House panel approves anti-gun measures in advance of pro-gun lobbying effort

Clout St:

Hours before busloads of gun rights advocates are scheduled to descend on the Capitol, a House committee today advanced a series of measures designed to increase gun control in Illinois.

Among the restrictions approved by the House Executive Committee include an assault weapons ban and legislation allowing only one gun purchase a month. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley perenially pushes for such gun crackdowns due to continued violence in some city neighborhoods.
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Shortly before 2 p.m. gun rights backers are scheduled to finish their march to the Capitol to lobby lawmakers on issues such as letting people carry concealed weapons. It's part of the Illinois State Rifle Association's annual lobby day.

Supporters of tough gun restrictions want to crack down on the availability of weapons in a society marred by shooting rampages that have left a trail of death at Northern Illinois University, a Baptist church in Downstate Maryville and on the streets of Chicago.

But gun rights advocates argue that making guns more available will cause criminals to think twice before they turn ordinary citizens into the latest victims of gun crimes.

Richard Pearson, executive director of the rifle association, said he expects more than 5,000 gun owners to visit Springfield because they are "seeing legislation that attacks their rights, and they're not happy about it."

The group is particularly fired up following last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down Washington, D.C.'s handgun ban as unconstitutional, prompting a similar pending challenge to Chicago's own ban.

In Illinois, the pressure this year is targeted at legislation to let citizens carry concealed weapons with training and a permit. Illinois and Wisconsin are the only two states banning such action, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.