COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Lawmakers at the Ohio Statehouse are considering a bill to strengthen the Second Amendment in the state.  

House Bill 51, or the Second Amendment Preservation Act, is sponsored by Reps. Mike Loychik (R-Bazetta) and Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland). The bill would make it so Ohioans are only subjected to state gun laws, not federal.  

Though the bill was scheduled for a House floor vote last week, the House ultimately adjourned without holding that vote. Speaker of the House Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) did not talk to reporters after the House session, but has said he thinks the bill is “very important.”  

The bill would prohibit local law enforcement agencies from knowingly enforcing federal gun laws that do not align with Ohio’s Second Amendment laws and fine agencies that do. 

“Gradually over time, they have tried to wordsmith it and make it less ridiculous,” Local Legislative Lead for Moms Demand Action Pat Ferris said. “But they have failed in what they tried to do.” 

It’s a bill that has brought out 163 opponents, like Ferris, who said they worry the bill will do more harm than good.  

“The biggest thing is, is it puts citizens and law enforcement at risk,” Ferris said.  

The bill also excludes any handgun with any brace, like a pistol brace, from the definition of dangerous ordnance; pistol braces help stabilize handguns and make shooting with one hand easier.

The bill brought out 27 supporters to testify in committee and Stephens said he wants to see it pass.  

“The Second Amendment is very important in Ohio and I think it’s important that we look at these issues,” Stephens said in October.  

Stephens has said several times it will have a floor vote.  

“The purpose of that bill is to make sure that Ohioans are under Ohio’s gun laws,” Stephens said in October. “And so that if there are federal gun laws that change that the federal governed will be the one required to enforce those, not local agencies.” 

A similar bill was ruled unconstitutional in Missouri.  

“That was Missouri; this is Ohio,” Stephens said.  

“We’re pretty confident that any federal court would rule this law to be unconstitutional,” Ferris said.  

NBC4 did reach out to Stephens’s office for a statement about why the bill was on the agenda but did not get a vote, they declined to comment. Other house members said there are ongoing conversations about the legislation.  

We will likely know on Tuesday morning about whether the legislation will be brought to the House floor this week.