Ill. Senate Panel Advances Stricter Gun-Carry Bill

The Illinois Senate Executive Committee is approving a Democratic plan to allow the public possession of firearms.

Majority Democrats on the committee drove the 10-6 vote in favor of the bill by Sen. Kwame Raoul. Raoul said he doesn't know how many votes he has on the floor or when he'll call it.

The legislation doesn't include a provision that overrides all local ordinances on firearms -- such as Chicago's assault-weapons ban.

That's the hallmark of a proposal the House passed overwhelmingly just last week.

The proposal was brokered by House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, as a way to abide by a federal appeals court's ruling that ordered the state to adopt a concealed-carry law by June 9. But the plan drew swift opposition after it was unveiled this week, with Gov. Pat Quinn's office calling it a "massive overreach" because of the way it would curb local firearms regulations.

The Senate panel defeated that plan.

Sen. Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat, says such a pre-emption is "a bridge too far."

Raoul's measure also prohibits carrying guns wherever alcohol is served for consumption. 

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