Last week, State Senator Dave Koehler voted in support of legislation to authorize people to carry concealed firearms in Illinois.

The issue moved to the forefront this year after a federal court ruled that Illinois' status as the only state in the union without a concealed carry statute is unconstitutional. Had the legislature not acted, unrestricted concealed carry would have become law. However, home rule municipalities (like Peoria) would have been able to set their own rules governing concealed carry, potentially creating a difficult-to-navigate patchwork of rules that would not have kept the public safety or served the needs of supporters of the Second Amendment who want to take advantage of concealed carry.

After months of negotiations, the General Assembly arrived at a compromise that did not leave any party completely satisfied.

"We had to do something about concealed carry," Koehler said. "This compromise is much better than the 'constitutional carry' alternative."

The legislation establishes the following:

• The state police shall issue concealed carry licenses to applicants who meet all of the requirements of the law.
• To qualify, an applicant must:
  • have a FOID card
  • be at least 21 years old
  • not have a conviction for a violent misdemeanor in the past five years
  • not have two or more DUI convictions in the past five years
  • not have a warrant out for his or her arrest or be subject to any prosecution that could disqualify him or her from obtaining a FOID card
  • not have been in residential or court-ordered drug or alcohol treatment within the past five years
• Applicants must pass a 16 hour training course and pay a $150 fee.
• If an applicant meets all the criteria for a license, law enforcement may object to an application if they believe that the applicant presents a danger to himself or herself or others. These objections will be reviewed by a seven-member board appointed by the governor.
• All applications must be approved or denied within 90 days.
• Licenses will be valid for five years. License holders must take an additional three hours of training and pay a renewal fee to renew their licenses.
• Concealed weapons cannot be carried in the following locations:
  • schools
  • preschools and child care facilities
  • government buildings
  • courts
  • correctional facilities
  • medical facilities
  • public transportation
  • bars
  • public gatherings (though licensees may pass through to reach their home, workplace or vehicle)
  • special events at which alcohol is served
  • playgrounds
  • parks
  • colleges and universities
  • gambling facilities, including casinos and horse tracks
  • stadiums
  • libraries
  • airports
  • amusement parks
  • museums, zoos and aquariums
  • places prohibited by federal law
  • private property where the owner has posted a sign indicating that firearms are prohibited
  • Concealed weapons can be stored in locked containers in locked vehicles in the parking lots of prohibited locations.
• Carrying a concealed weapon while under the influence of alcohol is prohibited.