INDIANA – Attorney General Todd Rokita today announced the publication of the Gun Owners’ Bill of Rights — a document created to help ensure that Indiana citizens understand the constitutional provisions and other laws that safeguard their Second Amendment liberties.
“America’s founders understood the God-given rights of free people to protect themselves against intruders, violent attackers, and even an overreaching government,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Although often misconstrued, this right was not established to ensure opportunities for hunting or target practice.”
The U.S. Supreme Court recently reaffirmed the constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to carry firearms without government interference.
The drafters of Indiana’s 1851 constitution produced an even stronger expression of the right to gun ownership for personal protection than the guarantee contained in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. They wrote, “The people shall have a right to bear arms, for the defense of themselves and the State.”
To clarify legal rights and responsibilities, the Gun Owners’ Bill of Rights includes answers to commonly asked questions, such as whether a license to carry a handgun is required in Indiana, whether “open carry” is legal in Indiana, whether there are restrictions on where Hoosiers may carry firearms, and whether a private business may prohibit an individual from carrying a firearm. It was written to coincide with Indiana’s implementation of “constitutional carry” on July 1.
The full text of the Gun Owners’ Bill of Rights is attached and available online.
