Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen Grants Herself Power to Ban Sales of Guns, Ammunition, and Seize Private Property

On March 13^th, 2020, Illinois Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen issued an executive order declaring an emergency in Champaign, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ordinance, which provides the Mayor with “extraordinary powers”, was drafted and summarized at the March 13^th City Council Meeting by City Attorney Fred Stavins.

Included in the executive order are measures that grant Mayor Feinen unprecedented powers: 

• Violating parts of the Open Meetings Act
• Ban sale of firearms and ammunition
• Ban sale of any alcohol
• Closing of all bars, taverns, liquor stores, etc
• Ban sale or giving away of gasoline or other liquid flammable or combustible products in any container other than a gasoline tank permanently fixed to a motor vehicle
• Direct the shutoff of power, water, gas, etc
• Take possession of private property and obtain full title to same
• Prohibit or restrict ingress and egress to and from the City

According to Jeff Hamilton, the City of Champaign’s Communications Manager, “the executive order allows the city to be flexible to properly respond to the emergency needs of our community. None of the options will necessarily will be implemented but are available in order to protect the welfare and safety of our community if needed.”

A full article on the meeting can be found here: City of Champaign Mayor Feinen Declares COVID-19 Emergency- Citizens Question Powers Granted in Ordinance and City’s Healthcare Preparedness