The Second Amendment Foundation gets results in America’s courts when it comes to protecting, defending and expanding Americans’ civil rights.
Last week, they filed suit to break the Illinois State Police’s arbitrary decision to restrict non-resident Illinois concealed carry license applicants to residents of just four states: Hawaii, New Mexico, South Carolina and Virginia.
The suit names the Democrat Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and others and was filed by famed civil rights lawyer David Sigale.
Reading news of the suit brought a little smile to our face this morning. Okay, it was really a wicked little grin.
BELLEVUE, WA (Second Amendment Foundation) – The Second Amendment Foundation today filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Illinois, challenging that state’s concealed carry statute that restricts otherwise qualified non-residents the rights and privileges of carrying concealed firearms based solely on their state of residence.
Joining SAF in this legal action are the Illinois State Rifle Association, Illinois Carry, Inc., and ten individual plaintiffs, all residing in other states and who are licensed to carry in those states. Under the restrictive Illinois statute, only residents from states with “substantially similar” requirements to obtain a carry license are allowed to apply for non-resident licenses.
Only four states currently qualify under that provision. They are Hawaii, New Mexico, South Carolina and Virginia. None of the individual plaintiffs reside in those states.
According to SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb, this situation is not simply unfair, it is untenable and we believe unconstitutional.
“Our plaintiffs have qualified for carry permits or licenses in their own states,” Gottlieb said, “which means they have gone through background checks and other requirements that show they are responsible, law-abiding citizens. Yet, because of the current Illinois statute, their self-defense rights are suspended immediately after they cross the Illinois state line.”
Named as defendants in the lawsuit are Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Illinois State Police Director Hiram Grau and Jessica Trame, bureau chief of the State Police Firearms Service Bureau. Plaintiffs are represented by attorney David Sigale of Glen Ellyn, Ill.
“This lawsuit,” said Sigale, “is brought because it is unfair that otherwise qualified people from states outside Illinois, who work and travel in Illinois are barred from obtaining means to defend themselves in public solely based on their state of residence. We expect to correct that.”
“We’re asking the federal court for a declaratory judgment on equal protection and due process constitutional grounds,” Gottlieb stated. “It makes no sense at all for Illinois to enforce such a narrowly-defined law that seems to recognize the rights of some non-residents, while dismissing the rights of most other non-residents. We can’t allow that kind of discriminatory situation to stand.”
What if your from Arizona or Alaska?
If my marriage license from California, has to be recognized in Illinois.
If the State of Texas has to recognize my Illinois issued driver’s license.
And Indiana has to recognize my Illinois vehicle registration.
And Florida recognize my Illinois auto insurance as meeting their state requirements.
How is it that New Jersey not recognize the valid Pennsylvania State issued “Conceal Carry License”?
This is a showcase of the idiocy we have for government in Illinois, defended by political hack Lisa Madigan aka ” the pot bellied pig “. playing games in court with the CCW law cost taxpayers over $800,000 in court and legal fees. this is a slam dunk win for the plaintiffs and watch Lisa the pig try to keep this law that discriminates against 46 states full of people. and yet again hundreds of thousands of dollars out the window in a case that a first year law student wouldn’t touch.
And the crazy part is, you have a home state CCW, take the IL required training, and they still deny you! It doesn’t make sense. They are saying that the state you live in has to have similar training, right? Ok, got it. But if you take the IL training, doesn’t that meet the standard then! Why should it matter at that point (to use the liberals girl God Hilary’s words) if your home state has similar training!? Once you take the IL class, that requirement should be met and you should be able to get a permission slip! As a matter of fact, you shouldn’t even have to apply for their permit only have proof that you took the state required course with your home state CCW on you. But then again, no money to be made there. This was just a scam anyway. How many people from states outside of the 4 allowed applied, paid their $300 dollars to the state, and then were denied? Convienant theft by the state if you ask me. I’m sure they didn’t return that money. I personally think AZ has it right with Constitutional Carry. But I know this country struggles with Constitutional anything, so permission slips will still continue. If you have a CCW from your home state, it should carry the same authority, rights and responsibilities across the nation as your drivers license! Period! Semper Fi everyone!
Actually, it has nothing to do with training. A state is considered “substantially similar” if it meets all of these conditions:
1. Regulates who may carry firearms, concealed or otherwise, in public
2. Prohibits all who have involuntary mental health admissions, concealed or otherwise, in public
3. Prohibits and those with voluntary admissions within the past 5 years, from carrying firearms, concealed or otherwise, in public
4. Reports denied persons to NICS
5. Participates in reporting persons authorized to carry firearms, concealed or otherwise, in public through NLETS.