Juvenile judges would review some teens' felony gun possession cases

Juvenile judges would consider sending eligible cases to adult court when prosecutors request it. This covers children who were 16 or 17 when they allegedly committed felony firearm possession, unless the charge is joined with a listed serious crime. A full investigation and hearing must take place, and the court must find enough evidence to believe the child committed the act. The case would stay in juvenile court if that best serves the child and community safety. These court rules would take effect July 1, 2026, if enacted.

A child would commit the possession offense by knowingly or intentionally having a firearm for a purpose outside the law's exceptions. The offense covers children who possess firearms for purposes outside the exceptions referenced in the bill. The offense would be a felony on school property, within 500 feet of it, or on a school bus. Existing rules also make it a felony after a qualifying prior conviction or juvenile finding. Otherwise, it would be a misdemeanor. These possession and penalty rules would take effect July 1, 2026, if enacted.

Indiana would bar certain young adults from knowingly or intentionally carrying a handgun. This covers people ages 18 through 22 with a juvenile delinquency finding for an act covered by the firearm offense cited in the bill. An exception applies when Indiana's children-and-firearms law authorizes the carrying. This carrying rule would take effect July 1, 2026, if enacted.