2008 Woodie Awards
Senate overrides governor's veto of gun transportation bill
Issue date: 10/31/05 Section: News Briefs
The Illinois Senate has backed a statewide standard for transporting firearms, despite the governor's veto and law enforcement objections.
The Senate voted 38-20 Thursday to override the veto of a measure that would trump local governments' authority to restrict how guns can be transported through their communities.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich rejected the idea this summer, saying individual communities should be able to establish their own laws about transporting weapons. Law enforcement, local governments and Democrats urged senators to support the governor's move.
"We need to retain the ability of local communities to make their own choices," said Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, D-Evanston.
But the National Rifle Association and its allies said different local laws were confusing and unfair to gun owners. They said there should be only one statewide policy for gun transportation.
"The fair and equitable thing to do is to have one statewide law," said Sen. Adeline Geo-Karis, R-Zion.
The bill now heads to the House. If the governor's veto is overridden there as well, the measure becomes law.
The Senate voted 38-20 Thursday to override the veto of a measure that would trump local governments' authority to restrict how guns can be transported through their communities.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich rejected the idea this summer, saying individual communities should be able to establish their own laws about transporting weapons. Law enforcement, local governments and Democrats urged senators to support the governor's move.
"We need to retain the ability of local communities to make their own choices," said Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, D-Evanston.
But the National Rifle Association and its allies said different local laws were confusing and unfair to gun owners. They said there should be only one statewide policy for gun transportation.
"The fair and equitable thing to do is to have one statewide law," said Sen. Adeline Geo-Karis, R-Zion.
The bill now heads to the House. If the governor's veto is overridden there as well, the measure becomes law.