Bill Restricts What Info the Federal Government Can Request on Hoosiers With Handgun Carry Permits.

The bill has passed the House and is at the Senate for further consideration.

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INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana lawmakers have proposed legislation that protects the Second Amendment.

State Rep. Stephen Bartels (R-Eckerty) co-authored House Bill 1323, which restricts what information the federal government can request on lawful Hoosiers who have handgun carry permits.

The legislation comes after a happening in Missouri in 2022. According to Bartels, the FBI sent a letter to all county sheriffs’ offices in the state seeking to randomly audit their records on concealed carry handgun permit holders.

The Missouri Attorney General responded with a letter to the bureau explaining that it’s illegal under their state laws to share such confidential information.

To prevent similar action in Indiana, HB 1323 was drafted, which would only allow information from carry permit holder or a person applying for a permit to be released to the federal government if they are part of an active criminal investigation or arrested for a crime.

Last year, the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation removing the requirement for lawful Hoosiers to obtain a permit before carrying a handgun. Hoosier can choose to apply for a five-year or lifetime permit from the Indiana State Police, which includes submitting an application with your personal information and fingerprints.

“Carry permit holders in our state should not have to worry about their personal information being shared with the federal government without a legitimate reason, nor face financial hurdles to protecting themselves and their families using a constitutional right. I will continue to fight for the liberties of lawful gun owners,” said Bartels.

HB 1323 has passed the House and is now at the Senate for further consideration.