STATEHOUSE (Jan. 25, 2010) - State Sen. Greg Walker (R-Columbus) will stand before a key Senate Committee Tuesday to introduce legislation keeping personal information on licensed gun owners private.

Walker, author of Senate Bill 195 said legislation keeping gun permit owners' information confidential will be considered by the Senate Committee on Corrections, Criminal and Civil Matter at 8:30 a.m. in Room 130 of the Statehouse.

"In some cases, media and other third party groups are publishing licensed gun owner's personal information," Walker said. "We have to remember these are lawful citizens who legally possess firearms, not violent offenders whose personal information may need to be published or publicly scrutinized." 

Currently, Indiana law does not prohibit third party groups from obtaining or publishing gun permit owners' information.

Walker said under SB 195 the name, address, and any other information used to identify legal, licensed gun owners would be confidential. Also under the bill, federal, state and local authorities would continue to have access to the information, but would be barred from making the records public.

"This information should be given to law enforcement and state officials," Walker said. "It is their job to keep the public safe and track licensed gun owners, not a third party group."

According the National Rifle Association (NRA), Indiana would join 28 other states - including the neighboring states of Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan - that protect the identities of gun permit holders. Additionally, the NRA reports 12 states allow this information to be public record while the remaining 10 states do not grant concealed carry weapons permits.

Sen. Greg Walker represents Senate District 41, which includes Bartholomew and Johnson Counties.

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