For Immediate Release
May 19, 2026
CHICAGO – The Gun Violence Prevention PAC of Illinois (G-PAC), the state’s leading gun violence prevention organization, today joined with Everytown for Gun Safety and advocates to urge the General Assembly to pass the Responsible Gun Manufacturing Act before spring session adjourns.
Sponsored by Rep. Justin Slaughter and Sen. Celina Villanueva, House Bill 4471/Senate Bill 2801 will address the growing public safety threat of do-it-yourself machine guns.
“The proliferation of DIY machine guns is undermining the courageous effort of Illinois leaders who led the country in gun violence prevention when they enacted the Protect Illinois Communities Act and banned automatic weapons,” said Kathleen Sances, G-PAC President and CEO. “Lawmakers can lead once again this spring by passing the Responsible Gun Manufacturing Act to hold gun manufacturers accountable for a product that is being sold and turned into a weapon of war. Capable of mass violence and mass tragedy, DIY machine guns have no place in our communities, and this bill will continue to prioritize protecting innocent lives over the gun lobby.”
DIY machine guns are made using a “switch,” which is no bigger than the size of a coin and turns a standard, semi-automatic pistol into an automatic weapon that can fire up to 1,200 rounds per minute. Though switches are banned both federally and in Illinois, their availability is growing because they are inexpensive devices that can be easily obtained, including anyone with a 3D printer at home.
According to Everytown for Gun Safety, Chicago police recovered more than 1,600 switches between 2021 and 2024, including at two mass shootings, and they are believed to have been used in shooting deaths of several law enforcement officers.
The Responsible Gun Manufacturing Act will go further than current law by banning the sale of weapons in Illinois that can be converted into illegal machine guns. It would require the gun industry to put in place safer design to prevent weapons from being converted into DIY machine guns. In effect, the legislation would prevent convertible guns from being made in the first place.
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