SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Lauren Bennett survived the Highland Park shooting on July 4th. She was shot twice.

“For those who have never felt a bullet rip through your skin, let me explain how it feels,” she said. “Imagine a hot metal dart like projectile tearing through your body at supersonic speed faster than the speed of sound, you’ll feel it burn through your skin and likely you’ll grab whatever part of your body was hit because you know something’s not right.”

Bennett was one of a handful of gun violence survivors speaking in support of a bill filed earlier this month that would ban semi-automatic rifles.

The bill’s hearing was headed by Representative Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield), who was at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade.

“My community is still reeling from the Highland Park mass shooting in communities across Illinois, are suffering from the rampant gun violence in their own neighborhoods,” Morgan said. “Today’s is the day that we all stand together and say enough is enough.”

After the mass shooting, lawmakers jumped onto co-sponsoring a bill that would ban semi-automatic rifles, including Rep. LaShawn Ford (D-Chicago), who says his district faces gun violence every day.

“We just need the political will to increase the safety and all communities and help prevent the unnecessary preventable loss of lives at the hands of dangerous people with guns in Illinois,” Ford said.

Gun advocates believe more laws should be enforced before legislators create any new ones.

“I’m sorry that these people were there,” Richard Pearson, the executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, said. “I’m sorry that happened to them. But the thing is… the laws were not enforced, and all kinds of these firearms exist, and they didn’t hurt anybody.”

The outgoing Republican House leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) did appreciate people testifying at the hearing.

“When we’re in Springfield, legislation moves at the speed of sound, and it’s very difficult to put a face with a name,” Durkin said. “It’s also extremely important that we understand that there’s a human factor, and that there’s a human experience that goes along with every piece of legislation that we are going to undertake big and small.”

A second hearing is scheduled this week, where gun advocates are expected to speak. Pritzker said in a news conference last week he would like to sign the bill before the first anniversary of the Highland Park mass shooting.