Indiana 2025 Regular Session

Indiana Senate Bill SB0204 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	Introduced Version
3	3	SENATE BILL No. 204
4	4	_____
5	5	DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
6	6	Citations Affected: IC 2-7-8; IC 35-47-2-3.
7	7	Synopsis: Right of lobbyist to carry handgun in capitol. Provides that
8	8	a lobbyist who meets certain training, licensing, and eligibility
9	9	requirements has the right to carry a handgun within the state capitol
10	10	building and on the property of the state capitol complex. Makes a
11	11	technical correction.
12	12	Effective: July 1, 2025.
13	13	Tomes
14	14	January 8, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Corrections and Criminal
15	15	Law.
16	16	2025 IN 204—LS 6316/DI 144 Introduced
17	17	First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
18	18	PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
19	19	Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
20	20	additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
21	21	Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
22	22	provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
23	23	word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
24	24	a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
25	25	Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
26	26	between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
27	27	SENATE BILL No. 204
28	28	A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
29	29	criminal law and procedure.
30	30	Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. IC 2-7-8 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE AS
32	32	2 A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY
33	33	3 1, 2025]:
34	34	4 Chapter 8. Handguns
35	35	5 Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "statehouse permit" means a
36	36	6 permit issued by the commission under section 5 of this chapter.
37	37	7 Sec. 2. A lobbyist who meets the requirements under section 3
38	38	8 of this chapter has the right to carry a handgun within the state
39	39	9 capitol building and on the property of the state capitol complex.
40	40	10 Sec. 3. A lobbyist who wishes to carry a handgun under section
41	41	11 2 of this chapter must:
42	42	12 (1) possess a valid license to carry a handgun under
43	43	13 IC 35-47-2-3;
44	44	14 (2) successfully complete the training requirements under
45	45	15 section 4 of this chapter;
46	46	16 (3) not be prohibited from owning, possessing, or carrying a
47	47	17 handgun under state or federal law;
48	48	2025 IN 204—LS 6316/DI 144 2
49	49	1 (4) apply for and obtain a statehouse permit from the
50	50	2 commission under section 5 of this chapter;
51	51	3 (5) hold a valid statehouse permit; and
52	52	4 (6) comply with section 6 of this chapter at all times the
53	53	5 lobbyist carries a handgun within the state capitol building
54	54	6 and on the property of the state capitol complex.
55	55	7 Sec. 4. A lobbyist who applies for a statehouse permit under
56	56	8 section 5 of this chapter must successfully complete a handgun
57	57	9 safety and training program that meets the following
58	58	10 requirements:
59	59	11 (1) The program must consist of at least five (5) hours of
60	60	12 instruction.
61	61	13 (2) The program and instructor must be certified by the
62	62	14 National Rifle Association or a similar organization.
63	63	15 (3) The program must provide to a person who successfully
64	64	16 completes the program a certificate of completion that
65	65	17 includes the:
66	66	18 (A) printed name of the participant;
67	67	19 (B) date of completion; and
68	68	20 (C) printed name and signature of the instructor who
69	69	21 conducted the program.
70	70	22 Sec. 5. (a) A lobbyist may apply in writing to the commission for
71	71	23 a permit to carry a handgun within the state capitol building and
72	72	24 on the property of the state capitol complex.
73	73	25 (b) An application under subsection (a) must include the
74	74	26 following:
75	75	27 (1) A copy of the applicant's valid license to carry a handgun
76	76	28 under IC 35-47-2-3.
77	77	29 (2) A copy of a certificate of completion for a handgun safety
78	78	30 and training program that:
79	79	31 (A) meets the requirements under section 4 of this chapter;
80	80	32 and
81	81	33 (B) was completed by the applicant not more than twelve
82	82	34 (12) months before submission of the application.
83	83	35 (3) A signed certification, under the penalties for perjury, that
84	84	36 the applicant is not prohibited by state or federal law from
85	85	37 owning, possessing, or carrying a handgun.
86	86	38 (c) After receipt of an application submitted under subsection
87	87	39 (a), the commission shall request confirmation from the state police
88	88	40 department that the applicant holds a valid license to carry a
89	89	41 handgun.
90	90	42 (d) If the commission receives:
91	91	2025 IN 204—LS 6316/DI 144 3
92	92	1 (1) the documents and certification required under subsection
93	93	2 (b); and
94	94	3 (2) confirmation from the state police department that the
95	95	4 applicant holds a valid license to carry a handgun;
96	96	5 the commission shall issue to the applicant a statehouse permit. A
97	97	6 permit issued under this subsection is valid for five (5) years from
98	98	7 the date of issuance.
99	99	8 (e) A statehouse permit issued under subsection (d) must contain
100	100	9 the:
101	101	10 (1) lobbyist's name;
102	102	11 (2) date the permit was issued; and
103	103	12 (3) date the permit expires.
104	104	13 (f) The commission shall deny an application submitted under
105	105	14 subsection (a):
106	106	15 (1) that fails to meet all of the requirements under subsection
107	107	16 (b); or
108	108	17 (2) if the state police department informs the commission that
109	109	18 the applicant does not hold a valid license to carry a handgun.
110	110	19 Sec. 6. A lobbyist who carries a handgun inside the state capitol
111	111	20 building or another building on the state capitol complex under
112	112	21 section 2 of this chapter must:
113	113	22 (1) carry a copy of the lobbyist's statehouse permit at all
114	114	23 times; and
115	115	24 (2) present the lobbyist's statehouse permit to the security
116	116	25 personnel at the entrance to the building for verification each
117	117	26 time the lobbyist enters the building.
118	118	27 Sec. 7. The commission shall revoke a statehouse permit issued
119	119	28 under this chapter if:
120	120	29 (1) the commission:
121	121	30 (A) imposes a sanction against the permit holder under
122	122	31 IC 2-7-6-5 or IC 2-7-6-6; or
123	123	32 (B) finds that the permit holder has failed to comply with
124	124	33 section 6 of this chapter;
125	125	34 (2) the permit holder no longer meets the requirements under
126	126	35 section 5 of this chapter for obtaining a statehouse permit; or
127	127	36 (3) the permit holder is convicted of an offense under:
128	128	37 (A) IC 2-7-6-2 (unlawful lobbying); or
129	129	38 (B) IC 2-7-6-3 (false report).
130	130	39 SECTION 2. IC 35-47-2-3, AS AMENDED BY THE TECHNICAL
131	131	40 CORRECTIONS BILL OF THE 2025 GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IS
132	132	41 AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]:
133	133	42 Sec. 3. (a) A person who is at least eighteen (18) years of age and is not
134	134	2025 IN 204—LS 6316/DI 144 4
135	135	1 otherwise prohibited from carrying or possessing a handgun under state
136	136	2 or federal law is not required to obtain or possess a license or permit
137	137	3 from the state to carry a handgun in Indiana. A person who wishes to
138	138	4 carry a firearm in another state under a reciprocity agreement entered
139	139	5 into by this state and another state may obtain a license to carry a
140	140	6 handgun in Indiana under this chapter by applying as follows:
141	141	7 (1) If the applicant is a resident of this state:
142	142	8 (A) to the chief of police or corresponding law enforcement
143	143	9 officer of the municipality in which the applicant resides; or
144	144	10 (B) if that municipality has no such officer, or if the applicant
145	145	11 does not reside in a municipality, to the sheriff of the county
146	146	12 in which the applicant resides after the applicant has obtained
147	147	13 an application form prescribed by the superintendent.
148	148	14 (2) If the applicant is a resident of another state and has a regular
149	149	15 place of business or employment in Indiana, to the sheriff of the
150	150	16 county in which the applicant has a regular place of business or
151	151	17 employment.
152	152	18 The superintendent and local law enforcement agencies shall allow an
153	153	19 applicant desiring to obtain or renew a license to carry a handgun to
154	154	20 submit an application electronically under this chapter if funds are
155	155	21 available to establish and maintain an electronic application system.
156	156	22 (b) This subsection applies before July 1, 2020. The law
157	157	23 enforcement agency which accepts an application for a handgun license
158	158	24 shall collect the following application fees:
159	159	25 (1) From a person applying for a four (4) year handgun license, a
160	160	26 ten dollar ($10) application fee, five dollars ($5) of which shall be
161	161	27 refunded if the license is not issued.
162	162	28 (2) From a person applying for a lifetime handgun license who
163	163	29 does not currently possess a valid Indiana handgun license, a fifty
164	164	30 dollar ($50) application fee, thirty dollars ($30) of which shall be
165	165	31 refunded if the license is not issued.
166	166	32 (3) From a person applying for a lifetime handgun license who
167	167	33 currently possesses a valid Indiana handgun license, a forty dollar
168	168	34 ($40) application fee, thirty dollars ($30) of which shall be
169	169	35 refunded if the license is not issued.
170	170	36 Except as provided in subsection (j), the fee shall be deposited into the
171	171	37 law enforcement agency's firearms training fund or other appropriate
172	172	38 training activities fund and used by the agency to train law enforcement
173	173	39 officers in the proper use of firearms or in other law enforcement
174	174	40 duties, or to purchase firearms, firearm related equipment, or body
175	175	41 armor (as defined in IC 35-47-5-13(a)) for the law enforcement officers
176	176	42 employed by the law enforcement agency. The state board of accounts
177	177	2025 IN 204—LS 6316/DI 144 5
178	178	1 shall establish rules for the proper accounting and expenditure of funds
179	179	2 collected under this subsection.
180	180	3 (c) This subsection applies after June 30, 2020, and before July 1,
181	181	4 2021. The law enforcement agency which accepts an application for a
182	182	5 handgun license shall not collect a fee from a person applying for a five
183	183	6 (5) year handgun license and shall collect the following application
184	184	7 fees:
185	185	8 (1) From a person applying for a lifetime handgun license who
186	186	9 does not currently possess a valid Indiana handgun license, a fifty
187	187	10 dollar ($50) application fee, thirty dollars ($30) of which shall be
188	188	11 refunded if the license is not issued.
189	189	12 (2) From a person applying for a lifetime handgun license who
190	190	13 currently possesses a valid Indiana handgun license, a forty dollar
191	191	14 ($40) application fee, thirty dollars ($30) of which shall be
192	192	15 refunded if the license is not issued.
193	193	16 Except as provided in subsection (j), the fee shall be deposited into the
194	194	17 law enforcement agency's firearms training fund or other appropriate
195	195	18 training activities fund and used by the agency to train law enforcement
196	196	19 officers in the proper use of firearms or in other law enforcement
197	197	20 duties, or to purchase firearms, firearm related equipment, or body
198	198	21 armor (as defined in IC 35-47-5-13(a)) for the law enforcement officers
199	199	22 employed by the law enforcement agency. The state board of accounts
200	200	23 shall establish rules for the proper accounting and expenditure of funds
201	201	24 collected under this subsection.
202	202	25 (d) This subsection applies after June 30, 2021. The law
203	203	26 enforcement agency which accepts an application for a handgun license
204	204	27 shall not collect a fee from a person applying for a handgun license.
205	205	28 (e) The officer to whom the application is made shall ascertain the
206	206	29 applicant's name, full address, length of residence in the community,
207	207	30 whether the applicant's residence is located within the limits of any city
208	208	31 or town, the applicant's occupation, place of business or employment,
209	209	32 criminal record, if any, and convictions (minor traffic offenses
210	210	33 excepted), age, race, sex, nationality, date of birth, citizenship, height,
211	211	34 weight, build, color of hair, color of eyes, scars and marks, whether the
212	212	35 applicant has previously held an Indiana license to carry a handgun
213	213	36 and, if so, the serial number of the license and year issued, whether the
214	214	37 applicant's license has ever been suspended or revoked, and if so, the
215	215	38 year and reason for the suspension or revocation, and the applicant's
216	216	39 reason for desiring a license. If the applicant is not a United States
217	217	40 citizen, the officer to whom the application is made shall ascertain the
218	218	41 applicant's country of citizenship, place of birth, and any alien or
219	219	42 admission number issued by the United States Citizenship and
220	220	2025 IN 204—LS 6316/DI 144 6
221	221	1 Immigration Services or United States Customs and Border Protection
222	222	2 or any successor agency as applicable. The officer to whom the
223	223	3 application is made shall conduct an investigation into the applicant's
224	224	4 official records and verify thereby the applicant's character and
225	225	5 reputation, and shall in addition verify for accuracy the information
226	226	6 contained in the application, and shall forward this information
227	227	7 together with the officer's recommendation for approval or disapproval
228	228	8 and one (1) set of legible and classifiable fingerprints of the applicant
229	229	9 to the superintendent. An investigation conducted under this section
230	230	10 must include the consulting of available local, state, and federal
231	231	11 criminal history data banks, including the National Instant Criminal
232	232	12 Background Check System (NICS), to determine whether possession
233	233	13 of a firearm by an applicant would be a violation of state or federal law.
234	234	14 (f) The superintendent may make whatever further investigation the
235	235	15 superintendent deems necessary. Whenever disapproval is
236	236	16 recommended, the officer to whom the application is made shall
237	237	17 provide the superintendent and the applicant with the officer's complete
238	238	18 and specific reasons, in writing, for the recommendation of
239	239	19 disapproval.
240	240	20 (g) If it appears to the superintendent that the applicant:
241	241	21 (1) has a proper reason for receiving a license to carry a handgun;
242	242	22 (2) is of good character and reputation;
243	243	23 (3) is a proper person to be licensed; and
244	244	24 (4) is:
245	245	25 (A) a citizen of the United States; or
246	246	26 (B) not a citizen of the United States but is allowed to carry a
247	247	27 firearm in the United States under federal law;
248	248	28 the superintendent shall issue to the applicant a license to carry a
249	249	29 handgun in Indiana. The original license shall be delivered to the
250	250	30 licensee. A copy shall be delivered to the officer to whom the
251	251	31 application for license was made. A copy shall be retained by the
252	252	32 superintendent for at least five (5) years in the case of a five (5) year
253	253	33 license. The superintendent may adopt guidelines to establish a records
254	254	34 retention policy for a lifetime license. A five (5) year license shall be
255	255	35 valid for a period of five (5) years from the date of issue. A lifetime
256	256	36 license is valid for the life of the individual receiving the license. The
257	257	37 license of police officers, sheriffs or their deputies, and law
258	258	38 enforcement officers of the United States government who have twenty
259	259	39 (20) or more years of service shall be valid for the life of these
260	260	40 individuals. However, a lifetime license is automatically revoked if the
261	261	41 license holder does not remain a proper person.
262	262	42 (h) At the time a license is issued and delivered to a licensee under
263	263	2025 IN 204—LS 6316/DI 144 7
264	264	1 subsection (g), the superintendent shall include with the license
265	265	2 information concerning firearms safety rules that:
266	266	3 (1) neither opposes nor supports an individual's right to bear
267	267	4 arms; and
268	268	5 (2) is:
269	269	6 (A) recommended by a nonprofit educational organization that
270	270	7 is dedicated to providing education on safe handling and use
271	271	8 of firearms;
272	272	9 (B) prepared by the state police department; and
273	273	10 (C) approved by the superintendent.
274	274	11 The superintendent may not deny a license under this section because
275	275	12 the information required under this subsection is unavailable at the
276	276	13 time the superintendent would otherwise issue a license. The state
277	277	14 police department may accept private donations or grants to defray the
278	278	15 cost of printing and mailing the information required under this
279	279	16 subsection.
280	280	17 (i) A license to carry a handgun shall not be issued to any person
281	281	18 who:
282	282	19 (1) has been convicted of a felony;
283	283	20 (2) has had a license to carry a handgun suspended, unless the
284	284	21 person's license has been reinstated;
285	285	22 (3) is under eighteen (18) years of age;
286	286	23 (4) is under twenty-three (23) years of age if the person has been
287	287	24 adjudicated a delinquent child for an act that would be a felony if
288	288	25 committed by an adult;
289	289	26 (5) has been arrested for a Class A or Class B felony for an
290	290	27 offense committed before July 1, 2014, for a Level 1, Level 2,
291	291	28 Level 3, or Level 4 felony for an offense committed after June 30,
292	292	29 2014, or any other felony that was committed while armed with
293	293	30 a deadly weapon or that involved the use of violence, if a court
294	294	31 has found probable cause to believe that the person committed the
295	295	32 offense charged;
296	296	33 (6) is prohibited by federal law from possessing or receiving
297	297	34 firearms under 18 U.S.C. 922(g); or
298	298	35 (7) is described in section 1.5 of this chapter, unless exempted by
299	299	36 section 1.5 of this chapter.
300	300	37 In the case of an arrest under subdivision (5), a license to carry a
301	301	38 handgun may be issued to a person who has been acquitted of the
302	302	39 specific offense charged or if the charges for the specific offense are
303	303	40 dismissed. The superintendent shall prescribe all forms to be used in
304	304	41 connection with the administration of this chapter.
305	305	42 (j) If the law enforcement agency that charges a fee under
306	306	2025 IN 204—LS 6316/DI 144 8
307	307	1 subsection (b) or (c) is a city or town law enforcement agency, the fee
308	308	2 shall be deposited in the law enforcement continuing education fund
309	309	3 established under IC 5-2-8-2.
310	310	4 (k) If a person who holds a valid license to carry a handgun issued
311	311	5 under this chapter:
312	312	6 (1) changes the person's name;
313	313	7 (2) changes the person's address; or
314	314	8 (3) experiences a change, including an arrest or a conviction, that
315	315	9 may affect the person's status as a proper person (as defined in
316	316	10 IC 35-47-1-7) or otherwise disqualify the person from holding a
317	317	11 license;
318	318	12 the person shall, not later than thirty (30) days after the date of a
319	319	13 change described under subdivision (3), and not later than sixty (60)
320	320	14 days after the date of the change described under subdivision (1) or (2),
321	321	15 notify the superintendent, in writing, of the event described under
322	322	16 subdivision (3) or, in the case of a change under subdivision (1) or (2),
323	323	17 the person's new name or new address.
324	324	18 (l) The state police department shall indicate on the form for a
325	325	19 license to carry a handgun the notification requirements of subsection
326	326	20 (k).
327	327	21 (m) The state police department shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2
328	328	22 to implement an electronic application system under subsection (a).
329	329	23 Rules adopted under this section must require the superintendent to
330	330	24 keep on file one (1) set of classifiable and legible fingerprints from
331	331	25 every person who has received a license to carry a handgun so that a
332	332	26 person who applies to renew a license will not be required to submit an
333	333	27 additional set of fingerprints.
334	334	28 (n) Except as provided in subsection (o), for purposes of
335	335	29 IC 5-14-3-4(a)(1), the following information is confidential, may not
336	336	30 be published, and is not open to public inspection:
337	337	31 (1) Information submitted by a person under this section to:
338	338	32 (A) obtain; or
339	339	33 (B) renew;
340	340	34 a license to carry a handgun.
341	341	35 (2) Information obtained by a federal, state, or local government
342	342	36 entity in the course of an investigation concerning a person who
343	343	37 applies to:
344	344	38 (A) obtain; or
345	345	39 (B) renew;
346	346	40 a license to carry a handgun issued under this chapter.
347	347	41 (3) The name, address, and any other information that may be
348	348	42 used to identify a person who holds a license to carry a handgun
349	349	2025 IN 204—LS 6316/DI 144 9
350	350	1 issued under this chapter.
351	351	2 (o) Notwithstanding subsection (n):
352	352	3 (1) any information concerning an applicant for or a person who
353	353	4 holds a license to carry a handgun issued under this chapter may
354	354	5 be released to a:
355	355	6 (A) state or local government entity:
356	356	7 (i) for law enforcement purposes; or
357	357	8 (ii) to determine the validity of a license to carry a handgun;
358	358	9 or
359	359	10 (B) federal government entity for the purpose of a single entry
360	360	11 query of an applicant or license holder who is:
361	361	12 (i) a subject of interest in an active criminal investigation; or
362	362	13 (ii) arrested for a crime; and
363	363	14 (2) general information concerning the issuance of licenses to
364	364	15 carry handguns in Indiana may be released to a person conducting
365	365	16 journalistic or academic research, but only if all personal
366	366	17 information that could disclose the identity of any person who
367	367	18 holds a license to carry a handgun issued under this chapter has
368	368	19 been removed from the general information; and
369	369	20 (3) the state police department shall, upon the request of the
370	370	21 Indiana lobby registration commission under IC 2-7-8-5,
371	371	22 inform the commission whether a particular applicant for a
372	372	23 statehouse permit holds or does not hold a valid license to
373	373	24 carry a handgun.
374	374	25 (p) A person who holds a valid license to carry a handgun under this
375	375	26 chapter is licensed to carry a handgun in Indiana.
376	376	27 (q) A person who knowingly or intentionally violates this section
377	377	28 commits a Class B misdemeanor.
378	378	2025 IN 204—LS 6316/DI 144