99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB2551

Introduced , by Rep. Brandon W. Phelps

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
430 ILCS 66/75

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that an officer or official paid or unpaid who has successfully completed firearms training as required by his or her law enforcement agency and is authorized by his or her agency to carry a firearm is exempt from the firearms training required for other applicants for a concealed carry license. Provides that the Department of State Police and certified firearms instructors shall recognize up to 8 hours of training already completed toward the 16 hour training requirement if the training course is approved by the Department and was completed in connection with the applicant's previous employment as a paid or unpaid officer or official authorized to carry a firearm in the performance of his or her duties previously. Effective immediately.
LRB099 07313 RLC 27421 b

A BILL FOR

HB2551LRB099 07313 RLC 27421 b
1 AN ACT concerning safety.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Firearm Concealed Carry Act is amended by
5changing Section 75 as follows:
6 (430 ILCS 66/75)
7 Sec. 75. Applicant firearm training.
8 (a) Within 60 days of the effective date of this Act, the
9Department shall begin approval of firearm training courses and
10shall make a list of approved courses available on the
11Department's website.
12 (b) An applicant for a new license shall provide proof of
13completion of a firearms training course or combination of
14courses approved by the Department of at least 16 hours, which
15includes range qualification time under subsection (c) of this
16Section, that covers the following:
17 (1) firearm safety;
18 (2) the basic principles of marksmanship;
19 (3) care, cleaning, loading, and unloading of a
20 concealable firearm;
21 (4) all applicable State and federal laws relating to
22 the ownership, storage, carry, and transportation of a
23 firearm; and

HB2551- 2 -LRB099 07313 RLC 27421 b
1 (5) instruction on the appropriate and lawful
2 interaction with law enforcement while transporting or
3 carrying a concealed firearm.
4 (c) An applicant for a new license shall provide proof of
5certification by a certified instructor that the applicant
6passed a live fire exercise with a concealable firearm
7consisting of:
8 (1) a minimum of 30 rounds; and
9 (2) 10 rounds from a distance of 5 yards; 10 rounds
10 from a distance of 7 yards; and 10 rounds from a distance
11 of 10 yards at a B-27 silhouette target approved by the
12 Department.
13 (d) An applicant for renewal of a license shall provide
14proof of completion of a firearms training course or
15combination of courses approved by the Department of at least 3
16hours.
17 (e) A certificate of completion for an applicant's firearm
18training course shall not be issued to a student who:
19 (1) does not follow the orders of the certified
20 firearms instructor;
21 (2) in the judgment of the certified instructor,
22 handles a firearm in a manner that poses a danger to the
23 student or to others; or
24 (3) during the range firing portion of testing fails to
25 hit the target with 70% of the rounds fired.
26 (f) An instructor shall maintain a record of each student's

HB2551- 3 -LRB099 07313 RLC 27421 b
1performance for at least 5 years, and shall make all records
2available upon demand of authorized personnel of the
3Department.
4 (g) The Department and certified firearms instructors
5shall recognize up to 8 hours of training already completed
6toward the 16 hour training requirement under this Section if
7the training course is submitted to and approved by the
8Department. Any remaining hours that the applicant completes
9must at least cover the classroom subject matter of paragraph
10(4) of subsection (b) of this Section, and the range
11qualification in subsection (c) of this Section.
12 (h) A person who has qualified to carry a firearm as an
13active law enforcement, or corrections officer, or other
14officer or official paid or unpaid, who has successfully
15completed firearms training as required by his or her law
16enforcement agency and is authorized by his or her agency to
17carry a firearm; a person currently certified as a firearms
18instructor by this Act or by the Illinois Law Enforcement
19Training Standards Board; or a person who has completed the
20required training and has been issued a firearm control card by
21the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall
22be exempt from the requirements of this Section.
23 (i) The Department and certified firearms instructors
24shall recognize 8 hours of training as completed toward the 16
25hour training requirement under this Section, if the applicant
26is an active, retired, or honorably discharged member of the

HB2551- 4 -LRB099 07313 RLC 27421 b
1United States Armed Forces. Any remaining hours that the
2applicant completes must at least cover the classroom subject
3matter of paragraph (4) of subsection (b) of this Section, and
4the range qualification in subsection (c) of this Section.
5 (j) The Department and certified firearms instructors
6shall recognize up to 8 hours of training already completed
7toward the 16 hour training requirement under this Section if
8the training course is approved by the Department and was
9completed in connection with the applicant's previous
10employment as a law enforcement, or corrections officer, or
11other officer or official paid or unpaid authorized to carry a
12firearm in the performance of his or her duties previously. Any
13remaining hours that the applicant completes must at least
14cover the classroom subject matter of paragraph (4) of
15subsection (b) of this Section, and the range qualification in
16subsection (c) of this Section. A former law enforcement or
17corrections officer seeking credit under this subsection (j)
18shall provide evidence that he or she separated from employment
19in good standing from each law enforcement agency where he or
20she was employed. An applicant who was discharged from a law
21enforcement agency for misconduct or disciplinary reasons is
22not eligible for credit under this subsection (j).
23(Source: P.A. 98-63, eff. 7-9-13; 98-600, eff. 12-6-13.)
24 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
25becoming law.