The Illinois Supreme Court upheld the state’s ban on the sale or possession of the type of semiautomatic weapons used in many mass killings nationally.

In a 4-3 decision Friday, the high court found that the Protect Our Communities Act does not violate the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection of the law nor the state constitution’s bar on special legislation.

The court also decreed that State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) and other gun owners who brought the lawsuit had earlier waived their claims that the law infringes on the Second Amendment to own firearms and could not raise it before the Supreme Court.

The Second Amendment claim is alive, however, in several federal lawsuits filed in Southern Illinois, later consolidated and awaiting appeals court action.

”This decision is a win for advocates, survivors, and families alike because it preserves this nation-leading legislation to combat gun violence and save countless lives,” Gov. JB Pritzker said.

State Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) also weighed in on the issue.

“The governor’s hand-picked court provided him cover by not ruling on whether this law violates the Second Amendment,” she said. ”But even the governor knows that this law won’t stand on the grounds of our constitutional right to bear arms when it makes its way through the federal court system.” 

Rep. David Friess (R-Red Bud) also released a statement.

“(Democrat legislators) passed this gun ban, which missed the mark entirely.  The bill burdens responsible gun owners without addressing the root causes of violent crime,” his statement read.

Just a day after the Illinois Supreme Court ruling, Pritzker signed the Firearm Industry Responsibility Act into law, holding accountable gun manufacturers who knowingly cause harm from unsafe marketing practices. 

The measure prohibits advertising and marketing that encourages para-military or unlawful private militia activity and advertising to individuals under 18 that encourages the use of a firearm in an unlawful manner including advertising the uses of cartoons, stuffed animals and clothing targeted toward children.

“This law will do absolutely nothing to curb violence and will only further limit law-abiding citizens’ access to their constitutional right by attempting to put the firearm industry out of businesses,” Bryant said. “It goes after the wrong people. If we really wanted to target bad actors, we’d be more focused on going after gun traffickers and straw purchasers to stop the flow of illegal guns getting into the hands of dangerous, violent individuals.”