Amended Bill Would Allow Guns On School Property

Indiana lawmakers are moving a bill forward that would allow guns at schools as long as they are locked in a vehicle and out of sight.

Members of the House Public Policy Committee voted 8-2 in favor of the legislation.

They amended the bill to allow a person to bring a firearm to school property if it is safely secured and not in plain sight.

"People that are going to break laws aren't going to pay attention to any laws and anybody that has such wanton disregard for human life really is going to have little to any regard for laws," said Rep. Jim Lucas (R-Seymour).  "What we are seeing here is the laws that are on the books currently are effecting only those that obey the laws and the peaceful innocent person that wants to go about their everyday life and exercise their right to self-defense."

Nicki McNally with the group Moms Demand Action thinks this opens to door for violence.

"We feel like putting guns within a few yards of our children just invites an accident or gun related incident to happen," McNally said.  "This amendment really takes away all local control for the school districts and schools themselves."

"So, I'm not sure what they are going to be able to do to protect themselves from a potential incident," she said.

Currently, having a gun on school property is a felony.

The National Rifle Association supports the amendment and State Liaison Trevor Santos says it protects law abiding citizens.

"We are not talking about criminals.  By definition, they are going to break the law anyway.  We are talking about an unsuspecting, unintentional mother who has taken her child to school and may need to get out of the vehicle for some reason," he said.  "This would allow them to lock that firearm in their vehicle."

Students who legally own a gun would not be permitted to have it at school, unless they are involved in a shooting sport.

Then they can have it hidden and secured in a vehicle if they have permission of the administration.

The bill now goes to the full House.