Last state passes law on concealed handguns
Illinois this week became the last state in the nation to allow licensed residents to carry concealed handguns.
Illinois this week became the last state in the nation to allow licensed residents to carry concealed handguns. The state had been under court order to adopt the law since December, when a federal appeals court struck down the state’s ban on concealed carries as a violation of the Second Amendment right to bear arms. In May, the state legislature passed a bill allowing citizens to apply for permits to carry firearms in public, but Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn vetoed it, citing an epidemic of gun violence in Chicago, where 12 people were shot dead last weekend. This week majorities in the state House and Senate overrode his veto. “This was the wrong move for public safety in Illinois,” said Quinn.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human blood
Under the radar Drugging the bugs
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published