SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Democrats said Wednesday they won't wait for Congress to act on gun-control legislation and planned to press ahead with a statewide ban on assault weapons and tighter firearms restrictions in Chicago in the wake of the Connecticut school massacre.

Legislation has been filed in the state Senate that would restrict semiautomatic assault rifles and rapid ammunition feeders, despite failed attempts at such measures in the final days of the last General Assembly's session earlier this month.

They know they're in for a struggle. Hundreds of people sought to testify against the restrictions, which were approved by a committee but never reached the Senate floor during the recently concluded lame-duck session.