2006/07/07

Misc. Friday Ramblings...

Per Ardua, Ad Astra. - SotS

Friday FIREPOWER!
  • Gun permits for life.
    Indiana is the first state in the nation to offer residents lifetime handgun permits under a new law that went into effect this month -- a move hailed by Second Amendment supporters and blasted by gun-control advocates.

    DETAILS ON GUN PERMITS

    Indiana offers two types of handgun permits: hunting/target or personal protection. You are required to have one of those permits to transport a gun.

    • Permit to carry: You must be at least 18 and never have been convicted of a felony. Other restrictions may apply in certain cases.

    • Applications: Forms, available at police and sheriff's departments, require your name, age, address, length of residence in the community and an FBI background check. You must submit a set of fingerprints.

    • Cost: The new lifetime personal protection license, which allows Hoosiers to carry a concealed handgun, costs $125 for residents who do not have a current four-year license and $100 for current licensees. The cost of four-year licenses for new applicants increased from $25 to $40, with the same fee for renewals.

    The law, which also increases the cost of obtaining or renewing a four-year license, went on the books Saturday. The change is expected to bring in more money to the state and the Indiana State Police.

    State Police Superintendent Paul Whitesell announced details of House Enrolled Act 1176 at a news conference Wednesday, saying the law will streamline the process to get a permit for law-abiding gun owners. His agency oversees the issuance of permits.

    Hamm of the Brady Campaign, which advocates for stricter gun-control laws, said he has concerns about the ability of law enforcement to track and react to crimes that people commit after they obtain lifetime permits. And, he argued, the "hassle" of having to renew permits is overstated.

    "Responsible gun owners understand that some gun owners ought to be checked out every four years," he said.

    State Police Capt. Doug Shelton, acting commander of the agency's records section, said State Police will continue to check on gun permit holders whenever they are notified of an arrest, conviction or other action that could limit or preclude a person's right to have a permit. He said that is already the practice for those who hold four-year permits.

    The NRA's Varner added that people who make the effort to obtain a permit are not the ones to worry about.

    "They're the ones you should trust," she said. "They've gone through the hoops and background checks. They're the good people."

    Imagine that, law abiding citizens don't get hassled, but if a crime is committed, the law is enforced. Whodathunkit? Not those clowns at the Brady Campaign, that's for damn sure.

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