CHICAGO – In a major victory for gun rights advocates, a federal appeals court on Tuesday struck down a ban on carrying concealed weapons in Illinois – the only remaining state where carrying concealed weapons is entirely illegal – and gave lawmakers 180 days to write a law that legalizes it.

In overturning a lower court decision, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the ban was unconstitutional and suggested a law legalizing concealed carry is long overdue in a state where gun advocates had vowed to challenge the ban on every front.

Lame-duck Congressman Joe Walsh, R-McHenry, who has been a staunch gun rights supporter, praised the court’s decision. Despite Illinois’ restrictive gun laws, crime rates have soared, especially in Chicago, he said.