URGENT: Committee Passes BAD Bill, Full Senate Vote Today?

Ohioans For Concealed Carry has just learned that the Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee has caved into Governor Bob Taft's demands. In the process of issuing Version 15 of "Substitute House Bill 274", the committee has decided to amend this legislation into something completely unsupportable.

A vote on this legislation on the Senate Floor is expected today. Session begins at 1:30pm. You can watch it live or visit the same link to watch recorded sessions )if you read this after session ends).

Click here to access Senate phone numbers and call them NOW -- tell them to pass HB274 as it left the Ohio House, or, if they can't do that on the floor, tell them to vote AGAINST Sub. HB274(15), since the Senate Judiciary Committee has ruined it.

Here is what they did to HB274 for Bob Taft and a police labor union:

- The concealed carry bill now would make it illegal for license-holders to carry a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle unless it is "securely confined", in a locked glove compartment or case. Obviously, the intent here is to remove the ability for a person to defend themselves at an instant, as is most often the case for victims of violent attack. UNsafe storage provisions were labeled from Day 1 by OFCC as bill killer.

As if that wasn't enough, here are just a few other things that were done to the legislation, on top of the amendments adopted in the first Sub. version:

- License-holders must announce that they are carrying a concealed handgun to any officer that approaches.

- Requires FFL Dealers to offer to sell trigger locks & to distribute information on safe storage (This violates the Single Subject Rule For Legislation)

- Specifically prohibits carry in stadiums or arenas (Feel good legislation. CCW was already banned in stadiums due to their liquor permits)

- If you've been adjudicated mentally incompetent, you can -never- apply for a permit (This seems like fluff. Existing law deems mentally-ill patients under disability. Full recovery results in lost rights?)

- Carrying in any prohibited area would result in prosecution under the same penalty as carrying concealed while not having a license at all. (1st Degree Misdemeanor, loss of license, NO ability to obtain a license in the future)

We have posted a downloadable version of Substitute HB274, as PASSED by the Senate Judiciary Committee (Civil Justice) on our website. Click here to access the downloads section, or click on the Downloads link in the menu bar at the top of the website.