WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Timothy V. Johnson is offering an amendment today to the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011, which would extend to Illinois citizens the fundamental right to carry a concealed weapon under property permitting limitations.
The amendment would supersede the Illinois Legislature’s refusal to allow this right, which is enjoyed by citizens in all other states of the union.
“This legislation gives me the opportunity to correct a longstanding flaw in Illinois law,” Rep. Johnson said. “The right to bear arms is an individual American right expressed in the Constitution, not a right to be abridged at the whim of the state. Illinois is the only state in the Union that does not have a provision to allow citizens a conceal-carry permit. Finally, this amendment would correct that injustice.”
I was just about to email him urging his expected support for HR822. Now I just need to change it to thanking him.
6 comments:
Then, why don't we make it for every single state that refuses to "shall issue" permits to their citizens (ala MD, Cali, NY).
If I am not mistaken, it was this kind of language that torp'd the last bill (meaning citizens in their home states could carry on permits from any state since their home state would not issue them a permit).
If I were in Illinois I'd probably be in favor of this as well, but I'm afraid it sounds like a poison pill.
Still ... if the whole thing got passed and signed ... how awesome would that be?
Obummer won't sign it if passed. The only reason he signed the parks bill is because it was attached to the credit card bill he desperately wanted.
@SteamHeat
Yep.
Good initiative, poor judgment (IMO).
The central public argument for 822 is not that it creates a "right to carry"; it is that the 49 states which already allow their own citizens a right/privilege (pick your poison) cannot, under Equal Protection grounds, deny that right to the citizens of other states.
Obviously the unspoken effect will be to effectively make all states shall-issue by default, and kick off the "race to the bottom" the anti's fear; but there's no reason to make that so obvious the undecided and possibly "opposed if they get scared" majority middle, as opposed to the few active anti-gun types, catch on.
That subtlety what makes it passable.
Turning carry into a Congressionally-mandated activity even in the one state that doesn't currently allow it plays right into the anti-gun groups claim that it doesn't respect "state's rights" and is an "extremist" anybody can carry, anywhere, at any time bill. It makes their lies sorta true.
Johnson needs to submit his own "National Right to Carry" bill, not try to turn something with a hope of passing the Senate into yet another "No Compromise" loser.
Illinois can later get the effect of 822 by simply passing any carry bill at all, which they are very close to anyway.
It's apparently a moot point, now. The Washington Times says the amendment was discarded in committee:
A Republican-led effort to allow Illinois residents to carry concealed weapons by obtaining a permit in another state — loosening D.C. gun laws in the process — did not pass a final hurdle on Monday night before major gun legislation reaches the House floor.
. . .
The Committee on Rules reviewed the proposal and other amendments Monday evening to decide which were suitable for consideration on the House floor. However, the Illinois effort did not make the cut.
The NRA strikes again.
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