Shelby Council holds hearing on concealed carry legislation

The Richland Source is reporting that concealed handguns could be carried in all city-owned buildings and/or properties, other than the Shelby Justice Center, under an ordinance discussed during a Shelby City Council meeting earlier this month.

From the article:

Sponsored by Councilman Steve McLaughlin, council passed the first reading of the ordinance.

"This is the second round of legislation that seeks to permit our local citizens to have the increased ability to their own self-defense within our community," McLaughlin said. "This legislation will effectively permit the administration to take the gun-free zone signs off the city buildings, minus the Justice Center."

The ordinance passed with a 4-1 vote, opposed only by Councilman Garland Gates.

According to the article, Shelby's City Council laid the groundwork to introduce this legislation in July, approving an ordinance updating the city's policy regarding carrying a concealed handgun into buildings within their governing authority, in order to mirror a law in the Ohio Revised Code. Gates also voted against that ordinance.

The ordinance passed in July states handguns are permitted "in any building that is a government facility of this state or a political subdivision of this state and that is not a building that is used primarily as a shelter, restroom, parking facility for motor vehicles, or rest facility and is not a courthouse or other building or structure in which a courtroom is located...unless the governing body with authority over the building has enacted a statute, ordinance or policy that permits a licensee to carry a concealed handgun into the building."

Monday's ordinance was a follow-up to the July legislation, and was written to address more specifically the issue of which particular buildings within the city the legislation applies to. The proposed ordinance states that the city "desires to allow handguns on city property/buildings" pursuant to the Ohio Revised Code.

Under the proposed ordinance, those licensed to conceal carry would be authorized to carry a concealed handgun in all city-owned buildings and or/property, except the Shelby Justice Center, which houses both the Municipal Court and the Police Department.

Councilman Steve McLaughlin is quoted as saying "As members of this governing body, we have the responsibility for protecting those that we represent. We owe it to our constituents to protect them with the ability to self-defend if the situation should arise.

"We all know in most situations when we need the protection of our outstanding local law enforcement, it takes time for their arrival on the scene," he continued. "This time is critical when lives are at stake."

The ordinance will receive its second reading at the Oct. 1 meeting of Shelby City Council.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary and an NRA-certified firearms instructor. He is co-founder of BFA-PAC, and served as its Vice Chairman for 15 years. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website.