Public Safety

The Illinois Legislature on Friday approved concealed carry legislation, sending the bill to the desk of Gov. Pat Quinn before Friday’s midnight legislative session deadline.

Steps are being taken to comply with the terms of a settlement that will give 138 former female firefighter applicants the option to reapply for a job with the Chicago Fire Department.

The City Council Committee on Workforce Development and Audit approved an ordinance Wednesday that would permit the city’s fire commissioner to enter into agreements with outside agencies to provide training and testing for “prospective members” of the fire department. Existing law grants the commissioner authority to contract with entities for the provision of services for current members only.

When the U.S. Senate failed to pass legislation in April that would have expanded background checks for gun purchasers, one Chicago group that took the news hard was The Joyce Foundation.

“We were very disappointed when the Senate failed to pass widely supported, and frankly, quite mild legislation supporting expanding background checks,” foundation President Ellen Alberding said at a City Club of Chicago luncheon Tuesday.