Ohio Legislature Considers Competing Firearm Legislation

CLEVELAND — The Ohio legislature is considering competing, philosophically opposed proposals on firearm legislation. One set of bills would expand concealed carry rights to all gun owners over the age of 21, without the need for a permit, while another bill would allow courts to temporarily bar some individuals from having a gun.

The legislation comes in the wake of a mass shooting in Dayton that killed 10 people, including the shooter, and injured 26 more.

House Bill 316, introduced by State Reps. Bride Rose Sweeney and Allison Russo, would allow family members, roommates or law enforcement to get a court order blocking people considered to be a danger to themselves or others from having a gun. The proposed legislation aligns with Governor Mike DeWine's recent suggestion for Safety Protection Orders, which would allow courts to block some individuals from having a gun and mandate they receive mental health treatment.

“We are elected to serve the needs of our constituencies across Ohio, and protection from gun violence is something that Ohioans want,” said Rose Sweeney, a Democrat from Cleveland. “We have to do all we can to prevent those individuals who should not have dangerous firearms from obtaining them, and this commonsense legislation fills that gap. The gun violence epidemic needs urgent attention from the legislature, and this bill should be called for a hearing as soon as possible.”

Guns-rights groups are opposed to the legislation.

The legislature will also consider House Bills 174 and 178 which would allow any gun owner, over the age of 21, to carry their firearm concealed without a permit. It also does away with the requirement to tell law enforcement if you are carrying a concealed weapon.

The laws would institute a policy called Constitutional Carry in Ohio. While some politicians and law enforcement groups have spoken out against the legislation, other groups are advocating for the bills.

"I don't think we can enact laws based on how friendly they are to any particular special interest group. I think we have to reference all our laws to the United States Constitution and that is exactly what Constitutional Carry is designed to do," a spokesperson for Ohioans for Concealed Carry told FOX 8 News on Monday.