In 2001, Indiana issued 80,121 handgun permits, followed by 82,079 in 2002, and 76,630 in 2003. In 2004, from January to June, just over 35,000 permits were issued.
Hand gun laws vary from state to state, ranging from very open laws like Indiana's, Alaska's and Kentucky's to laws that make handguns almost completely illegal, like in the District of Columbia and Hawaii's statutes. With every state having its own laws governing the carry and use of firearms, people can become very confused, especially those who travel across state lines a lot. I believe we need to make a nation-wide firearm law that would allow the carriage of handguns by legal owners across state lines. I’m not talking about a bus full of guns, or even a trunkful. Just one gun for personal protection with a limited amount of ammo.
The McClure-Volkmer Act of 1986 is listed in the U.S. Code as an amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968. Individuals transporting firearms through a certain state that would otherwise view such transport as illegal may do so under this law if the weapons are unloaded, cased and stowed in a trunk or vehicle storage compartment which is not readily accessible to the occupant. Any ammunition must also be kept separate from the firearms. What good is having a gun if it is not readily accessible?
Federal legislation signed into effect in July 2004 allows all active duty law enforcement officers from any state or locality to carry firearms while traveling. The officer must possess an official photo identification card from their department and be authorized to carry a firearm by the agency with which they are employed.
I believe the same laws should apply for legal gun owners who travel. I own a car and have a driver’s license. I do not have to stop driving when I see the state line, nor am I required to get a new driver's license in every state.
How confusing are gun laws by state? Let's consider the issue of motor homes. Are they vehicles or residences? Most states consider RV’s to be a vehicle, but some courts have held that RV’s are residences when in a fixed condition, such as at a campground and hooked up to utilities. Since some states allow firearms in a residence but not in a vehicle, it can get a little confusing. Indiana is one of nine states that extend automatic recognition of gun license to all other states. That means that a licensed gun owner from any other state can legally carry a firearm under Indiana law. Now if a person from Indiana traveled to Illinois or Ohio and had a legal permit from Indiana, they would be arrested for a felony offense because neither one of those states recognizes the Indiana license. However, if a person traveled to Kentucky or Michigan from Indiana, he is completely with in the law because those states do recognize the Indiana permit.
What does it mean to have a permit? An Indiana permit allows a person to carry a firearm, open or concealed, either on his person or in a vehicle. In Indiana, you do not need a permit to purchase a handgun, rifle, shotgun or an assault weapon. In D.C., handgun ownership is totally restricted in terms of handgun sales and possession.
I’m not saying that every one should carry an assault weapon in their car as they travel, just that they should be allowed one handgun for personal protection. In 2004, over 300,000 Indiana residences (that’s one in fifteen adults) had hand gun permits. In Coatesville, which has a population of around 500, 395 people are listed as permit holders. According to CBSNews.com, in 2000, there were 666 firearm-related deaths in Indiana. At a rate per 100,000 people of 11.7 %. In D.C. 149 deaths in 2000 Rate per 100,000 people 34.3%.
It is estimated that there are over 200 million guns in America. I don’t believe a gun ban or stricter laws stop anyone from committing a crime. The law only stops the law abiding citizens from protecting themselves, and a total ban would be like dropping an empty glass in a sink full of water where the glass creates a void but is eventually overtaken by the water.
Last year, Indiana began issuing a lifetime handgun permit that never needs to be renewed. That’s fine if you plan on never leaving the state. What should be required for a nation-wide permit? A back ground check? A firearms safety class and time at a gun range? Limit the permit for two to three years, and, of course, add on that fee.
Every year, more and more people hit the open road with their families or retire to an RV. People should be able to have the same peace of mind and security that they feel in their homes as they travel. Who hasn’t traveled late at night and stopped at a rest area or a truck stop and not been a little scared? Carrying a gun doesn’t take away your fear, but it does add a better sense of defense if something were to happen. Not every one carries a gun, and that’s fine, but the ones that do and do so legally should be able to extend their rights across state lines with a more uniform law that covers all fifty states. If a person is licensed by the state they live in to do something, going to another state and doing the same thing should not make them a felon.
http://www2.indystar.com/articles/1/161649-4651-009.html
http://www2.indystar.com/articles/6/161596-9976-009.html
http://www2.indystar.com/articles/6/161596-9976-009.html
http://www.gunlaws.com/travel.htm
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