IL Legislature Overrides CCW Veto!

And then there were none! Some months ago a federal judge ruled that Illinois’ complete ban on concealed carry was unconstitutional, and gave them 180 days to pass the law and setup a concealed carry program in the state.

Following this process from start to finish has been interesting. First there was all kinds of drama about may issue or shall issue wording in the law, but finally it passed both houses with shall issue wording and was sent to Gov. Quinn. Time ran out, and the Governor had to get a 30 day extension, which ran out today.

Gov. Quinn used a power that is rarely used called the “amendetory veto” which allows the Governor to veto a bill, and rewrite parts of it. He changed much of the bill, most notably adding language saying that citizens could only carry one pistol, and only have 10rds in the magazine while carrying it. While that sounds rediculous, you must remember that this is Illinois, and nothing should surprise you. Quinn also changed the language of the bill making it so it was illegal to carry somewhere, unless the specifically posted that their business was concealed carry friendly (bass ackwards from everywhere else in the country…)

In the end all of Quinn’s efforts rewriting the bill were to no avail, as today both houses of the IL legislature overrode the veto with huge majorities voting for the concealed carry law. The IL State Police now have 180 days to implement the law and start issuing permits.

The IL concealed carry law isn’t perfect, but it does contain several provisions that we don’t have here in NC, like restaurant carry and out of state permits (but they don’t offer reciprocity IIRC).

As someone from NC, I think about this and it makes me disappointed in the current political situation in my state. Here in the free south, we’ve been fighting for years now to get restaurant carry, and the (supposedly pro-gun majority in both houses) legislature is playing games with the current bill, yet the politicians in IL overrode the veto in both houses in a matter of hours.

I’m really starting to think I’m living in some sort of bizarro world. Illinois passes restaurant carry before NC does, and the local NC media portrays gun owners in an almost positive light in the same week…