HR0091 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0091 LRB098 08715 RLC 38839 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act is proposed legislation, currently pending before Congress, that would allow any person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm permit to carry a concealed firearm in any other state that issues concealed firearm permits, or that does not prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms for lawful purposes; and

WHEREAS, The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act passed the United States House of Representatives in 2011 by a vote of 272-154, and the bill has been reintroduced this year in the United States Senate; and

WHEREAS, Interstate reciprocity will protect the right to self-defense by providing law-abiding people with the ability to protect themselves not only in their home states, but anywhere they travel where concealed carry is legal; and

WHEREAS, The Attorneys General of 22 states and the territory of Guam recently wrote a letter of support for the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act urging the United States Senate to pass the bill; and

WHEREAS, Every state except Illinois currently either issues concealed carry permits or otherwise authorizes law-abiding people to carry firearms outside the home for self-defense; and

WHEREAS, Those states that currently have laws recognizing out-of-state concealed carry permits have found that people carrying concealed handguns under those laws have done so without any unusual problems; and

WHEREAS, Those states that currently have laws recognizing out-of-state concealed carry permits have found that law enforcement agencies have been able to authenticate out-of-state permits promptly; and

WHEREAS, Despite the popular support in Illinois for concealed carry and interstate reciprocity, and the overwhelmingly positive experiences of other states that currently recognize out-of-state concealed carry permits, the Illinois Attorney General recently wrote a letter to the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate urging them and their caucuses to oppose passage of the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge Congress to enact the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act in order to help protect law-abiding people's right to self-defense; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we oppose the Attorney General's unwarranted action in opposition to the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Illinois Attorney General, to the House Majority Leader and House Minority Leader of the United States Senate, and to each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.