* Center Square…
A state senator says the same “all hands on deck” approach that Illinois’ governor took to expunge cannabis convictions should be used to clear the backlog of Concealed Carry License applications. […]
Illinois law requires a resident to have a state-issued Firearm Owner’s Identification Card (FOID) to purchase or own guns or ammo. There is no open-carry allowed. Concealed carry must be permitted through a Concealed Carry License (CCL) issued by Illinois State Police.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Illinoisans applying for state-issued FOID and CCLs were waiting in excess of a year or more in some cases.
During a Senate committee last week, state Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysborow, told Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly that problems persist despite a clearing of FOID card backlogs.
“You’ve increased the ability to get those done, but to date I still have some folks that are waiting 18 months on CCL,” Bryant said.
Kelly said they’re working on it.
“That is the last category that we have to address,” Kelly said. “We are steadily heading in the right direction and my hope is by the time we get to the summer, we’ll be well within the statutory timeframe there.”
Data compiled by ISP shows that in February, the average time frame for processing new CCL applications was 115 days. That’s within the 120 days allowed by state law. It’s taking an average of 110 days if fingerprints are provided when it’s supposed to take no more than 90 days. The agency does not publish the average time it’s taking to issue CCL renewals.
- Commisar Gritty - Tuesday, Mar 29, 22 @ 8:25 am:
Quick shoutout to Candice at ISP, who has been helping me with foid/ccl cases for a few years now. Lt. Thompson is great too. Everyone I’ve spoken with in that is working incredibly hard to get those application times down. Covid caused an exponential increase in applications but they’ve managed to stay on it. Kudos
- Leslie K - Tuesday, Mar 29, 22 @ 8:55 am:
I’ll second those shoutouts–good people working hard.
I’d like to see ISP focus on reducing the processing time for those who submit fingerprints. Not just to meet the state law timeline requirement, but to incentive providing fingerprints.
- Dewco - Tuesday, Mar 29, 22 @ 9:19 am:
It took me just over 1 year to receive my CCL renewal, paid in March 2021 and just recieved it about a week ago. Ridiculous to take that long for a renewal and they took my money the same day!
- Blue Dog - Tuesday, Mar 29, 22 @ 9:52 am:
Get rid of the useless FOID card and free up manpower for CCL.
- Google Is Your Friend - Tuesday, Mar 29, 22 @ 11:51 am:
Directly Kelly has said before committees that it is hard to get the Justice Services Division staffed with people in Springfield and he wasn’t sure why people didn’t want to move to Springfield. Maybe if Senator Bryant and her colleagues want faster processing, they can let people do it from Chicago.
- That Guy - Tuesday, Mar 29, 22 @ 12:08 pm:
Noticed that the new FOID/CCL cards don’t have expiration dates on the card. That is going to make anything firearm related rather difficult. Will ammo or gun purchase require a phone call to the ISP? I am wondering what the rationale is for leaving the expiration date off the cards.
- Curious citizen - Tuesday, Mar 29, 22 @ 12:48 pm:
Does anyone proofread online copy anymore?
(I know, off topic, but still …)
- Elmer Keith - Tuesday, Mar 29, 22 @ 2:07 pm:
“…good people working hard.” Note the fawning tone. Next we need Richard Pearson, ISRA executive director-for-life, sending an email blast assuring members that the State Police are “on our side” to support “law abiding citizens.”
In reality land, ISP never endorsed Brandon Phelps concealed carry bill, they were officially neutral. Pearson, Phelps, and fired NRA lobbyist Todd Vandermyde made the CC license fee $125, so supposedly there was plenty of dough in the till to process them. But the gun hicks keep coming back to get kicked in the teeth by Illinois law enforcement.