Ohio passes CCW today

[TA]

The Governor agrees to sign the bill! This from the Ohioans For Concealed Carry web-site.

AP: House, Senate pass concealed weapons bill that Taft will sign
Posted on Wednesday, January 07 @ 14:30:58 EST by cbaus



The Associated Press
1/7/2004, 3:13 p.m. ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday to allow Ohioans to carry hidden guns, and Gov. Taft has committed to signing the legislation.

The Senate vote was 25-8, and the House vote was 69-24. Taft will sign the bill, said Elise Spriggs, the governor's top legislative lobbyist.

The vote marked the first time the Legislature and the governor's office have agreed to a deal after a decade of debate on the highly contentious issue.

Ohioans who apply for permits to carry concealed weapons would have to pay a fee, undergo background checks and be trained in the use of a weapon.

The bill also makes the names of permit holders in each county available to reporters who ask a sheriff's department for the names. Taft's insistence on this provision derailed the bill late last year after House lawmakers balked.

But House Speaker Larry Householder this week agreed to go along with the requirement, which the Ohio Senate had already informally agreed to.

[Callahan]

Good deal. Your NRA dues at work. Looks like a pretty favorable vote in all areas. I have no problem with my name being available in the public records as a concealed weapon permit holder, and I don't think anyone should...

[Magnum]

Don't get your hopes up too high, Taft hasn't signed it yet.
But luckily if he does decide to veto it, it will almost certainly be overturned. As a resident of Ohio I really hope this will pass.

[TA]

Callahan,

The main reason that the legislatures did not want full public access of CCW records is because the anti's could abuse the priviledge and people would know who is armed and who has guns in their homes. Now, only the media has access to the names and they were warned that if they abused this by publishing the lists, they would lose the priviledge. I think this will work out just fine though with the new wording.

[The Paul]

Mark one down for the Constitution!

[Callahan]

TA: If the media know, as well as all the authorities who have to clear your license (state police, county sheriff, county clerk, city police, and whatever law enforecement has a connection at the range where you take the class and qualify) everybody knows anyway. It's all public record and I don't see how anyone could be blocked from access. The media have no more rights than the average citizen when it comes to access to public records. Besides as anyone knows, information is no longer in confidence once you put it in a computer. ;D

[TA]

This is taken from an article in Clevelands The Plain Dealer newspaper. In my opinion, this is where the problem lies.

Since Taft chooses to hide behind journalists on this vital public-records matter, it is this newspaper's intention to obtain this information and publish it. Our readers deserve to know the identities of those who obtain permits to carry their guns in public. We hope other news organizations will do the same in their communities.

Taft and the legislature are demonstrating a flagrant disregard for the public's right to know. It is incumbent upon the news media to help right their wrong.

[The Paul]

Liberal media at its finest, I think they hoping people will not get a permit because of privacy issues....

[LightningNate]

I for one dont care if they know I'm carrying. Now that it passed all I need is a gun. Did they say how much the fee is gona be. With what Taft has done with our taxs I can only imagin.

[TA]

Nate,

It looks like it will be no more than $45 if you have been a resident for 5 years. It must be renewed every 4 years and you must retrain every 6 years.

For a list of frequently asked questions, visit this site. It is Ohioans for Concealed Carry. This group worked very hard on helping the push for CCW in Ohio.

www.ofcc.net/faq.html