The debate over gun-free zones is back in full swing at the 爆料吃瓜 as lawmakers argue which should take precedence: the rights of gun owners or the rights of property owners.
A pair of Republican lawmakers want to allow a certain group of people to carry a concealed weapon wherever they go, even into gun free zones such as schools, daycares and courthouses.
Representative Larry Householder of Glenford says that restriction should be lifted for off duty peace officers.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e trained professionals that know how to deal with horrid circumstances and quite frankly I think it鈥檚 in their best interest and the best interest of the public to use their expertise off duty as well as on,鈥� said Householder.
Laws that weaken gun free zones are not new at the 爆料吃瓜. They include allowing anyone with a concealed carry permit to carry in these areas marked as gun free. Part of the problem, according to Householder, is that the signs declaring a place as free of any weapons makes it a target for someone who wants to carry out an attack.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e generally cowards. They don鈥檛 want to be faced with a firearm themselves and their biggest fear is either a law enforcement officer or a citizen that is armed and trained and law abiding.鈥�
But Householder met resistance from House committee members during a hearing for his bill. Democratic Representative David Leland of Columbus says property owners have made a personal decision to not allow firearms on their grounds.
鈥淭hat have signs up that say no guns allowed in these particular premises we鈥檙e going to allow them to ignore those particular signs put up by people in private property and still carry their weapons into those places of business,鈥� Leland said.
Householder responded, 鈥淲e trust these people every single day to go into these stores, go into these areas that are gun free while they are on duty and all we鈥檙e saying with this legislation is while they鈥檙e off duty, they鈥檙e allowed to go into those areas just the same as if they were on duty.鈥�
Leland also asked Householder and fellow Republican Representative Laura Lanese of Grove City, a co-sponsor, about the definition of peace officer. As Leland points out, that definition covers a wide array of officials from natural resources to taxation.
鈥淭here are a lot of people that some people might not think would fall into the definition of peace officer do you envision all of those people being covered under this legislation?鈥� Leland asked.
鈥淭hese people have been thoroughly vetted, thoroughly trained and will likely to be in a lot of scenarios where we would like to have on hands to be able to respond to an incident that might arise," Lanese replied.
Previous bills that allow certain individuals to bring their guns into gun-free zones have been thwarted. A major opponent to such bills is the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, which says it believes they undermine business and property owners who鈥檝e chosen to ban weapons.
And while Householder says the public would be grateful to have an armed, trained officer in the event of an attack, Leland says those property owners have assessed the risk and made their choice.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 up to the individual to make that decision I mean this is still a free country the last time I looked when government trampled on the rights of individuals and right now they鈥檇 be trampling of people and their private property.鈥�
The bill had its first hearing in committee. No word yet on if it鈥檚 on track to move forward in the near future.
