Indiana on Monday became the 24th state to codify that the right to carry a concealed firearm isn't dependent on a permit.
Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb this week signed Indiana House Bill 1296, which had been sent to his desk earlier in the month by the General Assembly. It simply repeals the law that requires a person to obtain a license to carry a handgun in Indiana while keeping the state's popular License to Carry system in place – without a fee – for those who seek to have a permit.
"Twenty-three other states have laws comparable to HEA 1296," said Holcomb on signing the bill. "Vermont has had a constitutional carry law in place since it became a state and several other states have had a similar law for more than a decade."
Among the states with permitless carry referenced by Holcomb are two of Indiana's neighbors, Kentucky and Ohio, the latter where Gov. Mike DeWine approved a similar measure just last week.
While national gun control groups stumped against the measure – indeed, Shannon Watts founded the Everytown-allied Moms Demand Action organization in the Indianapolis area in 2013 – in the end, they were left with sour grapes following Holcomb's signature, saying in a statement, "We cannot let this attack on public safety go unanswered and must hold our leaders accountable at the ballot box."
Meanwhile, Second Amendment advocates hailed the move as a solid win for the right to keep and bear arms.
"FPC applauds Gov. Holcomb for honorably siding with the constitutions of both Indiana and the United States," said the Firearms Policy Coalition in an email sent to Guns.com. "We also wish to thank the bill’s author, Rep. Ben Smaltz, as well as the Indiana state senators and representatives who actively supported H.B. 1296’s passing, despite multiple efforts to derail and gut the bill by amendment from the Republican Chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Liz Brown."
The law will go into effect July 1.
Banner image: Sig Sauer P229R 9mm pistol in a Galco Royal Guard IWB holster. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
