December 12, 2003
Newark Advocate

I wasn't at all surprised to read The Advocate was once again urging the governor to veto any legislation, specifically House Bill 12, authorizing the carrying of concealed, defensive firearms. The Advocate thinks it is "ridiculous" for supporters of HB12 to want to keep the names, birth dates and counties of residence private. Yet, they have no rational reason to make this information public, only irrational speculation.

HB12 already requires sheriffs to maintain a non-public database of licensees and the Attorney General's Office is required to release statistics about issuance and revocations. Opponents of HB12 are now saying it is necessary to know if their neighbors have licenses to carry. An official at the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Safety thinks employers should use this information when determining hiring and firing policies. What's next? Should medical records be released so that newspapers can publish lists of HIV-infected persons? Don't I have the "right to know" if my son's teacher has this deadly disease? Maybe people should register their religious beliefs with the state, so self-righteous bigots don't have to live next to "those" kind of people.

The actress Rebecca Shaefer was stalked and murdered by Robert John Bardo because driver's license information was easily obtained for a small fee. This prompted federal legislation making the dissemination of such information illegal. Is murder a ridiculous reason to keep private information private?

The Legislature should ignore Taft, override his potential veto and not give McCarthyists another tool to harass honest people.

Greg Kopp
Garfield Heights

Click here to read the letter in the Newark Advocate.

"Sen. Jim Carnes, R-St. Clairsville, is among those who supports a concealed handgun bill but would not override Taft's veto. He points to a respect for the executive branch and solidarity among Republicans."

Is Carnes pleased that he remained loyal to Taft? Now that Taft broke his word to Senators, will Sen. Carnes now be more willing to vote to override? How does the following news play into his position, if at all? Are some term-limited Senators reluctant to override Taft because they are seeking appointments from him?

December 12, 2003

Ohio Sen. Jim Carnes, R-St. Clairsville, has been named a deputy director for Ohio Department of Natural Resources. As such, he will resign his 20th Senate District seat next month.

Carnes will become the department's deputy director for resource conservation, Gov. Bob Taft and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Sam Speck announced Friday.

Carnes was first appointed to the Ohio Senate in 1995, and he was later elected to the seat in 1996 and again in 2000.

Ohio law allows state senators to serve two full terms - or eight years - in the Senate. Carnes' term limit would have ended at the end of 2004.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

December 12, 2003

Lee Leonard
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Ohio is closer than ever to having a law permitting citizens to carry concealed handguns, but it’s still far away.

"It’s disappointing and it’s frustrating," said Jim Irvine, political-action chairman of Ohioans for Concealed Carry, on what should have been a day for rejoicing after the legislature passed House Bill 12 and sent it to Gov. Bob Taft.

However, Taft said he will veto the bill because he wants the list of permit-holders to be public record so that the new program can be evaluated. The bill allows reporters access to the names, but only on a caseby-case basis when they can show it’s in the public interest.

"We really came very close to a bill that I could sign, and it’s regrettable that we did not. But the public records portion of the bill is simply too limiting," Taft said yesterday.

House Speaker Larry Householder has promised to try to override a veto, but Senate President Doug White said he’s not sure the votes are there in the Senate. The Senate passed the measure 25-8 and the House 70-27.

A governor’s veto may be overridden by a three-fifths vote of both legislative chambers. While the House totals exceeded that number, lawmakers sometimes are reluctant to overturn the veto of a governor from their own political party.

An override could come any time during the two-year legislative session, which lasts through Dec. 31, 2004. The House will wind up the 2003 portion of the session with one meeting next week. The Senate has adjourned until January.

"The legislature has given him (Taft) everything he asked for," Irvine said. "There’s nothing that’s going to appease him on this issue. Gov. Taft is vehemently anti-gun."

Irvine said groups have been working toward conceal-carry in Ohio for 12 years, and this is the first time a bill has reached the governor’s desk.

"That’s progress," he said.

Click here to read the entire story in the Columbus Dispatch.

December 12, 2003

By JIM PROVANCE
BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU

COLUMBUS - Ohio lawmakers snubbed Gov. Bob Taft twice this week, setting up potential veto overrides on bills allowing residents to carry concealed handguns and challenging his authority to close mental retardation centers.

As the Ohio House and Senate prepared to leave town for the year late last night, they openly defied the second-term Republican governor on the gun issue, sending him a bill they know he will veto.

The Senate also stripped language the governor had sought in an unrelated House bill to crack down on abuses in mental retardation and developmental disability centers.

A similar bill recently reached the governor’s desk, but it also included language that would undermine his authority to close such centers.

He plans to veto the retardation and developmental bill already on his desk, even though it contains protections he likes.

"The legislators put in the bill a restriction on the governor’s ability to balance the budget," said Taft spokesman Orest Holubec.

"The restriction would impede the progress made in phasing out two developmental centers [near Springfield and Wooster]."

No Ohio gubernatorial veto has been overridden in 20 years.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.