(SPRINGFIELD) The U.S. Department of Justice is telling a federal appeals court that Illinois’ gun and ammunition magazine ban is unconstitutional as a three judge panel of the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals is accepting briefs in the lawsuit challenging the 2023 state law. After a federal judge last fall found the law violates the Second Amendment to keep and bear arms, the State of Illinois filed its appeal briefs last month. In a filing siding with plaintiffs last Friday, the DOJ said the judge got it right that Illinois’ ban on AR-15s and similar firearms is unconstitutional because they are commonly owned for lawful purposes. Also last Friday, 35 state’s attorneys from across Illinois filed a brief arguing the ban is unconstitutional. The state is set to file its final briefs in the next few weeks before oral arguments can be scheduled by the appeals court.
(SPRINGFIELD) The importance of becoming an organ donor is the subject of a public awareness campaign through the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office. Starting this week, the “ripple effect” themed ads are being broadcast of TV, along with digital and social media platforms across the state. Illinois has around 6.5 million donor registrants, while over 5,000 people are on the recipient wait list. Learn more on the agency’s website, at ilsos.gov.
(BLOOMINGTON) The Illinois High School Association plans to create an endowment to fund scholarships as the IHSA Foundation awards a total of 40 scholarships each year to IHSA All-State Academic Team members and students working as IHSA officials or studying to become educators. The IHSA Board voted Monday to start allocating funds for the plan.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Department of Transportation is sponsoring its second annual photo contest, open to the general public, however the entry deadline is this Friday. IDOT is accepting original photographs that showcase transportation at work, such as highway or rails-to-trails projects, plus bridges, work zones, airports, or anything related to mobility in Illinois. The pictures will be reviewed by IDOT staff and narrowed down to three finalists, which will then be displayed online for a public vote to determine the winner. For a list of the complete rules and more information, go to IDOT’s website, at idot.illinois.gov.