Bryan Torok, Nikki Goeser, Jeff Garvas, Daniel White

Nikki Goeser and Representative Danny Bubp

Yesterday, House Bill 203, the bill Ohioans For Concealed Carry drafted the initial version of in conjunction with Representatives Danny Bubp and Jarrod Martin, had proponent testimony before the Public Safety and Homeland Security committee. This important fix would add restaurants to the current exemption that covers class D retail stores provided the licensee is not consuming alcohol.

OFCC sent President Jeff Garvas, Vice President Bryan Torok, Executive Director Daniel White, and Legislative Coordinator Gary Witt to provide testimony in favor of the bill. OFCC also brought in special guest Nicole Goeser from Tennessee to tell her story to the committee. OFCC covered Nicole's expenses to travel to the Statehouse and tell her horrific story.

For those who don't know her, Nicole was being terrorized by a stalker and obtained a Tennessee gun permit to carry a firearm for protection. Unfortunately, it was while in a restaurant that served alcohol that her stalker chose to strike. Nicole's gun was locked in her car as mandated by Tennessee law just like Ohio's law currently requires. She was helpless to stop the attacker as he shot and killed her husband right in front of her.

The testimony went very well overall with Nicole's being called some of the most compelling, relevant, and meaningful ever heard. We were very grateful to have her there to speak. She serves as an example that this is not rhetoric and that bans on self-defense while in a restaurant that happens to serve alcohol can cost lives.

After the HB 203 hearing, Rep. Bubp asked everyone in the room in favor of the bill to join him in an adjoining room. The hearing room was left nearly empty as most of the more than thirty people tightly packed in the room were there to support this bill. Rep. Bubp gave an excellent talk about the importance of getting the bill passed and reminded that it will need help from grassroots supporters if it is going to continue to move forward. He said that at least one law enforcement group has expressed opposition to the bill. OFCC will be contacting that group to hopefully address their concerns before the next hearing which will be when opponent testimony is heard.

After the third hearing, the bill will hopefully be voted on by the committee. If it passes out of committee it will go to the full House where it must be scheduled for floor discussions and a vote. If it passes the House, it would then go to the Senate to start the process over again in that chamber of the legislature.

We are currently working on getting video of the testimony converted and uploaded. It will be posted as soon as it is available. In the meantime, you can read our testimony below, listed in the order in which it was given.

Jeff Garvas testimony
Nicole Goeser testimony (Click here for video)
Daniel White testimony
Bryan Torok testimony
Gary Witt testimony