Ohio Constitutional Carry Bill Takes Effect

Ohio’s Constitutional Carry law, signed by Governor Mike DeWine (R) in March, took effect Monday.

The law allows Ohioans to carry concealed firearms without a permit, making the Buckeye State the 23rd state in the union to implement such laws.

Still, Ohio’s attorney general is urging citizens to use caution and get trained before carrying a firearm.

“Just because you’re not legally required to get training doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea,” Attorney General Dave Yost (R) said in a press release. “Using a firearm is not instinct, and watching TV shows is not training. Ohioans should learn how to handle their firearms from a qualified instructor. A trained citizen is a safe citizen.”

“Not only do you need to know how to safely use a firearm, you need to know the law – about transport, self-defense and more,” Yost said.

The press release noted that there is a manual on the attorney general’s website to which Ohioans can refer regarding the state’s gun laws.

The state will still offer concealed-carry training and permits, so residents can comply with laws in other states that have not yet implemented permitless carry.

The Ohio Star reached out to the National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) Monday for its reaction to the bill taking effect, but did not hear back before press time.

Gun rights activists celebrated when DeWine signed SB 215 into law.

“This is a day that will go down in history,” Dean Rieck, executive director of the Buckeye Firearms Association, said in a statement at the time. “It has been about 18 years since Ohio enacted HB 12 to bring licensed concealed carry to the state.”

The National Rifle Association (NRA) also celebrated the state’s landmark law.

“NRA thanks Gov. DeWine for signing this critical bill that upholds the Second Amendment in Ohio, for the benefit of law-abiding citizens,” the NRA said in a statement. “NRA once again thanks bill sponsor Senator Terry Johnson (R-14), Chairman Shane Wilkin of the House Government Oversight Committee, and all the other lawmakers who sent this bill to Gov. DeWine’s desk.”

Meanwhile, members of the U.S. Senate, including Sen. Rob Portman (R), reached a deal on a bipartisan gun rights restriction bill over the weekend.

Portman was one of 10 Republicans to side with all of the Senate Democrats and vote in favor of a law that will pave the way for “red flag” laws, which would allow a judge to order a gun owner to surrender his or her weapons if that gun owner is deemed a threat.

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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Mike DeWine” by Eric Porter. CC BY-SA 4.0. Background Photo “Constitutional Carry” by gmsjs90.