Governor Pat Quinn Statement on Concealed Carry Override

SPRINGFIELD – Governor Pat Quinn today issued the following statement after the Illinois General Assembly voted to override his amendatory veto of House Bill 183. As written, HB 183 is flawed and jeopardizes public safety with provisions that allow people to carry guns in establishments that serve alcohol, allow people to carry unlimited guns and unlimited high-capacity ammunition magazines, and prevent home-rule communities from enacting future bans on assault weapons.

“Today’s action by members of the General Assembly was extremely disappointing.

”Following a weekend of horrific violence in Chicago in which at least 70 people were shot and 12 killed, this was the wrong move for public safety in Illinois.

“Members of the Illinois House could not even manage to pass follow-up legislation that included a few of the critical changes that I outlined last week, such as improved mental health reporting and the duty to immediately inform law enforcement officers of the possession of a loaded concealed weapon.

“Throughout the legislative session, I made clear that any concealed carry law must have common-sense standards. I pushed for a ban on assault weapons, limits on high-capacity ammunition magazines and local option for home-rule communities, among other reasonable restrictions. I met with legislators regularly and discussed these standards in my State of the State address and all across the state of Illinois.

“Yet, despite my objections, members of the General Assembly surrendered to the National Rifle Association in the waning days of session and passed a flawed bill that allows people to carry guns in establishments that serve alcohol, and allows people to carry unlimited guns and unlimited high-capacity ammunition magazines.

“In a supreme overreach, this bill even included the National Rifle Association’s trademark provision – a ban on future assault weapon bans in home-rule communities – which has nothing to do with the concealed carry of handguns.

“Public safety should never be compromised or negotiated away.

“It was wrong on May 31 and it’s wrong today.

“We will keep fighting for these critical provisions that will save lives and establish a better, more responsible concealed carry law in Illinois."