By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Counties within the state have gotten involved on pushing forward legislation that would allow residents to carry concealed weapons.

“This is not a county board decision, it’s a decision to support putting the question on the ballot and tell the General Assembly what to do,” Jefferson County Chairman Ted Buck said. “Some county boards have also recommended putting the question on the Nov. 4 or the April 7 ballot advising the General Assembly for whether there should be [concealed] carry or not.”

Concealed carry is authorizing private citizens to carry a handgun, either on their person or in close proximity. According to Buck, the District of Columbia, Illinois and Wisconsin are the only places which do not have concealed carry. Wisconsin allows for open carry, and Illinois only allows open carry in rural areas subject to county restriction.

The legislation which has prompted to move for counties to pass resolutions asking for the right for citizens to vote is House Bill 1304, which was introduced by Southern Illinois Representative John Bradley. The bill was introduced in February 2007, but has been mired down and re-referred to the Rules Committee numerous times and receive action deadline extensions on several occasions.

The proposed bill would establish standards for the issuance of permits to carry concealed firearms in the state, gives the Illinois State Police authority to issue permits to qualified applicants, requires an applicant to complete a training course in handgun use, safety and marksmanship, instruction in the law relating to firearm use and creates the Citizen Safety and Self-Deffense Trust Fund which would be used to administer the law.

According to Jefferson County Sheriff Roger Mulch, states which allow conceal carry have presented the issue in two ways — one which allows residents to carry a weapon on their person and hidden — and open carry in plain view, which is popular in the Western states, Mulch said.

Board member Pat Garrett, when presented with the resolution to put the question on the ballot, asked the question: “What are the benefits to the general welfare of the public with this resolution?”

Buck said in his research he discovered there has been a 13.2 percent decrease in the crime rate where concealed carry has been approved, “and for me that is sufficient,” Buck said.

“The first responder today would be a deputy, if this passes, the victim would be the first responder,” Buck added.

Board member Fred Edwards said the resolution is not about whether the individual board members agree or disagree with concealed carry.

“This is just to support allowing people to vote,” Edwards said. “We’re not deciding if we’re for or against it.”

“Do we ask voters to do it just because we can or because we have a good reason?” Garrett asked again.

State Senator John O. Jones, R-Mt. Vernon, has introduced legislation regarding concealed carry each term he has been in office, with the legislation also becoming mired down in the Rules Committee each session. Senate Bill 0348 was also introduced in February 2007, and would establish the Family and Personal Protection Act. The act would establish standards for issuance of permits to carry concealed firearms to qualified applicants.

Like the Bradley legislation in the House, the act would require an applicant to complete a course in handgun use, safety and marksmanship and instruction in the law relating to firearm use. The act would also require an applicant be at least 21 years old, prohibits an applicant from being a convicted felon or anyone with a history of mental illness, addiction or habitual alcohol use.

The act also would create the Citizen Safety and Self-Defense Trust Fund in each county and administered by the county sheriff while providing funds for administration. In addition the Senate act includes established standards for training courses and certifying instructors to give the courses used as part of the permit process.

The Jefferson County Board voted to pass the resolution asking the General Assembly to put the issue on the ballot for Illinois voters. According to Buck, the only counties which haven’t yet passed the resolution is Sangamon, the Metro-East area and Cook County.