INDIANAPOLIS — A bill introduced in the Indiana General Assembly aims to tighten how the state handles youth gun possession, responding to growing concerns about firearms in communities and near schools.
Senate Bill 62 would overhaul how minors caught with guns are charged and penalized under state law, including changes affecting juvenile-to-adult court waivers and tougher penalties for offenses committed near schools.
Authored by Senator Greg Taylor, the legislation would rename the existing crime of “dangerous possession of a firearm” committed by someone under eighteen to “unlawful possession of a firearm by a child.” The bill would increase penalties if the offense occurs on school property, within five hundred feet of school grounds, or on a school bus.
A key change in the proposal allows prosecutors to seek waiver of juvenile court jurisdiction, meaning some young offenders could be tried as adults at the request of a prosecuting attorney. The bill also adjusts how carrying a handgun is treated for people previously adjudicated delinquent, extending certain adult-like consequences up to age twenty-two.
Supporters say the measure would give law enforcement and prosecutors stronger tools to deter gun crimes involving minors and better protect school communities. However, civil liberties groups and juvenile justice advocates have expressed concern that harsher penalties for minors may undermine rehabilitation efforts and contribute to increased incarceration rates among youth.
Under current Indiana law, a minor’s unlawful possession of a firearm is treated differently from adult offenses, with dangerous possession classified separately. The new bill’s renamed offense and penalties would align more closely with serious adult charges while still recognizing age differences in the justice process.
The bill was introduced on December 8, 2025, and referred to the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law for review. If enacted, the changes would take effect July 1, 2026.
As it moves through the legislature, Senate Bill 62 may face hearings and revisions before potential final passage. Lawmakers are expected to debate both the public safety implications and the broader impacts on juvenile justice policy across the state.
