Important Victory in Illinois

The Illinois Supreme Court has declared an out of state permit it equivalent to an FOID card for the purposes of Illinois gun laws. They invalidated the felony conviction of a man for having a pistol in the rear console of his vehicle. The case is here. Note that this isn’t allowing carry, just transport according to Illinois law, as if you had an FOID. I would imagine this could complicate a case brought by the Mountain State Legal Foundation, because there were some reports that she had an Ohio license to carry. If that’s the case, I’m not sure they will still have a case after this ruling.

8 thoughts on “Important Victory in Illinois”

  1. I was thinking about traveling to Illinois to visit a friend. I have a permit. Does this mean I can have an unloaded locked firearm in the truck of my vehicle while in this state?

  2. I don’t know if this case is just to cement things or what. The IL State Police site has a faq which includes bringing guns there when hunting, (put ’em in the trunk), and the Firearms Owners Protection Act allows interstate transport, although Chicago’s gun ban would have superseded it before that got lifted.

    So now I’m wondering how this law works if the person is from a state that doesn’t require any permits or anything.

  3. I think this is great, but I find it curious that out-of-staters seem to have more rights here than those of us stupid enough to call this dump our home. We get the government we deserve, I guess. Keep moving forward.

  4. Thanks for posting. I travel through Illinois. A few comments:
    1) stops by police continue to be highly problematic for all; officers are at risk; law-abiding citizens are too. Individual stops are supposed to be based on “probable cause” of some violation. This one originated out of, supposedly, tinted windows, or a lane change–nothing violent or threatening. POINT: Fewer picky little rules means fewer grounds for an officer of the law, with the power to take or ruin your life, to pull you over.
    2) He admitted he had a gun. That got him NOTHING except arrested and prosecuted.
    3) He had an open beer container in the car. Hmmm, not wise but, apparently from the case, unrelated to anything else.
    4) The center console was considered to be a “case” by the higher court, not considered a case by the arresting officer. See point #1 about picky little rules.
    5) The court’s decision was “narrowly” based, which is the correct way of doing it, construing the Illinois statutes in play. They did not find a broader 2A RTKBA, or even mention it.

    So, next question: We still are looking for that acknowledgement by Illinois that a free citizen may go armed through corn country and, yes, even into Chicago.

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