Indiana: Timing was terrible on guns at work bill

By Jon Seidel, Post-Tribune

Just before the General Assembly devolved into bitter end-of-session politics, lawmakers passed a bill with fairly overwhelming and bipartisan support.

House Bill 1065 makes sure gun owners can bring their weapons with them to work as long as they are kept out of sight in a locked vehicle.

As a lobbyist from the National Rifle Association watched from the gallery Thursday, the House voted 75-20 in favor of the bill. A few hours later, the Senate voted for it 41-9.

They couldn’t have timed it any worse. The next day, an angry worker at the Department of Workforce Development in Portage walked out to his car, grabbed a 12-gauge shotgun, and fired into his office. No one was hurt.

“All of the arguments against this are now coming true,” Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, said when he was told about the shooting Friday. “I’m sorry to hear that. I really am.”

Northwest Indiana’s vote on the bill was as divided as the overall vote was lopsided. Nine region lawmakers voted for 1065, and eight voted against. Rep. Shelli VanDenburgh, D-Crown Point, didn’t vote.

Lawmakers who voted in favor included Reps. Chet Dobis, D-Merrillville, Chuck Moseley, D-Portage, Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, Dan Stevenson, D-Highland, Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, Sens. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, Brandt Hershman, R-Wheatfield, Sue Landske, R-Cedar Lake and Frank Mrvan, D-Hammond.

The regional votes against the bill came mostly from northern Lake County. They included Brown, Rep. Vernon Smith and Sen. Earline Rogers, both of Gary, Reps. Mara Candelaria Reardon of Munster and Linda Lawson of Hammond, Rep. Earl Harris and Sen. Lonnie Randolph, both of East Chicago, and Sen. Karen Tallian of Portage.

The dissenters were all Democrats.

There are exceptions in the bill. It doesn’t let people take guns to schools, child care centers, domestic violence shelters, jails, residences or public utilities.

It also carves out properties subject to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards and licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Finally, the bill prohibits Indiana governments from declaring an emergency and restricting Hoosier gun rights.

Supporters say the bill protects the Second Amendment rights of Hoosiers, making sure they are able to protect themselves while they are at the workplace.

“It goes back to the fundamental constitutional right to bare arms,” Charbonneau said.

Gov. Mitch Daniels didn’t commit to signing the bill when he met with reporters Friday. He said he wants to read it first. Republican Daniels is flirting with the idea of a presidential bid in 2012. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles a bill championed by the NRA.

But Brown called out the powerful lobbying group before the House’s vote on the bill. He joined local lawmakers who included Smith and Randolph in speaking out against it, saying the NRA’s influence cuts across party lines.

“I think once and for all we need to tell the NRA, ‘Hell, no, you don’t have a stranglehold on this chamber,’” Brown said. “I’m not afraid of the NRA.”

Northern Lake County lawmakers told their colleagues the legislation wasn’t popular in their hometowns and crosses a dangerous line. They argued the owners of private properties should decide whether guns are present.

“I think we’re violating a very personal right,” Smith said.

In that much, Smith and Charbonneau might agree. Charbonneau said the bill might end up in a courtroom to sort out the conflict between the rights of property owners and gun owners.

But Charbonneau said he chose to vote with the constitution.

“It’s not an easy issue to decide where to come down,” Charbonneau said.

Related Article: Portage man shoots at co-workers after bad performance review