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BY PATRICK GUINANE
pguinane@nwitimes.com
317.637-9078 | Thursday, September 21, 2006 | (No comments posted.)
INDIANAPOLIS | The National Rifle Association's top gun will travel to southern Indiana Friday to watch Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels lift a long-standing ban on concealed weapons in state parks, a spokeswoman for the gun-rights group said Wednesday.
"The new law gives law-abiding, right-to-carry permit-holders the right to carry a firearm in state parks and public lands," NRA spokeswoman Autumn Fogg said. "We do hope that other governors will follow his lead."
The NRA's Web site says President Sandra Froman will attend the event Friday evening at the Dearborn County Fairgrounds in southeastern Indiana, but the governor's office would not confirm any announcement. Press Secretary Jane Jankowski referred questions to Department of Natural Resources Director Kyle Hupfer, who would only say that lifting the concealed-weapons ban through an administrative rule change is one of many ideas his agency is considering.
"This is the governor's event, and I'm going to wait until Friday to talk," Hupfer said.
The weapons ban at state parks has been in place for several years. And one local parks advocate says he can't think of any reason to change that policy.
"It doesn't seemed like there's any legitimate purpose for concealed weapons in our state parks," said Tom Anderson, executive director of the Save the Dunes Council. "It doesn't seem like state parks are dangerous places ... (and) it seems relatively odd that an important state parks issue like this is being announced with the NRA."
Lifting the ban on concealed weapons in state parks, Anderson said, could play particularly poorly in Northwest Indiana. Alcohol has been prohibited at Indiana Dunes State Park in Chesterton for more than a decade. The alcohol ban, Anderson said, came after a beating death at the park attributed to gang members.
Handguns, rifles and bows and arrows now are prohibited in state campgrounds, beaches and picnic grounds. They are allowed on some DNR grounds with a special hunting permit but in most cases must be unloaded and secured in a vehicle or locked case.
Though state officials wouldn't confirm any specific announcement by the governor, a campaign flier -- embossed on a target background complete with bullet holes -- trumpets Daniels' appearance with Froman. The flier, paid for by Daniels' campaign, instructs interested parties to contact state Sen. Johnny Nugent, R-Lawrenceburg. Nugent sponsored legislation Daniels signed this year allowing Hoosier handgun owners to receive lifetime permits.
The issue: Allowing guns in state parks. The NRA says Gov. Daniels will lift the weapons ban for state parks Friday, but state officials won't confirm any announcement.
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