Lt. Governor Simon's Firearms Working Group meets with sponsor of gun legislation, gun owners

CARBONDALE – Lt. Governor Sheila Simon's Firearms Working Group met today with a sponsor of concealed carry legislation being considered by the General Assembly. The group also talked with gun owners to learn more about responsible gun usage and culture.

“As a resident of Southern Illinois, I know responsible gun owners who agree that gun regulations are needed to protect our children and keep guns out of the wrong hands,” said Simon. “These are parents who went hunting as children and now take their children hunting, and we need to protect that tradition of conservation and gun safety.”

The working group talked with Rep. Brandon Phelps (D-Harrisburg), the sponsor of House Bill 997, which allows for concealed carry of firearms in Illinois.

Currently Illinois is the only state in the nation with a law that completely bans carrying concealed firearms. The law was declared unconstitutional in December by a three-member panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and Illinois now has until June to pass a law that permits people to carry concealed guns in public spaces.

The working group has been meeting with stakeholders on all sides of the debate – from hunters to law enforcement officials to education professionals – to promote dialogue and work toward consensus on pending legislation. The group is working on a legislative checklist based on information compiled over the course of these meetings. More details will be released soon.

Please visit www.ltgov.il.gov/guns for additional information about the working group.