A gun owner whose lawsuit spurred the Illinois concealed carry law that took effect this week is asking a federal court to allow the public possession of firearms immediately.
Mary Shepard and the Illinois State Rifle Association filed a motion for an injunction Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for southern Illinois. Shepard's motion says gun owners should not have to wait to carry because of Illinois lawmakers' "procrastination."
A federal appeals court ruled in December that it's unconstitutional for Illinois to continue prohibiting concealed carry. But lawmakers finally adopted a plan Tuesday — the court's deadline.
Both the Illinois House and Senate on Tuesday voted to override Gov. Pat Quinn's revised gun bill, making the state the last in the country to allow firearms to be carried in public.
The Senate voted 41-17 after the House's 77-31 vote to override Quinn's amendatory veto that wanted to keep guns out of places that serve alcohol and impose a one-gun limit.
The approved version of the bill calls for 16 hours of training, a $150 application fee and a ban at schools, bars, parks and government buildings.
Now the Illinois State Police have six months to set up a system and three months to approve or deny applications after that.
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The motion notes the ban remains in effect until then.
