ACTION ALERT: Urge Committee Members to Pass "Duty to Notify" Bill (HB 425)
State Representative John Becker, chairman of the House Federalism Committee, announced that the committee would likely vote on House Bill 425, which addresses flaws in Ohio’s requirement that Concealed Handgun License holders “promptly” inform a law enforcement officer that they are carrying a concealed firearm. The lack of clarity of exactly when a person must notify a police officer and how often they must disclose the information has resulted in uneven enforcement of the law and unfair charges against law-abiding license holders.
HB 425, sponsored by Representative Scott Wiggam (R-Wooster) would fix this issue. On Thursday, May 28th, the Federalism Committee improved his bill even further by adopting a substitute or amended version that completely removes the penalty for not informing an officer. The new HB 425 still requires license holders to inform if the officer asks whether they are carrying.
Under current law, a person could be charged with a fist degree misdemeanor for failing to inform, which carries up to six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. The net effect of the new bill puts control of this question in the hands of a police officer to ask if they want to know. 41 states have laws with no duty to notify unless specifically asked, something officers are already trained to do.
Urge members of the House Federalism Committee to support HB 425 and vote it out of committee.
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