Illinois Senate Approves Ban on Commonly-Owned Firearms, Bill Heads Back to House

A customer shops for a pistol at Freddie Bear Sports sporting goods store in Tinley Park, Ill., on Dec. 17, 2012. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Lawmakers in Illinois on Monday night approved a bill to ban the sale and manufacture of certain semi-automatic weapons, which critics say are commonly used for self-defense and recreation.

The Protecting Illinois Communities Act passed the Illinois Senate on Monday night by a vote margin of 34–20.