Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) speaks at a news conference in Chicago Monday before a hearing on his proposed semi-automatic weapon ban. Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, right, was also in attendance. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

A bill to ban semi-automatic weapons faced its first test in front of the House Judiciary- Criminal Committee Monday as Illinois lawmakers consider legislation that could make Illinois the ninth state to ban “assault weapons.”   

Monday’s hearing focused on the victims of gun violence and was the first of three subject matter hearings over the next week on the bill.