90 days & 25k licenses later: The good news the media won't share

11:58pm Wednesday, July 07, 2004

July 7, 2004
Ohio Public Radio

Fewer people than anticipated are taking advantage of Ohio's new law that allows residents to carry concealed handguns under certain conditions. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles has details.

Click here to hear the story via RealAudio streaming.

Commentary:
Sheriffs in two of Ohio's most populous counties - Cuyahoga and Franklin - along with certain others, have slowed the process down. But they can't stop it. Despite these few Sheriffs' poor performance (some of which have taken lawsuits to attempt to correct), OFCC estimates that when the number of issued licenses in the first 90 days is made public, the number will exceed 25,000. Thousands more applications are still being processed, and thousands more future applicants are now in training.

Just as was done for the Associated Press earlier this week, this OPR reporter was told some of the many positive things happening as a result of this law. Here once again, is the good news about Ohio's CHL law that wasn't deemed newsworthy:

At least two citizens with Ohio licenses have already been able to defend their lives when violently attacked.

At least ten national chains and more than 60 other businesses have removed their discriminatory signs barring CHL-holders since April 8.

Most Ohio Sheriffs are serving their constituents and their duty under the law quite well. They backed passage of this law and they are working hard to issue licenses.

One defiant Sheriff has already settled a lawsuit, paid all attorney's fees and court costs, and begun issuing licenses. The Ohio Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments from a CHL-applicant in another case, and a special prosecutor is investigating a third sheriff for releasing protected information about CHL-holders to the media.

Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro has declared that local ordinances and rules seeking to restrict concealed carry an invalid. He has ruled that providing a social security number on a CHL application is voluntary, and he has filed a request with the Supreme Court to have Toby Hoover's anti-CCW lawsuit thrown out for lack of standing.

At this time last year, no one thought we'd have 25,000 licensed citizens protecting themselves and their families on the streets of Ohio. We've come a long way, baby.

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90 days & 25k licenses later: The good news the media won't share

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90 days & 25k licenses later: The good news the media won't share

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