If only it would PASS!!!!

When I returned to work after a trip to the South, I was greeted Monday morning with this headline:

Taking up arms: Proposed bill would allow Illinoisans to carry concealed handguns.

This is nothing new in Illinois. Every legislative session a bill that would stop the State's continued denial of the basic fundamental right of self-protection. However, in a State where 31 of 59 Senatorial Districts and 62 of 118 Representative Districts come from 3 counties (Illinois has 102 counties) and 35 Senatorial Districts and 70 Representative Districts are in the 4 counties of Chicago and its suburbs up to the Wisconsin state line, downstate Illinois gets shafted out of good legislation if they can't secure at least 1/3 of the Chicago/Suburbs vote. So every time this legislation to remove the injustice comes up, it gets killed by Mayor Daley and his cronies. Even though 2 states allow anyone who can legally own a gun to carry concealed, 38 states have Will Issue concealed carry where if you meet the requirements for a permit it will be issued, and 8 states have restricted concealed carry where you have to show a certain need to carry beyond simple personal protection-i.e. your job requires you to transport large sums of money or you have actually received threats to your safety. Only two states have absolutely no provision for any form of concealed carry-Illinois and Wisconsin.

If this bill would get passed through the General Assembly and by some great miracle, be signed into law by the new Governor, Illinois would be the 39th Will Issue carry State.

So what is it that makes this year different from other years. So different that it warranted a front-page article in The Dispatch newspaper.

The backing of the President of the Illinois Sheriff's Association. Sheriff Gib Cady, who is the Sheriff in my home county of Henry, supports the measure and will encourage the Association to back this legislation this year.

He said statistics show crime goes down in states with concealed-carry laws.

Gib Cady obviously has taken the time to look at the MOUNTAINS of data showing that concealed carry makes us all safer.

It is too bad that Moline, IL Police Chief Gary Francque and East Moline, IL Police Chief Victor Moreno have never bothered to look at the statistics or the results of the 48 existing programs in the United States.

Francque is so confused that he believes "The threat to law enforcement would be enormous with that many people out there allowed to carry guns. I am a supporter of a person maintaining a weapon in their home and defending in their homes, but to be out running around with concealed weapons, you're asking for a huge increase in violence."

Moreno believes that the public interation with law enforcement will somehow become much more tense and be detrimental.

In some states, the law requires that CCW holders must identify themselves as such whenever approached by a law enforcement officer, but not all states with CCW require this.

In the article, there are several people listed supporting this necessary measure. Of course already mentioned was Sheriff Gib Cady. Also expressing support were Mercer County Sheriff Tom Thompson as well as State Rep. Pat Verschoore and State Sen. Mike Jacobs. Both Jacobs and Verschoore are Quad Cities Democrats. The one theme with those supporting the bill is the requirement for training a licensing-which would be like the 38 states with Will Issue programs.


Maybe. Just May Be we are finally starting to be able to grab a toe-hold in Illinois to finally get concealed carry.

We all need to do our part and be diligent about contacting our State Representatives and Senators and pushing them to support or even co-sponsor this bill.

HB0245-Family and Personal Protection Act

Listing of Illinois State Senators

Listing of Illinois State House of Representatives

Downstate General Assembly District Map

Chicagoland General Assembly District Map