City of Toledo to remove illegal ''no-guns'' signs from parks

Grassroots volunteers have been asking the question for more than two months now - "If gun laws are now uniform across Ohio, and if local gun control laws are now preempted, why are there still "no-guns" signs in my local park or on public property other than buildings?"

ABC Toledo's Bill Hormann deserves kudos for posing this question to Toledo city managers, and for promoting action on the part of the city.

Click 'Read More' for the entire story.

13ABC.com is reporting that the City of Toledo is reconsidering the "no-guns" signs that are still posted in city parks.

Ohio says licensed gun owners can carry a weapon into city parks. So why does Toledo have no gun signs posted? Whether you go to a park on the East Side or this park in west Toledo, you will find these no gun signs, but that may soon change.

Toledo posted the signs claiming home rule gives the city the right to restrict where legally trained and licensed conceal carry permit holders can take a gun. But back in March, state law changed. Lawmakers said the right to keep and bear arms is a constitutionally protected right in every part of Ohio. So, lawmakers found it necessary to "Provide uniform laws throughout the state" with regard to firearms.

City of Toledo spokesperson Brian Schwartz says, "What this means is that Toledo's home rule provision prohibiting guns in parks doesn't matter anymore. Ohio's state law goes for all the parks across the state including Toledo's."

The city doesn't dispute that but left the signs up anyway. But today we are told the city is reconsidering.

"The signs don't reflect the law as it stands now," Schwartz told 13ABC, "so we are going to take a look at taking those signs down."

The story concludes by notifying viewers that "right now, if you have a conceal carry permit it is legal to carry a gun in any city park in the state of Ohio, regardless of what sign is posted."

Click here to view the television report from 13ABC.com.