Illinois to allow concealed carry

The land of Lincoln will finally join all other U.S. states in allowing its citizens to carry concealed handguns after the Illinois legislature overrode a Governor’s veto by a wide margin.

The State Senate voted 41-17 to override Gov. Pat Quinn’s ill-conceived and unconstitutional veto of an earlier bill allowing citizens to carry handguns outside of their homes. The House  voted 77-31 to override Gov. Quinn.

While Quinn favors such provisions as not allowing concealed handguns in any restaurant that serves any alcohol, such as Applebee’s or TGI Friday’s, the override gave the legislature the ability to hammer out provisions that allow carry into any establishment that earns 50% or less of its revenue from alcohol.

The law allows anyone with a Firearm Owner’s ID to purchase a concealed handgun permit for $150 provided they pass a background check and attend 16 hours of firearms training.