Status on gun-related bills moving in Ohio legislature

Here's a quick look at the status of three firearms-related bills that are moving through the 136th Ohio General Assembly.

One House bill and one Senate bill are sponsored by Republicans, and one Senate bill is sponsored by Democrats.

Buckeye Firearms Association supports all three bills, and none of the ones we oppose are moving currently. Check out our Legislation page to see where BFA stands on all gun bills in this 2025-26 legislative session.

House Bill 5 — Restore rights of nonviolent offenders: Sponsored by Reps. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Township) and Bernard Willis (R-Springfield), this legislation would crack down on repeat felons while restoring rights for nonviolent offenders who have paid their debt to society and have lived a productive life. The bill had its second hearing before the judiciary committee March 19. BFA's Rob Sexton testified as a proponent.

Senate Bill 59 — Exempt firearms and ammunition from sales tax: Sponsored by Sens. Al Cutrona (R-Canfield) and Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster), this legislation would exempt certain firearms and ammunition from sales and use tax and would authorize refundable tax credits for small arms and ammunition manufacturing projects. The bill had its first hearing in the ways and means committee Feb. 25. Similar legislation, House Bill 120, would exempt safety devices from sales and use tax.

Senate Bill 96 — Authorize a tax credit for handgun training and firearms storage: Sponsored by Sens. Hearcal Craig (D-Columbus) and Willis Blackshear Jr. (D-Dayton), this bill would authorize a nonrefundable income tax credit for the cost of handgun training and firearms storage and locking devices. The bill had its first hearing in the ways and means committee Feb. 25.

BFA Executive Director Dean Rieck said these bills demonstrate that it is all about commonsense solutions and not about partisanship, adding that when lawmakers focus on rewarding law-abiding gun owners instead of punishing them, it's a win-win for all Ohioans.

"Every other right enumerated in the Constitution has full support on both sides of the aisle," said Rieck. "It's only the Second Amendment that engenders pushback from certain quarters in government. Why? Because a portion of our elected officials, mostly on the left, have still not come to terms with the fact that personal gun ownership is a right rather than a privilege."

"Every pro-gun bill we support has but one purpose: to eliminate infringements and allow law-abiding Ohioans to exercise their constitutionally-guaranteed rights to the fullest extent."