Hoosiers Enjoy a Historic Session for Pro-Gun Legislation in Indiana!


In one of the most successful pro-gun legislative sessions in the Hoosier State’s recent history, the Indiana General Assembly passed and sent several pro-firearm freedom bills to the governor. At this time Governor Mitch Daniels has already signed three NRA-supported bills into law, including the “Parking Lot 2.0” bill and the “Non-Contiguous State Firearm Purchase” bill. However, the “Transport Permit Reform” and “Firearm Preemption Reform” bills are still awaiting the Governor’s consideration.


Senate Bill 506, the “Transport Permit Reform” bill, would make important reforms to Indiana’s current “transport permit” requirement. It is currently illegal to transport a handgun in your vehicle without some form of state-issued permit for any reason unless driving from the point of purchase to your home or to your fixed place of business, or from your home or fixed place of business to a gunsmith for repair. The “Transport Permit Reform” bill passed in the Senate by a 43 to 7 vote and in House by an 84 to 13 vote. This bill will soon go to the governor for his signature and still needs your support.


Click links below to see how your state Representative and state Senator voted to reform Indiana’s “firearm transport permit.”

Indiana House of Representatives Roll Call vote for SB 506

Indiana Senate Roll Call vote for SB 506

As recently reported, the NRA’s top legislative priority, the “Firearm Preemption Reform” bill, passed in the General Assembly on the final day of the 2011 legislative session. Senate Bill 292, would mandate a strong and meaningful statewide standard for all firearm laws in Indiana. SB 292 will now be sent to Governor Daniels to be signed into law.

Click links below to see how your state Representative and state Senator voted to establish a strong, statewide mandate for Indiana firearm laws.


Indiana House of Representatives Roll Call vote for SB 292


Indiana Senate Roll Call vote for Senate Bill 292

Governor Daniels has signed three NRA-backed bills into law, but he needs to hear from NRA members across Indiana to encourage his signature on these remaining two pieces of legislation. When you call Governor Mitch Daniels, please thank him for signing the legislation below into law, and respectfully urge him to continue his strong support of the Second Amendment by signing into law SB 506 and SB 292! Contact information for the Governor can be found here.

 

On April 26, Governor Daniels signed into law Senate Enrolled Act 94, bringing an Indiana statute in line with federal law allowing for the purchase of long guns in non-contiguous states. SEA 94 was sponsored in the House by state Representative Matthew Lehman (R-79) and cosponsored by state Representative Sean Eberhart (R-57).


Authored in the Senate by state Senator Travis Holdman (R-43) and co-authored by state Senator Jim Tomes (R-49), the “Non-Contiguous State Firearm Purchase” bill will allow Hoosiers to purchase a long gun in any state, and allow a citizen of any other state to purchase a long gun in Indiana, so long as both states allow such purchases. SEA 94 brings Indiana law into line with current BATFE recognition of non-contiguous state long gun purchases, following changes in federal law with the 1986 Firearm Owners Protection Act.

 

Click links below to see how your state Representative and state Senator voted for the “Non-Contiguous State Firearm Purchase” bill.


Indiana House of Representatives Roll Call vote on SEA 94

Indiana Senate Roll Call vote on SEA 94

On April 20, Governor Mitch Daniels signed into law Senate Enrolled Act 154, allowing loaded firearms on off-road vehicles on private property, if the person carrying the firearm owns or has permission to be on the property.

 

Authored in the Senate by state Senator Brent Steele (R-44) and sponsored in the House by Representative Sean Eberhart (R-57), SEA 154 passed the Senate by a 45 to 1 vote, and in the House by a 83 to 6 vote.


Click links below to see how your state Representative and state Senator voted to allow loaded firearms on off-road vehicles on private property.


Indiana House of Representatives Roll Call vote on SEA 154

Indiana Senate Roll Call vote on SEA 154

Governor Daniels also signed Senate Enrolled Act 411, the “Parking Lot 2.0” bill, into law on April 15. Authored by NRA Board Member and state Senator Johnny Nugent (R-43) and co-authored by state Senator Jim Tomes (R-49). This legislation is the follow-up bill to last year’s Parking Lot law and sailed through both chambers without serious opposition or threatening amendments. The “Parking Lot 2.0” bill was sponsored in the House by state Representative Sean Eberhart (R-57).

 

Click links below to see how your state Representative and Senator voted to protect Hoosier employees from anti-gun workplace discrimination.

 

Indiana House of Representatives Roll Call vote for SEA 411

Indiana Senate Roll Call vote for SEA 411

NRA member’s communications to their state legislators can have a big impact on how theys vote on firearm-related legislation, both now and in the future. It is just as important to thank your legislators after they supported the Second Amendment as it is to ask for their vote. Please take a moment to send your Representative and Senator a note of thanks. Contact information for the Indiana General Assembly can be found here.

Once signed, each of the above laws will take effect on July 1.

Joyful Proletariat Welcome New AT&T Internet Enhancements

May 2, 2011 - As Reported by Official News Service of DPRK-AT&T

As reported by the glorious Peoples Commissariat of Internet Resources (known to the decadent bourgeoisie as the AT&T Marketing Department) workers and peasants through the Peoples Republic of AT&T expressed their unalloyed joy at the latest culmination of the the glorious Five Year Bandwidth Allocation Initiative, which grants all members of the Outer Party an amazing 150 GB of precious bandwidth every month. The People's Congress has also agreed to award Inner Party members up to 250 GB of bandwidth, as a reward for loyal service to the Motherland.

Bandwidth is a precious and limited resource of the State, and AT&T citizens are grateful and thankful that this precious resource is now limited. Prior to the new limits, wreckers and bourgeoisie infiltrators used more then their fair share of this resource.

Winston Smith, a proud Party member in our great Workers Paradise, was quoted as saying "Previously, I lived in fear that I was inadvertantly weakening our State by using too much bandwidth. I am so relieved that the I may now use only 250 GB of data. The strong, comforting hand of our Great Leader acts as a rudder upon the ship of my broadband connection!"

It is expected that any workers who are not satisfied with their bandwidth allocation will engage in public Self Criticism at the next Party committee meeting.



Let there be light!

My first of several coming prototypes. Rechargeable 9V, two 20k MCD LED's, two 100ohm resistors... to come in the future, some other flashlight types and some desk type lamps (once I decide on a way to diffuse the light)... why do I do this you ask? Easy, power goes out here far too often, chemlights work great but are rarely needed for more than 15-20 minutes, although we do get several hour power outages frequent enough to need another solution.

 

Indiana’s “Firearm Preemption Reform” Bill Will Soon be Sent to the Governor!

As the final day of Indiana’s 2011 legislative session concluded, the state House and Senate voted to give final passage to Senate Bill 292, NRA’s top legislative priority in Indiana this year. SB 292, the “Firearm Preemption Reform” bill, achieved an overwhelming concurrence vote in both the Senate and House, and will soon be sent to Governor Mitch Daniels’ desk for his consideration.

 

The “Firearm Preemption Reform” bill traveled a long and difficult road to reach final passage. SB 292 faced constant attack from the media, anti-gun opponents, some Indiana mayors and even Jim Irsay, the owner of the Indianapolis Colts. The attacks were based on false information, spread to scare the public and legislators from supporting legislation that protects law-abiding gun owners from the confusing patchwork of city ordinances across Indiana.

 

SB 292 passed in the Senate Committee on Corrections, Criminal and Civil Matters by a unanimous 10 to 0 vote on January 27, but was stalled for its second reading on the Senate floor until February 10. After two and a half weeks of delay over fictitious media-fed concerns, the Senate gave final passage to SB 292 on February 14 with an overwhelming, 38 to 12 vote.

 

Shortly after passing the Senate, the Indiana House of Representatives shut down for five weeks. During this time, the attacks continued on lawful gun owners and the bill’s authors and sponsors. As they always do, anti-gun opponents pulled the same tired trick out of their failed playbook, making shrill predictions of violence and a return to the “wild, wild west” by honest citizens running errands at municipal buildings, taking their children to libraries, attending public hearings or enjoying a city park.

 

Your NRA worked continually with the bill authors and sponsors and communicated the facts of this bill with House leadership and other representatives. NRA members repeatedly contacted state Senators and Representatives in support of this bill, in an effort to overcome these misguided and deceptive messages. When the state House came back into session, SB 292 was assigned to the House Public Policy Committee. After more delays over concerns and confusion about the bill, SB 292 passed out of committee on April 13. On April 15, the bill passed on the House floor by a 77 to 21 vote.

 

Due to some weakening amendments added on its second reading in the House, the bill’s author, state Senator Jim Tomes (R-49), rejected the changes, sending SB 292 to a conference committee on April 19. During the conference committee hearing, more opponents gave public testimony, requesting more exemptions to further weaken the bill.

 

Although there was some unnecessary delay due to more last-minute ‘concerns’ by opposing groups, the conference committee successfully rolled back amendments that would have weakened SB 292 and re-drafted a committee report for a strong version of the Preemption bill. On April 29, the final day of session, SB 292 was signed by all four conference committee members and passed in the Senate by a 40 to10 vote and in the House by a 70 to 24 vote.

 

The NRA would like to thank the authors and sponsors of SB 292, who worked from its introduction through its final passage in the General Assembly: state Senators Jim Tomes (R-49), Brent Steele (R-44) and Brent Waltz (R-36) and state Representatives Mike Speedy (R-90), Sean Eberhart (R-57) and Jerry Torr (R-39).

 

SB 292 now heads to Governor Mitch Daniels’ desk for his consideration. NRA members should contact Governor Daniels, respectfully urging his support to strengthen Indiana’s firearm preemption law.

 

To contact Governor Daniels, please click here and then click the contact link in the middle of the page.

 

NRA Member communications had a big impact on how elected officials voted on firearm-related legislation. Please take a moment to check the roll call votes below for SB 292, and send your state Representative and state Senator a note of thanks:

 

Indiana House of Representatives SB 292 Roll Call 730, 4/29: www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2011/PDF/Hrollcal/0730.PDF.pdf

 

Indiana Senate SB 292 Roll Call 513, 4/29:
www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2011/PDF/Srollcal/0513.PDF.pdf

 

Contact information for your state legislators can be found here.