Important Pro-Gun Legislation to be Introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives

Please contact your state representative NOW!

by Ken Hanson

State Representative Terry Johnson (HD-89) is circulating a letter inviting fellow legislators to co-sponsor an important bill he will soon be introducing to address several problems with current gun laws by:

1. Establishing an automatic reciprocity between Ohio and other states that have automatic reciprocity for their concealed handgun licenses. Currently, the Attorney General must enter into a written agreement with another state to establish reciprocity. This bill would still allow for written agreements between the states if the other state does not have automatic reciprocity, but it eliminates the requirement for a written agreement if reciprocity can occur automatically by operation of law.
2. Eliminating the renewed competency certification requirement for concealed carry licenses. Currently, after the first renewal of your concealed handgun license, you must submit proof of renewed competency to show that you are range competent for all subsequent renewals. This bill would make it so that you can simply show your existing or expiring license or your original competency certificate as proof that you have had the necessary training for all renewals.
3. Changing the definition of a loaded firearm in a vehicle. Currently, a firearm is considered loaded if a loaded magazine is present in the vehicle, even if the magazine is not inserted into the firearm. This will change the definition so that the magazine must be inserted into the firearm before it is considered loaded.
4. Defining "Concealed Handgun License" in one section of the revised code and clarifying that the definition applies to all references to a concealed handgun license in the revised code. This will simplify the code and make it easier to read, understand, comply with, and enforce.

CLICK HERE to contact your state Representative and urge him or her to cosponsor this critical legislation and mention that the deadline to do so is this Tuesday, March 20 by 5:00 pm.

Ken Hanson is a gun rights attorney in Ohio. He serves as the Legislative Chair for Buckeye Firearms Association, and is the attorney of record for Buckeye Firearms Foundation, which filed friend-of-the-court briefs in the Heller and McDonald Supreme Court cases. The National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) has awarded him with its 2008 Defender of Justice Award and 2009 Jay M. Littlefield Volunteer of the Year Award. He is the author of The Ohio Guide to Firearm Laws, a certified firearms instructor and holds a Type 01 Federal Firearms License.