INDIANAPOLIS — Beginning July 1, Hoosiers will be able to carry a handgun in public without a permit.
Some say the permit-less carry bill is needed.
"It's just removing those obstacles for the law-abiding. I don't see a problem with it," the retail manager at Indy Arms Company, Mark Welter, said. "We shouldn't have to pay fees to the government to exercise a constitutional right."
Others who struggle with gun violence are worried.
"I'm terrified," Alexandra Rollo, with the organization Moms Demand Action said. "This makes everyone's life riskier, and it puts our cops in a position where they don't have any leg to stand on. They see somebody with a gun, no longer will the law allow them to question a person. That's crazy."
Those in support of the law say it clears the red tape for legal gun owners.
"We don't put a tax on speech, we don't put a tax on worship, all of those things are enshrined into the constitution. Self-defense is the same thing," Welter said.
Welter said there is a constitutional right when it comes to carrying a gun and that right shouldn't be taxed.
"I've never heard any bad guys pass on doing any criminal activity because my gun permit hasn't arrived yet," Welter said.
Those opposed fear it will create more gun violence and make it tough on police.
"It's going to be a war zone," Donita Royal who lost her son to gun violence said. "The violence is going to skyrocket even higher than what it is now. We have to have order. Some laws do need to be put in place."
A similar measure that created permitless carry went into effect Monday in Ohio.
-
The family of Adam Sykes responds to a deadly officer-involved shooting
The family of Adam Sykes is speaking up and demanding answers from IMPD after he was shot and killed by police in February.
Indiana legislative session approaches deadline with major decisions looming
So far, the governor has signed more than 100 bills into law, some of which have sparked controversy.
New grant helping central Indiana schools address students' mental wellness
A new grant from Butler University is working to help school districts around central Indiana, geared toward helping students with mental wellness.
Indiana businesses remain concerned over uncertainty when it comes to tariffs
A survey by the Indiana Chamber gauges the level of concern around proposed tariffs to local businesses. 80% say they’re “concerned”, 65% are “very concerned,” and 20% say they are neutral.
