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Cullerton all but promises a floor vote for concealed carry

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Illinois

* Senate President John Cullerton all but pledged the other day to allow the concealed carry bill to the floor if it passes the House…

If concealed carry legislation passes the Illinois House, it may not be dead on arrival in the Illinois Senate.

The measure is expected to come up for a full vote in the House this month. Proponents believe they have more support than ever in that chamber.

Concealed carry has traditionally fared better in the House than the Senate, where Senate President John Cullerton, (D)-Chicago, has assigned bills to the Public Health Committee. The committee, which is heavy with Chicago Democrats, has killed the measures in the past.

Tuesday in Carbondale, Cullerton indicated that even though he is opposed to “people having loaded weapons on them,” he would consider assigning the bill to another committee.

Noting that concealed carry has not fared well in the Public Health committee, Cullerton said, “If it does pass the House, if we have enough folks that want to have a vote on the Senate floor we can have that vote.”

* Meanwhile, gun owner names would stay private under a bill that passed the House on Friday…

The proposal would exempt the names of 1.3 million holders of Firearm Owner Identification cards from the state’s Freedom of Information Act.

The measure, House Bill 3500, must still pass the Senate and be signed by Gov. Pat Quinn to be enacted into law. […]

The controversy began when the Associated Press filed a FOIA request for the names of all FOID card-holders. Attorney General Lisa Madigan ruled last month that the names must be made public under the act.

The AP put out a statement saying it routinely requests government documents under FOIA for stories, but did not specify what the information would have been used for.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 2:55 am

Comments

I am not getting my hopes up. If this legislation had any chance of passing in the Senate, it would not be allowed to advance to a floor vote.

Comment by John A Logan Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 7:46 am
Allowing a floor vote let’s downstate Dems say they tried. Campaign lit will say they voted for concealed carry but the bad guys in Cook Co stopes it.

Comment by Fed up Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 9:45 am
I’m not a big fan of more guns on the street, regardless of who’s hands they are in, but I see this bill as more of a “get with the times” thing. The same way that I think it is ridiculous that so many states are being steadfast against civil unions or gay marriages, it is ridiculous that Illinois is one of the few remaining (or only one remaining - I forget) without concealed carry and it makes me think we shouldn’t be so steadfast against it. If we do, it seems kind of hypocritical…

Comment by 10th Voter Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 9:59 am
Tuesday in Carbondale, Cullerton indicated that even though he is opposed to “people having loaded weapons on them,”

Looks like Cullerton got the talking points memo. I’m guessing throughout this legislative session, concealed-carry is going to be referred to as “people carrying loaded weapons.”

Comment by Ahoy Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 10:03 am
I suppose then by Cullerton’s statement that one could deduce that he’s NOT opposed to ‘people having unloaded weapons on them”?

Comment by How Ironic Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 10:38 am
–I’m guessing throughout this legislative session, concealed-carry is going to be referred to as “people carrying loaded weapons.” –

Well, that is the proposition, isn’t it? Nothing more useless than an unloaded gun.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 11:15 am
===Nothing more useless than an unloaded gun.===

Except a bill being passed through committee with no chance of surviving a floor vote, you mean…

Comment by Obamarama Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 1:10 pm
===Nothing more useless than an unloaded gun.===

I dunno about that. I know someone who was busted for UUW because he whacked - in self defense - a guy in the head with the butt of his AK47. lol

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 1:12 pm
===I dunno about that. I know someone who was busted for UUW because he whacked - in self defense - a guy in the head with the butt of his AK47. lol===

Red herring!

Comment by Obamarama Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 1:12 pm
It wasn’t to him.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 1:13 pm
The charge stuck?

Comment by Obamarama Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 1:14 pm
Pled down to a misdemeanor and did community service. But he was originally charged with a felony by an overzealous local force.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 1:18 pm
Rich, I’ll amend to there’s nothing more useless than an unloaded, concealed handgun.

Old Man Kalishnikov’s design has certainly been the weapon of choice in hot spots around the world since 1945, not least of all for it’s ability to be used as a club when the going gets up close and personal.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 4:16 pm
How is a FOIA request for FOID info different from a FOIA request for Driver’s license info?

Comment by What's in a name? Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 5:31 pm
Second amendment doesn’t give you the right to drive.

Comment by piling on Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 6:27 pm
There’s nothing wrong with an unloaded weapon if you have bullets with you. It makes more sense to me to have it unloaded while you conceal it. Excluding revolvers, it doesn’t take long to put in a clip.

Comment by Timmeh Monday, Apr 11, 11 @ 10:01 pm