Guns could soon be on the menu in Ohio restaurants if a proposed law is approved.
Ohio Senate Bill 239 passed the senate on Thursday. If approved, it could lift restrictions,allowing those with concealed carry permits to bring guns into restaurants that serve liquor,10TV's Lindsey Seavert reported.
Gun rights advocates said most Midwestern states already allow guns in restaurants, and that itis time for Ohio to follow suit.
The bill has raised some concerns, Seavert reported.
The Ohio Restaurant Association opposes the measure, and said guns in establishments servingalcohol pose a risk.
Stewart Miller, the general manager of brewery and restaurant Gordon Biersch said lawmakersshould listen to concerns from the industry.
"It opens up a can of worms, just one more thing we have to manage," Miller said. "It might besomething we have to incur extra labor and have somebody managing a busy Friday Saturday night anoff duty policeman or a bouncer or something like that."
The Buckeye Firearm Association said the change is long overdue.
They said that those carrying guns would not be allowed to drink under the proposed law, andthat restaurants would have the option to opt out of allowing patrons with guns.
"They can get a piece of tape and stick a sign on the door that says 'No guns' and they don'thave to worry about it, just that simple," said spokesman Ken Hanson.
If it passes, Gov. Ted Strickland is expected to sign the measure into law, Seavertreported.
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