Interesting Concealed Carry Proposal

Evidently, it eliminates "home rule" exceptions that are gumming up the works. And if Rahm isn't happy, it must be something worth looking at:

• Gov. Pat Quinn, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Senate President John Cullerton decried a bill to legalize concealed firearms that is backed by powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan, contending it would invalidate strict local gun laws like Chicago's ban on assault weapons.
  
  That opposition, however, didn't stop Madigan from advancing the bill Thursday, demonstrating that after months of negotiations, the time for talking was over. Predicting it would pass the House, Madigan has indicated that a vote on the measure could come as early as Friday.
  
  
• It would put in place a statewide standard for concealed carry that would not allow Chicago or other home-rule communities to enact stricter local laws on where guns could be carried.
  
  Moreover, it would wipe out Chicago's existing gun laws by removing the right of home-rule communities to enact their own firearm regulations.

The NRA and ISRA have declared themselves "neutral" on this one, so that's a big deal. There's still the outrageous fees to fight about and restricted areas. But the GunSaveLife.com people have this opinion on it:

• In short, the Speaker proffered this proposal that Brandon is now offering in an effort to split the baby between the two diametrically opposed sides.
  
  On one side he had downstate Democrats saying they are getting pounded by constituents for a shall-issue right-to-carry bill.
  
  On the other side, he’s got Rahm and the Chicago Democrats trying to be the next New York or Connecticut and ban magazines, modern self-defense guns, and plenty more… gun control like we’ve never seen.
  
  Madigan knows if either side gets a clean win, it’ll be a real bloodbath either in Chicago or downstate come the next election cycle.
  
  So, he’s splitting the baby. He’s giving some red-meat to downstate voters to salvage some downstate Democrats their jobs in part because of some very unpopular votes to come – and we’ll name topics…  gay marriage and “medical” marijuana for starters.
  
  And he’s giving Chicago Democrats some of what they wanted in terms of no guns in parks, public transportation and a host of other prohibited locations, more licensing fee money, delayed implementation and a whole bunch more.
  
  Making lemonade out of these lemons, which as gun owners is something we’re akin to doing regularly, it means Madigan is throwing Rahm and Preckwinkle under the bus. All their local gun control goes “buh-bye!” in this bill.
  
  “What if we decline?” I asked one source.
  
  He didn’t laugh. He was dead serious.
  
  If we decline his offer, the Speaker is going to stuff a Kwame-endorsed may issue law up our rear ends, without any lube, and move on. Madigan’s done “playing around” on the issue and will let the chips fall where they may as there are bigger issues among the low-information voters in Illinois. No, not pensions. Instead, gay marriage, gambling, legalizing marijuana, to name a few.

Sad that one asshole who already has armed protection, is the person pushing this bill, a bill that we're going to end up trying to chip away at for the next decade via legislation and lawsuits. And Madigan is going to push through whatever he can to have leverage on the other issues and protect Lisa's shot at the governor's mansion. If this passes, he has major leverage. If it fails, he blames Cullerton and the Senate and takes his chances on the other Bills.