According to Firearm Chronicles
Illinois gun owners have serious concerns about Governor J.B. Pritzker’s mandate to wear masks in public. The order conflicts with a law that makes wearing a mask while armed a felony. And now, after hearing increasing concerns from gun owners via media outlets over the past few days, the Illinois State Police (ISP) has leaped into action.
On Tuesday, the ISP released a statement and posted it at the ISP’s Firearm Services Bureau website:
DOES WEARING A FACE COVERING WHILE LEGALLY CARRYING A CONCEALED FIREARM PLACE ME IN DANGER OF VIOLATING ILLINOIS’ FIREARMS LAWS?
The Governor’s Executive Order regarding the wearing of masks or protective facial coverings in public settings during this serious global pandemic was not intended to negatively impact permit holders under the Illinois Concealed Carry Act while legally carrying firearms. The Executive Order does not require or suggest that law enforcement should arrest or criminally charge conceal carry license permit holders for wearing protective masks while in public as long as they are complying with the other provisions of the Illinois Concealed Carry Act and are not committing any other violations of Illinois law. ISP has confidence that law enforcement officers across the state will use appropriate judgment and that elected State’s Attorneys will likewise exercise sound prosecutorial discretion.
The Executive Order does not require or suggest that law enforcement should arrest or criminally charge conceal carry license permit holders for wearing protective masks while in public.
That’s good to know.
At that point, no doubt plenty of Illinois gun owners breathed a sigh of relief. Common sense prevails at the Illinois State Police.
Then we kept reading. “[A]nd are not committing any other violations of Illinois law.
So, if an Illinois license-holder inadvertently finds him- or herself in a “no guns” zone, does that change the penalty? And given the large number of prohibited locations, along with a handful of businesses that fail to conspicuously post their establishments as “no guns allowed” zones, it’s not uncommon for this to happen to otherwise well-meaning CCW holders.