An Ohio State Board of Trustees committee signed off Thursday on a measure that would allow certain law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons on campus, and a plan to purchase land in Delaware County for a satellite medical facility.
The Master Planning and Facilities Committee advanced a proposal allowing off-duty officers from Ohio State campus police, city of Columbus Police, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and Ohio Highway Patrol to carry concealed weapons on campus.
But Ohio State senior vice president Jay Kasey explains the rule only applies to that limited set of agencies.
“If you’re in your private time, many officers still carry their firearm,” Kasey says. “And if you’re from one of those four agencies you can continue to carry on our campus, otherwise you would not be allowed to carry on campus.”
An Ohio law that took effect in March 2017 allows concealed carry license holders to bring firearms into day cares, private planes, and colleges - but only if the schools approve.
The full board still needs to sign off on the idea.
Ohio requires CCW applicants to be 21 years or older and to complete an eight-hour course.
A Step Forward For Delaware County Medical Facility
The trustees committee also advanced a measure that would expand the reach of the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.
A proposed site for a satellite facility on the corner of Sawmill Parkway and Home Road measures almost 30 acres. Keith Meyers, Ohio State's vice president for real estate, says the new facility will offer outpatient surgical services, clinics and office space.
“It allows us to more efficiently serve patients without bringing them down to campus where the major plant is, and these regional medical facilities are less intimidating for patients, so all that I think is part of the overall strategic plan for the hospital," Meyers says.
The parcel’s $8 million price tag comes in under previous appraisals and the purchase agreement is contingent on any necessary zoning changes.
The project is still in its infancy. Myers warns it’s likely three to four years from completion.
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