Illinois Senate defeats compromise bill on gun possession

By Kevin McDermott
Of The Post-Dispatch

The Illinois Legislature is poised to begin Day 6 of a protracted battle over
whether people caught with loaded weapons in their cars should face a
misdemeanor fine or felony prison time.

The Illinois House late Friday approved a compromise measure backed by
Republican Gov. George Ryan to return a felony gun-possession law to the
state’s books. But the bill died hours later in the Senate, sending
negotiators back to square one.

“It was a bad day for Illinois,” a frustrated Ryan said after Friday’s
measure failed.

The proposal would have made it a felony to transport a weapon that wasn’t
properly unloaded and cased or stored in a trunk, essentially re-enacting a
1994 law that the Illinois Supreme Court struck down on a technicality
earlier this month.

Ryan called the Legislature into special session Monday to rewrite that law,
saying it was needed to prevent drive-by gang shootings.

Rural legislators and some suburban Republicans, however, argued that the
felony provision was too strong and could snare hunters who unintentionally
violated the rules regarding proper transportation of weapons. Those
lawmakers want a first-time offense to be a misdemeanor, something Ryan
opposes.

The compromise measure would have kept the felony provision intact but
required that offenders with no criminal record be given a light probationary
sentence and a chance to have the felony expunged from their records with
good behavior. The measure passed the House 92-20.

Republican Senate President James “Pate” Philip – who for five days has
refused to allow a Senate vote on the original gun-control bill favored by
fellow Republican Ryan – allowed debate on the compromise bill. It later
failed with 29 voting in favor and 18 opposed. (Under the rules of the
special session, 36 “yes” votes were required for passage.) Most Republicans
and many downstate Democrats opposed the bill.

Metro East-area legislators who voted “yes” on Friday’s House bill were Reps.
Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville; Kurt Granberg, D-Carlyle; Wyvetter Younge,
D-East St. Louis; and Sens. James Clayborne, D-Belleville, and Vince Demuzio,
D-Carlinville.

Voting “no” were Reps. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro; Steve Davis, D-Bethalto;
Gary Hannig, D-Benld; Thomas Holbrook, D-Belleville; Dan Reitz, D-
Steelville; Tom Ryder, R-Jerseyville; Ron Stephens, R-Troy; and Sens. Evelyn
Bowles, D-Edwardsville; Frank Watson, R-Greenville; and David Leuchtefeld,
R-Okawville.