INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today released the following response after the Indiana House Committee on Public Policy amended House Bill 1424 to remove language that would have repealed the state’s handgun carry license requirement. If enacted, the language removed by committee members would have let people carry loaded handguns in public, openly or concealed, without a license.
Volunteers from the Indiana chapter of Moms Demand Action attended the hearing and met separately with lawmakers and urged them to keep the state’s carry license requirement in place.
In the vast majority of US states, including Indiana, a person must have a permit to carry a concealed, loaded handgun in public. As Indiana lawmakers studied a proposal last year to eliminate the state’s handgun carry license requirement, officials from Indiana law enforcement groups and a number of newspaper editorial boards urged the committee to keep the requirement in place. The study committee ultimately did not recommend removing it.
Polling conducted last year showed that nine out of 10 Hoosiers support the license requirement. More information about permitless carry is available here.
STATEMENT FROM BETH SPRUNGER, VOLUNTEER CHAPTER LEADER WITH THE INDIANA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:
“Once again, Indiana law enforcement leaders made clear today that repealing the state’s handgun carry license requirement would make it harder for them to protect public safety. It’s encouraging to see lawmakers taking their concerns seriously. We’ll keep showing up as many times as it takes to make sure our representatives listen to the common-sense concerns of their constituents and law enforcement on this critical public safety issue.”
