House passes HB 454 (Rule Modification for Concealed Carry in School Zones)

On Thursday, December 4, the Ohio House of Representatives passed Rep. Anne Gonzales' (R-Westerville) House Bill 454, which seeks to correct several problems with current law regarding concealed handgun licenses' behavior in school zones.

Current law is a mess, making it a felony offense for those with a concealed handgun license (CHL) to partake in normal activities while in possession of their firearms. It is currently illegal for licensees to drop off their spouse, a child’s lunch or medicine, sign their child out of the nurse’s office, or even to get out and hug their little girl if she falls and scrapes her knee. Rather than requiring that the license-holder remain in the vehicle, HB 454 would require that the firearm be remain locked in the vehicle. The bill also makes it clear that it is permissible to pick up or drop off any person or item, as opposed to just “a child.”

The bill passed by a 81-2 vote, with Democrats Tracy Heard and Mark Lundy voting no.

Neither Heard nor Lundy rose to explain their no votes, and since both were ineligible to run for reelection in 2014 because of term limits and thus will soon be leaving office, we didn't bother to seek an explanation from them as to why they believe a father dropping off forgotten gym shoes to his child, or a mother picking up a child who has come down with a fever, should continue to be considered as felons if they have a concealed handgun license and leave their loaded firearm in their car on school property.

What we do know is that a nearly unanimous majority in the House think the Buckeye State's concealed carry law is in dire need of this non-controversial improvement.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary, BFA PAC Vice Chairman, and an NRA-certified firearms instructor. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website.

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View passage of the bill here (beginning at 11:45):

Am. H. B. No. 454-Representative Gonzales.
Cosponsors: Representatives Hill, Pillich, Stebelton, Smith, Brenner.

To amend section 2923.122 of the Revised Code to expand and clarify the authority of a concealed handgun licensee to possess a handgun in a school safety zone, was taken up for consideration the third time.

The question being, "Shall the bill pass?"

The yeas and nays were taken and resulted - yeas 81, nays 2, as follows:

Those who voted in the affirmative were: Representatives

Adams, R
Amstutz
Anielski
Antani
Ashford
Baker
Barborak
Barnes
Becker
Bishoff
Blessing
Boose
Boyce
Brenner
Brown
Buchy
Burkley
Butler
Carney
Celebrezze
Cera
Clyde
Conditt
Damschroder
Derickson
Dovilla
Driehaus
Duffey
Fedor
Foley
Gonzales
Green
Grossman
Hackett
Hagan, C
Hall
Hayes
Henne
Hill
Hood
Hottinger
Huffman
Johnson
Kunze
Landis
Letson
Lynch
Maag
McClain
McGregor
Milkovich
Patmon
Patterson
Pelanda
Perales
Phillips
Ramos
Redfern
Reece
Rogers
Romanchuk
Rosenberger
Ruhl
Scherer
Schuring
Sears
Sheehy
Smith
Sprague
Stautberg
Stebelton
Stinziano
Strahorn
Sykes
Terhar
Thompson
Wachtmann
Williams
Winburn
Young
Batchelder-81.

Representatives Heard and Lundy voted in the negative-2.

The bill passed.

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For Immediate Release:

December 4, 2014

Rep. Anne Gonzales’ Bill to Clarify Concealed Handgun Licensing Laws in School Safety Zones Passes Ohio House

HB 454 clears up law that police described as poorly-worded and confusing

COLUMBUS—State Representative Anne Gonzales (R-Westerville) has announced that the Ohio House of Representatives today passed legislation that clarifies certain state laws regarding possessing concealed handguns in school safety zones.

Under House Bill 454, a concealed handgun licensee is permitted to have a handgun in his or her vehicle in a school safety zone so long as that person does not remove the handgun and locks the doors upon exiting the vehicle. The legislation upholds current law that prohibits a firearm from leaving a vehicle when in a school safety zone.

“This is common sense legislation that makes the current code easier for CHL holders to understand,” said Gonzales. “By clearing up this section of code, we can cut down on the confusion and make the section easier to follow and enforce.”

The idea for the bill came to Rep. Gonzales’ attention following an incident that occurred at an elementary school in New Albany. A father, who was a concealed handgun licensee, was picking up his daughter after school. After exiting his vehicle, another parent spotted the holstered handgun and called police. Despite determining that no law had been broken, law enforcement expressed the concern that state law as it currently stands is unclear and poorly worded. Therefore, HB 454 simply removes language in statute that is unnecessary and establishes clear, unambiguous parameters regarding how firearms must be secured.

House Bill 454 passed and will now head to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.