A new Illinois State Police website lays out what gun owners need to do if they want to carry a gun in public.
The state police will begin accepting applications for a concealed carry permit on Jan. 5. Anyone looking to save time can get started now. There’s an online checklist that explains where gun-owners who want to speed up processing can go for fingerprinting.
National Rifle Association lobbyist Todd Vandermyde says he’s anxious the concealed carry rollout will mirror the Affordable Care Act signup mess. He's pressing the state police to accept paper, as well as online, applications.
"There are people in this state who don't have the ability to scan documents, who are over 55 and don't live on a computer every day like the tech generation does. We're trying to make this reasonably accessible for everybody, " Vandermyde said.
A state police spokeswoman says the online route is less expensive and more efficient.