Ohio media (finally) taking note of new firearms legislation

More than six months after its introduction, the Cleveland Plain Dealer is finally reporting on House Bill 91, legislation sponsored by Rep. Tom Brinkman and intended to reform Ohio's concealed carry law in several key ways.

From the story:

The bill, sponsored by Cincinnati Republican Rep. Tom Brinkman, would allow carrying with no permit, lift carefully negotiated restrictions on hidden guns in public places, and cut off public access to permit-holder information.

Brinkman's aide, Kara Joseph, called it "the real right-to-carry bill."

While this bill does address many concerns with current law, it fails to address the most crucial issue to firearms owners in Ohio, which is a statewide preemption clause that would ensure that firearms laws are uniform throughout the Buckeye State.

Because of rampant problems with abusive prosecutors and courts, Ohioans are also in need of legislation which offers a standard definition for what constitutes a loaded firearm.

Also key for Ohioans is legislation which establishes the legal right to "stand your ground" when attacked by an armed assailant outside the home, and which reestablishes the "castle doctrine", to allow the use of deadly force whenever confronted by an intruder in one's own home.

Rep. Brinkman's bill has about the same number of co-sponsors as did his 2001 Vermont-style bill, HB225. The Plain Dealer expresses the opinion that HB91 is likely to face a similar fate as did HB225:

Brinkman's legislation is viewed as a long shot for passage, most likely to be upstaged by a second concealed weapons bill being prepared by Rep. Jim Aslanides, the Coshocton Republican who carried 2004 legislation repealing Ohio's longstanding concealed-carry ban.

Buckeye Firearms Association is committed to the passage of a bill which would address the most essential issues facing law-abiding Ohioans, and can be counted on to organize a massive grassroots effort in support of a bill that addresses these key issues.

We will continue to review and report on these and all firearms-related bills as they are introduced.

Reminder: The 60,000+ Ohio Concealed Handgun License-holders have within their power the opportunity to divert more than $3 million in tax revenue from Bob Taft and the General Assembly to individual legislators who will support legislation addressing all of these important issues! Click here for details.