Will Illinois Leaders Fight Gun Ruling?

December 11, 2012 7:17 PM

" A federal appeals court decided to strike down Illinois' ban on carrying concealed weapons Tuesday, but Illinois leaders are deciding whether to continue the fight.

Maura Possley, a spokesperson for Attorney General Lisa Madigan, told NBC 5 that the court allowed 180 days before the decision will be returned to the lower court to be implemented, so Madigan's office and the legislature will take that time to consider what action to take.

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said state lawmakers have 180 days to write a new law that legalizes concealed carry.

Illinois is the only state where concealed carry remained entirely illegal.

Gun rights advocates long have argued that the prohibition against concealed weapons violates the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment and what they see as Americans' right to carry guns for self-defense. The court majority on Monday agreed, reversing lower court rulings against a lawsuit that had challenged the state law.

"The Supreme Court has decided that the amendment confers a right to bear arms for self-defense, which is as important outside the home as inside," Judge Richard Posner wrote in the court's majority opinion "

Click here to read the whole article