A new law allowing Illinois residents to carry concealed guns in public has gone into effect. The state began mailing out the first 5,000 or so permits today.
The new law “raises questions about safety and liability,” according to the Illinois Association of Realtors. In order to help managing brokers respond to the policy, the trade group has released sample form recommendations created by a task force, including a “model office policy” for concealed firearms that spells out whether a company does or does not allow concealed firearms to be carried on its premises by those licensed to do so and, if it does not, specifies that that prohibition applies to all places the employee or licensee does company business, including conventions, showings, broker tours, open houses, and listing presentations.
A sample form recommendation for a sponsoring broker-sponsored licensee contract regarding the policy says that, unless the sponsoring broker has added his or her own concealed carry policy to his or her office policy manual, a paragraph noting that the sponsoring broker prohibits the sponsored licensee from carrying a concealed firearm while engaging in company business could be added to the contract.
And finally, IAR’s recommendation for a residential property owner release form asks sellers whether they authorize or prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms on their property.
“If you elect to prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms on your residential property, the sponsoring broker will place authorized signage at the entrance to your residential property at the time of all showings and open houses and will require that sponsoring broker’s employees and licensees observe your directive,” the form says.
“Sponsoring broker assumes no other duty than those duties expressly set forth herein, and disclaims any and all responsibility for any personal injury or property damage caused by any guest or invitee who enters your premises.”
Source: IAR
