A Lake County-focused House bill continues its streak of unanimous approval as the Senate voted to move it to Gov. Mike Braun’s desk Monday.

House Bill 1095 — authored by Rep. Earl Harris, D-East Chicago — would expand the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force area to include Lake County. The Senate approved the bill in a 46-0 vote Monday.

Senate sponsors for the bill include Sens. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland; Rick Neimeyer, R-Lowell; and Mark Spencer, D-Gary.

During the Senate meeting, Dernulc said House Bill 1095 builds on the crimes task force bill Rep. Greg Steuerwald, R-Avon, authored in 2021. Steuerwald’s bill brought in eight counties from Central Indiana into the task force, he said.

The task force brings together local and state police along with federal partners to track and remove illegal guns, investigate gun crimes and improve coordination between agencies, Dernulc said.

In 2024, the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force investigated over 150 leads that resulted in the arrests of 232 people, the seizure of more than 270 illegal guns, and over 75,000 grams of drugs, Dernulc said.

Last year, Rep. Martin Carbaugh, R-Fort Wayne, was able to ensure Allen County was added to the task force. This year, Dernulc said Lake County should be added to the task force.

The bill had previously passed the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety and Senate Corrections and Criminal Law committees.

The Indiana Crime Guns Task Force was signed into law in 2021 and addresses violent crime in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson and Shelby counties, according to the Indiana General Assembly’s website.

Harris previously told the Post-Tribune that the plan is to take the task force statewide.“It’s good when you talk about getting guns off the street and also it’s helpful in terms of getting illegal narcotics off the street,” Harris had said. “Wanting Lake County, where I live and represent, to be part of that as soon as possible is important to me.”

After the vote, Harris stated that while homicides in Lake County have dropped in recent years, “it’s still imperative that we find ways to mitigate gun violence and enhance public safety in our community. This bill will help us get illegal guns and dangerous narcotics off our streets and make Lake County a safer place to live and raise a family.”

He thanked his sponsors and added that he looked forward to working with Braun to get the legislation signed into law.

Spencer also previously told the Post-Tribune that the task force will add value to Northwest Indiana, and he’s encouraged by the success it’s seen in other areas of the state.

Harris has talked about the bill with Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez and other sheriff’s officials.

In a previous statement to the Post-Tribune, Martinez said the department supports the bill and is eager to receive more information.

“We look forward to this new level of cooperation and to being a part of an organization committed to removing illegal firearms from our communities,” he said. “We hope this partnership will allow us to share critical resources, intelligence and technology to address gun-related violence in our community and across the state.”

Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter also previously told the Post-Tribune that he supports the task force’s expansion. He believes the task force will help better prosecute offenders.

“I am proud to be part of this effort, and my participation in the task force allows me to contribute my expertise in prosecuting gun-related crimes, ensuring we have a strong legal framework to tackle these issues,” Carter said. “I urge lawmakers to pass this measure for the safety and well-being of all Hoosiers, including those in Lake County.”

Post-Tribune’s Alexandra Kukulka contributed.

mwilkins@chicagotribune.com