He said he simply wants to eliminate licensing for those legally entitled to own a handgun and who wish to carry it in public.

"There is an innocent class and a prohibited class," he said. "If those people who are prohibited from carrying a handgun take it upon themselves to carry a handgun, they will still be breaking the law."

The chairman of the Republican-controlled study committee, state Sen. Rod Bray, R-Martinsville, emphasized that the panel's recommendation, approved 15-5 on a party-line vote, was general in nature and not encouraging a particular course of action.

For example, he said the committee's suggestion that lawmakers "should remove hurdles" relating to gun rights could mean eliminating licensing fees or the fingerprinting requirement but keeping the handgun carry licensing system.

However, when state Rep. Terri Austin, D-Anderson, urged Bray to revise the report to make it clear that the panel believed Indiana should maintain handgun carry licensing, he declined to do so.

"I think in the face of such compelling testimony from law enforcement, prosecutors and others, who are the ones who have to enforce this, we pretty much just ignored their recommendations," Austin said.