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Ohio Democrats Unveil More Gun Regulations As Republicans Aim The Other Way

By Karen Kasler

Published April 19, 2021 at 10:00 PM EDT

A Columbus area gun store [Dan Konik] — A Columbus area gun store

A week after House Republicans stripped some of Gov. Mike DeWine’s gun regulations from the state budget, minority House Democrats have responded with a package of even tougher legislation.

There are five bills in total:

HB 259, labeled the “Protect Law Enforcement Act”, requiring universal background checks on all gun purchases, sponsored by Reps. Phillip Robinson (D-Solon) and Adam Miller (D-Columbus)

HB 257, implementing extreme risk protection orders (sponsored by Reps. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington and Monique Smith (D-Westlake)

HB 38: repealing "no duty to retreat", otherwise known as the so-called "Stand Your Ground" law signed in January, sponsored by Reps. Thomas West (D-Canton) and Adam Miller (D-Columbus)

And there are two other bills that haven't been filed, so they have no bill numbers:

To require safe, secure storage of firearms in homes with minors, to be sponsored by Reps. Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park and Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati)

To allow for locally created and passed legislation on weapons, to be sponsored by Rep. Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland) and Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus)

Minority Leader Emilia Sykes (D-Akron) said she’s not sure if any of these bills will have Republican co-sponsors.

“Whether or not our colleagues on the Republican side decide to join us, that’s up to them," Sykes said. "But if they don’t join us, they are essentially turning their backs on Ohioans to further the goal of a gun lobby.”

Some of these bills are similar to proposals that have been introduced before in the Ohio House and Senate, but have never passed. And some previous versions of these bills have gotten only one hearing.

Republicans have a supermajority in the House and Senate.

Not only did they reject DeWine’s gun regulations after the 2019 Dayton shootings, they’ve proposed bills to make Ohio a Second Amendment sanctuary state and to allow teachers and school workers to be armed with eight hours of concealed carry training but nothing additional.