GOP bill to weaken concealed carry protections puts public safety
in the crosshairs
Legislation would allow concealed carry holders to knowingly bring deadly weapons to
schools, airports
In what I believe was a political effort to hamstring
Ohio House Democratic lawmakers in a pro-gun,
anti-gun debate on the House floor, Republicans
brought forward House Bill (HB) 233 for a vote,
legislation that allows concealed carry permit
holders to knowingly bring guns or deadly weapons
into daycares, schools, airports, bars and other
restricted spaces, so long as the permit holder
leaves when asked to do so.
Individuals who refuse to leave or
return to the same business while
carrying a prohibited weapon
within 30 days will be subject to a
fourth degree misdemeanor.
I believe this bill isnt just a
solution looking for a problem,
but is creating a whole new set of
public safety problems by overturning Ohio laws
designed to keep us safe and secure. I think
Ohioans deserve to feel safe and secure, free from
the fear of intimidation or tragedies this bill could
create.
HB 233 essentially eliminates any penalty for
permit holders who knowingly carry a deadly
weapon in a secure area if they leave the premises
upon request.
I do not believe this bill will keep our children and
communities safe. In fact, I feel it will trample on
their right to be in safe public spaces that are
supposed to be free of deadly weapons.
The Violence Policy Center shows that very few
public shootings from the hands of a concealed
carrier were ruled in self-defense.1
Since 2007, the group has tracked at least 880
murders at the hands of concealed carry killers. The
group also shows people with concealed carry
permits have carried out at least 31 mass shootings
since 2007.
HB 223 also modifies the list of
places required to post signs
notifying visitors of prohibited
weapons. Under HB 233,
daycares and certain government
buildings are no longer
encouraged to post prohibited
weapon signage, and airports
must alter their signage placement from the airport
facility exterior to passenger or screening
checkpoints.
While the majority of Ohioans are law-abiding
citizens and responsible gun owners, there is
always the possibility that a tragic event could
happen in what should be our safest locations. I
believe this bill will trample private property rights
of business owners and create confusion in secure
locations like airports, police stations, schools and
daycares. However, my biggest concern is that this
bill puts citizens, and most importantly our children,
in harms way.
1
http://concealedcarrykillers.org/