It’s time for an another update.

The APPLICATION (for instructors)

Yesterday, the Illinois State Police posted a press release indicating they would offer a “soft” roll-out of the new CCW application process to existing Illinois State Police-approved firearm instructors.

This was pitched as a beta-test of sorts, to test the application protocol in advance of the January 5th release of the applications for the general public.

Well, as of this morning, it’s still not up.  When we called the Illinois State Police earlier, they said it would go live around 10:00a.m.

Update at noonish;  It’s up and running.

My experience:  It was painless, aside from the $153 and change on my credit card for the privilege of exercising a constitutional right.  Took less than ten minutes.

PAPER APPLICATIONS COMING

Yes, Virginia, you read that right.

The Illinois State Police has reversed itself and announced hours ago that paper applications would be available for those seeking CCW licenses.

The catch?  (There’s always a catch in Illinois!)

The catch is the paper applications won’t be available until July 2014.

Once again, Illinois politicians playing politics with peoples’ lives.  And doing the bare minimum to avoid being sued.

Illinois state police to offer paper concealed carry applications

SPRINGFIELD (Quad City Times) — In a quick reversal, the Quinn administration said Tuesday it will begin accepting paper applications for concealed weapon permits beginning in July.

Just days after saying the Illinois State Police would accept only online applications when the signup period for permits begins Jan. 5, officials said they have reached an agreement to offer paper applications.

The switch was announced at a meeting of the General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules after lawmakers and others began complaining last week that some Illinoisans who want to carry loaded weapons in public either don’t have access to computers or are unsure of how to use them.

“Many of us are hearing of the hardship that would be imposed on many, many of our constituents,” said state Rep. David Leitch, a member of the committee.

Unethical INSTRUCTORS

The mainstream media is picking up the story of unethical instructors.

Concealed carry instructors investigated for granting permits without training

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) – There are another two and a half weeks until Illinoisans may apply for a permit to carry a concealed, loaded handgun, but FOX 32 News has learned scam artists are already hard at work. State Police say they’ve already revoked the credentials of at least two firearms instructors and they may be investigating a half-dozen more.

Sources tell FOX 32 News some concealed carry instructors are offering to certify that applicants have done the required 16 hours of training in exchange for cash when, in fact, they have not. The revelations raise new questions about a process that relies heavily on the honor system–something that hasn’t always worked real well in Illinois.

…The NRA’s Illinois affiliate told FOX Chicago News it’s discovered some trainers it certified committing apparent fraud. One, for example, even advertised, that applicants willing to pay him would only have to take three hours of gun safety training and he’d certify that they’d completed eight. The NRA’s Richard Pearson wants such violators prosecuted as criminals.