Illinois House Approves Bill Keeping Names of Gun Owners Private
By Judson Berger
Published April 11, 2011
| FoxNews.com
AP
Gun owners and supporters gather during Gun Owners' Lobby Day at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., March 10.
The Illinois House has approved a bill that would keep private the names of state gun owners, as lawmakers battle to prevent the attorney general from opening up those files to the public.
The bill passed Friday on a 98-12 vote and heads next to the Senate. It was drafted in response to opinions from state Attorney General Lisa Madigan saying the state police should release the official list identifying all firearm permit holders in response to a reporter's Freedom of Information Act request.
Madigan's office has argued that there is a "public interest" in releasing the information, citing the example of an individual who may have become ineligible to carry. Her staff has argued the public interest outweighs any privacy concerns and instructed the records to be released.
