Ohio and the concealed carry process

The bill was voted out of committee Tuesday, but another bill has been introduced that would allow gun owners to carry concealed weapons on college campuses, day care facilities and other places and would eliminate the concealed carry permit process altogether.

The pro-gun lobby argues that Ohio has more restrictions on concealed carry permit holders than most other states and that easing the restrictions to bring Ohio more in line with others simple makes good sense.

With the proposed changes to the concealed carry process, there would be no paperwork or training required to carry a concealed weapon.  It would allow anyone to carry a concealed weapon as long as they were legally permitted to purchase a gun.

“It’d be no different, to some degree, than the current constitutional right that we have right now to carry a gun on your hip right now, as long as it’s exposed. The only different would be this is concealed carry and you don’t have to go through training,” Adams said.

But Rothenberg said the current permit process ensures eligibility and he said the training requirement is critical.

“I would think if you wanted to shoot a firearm, it’s a small price to pay to do what you’re doing rather than make a mistake and kill somebody,” Rothenbergsaid.

But the pro-gun lobby believes the climate may now be right for the legislation.

“If someone is going to meet all the qualifications, a whole bureaucracy to oversee telling you you’re a good person doesn’t make a whole lot of sense,” said Jim Irvine, chairman of the Buckeye Firearms Association.more