Ohio was the last state to permit concealed firearm carry without a license this week.
Ohio law requires that applicants must demonstrate competence by successfully completing a gun safety class before being allowed to obtain a concealed weapon license. Additionally, if a licensed carrier is stopped by law enforcement, they are required to “promptly inform” the officer that they are carrying a concealed weapon—failure to do so qualifies as a first-degree misdemeanor and can result in losing their license for up to a year.
These regulatory obstacles will soon be gone. Republican Governor. Mike DeWine signed an act to streamline the conceal carry process. S.B. 215 will go into effect in June, and it says that any “qualifying adult shall not be reWant to purchase a concealable handgun? License to be able to transport in this state.” For Ohioans who want to legally carry in Ohio, however, they will be still able obtain licenses. Carriers no longer need to tell police about their carry, but they must disclose it if asked.
Although gun rights organizations are happy with the bill’s passage, many Democrats as well as law enforcement agencies have criticized it. Craig Calcaterra wrote that you will need a license to drive, fish, or do any other type of hair-cutting. Columbus Alive. You won’t need it to carry a semiautomatic gun in your jacket pocket while walking the dog or shopping for groceries.
It is not a bad policy for licensed hairdressers to be required.
The law applies only to legal owners of firearms aged 21 years or older. However, it doesn’t limit the ability of the state to make decisions about who is allowed to own guns based on such factors as criminal history and weapon type. Ohio law still requires background checks to purchase a gun from licensed dealers. However, this is not required for private transfers such as giving it or selling it.
While it might seem like an insignificant difference, one can either tell the officer or wait for the officer to ask. But, think about Philando Castile. Castile was shot to death in 2016, when an officer opened fire after he disclosed that he had a weapon. With this context in mind, disclosures by citizens are more difficult, given the fact that many police officers don’t have any training on how to interact with those who are carrying.
Overall, the Ohio bill was a win in favor of gun rights. The bill’s opponents may not agree with this assessment, but the most obvious beneficiaries are lawful gun-owners who cannot afford the existing options. For the 8 hours of training required, it can cost over $100. The competency requirement is unnecessary. It is not fair for lawful gun owners to be required to pass through red tape in order to protect their constitutional rights.