Supreme Court shoots down appeal over Illinois concealed carry rules

Justices in the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal over Illinois concealed carry regulations Monday, keeping in place an Illinois system that requires gun owners to obtain a permit to carry a concealed handgun.

The court offered no further explanation other than to to say it would not intervene and would let stand a decision made by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the requirements for a concealed-carry license in Illinois.

Illinois began issuing concealed carry permits in 2012 after the same appeals court ruled the state’s prohibition at the time was a violation of Second Amendment rights. The Illinois state legislature then enacted the Firearm Concealed Carry Act after the ruling.

Many gun owners who were denied permits complained that they were offered no explanation by the state for their denial. State police then implemented rules of notification and the state amended licensing regulations.

Despite the state amending the system to require explanations for denied applications, gun owners filed a lawsuit claiming the system violated their rights to due process. That lawsuit was then shot down in appeals court, which ultimately led the case to the Supreme Court.

Executive Director of the Illinois State Rifle Association Richard Pearson said there are still other avenues to legally challenge the regulations, the Chicago Sun Times reports.

“It still takes some people forever to hear back on their applications,” Pearson said. That could lead to another lawsuit, he said.

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