Rep. Burton sponsors bill to protect employee’s rights
State Rep. Woody Burton’s (R-Whiteland) legislation to help protect employees’ rights to carry a firearm, to and from their place of employment passed out of the House today with a 80-17 vote.
Last session, the General Assembly passed legislation to enable employees to carry a firearm in order to protect themselves while traveling to and from work. As a condition of that law, the firearm had to be legally obtained, the employee had to have a permit and the firearm had to be locked in the employee’s vehicle.
The legislation did exempt some facilities, including certain schools and government buildings.
However, since its passage, lawmakers have been contacted by constituents, detailing complaints that public and private companies were requiring employees to disclose information about whether the employee owns, possesses, uses or transports a firearm to and from their place of business.
In addition, under a condition of employment, the employee must forgo his or her lawful ownership, possession, storage, transportation or use of the firearm.
As a result, Senate Bill 411 was filed to enable an employee the right to take civil action against a public or private employer.
“We passed legislation last year to help protect Hoosiers’ right to bear arms when traveling to and from their work,” said Rep. Burton, a sponsor of the legislation. “Now, we are hearing stories about employers trying to revoke that right, something I strongly disagree with.”
“If the firearm is legally obtained by someone who has a legal permit, they should be able to carry that firearm in order to protect themselves. They shouldn’t have to leave it at home because their employment doesn’t agree with our gun laws. Nor should they have to agree to leave it at home as an agreement upon employment.”
If signed by the governor, the bill will take effect July 1, 2011.
