Status of gun bills as 135th Ohio General Assembly winds down

As the end of the 135th Ohio General Assembly draws near, several gun bills are still somewhere in progress. A few have advanced in recent months, but several have stalled.

Here's a rundown of what bills are still in the pipeline and each one's current status:

Bills We Support

These are bills which, as currently written, reduce firearm regulations and expand Second Amendment rights.

HB 51 - ENACT THE SECOND AMENDMENT PRESERVATION ACT (Sponsors: Mike Loychik, Jean Schmidt) To add additional protections to the right to bear arms, to remove federal firearms law references from the state firearms control law, and to declare an emergency. Stalled in the House Rules and Reference Committee since December 2023.

HB 186 - EXEMPT FIREARM SAFETY DEVICES FROM SALES TAX (Sponsors: Darnell Brewer, Sean Brennan) To exempt from sales and use tax sales of firearm safety devices. Stalled in the House Ways and Means Committee since June 2023.

HB 189 / SB 124 - EXEMPT FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION FROM SALES TAX (Sponsors: Al Cutrona / Tim Schaffer) To exempt from the sales and use tax the sale of certain firearms and ammunition and to authorize nonrefundable tax credits for small arms and ammunition manufacturers. The House version has been stalled in the Ways and Means Committee since June 2023; the Senate version has been stalled in Ways in Means since May 2023.

HB 233 - ENACT THE SELF-DEFENSE PROTECTION ACT (Sponsors: Josh Williams, Brett Hudson Hillyer) To create a pretrial procedure for a person asserting self-defense, defense of another, or defense of that person's property. Stalled in the House Criminal Justice Committee since September 2023.

HB 272 - ALLOW CONCEALED CARRY IN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS (Sponsors: Adam Mathews, Justin Pizzulli) To allow a concealed handgun licensee to carry a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance in a building or structure that is not a courthouse. Passed the House but stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee since December 2023.

HB 522 - RESTORE RIGHTS OF NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS (Sponsors: Bernard Willis, Josh Williams) To crack down on repeat felons and restore rights for non-violent offenders who have paid their debt to society and have lived a productive life. Stalled in the House Criminal Justice Committee since May 2024.

SB 32 - PROVIDE CIVIL IMMUNITY FOR SELF DEFENSE FOR NONPROFITS (Sponsor: Tim Schaffer) To grant civil immunity to a person who acts in self-defense or to protect the members or guests of a nonprofit corporation under certain circumstances. Passed the Senate, introduced in the House on Nov. 18, 2024, hearing slated in House Civil Justice Committee on Nov. 26.

SB 58 - PROHIBIT REQUIRING FIREARMS LIABILITY INSURANCE (Sponsors: Terry Johnson, Theresa Gavarone) To prohibit requiring fees or firearms liability insurance for the possession of firearms, or fees for the possession of knives. Passed the Senate, stalled in the House Insurance Committee since May 2023.

SB 148 - PROHIBIT TRACKING RETAIL FIREARM PURCHASES (Sponsor: Terry Johnson) To prohibit financial institutions from tracking firearms purchases and to prohibit government entities from maintaining a registry of firearms or firearm owners. Passed the Senate, stalled in the House Financial Institutions Committee since May 21, 2024.

SB 189 - AUTHORIZE A TAX CREDIT FOR HANDGUN TRAINING AND FIREARMS STORAGE (Sponsors: Hearcel Craig, Vernon Sykes) To authorize a nonrefundable income tax credit for the cost of handgun training and firearms storage and locking devices. Stalled in the Senate Ways and Means Committee since December 2023.

SJR 2 - REQUIRE A 60% VOTE TO APPROVE ANY CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT (Sponsors: Rob McColley, Theresa Gavarone) *** PASSED - WILL APPEAR ON AUGUST 8, 2023, BALLOT AS ISSUE 1 *** To protect constitutional rights by requiring a vote of at least 60% of the electors to approve any amendment to the Ohio constitution.

Bills We Oppose

These are bills which, as currently written, increase firearm regulations and infringe Second Amendment rights.

HB 62 - ROLL BACK STAND YOUR GROUND AND REIMPOSE A DUTY TO RETREAT (Sponsor: Latyna Humphrey) To roll back stand your ground legislation and limit no duty to retreat to a person's home and vehicle only, and to allow courts to consider the possibility of retreat as a factor in cases of self-defense. Stalled in the House Government Oversight Committee since February 2023.

HB 170 - ENACT EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDER (Sponsors: Michele Grim, Cecil Thomas) To allow family members, household members, and law enforcement officers to obtain a court order that seizes a person's firearms based on an accusation of that person posing a danger to themselves or others. Stalled in the House Government Oversight Committee since May 2023.

HB 175 - REQUIRE FIREARMS TO BE LOCKED UP (Sponsors: Jessica Miranda, Darnell Brewer) To require firearms be locked up or rendered inoperable and use taxpayer money to purchase locking devises. Stalled in the House Government Oversight Committee since May 2023.

HB 217 - REQUIRE GUN TRIGGER LOCKS (Sponsors: Anita Somani, Cecil Thomas) To require that gun trigger locks be attached and provided with firearms sales by federally licensed firearms dealers. Stalled in the House Government Oversight Committee since June 2023.

HB 218 / SB 78 - REPEAL STATEWIDE PREEMPTION (Sponsors: Darnell Brewer, Terrence Upchurch / Hearcel Craig, Catherine Ingram) To repeal ORC 9.68 in its entirety and give every city, village, and township the ability to enforce their own set of firearm laws and create a patchwork of laws around the state. The House version has been stalled in the Government Oversight Committee since June 2023; the Senate version has been stalled in the Veterans and Public Safety Committee since March 2023.

HB 309 - MANDATE 10-DAY WAITING PERIOD (Sponsors: Cecil Thomas, Rachel Baker) To prohibit a firearms dealer from transferring a firearm until at least ten days have elapsed since contacting the national instant criminal background check system. Stalled in the House Government Oversight Committee since October 2023; first hearing was held Nov. 12, 2024.

HB 346 - BAN AUTO SEARS (Sponsor: Richard Dell'Aquila) To ban the manufacture, purchase, or sale of auto sears. Stalled in the House Criminal Justice Committee since December 2023.

HB 417 - EXPAND FIREARM DISABILITIES (Sponsors: Michele Grim, Munira Abdullahi) To prohibit a person who is charged with or has been convicted of first degree misdemeanor domestic violence from possessing a firearm or dangerous ordnance. Stalled in the House Criminal Justice Committee since April 2, 2024.

HB 418 - REPEAL PERMITLESS CARRY (Sponsors: Richard Brown, Dani Isaacsohn) To repeal the changes made by SB 215 which makes concealed carry licensing optional and removes the duty to "promptly" inform a law enforcement officer when carrying a concealed handgun. Stalled in the House Government Oversight Committee since April 2, 2024.

HB 419 - ENACT UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS (Sponsors: Phillip Robinson, Dani Isaacsohn) To forbid personal firearm transfers and require all transfers to be made through a dealer, through a law enforcement agency, or pursuant to a specified exception, and to require background checks for all firearm transfers. Stalled in the House Government Oversight Committee since April 2, 2024.

HB 420 - TURN CRIMINAL VIOLENCE INTO A PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM (Sponsors: Darnell Brewer, Munira Abdullahi) To use taxpayer money to pay for health services rather than deal with criminal activity as crime. Stalled in the House Finance Committee since April 2, 2024.

HB 421 - ESTABLISH THE OHIO TASK FORCE ON GUN VIOLENCE (Sponsors: Darnell Brewer) To create a taskforce to recommend ways to deal with violent criminal behavior that dosn't involve actually enforcing the law and prosecuting criminals. Stalled in the House Government Oversight Committee since April 2, 2024.

HB 433 - BAN SEMI-AUTO FIREARMS IN OHIO (Sponsor: Willis Blackshear) To ban the purchase, possession, carrying, and use of all semi-automatic firearms with the exception of those chambered for .22 caliber. Stalled in the House Government Oversight Committee since April 2, 2024.

HB 644 - BAN BUMP STOCKS IN OHIO (Sponsor: Cecil Thomas, Michele Grim) To ban the import, manufacture, sale, transfer, or possession of trigger cranks, bump-fire devices, and other items. Brought to the House Government Oversight Committee on Nov. 12, 2024.

SB 164 - ESTABLISH A GUN REGISTRY (Sponsor: Hearcel Craig) To create and maintain a "do not possess" firearms registry even though state and federal law forbids gun owner registries. Stalled in the Senate Veterans and Public Safety Committee since October 2023.

SB 187 - PROHIBIT FIREARM POSSESSION WITH A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CONVICTION (Sponsors: Hearcel Craig, Vernon Sykes) To prohibit a person who is charged with or has been convicted of first degree misdemeanor domestic violence from possessing a firearm or dangerous ordnance. Stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee since December 2023.

SB 209 - PUNISH GUN OWNERS FOR NOT REPORTING A LOST OR STOLEN GUN (Sponsors: Paula Hicks-Hudson, Catherine Ingram) To increase the penalty for failure to report a lost or stolen firearm to a maximum of 180 days. Stalled in the Senate Veterans and Public Safety Committee since Jan. 24, 2024.

SB 307 - BAN BUMP STOCKS IN OHIO (Sponsors: Kent Smith, Hearcel Craig) To ban the import, manufacture, sale, transfer, or possession of trigger cranks, bump-fire devices, and other items. Brought to the Senate Veterans and Public Safety Committee on Nov. 12, 2024.

Bills Under Review

These are bills which we are reviewing or which are under active revision.

HB 551 - PROHIBIT FIREARM POSSESSION BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS (Sponsor: Scott Wiggam) To prohibit persons who are unlawfully present in the United States from possessing firearms. Stalled in the House Government Oversight Committee since May 21, 2024.

HB 662 - EXEMPT ANTIQUE FIREARMS FROM CERTAIN TRANSACTION PROHIBITIONS (Sponsor: Adam Miller) To exempt certain antique firearms from the prohibition against unlawful transactions in weapons. Brought to the House Government Oversight Committee on Nov. 12, 2024.

SB 188 - LIMIT LIABILITY FOR FIREARM HOLD AGREEMENTS (Sponsors: Hearcel Craig, Vernon Sykes) To limit liability for federally licensed firearms dealers in regards to voluntary firearm hold agreements. Stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee since December 2023.