Illinois Concealed Carry – Is it Really Worth It?

I hear a lot of people complaining about the “Prohibited Areas” where you are not allowed to Carry in Illinois and some people will even say “It’s not worth it.”  However, these people are looking at the hole instead of the donut, as a quick look at the law will easily prove.  It is DEFINITELY worth it to get your License to Carry!

Now don’t get me wrong; I would change the list of Prohibited Areas in a heartbeat if I could. But realistically, how many of the “22 Areas” are even relevant to most of us in our daily life? Let’s look.

First, it must be noted that the vehicle “Safe Harbor” provision allows us to carry (or keep our gun) in our car anywhere except Federal Facilities (and no state law can trump Federal Law).

So, which of the following Prohibited Areas is really unreasonable or will ‘cramp your style’ on a daily basis? I will venture a guess and say that few of us can complain too much about the first six:

  • Prisons
  • Courtrooms
  • State or Local Government Buildings,
  • Nuclear Facilities 
  • Airports

The next six Prohibited Areas is more likely to be objectionable to those of us who want to carry, but on a daily basis it is probably no big deal (make no mistake about it, I would change it if I could… But does it REALLY affect most of us on a daily basis?):

  • Bars (venues that make most of their money from serving alcohol)
  • Libraries
  • Zoos / Museums
  • Riverboat Casinos and Horse Racing tracks or betting parlors
  • Stadiums / Arenas

That leaves the following areas where I would think we would prioritize changing the law:

  • Parks and Playgrounds
  • Public Transportation
  • Public Permitted Events, like carnivals or festivals
  • Colleges and Schools
  • Childcare Facilities
  • Amusement Parks
  • Hospitals
  • Cook County Forest Preserves (sorry for those of you who live in Cook County)

All in all, the Illinois Law is a great leap forward and, while we need to continue to work to refine it, we want and need as many Illinoisans as possible to exercise their rights! The more that do, the louder our voice becomes and the better the laws will get.

Guns Prohibited