TexasCHLforum.com

Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday made sweeping changes to a bill that would allow concealed guns to be carried in public, writing in tougher regulations he deemed "common sense" amid staunch criticism from lawmakers who say they are poised to overturn his efforts when they return to Springfield next week.

The move sets up a showdown in Springfield between the Democratic governor and state lawmakers who overwhelmingly backed a rare and carefully constructed compromise on the often volatile issue of gun regulations despite ideological, cultural and geographic divisions. Lawmakers were trying to beat a federal appeals court deadline to set up rules allowing people to carry concealed weapons after judges tossed out Illinois' last-in-the-nation ban in December.

Even lawmakers who agree with some of Quinn's proposed changes said they are prepared to support an override, arguing the governor should have been more involved in end-of-session negotiations. Moreover, they said it's too close to the July 9 court deadline to seriously consider Quinn's suggestions, saying the state must avoid a situation in which there would be no concealed carry laws on the books and anyone with a firearm owner's identification card could pack a gun whenever and wherever they wanted.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois became the last state in the nation to allow public possession of concealed guns as lawmakers rushed Tuesday to finalize a proposal ahead of a federal court's deadline.

Both houses of the General Assembly voted to override changes Gov. Pat Quinn made to the bill they approved more than a month ago. Some lawmakers expressed fear that failure to pass something would mean virtually unregulated weapons in Chicago, which has endured severe gun violence in recent months.

The Senate voted 41-17 in favor of the override Tuesday afternoon after the House voted 77-31, margins that met the three-fifths threshold needed to set aside the amendatory veto. Quinn had used his veto authority to suggest changes such as prohibiting guns in restaurants that serve alcohol and limiting gun-toting citizens to one firearm at a time.

Quinn had predicted a "showdown in Springfield" after a week of Chicago appearances to drum up support for the changes he made in the amendatory veto.

But lawmakers had little appetite for fiddling any further with the legislation on the deadline day the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had set for ending what it said was an unconstitutional ban on carrying concealed weapons. Without action, the previous gun law would be invalidated and none would take its place.

hpcatx wrote:Has anyone read the full legislation? Just curious if there's anything that addresses reciprocity agreements with other states, as in allowing agreements to be negotiated by a certain state body, or state law presumptions, to prevent Chicago from enacting tighter restrictions.

android wrote:

hpcatx wrote:Has anyone read the full legislation? Just curious if there's anything that addresses reciprocity agreements with other states, as in allowing agreements to be negotiated by a certain state body, or state law presumptions, to prevent Chicago from enacting tighter restrictions.

Last I read, you can carry a loaded handgun in your car if you have license from another state, but cannot carry concealed.