| Minnesota To Recognize Ohio License |
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| Written by Jeff Garvas | |
| Saturday, 24 March 2007 | |
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The state of Minnesota will now recognize (not reciprocate, see below) an Ohio Concealed Handgun License when Ohioans are within the State of Minnesota. Further, Ohioans For Concealed Carry has requested that the Ohio Attorney General's Office determine if a reciprocity agreement can be reached. Like most states that recognize another state's license the laws of Minnesota prevail while in Minnesota. You should familiarize yourself when traveling to other states since laws, transportation rules, use of deadly force, and places prohibited vary. Its not uncommon to find places outside of Ohio that allow you to carry your firearm in places where it would be illegal in Ohio, and vice versa. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety website indicates the recognized states. (see link) In addition to Ohio these states are now recognized by Minnesota: AK, KS, KN, MI, MO, NM, NV, OK,TN and TX The State of Minnesota is required, by law, to annually "...establish and publish an on-line Internet listing of states, which have handgun carry permit laws that are not substantially similar to Minnesota’s law under Minnesota Session Laws..." The words substantially similar should stand out to those of you who are familiar with Ohio's law since Ohio's Attorney General is required to enter into reciprocity agreements with those states whose requirements are "substantially comparable" to Ohio. According to the State of Minnesota they believe that Ohio's law is substantially similar -- we're not on their list of non-similar states any longer. Based on this information Ohioans For Concealed Carry has requested the Ohio Attorney General's office pursue reciprocity with Minnesota. Until such an agreement is entered into between both states, and if such an agreement is possible, Minnesota licenses will not be recognized by the State of Ohio. * Many people write us to ask what the difference is between "recognized" and "reciprocity" and the answer is quite simple. Many states will recognize an Ohio license automatically, such as Indiana since they recognize any license period. Other states like Minnesota require our law to be "substantially similar" and arbitrarily decide when to "recognize" an Ohio license. In a sense Minnesota has reciprocated their permit system to Ohio licensees, but the rights are one-way. Reciprocity in the concealed carry sense is when two states recognize each other's licenses. Ohio law prohibits the recognition of another state unless that state also recognizes the State of Ohio license. Further, Ohio law requires a mutual binding agreement between the Ohio Attorney General and a qualified official to formalize reciprocity between the states. This final requirement has created a conundrum for concealed carry since many other states do not have such language in their law, and no single elected official entity necessarily has the right to extend such privileges in a formal legal document, potentially precluding Ohio from entering into a reciprocity agreement. Hopefully this will not be the case with the State of Minnesota, and hopefully Ohio will agree that the laws are substantially similar. |