Illinois concealed carry; Over 13,000 applicants get the initial OK

(Chicago Tribune) As of Tuesday, Illinois State Police have received over 15,000 concealed carry applications, of which over 13,000 have received the initial OK. The last state in the country to allow concealed carry, Illinois has seen a steady submission of interested citizens.

The State Police have 120 days to issue a license to approved applicants, so we aren’t far off from the early risers getting their permits.

Police officials said 1,749 applications were approved Tuesday, for a total of 13,064. Those applications must now be reviewed by local sheriff’s departments, state’s attorneys, local police and the attorney general’s office, all of which have the power to object to a permit being issued. They have 30 days to complete the process.

On Sunday, the first day most people could apply electronically, 4,525 applications were filed. The bulk of the applications reviewed, nearly 7,000, were from people who were allowed to apply in advance during mid-December. They include firearms instructors and applicants who submitted electronic fingerprints along with their applications.

State Police spokeswoman Monique Bond said the early-application window allowed the department to beta-test its system prior to the large influx of applications this week.

“We have not had any issues and will be closely monitoring the process,” said Bond. “We also hope to establish a steady baseline to help determine how the numbers will fluctuate on a daily basis.

We’re glad to see the process running smoothly and hope the citizens of Illinois get their permits in hand shortly.