Indiana Legislative Session to Convene on Monday, January 24!
Let me note that at the bottom you will find the letter I sent to the Senators listed below.
Indiana Legislative Session to Convene on Monday, January 24!
The 2011 Legislative Session is gearing up to be an eventful one for Hoosier gun owners in the Indiana General Assembly. Your NRA has worked with several pro-gun state Senators and Representatives on the following bills:
Parking Lot Protection, 2.0: The Indiana General Assembly passed and Governor Mitch Daniels (R) signed into law Parking Lot firearm protections last year. However, since the law went into effect, numerous Indiana employers, both large and small, have falsely declared themselves exempt and warned their employees of termination if they lock personal firearms in their private vehicles on company property. Some companies have created onerous requirements on their employees, displaying a willful disrespect of the intent and spirit of the law passed by the Indiana General Assembly.
Some companies are going so far as to require employees to provide a detailed description —including serial numbers— of all firearms and ammunition to be kept in the employees’ vehicle, permit the employers to inspect any and all firearms and ammunition, submit to random vehicle searches by the employer and other regulations requiring documentation and written permission for the owning and carrying of firearms. Clean-up legislation is therefore required to put a stop to these abusive practices by Indiana employers.
Senate Bill 411, the Parking Lot 2.0 bill, was introduced by NRA Board Member and state Senator Johnny Nugent (R-43). SB 411 has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Corrections, Criminal, and Civil Matters and is currently scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday, January 25.
Firearm Preemption: Indiana’s current preemption statutes currently leave in place grandfathered local gun restrictions, as well as loopholes wide open for abuse by municipalities governed by anti-gun city officials. Legislation introduced this session would remove all grandfathered municipalities and strengthen the current law to ensure Hoosier gun owners can enjoy the same level of statewide firearm freedoms, regardless of where they reside in Indiana. The law would also protect travelers throughout the state from running afoul of a patchwork of different gun laws when they cross municipal boundaries.
Senate Bill 292, filed by state Senator Jim Tomes (S-49), has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Corrections, Criminal and Civil Matters and is currently scheduled to be heard on Tuesday, January 25.
Firearm Transport Permits: Indiana is one of the few states that prohibits firearm owners from transporting a firearm in their vehicle without a state issued permit in their possession. If a gun owner does not have a concealed carry permit or a hunting license, they must have a “transport permit” anytime they transport a firearm in their vehicle – unless they are transporting their firearm from the place of purchase to their home or fixed place of business, or to take a firearm in for repair. This means law-abiding gun owners cannot legally drive their firearm to a shooting range or to private property (a family farm or privately owned field, for instance) to practice target shooting with their gun in the trunk without a permit. If they do transport said firearm, they become open to confiscation of their firearm and a Class B misdemeanor.
Indiana’s transport permit requirement is out of step with the vast majority of pro-gun states around the country. States that require the owner to have the license present when transporting are Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and the District of Columbia. These restrictive states make up a group with which Hoosiers should not want to be associated.
To correct this problem state Senator Jim Tomes (SD-49) introduced Indiana permit revision legislation, Senate Bill 506. If passed, SB 506 would remove this onerous permit requirement from lawful Hoosier gun owners and travelers within Indiana. The Senate Committee on Corrections, Criminal, and Civil Matters will hear SB 506 on Tuesday, January 25.
Please contact the members of the Senate Committee on Courts and Criminal and Civil Matters and respectfully ask them to SUPPORT SB 411, SB 292, and SB 506. Contact information for members of the Senate Committee on Corrections, Criminal and Civil Matters can be found below.
Your NRA will keep you up-to-date on these bills as they progress through the Indiana General Assembly.
Senate Committee on Corrections, Criminal, and Civil Matters:
Senator Brent Steele (R-44), Chair
(317)-232-9400
Senator Richard D. Bray (R-37)
(317)-232-9400
Senator Susan C. Glick (R-13)
(317)-232-9400
Senator Lindel O. Hume (D-48)
(317)-232-9400
Senator Greg Taylor (D-33)
(317)-232-9400
Senator Jim Tomes (R-49)
(317)-232-9400
Senator John W. Waterman (R-39)
(317)-232-9400
Senator R. Michael Young (R-35)
(317)-232-9400
Senator Richard D. Young, Jr. (D-47)
(317)-232-9400
Senator Joseph C. Zakas (R-11)
(317)-232-9400
My letter
"Senator, please SUPPORT SB 411, SB 292, and SB 506. As a proud Hoosier, and proud 2nd amendment supporter I feel that these 3 bills must be passed in order to protect my 2nd amendment rights. I would urge you to support these pro 2nd amendment bills and any pro 2nd amendment in the future. If you do not agree with me I would please ask you to tell me why so that I might respectfully present my belief in response. Again please support SB 411, SB 292, and SB 506."