The Last Outpost of Common Sense

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a challenge to Illinois’ law banning concealed weapons on public transportation, leaving the state’s prohibition intact.

The ban was implemented in 2013, prohibiting concealed carry permit holders from carrying loaded guns on buses and trains.

Four permit holders sued Illinois in 2022, under the claim that the law prevented them from carrying weapons for self-defense when using Chicago transit systems.

U.S. District Judge Iain Johnston in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois ruled in favor of the four plaintiffs in August 2024, citing a 2022 Supreme Court decision, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which struck down a 100-year-old law requiring citizens to show “proper cause” for needing a gun before they could be issued a concealed carry permit.

Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the DuPage County State’s Attorney, challenged the ruling. In September, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled in favor of upholding the law.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe on public transit,” Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke said in a statement. “Minimizing the risk from dangerous weapons is crucial to protect members of the public who use this vital public resource. We are pleased the Supreme Court agreed with our arguments, which will allow Illinois’ commonsense law banning firearms on public transportation to stand.”