Ardis wants to see legislation passed in Springfield allowing Peoria to enact an ordinance permitting citizens the right to carry a concealed weapon.
His comments come one day after a gas station attendant was shot and killed in the East Bluff and a shot was discharged on Newman Golf Course during a botched robbery.
“I'm trying to see if there is an opportunity for (the General Assembly) to enact a concealed-carry ordinance in the city of Peoria for a three to four year test to see (if there is) a reduction in these types of crimes,” Ardis said.
Getting concealed-carry legislation passed in Illinois, however, is another matter, because the politically charged issue in Springfield has often met resistance by state lawmakers, particularly those from the Chicago area.
There are two strong but opposing beliefs on the issue: Opponents believe more gun ownership does little to prevent crime, while proponents point to statistics in other states with concealed-carry laws showing that gun violence goes down.
But Ardis' pitch in setting up Peoria as a pilot for concealed-carry regulation in Illinois is something unique, one anti-gun official said. Read more
Source: pjstar.com
