Indiana's crazy gun law

The Editorial Board is sarcastically ecstatic to hear that State Sen. Jim Tomes has introduced a bill to make Indiana’s gun laws more clear and ultimately make us a safer people.

The opening synopsis of Senate Bill No. 292 reads, “Preemption of local firearm regulation. Prohibits, with certain exceptions, a political subdivision from regulating any matter pertaining to firearms, ammunition and firearm accessories. Allows a person to file an action against a political subdivision if the person is adversely affected by an ordinance, measure, enactment, rule or policy of the political subdivision that violates the law.”

Pause. Run that by us again?

In an interview with Fox 59, Tomes said he believes that this bill will “take the burden off the legitimate citizen,” those citizens being licensed gun owners who have to deal with pesky gun control.

So you’re saying that SB 292 will disallow any institutions to say, “Hey, uh, we’d rather you not bring guns in here”?

“Who could possibly know this monumental maze of patchwork ordinances and rules that do nothing more than snare the good folks?” Tomes said.

The maze Tomes is referring to happens to be the city and county lines of Indiana.

Currently, there are several subdivisions of gun laws across the state, and Tomes said he believes this only confuses our good, gun-baring Hoosiers.

“This bill makes it possible for firearms owners, law enforcement, gun dealers and collectors to have a fair and consistent code of regulations applicable throughout the entire state,” Tomes said. Apparently, the Indiana House of Representatives agreed, passing the bill in a vote of 38-12.

While we may agree that this “patchwork quilt” of different gun laws could be confusing, it is only human to feel discomfort at the thought of a man with his shotgun sitting on a bench at the local park.

According to this bill, this is precisely what could happen.

“[A]n ordinance that is designed or enforced to effectively restrict or prohibit the sale, purchase, transfer, manufacture or display of firearms, ammunition or firearm accessories that is otherwise lawful under the laws of this state is void.”

The idea of someone being able to take his or her gun and lay it on a table at a local restaurant or to a county fair is absolutely bizarre.

There is no need for citizens to keep their guns with them at all times, and it is better for the comfort of others if institutions reserved the right to ban guns on their property.

Had SB 292 had some sort of consciousness about the danger of firearms, this bill could have been worth a lot, but the bill explicitly favors an outward handgun-hugging society, where people can carry their guns to their job or into a courthouse for a long day of jury duty.

Even Colts owner Jim Irsay is openly opposed to the thought of someone bringing a gun into Lucas Oil Stadium. “It’s about families knowing that people aren’t bringing weapons into the game,” Irsay said during a press conference.

We think we are well within our right to be concerned about a bill that almost defeats having any gun laws whatsoever.