Workplace shooting could derail ‘bring-your-gun-to-work’ bill

A future aisle at Office Depot? Image via Wikipedia

Last week, I wrote about a law that the Indiana General Assembly was considering, that would allow Hoosiers to bring their guns to work — so long as the guns were left hidden in their owners’ cars.

As reported in the Indianapolis Star, one major exemption would be for “employees of centers for the developmentally disabled who drive patients in their personal vehicles” — as though the developmentally disabled were the only ones who had the potential to shoot-up their place of employment.

Truth be told, I’m a lot more scared of a rabid tea-bagger these days than anyone with Down’s Syndrome. Gimme a break.

Of course, this is Indiana, and the bill passed on Thursday with only a modicum of resistance — 75-20 in the House, and 41-9 in the Senate. Now all it needs is Governor Mitch Daniels’ signature to become law.

But a funny thing happened between then and now — the very day after the bill left the legislature — and the irony is so thick you might want to pull those winter boots back out of the closet.

Per the Evansville Courier and Press:

The next day, a Portage man who was angry about a poor performance review at the Indiana Department of Workforce Development went to his car, grabbed a shotgun, returned to his office building and began shooting at his co-workers.

Though no one was injured, some Indiana lawmakers and business groups pointed to that incident Monday as they pleaded with Daniels to veto the bill.

via After shooting, business groups urge Daniels to veto guns-at-work bill | POLL » Evansville Courier & Press.

Talk about timing!

Jane Jankowski, a spokeswoman for Daniels told me today that the bill still hasn’t reached the governor’s desk. “Gov. Daniels will review the bill as planned, as he does all other legislation that reaches his desk,” she said.

Daniels should consider a veto. Read more, here.