being duly sworn by their Oath of Office to uphold the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and;

WHEREAS, the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate, being elected by the People of the State of Illinois, and being duly sworn by their Oath of Office to uphold the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and;

WHEREAS, the Governor of Illinois, being elected to represent the People of the State of Illinois and being duly sworn by his Oath of Office to uphold the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and;

WHEREAS, proposed legislation, any bills similar to, under consideration by the Illinois State Legislature would infringe the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and would ban the possession and use of firearms, magazines, body armor now employed by individual citizens of Monroe County, Illinois, for defense of Life, Liberty and Property, and would ban the possession and use of firearms now employed for safe forms of firearms recreation, hunting and shooting conducted within Monroe County, Illinois;

WHEREAS, the proposed legislation potentially violates the 5th Amendment failing to provide just compensation under the takings clause, 8th Amendment imposition against excessive fines and punishments on law abiding citizens by punitive forfeiture / relinquishment of lawfully owned property, and Ex Post Facto Law Clause of the United States Constitution.

NOW, THEREFORE, IT BE AND IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that the People of Monroe County, Illinois, do hereby oppose the enactment of any legislation that would infringe upon the Right of the People to keep and bear arms and consider such laws to be unconstitutional and beyond lawful Legislative Authority.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Monroe County Board demands that the Illinois General Assembly cease further actions restricting the Right of the People to keep and bear arms, and hereby demand that the Governor of Illinois veto all such legislation which restricts the Right of the People to keep and bear arms.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Clerk of Monroe County, Illinois is hereby directed to prepare and deliver certified copies of this Resolution to all members of the Illinois General Assembly, and to the Office of the Governor.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that if the Government of the State of Illinois shall infringe upon the inalienable rights granted by the Second Amendment, Monroe County shall become a “Sanctuary County” for all firearms unconstitutionally prohibited by the government of the State of Illinois, in that, Monroe County will prohibit its employees from enforcing the unconstitutional actions of the State Government.