On September 13, 2004, the assault weapons ban provisions of the federal Violent Crimes Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 expired. Prior to this time, Illinois had no assault weapons ban, and no need for such a ban, because it was in place under federal law. The first attempt to preserve the assault weapons ban in Illinois was Senate Bill 3383 from the 93rd G.A. which was not acted upon. A second attempt was made during the 94th G.A. with House Bill 2414, and again during the 95th G.A. with Senate Bill 16.

Senate Bill 3036 re-enacts the former federal assault weapons ban in Illinois, including the list of specific weapons and weapon features from the federal ban. It also expands the former assault weapons ban to include .50 caliber rifles and large capacity magazines. This bill expressly exempts all firearms that may be used for hunting under the Wildlife Code, firearms that can be used at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex at Sparta, as well as firearms used in Olympic competition and for movie and television productions.

The list of semi-automatic assault weapons includes rifles, pistols and shotguns. The bill also includes a provision that would make it against the law for any person within the State of Illinois to manufacture, deliver, sell, purchase or possess a semi-automatic assault weapon, a semi-automatic assault weapon attachment, any .50 caliber rifle or any .50 caliber rifle cartridge.