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Indiana Senate could change stance on handgun carry permits

LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 23: Handguns are displayed at the Smith & Wesson booth at the 2018 National Shooting Sports Foundation's Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show at the Sands Expo and Convention Center on January 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The SHOT Show, the world's largest annual trade show for shooting, hunting and law enforcement professionals, runs through January 26 and is expected to feature about 1,600 exhibitors showing off their latest products and services to more than 60,000 attendees. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A top Indiana legislator says a proposal to repeal the state’s handgun permit requirement might win approval despite ongoing opposition from major law enforcement organizations.

Republican Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray said he expected a Senate committee in the coming week to advance the bill that the GOP-dominated House approved last month.

The bill would allow anyone age 18 or older to carry a handgun in public except for reasons such as having a felony conviction or a dangerous mental illness.

Supporters argue the permit requirement undermines Second Amendment protections.

The Senate didn’t take action on a similar bill last year, citing police concerns over loss of a tool for identifying dangerous people who shouldn’t have a gun.