Ohio: Senate Civil Justice Committee to Hold Second and Third Hearings Tomorrow on Two Pro-Gun Bills

Tomorrow, the Ohio Senate Civil Justice Committee will hold its second proponent testimony hearing on House Bill 234 and its third hearing for opponent/interested party on Senate Bill 338.

HB 234, sponsored by state Representative Cheryl Grossman (R-23), would revise state law to allow a person to use a firearm sound suppressor while hunting in the Buckeye State.  Currently, more than half of the states across the country permit hunters to use suppressors while hunting.  There are numerous benefits to hunting with suppressed firearms, including:

• Elimination of noise complaints frequently used as an excuse to close hunting lands throughout the country, resulting in the protection of hunting areas well into the future.
• Reduction of recoil and muzzle rise resulting in increased accuracy of hunters.  More accurate shooting in the field means fewer wounded and lost animals, good for both hunters and wildlife.
• Reduction in muzzle report to hearing-safe levels, limiting the risk that the hunter or anyone with the hunter will suffer permanent hearing loss if they fail to use hearing protection.

SB 338, introduced by state Senator Joe Uecker (R-14), makes common sense improvements to Ohio’s current concealed carry laws, including:

• Closing a public property loophole in state law by preventing persons or entities leasing certain government property from banning concealed handguns from the premises.
• Reducing the number of training hours required to obtain a concealed-carry permit from 12 hours to 8 hours and eliminate the 2-hour minimum live-fire training requirement.
• Allowing investigators of the Attorney General’s office to carry a concealed weapon while investigating nursing homes, residential care facilities, long-term care facilities, Medicaid programs, and patient abuse or neglect violations.

The Senate Civil Justice Committee hearing on this important pro-gun legislation will take place tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. in the North Hearing Room of the state Capitol.  Using the contact information provided below, please call and e-mail members of this Senate committee today and urge them to support both HB 234 and SB 338.

Senate Civil Justice Committee:

Senator Bill Coley (R-4), Chairman
(614) 466-8072
E-mail

Senator Larry Obhof (R-22), Vice Chairman
(614) 466-7505
E-mail

Senator Michael Skindell (D-23)
(614) 466-5123
E-mail

Senator Kevin Bacon (R-3)
(614) 466-8064
E-mail

Senator Edna Brown (D-11)
(614) 466-5204
E-mail

Senator John Eklund (R-18)
(614) 644-7718
E-mail

Senator Eric Kearney (D-9)
(614) 466-5980
E-mail

Senator Scott Oelslager (R-29)
(614) 466-0626
E-mail

Senator Bill Seitz (R-8)
(614) 466-8068
E-mail

Senator Joe Uecker (R-17)
(614) 466-8082
E-mail