When I was young, most states had a provision for an ordinary law-abiding citizen to get a permit to carry a concealed and loaded handgun in public, but the issuing of the permit was discretionary to the issuing authority. In many jurisdictions, this “may issue” situation became a code phrase for “we’ll issue you the permit if you’re white, male, rich, and politically connected.” Fewer states were “shall issue,” making it mandatory for the authorities to grant the permit to anyone who applied unless those authorities could show that the applicant was a convicted felon or had been adjudicated mentally incompetent. Only a single state, Vermont, allowed the citizen who was neither a confirmed felon or mental patient to carry without a permit.
And seven states had no provision at all for carrying a gun in public to protect self and family.
Over the last twenty years, things changed profoundly for the better. The great majority of states moved from “may issue” to the egalitarian “shall issue” format. Vermont was joined by three other states in eliminating the permit requirement. And, one by one, those “no-permit” states fell. Wisconsin had been the most recent. Only Illinois was left with nothing in its law to allow the good citizen to carry.
That appears to have changed this week, thanks to a lawsuit brought by the Second Amendment Foundation and a mandate by Federal judge Richard Posner. Leading the fight on the ground in Lincolnland was ISRA, the Illinois State Rifle Association, one of the great grassroots state-level organizations devoted to gun owners’ civil rights. There is much yet to be worked out, and ISRA’s official position on the matter can be found here. http://www.isra.org/
Now awaiting the signature of a spectacularly anti-gun governor, the new bill will establish shall-issue concealed carry in Illinois, the permits to be issued by the Illinois State Police. The bill is, in many ways, less than ideal from the viewpoint of hard-core gun owners’ rights activists, but it’s a huge improvement over the previous situation. When the prohibitionists scream about it as loudly as they’re screaming right now, it’s proof positive of a victory for gun owners’ civil rights.
Stay tuned for how it shakes out as to the fine points. We’re not winning on every front – witness recent Draconian legislation in California – but concealed carry in Illinois can’t be seen as anything but a huge, landmark victory. Thanks to all who made it happen. I hope to go to Illinois soon to raise an adult beverage in a victory toast to those who fought the good fight…and I hope to hear blog commentary on the matter, particularly from our Illinois readers.
I assume Chicago will receive some kind of exemption?
FYI…the CATO institute in DC will have a seminar on Tuesday this week (6/4/13) at noontime on the Heller decision and its effect on 2A. Alan Gura will be talking with others. Should be well worth the hour listen. They are webcasting it live off their website…scroll down for the link on their home page.
http://www.cato.org
June 4
The Heller Ruling, Five Years On
Featuring Alan Gura, Gura & Possessky, Lead Counsel, District of Columbia v. Heller; Robert Levy, Chairman, Cato Institute, Co-counsel, District of Columbia v. Heller; Clark Neily, Senior Attorney, Institute for Justice, Co-counsel, District of Columbia v. Heller; and Emily Miller, Senior Editor, Washington Times, Author, Emily Gets Her Gun (forthcoming, Regnery); moderated by Tim Lynch, Director, Project on Criminal Justice, Cato Institute.
Mas, When its all said and done, the bill HB183 is more about where folks cant carry, which is basically anywhere except in the car or walking down the street. Restaurants are ok except where more than 50% of the revenue is from alcohol. Any business can opt out by posting no guns as they do in Texas. Its baby steps but its a start ! The local Chicago machine Democrats tried to carve out Cook County and Chicago as no carry zones, but they failed ! The local stick up guys are in for a hard lesson or two when this becomes law and people start defending themselves. The yuppies in the more affluent North side nieghborhoods are used to surrendering their Rolexs, iPhones, jewelery and cash to these robbery crews, maybe this will make the victim selection process much more critical for these criminals.
As you pointed out that all gun control was originally started as a not so subtle form of racism. Given that fact, I find it historically interesting that the strongest KKK organization in the country at one time was NOT in the south, but was in fact, Illinois! In fact, it was so powerful it went from the Governor all the way down. Isn’t interesting that they are now the very last state to end this latest attack on a civil liberty?
Illinois reader here, and 2012 MAG-20 graduate. While I was certainly very happy, I’m relatively new to the gun world so I can’t imagine the euphoria that the grizzled veterans of the ISRA and IllinoisCarry.com were feeling Friday night when the vote totals were shown online. I’m talking about the guys who have been working for decades to fight back the anti-gunners of Illinois. I’m most happy for them.
It passed both houses by huge, crushing, veto-proof majorities. Shockingly overwhelming majorities. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The bill has plenty of flaws and trade-offs, and is far from perfect:
– Tons of prohibited places, but fortunately a provision for safe harbor in your vehicle, so you can unload and stow it.
– Cost and training are a bit steep, which has angered many people, but it is a shall-issue bill and preempts local government fiefdoms from running roughshod over our handgun rights — this, in Illinois of all places.
– Amazingly, they not only address the issue of mental health screening to weed out violent nut-jobs, but they mandated a large chunk of the permit fee to actually fund that endeavor! Amazing concept here in Illinois. The permit fee also funds the downstate crime lab. So once again, it will be the gun owners who are actually stepping up and doing something to address the mental health and law enforcement funding problems.
Having said all that, concealed carry is coming to Illinois, and despite 6 months of trying to screw it up like we do everything else, I’m actually kind of proud of my state for once.
Mas,
It is a first step for the “Land Of Lincoln”….not sure if Michigan (My home state) will have reciprocity with Illinois or visa-versa?
It is a pain to unload my iron in Indiana before I cross over the border into Illinois just to re-assemble again in Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri!
It’s about time. Good things happen when good citizens make the proper demands of their elected reps.
Thank you Mas for your lifetime of support for our 2 A rights.
An interesting fact someone at the NationalGunForum pointed out is that CT and AL were 2 of only 8 Shall-Issue states in 1986, when 16 states, including TX, AZ, AK were NO-ISSUE!
Now, CT and AL have May-issue, and CT is really trying to outlaw civilian gun ownership as much as possible.
I wonder if there is some kind of a societal, multi-generational cycle regarding gun laws, where the laws become more and more strict over the decades, and then cycle in the opposite direction and then more strict again?
Time will tell…
Being a politically battered citizen of Illinois for my entire 58 years, calling this a landmark is an understatement.
You all see what it took to get the Illinois legislature to finally move on this and they are not happy.
A 16 hour course and whatever the fee will be, I will gladly pay it just to show them how wrong they really are when it comes to the control of the citizens of this once great state.
Mass, Illinois is the land of my birth, almost 70 years ago, but growing up in a military family only my roots are there. Having lived in, worked and retired in the great state of Florida I now am privileged to carry concealed and do daily. When I would return to Illinois, during my high school summers (1958-1961), I loved hunting groundhogs with my uncle’s .222 Swift. I don’t remember any anti-gun bias at all, at least in the rural areas of east central Illinois. All that changed someplace along the line and as their licence plate making governors can attest that Illinois is vying with New Orleans to be the most corrupt government in the USA. To point, look at what the Chicago Way politics has given the nation. If the citizens of Illinois get some semblance of “shall issue” then the honest citizens of that state will be able to defend themselves against the CHICAGO WAY!!!! When they do I will also hoist an adult beverage with my Illinois relatives to celebrate.
I’ve been a target shooter at a local range here in Illinois for over 35 years, and for the last four years, an NRA Range Safety Officer. Finally I’ll be able to defend myself on the way to and from the range, among other outside travels, if the need ever arises.
I’ll be at the ISRA’s open house on June 22nd, helping new and/or seasoned shooters try out some of the industries’ newest firearms, hopefully to encourage more people to become safe and proficient gun handlers.
Mas, I would be happy to buy you the “adult” beverage in Illinois, and raise it in a toast to all those who’ve worked to bring CCW to Illinois.
according to my reading of the bill… you are still eligible for a ccw if you have been arrested twice for gang related activities within the last 7 years… It takes a third arrest within the last 7 years to disqualify you… Wow letting gang bangers have CCW permits, Do you think may be they are setting this up to fail ???
Just saying …?
As I continue to say, Maryland is fighting tooth and nail to keep us from ever acquiring “shall issue”, is and has been forever “may issue” and has a lot more “qualifications” required than ““we’ll issue you the permit if you’re white, male, rich, and politically connected.”
I hope the NRA and Maryland Shall Issue keep their word and press on to have the state appeal of the overturn earlier last year of the “may issue” situation withdrawn and get us on the road to being another state that actually recognizes the U.S. Constitution. Maybe I will actually be able to put into use some of the things I learned in LFI-1 and ASAA-1 in my lifetime if this comes about. No doubt, since I took those courses so long ago, neither will be accepted as a training requirement if we ever do get CCW here, but they were excellent training and will definitely do me justice in my pursuit of qualifying.
There is definitely frost on the pumpkin in this state. The bill still waits for the governor to sign it, which is most likely a given. Failure to do so make this state like Vermont and no self respecting anti-gunner wants that.
Given the politics of this state I believe the new law ended up better than I expected. It puts an end to home rule so towns can’t draft ordinances against it while leaving current ordinances which haven’t been deemed unconstitutional. The 16 hour training course is a start. Shall issue was a huge victory. They are even making provisions to make this an endorsement on my driver’s license instead of requiring me to carry three different cards (DL, FOID, CC).
The downside? If they fail to pass a law I would have been legal to carry concealed on Monday the 10th. If the governor signs the bill and we have a law the state will need time to implement it. I don’t think there is a time limit on implementation and it is assured that the state will drag its feet. Rumors are nothing before August of 2014.
For those of us on the south side of the cheddar curtain this is a victory rating right up there with the Heller and McDonald cases which started the whole ball rolling. It is truly a shining moment in a state so deep in trouble.
My utmost gratitude to the Second Amendment Foundation for making this possible.
Fellow Maryland resident here…and let me say that I never in my life thought I’d ever be jealous of someone living in IL till now.
I don’t especially want to carry, but I do want the option. Here in Maryland we’re barely aloud to carry our irons to and from the range. We’ve been backsliding for a while, a situation that is going to get worse in October when the new mag limits, training requirements, and fingerprinting goes into effect, not to mention further ebr restrictions.
I second what HKLover said. Being unable at this time to leave the People’s Democratic Republic of Md., I have nothing but CONTEMPT for the voters who keep the corrupt Dem. machine in power here. I try to point out the Jim Crow roots of gun control to our young black activist/politicians, but they appear immune to common sense. The fight contines – remember those of us in Mordor…..
You missed a state that allows concealed carry with out a permit :alaska. I alse had the impression that arizona had moved in the same direction.
“according to my reading of the bill… you are still eligible for a ccw if you have been arrested twice for gang related activities within the last 7 years… It takes a third arrest within the last 7 years to disqualify you… Wow letting gang bangers have CCW permits, Do you think may be they are setting this up to fail ???”
We’re not big on freedoms here in Illinois, but even we recognize the difference between “arrests” and “convictions”. 1 conviction = no permit. There is also a provision for local law enforcement to object to issuance of a permit to someone who is known to be a danger to the community; this objection requires specific justification before a panel.
Sounds to me like a good motivator for the state’s attorney to do her job, prosecute gang mebers, and get convictions.
Another Illinois resident chipping in… Lisa Madigan, the IL equivalent of Eric Holder but with her Dad running the House, is trying to get a 30-day extension from the court that required IL to come up with a CCW; the point being that while a milestone has been stood on its end, it hasn’t tipped over yet. Further, the Illinois State Police are charged with the duty of managing the training, qualifications, etc.; the same ISP that is currently unable to meet the legal requirement to provide a Firearms Owners Identification card (FOID). I forsee much foot-dragging. None of this is meant to take away from the incredible work done by the SAF, ISRA, NRA and all others. Illinois politics, as referenced, is what brought us the current White House troubles.
The Devil is selling ice cubes.
it’s a small step but a good one. i belive we need to take a clouser look at the brady bill and have it overturen. as in this cuntry shitting on thr sidewalk you can be charge with a feloney once on your record you can’t even have a gun in your owen home to protec you are your property.
Gang, it ain’t over ’til it’s signed into law, but…
Right now, the legislation does not appear to have any reciprocity with other states’ concealed carry permits.
Mark: it doesn’t look as if Chi is exempt at this time, but again, it ain’t locked in stone yet.
Long Island Mike: thanks for promoting the CATO Institute thing. It was excellent.
Howard: I was talking about a certain period of time. Since then, Vermont has been joined by Alaska and by Arizona. And — for its own residents — Wyoming.
Police: Gunman killed 6 in Santa Monica shootings
By TAMI ABDOLLAH | Associated Press – 26 mins ago
View PhotoAssociated Press/Tami Abdollah – Police officers stand next to a body near an entrance to Santa Monica College, Friday, June 7, 2013, in Santa Monica, Calif., following a shooting incident in the area. Two …more people were found dead in a burned home near the college, where someone sprayed a street corner with gunfire, authorities said. (AP Photo/Tami Abdollah) less
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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — A gunman with an assault-style rifle killed at least six people in Santa Monica on Friday before police shot him to death in a gunfight in the Santa Monica College library, authorities said.
Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks told reporters the rampage began at a house in the coastal city before the gunman, dressed all in black, made his way to Santa Monica College.
Seabrooks said he killed two people in the house, which caught fire, two more people as he moved several blocks toward the campus, and then two more on campus.
He entered the library and fired on other people but didn’t hit them, Seabrooks said.
Several students in the library reported hearing gunfire, and one witness said he heard a woman scream.
“The officers came in and directly engaged the suspect and he was shot and killed on the scene,” Seabrooks said.
She identified the gunman as 25 to 30 years old and dressed all in black, wearing what appeared to be a ballistic jacket.
The campus was searched for a second shooter, and a man dressed entirely in black, with the words “Life is a Gamble” on the back of his sweatshirt, was seen being taken into custody by law enforcement officers. He did not appear to be wounded.
“We are not convinced 100 percent that the suspect who was killed operated in a solo or alone capacity,” Seabrooks said.
All of this unfolded about 3 miles from where President Barack Obama was attending a fundraising luncheon.
Three women with gunshot wounds were admitted to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, said Dr. Marshall Morgan, the chief of emergency medicine. One died, another was in surgery, and the third was in serious condition but doing well, he said.
Three other women went to UCLA Medical Center Santa Monica with relatively minor injuries, Morgan said. One has shrapnel-type injuries and the two others had injuries not related to gunfire, he said.
Jeff Furrows of the Santa Monica Fire Department said there was extensive fire damage inside the home where two bodies were found, and one of the wounded women was found with a gunshot wound in a car nearby.
Jerry Cunningham Rathner, who lives near the house, said she heard gunshots and came out onto her porch to see a man shooting at the residence. Soon, the building erupted in flames and was billowing smoke.
The gunman, dressed in black and wearing an ammunition belt, went to the corner and pointed a rifle at a woman in a car and told her to pull over, Rathner said. He then signaled to a second car, also driven by a woman, to slow down and began firing into the vehicle.
“He fired three to four shots into the car — boom, boom, boom, right at her,” said Cunningham, who went to the woman’s aid and saw she was wounded in the shoulder.
“I can’t believe she didn’t have worse injuries,” Cunningham said.
She said the gunman then abducted the woman in the first car and drove away.
From there, the scene shifted to Santa Monica College, located in a neighborhood of strip malls and homes more than a mile inland from the city’s famous Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade and its expansive, sandy beaches.
Jimes Gillespie, 20, told The Associated Press he was in the college’s library studying when he heard gunfire, and he and dozens of other students began fleeing the three-story building.
“As I was running down the stairs I saw one of the gunmen,” said Gillespie, who described the shooter as a white man in his 20s, wearing cornrows in his hair and black overalls. He said the man was carrying a shotgun.
Gillespie believed there were two shooters because he heard two kinds of gunfire — a shotgun and a handgun — but only saw one person.
“The shotgun blast was first. It was either him or the partner who shot eight to 10 handgun shots,” Gillespie said. “Then after I saw the gunman I heard more shots and I ran out of the library through the emergency exit.”
As Gillespie ran across campus, he said he saw a car in front of the English building that was riddled with bullet holes, had shattered windows and a baby’s car seat in the back.
Another student, Khwanfa Wilepananon, said he and a friend were on the library’s third floor when they heard a loud bang and a woman’s scream coming from the first floor. As he and a friend fled downstairs, he said they heard two shots.
“It was so scary,” said Wilepananon. “It was so dark and I was scared. We didn’t know what to do.”
Santa Monica police Sgt. Rudy Flores said numerous witnesses called to report that the shooting near the college began with a man on a street corner near the college firing shots at vehicles, including a bus.
California Highway Patrol Officer Vince Ramirez said his agency began receiving 911 calls just minutes before noon.
“We understand one shooter was taken into custody shortly after we arrived,” he said.
The two-year college, with about 34,000 students, was in the midst of final exams Friday. It was quickly locked down by police, and students were told to leave.
As the drama unfolded, Obama was attending a fundraising luncheon about 3 miles away.
Secret Service spokesman Max Milien said the agency was aware of the shooting but it had no impact on the president’s event
Yet so called safe state in counrty do draconian gun laws California. Provening yet again how flaw they are with event happen above. I feel much safer being in Arizona now than ever did living in California. Here have right save my self with gun in California I all,s felt had right die from gun that person try kill me with. There had cold satisfaction if may be caught person they have long trial get 5 year sentence than would be parole in 3 years for good behavior and overcrowded prisons there.