by Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
Indiana has joined the ranks of states that allow carrying handguns in public without a permit or license. The law becomes effective July 1.
The state is number 24, coming in only several days after governors in Alabama and neighboring Ohio inked bills opening their states to what is generically called “constitutional carry.” It’s a reference to the post-Revolutionary War period when the Bill of Rights—containing the Second Amendment—became the law of the land and no government permit or license was required to carry a gun. It was common, especially on the frontier, for citizens to have guns.
Jason Quimet, executive director of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action, issued a statement: “The government should not mandate that law-abiding citizens get permission before exercising their fundamental, constitutional right to self-defense.”
He thanked Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb for signing the measure, and State Rep. Ben Smaltz and other “legislative leaders” for supporting the bill, which NRA supported. In a statement, Gov. Holcomb noted, “HEA 1296…entrusts Hoosiers who can lawfully carry a handgun to responsibly do so within our State. It’s important to note that if a person is prohibited, under federal or state laws, from possessing a firearm before this law goes into effect, that person will still be prohibited.”
In addition to Indiana, Ohio and Alabama, states with constitutional carry are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Florida legislation failed to get the necessary traction, leaving gun owners there furious.
Indiana’s legislation was signed as the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee was questioning Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. According to Fox News, she told ranking Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) she views the right to keep and bear arms as a fundamental right.
“The Supreme Court has established that the individual right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental right,” she stated, as quoted by Fox.
Still, there are concerns within the Second Amendment community over Judge Jackson’s position on gun rights, primarily because her nomination almost immediately received strong support from national gun prohibition lobbying groups. Monday, anti-gun billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety released an email blast calling for Jackson’s confirmation.
“We need someone on the Supreme Court who understands the importance of gun safety,” Everytown said, adding, “Judge Jackson is incredibly qualified for this role…”
“And as President Joe Biden’s nominee,” the Everytown message continued, “we have no doubt Judge Jackson will understand that reasonable gun safety measures are constitutional. Her confirmation is incredibly important to the future of our movement—especially with more gun safety cases coming before the courts and with more gun violence devastating our communities.”
