Ohio Passes Restaurant Carry & simplifies car rules

[Jumping Frog]

Ohio passed a law to allow concealed carry in restaurants and bars that serve liquor. The law also removes most car carry rules that concealed handgun licensees had to follow.

It was a long fight to get it passed. It took 4 bills and 31 months across two legislative sessions to get passed and signed. I was glad to see it signed because I testified before the Ohio Senate on these bills before moving to Texas.

Ohioans For Concealed Carry Story:
http://www.ohioccw.org/201106304941/sb1 ... emony.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Gary Witt's excellent history of how we got where we are today:
http://www.ohioccw.org/201106304940/res ... ll-17.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I also had the privilege of being there to hear the testimony of Suzanna Gratia Hupp who graciously traveled to Ohio to testify, as well as the riveting testimony of Nikki Goeser from Tennesee. If you aren't familiar with Nikki, she is a CHL who had disarmed to be in a karaoke bar because Tennesee banned guns in bars. A stalker came into the bar and shot her husband to death right in front of Nikki, while she was unable to return fire. She went on to help get restaurant/bar carry passed in TN, and is actively assisting in 2A rights efforts all over the country.

If we ever have a bill in Texas to remove the CHL limitation in 51% bars, she would be a fabulous resource to bring in for testimony. Immediately following Mrs. Goeser’s testimony the Committee Chairwoman, Representative Linda Bolon, stated that her testimony was some of the most compelling she had ever heard. The links above link to her testimony, or you can find it on Youtube.


Governor Kasich signing SB17 into law.


Ohioans For Concealed Carry at the SB17 and HB54 signing ceremony.
Left to right: Representative Danny Bubp, Gary Witt (behind), Nikki Goeser, Derek DeBrosse, Esq. ? (rear),
David Kessler, Esq. Governor John Kasich, ? (rear), Mike Kinsey, Jeff Garvas, Representative Schaffer, ?, ?

[Timbo55]

This looks like a great thread to ask a question. I will be traveling to PA from Texas in October. In looking at the
map of states who honor Tx CHL I am totally blocked by Ohio and WV.

I have no intention of stopping in either state but...if pulled over for whatever reason can I still have a sidearm
in the vehicle? If it is boxed up and out of reach with ammo in seperate location and I still breaking the law?

I went as far as calling the sheriff in the county surrounding Cincy..and a Ohio State Police station in the Canton area..
I could only imaging the blank stare of the person on the other end of the line as I asked my question. I never got an
answer to my question...

I hate the thought of driving 1,200 miles without a little backup...have done it in the past unarmed but this is a totally
different time.

Thanks to anyone who can add some insight...

Tim

[chasfm11]

This looks like a great thread to ask a question. I will be traveling to PA from Texas in October. In looking at the
map of states who honor Tx CHL I am totally blocked by Ohio and WV.

I have no intention of stopping in either state but...if pulled over for whatever reason can I still have a sidearm
in the vehicle? If it is boxed up and out of reach with ammo in seperate location and I still breaking the law?

I went as far as calling the sheriff in the county surrounding Cincy..and a Ohio State Police station in the Canton area..
I could only imaging the blank stare of the person on the other end of the line as I asked my question. I never got an
answer to my question...

I hate the thought of driving 1,200 miles without a little backup...have done it in the past unarmed but this is a totally
different time.

Thanks to anyone who can add some insight...

Tim

We have a similar problem since we often visit PA

I'd recommend reading and complying with this
http://www.nraila.org/gunlaws/federal/read.aspx?id=59 in your travels. While IL, NJ and maybe some others might not recognize FOPA, the chances are pretty good that OH would.

You can also consider getting a non-resident AZ or UT CCW, although you probably cannot get that done before this October. When I retire and we start to travel more, I'm definitely going to get one of those. They solve both OH and WVA.

Last year, we took an RV trip similar to yours. We even went through MD. Unless there are some extenuating circumstances (i.e. an auto accident), the likelyhood of having to worry about FOPA carry is pretty slim. I did take the steps to comply with FOPA before we entered every State where the Texas CHL is not recognized. You just never know.

[Jumping Frog]

I have no intention of stopping in either state but...if pulled over for whatever reason can I still have a sidearm
in the vehicle? If it is boxed up and out of reach with ammo in seperate location and I still breaking the law?

I've quoted Ohio firearms transport law for unlicensed transport.

Simplest way is to make sure it is unloaded and in a "closed package, box, or case". There is no requirement to have it in a separate compartment; you could have it on the passenger seat for all that matters.

There is no law on the transport of ammo. You could have loose cartridges in your shirt pocket, scattered all over your lap, and scattered all over the floor of the car and it would still be legal.

Be careful on "unloaded". Ohio law defines unloaded as "No ammunition is in the firearm in question, and no ammunition is loaded into a magazine or speed loader that may be used with the firearm in question and that is located anywhere within the vehicle in question". Make sure your magazines are unloaded. A loaded magazine in the same car as the matching pistol is considered "loaded" and is a felony.

Good luck on your trip.

Too bad you don't have a Utah or Arizona non-resident license.

R.C. 2923.16(C) No person shall knowingly transport or have a firearm in a motor vehicle, unless the person may lawfully possess that firearm under applicable law of this state or the United States, the firearm is unloaded, and the firearm is carried in one of the following ways:

(1) In a closed package, box, or case;

(2) In a compartment that can be reached only by leaving the vehicle;

(3) In plain sight and secured in a rack or holder made for the purpose;

(4) If the firearm is at least twenty-four inches in overall length as measured from the muzzle to the part of the stock furthest from the muzzle and if the barrel is at least eighteen inches in length, either in plain sight with the action open or the weapon stripped, or, if the firearm is of a type on which the action will not stay open or which cannot easily be stripped, in plain sight.
. . .

(K)(5)”Unloaded” means any of the following:

(a) No ammunition is in the firearm in question, and no ammunition is loaded into a magazine or speed loader that may be used with the firearm in question and that is located anywhere within the vehicle in question, without regard to where ammunition otherwise is located within the vehicle in question. For the purposes of division (K)(5)(a) of this section, ammunition held in stripper-clips or in en-bloc clips is not considered ammunition that is loaded into a magazine or speed loader.

(b) With respect to a firearm employing a percussion cap, flintlock, or other obsolete ignition system, when the weapon is uncapped or when the priming charge is removed from the pan.

[kyreb]

I lived in Ohio for five long years before being transferred to Houston. I held a CHL actually a CWL in Kentucky previously.

Due to the restrictive and convaluted nature of the Ohio CHL laws, and the fact OH cops fought vigorously fought passage and had a real tendency to harass CHL holders, the wife and I refused to apply.

We both got our TX CHL precisely 6 months after moving here. Gob Bless Texas.