Content warning: this article mentions gun violence and death.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill Tuesday banning the sale and distribution of assault weapons in Illinois, effective immediately. Illinois is the ninth state in the U.S. to adopt such a ban. 

In his inaugural speech Monday, Pritzker said banning assault weapons was one of his goals for the term. The Senate passed the ban later that night, and the House of Representatives passed it Tuesday afternoon 68-41. 

In addition to halting the sale of assault weapons in the state, the legislation will limit the number of rounds in purchasable magazines to 10 rounds for long guns and 15 for handguns. 

The bill will also prohibit rapid-fire devices because of their ability to turn guns into automatic weapons.

The passage of the bill comes half a year after the Highland Park mass shooting July 4, in which seven died and dozens more were wounded. The shooter used an AR-15 style weapon. 

“It doesn’t have to be that way,” Pritzker said during a press conference after signing the bill. “This assault weapons ban is a step in the right direction, but there’s no magic fix. We must keep fighting, voting and protesting to ensure future generations only have to read about massacres like Highland Park, Sandy Hook or Uvalde in their history books.” 

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