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Gun Lobbyists Meet With Governor Rauner

Gun owners from around Illinois rallied in Springfield in support of their Second Amendment rights. Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day, or IGOLD, consists of a march to the Capitol and a rally aimed at getting the attention of the governor and legislators.

Valinda Rowe, a gun rights activist and organizer of the event, says this is the first time a governor has met with them since IGOLD started in 2007. They gave Gov. Bruce Rauner informational packets and told him about their concerns.

"He's our last line of defense against a bad bill and he's our first line of defense on a good bill, so that's what we want to remind him of," Rowe said.

Rowe says their agenda includes blocking an assault-weapons ban and allowing concealed carry in more places. Current law says guns cannot be taken into churches, on public transportation and into the Illinois State Capitol.

Lisa Ryan is a graduate student in the public affairs reporting program at the University of Illinois at Springfield. She previously worked at Indiana Public Radio and the college radio station founded by David Letterman. She is a 2014 broadcast journalism and political science graduate of Ball State University.
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