Politics & Government

House Votes Down Concealed Weapons Bill

Rep. Carol Sente, who opposed the bill, released this statement.

State Rep. Carol Sente (D-59th) on Thursday released the following statement in response to the Illinois House of Representatives’ failure to pass House Bill 148, which would have allowed citizens to carry concealed weapons in Illinois:

 “As an individual who respects the Second Amendment, I understand the importance of gun ownership and the need to protect oneself and one’s family or to participate in shooting sports, hunting and collecting. I personally am a hunter and valid FOID card owner. But we must also promote the safety of our communities, and work to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and off our streets where violence could unexpectedly break out. After careful consideration and gathering much constituent input, I voted against this measure because that is what I felt was the best overall position for our district at this time. There are too many potential risks involved, if this were to happen.

"I believe we must work to craft better legislation which will keep our communities safe, keep guns away from criminals, while protecting the rights of law abiding citizens who wish to own and use a gun in a legal manner," she said.

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