Rep. La Shawn Ford, a third-term Democrat, told me he is prepared to become the first black legislator from the city to vote for a concealed carry law — if sponsors of the bill will add a provision requiring the National Rifle Association to pay for sensitivity training for police officers.Not sure what that's supposed to do, perhaps only to put to rest this fear:
[NRA lobbyist Todd Vandermyde] said he understands the concerns of some African Americans “about what happens when you have a black man with a gun” stopped by police, assuming that individual was legally permitted to carry a gun under the proposed law.I'm not sure making an advocacy organization pay for that will solve this problem at all. It's more reasonable to let the individual counties in this state decide how to issue concealed carry permits:
Two Republican lawmakers from Morris, state Sen. Sue Rezin and Rep. Pam Roth, both think there is a strong possibility of yet another concerted effort by the General Assembly to revisit the controversial issue this fall or in early 2012.OK I recognize that this is a long way from letting counties decide on concealed carry. New legislation to allow the collar counties around Chicago and Cook County to be exempted from concealed carry legislation.
Rezin said one plan being considered is exempting the Chicago area, or perhaps Cook County, entirely from any concealed carry legislation.
Either way perhaps this legislation should make Illinois a "may-issue" state and at that giving counties latitude to determine how they should issue these permits if at all.
You can read a round-up of stories about this issue over at The Capitol Fax!
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