INDIANAPOLIS – The House Natural Resources Committee voted unanimously Thursday to close public access to the state's database of Hoosiers who have permits to carry a handgun in public.
House Bill 1068 moves to the full House for consideration while a separate firearms bill awaits a committee vote.
"We have to be careful how we balance these rights," said Rep. Dave Cheatham, D-North Vernon. "Individuals have a right to privacy."
In Indiana, citizens can have a handgun in their home or personal business without a license. But if they want to carry the gun in public, they must buy a concealed weapon permit from the Indiana State Police.
Rep. Peggy Welch, D-Bloomington, brought the bill after complaints over two recent newspaper stories.
An Indianapolis Star investigation found numerous instances in which, despite the objection of local police, the Indiana State Police approved gun permits in Lake and Marion counties for people with violent and sometimes criminal histories.
The Bloomington Herald-Times used aggregate data to show the incidence of gun permits in various counties.
Welch said some people with permits believed the information should not be public record. Others who did not have gun permits thought the public database could alert criminals and put them in harm's way.
But Steve Key, lobbyist for the Hoosier State Press Association, said more people would be in danger if authorities give guns to those who don't meet the statutory guidelines.
He said the names and addresses in the database are necessary for journalists to scrutinize the permitting process.
And the same information could be used to determine whether people were being unjustly denied gun permits, he added.
But committee members clearly empathized with Hoosiers who have permits.
"We are throwing the law-abiding citizens under the bus because a few people have slipped through the system," said Rep. Sean Eberhart, R-Shelbyville.
At the workplace
The committee also heard testimony on House Bill 1065, but further discussion is planned before a vote is taken.
The bill would allow employees to have guns in their locked vehicles at work.
Currently, many companies have policies against bringing firearms onto the property.
A representative from the National Rifle Association was the only person to testify in support of the legislation.
Numerous business representatives testified against it, saying lawmakers are favoring the right to possess a firearm over a property owner's right to secure his property.
Attorney Ed Roberts, lobbyist for the Indiana Manufacturers Association, explained that the U.S. Constitution restrains the government from infringing on the right to bear arms but that doesn't apply to private citizens.
