Some local activists contend that changing to the concealed carry law is one of the best ways to reduce the amount of violent crime in Chicagoland.
Lee Goodman, Nancy Goodman, and about two dozen other people descended on downtown Glencoe recently to convince local business-owners not to allow people to carry guns into their stores; the Goodmans and their fellow activists argue that a no-guns sticker in the window cuts down on accidental shootings, as well as so-called “rage shootings” that sometimes occur during sudden fits of passion. They point out that state law already forbids carrying concealed weapons into most public buildings. On the other side of the fence, however, gun possession advocates maintain that the concealed carry law is a deterrent to possible criminal activity. Moreover, they say, a no-guns sticker sends the message that gun owners who follow the law are not welcome in that establishment.
Still other people try to remain neutral. “If [the anti-gun activists] came in here one-on-one, we might have had a longer conversation,” remarked Blacksheep General Store owner Stephanie Macakanja. “But when they came in here en masse – just give me the sticker.”
Concealed Weapons in Illinois
Until July 2013, it was illegal to have a firearm outside one’s home. But then, under pressure from a federal appeals court, lawmakers passed a CCW (carrying a concealed weapon) law. While it is very strict in many aspects, it is quite broad in at least one very important respect. Illinois is a “must issue” state as opposed to a “may issue” state. In other words, if a person meets the qualifications under the law and submits the proper documentation, the state must issue a license without making any additional inquires.
When they first passed the law, lawmakers agreed to wait a year before proposing changes. After the cooling-off period expired, legislators introduced 139 CCW-related bills, and approximately 90% of them aimed at loosening the law’s requirements in some way, shape, or form. Governor Rauner eventually signed Senate Bill 836 in July 2015, and although it contained mostly technical changes, gun control advocates fear that the measure set a precedent and that its passage will embolden CCW advocates to ask for even more dramatic expansions.
CCW Locations
In most ways, the CCW law is quite restrictive, reflecting that fact that many lawmakers had long opposed any such provision. First, it defines “handgun” very narrowly to exclude almost anything other than a hand-held weapon that fires a lead bullet. Second, there is a long list of prohibited places, including:
- Schools and daycare facilities,
- Government buildings, including office facilities, courthouses, and correctional facilities,
- Colleges and universities,
- Most places that sell alcohol, and
- Public parks, including amusement parks.
CCW licensees may have handguns in their cars in the parking lots of these and other prohibited facilities, but they may not carry the weapons on their persons beyond the curtilage (about an arm’s length) of the car. Additionally, business-owners may unilaterally declare their property to be a no-gun zone by conspicuously displaying a sticker; the same rule about the parking lot applies.
Partner with Experienced Attorneys
Illinois citizens have the right to carry guns in some public places. If you, a friend, or a loved one was charged with violating the CCW law, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney in Schaumburg from Glasgow & Olsson. Convenient payment plans are available.