HB0977, Illinois’ long-awaited concealed carry bill, has dropped. Click here to read it. The executive summary: HB0977 puts the Illinois State Police in charge of the permitting process and turns The Land of Lincoln into a “shall issue” state. To wit: “The Department shall have the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that the applicant would pose a danger to the applicant’s self, another, or public safety, or would use a firearm unlawfully, if granted a license to carry a concealed firearm under this Act.” Did Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel just throw up in his mouth a little? There’s no carve-out or exemption from the State permitting process for Cook County or Chicago . . .
It is declared to be the policy of this State that it is an exclusive power and function of the State to regulate the possession, carrying, and transportation of handguns and the issuance of licenses to carry a concealed firearm.
Except as provided in subsection (b) of Section 70, a home rule unit shall not regulate the possession, carrying, or transportation of handguns.
A home rule unit shall not regulate the number of handguns or require registration of handguns possessed by a person licensed under this Act. This Section is a denial of home rule powers and functions under subsection (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.
Get this: if Chicago messes with the State government on this they get whacked with a $10k per violation per day fee.
Applicants for Illinois’ concealed carry license must sign a waiver giving the po-po access to their legal and medical records. An Illinois permit is good for five years; there’s a mandatory four-hour training and basic marksmanship requirement (see: below) and a re-qualification requirement after five years. Reciprocity is definitely on the cards.
License holders can’t carry in the General Assembly, court houses, town meetings (and suchlike), bars, child care facilities, casinos, amusement parks, stadia, mental health facilities, libraries, cop shops and . . . wait for it . . . schools and colleges. Unless school/college authorities authorities grant the license holders their consent.
All prohibited places must post a standard sign stating that firearms are not welcome. If a license holder breaks the rules he or she faces ejection and a $100 fine. Do it again and it’s a 30-day time out. Three or more violations and the Staties can pull your paper. Permanently.
The shooting test consists of a minimum of 30 rounds: 20 rounds from a distance of seven yards and 10 rounds from a distance of 15 yards at a B-21 silhouette or equivalent target as approved by the State Police Department. To qualify, applicants must hit the silhouette portion of the target with 70 percent of the 30 rounds fired.
License holders have a duty to inform police if they’re carrying when stopped. And we have the duty to inform you that Americans in all 50 states will soon be able to carry a concealed weapon.
Only not really, as many states have a de facto ban (try getting a concealed carry permit in New Jersey). The battle to defend and extend Americans’ Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms continues . . .