Gun licensing legislation sent to summer study committee

Gun rights supporters want to study the possibility of repealing an Indiana law requiring people to get a license before carrying a handgun.

An Indiana House committee voted Tuesday to create a special summer committee to study the issue.

Indiana law currently prohibits those with felony or domestic violence convictions from obtaining a handgun license. But Rep. Jim Lucas, a Seymour Republican, wants to do away with the licensing requirement.

He sponsored a bill to eliminate the requirement, but it didn't get traction. Now he is pushing the study committee.

The study committee provision was added to another bill that would allow people with orders of protection, like domestic violence victims, to carry handguns without a license.

That bill was approved by the committee on an 8-4 vote.