The leader of the Illinois State Rifle Association says he's pleased a Peoria judge signed an order barring the state police from releasing the names of 1.3 million firearm owner identification cardholders.
Richard Pearson says the order signed this week is further protection for gun owners, who won a similar victory this year when the state Senate passed a bill prohibiting public disclosure of people with FOID cards.
The ruling is the latest chapter in a story that started when Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office ruled in response to a request from The Associated Press that the names are public under the state's open records law and should be released.
That set off protests from gun owners and a legal battle that led to the judge's ruling.
