December 18, 2003

Gov. Bob Taft acknowledges that the recently passed concealed-carry legislation completely satisfies his public safety concerns. Nonetheless, he has threatened to veto this legislation because he believes that the public should have unrestricted access to concealed-carry permit applications.

When Governor Taft took office, he swore to protect the Constitution of the State of Ohio. That same constitution expressly and explicitly recognizes and protects the right of Ohioans to bear arms in their own defense.

It does not recognize or protect a right of the curious to review concealed-carry permit applications.

Furthermore, the recently passed concealed-carry legislation already insures the disclosure of the identities of concealed-carry permit holders choosing to exercise their right to bear arms.

The open carry in motor vehicles provision requires permit holders to remove their coats before entering their automobiles.

Every time they do so they will be openly displaying the firearms in the holsters on their hips.

Thus, everyone in close proximity to concealed-carry permit holders will know not only that they are concealed-carry permit holders, but also that they are actually exercising their right to carry a firearm every time they do so.

Governor Taft can veto the concealed-carry legislation only if he chooses to subordinate the constitutionally protected right of all Ohioans to bear arms to the idle curiosity of people who neither know nor come into contact with concealed-carry permit holders.

Having sworn to protect the Constitution of the State of Ohio, and the rights that it confers upon the citizens of this state, vetoing the pending legislation for such purpose would be nothing short of a breach of Governor Taft’s oath of office, and of his duty to protect the constitution of this state.

MARSHALL A. BENNETT, Jr.
Sylvania

Click here to read the letter in the Toledo Blade.

By JIM SIEGEL
Gannett News Service

December 18, 2003

COLUMBUS -- One week after promising to veto the bill allowing Ohioans to carry concealed weapons, Gov. Bob Taft now says he hopes that will not happen.

On Wednesday, Taft said his office is negotiating with the Ohio House to develop a new bill that would address his concerns regarding the openness of concealed-carry permitting records.

The House and Senate passed a bill last week that requires county sheriffs to issue concealed handgun permits to anyone over age 21 who passes a criminal background check, is mentally competent and completes firearm training.

But Taft said he would veto the measure because it does not go far enough to ensure the public has access to permitting records. The bill allows journalists to view the records, but only for the specific names they request.

The Senate agreed to go along with Taft's request, but the House would not.

"I don't know why it didn't work before," Taft said of his attempts to reach an agreement with the House. "I just know there are some indications they would try to work with us now."

House Speaker Larry Householder, R-Glenford, and others in his caucus indicated they were not willing to open up the names of permit holders to the public, saying it goes against the intent of carrying hidden weapons.

On Wednesday, Dwight Crum, spokesman for Householder, would only say that the speaker continues to work to get the bill passed, declining to comment on the likelihood of an agreement.

Under Taft's scenario, the House and Senate would pass a new bill that deals only with public records issues -- superceding the language in the bill passed last week. Then, Taft said he would sign both bills.

"I'm hopeful we can work out an agreement with the House along the same lines that we have an agreement with the Senate on the public records issue," Taft said. "There are discussions at the staff level regarding that goal."

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Governor wants rights legislation

By William Hershey, Laura A. Bischoff
Dayton Daily News

December 18, 2003

COLUMBUS -- Gov. Bob Taft said Wednesday that his aides and staffers from the Ohio House are negotiating in a last-ditch effort to avoid a veto of legislation passed last week that would give law-abiding Ohioans the right to carry concealed handguns.

"I would hope that we could get this resolved as soon as the legislature comes back (in the first week in January)," Taft said in a year-end interview at the governor's residence in suburban Bexley.

The efforts to work out a compromise on concealed-carry have continued despite Taft's threat to veto the bill passed last week, saying it doesn't give the press and public adequate access to personal information about permit holders.

That bill would give journalists -- not the public -- access to concealed-carry records on a name-by-name basis.

Taft said negotiations focus on a proposal agreed to by him and Senate Republicans that would give journalists access to each county's database on permit holders, providing the names and counties of residence.

That falls short of Taft's initial public record demand that called for giving the public access to permit holders' names, counties of residence, and birth dates.

"In the interest of passing a bill, we think if you got names and counties that would be sufficient, just as long as there is full access to the database on the part of reporters," Taft said.

House Republicans declined to go along with this plan last week. But one legislative source close to the negotiations said, "I think there's a likelihood of that (an agreement) happening. . . We're so close we may be able to go."

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