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Statehouse split on need for more gun control

Posted February 15, 2008 10:00 pm

GUN CONTROL PROS AND CONS

Schock: State needs 'concealed carry'

A state lawmaker and congressional candidate says recent shooting sprees that killed people at Northern Illinois University and a Chicago-area shopping center might have had "different outcomes" if Illinois law allowed citizens to carry concealed firearms.

Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria, has proposed the Family and Personal Protection Act, which would require individuals to complete a training course in handgun use, safety and marksmanship before they could get a concealed-carry permit. The legislation, House Bill 4544, hasn't yet been considered in the General Assembly.

"I can't imagine a more helpless feeling than being in a classroom or in a shopping center and having someone walk in with a weapon and start opening fire," said Schock, who also is running for the 18th District Congressional seat now held by retiring Rep. Ray LaHood.

"It's events like that where some would suggest that more gun laws may be required. I would suggest the opposite. I often wonder how those events might have been changed had somebody been, in either of the two places, able to defend themselves and maybe, perhaps, either of the two perpetrators might have thought twice if they thought perhaps one of the victims might be armed themselves.

"I think it's fair to say that there may have been different outcomes at both of these two instances, had there been individuals there who had a concealed weapon, who would have been in a position to defend themselves, instead of the helpless state that they were in."

Rep. Mike Smith, D-Canton, said he also favors a concealed-carry law for Illinois, but doesn't think it will pass anytime soon.

"The General Assembly is pretty fairly divided (on the issue), as is, I think, the public in Illinois," Smith said.

Other cite need for more gun control

Some state lawmakers said Friday the tragedy at Northern Illinois University might have been averted if Illinois had stricter gun-control laws.

"People can get as many guns as they want," said Sen. Mattie Hunter, D-Chicago. "There should be a cooling-off period to allow authorities the time to do more extensive mental-health and criminal-background checks. Most of the people purchasing more than one gun a month don't qualify for the first gun."

Senate Bill 102 and House Bill 4393 would prohibit multiple sales of handguns within a 30-day period. The Senate bill has been stalled for almost a year. The House bill, which is identical, could be considered as soon as Feb. 21 by the House Executive Committee.

According to an Associated Press report, police learned that a week ago, the NIU gunman, Stephen Kazmierczak, walked into a Champaign gun store and purchased two weapons - a Remington shotgun and a Glock 9mm handgun. He bought two other handguns at the same shop on Aug. 6.

Sen. Martin Sandoval, a Cicero Democrat who is cosponsoring SB102, spent part of Friday with the family of one of the victims, Catalina Garcia, 20, of Cicero.

"No family should have to bury their child, especially as the result as something as unnerving as what happened at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech," Sandoval said. "I think that if some of this legislation had passed, I believe there would be less of a propensity for situations like this to occur. I support law-abiding citizens owning guns to protect their homes."

Legislation either way will be difficult

Some area lawmakers said the shootings, tragic as they are, will not change the outcome of gun legislation, either stricter controls or conceal and carry.

"I think what you find is both sides just dig in and use the issue to argue their point of view," said Rep. Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield. "There's arguments that go back and forth, and they typically don't persuade too many legislators."

"Every time an incident like this occurs, you hear more and more people talk about additional gun-control laws," said Rep. Rich Myers, R-Colchester. "I think when you really look at the situation, it was the individual, not the gun. In most cases, the criminal element is going to have the guns anyway. I don't know how much additional gun-control legislation can impact that."

"Right now, I don't see any changes," said Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley. "We haven't had any changes in gun laws for 25 years, even though we've had a number of tragedies."

Compiled by staff writers Adriana Colindres, Doug Finke and Meagan Sexton.

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