Source: (Photo: Chris Davis/WIBC)
INDIANAPOLIS — It was a packed house at the Indianapolis city-county building Monday night where councilors took up a measure that would overhaul Marion County’s gun ordinances.
In a party-line vote, Democrats on the council approved the measure that would ban the sale of AR-15 style rifles within the county, as well as raising the legal age to buy a gun from 18 to 21 and doing away with permitless carry in the county.
Democrats said these measures are meant to crack down on the amount of gun violence in Indianapolis. But, the ordinances, though now on the city books, will not be taking effect because of state law that preempts them, prohibiting cities and towns from passing their own regulation of firearms.
“(The measure) is in violation of Indiana state code and it conflicts with Article 1, Section 25 of the Indiana state constitution,” said GOP minority leader Brian Mowery. “156 is a completely toothless proposal.”
“You may call it toothless, this is us taking a stand because it is too much,” responded Democratic councilor Ali Brown. “When are you going to have the balls to do something about this!”
Brown and other Democrats understand that the ordinances are unenforceable because of state law, but they chose to pass them anyway to “send a message” to state lawmakers that they want to see them push reformed gun laws.
There was mixed support and opposition to the proposal among those giving public comments on it from organizations like Moms Demand Action and the Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police.
For now, the ordinance sits idle and will remain that way unless state law is amended. If that happens, city leaders say the ordinances will take immediate effect.
