Scott County Council Passes Constitutional Carry Resolution, Challenges State Gun Registry Proposal

The Scott County Council passed a resolution Tuesday evening affirming its support for constitutional carry and formally opposing a proposed state-level firearm registry, declaring this rural southern Indiana community a haven for Second Amendment rights.

The resolution, passed 3-0 by the three-member county council, directs county departments not to use local funds or personnel to implement or enforce any state firearm registry, and it formally requests that the Indiana General Assembly reject a proposed bill that would require all firearm owners in Indiana to register their weapons with the state police.

The Proposed State Registry

The resolution responds to Senate Bill 287, introduced in the Indiana General Assembly in January by State Senator Fady Qaddoura (D-Indianapolis). The bill would require all firearm owners in Indiana to register each weapon with the Indiana State Police, undergo an annual background check, and pay a $25-per-firearm registration fee.

Proponents of the bill argue that a registry would help law enforcement trace firearms used in crimes and would improve public safety. "We need to know who has guns and how they're being stored," Senator Qaddoura said when introducing the bill. "This is a common-sense public safety measure."

But the bill has drawn fierce opposition from gun rights organizations and rural communities across Indiana. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association have both lobbied aggressively against the measure, arguing that a registry is a precursor to confiscation and that it would impose an undue burden on law-abiding gun owners.

Scott County Takes a Stand

Scott County, located in southern Indiana approximately 30 miles north of Louisville, Kentucky, has a population of approximately 24,000. Its county seat, Scottsburg, has a population of approximately 7,000. The county is overwhelmingly rural and politically conservative, with gun ownership rates well above the state average.

Councilman Terry D. Kinker, who introduced the resolution, said the bill is an attack on the rights of rural Hoosiers. "Indianapolis politicians don't understand life out here," Kinker said. "A gun isn't a political statement in Scott County. It's a tool. It's protection. It's how we put food on the table. And we're not going to let anyone in the statehouse tell us we have to register our tools with the government."

The resolution states that the Scott County Council "affirms its support for the individual right to keep and bear arms as enshrined in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 32 of the Indiana Constitution" and that it "opposes any law, regulation, or executive order that would require law-abiding citizens to register their firearms with any government agency."

What the Resolution Does — and Doesn't Do

Like similar resolutions passed in counties across the country, the Scott County measure is largely symbolic. It cannot override state law, and if SB 287 passes, the registry would still apply to Scott County residents.

But Councilman Kinker said the resolution sends an important message. "It tells our state representatives that Scott County stands with gun owners," Kinker said. "It tells our residents that their local government supports their constitutional rights. And it tells the legislature that if they try to force this through, they're going to have a fight on their hands."

The resolution also directs the Scott County Sheriff's Office not to use county funds or personnel to assist in the implementation or enforcement of any state firearm registry. Sheriff Dan McClain said he supports the resolution.

"I took an oath to uphold the Constitution — both the U.S. Constitution and the Indiana Constitution," Sheriff McClain said. "The Indiana Constitution says the people have the right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the state. I'm going to honor that oath. My deputies are not going to become registration agents for the state."

A Broader Movement

Scott County is not alone. Similar resolutions have been passed in at least 14 Indiana counties, primarily in rural areas, since SB 287 was introduced. The movement is part of a broader national trend of local governments pushing back against state and federal gun-control measures.

Indiana already has some of the most gun-friendly laws in the nation. The state enacted permitless carry — also known as "constitutional carry" — in 2022, allowing residents to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. It also has a strong preemption law that prohibits local governments from enacting their own gun-control measures.

Despite this, SB 287's supporters argue that a registry is necessary to address gun violence in Indiana's urban areas, particularly in Indianapolis, which recorded a record 246 homicides in 2025 — many of them firearm-related.

"We respect the rights of gun owners in rural Indiana," Senator Qaddoura said in response to the Scott County resolution. "But we also have a responsibility to address the gun violence that is devastating our cities. A registry is a reasonable step."

Community Response

The council meeting drew approximately 80 residents, with nearly all who spoke during the public comment period expressing support for the resolution.

Scottsburg resident and lifelong hunter Bill Carpenter told the council the registry would be an unfair burden. "I own six guns — hunting rifles, shotguns, a handgun for home protection," Carpenter said. "Under this bill, I'd have to pay $150 a year just to keep what I already own. That's not public safety. That's a tax on my constitutional rights."

Local business owner Lisa Thomas agreed. "I run a gun shop in Scottsburg," Thomas said. "My customers are law-abiding, hardworking people. They're not criminals. A registry doesn't stop criminals — it just punishes the people who follow the rules."

The lone voice of opposition came from Scott County resident Karen Mitchell, who urged the council to consider the public safety argument. "I understand the concerns about government overreach," Mitchell said. "But I also know what it's like to lose someone to gun violence. If a registry could save even one life, isn't it worth considering?"

Councilman Kinker responded by noting that criminals, by definition, do not register their firearms. "A registry only affects the people who are already following the law," Kinker said. "It does nothing to stop criminals. It only burdens the law-abiding."

What Happens Next

SB 287 is currently in the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law, where it faces significant opposition. Republican supermajorities in both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly make the bill's passage unlikely, but its introduction has galvanized gun rights supporters across the state.

The Scott County resolution will be sent to the county's state representatives — Rep. Jim Lucas and Sen. Chris Garten — with a formal request that they oppose SB 287 and any similar legislation.

"This is about more than Scott County," Kinker said. "This is about every Hoosier who values their constitutional rights. And we're going to keep fighting until those rights are secure."