MUNCIE, Ind. (NewsLink) --- Indiana residents will no longer be required to have a permit to carry a handgun in public starting July 1. This is according to House Bill 1296 which was signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb this week.
According to the bill, those who were otherwise prohibited from carrying a handgun or process a license or permit from the state of Indiana previously will still not be able to do so after July 1.
According to a statement made by Holcomb, the bill “entrusts Hoosiers who can lawfully carry a handgun to responsibly do so within our state.”
With discussions growing about the bill and how it will affect people in Muncie, one group keeping a close eye to it: law enforcement.
“It does not really affect the way we are going to train and treat the public,” Tony Skinner, Delaware County Sheriff said.
For the Sheriff’s Department, questions still rise about the bill and how it will affect their officers.
“If we come in contact with somebody, are they a prohibited processer,” Skinner said. “I wish there was a better solution for that but right now there’s not.”
As reactions continue within the department, others in Muncie are starting to voice their opinions.
“I’m for it, I’m for the second amendment, the right to bear arms and to not need a specialized permit in addition to having that constitutional right," a Muncie resident said.
“We understand our rights and we don’t want any interference there,” Matthew Cox said.
Skinner said he has been expecting HB 1296 to be signed for a while now, but the possibility of anyone carrying a handgun in the community will be something in the back of the officer’s minds.
“It’s not something new, it’s just something we as law enforcement are going to have to figure out when we deal with people if they are armed if they are allowed to be armed.” Skinner said.
Once the Sheriff’s Department gets the paperwork from the bill, they will begin to start taking the next steps.
Contact Anna Chalker with questions or comments at alchalker@bsu.edu.
