Ohio Democrats backing College Rapist and Carjacker Protection bills

After years of spewing anti-gun rhetoric in efforts to oppose concealed carry reform in Ohio, the state's most liberal Democrats are suddenly very interested in backing concealed carry legislation at the Statehouse.

In early May, we revealed that Sen. Ray Miller (D-15) had begun shopping for co-sponsors for a bill that seeks to repeal Section 9 of House Bill 12 from the books and expand the ban on concealed carry to all government owned/operated parks, swimming pools, golf courses, and parking lots.

Although largely unsuccessful at gaining co-sponsors (just four other Democrat Senators signed on), Miller, who consistently voted against concealed carry reform legislation, introduced the bill (SB243) at the request of the City of Columbus (Mayor Michael Coleman).

Since then, House Democrats have lined up two of their own anti-self-defense bills.

Carjacker/Road Rage Aggressor Protection:
House Bill 453, introduced by Rep. Daniel Stewart (D-25), seeks to prohibit a person from knowingly causing or attempting to cause physical harm to persons or property by discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle or upon or over a public road or highway.

Section 1 of the bill would modify current law as follows:

Sec. 2923.16 (F) No person shall knowingly cause or attempt to cause physical harm to persons or property by discharging a firearm while in or on a motor vehicle.

Translation: When a carjacker has a gun in a driver's face at a traffic light, the driver risks being charged with a crime if they defend their life or the lives of the children riding in the back seat.

Sec. 2923.16 (B) No person shall knowingly cause or attempt to cause physical harm to an occupant of a motor vehicle or a motor vehicle by discharging a firearm upon or over a public road or highway.

Translation: When a road rage aggressor corners another driver's car, and waves a gun out his car window, the victim driver risks being charged with a crime if they defend their life or the lives of the children riding in the back seat.

Sec. 2923.16 (J) ...A violation of division (F) of this section is a felony of the second degree...

Translation: You will lose your right to own a firearm and to vote, and you will go to jail for a really long time, if you choose to defend your life or the lives of the children riding in the back seat.

Only eight other Democrat Representatives agreed to co-sponsor this severely anti-self-defense, Carjacker/Road Rage Aggressor Protection legislation.

College Rapist Protection:
House Bill 528, introduced by Rep. Joseph Zoziura (D-56) (click here to download Koziura's introductory letter), seeks to remove the college/ university parking lot exemption from Ohio law, which allows Ohio CHL-holders to secure their firearms in a motor vehicle on a campus parking lot. The bill also seeks to specify that nothing in the Concealed Handgun Licensing Law limits, negates, restricts, or affects any right or authority of a peace officer to carry a concealed handgun.

Section 1 of the bill would modify current law as follows:

Sec. 2923.126 (B) ...A valid license does not authorize the licensee to carry a concealed handgun into any of the following places:

(5) Any premises, including, but not limited to, any building, structure, parcel of land, or parking lot, that is owned or leased by any public or private college, university, or other institution of higher education;

Translation: Not only shall young women be rendered defenseless against rapists while walking on expansive, desolate campuses late at night, but they shall also be rendered defenseless against rapists while traveling to and from these expansive, desolate campuses.

Nothing in sections 2923.124 to 2923.1213 of the Revised Code limits, negates, restricts, or affects any right or authority of any peace officer to carry a concealed handgun in this state.

Translation: The Ohio Chiefs of Police Association is subverting the will of the Ohio General Assembly (even us anti-gun Democrats), by asserting that Ohio law enforcement officers must obey business' "no-guns" signs while off-duty.

Only two other Democrat Representatives agreed to co-sponsor this severely anti-self-defense, College Rapist Protection legislation.

What is it about the proven failure of gun control that these liberal Democrats cannot understand?

It is incumbent upon anti-gun legislators to find evidence that there is reason to reform the law. It is incumbent upon those who would support such changes to offer proof that concealed handgun license-holders are causing problems. It is their turn to prove there is a problem which needs fixing. Supporters of concealed carry/ self-defense reform have been proving it for years.