May 17
Thursday
image image
OFCC Sues City of Cleveland Heights, Ohio The sign you see here is posted in Cleveland Heights Parks implying possession of a firearm is a crime. On Friday August 12th, 2011 Ohioans For Concealed Carry Filed a lawsuit against the City the City of Cleveland Heights. The litigation comes after many attempts to resolve concerns over laws that Cleveland Heights not only allowed to remain on their books, but also posted signs at their parks that continue to imply it is illegal to be armed. The City of Cleveland Heights has chosen to ignore our attempts at civil discourse. When individuals have contacted them representing themselves as residents of the City of Cleveland Heights their concerns apparently fell on deaf ears. When representatives of the organization have formally contacted the city's legal representation they've been laughed at and hung up on by the Law Director. It is this arrogance and refusal to work with Ohioans For Concealed Carry that has forced us to seek a remedy through the courts.
Our press release follows. Read the Full Story
Canton PD Event Leads to New OFCC Legislation When officer Harless of the Canton, Ohio police department came upon a vehicle stopped in the roadway most of us were focused on getting restaurant carry legislation signed into law. What took place that evening has become an international viral video, calls for the resignation of the City Council president, and criminal charges against a man who is clearly heard trying to state that he has a license. Ohioans For Concealed Carry has not just raised thousands of dollars in a legal defense fund, but we've written legislation to resolve this matter that Representative Danny Bubp has stated he's going to introduce this fall Read the Full Story

Search OhioCCW


Join OFCC Today!

Upcoming Events


2012 Party In The Park
When: August - TBD

OFCC carries its opposition of SB 305 to the Ohio House

  • Print
Published on Wednesday, 09 May 2012 21:58
Written by Philip Mulivor

Since SB 305, the "hidden compartment" bill, passed the Ohio Senate on May 3, OFCC has turned its attention to members of the State House of Representatives. The following letter was recently sent to all 99 House members:

Dear Representative,

Since before SB305 was introduced in the Ohio Senate, Ohioans For Concealed Carry (OFCC) has been concerned with this legislation's treatment of the private property rights of law abiding citizens. Our objection is not just about the transportation of firearms -- it is about the safe, lawful storage of anything a person might wish to secure from today's smash and grab thieves.

Let us be clear: We don't advocate protecting criminals or drug trafficking mules. Nevertheless, we oppose the idea that the next step in the war on drugs must criminalize the possession of empty containers on the basis of what a police officer believes the future intent of that container might be. The recent suggestion that a citizen accused under this legislation can simply "prove their intent in court" turns Fourth Amendment jurisprudence on its head.

Read more: OFCC carries its opposition of SB 305 to the Ohio House

SB305 opponent testimony to be heard May 1

  • Print
Published on Monday, 30 April 2012 03:27
Written by Philip Mulivor

Opponent testimony for SB 305, the "hidden compartments" bill, will be heard on Tuesday, May 1, 3:15 p.m., in the North Hearing Room at the Statehouse in Columbus.

OFCC members are encouraged to attend. It would be helpful (but not absolutely necessary) to wear an OFCC shirt so that legislators can visually gauge the number of OFCC members in attendance.

The latest version of SB 305, which still does not address several of OFCC's major concerns, can be found here. Troublesome elements in this bill include:

  • If a citizen manufactures their own private compartment, they can be prosecuted. 
  • If a citizen modifies an OEM compartment, they can be prosecuted.
  • There now is an exemption for commercially manufactured boxes, as long as there is no drug "residue" in the box. How is residue defined? (Most U.S. paper currency carries measurable traces of cocaine and other drugs).

OFCC Website Updates

  • Print
Published on Friday, 30 March 2012 08:35
Written by Jeff Garvas

Over the past few weeks we've been moving some website changes into production.   Some of these changes have been a work in progress that is almost a year old!   Please know that as of today we believe that all of our standard functions (for instance the DNPWA, the Attorney Database, the Concealed Handgun Training Course calendar to name a few) should be fully functional.

You may not even realize some of the changes we've introduced since many are transparent to a visitor, but the system running our website is undergoing numerous improvements.

We are looking for people who believe they have a very solid understanding of the law and have the ability to write content for our website to help explain the law.  Is that you?  If so, drop me an email by using the Contact Us link of our website.  Put my name into the pull down field.

In the coming weeks were are going to slowly begin to introduce new functionality to the website.   Our long term goal is to make it possible for members of the organization to login to the website and have added functionality, including the ability to renew their membership or update their address information.

OFCC Position Statement on SB 305

  • Print
Published on Tuesday, 27 March 2012 15:13
Written by Jeff Garvas and Philip Mulivor

From time to time, the good citizens of Ohio are confronted by proposed legislation that is so farfetched in its premise, ill-conceived in its language, overreaching in its provisions, and abusive of principles in our state and federal constitutions, that it must be immediately and completely opposed.

We face this challenge today with Ohio Senate Bill 305, which would criminalize hidden compartments in vehicles.

Just four weeks ago, we published an article called Hidden Compartment Bill Raises Red Flags, in which we questioned the proposal's impact on law-abiding citizens.

Under the provisions of this bill, Ohioans driving a vehicle with an added compartment, box, or container can quickly be charged with a felony. Instead of receiving a simple traffic ticket after missing a stop sign or forgetting to signal a turn, a driver with an extra storage device on board could be led away in handcuffs and incarcerated. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, trailers, RVs, and motor homes are all targeted by the bill.

Read more: OFCC Position Statement on SB 305

OFCC is involved day to day as “Hidden Compartment” bill moves forward

  • Print
Published on Sunday, 25 March 2012 19:38
Written by Gary Witt

Despite his past support for sweeping gun-control laws, Governor John Kasich began to redefine himself as a pro-gun-rights governor by signing SB 17, the Restaurant Carry bill, into law last June. But questions arose about his new pro-rights stance when, last month, he announced his support for Ohio Senate Bill 305, which outlaws hidden compartments in vehicles.

According to the bill's sponsors, Sen. Jim Hughes and Sen. Tom Patton, SB 305 is intended to give police and prosecutors another tool to use against drug smugglers.

Unfortunately, we often have seen how innocent people suffer when the “intent” of a law is pushed aside.

SB 305 as currently worded can make a felon of anyone who drives a vehicle containing a compartment with hidden contents. The vehicle is the object of the crime, not the contents of the compartment. The entire text of SB 305 can be viewed here.

Read more: OFCC is involved day to day as “Hidden Compartment” bill moves forward