Merry Christmas!

Best wishes for a wonderful Christmas!

Roll Call on HB 450

Here were the votes in the Ohio House and Senate for Substitute House Bill 450, which extended the rights of adults serving their country in the Armed Forces of the United States:

Senate:

yeas (28): Amstutz, Austria, Boccieri, Buehrer, Cafaro, Carey, Cates, Coughlin, Faber, Fedor, Goodman, Grendell, Harris, Kearney, Lehner, D. Miller, Morano, Niehaus, Padgett, Patton, Roberts, Sawyer, Schaffer, Schuring, Seitz, Stivers, Wagoner, Wilson

nays (3): R. Miller, Smith, Turner

House:

yeas (91): Adams, Aslanides, Bacon, Batchelder, Beatty, Blessing, Bolon, Book, Boyd, Brady, Brinkman, Brown, Bubp, Budish, Carmichael, Celeste, Chandler, Ciafardini, Coley, Collier, Combs, Core, Daniels, DeBose, DeGeeter, DeWine, Dodd, Dolan, Domenick, Driehaus, Dyer, Fende, Flowers, Foley, Gardner, Garrison, Gerberry, Gibbs, Goodwin, Goyal, Grady, J. Hagan, R. Hagan, Harwood, Heard, Heydinger, Hite, Hottinger, Huffman, Hughes, Husted, Jones, Letson, Luckie, Lundy, Mandel, J. McGregor, R. McGregor, Mecklenborg, Miller, Nero, Oelslager, Okey, Otterman, Peterson, Redfern, Reinhard, Sayre, Schindel, Schlichter, Schneider, Sears, Setzer, Skindell, Slesnick, Stebelton, D. Stewart, J. Stewart, Strahorn, Sykes, Szollosi, Uecker, Wachtmann, Wagner, White, B. Williams, S. Williams, Wolpert, Yates, Yuko, Zehringer

nays (0):

Thanks to NRA and BFA

Thanks very much to the National Rifle Association and the Buckeye Firearms Association, who worked tirelessly both publicly and behind the scenes to make sure that a good version of Substitute House Bill 450 was passed.

HB 450 on Governor's Desk for Signature

Update: An amendment to the CHL fee structure, which would have almost certainly meant an increase in CHL fees, was removed from the previously passed Substitute House Bill 450, and the Senate and the House both passed this after midnight last night and sent the bill to the Governor for signature. Read more about all of this here.

Ohio Senate Passes HB 450

The Judiciary - Criminal Justice Committee of the Ohio Senate today approved House Bill 450, with amendments, and sent the bill to the entire Senate, which then also approved the bill. Find out more about this bill here. The Ohio House should vote on concurrence tomorrow. More details later....

On Radio, 12/14/08

I will be a guest on Jim Irvine's radio show tomorrow night on 1420 AM (Cleveland). If you can't listen to the broadcast live, you can listen live on the internet or later to the podcast. Please see this link for further details. The show starts at 10 p.m., and I should be on around 10:40 or so.

Hearing on Ohio House Bill 450

On Wednesday, December 10th, I testified on behalf of Ohio House Bill 450 to the Judiciary - Criminal Justice Committee of the Ohio Senate. The bill's primary sponsor is Representative Goodwin of Defiance. Linda Walker of the Buckeye Firearms Association also testified on behalf of the bill. This bill would allow adults between 18 and 21 who are in the armed forces to purchase handguns. Law enforcement officers of the same age already have this privilege. You can read more about it here. This includes a transcript of my remarks to the committee.

Special Group of People

I would like to recognize a special group of people. Without these people and millions of Americans like them throughout history, there would be no Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association, no National Rifle Association, no Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, no Article 4, Section 1 of the Ohio Constitution, and we would certainly be living very different lives than the ones we are privileged to live in the greatest nation in human history. Some of us served in peacetime, some in the most difficult and dangerous wartime conditions, but all served the cause of freedom. Military veterans, thank you for your service and sacrifice. Let us continue to defend those rights which they and many others have defended, many at a terrible cost.

OFCC Scholarship Deadline Approaching

Ohioans for Concealed Carry is offering a $1,000 scholarship to a "student enrolled in an Ohio college or university who is a current member in good standing of an active on-campus student organization devoted to gun rights." The deadline is November 30th. You can read more about it here.

Gunsmoke in the Air at Guns of August

A few weeks ago, I attended the annual Guns of August Cowboy Action shooting event at Middletown Sportsmen's Club. This is a huge event, and I encourage any of you who have not attended this event or any other Cowboy Action event to do so. It is a lot of fun for the whole family. Along with the very entertaining and skillful shooting events themselves, there were many vendors with items for sale for aspiring cowboys and cowgirls, including firearms. Three of our ORPA Trustees, Alan Joseph, Bob Sacco, and Larry Dan Smith, were very involved with this event. If you have any questions about Cowboy Action, please contact Bob, ORPA's Cowboy Action Shooting Director. Here are some photos I took, which do not give a good idea of the size of this event - there were hundreds of people there.

OFCC Party in the Park

I was very pleased today to be at the "safest place in Ohio", the Ohioans for Concealed Carry's Party in the Park. The reason for the safe environment is that most of the attendees were exercising their rights as Ohioans and Americans to keep and bear arms. I want to thank Ohioans for Concealed Carry for inviting me to the event and giving me the opportunity to speak.

The keynote speaker for this event was Cam Edwards from NRA News, and there were many other speakers. All three candidates for Ohio Attorney General gave speeches, along with a couple of U.S. Congressional Candidates. Cam headed up to Camp Perry after the picnic, so make sure you stop by and say hello to him there and thank him for his support of Ohio firearm owners. Following are a few pictures from the event.

Ohio Attorney General Candidates to Speak on Sunday

The three declared candidates for Ohio Attorney General have indicated that they will attend and speak at the Ohioans for Concealed Carry's Party in the Park event this coming Sunday, August 3rd. The keynote speaker for this event is Cam Edwards from NRA News, and there will be other speakers, including me. The event will be at Liberty Park in Delaware County, north of Columbus, and the public is invited. Tomorrow, Friday, August 1st, is the last day to purchase tickets. You may also bring your own food and drinks and attend for free. You can get more information, including ticket info and a map to the event here and here.

The Ohio Attorney General is an office of particular importance to Ohio firearm owners, so please consider taking this opportunity to meet the candidates.

Liveblog from Camp Perry

You can catch the latest news from the Nationals at Camp Perry here - definitely worth checking out periodically!

ORPA Juniors Shine!

Folks sometimes ask me what you get for an ORPA membership, other than the newsletter and the ability to compete at ORPA matches. Well, it's not all about politics. For one thing, you help support events like the one described here. You also help support our teams, both adult and junior, at the Nationals. No other Ohio firearm organization has as many teams competing at the highest level or runs as many matches.

Thanks go to Tom and Peg Paumier, Newt Engle, and many other folks, along with the University of Akron, for all their hard work and Ohio's fine showing.

If a young person you know might be interested in air-rifle marksmanship, please contact Tom at the email given near the end of the story.

First Shot at Camp Perry

Today, there was the annual First Shot Ceremony at Camp Perry for the National Rifle and Pistol Championships. As ORPA President, I was invited to attend, and I was very honored and happy to represent your Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association. Speakers included Governor Ted Strickland and U.S. Representatives Marcy Kaptur and Bob Latta. Camp Perry is in Representative Kaptur's district, and, as many of you know, Representative Latta has shot many times at Camp Perry, and he said that he is planning to shoot once again in this year's Garand Match. NRA President John Sigler was the primary speaker and the "First Shooter." The First Shot Rifle was a one-of-a-kind Bushmaster DCM, generously donated by Bushmaster.

There were many other distinguished guests and a large crowd on hand to witness Army parachutists jumping from a helicopter with a U.S. flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol and a flyover of Air National Guard fighters. I was not in the best position to take photographs, but there are a few below. Please note the pictures of the Shooters' Memorial, where they are gradually replacing the plain bricks with engraved bricks. A few examples are shown. It is not too late to get your own brick(s). Click here for more information.

Please plan on attending the National Matches, if you are not participating. Ohio is privileged to have the finest shooters in the world attend, and there are many shooting-related vendors also available with special National Match deals. More information on the matches can be found here and here. Many ORPA Members and Teams shoot at these matches, and many Members also give much of their time and effort in helping to run these matches.

Parachutists bringing flag

First Shot!

After First Shot

NRA President Sigler

Shooters' Memorial

Shooters' Memorial bricks

Commercial Row, open for business!

Interesting Events in Willowick

There have been interesting events in Willowick, Ohio, the last couple of weeks. A citizen who was openly carrying a firearm in a holster was stopped by police officers, and most would agree that the citizen was not treated in the most professional manner (audio available - please note, contains foul language). Although open carry is somewhat controversial, it is legal in Ohio (with some exceptions) and in many states for those who are lawful firearm owners, not just Concealed Handgun License holders. For example, the City of Akron has circulated a memo reinforcing the general legality of open carry in Ohio. The original story, including the audio of the encounter (near the bottom on the webpage) is available here. A followup story is available here, with various police records, including reports and police calls. Finally, Ohioans for Concealed Carry had a very productive meeting with Willowick city officials, and this is discussed here. Congratulations to OFCC for their hard (and effective) work on this, turning an unfortunate incident into a positive.

Happy Fourth of July! Don't forget about those who have helped secure and continue to help secure our freedoms.

Landmark DC vs. Heller Decision

By now, you've heard about the DC vs. Heller U.S. Supreme Court decision. The most important part of the decision is that the Supreme Court, for the first time, affirmed that the Second Amendment secures the right to keep and bear arms for individuals, and it is not in any way a "collective" right. Your Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association was involved, assisting with a friend-of-the-court brief. Ohioans should know that the Ohio Constitution is even clearer on the right to keep and bear arms (see the top of this web page), so our Ohio government should also not infringe on our rights in this area.

For more analysis, here are some links:

NRA

Buckeye Firearms Association

Ohioans for Concealed Carry, Part 1

Ohioans for Concealed Carry, Part 2

DC v. Heller Decision Expected Soon

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision on DC v. Heller is expected sometime very soon - very likely this week. This looks to be the most important Supreme Court decision in decades - possibly ever. You can read more about it here, including your Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association's participation in this historic case.

Governor Signs Firearms Law Reform!

Governor Strickland today signed Senate Bill 184. My wife and I attended the signing, and the Governor mentioned the Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association by name as helping in the passage of this very important legislation. The Buckeye Firearms Association and the National Rifle Association worked very hard on this and deserve a tremendous amount of credit. This is a huge victory for all law-abiding citizens of Ohio. Please see this post for details on the bill. The NRA press release on the signing is here. The law becomes effective on September 9, 2008.

Governor to Sign Firearms Law Reform on Tuesday

Governor Strickland is scheduled to sign Senate Bill 184 on Tuesday, June 10th. This is a huge victory for the law-abiding citizens of Ohio. Please see this post for details on the bill. The law becomes effective 90 days after signature.

President's Statement in June/July 2008 "Gunsmoke"

This issue, I’d like to discuss a few different subjects that should be of interest to the members.

The first subject is volunteers, especially those who help with the running of matches. Most of you probably realize that the matches that ORPA runs and sanctions are almost exclusively staffed by volunteers. These volunteers gladly give of their time and often their money, through expenses, to support the shooting sports. In addition, they often give up much, if not all, of their participation in these matches. In many cases, their time goes way beyond what you see of them on match day. They create match programs, collect entries, set up targets, squad participants, and otherwise organize the match beforehand, and they calculate the match scores and determine the winners afterwards. In many cases, they create match reports and send them to all the participants. Making sure that the matches have a venue, such as Camp Perry, is not a trivial task, and dealing with weather and other problems encountered during matches can be very frustrating for the volunteers, as well as the participants. The infamous “boat delays” at Camp Perry are a good example of problems unique to the shooting sports and to certain venues. I’m sure that you shooters know of many others.

So, I hope you’ll be patient next time there are problems at a match. You can be sure that the volunteers are doing the best they can to get “rounds down range” within the constraints of safety, time, and other parameters. Certainly, if you are a participant and feel that you aren’t being treated fairly, you should point this out to the Match Director. However, volunteers cannot control the weather and many other issues, so please have some understanding. Also, if you’re cautioned for a safety-related issue, take it in stride and learn from your mistake. By following a few rules, everyone can feel safe on the line. We’ve all carelessly forgotten a rule from time to time, so don’t take it personally when this is pointed out. By correcting small problems, we can avoid big, disastrous problems that no one wants.

I’d also encourage you to volunteer yourself, whenever you get a chance. Even a small bit of help can make a big difference, if everyone pitches in. Remember, everyone at the match is there because of his or her love of shooting, and the very best thing we can do to promote the shooting sports and protect our rights as Americans and Ohioans is to get as many people as possible involved.

The shooting season will be in full swing when you read this. I hope you’ll consider trying something new this year – perhaps smallbore, if you’re a highpower shooter, or pistol, if you’re a rifle shooter. Most of us have our favorite activity, and this may not change, but I always enjoy trying something new in the shooting sports, even when I’m not that good at it! If you’re a new participant in a sport, let folks know and they’ll be glad to help. If you’re the person who’s experienced, help out the person who’s trying it for the first time. Remember, you had a first time, also.

The last subject I wanted to address was the passing of a great American, Charlton Heston. Mr. Heston was the most dominant figure in the fight for firearms rights in my lifetime. Unlike so many celebrities who support causes that are popular with their fellow glitterati of Hollywood culture, he took numerous stands on issues that were very unpopular in that culture. In this, he showed great courage, and he always made his points firmly, politely, persuasively, and effectively. In doing so, he should be an example for all of us fighting for our rights as Americans. Charlton Heston spent his life "In the Arena," unabashedly fighting for freedom, and he will be sorely missed.

Former Xavier Rifle Team Member On Olympic Team Again

Jason Parker has qualified for his third Olympic Team. Jason is a 1996 graduate of Xavier University where he was a four-year All American. He joined the Army Marksmanship Unit in January 1997. He competed on the 2000 Olympic team in Sydney, the 2004 Olympic Team in Athens, and is now going to Beijing. The official release is on USA Shooting's website. This month, Parker qualified for 2 Olympic events, Men's Smallbore Three Position and Men's Air Rifle. In the past he had competed in Air Rifle only. Jason's coach when he was at Xavier was Alan Joseph, the ORPA Membership Secretary.

Ohio Firearms Law Reform Awaits Governor's Signature!

Today, the Ohio Senate voted 25-7 to approve the improved version of Senate Bill 184. This is a huge victory for the law-abiding citizens of Ohio. Please see the last post for details on the bill.

Please see how your Senator voted and remember this in November:

Yeas – 25

Amstutz, Austria, Boccieri, Buehrer, Cafaro, Carey, Cates, Faber, Fedor, Goodman, Grendell, Harris, Jacobson, Mumper, Niehaus, Padgett, Roberts, Schaffer, Schuler, Schuring, Seitz, Spada, Stivers, Wagoner, Wilson

Nays - 7

Kearney, Mason, D. Miller, R. Miller, Morano, Sawyer, Smith

Ohio Firearms Law Reform Passes Big Hurdle!

Today, the Ohio House voted 73-23 to approve the improved version of Senate Bill 184. This is a major accomplishment, but we need to keep pushing. The Buckeye Firearms Association and the National Rifle Association have been working very hard on this and deserve a tremendous amount of credit. The bill will next be considered by the full Senate. This bill addresses many of the issues we as firearms owners and concealed-carry-license holders have had for some time. Below, you can see a summary of the bill's most important features, in addition to the original "Castle Doctrine" law. You can read more about the amended bill here. Please contact your State Senator and express your support for SB 184.

Also, please check to see how your Representative voted (at bottom) and remember this in November.

SB 184's features (courtesy of Buckeye Firearms Association):

• Clarification on how persons without a Concealed Handgun License (CHL) can legally transport firearms in an automobile
  
• Allows lawful concealed carry in your home without a Concealed Handgun License (CHL)
  
• Clarifies an unloaded firearm as one with no ammunition in the firearm or in magazines or speedloaders, regardless of where else ammunition is stored
  
• Allows lawful Concealed Carry in retail establishments with a class D6/D8 liquor license (package sales only, not bars/restaurants)
  
• Allows pick up/drop off by CHL holders in school safety zones
  
• Provides for mandatory legal fees for gun owners who require court orders to have firearms returned to them.
  
• Allows lawful Concealed Carry in state owned shelters, restrooms and parking garages.
  
• Decriminalizes Concealed Carry in privately owned parking garages.
  
• Prohibits landlords from prohibiting tenants from owning/carrying firearms
  
• Allows CHL holders to carry firearm in unlocked glove compartment or center console.
  
• Expunged/Sealed records are no longer considered when applying for a CHL.
  
• Written test is no longer required for competency renewal of CHL

Yeas - 73

Adams, Aslanides, Bacon, Batchelder, Blessing, Bolon, Book, Brady, Brinkman, Carmichael, Coley, Collier, Combs, Core, Daniels, DeBose, DeWine, Dodd, Dolan, Domenick, Driehaus, Dyer, Evans, Fende, Fessler, Flowers, Gardner, Garrison, Gerberry, Gibbs, Goodwin, Goyal, Hagan, Harwood, Heydinger, Hite, Hottinger, Huffman, Hughes, Husted, Jones, Lundy, Mandel, J. McGregor, R. McGregor, Mecklenborg, Miller, Newcomb, Oelslager, Okey, Otterman, Patton, Peterson, Raussen, Redfern, Reinhard, Sayre, Schindel, Schlichter, Schneider, Sears, Setzer, J. Stewart, Szollosi, Uecker, Wachtmann, Wagner, Webster, White, Widener, Wolpert, Yuko, Zehringer

Nays - 23

Beatty, Boyd, Brown, Budish, Celeste, Chandler, DeGeeter, Foley, Heard, Koziura, Letson, Luckie, Mallory, Skindell, Slesnick, Stebelton, D. Stewart, Strahorn, Sykes, Ujvagi, B. Williams, S. Williams, Yates

Ohio Firearms Law Reform on the Move!

Today, the Ohio House Criminal Justice Committee voted to approve an extremely important amendment to Senate Bill 184 and passed the amended bill out of committee. This is a major accomplishment, but we need to keep pushing. The bill will next be considered by the full House, as early as tomorrow. This amendment addresses many of the issues we as firearms owners and concealed-carry-license holders have had for some time. You can read more about the amended bill here. A summary of the improvements is available here. Please contact your State Representative and express your support for SB 184.

Testimony on Amendment to Ohio SB 184

On Thursday, I testified to the Ohio House Criminal Justice Committee in support of a proposed amendment to Senate Bill 184. This amendment addresses many of the issues we as firearms owners and concealed-carry-license holders have had for some time. We hope for a vote that would move the amended bill out of committee this week. You can read more about the amendment here. Please contact your State Representative and express your support for this amendment and for SB 184.

Ohio House Bill 450 Passes Overwhelmingly!

The Ohio House has passed House Bill 450 with a vote of 90 to 3. The bill's primary sponsor is Representative Goodwin of Defiance. I testified on behalf of this bill last month. The bill will now be considered by the Ohio Senate. This bill would allow adults between 18 and 21 who are in the armed forces to purchase handguns. You can read more about it here.

Omnibus Amendment for "Castle Doctrine"!

This week is a big week for firearm owners in Ohio. An amendment has been proposed for Ohio Senate Bill 184 that addresses many of the issues we as firearm owners and concealed-carry-license holders have had for some time. There will be another meeting of the House Criminal Justice Committee tomorrow which may include a vote. The Buckeye Firearms Association and the National Rifle Association have been working very hard on this. You can get details on the amendment here. Please contact your State Representative and express your support for this amendment. The most important points are (thanks to Buckeye Firearms for this):

1) Establish a clear standard for what constitutes a "loaded firearm."

2) Provide protection from confiscation of firearms during disasters and other emergencies.

3) Allow lawful carry of firearms in establishments with a class D6 liquor permit (includes Kroger, Wal-Mart, etc.)

4) Make changes to the notification of officers by CHL holders.

NRA Annual Meeting in Louisville

Last weekend, I attended the NRA Annual Meeting in Louisville - lots of great gear, big crowds, userful seminars, and good speeches. I thought folks might like to see the program for the Leadership Forum, held on Friday afternoon. Click here. Note the very impressive line-up of speakers and the tribute to a great American on the back cover.

Big Push Needed for "Castle Doctrine"!

The Criminal Justice Committee of the Ohio House is still considering the House version of "Castle Doctrine" legislation, already passed by the Ohio Senate as Senate Bill 184 . This committee could be voting on amendments this week. Many of these amendments are friendly to firearm owners, some are not. I urge you to contact your State Representative and ask him or her to support the self-defense-friendly amendments, to reject the bad amendments, and to act on "Castle Doctrine" now! You can find your State Representative here. You can read more about this here.

CBS News Covers Cowboy Action

We often criticize the media for their portrayal of shooters, generally for good reason, but we should also acknowledge when they show shooting sports in positive light. The CBS Evening News recently had a piece on Cowboy Action Shooting in Arizona that was positive and informative. You can watch it here (after a short commercial).

Chance to Comment on Concealed Carry in National Parks

The U.S Government is accepting comments from citizens on the proposed change in regulations that will allow legal concealed carry of firearms in National Parks and other areas administered by the Interior Department. You can read more about it here. You can submit your comments here.

Committee Passes Ohio House Bill 450

The Ohio House Criminal Justice Committee has passed House Bill 450. The bill's primary sponsor is Representative Goodwin of Defiance. I testified on behalf of this bill last month. The bill will now be considered by the full House of Representatives. This bill would allow adults between 18 and 21 who are in the armed forces to purchase handguns. You can read more about it here.

Shooter Lones Wigger Makes Olympic Hall of Fame

Shooter Lones Wigger has been selected to be in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. Thanks to everyone who voted for Lt. Col. Wigger as requested here. You can read more about Lt. Col. Wigger here. The press release from the Olympic Hall of Fame is here.

Concealed Carry Improvement Bill Introduced in Senate

Ohio Senate Bill 318 has been introduced by Senator Faber. This bill incorporates many changes to concealed-carry law in Ohio. It has been assigned to the Judiciary - Criminal Justice Committee. You can read more about it here.

Hearing on Ohio House Bill 450

Today, I testified on behalf of Ohio House Bill 450 to the Criminal Justice Committee. The bill's primary sponsor is Representative Goodwin of Defiance. I was the only proponent witness and there were no opponent witnesses. This bill would allow adults between 18 and 21 who are in the armed forces to purchase handguns. You can read more about it here.

Ohio Senate Passes "Castle Doctine" Overwhelmingly!

The Senate Judiciary - Criminal Justice Committee of the Ohio Senate voted SB 184, the "Castle Doctrine" bill, out of committee this morning, and this afternoon the entire Senate passed the bill by a vote of 31-0. You can read more about this here.

USSA Candidates' Reception

I attended the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Ohio Candidates' Reception in Columbus this evening. Many incumbent and non-incumbent candidates attended this reception to meet with sportsmen and women from all across Ohio. One very important aspect of this reception is that both the Ohio Republican and Ohio Democratic Parties were sponsors, demonstrating the bipartisan nature of much legislation in this area. Linda Walker and Larry Moore of the Buckeye Firearms Association helped me meet quite a few legislators and future legislators.

Ohio Senate Bill 184 Amended

Ohio Senate Bill 184 , the "Castle Doctrine" bill, was amended in its fifth hearing before the Senate Judiciary - Criminal Justice Committee. You can read more about this here. I urge you to contact your State Senator and encourage him or her to push for passage of this bill. Also, please contact your State Representative and ask for passage of the companion bill, House Bill 264.

2008 ORPA Highpower Season Starting May 10th & 11th

The first matches of the ORPA Highpower Season are on May 10th and 11th at Camp Perry. The Ohio State Service Rifle Individual Championship is on May 10th, and the Ohio State Service Rifle Team Championship is on May 11th. In addition, a Garand Match will be held in conjunction with the Team Championship on the 11th. Please contact me at orpa@embarqmail.com if you need further information.

Charlton Heston, R.I.P.

As you are no doubt aware, Charlton Heston passed away on Saturday. Mr. Heston was the most dominant figure in the fight for firearms rights in my lifetime. Unlike so many celebrities who support causes that are popular with their fellow glitterati of Hollywood culture, he took numerous stands on issues that were very unpopular in that culture. In this, he showed great courage, and he always made his points firmly, politely, persuasively, and effectively. In doing so, he should be an example for all of us fighting for our rights as Americans. Charlton Heston spent his life "In the Arena," unabashedly fighting for freedom, and he will be sorely missed.

President's Statement in April/May 2008 "Gunsmoke"

We are in an important election year, and it’s vital to ensure that our elected officials keep our point of view in mind. It is too easy to just complain among ourselves about bad bills that are passed, good bills that don’t get passed, bad court decisions, or any other political development we don’t like. We as law-abiding firearms owners need to effectively communicate our perspective to our elected officials. I have a few suggestions for accomplishing this that vary in difficulty from very easy to a little more time-consuming.

1) Educate yourself. This is essential to all of the following suggestions. Find out who your officials are. An excellent resource for this is here. You can enter your Zip Code and find your officials. If you have problems with this or need help identifying your elected officials, please contact me. Also, find out how your officials are actually voting on important issues. You can’t always be sure that their actions match their campaign promises. I am instituting a “Legislative Corner” in each issue of “Gunsmoke” that will give an update on firearms-related issues, focusing on Ohio issues.

2) Vote. This is an obvious suggestion, but it’s surprising how many people do not vote, especially in off-year elections. Not only does your vote obviously count directly in electing firearms-friendly officials, but, by voting in every election, you make the actions suggested below even more effective. Although how you vote is secret, how often you vote is public knowledge, and you will be taken much more seriously if you vote in every election than if you never or rarely vote.

3) Contact your officials. It is a fact that letters, phone calls, and other communications are extremely effective in influencing public policy, especially at the state and local level. Politely, respectfully, and firmly express your opinion on specific legislation. You can find out bill numbers and other information from “Gunsmoke” and other resources. You can also express your general support of firearms-related rights and of ORPA’s efforts in defending those rights.

4) Renew your ORPA membership and recruit new members for ORPA. When I and other ORPA officers communicate with officials, our membership level is very important to the level of influence we have. Also, a higher membership level makes for a financially healthier ORPA, enabling us to better support not just legislative efforts, but competitions, junior and disabled shooting, and our many other programs.

5) Contribute to campaigns. Ohio has an interesting feature in its tax law whereby Ohio taxpayers can give money to candidates in Ohio races at effectively no cost to the taxpayer. Qualifying races are those for the Ohio Senate, the Ohio House, Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor of State, Treasurer of State, Ohio Attorney General, the Ohio Supreme Court, and the Ohio Board of Education. If you give up to $50 as a single taxpayer or $100 as Married, Filing Jointly, to the campaign committees of candidates in these qualifying races, you can then claim a tax credit on your Ohio return for that tax year. This is a tax credit and not just a deduction, which means that the entire amount of your contribution, up to the limits mentioned above, can be taken off of your tax liability when you file. Please note that this is for the state-level races named above only, not federal or local races. I urge you to take advantage of this Ohio tax feature during this important election year. Please include a letter with your contribution expressing your support of the shooting sports, hunting, and firearms rights for law-abiding citizens and your membership in and support of the Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association. This will help ORPA in our efforts to defend your rights and promote the shooting sports.

6) Take someone shooting or hunting. The more people involved in the shooting sports, the stronger our sports and the greater our influence. Juniors are particularly important in this regard, since they represent the future of our sports. Also, make new participants feel welcome at your competitions, so they continue to be involved.

If you have any questions on any of the above suggestions, please contact me. Although all voters influence the political process, it is a fact that those who are most involved have the most influence. We as shooters, hunters, and collectors need to effectively participate in the political process to defend the principles we all hold dear. Your Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association is working hard to defend these principles, but we need the help of every one of our members.

Representative Jim McGregor Speaks at ORPA Meeting

State Representative Jim McGregor, 20th Ohio House District, spoke at the March 30th ORPA Trustees Meeting. Mr. McGregor discussed his support of firearm rights, along with his commitment to hunting and shooting sports. He also spoke about his efforts to ensure funding of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in the future. He then answered a few questions from the ORPA Trustees.

ORPA is committed to education and awareness of important Ohio issues, and we therefore invite any Ohio state government officials and candidates to discuss issues of importance to ORPA members at our meetings on a time-available basis. Interested officials and candidates should contact me to arrange a date.

ORPA/Friends of Camp Perry Pop-up Match

The Pistol Pop-up Target Match at Camp Perry that was co-sponsored by the Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association and the Friends of Camp Perry was a big success. We had 171 shooters, and, because many shooters shot more than once, we had 40 full relays of 10 each. I'm sure the Friends of Camp Perry will have photographs on their site in a few days, but, meanwhile, here are a few that I took.

The first picture shows the little pop-targets prior to the start of the relay. They do not stay up like this during the actual shooting. Various ones pop-up for a few seconds until you either hit them or they go back down. The next two pictures show shooters on the line. The final shot shows the mud that was omnipresent. You can click on an image to see a larger version.

Trustees Meeting on Sunday, March 30th

There will be a Trustees Meeting on Sunday, March 30th, starting at 9:00 a.m., at AMVETS Post #89 in northeast Columbus. You can get a map here. All ORPA members are invited, although only Trustees can vote on issues at these meetings. It is a good opportunity to see what's going on with your organization and to become more involved. Please see the right side of this web-page for information on future ORPA meetings, including the Annual Meeting in November.

Pop-up Target Match at Camp Perry, 3/29/08

This is a reminder of the pistol match being held at Camp Perry next Saturday, March 29th, where you get to shoot at pop-up targets. This is sponsored by the Friends of Camp Perry and ORPA. Details are here. Some pictures from the last pop-up match for rifles are here, and some from the last pistol match are here.

DC vs. Heller Arguments This Week

The oral arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court Second Amendment case, DC vs. Heller, will be given this coming week. See here for more information and links concerning this case, which will almost certainly be the most important such case in decades. This includes the State Firearms Association amicus brief, to which ORPA contributed. A couple of good web-sites for tracking developments are here and here.

ORPA Testimony on HB 264: "Castle Doctrine"

I testified on behalf of Ohio House Bill 264 at a hearing today. Please note the bill's sponsor and co-sponsors. The hearing was for the Criminal Justice committee, chaired by Representative White. The corresponding bill in the Ohio Senate is Senate Bill 184. There were two proponents and two opponents testifying in reference to this bill. Ken Hanson, of the Buckeye Firearms Association, was the other proponent, and Mr. Hanson gave his usual excellent testimony on behalf of this bill. The Buckeye Firearms Association deserves a tremendous amount of credit for their hard work on this and much other legislation.

The two main arguments advanced by the opponents were: 1) There is no need for this legislation, since self-defense is sufficiently covered in common law, and 2) Passage of the legislation would enable true criminals to claim self-defense in any case of a shooting. In response to the first argument, unfortunately there have been cases where people's lives have been severely damaged after being forced to defend themselves. Ryan Cundiff is one such person. For the second argument, instead of hypothetical nightmare scenarios, which the anti-self-defense advocates love to cite, we can point to many other states which have similar laws and none of the problems predicted.

I urge you to contact your State Representative and State Senator and ask them to move this vital legislation forward. You can find out who your representatives are and keep track of legislation in the "Ohio Legislation Status" area on this web-page.

Ohio "Castle Doctrine" Bills Receiving Hearings Next Week

[UPDATED - There will be no hearings on SB 184 this week. See here for more information.]

The Ohio House version of the "Castle Doctrine" legislation will have a hearing again this coming week. The House committee handling HB 264 will have a hearing at 9:30 a.m., Thursday, March 13th. You can find out more about this hearing and the bill here, here, here, and here. Please also keep an eye on the "Ohio Legislation Status" area on the right side of this web-page. There, you can find links to Ohio bills and help in contacting your representatives.
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"Columbus Dispatch" Covers OSU Rifleman

There's a nice article about Sam Ohlinger of the OSU Rifle team here. You can get more information, including links to some OSU and Akron team sites, here.

Lones Wigger for U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame

Please consider voting on-line for Lones Wigger for the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. Lt. Col. Wigger was a three-time Olympian and served his country honorably in Vietnam. You can read more about Lt. Col. Wigger and vote here. The voting card is on the right side of the web-page.

Recruiting New Members

I hope you will consider joining ORPA, if you are not already a member, and recruiting new members, if you are. Now is a great time to join or renew, since dues are going up on April 1st. You can print out the form here, fill it out, and send it in to the address given.

When I and other ORPA officers communicate with officials, our membership level is very important to the level of influence we have. Also, a higher membership level makes for a financially healthier ORPA, enabling us to better support not just legislative efforts, but competitions, junior and disabled shooting, and our many other programs.

Important Election Year Information

We are in an important election year, and it’s vital to ensure that our elected officials keep our point of view in mind. It is too easy to just complain among ourselves about bad bills that are passed, good bills that don’t get passed, bad court decisions, or any other political developments we don’t like. We as law-abiding firearms owners need to effectively communicate our perspective to our elected officials.

Ohio has an interesting feature in its tax law whereby Ohio taxpayers can give money to candidates in Ohio races at effectively no cost to the taxpayer. Qualifying races are those for the Ohio Senate, the Ohio House, Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor of State, Treasurer of State, Ohio Attorney General, the Ohio Supreme Court, and the Ohio Board of Education. If you give up to $50 as a single taxpayer or $100 as Married, Filing Jointly, to the campaign committees of candidates in these qualifying races, you can then claim a tax credit on your Ohio return for that tax year.

This is a tax credit and not just a deduction, which means that the entire amount of your contribution, up to the limits mentioned above, can be taken off of your tax liability when you file. Please note that this is for the state-level races named above only, not federal or local races. See the information concerning this tax credit for the 2007 tax year (entered on Line 55 of the tax form IT 1040) on page 24 of this. However, please note that any contributions made this year (2008) cannot be used for a tax credit until your 2008 tax return is filed early next year.

I urge you to take advantage of this Ohio tax feature during this important election year to support those Ohio candidates who support our rights. Please include a letter with your contribution expressing your support of the shooting sports, hunting, and firearms rights for law-abiding citizens and your membership in and support of the Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association. This will help ORPA in our efforts to defend your rights and promote the shooting sports.

Phone Call From Congressman Latta

Recently, I received a phone call from Mr. Bob Latta, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the 5th Ohio District. Congressman Latta has been a member of ORPA for many years and has shot at Camp Perry. He indicated his continuing support of issues important to ORPA members and his strong support of Camp Perry while he served in Ohio Government. He stated that he fully intends to remain a strong supporter of issues important to Ohio shooters and hunters now that he is in Washington. Congressman Latta was one of the signers of the congressional amicus brief for DC v Heller, discussed below.

Right to Carry in National Parks

Our National Parks prohibit law-abiding, responsible citizens who have received a concealed-carry license in Ohio the means to defend themselves and others while enjoying the parks. The Bush administration and most of the U.S. Senate have asked the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reconsider this policy. Neither of Ohio's U.S. Senators signed a letter requesting this change in policy. You can read more about this here.

Phone Call from U.S. Representative Space's Office

I received a phone call today from Jillian Carroll, who is with the office of U.S. Representative Zack Space, 18th Ohio District. She indicated the Representative's support of issues important to ORPA members. Congressman Space was one of the signers of the congressional amicus brief for DC v Heller, discussed below. She specifically mentioned Representative Space's co-sponsorship of U.S. House H.R. 4900, which attempts to reform the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. More information on this bill can be found here.

Camp Perry in the Spring

We're having a very wintry day here in Ohio, so I thought folks might like a little taste of Camp Perry, Center of the Shooting Universe, in the Spring. Please note the spectactular Buckeye trees. Click on an image for a larger version.

Ohio House BIll 478

Ohio House Bill 478 will enable those Ohioans who obtain a concealed-carry license to claim the license fee as an Ohio income-tax credit. Therefore, assuming their Ohio income-tax liability is greater than the license fee, they will eventually be fully reimbursed for the cost of the license. This bill was introduced on 2/14/08 and has not yet been assigned to a committee. Further information on this bill can be found on the Buckeye Firearms Association web-site.

Ohio House Bill 450

Presently, Ohioans must be 21 years of age to purchase handguns. The only exception to this is for those 18 or older who are sworn police officers. Ohio House Bill 450 would make a similar exception for military servicemembers. The bill would permit active or reserve members of the armed services or Ohio National Guard, who have received firearms training, to purchase handguns for personal use, such as target and recreational shooting, hunting, and self-defense.

Camp Perry Opportunities

There are a couple of ORPA-related opportunities I wanted to let people know about. First, the Friends of Camp Perry have a program where you can purchase an engraved paver brick that will be placed in the Shooters Memorial Plaza at Camp Perry. Details are here.

Also, the same group and ORPA co-sponsor a series of very enjoyable matches at Camp Perry, where you can shoot at pop-up targets. There's a pistol match in the Spring and a rifle match in the Fall. The next pistol match is on Saturday, March 29th. Details are here.

Some pictures from the last pop-up match for rifles are here, and some from the last pistol match are here.

OSU Rifle Athlete on LiveChat

Feb. 18, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Emily Meyer (meyer.504@osu.edu/614.292.1389)

Chat Live with Rifle’s Sam Ohlinger at 11 a.m. Friday

X’ Marks the Spot: Buckeye Student-Athlete Tutors U.S. Army in Marksmanship

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sam Ohlinger, a senior captain on the Ohio State rifle team, will hold a live online chat from 11-11:30 a.m. Friday to answer fans’ questions. Fans can submit their questions in advance or may participate live through the website at OhioStateBuckeyes.com. To submit questions on the live events page, click on the ‘blue people’ icon on the right side of the screen. Online chats with Ohio State student-athletes are free events and do not require participants to register for Buckeye Vision.This past December, Ohlinger instructed the U.S. Army’s Army’s 3rd Ranger Battalion in advanced marksmanship principles. The senior is on track to graduate in June with a degree in political science and plans on attending law school next year. Click here to post a question for Sam Ohlinger

Emily Meyer
Ohio State Athletics CommunicationsRoom
124 St. John Arena
410 Woody Hayes Drive
Columbus, OH 43210
Phone: 614.292.1389
Fax: 614.292.8547
E-mail: meyere@buckeyes.ath.ohio-state.edu
ohiostatebuckeyes.com

Briefs filed for DC v. Heller

Most of the NRA-affiliated State Associations have collaborated on an amicus brief for DC v. Heller. Here is a Washington Post story on this case and the case's Wikipedia entry. The Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association has assisted with this brief for what will probably be the most important Second Amendment ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court in our lifetimes. The brief can be found here.

Members of the U.S. House and Senate have also signed an amicus brief for DC v. Heller. 55 Senators and 250 Representatives signed the brief. The list of signers is here. The following Ohio legislators signed this amicus brief: Representatives Boehner, Chabot, Hobson, Jordan, LaTourette, Latta, Pryce, Ryan, Schmidt, Space, Tiberi, Turner, and Wilson and Senator Voinovich. In addition, 31 states, including Ohio, have filed a separate amicus brief in support of overturning the DC gun ban. Attorney General Marc Dann represented Ohio as co-counsel for this brief.

Ohio's own Buckeye Firearms Association has also filed an amicus brief, as has the NRA. All briefs and a great deal of other information about this case can be found here.

Akron/OSU Rifle Match

I went up to the University of Akron on February 2nd to see the match between the rifle teams of Akron and Ohio State. I found it very interesting and enjoyable, and I think the shooters are a fine group of young men and women in whom Ohioans should take a lot of pride. Also, both coaches are involved with ORPA: Newt Engle of Akron is a Trustee and the Collegiate Director, and Pat Cherry of OSU is a Past President. I plan to write an article for "Gunsmoke" about this and include team photos, but I thought folks might enjoy seeing the team photos in full color, so here they are. Here are some related web-sites:

University of Akron Rifle Team

Ohio State University Rifle Team

OSU Rifle Team Boosters

ORPA Testimony on SB 184

I testified on behalf of Ohio Senate Bill 184 at a hearing on Wednesday, January 30th. Instead of a long post, I'll point you to a few related links, including the bill itself. Please note the bill's sponsor and co-sponsors. The hearing was for the Judiciary - Criminal Justice committee, chaired by Senator Grendell. The corresponding bill in the Ohio House of Representatives is House Bill 264.

The office of the bill's sponsor, Senator Buehrer, 1st Senate District in the NW corner of Ohio (Ohio Senate district map), was extremely helpful to me.

The Buckeye Firearms Association has coverage of the hearings which has a positive mention of ORPA. Also, The Ready Line has coverage.

Here is a relatively short story from a Cleveland television station (no mention of ORPA, sorry).

I'll be writing a short article about this for the next "Gunsmoke."

President's Statement in February/March 2008 "Gunsmoke"

My name is David Johnson, and I am the new President of the Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association. ORPA is made up of people who give generously of their time and money to support the shooting sports and our fundamental rights as Americans and Ohioans, and it is an honor and a privilege to be elected to head this fine organization, which is preparing to celebrate its 75th anniversary.

Most of you do not know me, so I wanted to give a bit of my background and interests. I am a Silver-Level ORPA Life Member, an Endowment Life Member of the National Rifle Association, a Life Member of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, and a member of the Greene County Fish and Game Association. I am a native Ohioan from the Dayton area and have been a resident of Ohio my entire life. I am a materials-behavior researcher, an adjunct professor at a major private university, and a Marine veteran. I am interested in all shooting sports and am an avid firearms collector, hunter, and highpower-rifle competitor.

As ORPA President, I certainly plan to help continue the high-quality competitive activities in the various shooting disciplines for which ORPA is justly famous. However, I do have three primary focus areas which I see as helping to broaden our membership and increase our visibility.

The first focus area is in technology. In today’s world, an organization’s web-site is its face to the world. I want to make sure that we are taking full advantage of this opportunity of reaching millions of people at a relatively small cost. Also, we hope to introduce the opportunity of paying and renewing membership on-line with a credit card, and we have other ideas in the area of technology that we shall pursue. To further this goal, my immediate predecessor initiated a Technology Committee, for which I am the chair. Any suggestions or offers to help would be greatly appreciated.

The second focus area is in reaching out to the hunting community. We in Ohio are privileged to have hunting opportunities second to nowhere in the world, and we have hundreds of thousands of hunters that take advantage of this bounty. I am one of these Ohio hunters, and I hope that hunters can become more aware of ORPA and that we can encourage them to become active OPRA members and supporters.

The third and last focus area is more active involvement in government at the state level. Our model in this regard is the National Rifle Association at the national level. Many or possibly even most NRA members join the NRA because the NRA is seen as fighting for our Second Amendment rights at the national level, and ORPA should be seen in a similar light, working at the state level. Our status as a non-profit does limit our ability to support individual candidates, but we can certainly support issues of importance to shooters, hunters, and all people interested in the outdoors. The success in passing the concealed-carry law is a good example of such an effort, and, as a concealed-carry-permit holder, I see the benefit of such efforts. There are many other such state-level issues which ORPA can support, and there will be many more in the future. ORPA will firmly stand for the rights of law-abiding firearm owners in the discussion and resolution of these issues.

I would like to thank my immediate predecessor, G. Martin Capito, for all of his hard work in leading this organization for three years. Marty has agreed to continue to serve ORPA as its Secretary, and I know that, along with his work in this new position, his experience and advice will be a great help to me and to ORPA.

In conclusion, as ORPA prepares to celebrate its 75th year, I hope you will become more involved in the organization, even if it is by just recruiting a few new members. If you have any suggestions or comments, please send them to me via US Mail or e-mail. Even more important than supporting ORPA, I hope you will work to get more people involved in the shooting sports and in hunting. Each person that participates, even one time, is one less person susceptible to the arguments of those who would portray shooters and hunters in a negative light and who would attempt to take away those rights which have been secured at such a high cost to many Americans, including many Ohioans.

David Johnson, Ph.D.
President, Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association