This newspaper has long supported gun rights, but this latest Indiana issue strikes us as unnecessary. The bill would allow guns in vehicles for prolonged amounts of time outside of schools. This is unlike existing law which allows guns stored out of sight in vehicles by adults picking up children at school.
Supporters of the bill say it protects gun owners who inadvertently commit a felony by bring their guns with them in their vehicles parked in school lots. But critics of the bill say in this era of school shootings, this proposal would just make it it easier for agitated individuals to have access to their guns.
The bill passed the Indiana House in January, 28-21, and was expected to go to a vote Monday (yesterday) in the Indiana Senate. However the final vote turns out, the issue strikes us as needless.
It seems to us that most responsible gun owners would keep their guns concealed when picking up children at a school. Barring a search of vehicles going through the pickup line at a school, it would probably never be an issue — unless an individual with a concealed gun is intent on doing harm, in which case such a law would be meaningless.
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