In a surprise move, the Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee on Criminal Justice
today passed an amended House Bill 12 today on a 8-1 vote (vehemently anti-CCW Senator Goodman, was the lone dissenter)

Initially, it was reported that the Ohio Senate planned to follow up with an almost immediate floor vote today. That appears now not to be the case.

The amended bill is, in almost all respects, identical to the one passed by the Senate last December, and for which the Ohio House refused to reconvene for a vote of concurrence. The only significant difference is that license-holders would be allowed to "open" carry their firearms in their personal vehicles, IF no occupants are under 18. If they are under 18, the firearm must be in a locked container.

The Buckeye State Sheriff's Association supports the amended bill, as does Gov. Bob Taft. The Ohio State Highway Patrol and Fraternal Order of Police are neutral.

We are disappointed that as a result of the changes in the Senate committee, parents would not be allowed to protect and defend their children's lives. We are also disappointed that the Senate, in spite of newly released data indicating that Ohio's violent crime rates are increasing while the nation's is falling, chose to accept suggestions from Gov. Taft which would result in more victimization. We are glad that HB12 is still a shall-issue bill, and we will be reviewing the specific language before we announce our position, and suggestions for changes by the Senate on the floor.

Ohioans For Concealed Carry has acquired a copy of Sub HB12 as passed by the Senate Committee and will be updating our various mailing lists and website(s) throughout the evening today.

Click here to download "HB12 As Passed By the Senate JCCJ".

Click on the "Read More..." link below for news stories which ran immediately following the committee's vote, and a good summary of the major changes in the amended bill from Gongwer News Service, and who they were meant to appease.

There are two trends in this nation which Ohio is not following, and they are related. First, 35 states now have shall-issue right to carry laws, and another 9 have may-issue laws.

Trend #1 is for states to liberalize their laws to make it easier for more law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms for self-defense, and as a crime deterrent. Ohio, under Gov. Taft, continues to buck this trend, forcing persons to be defenseless, and arresting those that try to exercise their constitutional right to self-defense.

Trend #2, which Ohio is also not following, is a decrease in violent crime. According to the FBI's preliminary Uniform Crime Report released Monday, the rate of violent crime nationwide decreased 1.4 percent last year, while all of Ohio's major cities experienced increases. Cleveland had the highest violent crime rate of Ohio's major cities (more than 1300 per 100,000 people!), followed by Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo and Columbus.

Click on the "Read More..." link below to see coverage of how Ohio's media outlets are attempting to spin these trends away for the obvious conclusion.