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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