Via Days of Our Trailers, I got to read the Illinois Politician Version of Concealed Carry Law. I think you have a better chance to carry a gun in London (The one in the UK) than in the Land of Lincoln if this law is passed.
First, even if they call it “Shall Issue” it is not. You have to send the ton and a half of paperwork to be reviewed by a Board of idiots (Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board) selected from whatever group of politically influenced people decided they need to put on a payroll of the state. After 90 days if the stars align and you catch them in a good mood, they may send you the permit. If they don’t send you the permit, you get to appeal even if there is no reason for them to forbid you from carry. You might be a pure as a newly born baby but you don’t get to carry unless the board decides so, if the do and they cannot be sued, fined or even given a raspberry because the law immunizes them from any legal recourse a citizen may employ even if the board was wrong in denying your permit.
I do love the provision for Firearms Instructors: You can’t have a CCW unless you have training by a State-Approved Instructor and it is the State that determines who is an instructor and you will have to jump through the hoops of becoming one. If you are an NRA Certified Instructor, tough titty said the kitty, you ain’t worth spit. Of course if the State only approves a very few number of instructors and these are so overwhelmed they cannot teach enough classes and issue the certificates fast enough for the demand that is sure to come…well tough luck brother as the State has complied with the letter of the court order.
Fees? Well, it is a $150 for the permit but you need a gun too, right? So you still need the FOID (Firearm Owner Identification) and that is another $300. Were you expecting that the new CWP would eliminate the need of FOID? Dude, really? You think Politicos are gonna NOT collect taxes if the can? So if you need to get a gun to defend yourself and have to carry it with you, be ready to spend $450 plus gas, waste of time, aggravation, etc.
There is so much crap in this law I stopped reading less than halfway through because I got a headache. There are states in he South that would have burned their legislatures if they tried to pass such an abusive law or even just suggesting it.
And the problem is that apparently there is a bill worst than this as counterpart from the Gun Control side of the aisle and that leaves you wondering WTF is wrong with Illinois.
There’s a pretty good discussion on The High Road dot Org that suggests it’s not that bad. It may be a chance to at least get something good (CCW) passed, flaws and all, in the hopes that it can be amended over the years to be a better law. That’s what we had to do in South Carolina.
Miguel, please go to illinoiscarry.org and review the forum there. This bill is not as bad as it sounds. It’s not ideal, and it ain’t perfect, but it’s a pretty good starting point. A lot of the states that have great carry laws now, started out pretty restrictive. I think it was unrealistic for us to think we were going to get a great carry law right out of the box. There are four extremely important right-to-carry concessions here. There are some extremely powerful people who are opposed to this, and for them to cave on some of these issues is, to quote our favorite VP, a big effin deal.
What? No reciprocity? Seems like they should honor DC or NYC permits.
Good luck, my Brothers. Alabama knows about being last 😉
BTW, illinoiscarry.org does not seen to be an active domain.
Perhaps illinoiscarry.com?
Looks more like “may issue” instead of “shall issue”, and a pretty nasty form at that. And isn’t Chicago exempted from allowing any guns in the city limits?
Makes me wonder why they bothered at all.
They “removed” the Cook County exception…but who gives a damn when you can’t have your permit processed anyway?
Interesting numbers: Illinois proposed CWP law runs some 37,000 words. Florida’s 790 which covers everything about firearms runs 32,000. Statute 790.06 which covers only Concealed Weapons permits runs at 3,600 words.
Sorry, that should be illinoiscarry.com
Please see, specifically, this thread: http://illinoiscarry.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=37970
It lays out, pretty plainly, the road to get here, and why this bill is probably the best we can hope for.
I understand that this law is what you guys have been given and the choice is have none at all or an ever crappier one. But make no mistake: it is turd covered with a Milky Way wrapper.
And as for future legislatures improving the bill, make sure you somehow erase all of Cook County first or the only changes you will have will be retrograde.
WTF is wrong with Illinois.
In a word, Chicago. The Chicago thugs control almost everything that goes on in Springfield.
It is bad, but not that bad. Fees are $150 plus FOID. FOID is like $10 for 10 years…not another $300. Board approval only is needed if within 30 days of app the local po po objects. For Chicago, this sucks. For the rest of the state it is a step in the right direction. We even get preemption protection like FL.