Public hearings will be held next week in Springfield and Chicago to talk about a wide range of proposed gun laws, but a Downstate lawmaker thinks there should be a broader perspective.
Democrat Brandon Phelps says there should also be a hearing held in deep Southern Illinois, where views on guns and gun laws may be significantly different than they are in Chicago, or in the halls of the State Capitol.
House Speaker Mike Madigan says he wants input from all sides of the issue as the legislature prepares to debate proposals for concealed carry, an assault weapons ban, and other gun laws.
