COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – House Democrats held a first-of-its-kind “Gun Violence Prevention Summit” at the Statehouse on Thursday. At the end of the summit, lawmakers announced five new “commonsense” bills that they say could help curb gun violence across the state.

“Every day, gun violence is hurting families and creating everlasting traumas,” Ohio House Minority Whip Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park) said.

And though the bills have just been introduced, they are already being met with pushback from Republican leaders at the Statehouse.

“Rather than vilifying law-abiding Ohioans and their Second Amendment right to protect themselves and their families, democrats should simply enforce existing laws, keep the criminals in jail and support the police,” John Fortney, Spokesperson for Senate Republicans, said in a statement.

Previously, Speaker of the Ohio House Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) said in a one-on-one interview that ‘commonsense gun reform’ proposes “just don’t have the support throughout the whole House.” During that interview he said the focus should be on keeping repeat offenders off the streets. 

In a new statement on Thursday, he doubled down and said: “New legislation won’t take guns out of the hands of criminals who don’t abide by our current laws. We continue, as we always have, to defend our Second Amendment rights.”

Because the bills were just introduced, none have been assigned numbers or committees yet.

“Commonsense Concealed Carry”

This bill is sponsored by Representatives Richard Brown (D-Canal Winchester) and Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati).

“This comes down to our beliefs and what kind of country we want to be,” Isaacsohn said. “We are the only country in the world with more guns than people, than civilians, that’s a choice we’re making.”

The bill would:

• Rename concealed handgun licenses as “basic competency licenses.”
• Require individuals to follow the basic training and regulations, as outlined in the Ohio Revised Code, when obtaining a license to carry a concealed handgun.
• Require individuals who are carrying a concealed handgun to notify law enforcement that they are carrying a concealed handgun during a traffic stop.

Less than two years ago, Ohio joined a list of several other states in allowing permitless carry when Senate Bill 215 became law. 

“We opened up Pandora’s box when we passed permit-less carry,” Representative Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) said.

Thomas said part of the application to apply for a permit was a basic background check, and over 2,000 Ohioans were denied a permit, when they were required, because they had something in their background that was a red flag. Now, there is a new effort to bring back permits for concealed carry.

“By limiting access to weapons for people who cannot pass basic background checks, by limiting access to concealed carry permits for people who should not and cannot qualify, we are making our communities safer,” Isaacsohn said.  

“Universal Background Checks Act.”

This new House Bill, sponsored by Representatives Phil Robinson (D-Solon) and Isaacsohn would require universal background checks.

“Most Ohioans agree with us, most people understand, you should be able to pass a background check if you want a weapon,” Isaacsohn said.

A USA Today Ohio Network/Suffolk University Poll from last July shows 92% of Ohioans do support universal, mandatory background checks.  

This legislation would require a background check to be completed at the time of purchase. Private sellers would complete the checks at either a federally licensed firearms dealer or at a local law enforcement office that already conducts background checks.

“This is not gun control, this is about gun safety,” Miranda said. “This is about we, as parents, being able to take our children on the bus in the morning and feeling confident that our children return home that day. This is about putting in place the right policies that majorities of Ohioans support.”

“Keeping Our Survivors Safe Act”

The “Keeping Our Survivors Safe Act,” sponsored by Representatives Michele Grim (D-Toledo) and Munira Abdullahi (D-Columbus) would make it so anyone who has been convicted of a first-degree domestic violence charge cannot own a weapon or dangerous ordinance.

“Gun violence is an unrelenting public health crisis that is ravaging our nation, state and communities,” Grim said. “But it doesn’t have to be this way.”

The bill is companion legislation to existing Senate Bill 187 sponsored by Senators Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus) and Vernon Sykes (D-Akron).The bill has not had any committee hearings since being introduced in November.

“Lives are at stake,” Craig said. “Far too many Ohioans lose their lives to gun violence each year.”

Craig said the Ohio Domestic Violence Network has endorsed SB187.

“Building Safer Communities for Ohio Children” & “Ohio Task Force on Gun Violence”

These two bills, both sponsored by Representative Darnell Brewer (D-Cleveland) both have bipartisan support from Representative Josh Williams (R-Sylvania).

“The bipartisan sponsorship of each of these bills is a powerful reminder that when it comes to safeguarding the lives and the wellbeing of our citizens, especially our children, we should not be divided by party lines, but united by humanity,” Brewer said.

The first bill “redefines gun violence as a public health epidemic.”

“It has been crafted of the solution to this crisis,” Brewer said. “It calls for a comprehensive strategy that blends behavioral health services, economic empowerment and support for the most vulnerable among us.”

The second bill creates an Ohio task force on gun violence, that “aims to lay down a blueprint for systematic data driven approach to tackling gun violence.” Brewer said this idea is nothing new; he said back in 1995 there was a task force, and they are just asking for it to be redefined and recommissioned.

“This task force will offer accountability, actionable evidence-based solutions to a problem that affects all Ohioans in every neighborhood around Ohio,” Brewer said.

Where does Gov. Mike DeWine stand?

Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) is calling the legislature to action, but with a different idea in mind, that he said would “protect a lot of lives and save a lot of lives in the state of Ohio.”

“I believe that Ohio should have a law similar to the law the federal government has in regard to people who are no longer allowed to have guns because they’ve committed a violent offense,” he said. “They’re not allowed to have a gun, we find them with a gun, the judge ought to be able to throw the book at them.”

DeWine said this type of bill is something that police officers and cities have been asking for.

“It does not, in any way, violate anyone’s gun rights because these people don’t have any gun rights left because they’ve committed a violent offense,” DeWine said.

DeWine said in each Ohio community, there is a “relatively small number” of criminals who are committing criminal and violent offenses. He said that lends itself to the idea that if you crack-down on repeat violent offenders, communities become safer.

 “You could go into a town like Springfield or Lima or Mansfield, it’s probably 30 people, you got rid of them, your violence would go down 80%,” he said. “This is a very easy thing to do.”


NBC4 did ask DeWine whether he is supportive of measures like universal background checks, he said “I would have to see the specific bill, but you know again, the bill I just outlined for you I think would be very helpful.”