Today, July 1st, permitless carry goes into law. The law was passed by the state legislature earlier this year and will allow all Hoosiers to carry a handgun without a license.
It’s a law that has many law enforcement agencies and police organizations a little worried.
“I think that people will think it is just free-for-all, and that anyone can carry, and that there will not be a consequence to that, and that is just not the case,” said IMPD Chief Randal Taylor to WISH-TV. “There are still 15 categories that will preclude you from carrying a weapon.”
Those categories apply if you are or ever have been:
– Convicted of a felony.
– Convicted of a crime of domestic violence within five years (Indiana Code35-31.5-2-78).
– Convicted of domestic violence-battery (Indiana Code 35-42-2-1.3).
– Convicted of stalking (Indiana Code 35-45-10-5).
– Fugitive from justice.
– Younger than 18, unless hunting or participating in a shooting competition or safety course, or traveling to or from hunting or participating in a shooting competition or safety course (Indiana Code 35-47-10).
– Protective order for domestic violence or family violence (Indiana Code 34-26-5).
– Under indictment for a felony.
– Younger than 23 with juvie adjudication for Indiana Code 35-47-4-5, possession by a serious violent felon.
– Dishonorably discharged from the military.
– Adjudicated dangerous under the red flag law (Indiana Code 35-47-14-6).
– Adjudicated a mental defective.
– Alien unlawfully in the United States.
– Committed to a mental institution.
– Renounced U.S. citizenship per 8 U.S. Code §1481.
Even with these categories, Taylor is sticking by his stance that the law will make it more difficult for police officers to keep track of who can and can’t be in possession of a gun, especially if they come across someone carrying a gun during a traffic stop.
“There are a number of (categories) that we will not have direct access to right at that time,” Taylor said. “Things like being dishonorably discharged from the military.”
Doug Carter, superintendent of Indiana State Police, had told Indiana lawmakers considering the law earlier this year that more than 10,000 applications for carry permits were denied in 2021 because they were not legally allowed to carry a gun.
Taylor agrees that without the state permit system, he expects more people who shouldn’t be carrying guns to have them, which could lead to a surge in crime.
