Ohio is Closer Than Ever to Constitutional Carry
In August of this year, we reported That Republican Senator Terry Johnson from Ohio’s 14th District, along with co-sponsors Senators Hoagland, Rulli, Huffman, S., Schaffer, Blessing, McColley, Romanchuk, and Lang, introduced Senate Bill 215. SB 215 is Ohio’s chance at finally implementing constitutional carry in the state.
Did SB 215 have a chance?
At the time, the usual crowd of naysayers emerged to throw a wet blanket on the legislation’s chances of becoming law. However, if there were a time that pro-gun legislation had a chance to pass, it would be now. Twenty-one states now have some sort of permitless/constitutional carry law in place. Whatsmore, five of those states just became permitless carry in 2021!
Gun control is popular with the Democrat-controlled federal legislative branches, but Second Amendment rights are a big deal amongst state legislators.
Well, here we are four months later, and a lot has happened regarding this legislation.
If you’re interested in reading the initial report of SB 215, you can find it here.
Ohio House Bill 227 —
In March of this year, Republican Representatives Thomas Brinkman Jr. and Kris Jordan introduced House Bill 227, called – Regards concealed weapons and concealed carry without license. This bill is the House’s version of Senate Bill 215.
As you can guess from the bill’s title, HB227 is like SB215 in that it allows anyone over 21 years old, who can possess a firearm legally, to conceal a handgun without obtaining a permit.
On November 17th, HB227 passed out of the House with a vote of 60 – 32 (4 Republicans and 3 Democrats did not vote). The voting followed party lines, with every Republican voting for and every Democrat voting against the bill. Keep these numbers in mind because they will be important in the end.
Now on to Senate Bill 215’s status —
Yesterday on December 14th, The Veterans and Public Safety Committee voted on whether or not to advance the bill to the Senate floor for a full vote. The committee heard testimony from several individuals and groups for and against the bill.
Some notable organizations that testified as proponents of the bill include:
- Ohio Gun Owners
- National Rifle Association Institute for Legal Action
- Firearms Policy Coalition
- Buckeye Firearms
Opponents to the bill whose names are more recognizable are:
- Mom’s Demand Action
- Students Demand Action
- Ohio Mayor’s Alliance
- Fraternal Order of Police
- North Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Lewis Center
- Hamilton County Sheriff
- Students for Gun Legislation
- League of Women Voters
I’ve gone ahead and provided links to all the organizations that participated in the hearing. You may want to contact the organization to thank them or let them know you disagree with their stance.
SB215 is out of Committee —
The Veterans and Public Safety Committee passed SB215 and will receive a Senate floor vote. So it is possible that a vote could come today.
What are the odds?
The Senate Republicans hold a majority and can vote to pass the bill along. However, that is a big ‘if’ because placing the letter ‘R’ after your name doesn’t mean a favorable 2A vote.
Then there is our ‘Republican’ Governor, Mike DeWine. Unfortunately, DeWine finds himself on the opposite side of Republicans on many COVID and firearm policies.
He famously threatened to veto Stand Your Ground legislation if the legislature passed it. But, in the end, he backed down and reluctantly signed it.
Would he promise to do the same with constitutional carry? He hasn’t tipped his hand yet, but if I were betting, the better play is that he would veto the legislation.
But that doesn’t mean the bill is doomed.
I said to remember the number of votes for House Bill 227, which was 60-32 in favor of the bill. But remember, 4 Republicans did not vote on the bill. The Ohio Senate is controlled by the Republicans 25 to 8. It only takes a three-fifths majority to override a Governor’s veto in Ohio. The numbers work out to needing 60 of the 99 Representatives and 20 of the 33 Senators for a veto override.
If the Senate passes SB215 —
If the Senate passed SB215 that means we have two bills waiting to pass one of the chambers and make its way up to the Governor’s desk. Which. one will it be?
If one of the bills passes both chambers–
First, Dewine signs the bill; all is well.
Secondly, DeWine vetoes the bill, and the legislature votes entirely down party lines, and the bill becomes law.
Finally, DeWine vetoes the bill. Then Republicans turn against gun owners and vote with Democrats to block constitutional carry.
Who knows, what will happen, but there is a feeling that Ohio may be able to ride the 2A momentum sweeping the country.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the Concealed Carry Podcast, where we discuss the issues affecting concealed carriers and gun owners across the country.
LOOKS LIKE EACH BILL WAS PASSED WITH A 3/5 MAJORITY SO IF THEY GO TO THE OTHER CHAMBER AND DO AS WELL IT SHOULD BE VETO PROOF.
THE REAL QUESTION HERE IS IF THEY’LL DO SOMETHING TO BOUNCE THEM BACK AND FORTH TILL THE CLOCK RUNS OUT AND THEN BLAME SOMEONE ELSE FOR IT NOT GETTING DONE.
OHIOANS ARE JUST AS COMPETENT AS ANY GUN OWNER IN OTHER STATES THAT HAVE PERMITLESS CARRY…AND ITS INSULTING TO HAVE THE DIRTBAGS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTING LIKE THIS IS ‘ANTI COP’.
A lot of cops act like this. They really show how much they back the guberment and not the people anymore. It’s really quite sad.
Not all cops are against this bill. I hope the bill passes. We all swore to uphold the Constitution so I find it ridiculous that anyone in l.e. would object to any 2a rights. Please don’t put us all in the same boat. The Buckeye State Sheriffs Association supports the bill.
Hope. And pray this bill becomes law. People still need to. Gain knowledge of guns and what a gun can do. Still take the class
If bad guys started thinking that every one was packing a gun, then i believe that they won’t do anything stupid with their gun. Just saying.
I’m tired of all these restrictions against law abiding citizens. Criminals do not abide by these laws. And restricting our rights to defend ourselves only puts the power in the criminals hands. With the way our country has been going the last few years I’ve seen stuff I’d never thought I’d witness in the United States. I have been praying and making sure I send my concerns and show of support to all elected officials regarding these Bill’s. Let’s usher 2022 in with a bang. Pun intended.
Great article God bless
I’m a liberal and I would like either 215 or 227 to pass, asap. We’re not all 2A haters or afraid of guns. Constitutional Carry is the way to go for Ohio. Let’s join the other 21 states!
Liberals really aren’t that bad it’s the leftist that are and most Liberals agree with me on that. The American politics scape is all sorts of messed up right now.
Like one of my fellow Patriots said above if the bad guys think that every one of the good guys may be carrying it’s going to prevent them from doing something stupid with their gun. Gun laws and restrictions do nothing but hurt law-abiding gun owners because criminals do not care about laws. I think the people that are against this need to sit down and listen that nothing has changed you have to pass a background check in order to own a firearm not just anyone can get one. The only people that are getting them illegally are the criminals so the only defense against that is to let the law-abiding citizens carry without a permission slip from the state. Might I add this is coming from someone who has said permission slip from the state but I also have thousands of hours of training under my belt and I have been a member of the United States Concealed Carry Association since the Year 2015. So in essence I think these are good laws but I also think if you go out and you purchase a firearm legally you do need to practice without a doubt.
DeWine is not likely to run again so even if he vetos, the votes are there to override him. He will just be an older version of John Kasuch, RINO and a man with out a Jon and power and crap legacy
I still plan to take the class on 1/9/22 to keep myself and others safe when I have a firearm on my person. It’s only $100 and that covers 8 hours of instruction. But it will be nice to bypass the bureaucracy involved with dealing with the sheriff’s office. That’s the part that is (needlessly!) a PITA.
I have a permit, but Id prefer not having one. The most important part to me is the notify on a stop.
I was stopped in Circleville, Oh for being suspect in a reported break in. I was walking to my parked car from a friends. I had my.gun and permit on me and told the officer such. He called several other officers and a supervisor. After a long discussion with me cuffed in the cruiser, they decided and I was arrested and jailed for ‘failure to notify’. I gave NO resistance, and was wearing white shoes and light color clothes. There was no charge on crawling under a business fence thru mud as I was clean. After getting the owner on site, he determined there was no break in.
In court i was heavily fined and lost my weapon. Its still on my record and my ONLY arrest. Im not paying more money to get a set up removed…so screw Circleville police. My company no longer does ANY business with anyone in that city.
That city owes me a written apology, replacement gun, and a return of my fines. Then clear my record, which I suspect may be already cleared to cover their butts.
It just doesn’t make any logical sense to me I can go gun store buy a gun pass my background load gun good bullets holster it carry. Anywhere I want to open carry but the very moment I put a jacket on or get in my car I’m a felon or whatever they would charge me with. I currently reside in the shadier part of Ohio all the neighborhood stores nearest to me all have criminals that stand outside in front of the store all day and sell their drugs I’m sure plenty of them carry a gun illegally and not open carry either so in order for me to be complying with the law and safe I will have to park my car go to my trunk open the safe get my gun put it on my hip open carry right past the people that I’m carrying it for probably.Go into the store come back to the ambush that’s waiting on me if I make it to the car put my gun back in the trunk in front of all of the criminals and that’s how the current law is written at this point.
Not legally being allowed to concealed carry and legally being allowed to open carry (with no training). Has never been about common sense. It’s mostly a control and money. Especially beings we aren’t a state where you can open carry in a car.(New Jersey,etc).
I work construction in some pretty shitty neighborhoods with about 200k worth of shit truck trailer tools etc. So I completely understand where your coming from. At the end of the day do what you gotta do to ensure you get back home to the family safely regardless of laws. Thats the way I look at it. I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice.