Dayton Daily News: Senate approves concealed-carry bill
The Ohio Senate approved legislation Tuesday giving Ohioans the right to carry concealed handguns, but it still appears unlikely that a final version of the bill will get to Gov. Bob Taft’s desk before the end of the year.
The Senate vote was 20-11, with two members absent.
House Speaker Larry Householder, R-Glenford, said again Tuesday that the House has no plans to come back to consider the Senate bill, which includes stricter licensing criteria and training requirements than the bill the House passed in March, said Jen Detwiler, Householder’s spokeswoman.
The House finished its work for the year Friday and Householder said then that a return was unlikely. He called the Senate bill “the most cumbersome and restrictive” legislation in the country.
He could call members back, however.
The slim possibility Householder held out for making that call hinged on Taft pledging that he would sign the Senate version.
“It would take the governor’s office saying they were going to sign the bill,” Detwiler said.
Joe Andrews, Taft’s spokesman, said the governor would not make such a promise.
Commentary by Chad D. Baus:
What good would such a promise be in any case? Taft has made and broken them before on this issue.
This is a good recap of Tuesday's events, and while it clarifies that the House will likely not return, the NRA's Ohio Lobbyist (who endorsed this bill, including the highly dangerous "safe transport" language) thinks its still possible.
OFCC is opposed to HB274 as passed by the Senate, and believes the House should not return, or if they do, they should REFUSE to concur with the Senate on the amended language.
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