INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – An Indiana House panel has dumped a proposal that would’ve repealed the state law requiring licenses to carry handguns in public.
The House Public Policy Committee voted 12-1 Wednesday in favor of an overhauled bill that keeps the current handgun licensing process while eliminating what is now a $100 fee for a lifetime permit.
Several police organizations have supported keeping the current licensing and bill sponsor Republican Rep. Timothy Wesco of Osceola says a full repeal of the permits faced some opposition among lawmakers.
Supporters of the repeal argue the current license requirement infringes on the Second Amendment by forcing gun owners to submit to a police background check and pay a licensing fee.
The bill now goes to the full House for consideration.
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Here is an immediate update: House Bill 1424 was amended while in committee, and passed by a 12 to 1 vote to exit the committee and to be voted on by the full House. This was as of Wed. Jan. 24, 2018.
The amendment proposes that the $75 fee for a lifetime permit be removed. The 4 year license is to be extended to 5 years. 5 year license holders, (and presumably “lifetime” holders) would be exempt from future background checks while purchasing a firearm from an Indiana firearms dealer. (This is my best info as of 5:30 PM on Friday, Jan 26.) In January 2018, fees for the lifetime license cost $77.52 to the Indiana State Police site, $11.95 for fingerprint service, and $50.00 to the county Sheriff’s office.
This is not yet law. It must pass in the full House, go the the Senate where they will do their thing with it, return to the House for final approval or work, then to the Governor for signing. The party ain’t over yet.
Update: The proposed 5 year license will have a benefit. License applicants will still pay license fees, but gain the benefit of exemption from NICS instant background checks as often as they buy firearms from a dealer. Federal law still requires LIFETIME licensees to undergo the NICS checks when buying firearms. So the proposed bill eliminates LIFETIME license fees in compensation for the Federally mandated inconvenience. After all, these licensees have all been thoroughly examined and cleared by the State Police of Indiana and local Sheriff departments.