Hey folks, the Fall Veto Session is upon us and the questions on many minds are:
Will Rep. Phelps bring HB 148 to the floor again?
and: Has it gained the needed support?
I'm confident that at least one vote of support has been added, based on reports from "up North" concerning a very thoughtful young Rep. who seems to actually REPRESENT his constituency.
There were a few Town Hall type meetings over the past few months that have illustrated the overwhelming public support for RTC in IL, perhaps those in office have taken note and will rethink their personal positions.
Considering all of the support HB 148 has received from Law Enforcement bodies, it should be a no-brainer to support the bill, but we can't get complacent about it either.
Please call, write, email or send smoke signals to YOUR Rep. and make sure they know that We, the People want RTC in IL....just like the other 49 states! Hopefully, you've remained in contact with them throughout the summer and they already know!
If they don't support it, remember them at election time!
Showing posts with label HB148. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HB148. Show all posts
Monday, October 24, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Legislators respond, Suits filed and more!
The past week has been especially busy: dealing with the disappointment of HB148 not receiving 71 votes, final exams and everything else.
The week did see a few people get responses from their legislators concerning their "no" vote on HB148. It seems that fear of their constituents having guns continues to plague these folks, perhaps they should practice being more responsible citizens themselves?
One member over at illinoiscarry.com gives his take on what most of these responses boil down to:
Anyway.... Yesterday we learned that both the NRA and the SAF have filed suit against the state of IL and the total ban on carrying a firearm for defense. All I can say is: OUTSTANDING!
Rep. Phelps warned the legislators that if they didn't pass HB148 they could count on seeing the matter in court at great cost to the state, glad to see that not much time was wasted in making that happen.
I'm not familiar with the plaintiffs named in the SAF suit, but I am familiar with the story of Mary Shepard, the NRA/ISRA plaintiff. Mary and her coworker were attacked in a church, brutally beaten and left for dead. (You can see a video of Mary telling her story in a previous post)
Hats off to Mary and the other plaintiffs, it takes a lot of courage to go forward with something like this and I'm sure it will be painful for Mary to relive her ordeal for the courts to see.
Best of luck to all the plaintiffs, their suits will impact all Illinois residents.
In the meantime, maybe the House can see the writing on the wall and see fit to pass HB148 if Rep. Phelps would like to bring it up again? Sure would save a lot of court costs!
Find more info at the respective links below:
SAF Complaint
NRA/ILA press release
The week did see a few people get responses from their legislators concerning their "no" vote on HB148. It seems that fear of their constituents having guns continues to plague these folks, perhaps they should practice being more responsible citizens themselves?
One member over at illinoiscarry.com gives his take on what most of these responses boil down to:
Dear so and so, thank you for voicing your concerns with me. Illinoisans, such as yourself, are too stupid to take their responsibilities into their own hands, therefore I will do it for you. I am the ruling class, you are the pee-on class. Please contact me with any further concerns you have so that I can put you back into your place again!After reading some of the responses the "no" voters sent out, I have to agree that this is exactly what they seem to be saying. I hope to see them voted out in the next election cycle. Especially the ones that had said they would be "yes" votes and then folded on us. (Are you listening Ms. Davis?)
Anyway.... Yesterday we learned that both the NRA and the SAF have filed suit against the state of IL and the total ban on carrying a firearm for defense. All I can say is: OUTSTANDING!
Rep. Phelps warned the legislators that if they didn't pass HB148 they could count on seeing the matter in court at great cost to the state, glad to see that not much time was wasted in making that happen.
I'm not familiar with the plaintiffs named in the SAF suit, but I am familiar with the story of Mary Shepard, the NRA/ISRA plaintiff. Mary and her coworker were attacked in a church, brutally beaten and left for dead. (You can see a video of Mary telling her story in a previous post)
Hats off to Mary and the other plaintiffs, it takes a lot of courage to go forward with something like this and I'm sure it will be painful for Mary to relive her ordeal for the courts to see.
Best of luck to all the plaintiffs, their suits will impact all Illinois residents.
In the meantime, maybe the House can see the writing on the wall and see fit to pass HB148 if Rep. Phelps would like to bring it up again? Sure would save a lot of court costs!
Find more info at the respective links below:
SAF Complaint
NRA/ILA press release
Sunday, May 1, 2011
One more PUSH!
Alright folks, the ever popular HB 0148 (Family and Personal Protection Act - AKA Concealed carry)
has a vote deadline of May 6, 2011. The House is recessed until May 3, leaving a total of four (4) days for this to be voted on in the House.
Todd Vandermyde and others have been working tirelessly to rewrite this bill to satisfy some minor concerns with the IL Chiefs of Police and the Universities and he feels that it's ready.
Because the Bill will override Chicago's existing gun laws, it will require a super-majority to pass; this means 71 votes in the House. There are about 40 co-sponsors on board so it definitely has some potential, but we can't lay down and relax just yet.
The Bill has the support and endorsement of four (4) major law enforcement groups and a mass Transit Union in Chicago. I am yet to speak to any officer on the street that does not support this bill....and I have done everything I know to do to get fence-sitters on board, with pretty good results.
We need YOU to pick up the phone tomorrow and call the offices of those Representatives that aren't sponsoring and tell them that you want this Bill to PASS! Let them know that you are tired of being the ONLY state in the Union that doesn't allow its citizens to protect themselves away from their homes.
Here, you can read the Bill, as amended and see the list of sponsors: Link to HB 0148 at ILGA.gov
If a person is not listed as a sponsor, call them, fax them, email them! This applies to every one of them, as this affects every one of us.
Here you will find the names of all House Reps., click on their name to get their contact info (call both Springfield and their home offices): http://www.ilga.gov/house/
Eat at your desk this week and call during your lunch hour. Email before you leave the house, fax as you can. Just DO SOMETHING!
One day, when your children grow and can legally protect themselves, you can proudly say "I helped make that happen".
has a vote deadline of May 6, 2011. The House is recessed until May 3, leaving a total of four (4) days for this to be voted on in the House.
Todd Vandermyde and others have been working tirelessly to rewrite this bill to satisfy some minor concerns with the IL Chiefs of Police and the Universities and he feels that it's ready.
Because the Bill will override Chicago's existing gun laws, it will require a super-majority to pass; this means 71 votes in the House. There are about 40 co-sponsors on board so it definitely has some potential, but we can't lay down and relax just yet.
The Bill has the support and endorsement of four (4) major law enforcement groups and a mass Transit Union in Chicago. I am yet to speak to any officer on the street that does not support this bill....and I have done everything I know to do to get fence-sitters on board, with pretty good results.
We need YOU to pick up the phone tomorrow and call the offices of those Representatives that aren't sponsoring and tell them that you want this Bill to PASS! Let them know that you are tired of being the ONLY state in the Union that doesn't allow its citizens to protect themselves away from their homes.
Here, you can read the Bill, as amended and see the list of sponsors: Link to HB 0148 at ILGA.gov
If a person is not listed as a sponsor, call them, fax them, email them! This applies to every one of them, as this affects every one of us.
Here you will find the names of all House Reps., click on their name to get their contact info (call both Springfield and their home offices): http://www.ilga.gov/house/
Eat at your desk this week and call during your lunch hour. Email before you leave the house, fax as you can. Just DO SOMETHING!
One day, when your children grow and can legally protect themselves, you can proudly say "I helped make that happen".
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Open Letter to IL House of Representatives
Hi folks, I may get called out for being lazy today, but I wanted to share this letter with you (with the author's permission, of course).
It was written by BudMan5 from the IllinoisCarry.com forums and is one of the most well thought out letters I have read so far.
It was written by BudMan5 from the IllinoisCarry.com forums and is one of the most well thought out letters I have read so far.
After reading, feel free to swing by the forums, join up and help with the cause!
Dear Illinois Representatives.
I am a retired Illinois Police Chief and a retired US Army First Sergeant as well as being a lifelong Illinois resident.
I am writing to all of you, en masse, because in my mind, all of you are representing me regardless of from which District you were elected.
From my personal experience, I want to stress to you that laws forbidding the right to carry a concealed weapon only affect law abiding citizens. The only thing those laws accomplish is to ensure that criminals have available victims.
It is easy to confirm that laws banning concealed carry by merely examining the Cities where laws have banned possession. Our own Chicago leads the list in violent crimes even though a total ban on possession of firearms in Chicago was in effect for more than forty years.
The anti-gun folks are always referring to the “NRA and the gun lobby”, but they never come out and admit that the ‘gun lobby’ is actually composed of every day citizens, just like you and me.
The continuous claims that “blood will run in the streets” has not happened in any of the other forty-eight States that have already enacted concealed carry laws. Why does the Illinois General Assembly consider Illinois citizens different from the rest of the country?
President John F. Kennedy, in Profiles in Courage, profiles senators who crossed party lines and/or defied the public opinion of their constituents to do what they felt was right. Our Constitution describes the right to keep and bear arms as a fundamental right and that right has recently been confirmed by the United States Supreme Court. President Kennedy was also a Life member of the National Rifle Association.
I ask you each to examine your conscience concerning this issue. I am asking each of you to decide, not as your party dictates, but on what is right or wrong and what the people of Illinois really want.
I already can legally carry a concealed firearm because of the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act. My Illinois concealed carry permit, authorized by the Illinois General Assembly, states on its’ face, “For those who have served and earned the privilege”.
In my mind, I earned the right bear arms as a result of my American citizenship as did my wife and son and all of the other American citizens living in Illinois. The citizens of Illinois deserve the same right granted to Americans all across the country. The right of self-defense.
There are times in all our lives when we are offered the choice of making a decision based on what is right or wrong, good or bad. This is a time to choose the very hard right and good decision and not the easy bad or wrong decision.
BudMan5
Consumer right to privacy more important than gun owners' rights?
Apparently IL Attorney General Lisa Madigan feels that consumers' privacy rights are worth protecting, even though the privacy of IL gun owners isn't.
She wants to know what Apple and Google are doing with info gathered from personal electronic devices, in the interest of protecting privacy. I'm sorry, but just a short time ago she wanted to release the name of every gun owner in the state......how the hell does this make any sense at all?
Color me baffled.
In other news....
More public support for HB 148!!!
A Chicago Transit Union has the four police organizations in their support of IL citizens' RTC and have published a letter to the GA, which you can see by clicking the PDF link on this page.
She wants to know what Apple and Google are doing with info gathered from personal electronic devices, in the interest of protecting privacy. I'm sorry, but just a short time ago she wanted to release the name of every gun owner in the state......how the hell does this make any sense at all?
Color me baffled.
In other news....
More public support for HB 148!!!
A Chicago Transit Union has the four police organizations in their support of IL citizens' RTC and have published a letter to the GA, which you can see by clicking the PDF link on this page.
Monday, April 18, 2011
More lies....
Looks like the Illinois Council to Prevent Gun Violence has decided to throw out some lies in hopes of influencing the uninformed.
They (ICPGV) have published a couple of fliers asking legislators to oppose HB148 and they are citing the bad numbers from the VPC that I mentioned in a previous post.
Not only that, but they have the audacity to say that the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police oppose HB148.... Funny, I seem to remember the IACOP coming out in FAVOR of HB148. In public. A month ago.
Oh, how about a five page article (dated yesterday) detailing the road to the IACOP coming to support the bill?
Read about it here!
This is just more proof that they'll say anything to get their way, even if it gets defenseless people killed.
If you'd like to see some intelligent folks refute the VPC numbers (and read the tripe that ICPGV is publishing) then point your browser to this thread over at Illinois Carry.
They (ICPGV) have published a couple of fliers asking legislators to oppose HB148 and they are citing the bad numbers from the VPC that I mentioned in a previous post.
Not only that, but they have the audacity to say that the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police oppose HB148.... Funny, I seem to remember the IACOP coming out in FAVOR of HB148. In public. A month ago.
Oh, how about a five page article (dated yesterday) detailing the road to the IACOP coming to support the bill?
Read about it here!
This is just more proof that they'll say anything to get their way, even if it gets defenseless people killed.
If you'd like to see some intelligent folks refute the VPC numbers (and read the tripe that ICPGV is publishing) then point your browser to this thread over at Illinois Carry.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Daley: Some things never change.
Looks like soon-to-be "former" Mayor Daley has really lost it this time, comparing the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to his vision of law abiding residents carrying concealed weapons.
Apparently Daley isn't keen to the fact that 49 other states do allow their citizens the right to protect themselves. More likely, he just chooses to ignore this and spew his vile opinion in hopes that his subjects don't know the facts.
Well, Mayor Daley, your opinion is just that, yours...and it stinks. I'm sure you'll remember a little Supreme Court decision from last year (McDonald v Chicago) that verifies what most Americans already knew: The Second Amendment is an individual right.
Of course, he may not be of the same opinion if he didn't have a squad of armed guards with him when he walks out his front door each morning.
Anyway, here's one article about the situation, be sure to check out the comments at the bottom of the page.
wbez story
Even more nonsense: WLS Chicago In this one, the Mayor says that concealed weapons will create more problems, just ask any police officer.
Hmm, I guess that's why the Chicago Police Lieutenants Association just published a letter in SUPPORT of HB 148. Clearly, no one from the Mayor's office sent them the memo to quietly fall in line.
(If you're keeping score, that makes 4 major law enforcement groups that support it, see previous posts)
Apparently Daley isn't keen to the fact that 49 other states do allow their citizens the right to protect themselves. More likely, he just chooses to ignore this and spew his vile opinion in hopes that his subjects don't know the facts.
Well, Mayor Daley, your opinion is just that, yours...and it stinks. I'm sure you'll remember a little Supreme Court decision from last year (McDonald v Chicago) that verifies what most Americans already knew: The Second Amendment is an individual right.
Of course, he may not be of the same opinion if he didn't have a squad of armed guards with him when he walks out his front door each morning.
Anyway, here's one article about the situation, be sure to check out the comments at the bottom of the page.
wbez story
Even more nonsense: WLS Chicago In this one, the Mayor says that concealed weapons will create more problems, just ask any police officer.
Hmm, I guess that's why the Chicago Police Lieutenants Association just published a letter in SUPPORT of HB 148. Clearly, no one from the Mayor's office sent them the memo to quietly fall in line.
(If you're keeping score, that makes 4 major law enforcement groups that support it, see previous posts)
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
RTC gets even more support!
Just listened to Todd Vandermyde (NRA lobbyist for IL) on Cam & Company and he says that HB 148 (Family and Personal Protection Act, AKA Firearms - Concealed Carry) got a nice bit of support today from the Illinois Chief of Police Association.
The Chiefs Association had shown some support earlier in the month but did ask for a small change or two in the bill, sounds like the main one being "duty to inform". This means that a person with a concealed carry permit must tell an officer that they are armed during a traffic stop, etc.
Apparently some of the Chicago area Chiefs, who don't typically attend the Chiefs meetings, arrived in efforts to sway the vote...but it didn't work. Rumor has it that the Chicago Machine is running around like their hair is on fire!
So, for the record, HB 148 now has the support of the following police organizations:
So far the ISP remain neutral.
Don't think the battle is won though, stay on the phones, write emails and letters....try to get YOUR elected officials to support and co-sponsor HB 148! If they already do, THANK them!
My thanks to the the law enforcement agencies listed above for standing up for what's right and just.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
IL HB148, step one: Complete!
For those that may not have heard, Illinois HB148 "Family and Personal Protection Act" (concealed carry) was passed through committee today by a 12 - 2 vote.
Many folks turned out to testify in support of the bill; some were expected but at least one group was a pleasant surprise....the Chicago Police Sergeants' Association has now officially shown their support!
(Rumor is, Mayor Daley is less than happy about this... He's on his way out so he can be as unhappy as he wants)
This completes the first step in bringing IL into line with the rest of the country and taking our state back from the criminals. Now we must continue to push as this still has to get a full House vote and so forth.
How can you help? Get active and don't just "hope", that's the key! Below are my suggestions of how you can do your part.
Attend IGOLD (Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day) this Thursday, March 10 and let Springfield and the rest of the state hear YOUR voice. Bring a friend or two or twenty.
Send a quick email or phone call of "THANKS" to the folks on the House Ag. and Conservation Committee that voted "yes" to send the bill on.
Send a polite email or call to the two dissenting votes and encourage them to vote "yes" when it comes to the floor. They need to understand that the PEOPLE want this!
(The "No" votes were from Representatives Flowers and Burke...I will post contact info links below)
Continue to call those legislators that are on the fence or are "no" voters and explain that we want our Constitutional Rights to be recognized. Ask them to support HB148 and co-sponsor it. Lets really burn up the phone lines!
It wouldn't hurt to call and thank the legislators that do support and cosponsor the bill, but no need to really get after them as much as those that might not be in support.
Join the ISRA (Il State Rifle Assn) if you can afford it (we all know that times are tough).
Join the NRA if you can afford it, they have seen fit to put Todd Vandermyde at the pointy end of the spear on this as a full time lobbyist for IL gun owners. Todd does a great job and you can bet he'd appreciate a "thanks" anytime. (You can thank him at the Illinois Carry link below)
Join Illinois Carry and donate if you can afford it. Otherwise, participate in the forums and ask how you can help in any way, someone will gladly show you the ropes.
Contact info for the members of House Ag. and Conservation Committee:
http://www.ilga.gov/house/committees/members.asp?GA=97&committeeID=922
Further info on the IL General Assembly: http://www.ilga.gov/
Illinois State Rifle Association and more info on IGOLD: http://isra.org/
National Rifle Association: http://www.nra.org
Illinois Carry: http://www.illinoiscarry.com
Let's keep the ball rolling!
Many folks turned out to testify in support of the bill; some were expected but at least one group was a pleasant surprise....the Chicago Police Sergeants' Association has now officially shown their support!
(Rumor is, Mayor Daley is less than happy about this... He's on his way out so he can be as unhappy as he wants)
This completes the first step in bringing IL into line with the rest of the country and taking our state back from the criminals. Now we must continue to push as this still has to get a full House vote and so forth.
How can you help? Get active and don't just "hope", that's the key! Below are my suggestions of how you can do your part.
Attend IGOLD (Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day) this Thursday, March 10 and let Springfield and the rest of the state hear YOUR voice. Bring a friend or two or twenty.
Send a quick email or phone call of "THANKS" to the folks on the House Ag. and Conservation Committee that voted "yes" to send the bill on.
Send a polite email or call to the two dissenting votes and encourage them to vote "yes" when it comes to the floor. They need to understand that the PEOPLE want this!
(The "No" votes were from Representatives Flowers and Burke...I will post contact info links below)
Continue to call those legislators that are on the fence or are "no" voters and explain that we want our Constitutional Rights to be recognized. Ask them to support HB148 and co-sponsor it. Lets really burn up the phone lines!
It wouldn't hurt to call and thank the legislators that do support and cosponsor the bill, but no need to really get after them as much as those that might not be in support.
Join the ISRA (Il State Rifle Assn) if you can afford it (we all know that times are tough).
Join the NRA if you can afford it, they have seen fit to put Todd Vandermyde at the pointy end of the spear on this as a full time lobbyist for IL gun owners. Todd does a great job and you can bet he'd appreciate a "thanks" anytime. (You can thank him at the Illinois Carry link below)
Join Illinois Carry and donate if you can afford it. Otherwise, participate in the forums and ask how you can help in any way, someone will gladly show you the ropes.
Contact info for the members of House Ag. and Conservation Committee:
http://www.ilga.gov/house/committees/members.asp?GA=97&committeeID=922
Further info on the IL General Assembly: http://www.ilga.gov/
Illinois State Rifle Association and more info on IGOLD: http://isra.org/
National Rifle Association: http://www.nra.org
Illinois Carry: http://www.illinoiscarry.com
Let's keep the ball rolling!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)