COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio General Assembly passed a bill on Wednesday that would allow anyone 21 and older to carry a gun without a permit as long as they lawfully possess it.
Currently, the law requires Ohioans to go through eight hours of training and a background check to obtain a CCW permit.
Senate Bill 215 would no longer require gun owners to obtain a license to carry a concealed weapon from their local sheriff.
Between 3,000 and 5,000 concealed carry applications are typically denied per year, according to data from the attorney general’s office. Possible reasons for denial include certain felony and misdemeanor convictions, a previous court finding of mental illness, being the subject of a civil protection order and others.
Passage of the bill comes as 2021 has overtaken 2020 as the record-setting year for gun deaths in Ohio, according to data from the state health department. GOP Rep. Shane Wilkin, R-Hillsboro, who leads the committee that passed the legislation Tuesday, said he “doesn’t really understand the question” about how he thinks about passing a gun rights expansion amid a surge in gun violence.
Cupp brushed aside a similar question.
“Guns don’t kill people; people kill people,” he said. “Also it was the deadliest year for the highways, as I understand it. So not sure there’s a connection.”
Democrats — citing opposition testimony on the legislation from the Fraternal Order of Police, Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey and others — emphasized law enforcement opposition to the legislation and characterized it as a threat to the general welfare.
“SB 215 is anti-public safety and anti-police,” said Rep. Tavia Galonski, D-Akron. “This legislation puts Ohio law enforcement officials in the line of fire and makes them less safe. We need to be taking steps to make our communities safer, and this dangerous bill does the opposite.”
The bill now goes to Gov. Mike DeWine's desk.
Dan Tierney, a spokesman for DeWine, said his office is reviewing the bill, but "would note Governor DeWine has long supported the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms," indicating the governor is likely to sign the bill into law.