Illinois CCW battle heating up

From USA Today, on the legislative battle to pass a concealed carry law in the Land of Lincoln:

The Illinois Legislature is nearing a vote on whether the state will become the nation's 49th to allow residents to carry concealed handguns, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports today.

"It's heating up. We think we're close," Todd Vandermyde, a National Rifle Association lobbyist, told the newspaper. "You've got 48 states that have this. That's a statement."

State Rep. Harry Osterman, D-Chicago, a leading opponent of the plan, told the Post-Dispatch that "arming this state is going to make more and more people feel that they need to protect themselves, and it could escalate all the handguns that are out there." ...

Article here.