Lawmakers have the right to carry guns at the Statehouse, and barring an unlikely veto from the Republican governor, soon their staff members will have that right, too.

Via the Indianapolis Star:

A drive-by shooting outside the Indiana Statehouse over the weekend highlights just how important it is to let staffers carry guns into the building, according to the sponsor of a bill that would give them that right.

"It's unfortunate that these things are happening," Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, told IndyStar on Monday. "It's just the way society is going."

About 11:25 p.m. Saturday, two young men, ages 18 and 17, and a 17-year-old woman were at Capitol Avenue and East Ohio Street when someone fired shots from a passing vehicle...

...

Tomes said the employees who want to carry a gun to work deserve the right to protect themselves. They must have a permit to carry a concealed firearm.

The more than 200 workers affected by the measure usually park several blocks away from the Statehouse, Tomes said. Even when the legislature is not in session, staffers stay in Indianapolis and still go to work.

They often arrive before sunrise and leave after sundown, Tomes said.

"We have a real opportunity to clarify the importance of what we're talking about here," Tomes said. "I just don't want to read about one of the good people that work at our Statehouse, or any citizen, becoming a victim."

Read more here.