It appears that IL has some of the most restrictive handgun laws in the country and it appears theat they do NOT honor any other state's CCW permits. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_the_United_States_(by_state)#Illinois
You cannot carry a concealed gun in Illinois, but you can carry some types of weapons, such as pocket knives, and long as they are otherwise legal. Illinois does not have a concealed weapons permit.
You can and should avoid Illinois by going through Arkansas through Tennessee through Kentucky through Indiana or Ohio to Michigan.
It varies from state to state. In Tennessee, the law was passed in 1995. In Florida, it was passed a year or two before that. A few states have passed concealed weapons laws as recently as the last 2 or 3 years, and a couple of states, Illinois and Wisconsin, also the District of Columbia, don't issue concealed weapons permits.
It depends on the state. Each state sets its own requirements for permits.
No. Nebraska does not recognize permits from any othe states. This has changed since I first posted it. Nebraska now recognizes permits from several states. Check handgunlaw.us for more information.
Each state makes its own rules, and in every state, there are reasons for denial and reasons for revocation.
Yes, as of 2013, off-duty police officers in Illinois are allowed to carry concealed weapons, but they must have a valid concealed carry license issued by the state. Thus, a police officer from Illinois can bring his weapon into Chicago when off duty if he has a valid concealed carry license.
In states where concealed weapons permits are issued, private investigators can carry weapons (if they have the permit). Also, in some states if you are a retired or active peace officer you can carry a gun with the proper endorsement.
I'm assuming you mean if you carry a weapon does it have to be concealed. It depends on where you are. For instance, the state of Tennessee does not issue a "concealed" permit, but a handgun carry permit and there is no specific requirement to conceal the gun by law. However, many states do require the weapon to be concealed. Check handgunlaw.us for more information.
Yes. The state of Tennessee recognizes handgun permits from any state.
Concealed weapons are typically used for self defense.
To some degree, in all states. One state (Illinois) does not have a concealed carry license system.