Buehrer Leading the Charge for Second Amendment Rights

COLUMBUS— State Senator Steve Buehrer (R-Delta) Wednesday gave sponsor testimony on Senate Bill 184, legislation he introduced that would make needed reforms to Ohio’s self-defense law. This bill is part of Senator Buehrer’s ongoing quest to preserve our Second Amendment rights, while providing Ohioans with the tools to protect themselves, their homes and their families.

Sen. Buehrer, who testified on SB184 before the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, explained that Ohio’s current self-defense law unfairly places the civil and criminal burden on the victim to prove in court that they were truly acting to defend themselves from serious physical harm or death.

“For too long the pendulum has swung in the direction of protecting the rights of criminals over the rights of their victims,” Buehrer said. “SB184, by modernizing Ohio’s law, takes an important step toward making Ohioans feel safer in their homes, businesses and communities.”

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SB184 makes two important reforms to Ohio law. First, the bill will shift the rebuttable presumption from the innocent victim and onto the perpetrator. If a criminal forcibly enters or intrudes into a person’s home and that person chooses to act to protect themselves from harm, they would be legally presumed to be acting in self-defense.

“The burden should be on the trespasser, climbing through your window late at night, to prove that he is not there to cause harm,” Buehrer added.

In addition, SB184 would grant a victim civil immunity if it is proven that he acted in self-defense. Under current state law, even after a legal finding of self-defense, the victim still faces the possibility of being held liable for damages in a civil lawsuit.

“An Ohio citizen who has acted justifiably should not be subject to thousands of dollars of court costs nor held to further scrutiny by a jury,” Buehrer said.

Buehrer noted that at least 19 states, including Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan have already enacted similar legislation, and contrary to opponent claims about these types of bills, these states have not seen an increase in violence or gun usage for self-defense.

“At the end of the day, SB184 is about making Ohioans feel safer in their homes and communities,” Buehrer explained. “This legislation is common sense policy that would return the law to the balance that has existed for thousands of years in civilized society.”

Click here to listen to an audio clip of Senator Buehrer commenting on Senate Bill 184 and Wednesday's committee hearing.