Permitless Concealed Carry Legislation Passed By Ohio Lawmakers

COLUMBUS, OH — The Ohio General Assembly passed legislation Wednesday that would make it legal for Ohioans to carry concealed weapons without a permit or additional training.

Senate Bill 215 (SB 215) makes it legal for any resident, 21 or older, to carry a concealed firearm, so long as they are not barred from owning a gun. Current Ohio law requires gun owners to go through eight hours of training and a background check to get a concealed carry permit. Both of those requirements would be wiped away under the proposed law.

"The open carry of firearms is already legal in Ohio, however once an individual were to put on a sweatshirt or jacket without a concealed carry permit, they would be in violation of the law. Responsible gun owners should not be punished for lawfully practicing their constitutional rights," said state Sen. Terry Johnson, who introduced SB 215.

The Buckeye Firearms Association said SB 215 and similar legislation was the group's No. 1 priority heading into the 134th General Assembly.

"We are at a historic moment in Ohio legislative history. This is the closest we've ever been to passing a bill to make the licensing process optional for concealed carry of a firearm. Bills have been presented in former legislative sessions, but have not advanced," the firearms advocacy group said on its website.

A full analysis of the bill's impact on gun laws is available on the General Assembly's website.

The legislation will now head to Gov. Mike DeWine for consideration. It is not yet clear if the governor supports SB 215, the Ohio Capital Journal reported.

While guns-rights advocates celebrated the passage of SB 215 and urged DeWine to sign the bill into law, other groups are condemning the legislation as irresponsible and dangerous.

During the committee process for the bill, the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, members of the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, and the Ohio Mayors Alliance Executive Board and the Mayors and Police Chiefs Leadership Committee sent a letter to the General Assembly urging them to reject SB 215 and similar legislation.

"If Ohio’s concealed carry licensing laws are repealed, there will be very few safeguards to prevent potentially dangerous individuals, including by those previously convicted of misdemeanor assaults on police officers, from carrying a concealed firearm," the groups said in a joint letter to lawmakers.

After the legislation was passed, the Ohio Mayors Alliance Executive Board issued another statement lambasting state lawmakers.

"With gun violence on the rise and with a tragic recent history of mass shootings in our cities, it is inconceivable that state leaders would allow this bill to become law," said the Ohio Mayors Alliance Board of Directors, which includes Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan, Beavercreek Mayor Bob Stone, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn, Lancaster Mayor David Scheffler, Parma Mayor Tim DeGeeter, and Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown.