The Illinois House has defeated a proposal allowing the carrying of concealed guns in public.
The vote was 64-45 in favor of the bill. But it fell short of the needed 71 votes. A supermajority was necessary because the law would pre-empt the home-rule powers of several cities.
The legislation sponsored by Democratic Rep. Brandon Phelps would have required authorities to issue concealed-carry permits to anyone who passed background checks. Phelps used a legislative procedure that will allow him to recall the bill later for another vote.
Illinois is the only state in the nation that prohibits possessing guns in public. A federal appeals court in December ruled the law unconstitutional and gave Illinois until June to adopt a new law.
