As the new session of the Ohio General Assembly started, Governor Mike DeWine’s hopes to get his gun legislation passed ended.
“Strong Ohio” expired when the new session began and will need to be re-introduced for it to be considered by legislators. The bill was introduced in the wake of the 2019 mass shooting in Dayton that left nine people dead and a couple of dozen injured. The bill was going to increase penalties for illegally owning firearms, removing guns from people who were deemed at risk of hurting people, and enhancing state and federal background checks. While “Strong Ohio” may not make it intact, parts of it could show up in other gun reform bills.
"There is a lot of support in the General Assembly for second amendment rights to allow individuals to protect themselves in an appropriate way,” says Bob Cupp, Ohio Speaker of the House. “And there may be some aspects of the other proposals that we could consider, but they are going to be on an individual basis."
DeWine did sign stand your ground legislation at the end of last year, which will remove the clause in the current Ohio law which says people have to try and escape if they are in danger in a public place before using deadly force.
