Legislators in Indiana decide to allow certain state employees to carry firearms on Capitol property

Indianapolis, Indiana – A bill approved by state lawmakers on Monday would allow some Indiana officials, such as the attorney general and the secretary of state, to carry pistols inside the state Capitol. Currently, they are permitted to do so within the campus.

If they are not otherwise prohibited by state or federal law, the new bill, written by a Republican politician, would permit the state attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, comptroller, and their staff members to carry a firearm.

The House will now consider the bill.

A 2021 investigation by The Associated Press found that 21 states permit some kind of gun ownership in their statehouses.

This month, Daniel Elliott, the state treasurer of Indiana, testified in support of the bill.

“I believe it is something elected officials should be able to decide for their own staff,” he told lawmakers.

Elliott stated that the bill has the support of the comptroller, secretary of state, and attorney general. Attorney General Todd Rokita and Secretary of State Diego Morales’s representatives affirmed their backing.

“Our office fully supports this legislation because we have a Constitutional right to keep and bear arms in this nation,” Rokita’s office said in a statement. “We believe this is a commonsense measure to promote safety that deserves quick passage.”

The law states that individual offices are free to create their handgun policy.

Indiana law permits members of the general assembly and their staff to carry handguns within the state capitol building and on its premises as long as they have a valid license to do so.

A state statute requiring permission to carry a weapon in public was abolished by Indiana in 2022. Additionally, the new law, which was advanced on Monday, would eliminate the need for a license for General Assembly members and their staff to enter the Capitol.

There are metal detectors at the Capitol grounds’ public entrances. Workers for the state who have a valid access badge can enter buildings without passing through detectors.