Restaurant/ Car Carry legislation likely stalled until after November elections

by Jim Irvine

Last week we asked you to make phone calls to your State Representatives in an attempt to move two bills to Governor Strickland before the summer recess. Thank you to each of you who picked up the phone answered our call for action. Unfortunately, we were not successful. Phone calls are no longer needed.

While we share your frustration that Speaker Budish and the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives did not address our concerns before adjourning for the summer recess, and in all likelihood until after the November election, we must also note that we were asking them to skip the normal hearing process and amend our bills into some other piece of legislation that has already gone through the process.

The need for such a move arose because the Republican-controlled State Senate did not pass the bills and send them to the House until last week.

We will continue to work with Speaker Budish and other leadership to express the importance of our issues. It is important that all legislators have positive interactions with gun owners at campaign events or town hall meetings while they are back in district.

While the delay is frustrating, such is the situation of politics. While it is easy to just "blame the politicians" there are no solutions in that approach. Rather, we must ask, "Where did we fall short?" I don't know what Buckeye Firearms Association could have done differently, but we will review ourselves and learn from any shortcomings we find.

I also ask every gun owner to look at themselves. You are our strength and the engine that drives us. What have you done this session to help? Many of you have stepped up with donations, volunteering to work gun shows, regular contact with your legislators, educating your fellow gun owners and encouraging them to get more involved. There are as many ways to help as there are gun owners, but it is important that each of us do something.

As we head into the summer election season, we will become involved in many campaigns. We should take this opportunity to make sure that every politician understands our issues, and our importance to the success of their campaign. Together, we can make that happen.

Jim Irvine
Chairman
Buckeye Firearms Association