Our Ohio lawmakers are showing some good old fashioned "Common Sense." Ohio: House Committees to Receive Public Comment on Important Hunting and Right-to-Carry Reform Bills on Tuesday On Tuesday, October 29, two NRA-backed bills of importance to gun owners and sportsmen will be up for public comment in their respective state House committee. At 10:00 a.m. in Statehouse Room 116, the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee will take proponent/opponent testimony on House Bill 234, important pro-hunting reform legislation. Sponsored by state Representative Cheryl Grossman, HB 234 would repeal Ohios current prohibition on the use of a suppressor while hunting. Currently, more than half of the states allow hunters to use suppressors while hunting. There are numerous benefits to hunting with suppressed firearms including elimination of noise complaints that are frequently an excuse to close hunting lands, reduction of recoil and muzzle rise to increase accuracy, and to help protect against hearing loss. For more information on hunting with suppressors, please click here. The NRA encourages individuals to attend and speak in support of this hunting reform. If you are unable to attend Tuesdays hearing, please call AND e-mail members of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and urge them to support HB 234. Contact information for members of this committee is provided below. Also at 10:00 a.m. in Statehouse Room 115, the state House Policy and Legislative Committee will take proponent/opponent testimony on House Bill 203, a measure that seeks to make common sense improvements to Ohios current concealed carry and self-defense laws. Sponsored by state Representative Terry Johnson (R-90), HB 203 would make the following changes to Ohios current firearm laws: 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 system. Eliminates the 12 hour minimum training requirement to obtain a competency certificate required to apply for a CHL. 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.
Here it would be helpful to have a link to find out who your local reps are in case you don't know, that would ideally include a county map, rep's name, email, and phone number... Member Directory | The Ohio House Of Representatives District Map | The Ohio House Of Representatives (Flash plugin required to pull up the map) I cannot attend so here is what I sent to Terry Boose (my representative): Dear Representative Boose, As you are likely aware, the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee will take proponent/opponent testimony on House Bill 234, important pro-hunting reform legislation. Sponsored by state Representative Cheryl Grossman, HB 234 would repeal Ohio’s current prohibition on the use of a suppressor while hunting. Currently, more than half of the states allow hunters to use suppressors while hunting. There are numerous benefits to hunting with suppressed firearms including elimination of noise complaints that are frequently an excuse to close hunting lands, reduction of recoil and muzzle rise to increase accuracy, and to help protect against hearing loss. I would ask that you approve of this legislation as it further helps to solidify our 2nd Amendment Rights, and allows us to responsibly hunt and maintain our properties. Additionally, the state House Policy and Legislative Committee will take proponent/opponent testimony on House Bill 203, a measure that seeks to make common sense improvements to Ohio’s current concealed carry and self-defense laws. Sponsored by state Representative Terry Johnson (R-90), HB 203 would make some common sense changes to Ohio’s current firearm laws. I would ask that you vote in favor of this legislation as well.
