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Bill to remove ban on self-defense while dining drafted
Ever since Concealed Carry passed in Ohio back in 2004, Ohioans For Concealed Carry has been working to try to decrease the number of places where license holders are prohibited from exercising their right to self defense.
One of the most frequently requested changes is to remove the ban on self defense while dining in a nice restaurant. Under current Ohio law, CHL holders are prohibited from carrying their firearm into any restaurant which has a class D liquor permit and serves liquor. This means virtually all restaurants other than fast food places or diners are off limits. Ohio is one of the few states with such severe restrictions, as forty other states have a provision for self defense while dining.
In early September of 2008, Ohioans For Concealed Carry began work on a bill that would fix this inconsistency and enable trained and licensed citizens to carry their firearm with them.
Recently, there began to be some movement on the bill OFCC's Secretary/Treasurer Daniel White drafted. Tuesday, the Ohio Legislative Service Commission finished a draft of that bill at the request of Representative Shannon Jones who was working with OFCC Coordinator Mike Kinsey. The draft is nearly identical to what OFCC submitted, with only one minor edit and the addition of a reference to definitions in the Ohio Revised Code.
A simple fix, this bill would add restaurants to the current exemption that covers class D retail stores, provided the licensee is not consuming alcohol.
"The anti-gun crowd likes to talk about 'common sense' gun laws," said White. "Is it common sense to prohibit licensed individuals from being able to protect themselves just because they happen to be in a restaurant that serves alcohol? I can have a root beer and a cheeseburger at McDonald's while carrying my firearm and it's perfectly legal, but if I go across the street to Applebee's and have the same meal I'm committing a felony?"
Now that the LSC has created a draft for the bill, the next step is to get sponsorship lined up so it can be submitted for consideration. The OFCC legislative committee is hard at work garnering support and we will keep our members and supporters informed of the status of the bill.