House panel OKs letting staffers carry guns in Statehouse

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A House panel has advanced a measure to give legislative employees the right to carry guns at the Indiana Statehouse.

State regulations that ban deadly weapons from the Statehouse already exempt judges, police officers and members of the Legislature. This bill extends the right to be armed to employees of the Senate and House, as well as the Legislative Services Agency.

The House panel approved Republican Sen. Jim Tomes' proposal in a 9-3 vote, sending it to the full House. The Senate previously approved it 40-9.

Lawmakers also voted Wednesday to amend the bill to extend the right to carry to members of the Indiana Lobby Registration Commission.

A similar bill by Tomes, a Wadesville Republican, passed the Senate last year but did not get a hearing in the House.