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HB 3507

CONCEALED CARRY-FOREST PRES

104th Regular Session Introduced by Kevin Olickal

HB 3507 ends the blanket ban on concealed carry in Cook County forest preserves, letting districts set site-specific prohibitions and add limited travel and signage exceptions.

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Bill Summary · HB 3507

Summary — HB 3507 (2025) — "Concealed Carry — Forest Preserves"

Status: Introduced 2/18/2025; Rule 19(a) / Re‑referred to Rules Committee. Sponsor: Rep. Kevin John Olickal. Amends: Firearm Concealed Carry Act (430 ILCS 66/5 and 66/65).

Purpose / Intent

HB 3507 revises how forest preserve lands are treated under Illinois’ concealed‑carry law. It removes a blanket prohibition on carrying a concealed firearm on real property controlled by the Cook County Forest Preserve District and instead (1) clarifies the term “grounds” for forest preserve properties, (2) grants forest preserve districts authority to prohibit concealed carry in specific types of facilities and events on their property, and (3) provides limited travel and signage exceptions.

Key provisions

  • Defines “grounds” for forest preserve property (excludes parking lots; generally describes area enclosed by fencing or the real property belonging to a forest preserve — the bill text refines this definition).
  • Removes the categorical ban on carrying a concealed firearm “on any real property under the control of the Cook County Forest Preserve District” from the list of prohibited areas under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act.
  • Allows any forest preserve district to prohibit concealed firearms in particular places on preserve property, including (but not limited to): botanic gardens, swimming pools and pool grounds, athletic venues, picnic groves, nature centers and their grounds, pavilions and their grounds, golf courses and driving ranges, adventure courses and ziplines (and their buildings/grounds), equestrian centers and grounds, exercise venues and grounds, and any public or private gathering/special event that requires a permit.
  • Adds an express exception allowing a licensee to carry while traveling along a public right‑of‑way that touches or crosses a forest preserve area that is otherwise designated as firearm‑prohibited.
  • Exempts forest preserve districts from certain statutory signage requirements that otherwise apply to other firearm‑prohibited locations (i.e., the bill adds an exception from provisions regarding required signage).

Who is affected

  • Licensees under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act (holders of concealed‑carry licenses): the places where they may lawfully carry will change, particularly on forest preserve lands.
  • Cook County Forest Preserve District: the prior blanket prohibition is removed; district may adopt site‑specific prohibitions.
  • Other forest preserve districts statewide: the bill explicitly authorizes districts to set prohibitions for specific facilities/events on their lands.
  • General public and law enforcement: enforcement and public notice practices may change due to the signage exception and the move from a blanket to a targeted prohibition scheme.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced Feb 18, 2025; referred to Rules Committee and Criminal Jurisprudence and later to Gun Violence Prevention Committee.
  • Committee activity in April–May 2025 produced a favorable report (reported May 6, 2025) and the bill was placed on the General State Calendar (May 13, 2025).
  • Bill text amends 430 ILCS 66/5 (definitions) and 430 ILCS 66/65 (prohibited areas). No separate effective date is specified in the provided text.

Potential implications / considerations

  • Replaces a uniform prohibition (Cook County forest preserves) with local control, potentially producing a patchwork of allowed/prohibited areas across preserves.
  • The signage exemption could reduce visible notice to licensees of prohibited areas, complicating compliance/enforcement.
  • The travel‑along‑right‑of‑way exception maintains limited access through or adjacent to preserves for licensees.

This summary reflects the introduced version of HB 3507 (LRB10409798BDA19864b).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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