Mason named to replace Wilson on HB12 Conference Committee

Gongwer News Service
The Ohio Report
October 28, 2003

House Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) Tuesday appointed Rep. Lance Mason (D-Cleveland) to replace Rep. Charles Wilson (D-St. Clairsville) as one of three House members that will attempt to reconcile House and Senate versions of a concealed carry handgun bill.

Mr. Householder made the switch at the request of Rep. Barbara Sykes (D-Akron), president of the Legislative Black Caucus, according to Dwight Crum, spokesman for Speaker Householder. Mr. Crum said Rep. Sykes spoke with Mr. Householder and made a convincing case that a representative of the Assembly’s black caucus should sit on the six-member panel.

House Minority Leader Chris Redfern (D-Catawba Island) said he too had asked the speaker to make the switch previously. “I wanted Lance because he’s the ranking minority member of the Criminal Justice Committee and traditionally, that’s how these things are done,” he said.

The joint committee was named this month to work on HB 12 that, with certain exceptions, allows Ohioans to carry concealed weapons. As passed by the Senate, the bill has the approval of Governor Bob Taft, who said unlike the House version, it met his test of having the support of key law enforcement representatives or at least their neutrality. The other House conferees are Reps. Jim Aslanides (R-Coshocton) and Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green). The Senate conferees are Senate President Doug White (R-Manchester) and Senators Scott Nein (R-Middletown) and Marc Dann (D-Youngstown).

Commentary:
Rep. Mason's race, in and of itself, should not have played any role in his appointment to this committee. However, Mason is the Criminal Justice Committee's ranking minority party member, and tradition suggests his placement is appropriate.

As we have reported in the past, race most definitely IS an issue in Ohio's concealed carry ban, and with gun control in general. If the legislators wish to make a statement against racial prejudice, they should act quickly to overturn Ohio's 144-year old ban on carrying a concealed firearm for self-defense. As was noted by Supreme Court Justice Wanamaker in 1920 (State v. Nieto), the law's very foundation was contrived in racism.

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What's race got to do with it? A LOT.

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