By Erika Brock
TheStatehousefile.com
INDIANAPOLIS – Members of the House Public Policy Committee are considering a bill that will allow students, faculty and community members to bring firearms on to school property in locked vehicles.
Reps. Terri Austin, D-Anderson, Sean Eberhart, R-Shelbyville, in discussion during debate about legislation to allow guns on school grounds if they’re kept in locked cars. Photo by Zach Schmitt, TheStatehouseFile.com
The bill is put in place “to clarify existing language regarding our (Hoosiers) natural right to self-defense,†said Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, author of House Bill 1048.
Lucas said HB 1048 allows people to bring firearms on to school property or property that is being used for a school function, without receiving criminal charges. The bill will also redefine school property as the building itself instead of the building and property surrounding the school.
HB 1048 would allow individuals to leave firearms concealed in a lock vehicle in school parking lots.
Current law makes bringing a firearm on school property a felony. HB 1048 would lower the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor. But not everyone thinks that’s a good idea.
“I am uncomfortable with the fact that the bill changed the law for when someone walks into a school from a felony to a misdemeanor,†said Chairman Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte.
He proposed an amendment to maintain the felony law, something Lucas said he would agree to but doesn’t support.
One concern among lawmakers is the bill would let students who are 18 years old have firearms in their locked vehicles as long as they have a license.
“I want to have everybody who is recognized under the state of Indiana as legal to carry a firearm, I want them to be able to safely lock their firearm in a vehicle on school property without being subject to a felony,†said Lucas
Lucas also said he wants the bill to de-criminalize roaming school zones. Roaming school zones will be in placed starting July 1, according to current law. Dermody and Lucas both used a school field trip as an example.
A group of students at zoo would become a roaming school zone, which would then make it illegal to carry a gun in the area, Dermody said. Lucas said that needs to change.
“Our right to self-defense is very important to me,†Lucas said.
The committee postponed a vote on HB 1048 to consider amendments.
Erika Brock is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
We look like the biggest bunch of inbred peckerwoods in the union. We are seriously worse than Alabama.
” we look like the biggest bunch of inbred peckerwoods in the uniion”……only if toad is looking in the mirror……..if you are legal in indiana to carry a firearm then the person has a right to defend their life with a firearm…….i also believe teachers who are legal should be able to carry their firearm to class…..protect a life pack some heat……
I’ve got a permit, thank you. Kids with guns at school is not a good idea in this day and age.
I’m sorry you have such a low opinion of our youth.
This line of argument is PROOF, I-E, that you are not governed by common sense…rather vindictiveness and stupidity. It’s all resentment with you…none of your arguments any more are based in simple, straightforward reason and logic.
Hater comment about you? Of course not.
I-E lost your authenticity and respect from your peers? Yes, absolutely.
And you speak for all my peers? Many narcissists in your family or are you the only one?
The last thing a bad guy wants is a fair fight, and the next thing is to be killed while she is killing. That’s why they pick on schools Sorry you don’t have the brain wattage to understand that.
“…i also believe teachers who are legal should…”,
If a teacher is not legal then they should not be a teacher.
These are the same jerks that wanted you to be able to take your gun into city council meetings and courthouses. Guns at school? You MUST be kidding me! It’s almost as if the Daily Show writers are proposing this legislation just to keep jokes running on the show.
I think there are better solutions than arms in schools, but I do not think a person who qualifies for a CCW should have to pay for a license to exercise one’s constitutional right or keep that right locked in one’s personal property.
Yet until our schools take responsibility and real solutions for school security, armed staff and students will be the best protection against an offender.
“Yet until our schools take responsibility and real solutions for school security, armed staff and students will be the best protection against an offender.”
ARMED STUDENTS???? REALLY!!!! Great thinking, IE.
Yes, if they are of age and character, really. I have more sense than to stereotype every student as a potential killer It’s better than dead students. One thing common with all killers, they don’t want to be killed.
Let’s just drop this. I believe that is the most bat-crap crazy statement I have ever heard, and I worked in a mental institution for 20 years.
it is quite obvious by the comments you make you were the patient and not a worker but there is still hope…………..keep pursuing therapy…………..
I didn’t know crazy was contagious. Your job rubed off on you.
My first option is to make schools 100% safe. That would mean taking a serious look at our schools, looking at them as what might fail not what might work, and not having firearms behind the security barriers.
But if we are not going to take that responsible approach and insure that our schools are 100% safe, then the next best thing is let responsible people be responsible for their own security.
But then it’s just easier to fall back on your snarky comments rather then to really understand someone who thinks out of the liberal box.
Think lkb, would you trust your grandchildren with weapons in school if they were of age? Would you rather them have a way to defend themselves and know how to survive if under the threat of a bad guy? Or is it every one else’s child you’re afraid of but we shouldn’t fear your children?
Of course you SKIPPED RIGHT OVER MY PLAN A!!!!
I fully support this bill.
@ Indiana Enoch:
First, people who are “of age” are not usually students in the public school system. Most students graduate by age 18.
Second, you offer a false choice. I don’t see why I should fear anybody in the schools, if weapons are not present. I would absolutely object to ANY student being armed, my grandchild or anybody else’s. Being armed would surely set a student to be a target for violence. We simply have to do our best to keep weapons out of our schools, period. There are going to be failures, but having armed staff or students parading around is just asking for it. Now, I’m done with this subject.
“Now, I’m done with this subject.” Oh yes,LKB has spoken so everyone else can shut up now. Good, be done. It’s about time you started listening.
Most students will not be 18, but that depends on if one started late or repeated a year. But that doesn’t really matter.
We are not doing what it takes to keep our students safe. Your idea has not worked.
Having a weapon does not set a student to be a target. That’s the real “false choice.” Not having one does make students targets. Why do you think these nuts choose places where weapons are banned. You retired to soon because you leaned nothing about how a lunatic thinks.
Having a weapon means a student might have a chance against another weapon in the event of an attack. You don’t want your family to have a chance, that’s fine. Don’t make that choice for my family.
But why is it you choose to pick up on part B of what I said and ignore part A?
“Don’t make that choice for my family.” – Indianaenoch
My sentiments exactly on another subject I won’t venture into for it is off topic.
Alright, I’ll resist setting you straight this time. 🙂
I had a dream you and elkaybee met on Christian Mingle.
It was a f____ing nightmare!
The would be like Carvel and Matalin, only this time the man would be right and the woman would be wrong. Well…maybe not. The woman is always right.
Say reg, did LKB take good care of you at the institution?
As long as I had my earplugs in, I was fine.
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