Today, Senate Bill 229 passed in the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 6 to 2 vote. SB 229 will now be placed on the calendar to receive a vote on the Senate floor as early as next week. Sponsored by state Senator Jim Tomes (R-49), SB 229 would prohibit taxpayer-funded gun “buyback” programs. As of now, Indiana law allows for seized guns to be immediately and wastefully destroyed. To prevent this, Senate Bill 229 would require all city or town law enforcement agencies to return all seized firearms to the rightful owner within 120 days following final disposition of the cause. If the lawful owner is not found or is unable to take possession of the firearm, SB 229 would require law enforcement agencies to sell these firearms at a public auction to an individual that is lawfully eligible to receive a firearm or to a licensed firearms dealer.
Please contact your state Senator TODAY and respectfully urge him or her to SUPPORT Senate Bill 229, and prevent the wasteful and expensive practice of destroying firearms that could be re-circulated through a lawful individual or a licensed dealer. Contact information for your state Senator can be found here.