Illinois Lawmakers must pull Trigger on Concealed Carry Gun Law

January 15th, 2013 by Tiffany Hughes

With the New Year comes the potential for big changes to gun laws in Illinois. The Land of Lincoln is currently the only state in the country that does not have a concealed carry law on the books, but that is expected to change quickly following the 7^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling declaring a full ban on concealed carry unconstitutional. Legislators have 180 days to draft and compromise on a concealed carry law, the varying statute that allows civilians to carry firearms in public, or “constitutional carry” will be implemented. Constitutional carry would mean that one could quite literally carry a rifle or pistol out in the open and stroll right down the streets of Chicago, recreating a scene out of the Wild West. It is still unknown whether or not Attorney General Lisa Madigan will appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

But considering the tragic events that have taken place recently, most notably in Newtown, CT, gun control debates are hotter and more contentious than ever. Security guards armed with loaded weapons standing stoically in our children’s schools may not be unlikely as this trend has been suggested and implemented in other school districts across the nation.

While the Illinois concealed carry is still in the works, it is important to know your rights once legislators pull the trigger and a bill is (or is not) drafted and passed. The debate in Springfield is quite polarized as lawmakers represent a state traditionally far less “gun friendly” than our neighbors to the north in Wisconsin. It is more likely that those Illinois lawmakers in favor of gun control will look to a state like New York that currently has some of the strictest concealed carry laws in the nation.  Such restrictions that may be discussed and implemented in Illinois include the need to show “proper cause” to receive a permit and a minimum age requirement of 21.  It would seem likely that the permitting process would mirror the decentralized structure of New York allowing for stricter laws in the city than in the rest of the state.

Working out a deal and finding common ground in protecting of our second amendment rights and our personal safety will be tumultuous at best, but definitely an important to issue stay informed on in 2013.