House passes HB 234 (Allow Noise Suppressors While Hunting) [UPDATE: Vote Tallies]

HB 234 sponsored by Representative Cheryl Grossman (R-Grove City), a bill that seeks to allow a person to use a noise suppressor attached to a gun while hunting game birds or wild quadrupeds, has passed the Ohio House with a 76-15 vote, and will now be forwarded to the Ohio Senate for consideration.

Buckeye Firearms Association has previously provided testimony in support of the bill.

The use of suppressors while hunting is rapidly growing in the United States. Over thirty states allow the use of suppressors for some form of hunting, with most allowing them for all types of hunting. All states contiguous to Ohio, except Michigan, allow the use of suppressors for all types of hunting. Indiana passed their bill earlier this year.

The use of suppressors will greatly benefit predator and varmint, coyote and groundhog, hunters. Coyote hunting is primarily done in the early morning, late evening or even into the night. The use of suppressors will not only offer hearing protection for the hunter but allow him/her to be a good neighbor. Trappers may find suppressors a useful tool. They often trap close to developed areas or where streams run along a roadway. Should they be required to dispatch an animal, they can do so using a suppressor-equipped firearm quickly and in an environmentally-friendly way.

The use of suppressors while hunting is a valuable tool as an aid in hearing protection and being a good neighbor. It is making another safety tool available to hunters, and we encourage supporters to contact their state senators and encourage them to vote yes on HB 234.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary, BFA PAC Vice Chairman, and an NRA-certified firearms instructor.

HOUSE VOTE TALLIES

Please call your Representative and thank them for their vote in support of H.B. 234 this week.

House Bill 234

The question being, "Shall the bill pass?"

The yeas and nays were taken and resulted - yeas 76, nays 15, as follows:

Those who voted in the affirmative were: Representatives

Adams J.
Adams R.
Amstutz
Anielski
Ashford
Baker
Barborak
Barnes
Beck
Becker
Bishoff
Blessing
Boose
Brenner
Brown
Buchy
Budish
Burkley
Butler
Celebrezze
Cera
Conditt
Curtin
Damschroder
DeVitis
Derickson
Dovilla
Duffey
Fedor
Gerberry
Gonzales
Grossman
Hackett
Hagan, C.
Hall
Hayes
Henne
Hood
Hottinger
Huffman
Johnson
Kunze
Landis
Letson
Lynch
Maag
McClain
Milkovich
O'Brien
Patterson
Pelanda
Perales
Phillips
Pillich
Reece
Retherford
Roegner
Rogers
Romanchuk
Rosenberger
Ruhl
Schuring
Sears
Sheehy
Slaby
Slesnick
Smith
Stautberg
Stebelton
Stinziano
Strahorn
Terhar
Thompson
Wachtmann
Williams
Batchelder-76.

Those who voted in the negative were: Representatives

Antonio
Boyce
Carney
Clyde
Driehaus
Foley
Green
Hagan, R.
Heard
Hill
Lundy
Patmon
Ramos
Scherer
Winburn-15.

The bill passed.