AP: New motion on concealed carry in legislature

FINAL REVISION

House, Senate pursuing method to revamp concealed weapons bill

By CARRIE SPENCER
The Associated Press 1/7/2004, 1:16 a.m. ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio would become the 46th state to allow carrying concealed weapons under a revamped bill lawmakers were expected to send to Gov. Bob Taft as early as Wednesday afternoon.

A joint House and Senate committee was set to work Wednesday on a compromise likely to include provisions demanded by Taft — disappointing both backers and opponents. The bill would then go back to both chambers for full consideration.

Gov. Bob Taft, a Republican, has threatened to veto the bill as it passed last month over public records concerns. The current version would allow reporters to ask sheriff's departments for information on permit holders on a name-by-name basis, but Taft wants reporters to have access to the entire list of permit holders by county.

The House voted 85-5 on Tuesday to rescind its earlier approval and send the bill back to the joint committee for changes.

Speaker Larry Householder, a Glenford Republican, said supporters don't like the disclosure provision, but compromise was the best way to get the bill into law.

"This is something we've been goofing around with for a decade. It's time to get moving," Householder said.

Senate lawmakers could accept Taft's requirement, Senate President Doug White said, even though he personally opposes allowing access to the list.

"It was time for somebody to put their ego in their pocket. That had to be me, fine, but I think everybody gave a little on this issue," said White, a Manchester Republican.

The bill requires background checks and training for permit applicants. The State Highway Patrol dropped its earlier opposition once the bill said weapons in vehicles must be locked away or holstered in plain view.

Sponsoring Sen. Jim Aslanides, a Coshocton Republican, said he'll accept the public records compromise but cautioned reporters not to "abuse" the confidentiality of permit-holders. He said once the law has been in place for a while, adjustments could be made.

"I hope to be in the Legislature to make changes," said Aslanides, eligible to seek two more terms in the House.

That's why opponents of concealed weapons worry that lawmakers could start eroding safety and public-records provisions once any version passes, said Toby Hoover, director of Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence.

"The history of the gun lobby has been to accept whatever they can get and then go back and change it," she said.

National Rifle Association lobbyist John Hohenwarter said the gun-rights advocacy group was pleased the "fair" proposal was moving forward.

Jeff Garvas, president of Ohioans for Concealed Carry, said members want the bill to go forward but feel too many concessions were made. If the names of permit holders become public, he said, they could become exposed to identity theft or be denied jobs by antigun employers.

"But we realize it's necessary to be able to have the bill go forward," he said.

The compromise didn't go far enough for the Ohio Newspaper Association.

"It's still not sufficient as far as we're concerned, because it includes this exemption only for the media and not for the general public," Executive Director Frank Deaner said. "You could take every piece of public information and claim there are bad people who would use that information in bad ways."