Indiana Governor Signs Shooting Range Protection Bill Into Law

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun ceremonially signed Senate Enrolled Act 176 into law on April 29, 2026, giving shooting ranges across the state new protections against local government overreach. The bill, authored by Sen. Jim Tomes (R-Wadesville), had already been enacted as Public Law 117 during the regular legislative session earlier this year.

SEA 176 prevents counties, cities, and towns from imposing planning, zoning, or land-use restrictions on shooting ranges that go beyond what state law already requires. Both indoor and outdoor ranges are covered.

Shooting ranges have become an increasingly common target for local governments looking to regulate firearms through the back door. Instead of passing gun control ordinances directly (which would run afoul of Indiana's statewide firearms preemption law), some municipalities have tried using zoning codes and noise ordinances to shut down existing ranges or block new ones from opening. This bill closes that loophole.

"Local governments sometimes try and put forth stricter ordinances and regulations in order to get shooting ranges shut down, so I authored SEA 176 to ensure these ranges, indoor and outdoor, are protected," Tomes said at the ceremonial signing. "Shooting ranges are valuable to our communities, and I am happy to see this bill ceremonially signed into law."

The NSSF designated the bill a legislative priority and supported its passage through both chambers. Range protection laws have gained traction in several states in recent years as the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation and other Second Amendment advocacy groups have pushed back against what they describe as death-by-a-thousand-cuts regulation of shooting facilities.

For Indiana gun owners, the practical effect is straightforward: If you have a shooting range in your area, or want to build one on property zoned for commercial, industrial, or agricultural use, the locals can't dream up new rules to stop you. Ranges that comply with state law are good to go, regardless of what the county zoning board thinks about them.

The law also recognizes that shooting ranges serve functions beyond recreation. They provide facilities for law enforcement training, firearm safety instruction, and certification courses for teachers and school staff who choose to carry.