Thank you for sharing your concerns about the firearms displayed on the Panther Ridge Training Center float during the Fourth of July parade. We received a lot of input about this situation, much of it from parade attendees made uncomfortable by the open display of firearms in a public setting. City staff members from the Office of the Mayor, Legal, Parks and Recreation and Bloomington Police Departments are looking into this issue from several perspectives. It’s important to note that the State Legislature enacted a 2011 state law regarding the public carry of firearms. Prior to 2011, the City of Bloomington restricted the public display of weapons in our parks and public spaces. The 2011 state law (IC-35-47-11.1) change eliminated those provisions. Listed below is a summary of the impacts of the 2011 state law. With limited exceptions, Indiana state law prohibits municipalities from regulating firearms, ammunition, or firearm accessories. It would be illegal for the City of Bloomington to prohibit a person from carrying firearms in public areas or at public events. Indiana does not have an exception for displaying firearms during a parade. State law does not make any distinction between open-carry and concealed-carry of firearms. The City cannot regulate individuals who are openly carrying nor can it regulate individuals who are carrying concealed firearms. Cities that impermissibly regulate firearms and are successfully sued are subject to an unusually expensive penalty provision. State law allows a citizen found to have been adversely affected by an improper local firearm regulation to collect three times his/her attorney’s fees and damages. The Panther Ridge Training Center was not legally required to inform parade organizers of plans to display guns, and their float participants would only have had to show a carry permit if asked to do so by a police officer. (Verifying licenses can be a complicated task that the City believes is best handled by law enforcement personnel.) There are very limited exceptions to the state law. For example, a city may prohibit or restrict firearms in buildings with courtrooms. Additionally, private property owners may regulate the possession of firearms on their private property, and entities leasing public property may, at their own discretion, impose restrictions on carrying firearms. That having been said, any person who observes an unsecured weapon in any location should immediately contact law enforcement. I would urge you to contact the Governor’s office and your state legislators to voice your opinion. Below is contact information for those elected officials: Governor Mike Pence: (317) 569-0709, communications@mikepence.com Indiana Senate Sen. Mark Stoops: (800) 382-9467, s40@in.gov Indiana House of Representatives Rep. Matt Pierce: (800) 382-9842, h61@iga.in.gov Indiana House of Representatives Rep. Peggy Mayfield: (317) 232-9816, h60@iga.in.gov Indiana House of Representatives Rep. Jeff Ellington: (317) 232-9863, h62@iga.in.gov Indiana House of Representatives Rep. Robert Heaton: (317) 232-9981, h46@iga.in.gov I’m sure this does not completely address your concerns. As a local municipality, our options are, in this instance, severely limited by state law. However, again, we are looking at this issue closely to see what options we might have at our disposal to address the concerns voiced by many of the parade attendees while respecting the rights of all concerned. Again, thank you for writing. Your input on this matter is appreciated. Best, Mary Catherine Carmichael, Communications Director