State Representative Charlie Meier has introduced the ‘Second Amendment Heritage’ bill package which aims to fortify the 2nd Amendment rights of Illinois citizens.
He says the bill package pushes back against efforts by Chicago Democrats to strip rights from gun owners.
Meier says one of the bills would allow States Attorneys and judges to conceal carry into the courtrooms.
“Our judges, our states attorneys, they have to go into these courthouses, and people know where they live. They’re doing these trials, and they don’t feel safe. They want to be able to have a concealed carry on them as they’re going in and coming out. If we think they have the qualifications to be a judge or state’s attorney, I think they should be qualified to have a concealed carry permit.”
Another bill would lower the age to obtain a FOID card to 18. A third proposal would lower the price to obtain a replacement Conceal and Carry License from $75 to $5 to match the cost of replacing a drivers license.
Meier would like to base the cost of obtaining a firearm dealer permit on the size of the business.
“They want our small mom and pop gun stores to pay a huge licensing fee. They don’t do hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, they maybe do thirty thousand dollars a year, so we should address it to the size of the business.”
The final bill would make it easier for active-duty personnel stationed and living in Illinois to get a concealed carry permit.
Meier is also co-sponsoring legislation to repeal what he calls the state’s unconstitiutional gun ban and wants to ‘Void the FOID’ card.
