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The Indianapolis City-County Council gave its approval Monday to a proposal creating a partnership between the city of Indianapolis and the United States Attorney’s Office to address gun crimes.
Under Proposal 149, three city attorneys will be hired to work in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana and will be tasked with focusing on federal gun crimes in Marion County.
With $225,000 appropriated to the budget of the Office of Corporation Counsel, the three attorneys will be on the city’s payroll and report to Indianapolis Corporation Counsel Matt Giffin, but will work in U.S. Attorney Zachary Myers’ office.
Council President Vop Osili, Vice President Zach Adamson, and Councilors Maggie Lewis, Frank Mascari and Dan Boots sponsored the proposal. Councilor Keith Potts, also a candidate for U.S. Senate, was added as a co-sponsor at the Monday meeting.
The proposal passed unanimously, with Councilor David Ray absent.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett released a statement after the proposal, praising its passage.
“I applaud the Council’s bipartisan support for funding our partnership with U.S. Attorney Zach Myers, holding the worst of the worst offenders to account,” Hogsett said.
Hogsett also applauded the passage of Proposal 156, a safety plan that is contingent on a state law being repealed.
According to Indianapolis Business Journal, Proposal 156 would ban the possession and use of “semiautomatic assault weapons,” raise the minimum age to purchase guns from 18 to 21, and end permitless carry and concealed carry of handguns in Marion County.
Hogsett’s administration proposed the ordinance, which would only take effect if the Republican supermajority at the Indiana Statehouse walks back a preemption law, according to IBJ.
Council Republican Minority Leader Brian Mowery cited Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita — whom he said he consulted on the issue — in saying that the proposal conflicts with Indiana statute and the state’s constitution, which prohibits a political subdivision from regulating firearms.
“156 is a completely toothless proposal unless the state Legislature reverses course and takes a specific future action,” Mowery said.
The proposal comes little more than a year after the state enacted its permitless carry law. Proposal 156 would roll that back in Marion County.
The proposal ultimately passed 18-5.
“I also wish to thank those who approved our common-sense gun safety measures, including a ban on semiautomatic assault weapons, increasing the purchasing age to 21, requiring handgun licenses, and removing the concealed carry of firearms,” Hogsett said in a statement. “Tonight we are sending a clear message of where we stand about the causes of gun violence and the proliferation of illegal weapons on our streets.”
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