99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
SB0711

 

Introduced 2/3/2015, by Sen. Tim Bivins

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
720 ILCS 5/24-2

    Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person who has been issued a currently valid license under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act may carry a concealed stun gun or taser and may purchase, carry, or possess a switchblade knife. Provides that the exemption applies only if the licensee complies with the restrictions on carrying in specific locations as provided in the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Permits peace officers to purchase, possess, or carry a switchblade knife. Provides that the provisions prohibiting the manufacture or sales of a switchblade knife do not apply to or affect the manufacture or retail sale of a switchblade knife to a retired law enforcement officer who is permitted to carry a concealed firearm under 18 U.S.C. 926C or to any person who has been issued a currently valid license under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act at the time of the commission of the offense. Provides that retired law enforcement officers may carry stun guns or tasers in the same manner as provided licensees carrying concealed firearms under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Effective immediately.


LRB099 04058 RLC 24076 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB0711LRB099 04058 RLC 24076 b

1    AN ACT concerning criminal law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Criminal Code of 2012 is amended by changing
5Section 24-2 as follows:
 
6    (720 ILCS 5/24-2)
7    Sec. 24-2. Exemptions.
8    (a) Subsections 24-1(a)(3), 24-1(a)(4), 24-1(a)(10), and
924-1(a)(13) and Section 24-1.6 do not apply to or affect any of
10the following:
11        (1) Peace officers, and any person summoned by a peace
12    officer to assist in making arrests or preserving the
13    peace, while actually engaged in assisting such officer.
14        (2) Wardens, superintendents and keepers of prisons,
15    penitentiaries, jails and other institutions for the
16    detention of persons accused or convicted of an offense,
17    while in the performance of their official duty, or while
18    commuting between their homes and places of employment.
19        (3) Members of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of
20    the United States or the Illinois National Guard or the
21    Reserve Officers Training Corps, while in the performance
22    of their official duty.
23        (4) Special agents employed by a railroad or a public

 

 

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1    utility to perform police functions, and guards of armored
2    car companies, while actually engaged in the performance of
3    the duties of their employment or commuting between their
4    homes and places of employment; and watchmen while actually
5    engaged in the performance of the duties of their
6    employment.
7        (5) Persons licensed as private security contractors,
8    private detectives, or private alarm contractors, or
9    employed by an agency certified by the Department of
10    Financial and Professional Regulation, if their duties
11    include the carrying of a weapon under the provisions of
12    the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security,
13    Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004, while
14    actually engaged in the performance of the duties of their
15    employment or commuting between their homes and places of
16    employment, provided that such commuting is accomplished
17    within one hour from departure from home or place of
18    employment, as the case may be. A person shall be
19    considered eligible for this exemption if he or she has
20    completed the required 20 hours of training for a private
21    security contractor, private detective, or private alarm
22    contractor, or employee of a licensed agency and 20 hours
23    of required firearm training, and has been issued a firearm
24    control card by the Department of Financial and
25    Professional Regulation. Conditions for the renewal of
26    firearm control cards issued under the provisions of this

 

 

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1    Section shall be the same as for those cards issued under
2    the provisions of the Private Detective, Private Alarm,
3    Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of
4    2004. The firearm control card shall be carried by the
5    private security contractor, private detective, or private
6    alarm contractor, or employee of the licensed agency at all
7    times when he or she is in possession of a concealable
8    weapon.
9        (6) Any person regularly employed in a commercial or
10    industrial operation as a security guard for the protection
11    of persons employed and private property related to such
12    commercial or industrial operation, while actually engaged
13    in the performance of his or her duty or traveling between
14    sites or properties belonging to the employer, and who, as
15    a security guard, is a member of a security force of at
16    least 5 persons registered with the Department of Financial
17    and Professional Regulation; provided that such security
18    guard has successfully completed a course of study,
19    approved by and supervised by the Department of Financial
20    and Professional Regulation, consisting of not less than 40
21    hours of training that includes the theory of law
22    enforcement, liability for acts, and the handling of
23    weapons. A person shall be considered eligible for this
24    exemption if he or she has completed the required 20 hours
25    of training for a security officer and 20 hours of required
26    firearm training, and has been issued a firearm control

 

 

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1    card by the Department of Financial and Professional
2    Regulation. Conditions for the renewal of firearm control
3    cards issued under the provisions of this Section shall be
4    the same as for those cards issued under the provisions of
5    the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security,
6    Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004. The firearm
7    control card shall be carried by the security guard at all
8    times when he or she is in possession of a concealable
9    weapon.
10        (7) Agents and investigators of the Illinois
11    Legislative Investigating Commission authorized by the
12    Commission to carry the weapons specified in subsections
13    24-1(a)(3) and 24-1(a)(4), while on duty in the course of
14    any investigation for the Commission.
15        (8) Persons employed by a financial institution for the
16    protection of other employees and property related to such
17    financial institution, while actually engaged in the
18    performance of their duties, commuting between their homes
19    and places of employment, or traveling between sites or
20    properties owned or operated by such financial
21    institution, provided that any person so employed has
22    successfully completed a course of study, approved by and
23    supervised by the Department of Financial and Professional
24    Regulation, consisting of not less than 40 hours of
25    training which includes theory of law enforcement,
26    liability for acts, and the handling of weapons. A person

 

 

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1    shall be considered to be eligible for this exemption if he
2    or she has completed the required 20 hours of training for
3    a security officer and 20 hours of required firearm
4    training, and has been issued a firearm control card by the
5    Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
6    Conditions for renewal of firearm control cards issued
7    under the provisions of this Section shall be the same as
8    for those issued under the provisions of the Private
9    Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint
10    Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004. Such firearm control
11    card shall be carried by the person so trained at all times
12    when such person is in possession of a concealable weapon.
13    For purposes of this subsection, "financial institution"
14    means a bank, savings and loan association, credit union or
15    company providing armored car services.
16        (9) Any person employed by an armored car company to
17    drive an armored car, while actually engaged in the
18    performance of his duties.
19        (10) Persons who have been classified as peace officers
20    pursuant to the Peace Officer Fire Investigation Act.
21        (11) Investigators of the Office of the State's
22    Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor authorized by the board of
23    governors of the Office of the State's Attorneys Appellate
24    Prosecutor to carry weapons pursuant to Section 7.06 of the
25    State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's Act.
26        (12) Special investigators appointed by a State's

 

 

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1    Attorney under Section 3-9005 of the Counties Code.
2        (12.5) Probation officers while in the performance of
3    their duties, or while commuting between their homes,
4    places of employment or specific locations that are part of
5    their assigned duties, with the consent of the chief judge
6    of the circuit for which they are employed, if they have
7    received weapons training according to requirements of the
8    Peace Officer and Probation Officer Firearm Training Act.
9        (13) Court Security Officers while in the performance
10    of their official duties, or while commuting between their
11    homes and places of employment, with the consent of the
12    Sheriff.
13        (13.5) A person employed as an armed security guard at
14    a nuclear energy, storage, weapons or development site or
15    facility regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
16    who has completed the background screening and training
17    mandated by the rules and regulations of the Nuclear
18    Regulatory Commission.
19        (14) Manufacture, transportation, or sale of weapons
20    to persons authorized under subdivisions (1) through
21    (13.5) of this subsection to possess those weapons.
22    (a-5) Subsections 24-1(a)(4) and 24-1(a)(10) do not apply
23to or affect any person carrying a concealed pistol, revolver,
24or handgun, stun gun, or taser and the person has been issued a
25currently valid license under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act
26at the time of the commission of the offense. The exemption

 

 

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1provided in this subsection (a-5) in relation to stun guns or
2tasers applies only if the licensee complies with the
3restrictions in Section 65 of the Firearm Concealed Carry Act
4with regard to possessing and carrying of the stun gun or
5taser.
6    (b) Subsections 24-1(a)(4) and 24-1(a)(10) and Section
724-1.6 do not apply to or affect any of the following:
8        (1) Members of any club or organization organized for
9    the purpose of practicing shooting at targets upon
10    established target ranges, whether public or private, and
11    patrons of such ranges, while such members or patrons are
12    using their firearms on those target ranges.
13        (2) Duly authorized military or civil organizations
14    while parading, with the special permission of the
15    Governor.
16        (3) Hunters, trappers or fishermen with a license or
17    permit while engaged in hunting, trapping or fishing.
18        (4) Transportation of weapons that are broken down in a
19    non-functioning state or are not immediately accessible.
20        (5) Carrying or possessing any pistol, revolver, stun
21    gun or taser or other firearm on the land or in the legal
22    dwelling of another person as an invitee with that person's
23    permission.
24    (c) Subsection 24-1(a)(7) does not apply to or affect any
25of the following:
26        (1) Peace officers while in performance of their

 

 

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1    official duties.
2        (2) Wardens, superintendents and keepers of prisons,
3    penitentiaries, jails and other institutions for the
4    detention of persons accused or convicted of an offense.
5        (3) Members of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of
6    the United States or the Illinois National Guard, while in
7    the performance of their official duty.
8        (4) Manufacture, transportation, or sale of machine
9    guns to persons authorized under subdivisions (1) through
10    (3) of this subsection to possess machine guns, if the
11    machine guns are broken down in a non-functioning state or
12    are not immediately accessible.
13        (5) Persons licensed under federal law to manufacture
14    any weapon from which 8 or more shots or bullets can be
15    discharged by a single function of the firing device, or
16    ammunition for such weapons, and actually engaged in the
17    business of manufacturing such weapons or ammunition, but
18    only with respect to activities which are within the lawful
19    scope of such business, such as the manufacture,
20    transportation, or testing of such weapons or ammunition.
21    This exemption does not authorize the general private
22    possession of any weapon from which 8 or more shots or
23    bullets can be discharged by a single function of the
24    firing device, but only such possession and activities as
25    are within the lawful scope of a licensed manufacturing
26    business described in this paragraph.

 

 

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1        During transportation, such weapons shall be broken
2    down in a non-functioning state or not immediately
3    accessible.
4        (6) The manufacture, transport, testing, delivery,
5    transfer or sale, and all lawful commercial or experimental
6    activities necessary thereto, of rifles, shotguns, and
7    weapons made from rifles or shotguns, or ammunition for
8    such rifles, shotguns or weapons, where engaged in by a
9    person operating as a contractor or subcontractor pursuant
10    to a contract or subcontract for the development and supply
11    of such rifles, shotguns, weapons or ammunition to the
12    United States government or any branch of the Armed Forces
13    of the United States, when such activities are necessary
14    and incident to fulfilling the terms of such contract.
15        The exemption granted under this subdivision (c)(6)
16    shall also apply to any authorized agent of any such
17    contractor or subcontractor who is operating within the
18    scope of his employment, where such activities involving
19    such weapon, weapons or ammunition are necessary and
20    incident to fulfilling the terms of such contract.
21        (7) A person possessing a rifle with a barrel or
22    barrels less than 16 inches in length if: (A) the person
23    has been issued a Curios and Relics license from the U.S.
24    Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; or (B)
25    the person is an active member of a bona fide, nationally
26    recognized military re-enacting group and the modification

 

 

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1    is required and necessary to accurately portray the weapon
2    for historical re-enactment purposes; the re-enactor is in
3    possession of a valid and current re-enacting group
4    membership credential; and the overall length of the weapon
5    as modified is not less than 26 inches.
6    (d) Subsection 24-1(a)(1) does not apply to the purchase,
7possession or carrying of a black-jack, or slung-shot, or a
8switchblade knife by a peace officer.
9    (d-5) The provisions of subsection 24-1(a)(1) prohibiting
10the purchase, possession, or carrying of a knife, commonly
11referred to as a switchblade knife, which has a blade that
12opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button,
13spring, or other device in the handle of the knife, do not
14apply to or affect any person who has been issued a currently
15valid license under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act at the time
16of the commission of the offense; however, this exemption
17applies only if the licensee complies with the restrictions in
18Section 65 of the Firearm Concealed Carry Act with respect to
19possessing or carrying the switchblade knife. The provisions of
20subsection 24-1(a)(1) prohibiting the manufacture or sales of a
21switchblade knife do not apply to or affect the manufacture or
22retail sale of a switchblade knife to a retired law enforcement
23officer who is permitted to carry a concealed firearm under 18
24U.S.C. 926C or to any person who has been issued a currently
25valid license under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act at the time
26of the commission of the offense.

 

 

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1    (d-6) The provisions of subsection 24-1(a)(1) prohibiting
2the purchase, possession, or carrying of a switchblade knife
3and subsections 24-1(a)(4) and 24-1(a)(10) and Section 24-1.6
4prohibiting the possession or carrying of a stun gun or taser
5do not apply to or affect the possession or carrying of a stun
6gun, taser, or switchblade knife by a retired law enforcement
7officer who is permitted to carry a concealed firearm under 18
8U.S.C. 926C in a manner provided for the carrying of a
9concealed firearm by a licensee under the Firearm Concealed
10Carry Act.
11    (e) Subsection 24-1(a)(8) does not apply to any owner,
12manager or authorized employee of any place specified in that
13subsection nor to any law enforcement officer.
14    (f) Subsection 24-1(a)(4) and subsection 24-1(a)(10) and
15Section 24-1.6 do not apply to members of any club or
16organization organized for the purpose of practicing shooting
17at targets upon established target ranges, whether public or
18private, while using their firearms on those target ranges.
19    (g) Subsections 24-1(a)(11) and 24-3.1(a)(6) do not apply
20to:
21        (1) Members of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of
22    the United States or the Illinois National Guard, while in
23    the performance of their official duty.
24        (2) Bonafide collectors of antique or surplus military
25    ordinance.
26        (3) Laboratories having a department of forensic

 

 

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1    ballistics, or specializing in the development of
2    ammunition or explosive ordinance.
3        (4) Commerce, preparation, assembly or possession of
4    explosive bullets by manufacturers of ammunition licensed
5    by the federal government, in connection with the supply of
6    those organizations and persons exempted by subdivision
7    (g)(1) of this Section, or like organizations and persons
8    outside this State, or the transportation of explosive
9    bullets to any organization or person exempted in this
10    Section by a common carrier or by a vehicle owned or leased
11    by an exempted manufacturer.
12    (g-5) Subsection 24-1(a)(6) does not apply to or affect
13persons licensed under federal law to manufacture any device or
14attachment of any kind designed, used, or intended for use in
15silencing the report of any firearm, firearms, or ammunition
16for those firearms equipped with those devices, and actually
17engaged in the business of manufacturing those devices,
18firearms, or ammunition, but only with respect to activities
19that are within the lawful scope of that business, such as the
20manufacture, transportation, or testing of those devices,
21firearms, or ammunition. This exemption does not authorize the
22general private possession of any device or attachment of any
23kind designed, used, or intended for use in silencing the
24report of any firearm, but only such possession and activities
25as are within the lawful scope of a licensed manufacturing
26business described in this subsection (g-5). During

 

 

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1transportation, these devices shall be detached from any weapon
2or not immediately accessible.
3    (g-6) Subsections 24-1(a)(4) and 24-1(a)(10) and Section
424-1.6 do not apply to or affect any parole agent or parole
5supervisor who meets the qualifications and conditions
6prescribed in Section 3-14-1.5 of the Unified Code of
7Corrections.
8    (g-7) Subsection 24-1(a)(6) does not apply to a peace
9officer while serving as a member of a tactical response team
10or special operations team. A peace officer may not personally
11own or apply for ownership of a device or attachment of any
12kind designed, used, or intended for use in silencing the
13report of any firearm. These devices shall be owned and
14maintained by lawfully recognized units of government whose
15duties include the investigation of criminal acts.
16    (g-10) Subsections 24-1(a)(4), 24-1(a)(8), and
1724-1(a)(10), and Sections 24-1.6 and 24-3.1 do not apply to an
18athlete's possession, transport on official Olympic and
19Paralympic transit systems established for athletes, or use of
20competition firearms sanctioned by the International Olympic
21Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, the
22International Shooting Sport Federation, or USA Shooting in
23connection with such athlete's training for and participation
24in shooting competitions at the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic
25Games and sanctioned test events leading up to the 2016 Olympic
26and Paralympic Games.

 

 

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1    (h) An information or indictment based upon a violation of
2any subsection of this Article need not negative any exemptions
3contained in this Article. The defendant shall have the burden
4of proving such an exemption.
5    (i) Nothing in this Article shall prohibit, apply to, or
6affect the transportation, carrying, or possession, of any
7pistol or revolver, stun gun, taser, or other firearm consigned
8to a common carrier operating under license of the State of
9Illinois or the federal government, where such transportation,
10carrying, or possession is incident to the lawful
11transportation in which such common carrier is engaged; and
12nothing in this Article shall prohibit, apply to, or affect the
13transportation, carrying, or possession of any pistol,
14revolver, stun gun, taser, or other firearm, not the subject of
15and regulated by subsection 24-1(a)(7) or subsection 24-2(c) of
16this Article, which is unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm
17carrying box, shipping box, or other container, by the
18possessor of a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card.
19(Source: P.A. 97-465, eff. 8-22-11; 97-676, eff. 6-1-12;
2097-936, eff. 1-1-13; 97-1010, eff. 1-1-13; 98-63, eff. 7-9-13;
2198-463, eff. 8-16-13; 98-725, eff. 1-1-15.)
 
22    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
23becoming law.