ORC Section 2923.122 prohibits 1.) conveyance, or 2.) possession of a firearm in any school safety zone. This has generally been interpreted to mean that going to a school property, as a destination (i.e. one of your stops will be in a school safety zone), with a firearm, however possesed, is prohibited.

ORC Section 2923.122(D)(3) contains a narrow exception for a person who has a CHL. This section provides that the person may convey or possess a firearm so long as 1.) They do not enter into a school building, or 2.) They do not enter onto school premises and are not at a school function. "School function" is not defined.

We are unable to conclusively answer if dropping off/picking up kids from normal school hours is a "school function." Clearly dropping off/picking up from a sports team practice is probably moving much closer to whatever 'school function' means. Attending a sports even t or play would certainly be prohibited.

The question often comes up often about leaving a firearm locked in a car. Unfortunately, this appears to be prohibited in most cases. Keep in mind that the possession or conveyance of firearms in a school safety zone is prohibited, with only the narrow exception above applying. If you are a CHL and and feel you need to leave a handgun in a vehicle in the school safety zone because you are about to go into the school building or attend a school event , then one of two things must logically result: 1.) Either you have stored it unloaded, in which case you are arguably not relying on your CHL at all, and instead are relying on 2923.16, or 2.) You leave it loaded and in a locked glove box or a locked gun case that is in plain sight , in which case, you are still under your CHL, since only a CHL may store it this way . Either scenario appears to be a violation of 2923.122. You cannot rely on 2923.16, since 2923.122 doesn't make that an exception, and you cannot rely on 2923.122(D)(3), since you are entering into a building or attending a school function.

In order to be 100% safe, you should assume that you can never store a gun, loaded or unloaded, in a vehicle that is in a school safety zone if you intend on leaving the vehicle to enter the school building or to attend a school function.