Indiana bill seeks to prevent guns in hands of young former juvenile delinquents

Hoosiers remember the Noblesville middle school shooting of May 25, 2018. A 13-year old with a couple handguns shot a teacher and student.

Currently, the underage shooter is in juvenile detention.

Recently, one Republican Indiana lawmaker drafted a bill to make sure it's harder for suspects like that one to get a gun once they're adults.

Under current state law though, they could attain a gun if released as early as 18 years old.

Easily passing through the capitol building, however, is SB16.

This month the Indiana Senate Corrections Committee unanimously approved SB16 - which its author, Sen. Mike Bohacek (R-Michiana Shores) said pushes back that waiting period.

“What we did is we took the adult statute which is an eight or 10 year waiting period,” Bohacek said.

“Felonies 1-2 are a 10-year waiting period. Felonies 5, 4, and 3 are eight year waiting periods. We just extrapolate that back from their eighteenth birthday so they can wait unttil age 26 or 28, depending on the nature of the crime.”

A few members of the state senate did object to SB16 with gun rights concerns, but Bohacek said that his measure is something everybody can get behind.

“I am a strong second amendment supporter, always have been,” Bohacek said.

“But I am also a supporter of smart gun legislation. And i think this is a good, smart piece of legislation that addresses those individuals that shouldn’t have that right restored immediately.”

Some parents of the Noblesville shooting have voiced their support for the bill as well.

Parent Anita Rogers sent a statement exclusively to ABC 57:

“As parents whose children experienced the trauma of a school shooting, we strongly believe Indiana should do more to keep guns away from those who shouldn’t have them… Senator Bohacek’s bill takes important steps toward keeping guns away from those who have been proven dangerous.”

There’s no word yet on when SB16 could pass through all requirements, and Gov. Holcomb hasn’t said publicly whether or not he’ll sign it.