McLeansboro Times-Leader

Local

July 24, 2010

County Board votes to put ‘concealed carry’ question on ballot

By PAUL LORENZ paul.lorenz@mcleansborotimesleader.com

McLEANSBORO — Voters in Hamilton County will have the chance to voice their opinion at the ballot box regarding “concealed carry” legislation.

Hamilton County Board passed a resolution last week to put an advisory question on the Nov. 2 ballot about carrying firearms for self-defense.

Specifically, the question will read: “Shall the State Legislature enact legislation to allow trained and licensed law-abiding citizens to carry firearms for self-defense and other lawful uses?”

Illinois is now the only U.S. state that does not have a law dealing with the carrying of firearms for self-defense, Valinda Rowe of Enfield, spokeswoman for IllinoisCarry.com, told the County Board at its meeting July 15.

IllinoisCarry.com is an online forum devoted to advancing Illinois citizens’ right to carry firearms.

Currently, concealed-carry legislation introduced by state Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, appears to have stalled in the House.

In February, Bradley filed House Bill 6249, which would establish “statewide uniform standards for the issuance of permits to carry concealed firearms” in Illinois, according to information on the Illinois General Assembly’s Web site.

The “Family and Personal Protection Act” would give state police the authority to issue concealed-firearm permits to qualified applicants, requiring applicants to complete training in handgun use, safety and marksmanship and to receive instruction in the law relating to firearm use.

It would also establish restrictions on carrying concealed firearms, and would prohibit a home rule unit of local government from regulating the issuance of permits to carry concealed firearms.

HB 6249 was re-referred to the House Rules Committee in late March; there has been no further action on the bill.

Regarding the County Board resolution on the advisory question, Rowe advised the board to be “fairly certain it has general support in your county.”

“I think from what I’ve heard in your county, it would pass here,” she said. 

While Hamilton County’s advisory referendum will be nonbinding, “it gives ammunition to legislators,” said Rowe’s husband, Mike, a gun instructor.

Without a formal vote on the issue, he said, “legislators will come out and say, ‘People don’t want this.’”

County Board member John Chapman made the motion, seconded by Brad Miller, to put the resolution on the ballot. The four board members in attendance approved it unanimously; Dr. Donald Mitchell, the board chairman, was absent.

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