The state's largest police union is ready to drop its opposition to a bill to allow Ohioans to carry hidden guns, if changes the Senate is considering remain in the final version, a union spokesman said Tuesday.

The signal from the Fraternal Order of Police marked the first time the group has not opposed the idea since 1995, Columbus Police Sgt. Mike Taylor said.

Click here to read the Associated Press' coverage of today's hearings, which will likely be updated throughout the afternoon and evening.

In yet another story in advance of today's hearings, the Ohio News Network mentions the Hamilton County CCW lawsuit and all of the plaintiffs (including OFCC).

Click here to read the entire story from the Ohio News Network.

The Associated Press filed a very detailed CCW story very early Tuesday morning, which quoted OFCC President Jeff Garvas and provided a link to the OFCC website.

By JOHN McCARTHY
The Associated Press
12/3/02 12:22 AM

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- A bill to allow Ohioans to carry hidden guns if they pass a background check and a safety course is getting another turn in the Ohio Senate.

The Senate Civil Justice Committee has scheduled hearings for Tuesday through Thursday on Republican Rep. Jim Aslanides' bill, which the House passed in March. The Senate began hearings in April.

The hearings stopped when the state appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court a ruling declaring Ohio's concealed weapons law unconstitutional. The 1st Ohio District Court of Appeals ruled April 10 that the state's ban violated the state Constitution's guarantee that people can arm themselves for self-defense.

The Supreme Court, however, has kept the ban in effect while it considers the case and no ruling is expected before the end of the legislative session this month, so backers urged the Senate to resume hearings.

Buried in a Dayton Daily News story about the 2003 budget comes this little tidbit about Senate consideration of HB274:

Sen. Jeff Jacobson, R-Butler Twp., said today he will introduce a new version of legislation giving Ohioans the right to carry concealed weapons.

The House passed its concealed-carry bill last March with the approval of the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association. Jacobson has been negotiating with the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police and the National Rifle Association to come up with a plan to win maximum support.

Taft has said he would veto a bill that didn’t have the support of major law enforcement groups. The FOP, the Ohio Highway Patrol and the Ohio Association of Police Chiefs oppose the House version of the bill.

Click here to read the entire story in the Dayton Daily News (mostly off topic).

Ohio Senate Republicans are making a last-ditch attempt to satisfy the Fraternal Order of Police on a concealed-weapons bill and perhaps win the approval of Gov. Bob Taft.

The senators are preparing to upgrade training requirements and give officers a fast way to check the validity of permits to carry hidden handguns.

Click here to read the entire story from the Columbus Dispatch (subscription site - paid access only. An archived version follows:

But the backroom negotiations could alienate proponents of the legislation if they require too much of gun owners, especially a registry of permit-holders. And even the changes supported by the FOP might not be enough to get Taft to sign the bill.

House Bill 274, passed by the House on March 21, is scheduled for several hearings this week in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Sen. Jeff Jacobson, R-Vandalia, the committee chairman, has been working behind the scenes with "interested parties'' and will release a revised version of the bill today.

"The Ohio Senate appears poised for a lame-duck session vote this week on a controversial bill allowing law-abiding Ohioans to carry concealed handguns."

"Toby Hoover of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence of Toledo, said she does not believe FOP acquiescence will make a difference."

"'I don’t think that would be enough on its own,' she said. 'The governor has promised all of us that he would veto the bill unless it has the support of all law enforcement. That’s not going to happen, even if the FOP stops opposing it.'"

"Ohio is one of six states that does not allow the carrying of concealed handguns."

"'There are people who fear guns and that will not change,'" said Rep. Jim Aslanides (R., Coshocton), the bill’s sponsor. 'We would try to simply turn that fear around to the criminals because they have guns.'"

Commentary by Chad D. Baus:

The Statehouse News (Ohio's National Public Radio [NPR] affiliate) put together a 3.5 minute audio clip that you may have
heard (or may hear Tuesday) on NPR affiliates throughout Ohio.

Included in the audio clip is Senator Jeff Jacobson, a spokesman for Governor Taft, Mike Taylor from the FOP labor union, Jeff Garvas from Ohioans For Concealed Carry, and John Gilchrest from the Ohio Chiefs of Police Association.

If you have Real Audio Player, click here for a streaming audio link from our website.

You can listen to the clip on The StateNews Website by clicking here.

A second major Ohio newspaper has printed a letter to the editor from Ohioans for Concealed Carry President Jeff Garvas.

Two days after writing a horribly misinformed anti-CCW editorial, the Columbus Dispatch printed Garvas' letter (subscription site- paid access only).

Garvas' letter was published on November 18 in the Zanesville Times Recorder, and can be read by clicking here.

"With two weeks worth of legislative sessions remaining this year, lawmakers hope to reach a compromise on legislation that would allow Ohioans to carry concealed handguns, while satisfying law enforcement officials' concerns and avoiding the veto of Gov. Bob Taft, according to officials."

"The amendments will try to bridge the gap between the bill's current supporters, including members of the gun lobby, and its opponents, who include Taft and the Fraternal Order of Police. Taft has said he would veto a bill that lacked the support of law enforcement."

Commentary by Chad D. Baus:
In reading this entire Columbus Daily Reporter article, it is obvious this reporter, Jeremy Holden, has only got contact information in his rolodex for those who oppose this bill.

Interested persons may email Mr. Holden suggestions on others from whom he should get quotes if he wants to file a more accurate, complete report. You may also wish to email his boss, editor Cindy Ludlow.

On Thanksgiving Day, the Columbus Dispatch printed an embarrassing (for them) editorial about concealed carry that can be found by clicking here (subscription site - paid access only or you can read our archived version by clicking the "Read More..." link below.

The incredibly flawed editorial suggests that the Buckeye State Sheriff's Association supports HB274 because they would profit from the licensure fees.

Anyone who bothered to read the bill would know that this is absolute hogwash. According to HB274, as passed by the House, sheriffs are required to create a special fund, and the proceeds can only be used to run the license process and firearm safety training.

The Dispatch editors can be written at letters@dispatch.com. As always when writing letters to the editor, they are more likely to be printed if they are short, and especially if you live in the Dispatch's distribution area.

Commentary by Chad D. Baus:
Shouldn't it be a requirement that persons employed on editorial boards of newspapers actually know what they're talking about?

Anyone who desires to honestly report on this issue wouldn't go to these lengths to lie about the contents of the bill.

Turn the heat down
Ohioans shouldn't be invited to carry concealed weapons
Thursday, November 28, 2002