<div class="row" ng-controller="stuffsController">
    <div class="col-md-12">
        <button type="button" class="btn btn-success" ng-click="editCheckboxes()">Edit!</button>
    </div>
    <div class="col-md-6">
        <input type="checkbox" ng-true-value="':reportview:'" ng-model="formData.permits.report.view" ng-checked="checkPermits('reportview')"/>
        <input type="checkbox" ng-true-value="':reportedit:'" ng-model="formData.permits.report.edit" ng-checked="checkPermits('reportedit')"/>
        <input type="checkbox" ng-true-value="':reportdelete:'" ng-model="formData.permits.report.delete" ng-checked="checkPermits('reportdelete')"/>
    </div>
</div>

app.controller('stuffsController', function ($scope, $http) {
$scope.checkPermits = function (permits_str, clue){
    //permits_str = ':reportview::reportedit:';
    if (permits_str.includes(clue)){
        return true;
    }
};
$scope.editCheckboxes = function () {
    //I want the checkPermits() execute in here...
}});