Gannett: Senate may be able to override gun bill veto

December 20, 2003

By JIM SIEGEL and LEO SHANE III
Gannett Newspapers Columbus Bureau

COLUMBUS -- Senate President Doug White continues to insist that he doesn't have the votes to override a potential veto of a bill allowing Ohioans to carry concealed handguns.

But others in his caucus disagree.

"Based on the senators I've talked to, we would have enough votes to override the governor," said Sen. Steve Austria, R-Beavercreek, the Senate's point man on the gun issue.

Austria said he did some informal polling during the end of discussions, and found the chamber could get the 20 votes needed to override Gov. Bob Taft if he decides to veto the bill.

Taft said he is still hoping a deal can be worked out with the House so a veto won't be necessary. He has lingering concerns over the openness of permitting records, and refuses to sign the current bill unless a new bill is passed to address that issue.

House Speaker Larry Householder, R-Glenford, has said repeatedly that he has the votes to override Taft if he vetoes the bill. But just as often, White has said he does not have enough votes.

Gannett Newspapers polled 23 senators who voted in favor of the gun bill, and 17 said they would agree to override a veto.

"If it comes down to the only way to enact a meaningful concealed carry law for Ohio is to override the governor's veto, then that's the vote I intend to cast," said Sen. Randy Gardner, R-Bowling Green.

Four said they were undecided -- Sens. Bill Harris, Jeff Armbruster, Robert Gardner, and Steve Stivers.

Two Democrats -- Sens. Teresa Fedor and Kimberly Zurz -- were called multiple times but did not respond.

The final tally does not include White, who voted for the bill and is the person responsible for calling a veto override vote.

It also does not include the replacement for Sen. Jim Carnes, who is leaving at the end of the year. The frontrunner to replace Carnes -- former state representative Joy Padgett -- sponsored the gun bill in 1999.

"I think the Senate would be neglecting its responsibilities if it didn't attempt an override," said Sen. Lynn Wachtmann, R-Napoleon, who described Taft as out-of-touch and afraid of gun owners. "I think President White could easily make sure the votes are there to do it."

Austria expects the governor would actively lobby senators to not override the bill. He thinks White will call for an override if he's sure the votes are in place.

Sen. Scott Nein, R-Middletown, thinks some of his colleagues might be pushing for an override vote in public but privately backing down from the governor's challenge.

"(White) is only going to put it on the floor if the votes are there," he said. "I think what you'll see is, you'll have one count and the NRA will have one count, but the only count that matters is his. People will tell one group one thing and tell him another.

"Politics is politics."

Click here to read the Gannett News story.

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