Call your State Rep today Buckeyes!

[gopguy]

Contact your State Rep today as they will be voting on HB 495, ask for their support for this important bill. HB495 (Reciprocity & Concealed Carry Modernization) passed by House committee; Floor vote scheduled for WEDNESDAY!

HB495, a bill introduced by Representative Terry Johnson (R-McDermott) to reform Ohio concealed carry law to protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners and continue a trend toward making Ohio law similar to other states, has been passed by the House Committee on State Government and Elections.

The vote count as of Tuesday was a straight party-line vote, with 10 Republicans voting for the bill, and five Democrats voting against it.

The committee chair, BFA "A" -rated Rep. Ron Maag, left voting open until 10:00a.m. Wednesday, as several members were not present at the hearing.

Before the vote, the committee heard testimony from Buckeye Firearms Assoc. Chairman Jim Irvine and attorney/ author Scott Kapas, as well as a number of other proponents.

An amendment proposed by the Buckeye State Sheriff's Association (BSSA) was reviewed and accepted by the committee. The provision allows sheriffs to use proceeds from CHL applications to provide ammunition for CHL classes.

Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) has scheduled a floor vote for later Wednesday, pending the committee's final report.
http://www.house.state.oh.us/ Also call Governor Kasich and ask for his support. Phone: (614) 466-3555

 

[C0untZer0]

Hmmm, I never thought I'd say this:

Go Buckeyes !

 

[Superpsy]

Already called and voiced support.

 

[gopguy]

You can watch the floor vote.

http://www.ohiochannel.org/MediaLibrary/OhioChannelLive.aspx?liveStreamId=3

 

[Tweedle]

Thanks for posting this up! Saw it too late to give anyone a call, but I enjoyed watching it on the Ohio channel.

 

[gopguy]

You are welcome, delighted to say we won. On to the Senate!

Ohio House Passes Firearm Bill to Modernize Reciprocity & Concealed Carry
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Submitted by cbaus on Wed, 06/13/2012 - 17:24. Ohio Legislation Ohio Politics
Editor's Note: This story will be updated as information became available.

By a 57 - 26 margin, the Ohio House has passed House Bill 495, sponsored by Representative Terry Johnson (R-McDermott), which will reform Ohio concealed carry law to protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners and continue a trend toward making Ohio law similar to other states.

HB495 makes three changes to current law:

Changes to automatically honor other states licenses, similar to a driver's license
Eliminates the "demonstrated competency" requirement for 2nd and future CHL renewals, making CHL training similar to a hunting license
Fixes the definition of a "loaded gun" to match the commonly accepted definition
In addition to bill sponsor Rep. Johnson, Reps. Dorothy Pelanda (R-Marysville), Danny Bubp (R-West Union), Ron Maag (R-Lebanon), and Ron Young (R-Leroy Twp.) rose in support of the bill. Rep. Johnson spoke truth to many of the wild claims made by opponents in floor testimony, and Rep. Bubp pointed out the "blood in the streets" warnings about his Restaurant Carry bill, passed in 2011, have not come to pass, just as those heard today will not.

Rep. Bob Hagan (D-Youngstown) offered one of the more embarrassing moments for opponents when he referred to a Constitutional "right to happiness", which he apparently believes HB495 infringes upon. (The Declaration of Independence, of course, refers to a God-given right to the pursuit of happiness.) Hagan repeated the myth that more guns on the streets means more deaths.

Also rising to speak against the bill were Tom Letson (D - Warren) and Rep. Mike Foley (D-Cleveland). Foley proposed an amendment that would have excluded the State of Florida from the automatic reciprocity law. Rep. Maag rose to point out that the Attorney General has already signed a reciprocity agreement with Florida. The amendment was tabled 54-33.

"This important legislation addresses real problems with Ohio law," said Jim Irvine, chairman of the Buckeye Firearms Association, a grassroots gun advocacy organization. "It continues the trend to remove problems and align Ohio law with commonly understood concepts."

"I am deeply honored to sponsor this particular bill, as it is much needed," said Rep. Johnson. "It is highly substantive and goes far to simplify something that has been needlessly complicated. I will miss no opportunity to unburden Ohioans as they strive to exercise their basic constitutional right to keep and bear arms."

The bill will now be sent to the Senate for consideration.