Gun bill deal set; Taft on board

Lawmakers may pass conceal-carry bill today; enactment would take 90 days

Columbus Dispatch January 07, 2004

Qualified Ohioans should be able to carry concealed handguns by summer.

In a historic breakthrough, state legislators and Gov. Bob Taft reached a tentative agreement yesterday on the long-stalled proposal. The measure would allow disclosure of the names of people with permits to carry concealed handguns, solving the last issue blocking enactment of House Bill 12.

Opponents immediately raised the possibility of a statewide November referendum on the bill.

The House, which had wanted to keep the names of permit-holders private, yielded to Taft and the Senate and rescinded its Dec. 10 approval of the bill. The Senate is expected to do likewise today, after which the proposal would be sent back to a House-Senate conference committee and reconsidered by both chambers later in the day.

Taft said he would sign the revised bill if it contained the provision requiring county sheriffs to give the list of permit-holders to journalists who request it in writing. The bill requires sheriffs to maintain such lists.

"At this point, I’m hopeful it would pass," said Taft, who had warned he would veto the bill passed Dec. 10 by the House and Senate because it would have allowed journalists to obtain permit-holders’ names only on a case-bycase basis if they could show it would be in the public interest.

"It would be good to get this bill finally enacted."

The bill would take effect 90 days after being signed by the governor, but it could take extra time for the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission and county sheriffs to prepare to issue permits.

Robert A. Cornwell, executive director of the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association, said the sheriffs would be "ready to go" when the commission furnishes them with application forms, training requirements and literature for applicants.

"I’d like to see it happen in 90 days," he said. "Will it? I don’t know."

Rep. Jim Aslanides of Coshocton, a Republican and chief sponsor of the bill, predicted it would be six months before the first permits would be issued.

Taft was asked whether the bill addressed all of his safety concerns.

"Yes," he replied. "I think there’ll be accountability, and there’ll be the ability to assess and to make sure it’s working so law-abiding citizens and not criminals are carrying weapons. It depends on how we enforce that."

The governor said he was satisfied that two earlier issues had been dealt with: the handling of handguns in motor vehicles for the safety of approaching law-enforcement officers; and extending legal defenses in certain cases to those who don’t have a permit but have a valid reason to carry a handgun.

The bill would require sheriffs to issue a conceal/carry permit to any Ohioan 21 or older who passes a criminal background check, has no history of mental illness and completes a certified 12-hour training course on weapons handling and safety. The permit would be good for four years. Ohio would honor permits issued in other states.

The handguns would be barred from school safety zones, day-care centers, government-owned buildings and bars.

John Hohenwarter, a regional director of the National Rifle Association, praised the bill but lamented that its apparent approval took 10 years.

"Sure, there’s a few hoops to jump through, but the bottom line is this gives Ohioans the right to protect themselves," he said.

But Lori O’Neill, president of the Greater Cleveland chapter of the Million Mom March, called it a sad day for Ohio.

"I feel that Gov. Taft has essentially ignored the wishes of the people of Ohio for political purposes, to keep peace in the Republican Party," she said. "He has marred his political legacy."

She also criticized the Republican-dominated legislature, which she said is passing the bill "just to please the NRA and get them off their backs."

O’Neill said her group is discussing the possibility of collecting 193,740 signatures during the next three months and placing a referendum on the November ballot to repeal the conceal/carry law.

"Let the citizens of Ohio vote on whether they want loaded, hidden guns out in public," she said.

Rep. Edward S. Jerse, a Democrat from Cleveland who was on the short end of an 85-5 vote in the House to rescind the earlier version and ratify a compromise, said he had hoped Taft would veto the bill. Jerse opposes conceal/carry, saying it will only add to the number of guns on the street.

House Speaker Larry Householder, who supports gun rights, took the opposite view.

"We think it’s going to have a tremendous impact on Ohio as far as criminal activity is concerned," he said. "We think it’s going to do what it has in Michigan, and that’s reduce crime. Ohioans deserve to have that in their state, also.

"This is something we’ve been goofing around with in Ohio for over a decade. It’s time to get it (enacted) so we can prove it’s not what some of the (gun opponents) believe it is."

Media coverage of yesterday's events:

Akron Beacon-Journal: Ohio gun bill draws protest from all sides

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Concealed weapons compromise is reached

Dayton Daily News: Taft agrees with new concealed-carry proposal

Gannett News Service: Concealed carry bill may finally be signed

Ohio Public Radio: Legislative breakthrough on concealed weapons bill

Toledo Blade: House set to tweak gun bill to suit Taft

Related Story: - Already Been Dead - "House Bill 12 has been declared dead more times than Michael Jackson's music career."