By Evan Shields, Evansville Courier & Press

On Thursday, the Indiana General Assembly sent a bill to Gov. Mitch Daniels that would ensure a worker’s right to bring guns to work, as long as they remain locked in the employee’s vehicle.

The next day, a Portage man who was angry about a poor performance review at the Indiana Department of Workforce Development went to his car, grabbed a shotgun, returned to his office building and began shooting at his co-workers.

Though no one was injured, some Indiana lawmakers and business groups pointed to that incident Monday as they pleaded with Daniels to veto the bill.

“This is further evidence that guns and the workplace simply don’t mix,” said Kevin Brinegar, Indiana Chamber of Commerce president. “The last thing our state should do is validate the opportunity for a disgruntled employee to get a gun from his or her vehicle and threaten the lives of innocent co-workers and bystanders.”

Asked about the guns-at-work bill Friday, Daniels said he had “no comment till I’ve really looked at it.”

He said the exemptions lawmakers added last week were “good adjustments.” But as to whether he’ll sign it into law, he said: “I want to see the legislation before giving you a final answer.”

On Monday, Daniels’ spokeswoman Jane Jankowski did not respond directly to a question about whether the Portage incident will weigh into the governor’s decision. She indicated Daniels still has not decided whether he will sign or veto the bill.

If Daniels signs the bill, Indiana will join 12 states with similar laws.

Proponents of the recently passed legislation said those who would initiate workplace shootings wouldn’t be deterred by corporate gun policies anyway.

House Enrolled Act 1065′s author, Rep. Bob Bischoff, D-Lawrenceburg, said the issue is important in his district, where he said residents value their Second Amendment rights.

“From my constituency, which is a rural area in southeast Indiana, people want their firearms,” he said. “And they don’t want their rights taken.”

The National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action said the right to have a gun at work is important for employee safety.

“An employee’s workday doesn’t always end at the office,” said Rachel Parsons, a spokeswoman for the NRA. “Folks who have gone through all the legal procedures should be able to carry to and from work.”

When asked about the Portage shooting, Parsons said a bill such as this would not do much in terms of stopping a crime.

“If someone is going to commit a crime, a corporate gun law isn’t going to prevent that,” she said.

Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Portage, addressed the issue before the full Senate before Monday’s session began. Tallian said the shooting took place across the street from her office, and she urged Daniels not to sign the bill into law.

Other lawmakers, such as Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, pointed to the incident as a reason Daniels should pause.

“It just makes absolutely no sense to me how we can legitimize taking guns to work,” Brown said. “It crystallizes that we should back off a bit and think.”

Debate over the bill has centered on the intersection of gun rights and property rights. David Williams, a professor at Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law, called the legislation an “invasion of personal property.”

Williams argued the government has no right to regulate where a person can carry a gun, but private areas — such as homes or businesses — do have the right to regulate. He said there is no constitutional right for someone to carry a gun onto private property.

“An employer is likely to know if bringing a gun is safe or not. Overwhelmingly, an employer no longer has the right to make this decision,” Williams said.

Williams called the legislation part of a national trend toward rolling back gun-control laws.

Therefore, he said, Hoosiers should expect lawmakers to propose further changes in future years.

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