meanwhile in Indiana
Bill would repeal state law requiring license to carry a handgun
Hoosiers would no longer be required to get a license before carrying a handgun under a measure filed today at the Statehouse, where lawmakers are convening for the first day of the 2016 legislative session.
House Bill 1056 would repeal a state law requiring a license to carry a handgun. Rep. Jim Lucas, a Seymour Republican who has successfully pushed for fewer firearm regulations in the past, introduced the measure.
He also filed today another measure, House Bill 1055, that would prohibit a state agency, including public universities, from regulating firearms in their buildings or on their land. However, the bill makes exceptions, including for restrictions placed on individuals involved in community corrections programs or forensic or pretrial diversion programs.
Those measures are in addition to a proposal by Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, that would make it easier for repeat alcohol offenders to get a handgun license.
The barrage of legislation comes as President Barack Obama announces new administrative actions today to curb gun violence. They are expected to focus on gun show and online firearm sales.
The action at the Statehouse also comes as Indianapolis grapples with record homicides and a sharp uptick in shootings.