Ohio State Representative Ron Hood is confident that Ohio will be the 18th state to pass Constitutional Carry.
On May 30, 2019, Hood said “It’s just a matter of time where we will have this law.”
Hood is on to something when considering the current makeup of the Ohio State legislature, in which Republicans control all branches of government.
The Ohio Representative has been a Constitutional Carry champion since the 1990s.
The current bill he’s filed, HB 178, would allow any law-abiding individual to carry a handgun without a permit.
Naturally, this bill has attracted opposition from groups such as law enforcement, which they say would make their jobs more dangerous.
Usual anti-gun suspects like Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America have joined in opposition.
The central Ohio chapter of the group was particularly opposed to this law. They counter-signaled by claiming to respect the Second Amendment, while, ironically, campaigning against a bill that would actually restore gun rights.
The central Ohio chapter spokesperson Richele O’Connor said “I think we all want the same thing. I think we all want to be safe.”
O’Connor stressed the need for finding common ground.
Hood responded strongly, noting that gun control laws are ineffective at battling crime.
“Gun laws only hurt law-abiding citizens; criminals don’t obey gun laws of any kind,” Hood claimed.
Ohio is a mediocre state for gun rights, ranked as the 28th friendliest state for gun owners according to Guns & Ammo magazine.
Nevertheless, Ohio’s gun laws do need work, and Hood’s bill would be a step in the right direction.
