SUB HB347 passed the Ohio House of Representatives 76-18

Today the Ohio House of Representative passed Sub HB347. This bill will reform and improve concealed carry and improve the safety and security of our state. The substitute bill was the result of strenuous efforts by Representative Aslanides (R-94) and gun rights groups to address concerns of interested parties while still maintaining as much of the original bill as possible. While many, diverse interests were “at the table” during this process, the substitute bill is still very favorable to gun owners.

The broad bi-partisan support for this bill proves that personal safety and security are important issues to Republicans and Democrats alike, whether they live in rural or urban areas. Women are particularly vulnerable to crime, and the number of female legislators voting for HB347 speaks to its importance for the safety that all women care about.

The most important aspects to gun owners are uniform laws throughout the state and the elimination of “plain sight” for concealed carry license holders (CHL’s). Background checks will become uniform, as will the standard for sealed/expunged records. Restrictions on police officers have been eased.

We would like to thank all our friends in the House for their support, especially Representative Jim Aslanides, Chairman Bob Latta (R-6), and Speaker Jon Husted (R-37) for their leadership on this important issue. Aslanides did a superb job of outlining what his bill will do, and why each change is needed. The fact that this bill was debated less than five minutes, then passed by a veto-proof margin, with greater than 80% of those present voting for passage, speaks to the excellent job each of the above have done in addressing the concerns all involved.

Jim Irvine, Chairman of Buckeye Firearms said, “With the media’s access issue removed from this bill, and the Chief’s of Police’s concerns about constitutionality issues with preemption answered, there is little left in this bill for anyone’s objection.” The bill does not change who can obtain a CHL, or where they may carry. Training requirements remain unchanged and background checks are improved.

Of course the anti-gun extremists will complain about something. They always do. But whatever item they invent to fear monger with today, tomorrow will show it as trivial as their unfounded concerns three years ago.

We have a detailed summary of the new sub bill available for your convenience.

VOTE TALLY:

Yays - 76

Aslanides
Barrett
Blasdel
Blessing
Boccieri
Book
Brinkman
Bubp
Buehrer
Calvert
Carmichael
Cassell
Chandler
Coley
Collier
Combs
Core
DeWine
Distel
Dolan
Domenick
Driehaus
Evans C.
Evans D.
Faber
Fende
Fessler
Flowers
Garrison
Gibbs
Gilb
Hagan
Hartnett
Harwood
Healy
Hood
Hoops
Hughes
Kilbane
Latta
Law
Martin
McGregor J.
McGregor R.
Oelslager
Patton T.
Peterson
Raga
Raussen
Redfern
Reidelbach
Reinhard
Sayre
Schaffer
Schlichter
Schneider
Seaver
Seitz
Setzer
Smith G.
Smith S.
Stewart J.
Taylor
Trakas
Uecker
Wagner
Wagoner
Walcher
Webster
White
Widener
Widowfield
Willamowski
Wolpert
Yuko
Husted

Nays - 19

Beatty
Brown
DeBose
DeGeeter
Key
Koziura
Mason
Mitchell
Otterman
Patton S.
Perry
Skindell
Stewart D.
Strahorn
Sykes
Ujvagi
Williams
Woodard
Yates