Ohio: House Bill 203 Passes Overwhelmingly in House, Goes to Senate

Yesterday, the Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 203 by a 62-27 vote.  Sponsored by state Representative Terry Johnson (R-90), HB 203 seeks to make important common sense improvements to Ohio’s current concealed carry and self-defense laws including the following:

• Strengthens the existing criminal background check process to obtain an Ohio Concealed Handgun License (CHL) by requiring all CHL applicants to undergo a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) compliant background check.  This improvement is the first step in allowing Ohio CHL holders to qualify for a NICS exemption when purchasing a firearm.
• Establishes an automatic reciprocity process for CHL holders.
• Allows purchase and sale of shotguns and rifles in non-contiguous states.
• Reduces the minimum training requirement to obtain a competency certificate required to apply for a CHL from twelve hours to four hours.
• Applies the same federal disqualifiers for the possession and purchase of a firearm to applicants for a CHL.
• Establishes a non-resident application process to obtain a CHL.
• Modifies the state's self-defense law.  Under current law, a person has no duty to retreat before using deadly force if that person is in their own home or automobile.  This legislation would expand that to any place a person has a lawful right to be.

Your NRA-ILA will continue to keep you updated when HB 203 is likely to be considered in the Ohio Senate.