Recent publicity has focused on H.R. 5175, the so-called DISCLOSE Act which would, in part, "establish additional disclosure requirements with respect to spending in [Federal] elections." In particular, this bill would regulate "Coordinated Communications" in Federal election campaigns.

In the findings portion of the bill, they note that in January of this year, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned legislation "restricting the ability of corporations and labor unions to spend unlimited funds from their general treasury accounts to influence the outcome of elections." This is their second attempt at it.

Recently, news broke that the National Rifle Association was given an exemption from this bill, not by name but by a thinly-veiled description. The NRA released a statement that they were dropping their opposition from the bill, allegedly at the expense of smaller gun rights organizations. But is that was really happening?

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Senate Bill 239, which recently passed the Ohio Senate 23-10, has stalled until after the summer recess thanks to a procedural maneuver in the House to stop a vote.

Representative Danny Bubp had intended to add the language from SB 239 to another bill as an amendment but Speaker Armond Budish called a vote on the bill before the amendment could be offered. Bubp, one of the primary supporters of HB 203, a similar measure introduced in the House, predicted the amendment would have passed had it been added.

"It would have passed, no doubt in my mind," Bubp said. "If someone goes into a restaurant and gets hurt because they can't defend themselves, I'm going to be the first to say we should have done this."

Sen. David Goodman was one of the few Senators who voted against the measure and believes it will lead to violence despite the fact that Restaurant Carry is legal in 42 states, including every state surrounding Ohio.

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Kroger Cincinnati Division backs off

On April 18th, 2010 of this year, a member of the Clinton County Farmers and Sportsmen Association was asked to leave his local Kroger store and either stay gone or disarm.  He was carrying concealed, but his 3 year-old had managed to push his cover garment up revealing his pistol.  The management team, recently in receipt of the Class “D” warning signage, felt said signage prohibited weapons in the store, period.  Four days later he related the experience on the club's forum.  

On May 6th, 2010, an Ohioans For Concealed Carry (OFCC) Coordinator happened to be perusing the club forum and came across the incident.  Certain there had to be a misunderstanding, he took it upon himself to try and run this to ground.  May 8th OFCC stopped by the store hoping to speak with the manager.  He had left for the day, but we were able to speak with one of the co-managers, and left information for the manager.

May 10th, 2010 OFCC was able to visit with the store manager.  We discussed the Ohio Liquor Control Board Class D signage and agreed it was a warning for those without a license, not a prohibition.  Further, he indicated he'd held training with his management staff emphasizing that both open and concealed carry were legal in Ohio, and the mere presence of a firearm was not reason to bother an otherwise appropriately behaving customer.  Problem solved, right?

In a flurry of activity due to the rapidly approaching summer recess, the Ohio Senate passed two pro-gun bills yesterday and both now head for the House.

SB239, the hotly debated Restaurant Carry bill that also reduces restrictions on vehicle carry (see Irrational opposition to Restaurant Carry bill doesn't stop passage), passed 23-10. Senators Buehrer, Cafaro, Carey, Cates, Coughlin, Faber, Fedor, Gibbs, Gillmor, Grendell, Harris, Hughes, Husted, Jones, Niehaus, Patton, Schaffer, Schiavoni, Seitz, Stewart, Wagoner, Widener, and Wilson voted in favor of the bill. Senators Goodman, Kearney, Miller D, Miller R, Morano, Sawyer, Schuring, Smith, Strahorn, and Turner voted no.

SB247, which is a rights restoration bill that brings Ohio law into compliance with federal requirements to restore firearms rights to those who petition for it with the federal government, also passed 23-10, though the support was slightly different. Senators Buehrer, Cafaro, Carey, Cates, Coughlin, Faber, Fedor, Gibbs, Gillmor, Grendell, Harris, Husted, Jones, Kearney, Miller D, Miller R, Niehaus, Sawyer, Schiavoni, Seitz, Wagoner, Widener, and Wilson voted yes. Senators Goodman, Hughes, Morano, Patton, Schaffer, Schuring, Smith, Stewart, Strahorn, and Turner voted to oppose the bill.

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