CHL Reform Still on Agenda

Written by Daniel White

Tuesday, 07 November 2006

While it comes too late for preventing accidental violations of Ohio's "Open Carry in a Motor Vehicle" provision of the Concealed Handgun License Law (by accidentally concealing due to bulky winter coats and the fact that a new law would take 90 days to go into effect) there is still hope for CHL reform in Ohio this year. In an opinion piece in the Canton Rep, Senate President Bill Harris, (R-Ashland) said that CHL reform is still on his mind. Passing the reform bill is important, but for very different political reasons depending on the outcome of today's Gubernatorial election. If Republican Ken Blackwell wins, he has stated he will sign a reform bill. By passing it before he takes office and having it go into effect during Taft's term, he can still take credit for progress by citing party involvement and his work behind the scenes. He can then focus on further reform in the future without the passage of the bill being used against him by anti-gun groups. If Democrat Ted Strickland wins, he has also stated he would sign a reform bill. Delaying passage until after he takes office would allow the Democrats to steal thunder from the Republicans (traditionally seen as the pro-gun party) and help to split the vote further in the next election. Harris is unlikely to allow a Democrat Governor to feather his cap and get off to such a strong start with gun owners, who are more powerful than their anti-gun counterparts in the state. Either way, it bodes well for Ohio gun owners that reform will be passed sooner rather than later, and gives leverage to the NRA and Ohioans For Concealed Carry to improve the legislation before passage by removing some of the negative changes HB347 would bring about (new felonies, for example). Senator Harris also admitted that HB9 is still on the agenda for action as well. HB9 is a public records reform bill that was amended to close the Media Access Loophole. Removing the car carry provision, creating statewide preemption for all gun laws, closing the Media Access Loophole, and other fixes to Ohio law would go a long way towards bringing Ohio in line with the rest of the country. And that's a good thing regardless of what political party you support.