City of Columbus Continues Fight to Overturn Preliminary Injunction Halting Gun Control Laws

The City of Columbus is trying to implement its gun control laws while a lawsuit filed by The Buckeye Institute to protect the rights of Ohioans to keep and bear arms is being heard.

The city requests that the 10th District Court of Appeals overturns a ruling by a Delaware County judge to temporarily halt a state law that would make it difficult for municipalities to establish specific gun control measures.

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Columbus City Council Rescinds Mayor Ginther’s City Curfew

The Columbus City Council unanimously voted on Monday to end an executive order from Democratic Mayor Andrew Ginther that food trucks and carts in the Short North area of the city close at midnight.

The Columbus City Council rescinded the order less than three weeks after unanimously approving the recent city curfew.

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GOP Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Prohibit Curfews Imposed by Ohio Municipalities

Two Ohio House Representatives have introduced legislation prohibiting municipalities from implementing curfews with certain exceptions.

House Bill (HB) 180, sponsored by State Representatives Jeff LaRe (R-Violet Twp.) and D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron), is a direct result of a recent city curfew approved by Columbus City Council earlier this week.

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City of Columbus Sues Ohio over Gun Control Legislation

The City of Columbus filed a lawsuit against Ohio, claiming that the state has exceeded its power by passing legislation making it difficult for municipalities to establish specific gun control measures.

The lawsuit, filed in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, follows an Ohio judge ruling which denied the city of Columbus’ request to allow them to enforce their new gun control laws, while the lawsuit filed by The Buckeye Institute to protect the rights of Ohioans to keep and bear arms is being heard.

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Delaware County Judge Denies Columbus’ Request to Permit Enforcement of Gun Control Laws During Lawsuit

An Ohio judge denied the City of Columbus’ request to allow them to enforce its new gun control laws while the lawsuit filed by The Buckeye Institute to protect the rights of Ohioans to keep and bear arms is being heard.

The Buckeye Institute filed the lawsuit following the adoption of Ordinance 3176-2022 by the Columbus City Council, which forbade the use of certain firearm magazines in violation of Ohio law and the U.S. and Ohio constitutions.

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Delaware County Judge Blocks Columbus Gun Restriction Enforcement

A Delaware County Judge has blocked the gun control legislation passed by the Columbus City Council on December 5th meaning the city cannot restrict firearm magazines or implement gun storage requirements.

In a ruling issued on Tuesday, Delaware County Common Pleas Judge David M. Gormley placed an injunction on the legislation. Ohio think tank, The Buckeye Institute, filed a lawsuit against the city of Columbus’ gun restrictions in February on behalf of six anonymous residents to protect the rights of Ohioans to keep and bear arms. The lawsuit named the city, Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin, and Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein as defendants.

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Columbus City Council Tightens Gun Control on Gun Owners

The Columbus City Council approved legislation on Monday giving owners of gun magazines with 30 rounds or more until July 1st to move them out of the city, sell them to a licensed arms dealer outside of Columbus, or turn them over to the city Division of Police.

Although new legislation, Monday’s ordinance amends the gun control legislation passed by City Council on December 5th despite a judge’s order to cease any such action.

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Ohio Think Tank Files Lawsuit Challenging City of Columbus’ Gun Control Laws

On Thursday, The Buckeye Institute filed a lawsuit against the city of Columbus to protect the rights of Ohioans to keep and bear arms.

The filing follows the adoption of Ordinance 3176-2022 by the Columbus City Council, which forbade the use of certain firearm magazines in violation of Ohio law and the U.S. and Ohio constitutions.

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Cleveland Proposes Ban on Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products

Mayor Justin Bibb proposes banning the sale in Cleveland of flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes and flavored vape products.

The Columbus City Council approved a similar law in December of last year, and it will go into effect on January 1, 2024. Also in December, a bill to ban local governments from outlawing the sale of flavored tobacco products was approved by both chambers of the Ohio General Assembly; however, Governor Mike DeWine vetoed the measure.

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Fairfield County Judge Denies State Request to Stop Columbus Gun Restrictions

Ohio’s plea for a preliminary injunction to stop the city of Columbus’ most recent gun control measures was denied by a court in Fairfield County. According to Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein, the restrictions are now in place as of midnight on January 21st.

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Ohio Governor Vetoes Flavored Tobacco Ban Bill, Leaving Local Governments in Charge

Governor Mike DeWine vetoed a bill on Thursday, that would prohibit local governments in Ohio from enacting any laws regarding tobacco or vaping products that are more strict than state law.

DeWine scheduled a press conference with health authorities to discuss the legislation rather than just vetoing it, calling youth smoking an “epidemic” made worse by commercially available flavored tobacco products.

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Ohio Judge Blocks Columbus From Enforcing Gun Laws

A judge in Fairfield County granted Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s request for a temporary restraining order temporarily stopping Columbus’ new restrictive gun laws from going into effect for 14 days.

Judge Richard Berens issued the ruling Thursday morning, immediately enjoining the ordinances.

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Ohio Senate Passes Bill Prohibiting Cities from Banning Flavored Tobacco Sales

The Columbus City Council unanimously voted on Monday to ban the sale of flavored tobacco and vaping products within city limits. Under 48 hours later, the Ohio Senate approved a bill that would make Columbus City Council’s ban illegal.

House Bill (HB) 513, sponsored by state Representatives Jon Cross (R-Kenton ) and Bill Roemer (R-Richfield), passed in the Ohio Senate on Wednesday by a vote of 23-8. The legislation includes an amendment known as a “preemption law, prohibiting local governments in Ohio from enacting any laws regarding tobacco or vaping products that are more strict than state law.”

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Columbus City Council Unanimously Approves Ban on Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products

The Columbus City Council unanimously passed a ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products such as menthol cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and flavored vaping products on Monday.

City health officials say tobacco company marketing has historically targeted minorities and young people and most people who begin smoking do so before they’re adults or in early adulthood.

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City of Columbus Votes to Pass Gun Control Laws Despite Questions of Its Legality

Columbus City Council passed a package of gun control legislation Monday night despite a judge’s order to cease any such action.

Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther, City Attorney Zach Klein, and City Council President Shannon G. Hardin announced their proposition of “common sense” laws to reduce gun violence last month.

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Columbus City Council Holds First Public Hearing on ‘Common Sense’ Gun Legislation

Columbus City Council members Shayla Favor, Emmanuel Remy, and Council President Shannon Hardin hosted a public hearing Tuesday to discuss the proposed “common-sense” gun reform legislation to reduce gun violence.

Democratic leaders Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther and City Attorney Zach Klein, and Assistant Police Chief Greg Bodker also participated in the hearing which came after Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Steven McIntosh sided with the city of Columbus in a ruling that deals in part with Ohio’s “preemption” laws, which forbid cities and other political subdivisions from regulating firearms.

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Columbus City Council Tables Funding to Reinstall Christopher Columbus Statue

Columbus, OH City Council this week indefinitely tabled an ordinance to spend $253,000 on the possible reinstallation of the Christopher Columbus statue that stood outside of City Hall until the summer of 2020. 

If adopted, the policy would permit the municipal Department of Development to agree to a contract with Designing Local Ltd., a planning company, to initiate a series of public meetings about whether the statue would return.

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Ohio’s Largest City Limits Use of Force for Police Dealing with Protesters

Nearly two years after protests filled the streets of downtown Columbus, the state’s largest city took steps to demilitarize its police force Monday by limiting certain weapons and equipment that can be used during peaceful protests.

The Columbus City Council unanimously approved a new ordinance that limits police from using tear gas, wooden or rubber bullets, batons, flash-bang grenades and other items on nonviolent protesters on streets and sidewalks.

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Columbus City Council to Consider Police Hate-Group Screening Legislation

The Columbus City Council is working on legislation to screen the police for affiliations with hate groups or for harboring beliefs consistent with these groups. Last Monday, Shayla Favor, a councilmember and chair of the Criminal Justice Committee, held a meeting at which she presented the outlines of her legislative initiative. There will be another hearing at Wednesday, July 20, at 3 p.m. Favor will then finish drafting police-screening legislation and include it in a larger piece of public safety legislation that will be presented to the city council on July 27, the last meeting before the August recess.

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