Illinois may allow counties to decide on concealed carry - Chicago News and Weather | FOX 32 News

Illinois lawmakers may allow individual counties to decide on concealed carry

State Rep. LaShawn Ford, co-chair of a legislative task force on guns, is proposing a compromise on assault weapons and concealed carry.

If gun-rights groups accept a ban on so-called assault weapons, Ford said he and some other Cook County Democrats would support allowing each county to decide for itself whether residents may carry loaded firearms.

There's a good reason.

"It's a tax revenue for the state. We're always looking for ways to generate revenues. It's definitely going to increase the number of people applying for permits," he said.

Up in Wisconsin, the state has been flooded with applications for permits since concealed carry became legal less than a year ago. So far, more than 100,000 people have applied.

But a spokesman said the Illinois State Rifle Association strongly opposes a assault weapons ban, including the one proposed by Gov. Quinn this week.  In a series of lawsuits, several different gun rights groups have asked federal judges to allow Illinoisans to carry loaded firearms.