"...they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."
- Isaiah 2:4
Gun violence is destroying our communities. As people of faith, we know that more guns are not the answer. Due to your dedication this past legislative session, we passed a guns package (HB1189) that included universal background checks and mandatory reporting of lost and stolen firearms.
But our gun safety bill was not the only gun legislation that passed that day.
This concealed carry bill – HB183 – also passed the Illinois General Assembly. The bill allows for many frightening possibilities, including the following:
Guns Permitted in Establishments with Alcohol Sales
Mixing alcohol with guns is irresponsible and dangerous. As drafted, this bill allows people to carry guns into establishments serving alcohol, including most family restaurants and other places where large amounts of alcohol are consumed.
Unlimited Number of Guns and Ammunition
The bill provides no cap on the number of guns or on the size or number of ammunition clips that may be carried. Instead, it allows individuals to legally carry multiple guns with unlimited rounds of ammunition, which is a public safety hazard.
Restricting Local Authority to Regulate Guns or Assault Weapons
This bill strips the authority of Illinois “home rule” governments to enact future laws on assault weapons to protect their local communities. This NRA-inspired provision is NOT related to the concealed carry of handguns and should be removed from the bill.
Fortunately, Gov Quinn has proposed changes in the form of an amendatory veto (to see full list of changes click here). The veto would allow this bill to fulfill its original purpose (the regulation of concealed weapons), while challenging the above provisions. Among other important changes, the governor is proposing:
- NO Guns in establishments that serve alcohol
- A concealed carry limit of one gun per person and only 10 rounds
- Preserves local “home rule” communities’ authority to pass laws that ban assault weapons.
We SUPPORT the Governor’s veto! Pro-Gun legislators are trying to override these critical changes. It’s up to us to urge our legislators to VOTE NO ON THE OVERRIDE. Time is short. The General Assembly will likely take a vote on Tuesday, July 9, 2013.
Call or e-mail your representative TODAY (click here to look up their contact information)! You can use the message below for a phone call or an e-mail.
“Hello, my name is ________________. I support the Governor’s common-sense changes to the concealed carry gun bill. I urge the senator (or representative) to vote NO on the motion to override the governor’s veto. Thank you.”
Thank YOU for your advocacy!
