Pending IL bill may allow carrying in most places

[Phatty]

I haven't seen any publicity regarding Illinois House Bill 182, which greatly expands the places in Illinois where a person is allowed to carry a firearm.

The bill passed the Illinois house and is now working its way through the Illinois senate. I think one of the reasons why the bill was able to pass in the house (and may pass in the senate) is because it doesn't seem like much of a big deal on its face.

Here's the relevant portions of the bill (the new material being added to the existing law is underlined):

(720 ILCS 5/24-1) (from Ch. 38, par. 24-1)
Sec. 24-1. Unlawful Use of Weapons.
(a) A person commits the offense of unlawful use of weapons
when he knowingly:

...​

(4) Carries or possesses in any vehicle or concealed on
or about his person except when on his land or in his own
abode or fixed place of business, or a legal dwelling or
place where he or she is an invitee therein, any pistol,
revolver, stun gun or taser or other firearm, except that
this subsection (a) (4) does not apply to or affect
transportation of weapons that meet one of the following
conditions:​

(i) are broken down in a non-functioning state; or​

(ii) are not immediately accessible; or​

(iii) are unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm
carrying box, shipping box, or other container by a
person who has been issued a currently valid Firearm
Owner's Identification Card; or​

...​

(10) Carries or possesses on or about his person, upon
any public street, alley, or other public lands within the
corporate limits of a city, village or incorporated town,
except when an invitee thereon or therein, for the purpose
of the display of such weapon or the lawful commerce in
weapons, or except when on his land or in his own abode or
fixed place of business, or a legal dwelling or place where
he or she is an invitee therein, any pistol, revolver, stun
gun or taser or other firearm, except that this subsection
(a) (10) does not apply to or affect transportation of
weapons that meet one of the following conditions:​

(i) are broken down in a non-functioning state; or​

(ii) are not immediately accessible; or​

(iii) are unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm
carrying box, shipping box, or other container by a
person who has been issued a currently valid Firearm
Owner's Identification Card.​

The original bill only added the "legal dwelling" language, which I believe was meant to clarify the situation where a person may not be living in their own house. It was subsequently amended to include the "invitee" language, which is the real meat of the bill. Practically speaking, this would allow a person to carry a firearm (open or concealed) in almost every place that is open for business to the general public. The way I read the bill, I could toss my pistol into the trunk of my car at home, drive to Walmart and park my car in the parking lot, get my pistol out of the trunk and place it into my hip holster, walk into Walmart and do all my shopping, and when I get back to my car I take the gun out of the holster and throw it back into the trunk. Repeat as needed when I go to McDonald's, Home Depot, etc. until I go home.

As I said above, this bill has gotten almost no publicity here, so it seems that a lot of people may not be aware of the impact the bill could have (and hopefully it stays that way so the bill can sneak through the senate). Does anyone read the bill the same way I do?

 

[Lou McGopher]

Does anyone read the bill the same way I do?

Yes, if you read it as "blah blah blah blah blah blah."

Let me know when they change the law to read, "The State of Illinois hereby recognizes the right to keep and bear arms as a fundamental human right that shall not be infringed."