Kroger Cincinnati Division backs off 

     On April 18th, 2010 of this year, a member of the Clinton County Farmers and Sportsmen Association was asked to leave his local Kroger store and either stay gone or disarm. He was carrying concealed, but his 3 year-old had managed to push his cover garment up revealing his pistol. The management team, recently in receipt of the Class “D” warning signage, felt said signage prohibited weapons in the store, period. Four days later he related the experience on the club's forum. 
     On May 6th, 2010, an Ohioans For Concealed Carry (OFCC) Coordinator happened to be perusing the club forum and came across the incident. Certain there had to be a misunderstanding, he took it upon himself to try and run this to ground.  May 8th OFCC stopped by the store hoping to speak with the manager. He had left for the day, but we were able to speak with one of the co-managers, and left information for the manager. 
     May 10th, 2010 OFCC was able to visit with the store manager. We discussed the Ohio Liquor Control Board Class D signage and agreed it was a warning for those without a license, not a prohibition. Further, he indicated he'd held training with his management staff emphasizing that both open and concealed carry were legal in Ohio, and the mere presence of a firearm was not reason to bother an otherwise appropriately behaving customer. Problem solved, right?

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Restaurant Carry passes Senate, heads to House

     In a flurry of activity due to the rapidly approaching summer recess, the Ohio Senate passed two pro-gun bills yesterday and both now head for the House. 

     SB239, the hotly debated Restaurant Carry bill that also reduces restrictions on vehicle carry (see Irrational opposition to Restaurant Carry bill doesn't stop passage), passed 23-10. Senators Buehrer, Cafaro, Carey, Cates, Coughlin, Faber, Fedor, Gibbs, Gillmor, Grendell, Harris, Hughes, Husted, Jones, Niehaus, Patton, Schaffer, Schiavoni, Seitz, Stewart, Wagoner, Widener, and Wilson voted in favor of the bill. Senators Goodman, Kearney, Miller D, Miller R, Morano, Sawyer, Schuring, Smith, Strahorn, and Turner voted no. 

     SB247, which is a rights restoration bill that brings Ohio law into compliance with federal requirements to restore firearms rights to those who petition for it with the federal government, also passed 23-10, though the support was slightly different. Senators Buehrer, Cafaro, Carey, Cates, Coughlin, Faber, Fedor, Gibbs, Gillmor, Grendell, Harris, Husted, Jones, Kearney, Miller D, Miller R, Niehaus, Sawyer, Schiavoni, Seitz, Wagoner, Widener, and Wilson voted yes. Senators Goodman, Hughes, Morano, Patton, Schaffer, Schuring, Smith, Stewart, Strahorn, and Turner voted to oppose the bill.

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Ohio Senate Passes Two Pro-Gun Bills Thursday

     The Ohio Senate voted separately on SB239 and SB247 today, but the tally was 23-10 in both cases and the bills have been sent on their way to the Ohio House of Representatives where they will inevitably be assigned to a committee and the hearing process will begin anew, likely after the summer recess if not well into the fall. 

     After intense debate an opposition repeating the same tired arguments we've heard since adopting concealed carry the Senate chamber voted with just over 2/3rds of the Senate in favor of the bills. SB239 is the "restaurant carry" bill that includes language to ease restrictions on how you must transport a firearm in a vehicle. SB247 is a rights restoration bill that brings Ohio law into compliance with federal requirements to restore firearms rights to those who petition for it with the federal government. An amendment was adopted without opposition to clarify the "intent of the legislature" and likely assisted in the final vote.

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Irrational opposition to Restaurant Carry bill doesn't stop passage

     Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary - Criminal Justice Committee passed Senate Bill 239 which contains reforms for Restaurant Carry and vehicle transport. The next step is to go before the full Senate. 

     An article in The Columbus Dispatch (Bill expanding Ohio's concealed-carry law advances in Senate) does a fair job of reporting on the issue and the irrational opposition from some law enforcement groups. 

     If passed into law, this bill would remove the ban on a concealed handgun licensee carrying a firearm into an establishment that serves liquor as long as that person does not drink any alcoholic beverage.  The opposition is framing this as an issue with bars but it is more an issue regarding restaurants.

- From Ohioians For Concealed Carry Website