State lawmakers have just two weeks left in this year’s legislative session, which means several key issues were up for a final vote on Monday, before potentially being sent to a conference committee.
Monday was a deadline day in the House, where lawmakers had to finish voting on bills that originated in the Senate by the end of the day.
House lawmakers approved some hotly-debated items like the mass transit bill, the business personal property tax phase-out and a controversial gun bill that would let gun-carrying school employees take their firearms onto school property, as long as the gun is locked away in their car.
The proposal was added into Senate Bill 229, a piece of legislation dealing with gun buyback programs that passed a House committee last week with the new amendment attached.
Opponents said they were concerned the bill might also unintentionally allow bus drivers to carry a firearm on the school bus, but the amendment’s author said that was not his intent and that doing so would remain a class D felony under the law.
But the proposal would decriminalize the act of leaving a gun stowed away in your car in a school parking lot. It’s currently legal for drivers to have a gun in the car while driving through a school parking lot, but not legal to have a gun on your person, or in the car, upon leaving your vehicle.
#INlegis bill allowing firearms in locked vehicles in school parking lots passes 74-24 @FOX59
— Dan Spehler (@DanSpehler) March 3, 2014
Mass transit bill has also passed IN house by vote of 52-47. It will likely have to go to conference committee #INlegis @FOX59
— Dan Spehler (@DanSpehler) March 4, 2014
It'll be busy day for #INlegis – the last day for House to vote on key issues: business tax, mass transit, gun bill. More today on @FOX59
— Dan Spehler (@DanSpehler) March 3, 2014
House lawmakers have passed bills requiring HS football concussion study/training, allowing for creation of Hoosier women vets coordinator
— Dan Spehler (@DanSpehler) March 3, 2014
Right now #INlegis is voting on bill to create veterans' recovery/treatment program relating to TBI and PTSD. It passed House, 95-0.
— Dan Spehler (@DanSpehler) March 3, 2014
