Quinn To Use Amendatory Veto On Concealed Carry Bill [UPDATE]
By Chuck Sudo in News on Jul 2, 2013 1:45PM
Update: Quinn rewrote the concealed carry bill Tuesday exactly as the Sun-Times reported. Quinn said his foremost duty was to "keep the people safe" as rationale for the amendatory veto. "This is a flawed bill with serious safety problems that must be addressed. There are too many provisions in this bill that are inspired by the National Rifle Association, not the common good. Public safety should never be compromised or negotiated away, and I urge members to uphold the common sense changes I propose today."
Quinn also said he didn't agree with the appellate court ruling striking down the state's concealed carry ban, but was "duty-bound to address the mandates of the Court of Appeals, unless the United States Supreme Court rules otherwise.”
The Sun-Times, citing multiple sources, reports Gov. Pat Quinn will use his amendatory veto to rewrite the concealed carry legislation that passed the Illinois Legislature during their spring session in May. If Quinn does indeed do that, he’ll set the stage for the General Assembly to possibly override the rewrite.
Quinn’s office isn’t talking, but Sun-Times Springfield Bureau chief Dave McKinney writes the amendatory veto would:
-require the weapons be “completely” concealed, not just “mostly” concealed-limit a person to carrying only one weapon and one ammunition magazine carrying no more than 10 rounds
-bar concealed weapons in all facilities that serve alcohol
-prohibit concealed weapons in the workplace unless employers give “express permission” and grant employers the ability to prohibit employees from bringing or carrying weapons on all private property
-eliminate the ability of a concealed weapon permit holder to remove their weapons in a parking lot for the purpose of moving it between the vehicle’s passenger compartment and its trunk.
Already, lawmakers have accused Quinn of playing politics with the bill. State Rep. Brandon Phelps (D-Harrisburg), the bill’s chief sponsor in the House, told McKinney, “I can’t believe he would AV this when we had a compromise.” The compromised measure, which was approved by the Legislature with veto-proof majorities, allows for concealed carry but doesn’t trump the home rule laws on the books in Chicago and other cities in Illinois, and does not allow concealed carry on public transit, casinos, stadiums, schools, bars, parks and festivals. Gun owners looking to carry weapons with them would apply for a concealed carry permit for $150 with the Illinois State Police and undergo 16 hours of gun training—the most of any state in the nation. They were forced to act on concealed carry legislation after the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the state’s concealed carry ban unconstitutional last December.
Quinn has until July 9 to act on the bill. A federal court granted Quinn a 30-day extension to review the bill. Also on the table is an extension granted to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan by the United States Supreme Court to appeal the concealed carry ban ruling. Quinn, when asked if he would use his amendatory veto to rewrite the bill Monday, would only say “stay tuned.”