Missouri: Court OKs background questioning for CCW: "A state appeals court has rejected a judge's ruling that an applicant for a concealed-weapons permit did not have to answer questions about his background, concluding that the right to bear arms in Missouri isn't an absolute right. A three-judge Missouri Court of Appeals panel unanimously ruled Tuesday that Paul Heidbrink -- and any other applicant for a permit to carry a hidden firearm -- has an obligation to answer the issuing sheriff's department's questions about past crimes or military service."



Illinois: State may void local handgun bans: "It is legal to own a handgun in Buffalo Grove and Wheeling, but gun bans in towns like Wilmette and Oak Park face an uncertain fate. Lawmakers recently voted 37 to 21 to strip towns of the power to outlaw firearms as part of a package that would also require gun show vendors to run criminal background checks on customers and force police to destroy gun purchase records within 90 days. Senate Bill 57, which has the backing of the National Rifle Association, appeared to be headed for rough waters in the Illinois House though, where a twin measure was defeated. The House version fell short of the 71-vote supermajority needed to trump the power of home-rule towns, with only 63 voting to approve the measure. An amended version of the bill is now making its way through the process."