Legislative / CCW update: Don’t fall for the posturing…

The Illinois State Journal-Register had a big Sunday article about legislators not wanting to “wait and see” with the new concealed carry law.

Frankly, the article could have been titled, “Legislators posturing on new concealed carry law” and frankly, would have been more accurate.

Here’s a couple of bits from the story.

Tobias goes through a lot of digital ink yammering on about proposed changes introduced by a handful of legislators.

Folks, it’s just pandering to the base… of both sides of the issue.  The overwhelming majority of legislators are taking a more pragmatic approach at this time – adopting a “wait and see” approach to what works before tinkering with the bill.   Ditto for the medical marijuana bill.

We could fight for some changes and probably have the votes to get them to the governor, but Gov. Potato Head would simply veto pro-civil rights changes.  That’s why it’s important that we elect a pro-civil rights governor next election.

Here’s the Legislative Update as published in the March 2014 issue of GunNews Magazine.

by John Boch

The Illinois General Assembly is back in session.

Yes, there has been a gun registration bill filed which would require registration of all guns, and a host of other downright silly rules and requirements.  Put your concerns in park – this bill is going nowhere at this time.  Its likelihood of passage is about as high as Barack Hussein Obama getting impeached.

Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Moonbattery) sponsored the bill.  She’s best known for her public displays of drama and hyperbole.  She cried last year on the House floor on the last day of the Spring Session when gay marriage wasn’t called for a vote.  Two years ago, she introduced a silly measure to require men receiving a Viagra prescription to watch a video on the drug’s side effects before they could have the prescription.  Ignore her.  By and large she’s impotent and could probably use a few Viagra herself.

There’s been lots of proposals from both sides to modify the new Firearm Concealed Carry Act.  They too are going nowhere, and are, for the most part, simply pandering to the base on both sides.  There will be few, if any tweaks to the new CCW bill, and even then only minor.  The vast majority of the General Assembly (and the Speaker) wants to give the bill a year or so to see how it works.

The anti-gunners and the Moms Demand Action girls have been busy “trying” to make a difference – trying being the operant word.  Make sure you show up for IGOLD and you can be a part of smashing any snowball of momentum they are trying to create – and then some.

The other side was stung badly by passage of right-to-carry last year and most of the provisions in the bill.  They lost Chicago’s gun registry and local gun rule-making was pre-empted.  Those handful of “No Guns” signs, seen primarily at schools and public locations (favorite haunts of the anti-gunners), are getting under their skin.  Every time they see one of those signs, it reminds them of their bitter loss.

Todd Vandermyde, the NRA-ILA’s man in Springfield, suggests the Illinois legislature – and House Speaker Michael Madigan in particular – has had their fill of gun legislation.  On top of that, it’s an election year, and there’s a lot of attention directed in that direction as well.  We’re going to be playing defense a fair bit this year, but unless something dramatic changes, we’re in good shape to hold the line.

Given our current governor, you can probably about forget advancing pro-gun bills unless they are very tame in their scope.  One we are going to push for is FOID cards for 18-year-olds and at this time, it’s not a hopeless cause.

Again, if you want to make a *real* difference in the legislative process this year, participate in the Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day on Wednesday, March 5th.  You’ll be glad you did!