Election Reforms can — PROTECT Democracy . . . and the Republic
GUN VIOLENCE- OHIO
Why have Ohio Politicians ignored the Majority of Citizens desiring stronger gun safety laws and reduced gun violence?
Politicians in Ohio have removed most gun safety protections
The Law Center (Giffords Law Center) to Prevent Gun Violence’s in-depth tracking shows that States with Strong Gun laws have lower death rates.
The Center has a grading system for gun laws in each State and scores Ohio with an F rating. Ohio has a flawed Background Check approach for gun purchases, has no restrictions on Assault Weapons and large capacity gun magazines, has no gun control measures to protect Domestic Violence victims, allows people to carry guns in schools k-12, enacted a permitless carry law, and has no Child Access Safety Protections, along with the lack of other measures that reduce gun violence in other states. For years, Politicians in Ohio have been aggressive in removing gun safety protections and increasing uncontrolled access to weapons, in spite of Voter wishes.
Ohio Voters want increased Gun Safety
An October 2022 Baldwin Wallace Pulse poll of Ohio voters provides insight into the desire by citizens in the state for increased gun safety. The results of this poll concluded– “Majorities of all demographic groups, including conservatives and gun owners, support additional restrictions on guns (in Ohio). A whopping 85% favor expanding background checks for 18-21-year-old gun purchasers, 79% support raising the minimum age to buy an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21, and three-quarters (75%) approve of “red flag” laws that allow police to temporarily remove firearms from owners deemed to pose a danger.”
Proposed HB51 Unconstitutional and would endanger Ohio citizens
In response to Voter demand for increased gun control, Ohio Politicians have proposed House Bill 51. An article by Spectrum News 1 stated– ” . . . according to Sponsors, (HB 51) states that if the federal government were to pass certain gun laws . . . under HB 51, local police departments cannot enforce these laws in Ohio.” In fact, a city or town whose police department followed federal gun law requirements would be exposed to civil suit and fines of $50,000 per incident.
Stephen Calardo, an attorney with Everytown’s Moms Demand Action Ohio, explained the anti-democratic bill– “HB51 would be a nullification statute likely Unconstitutional (as was Missouri’s substantially similar nullification law) under the US Constitution Supremacy Clause )10th Amendment) . . . “
Gifford’s Law Center shared one of the ways that HB51 would endanger lives in Ohio — “This bill is dangerous and radical and it would be a death sentence for victims of domestic violence in particular . . . it would seek to actively stop state and local public officials and employees in Ohio from using their resources to protect most victims of domestic violence from armed domestic abusers.”
Suppressing the Will of the Majority
In spite of a large majority of citizens wanting stronger gun safety laws and reduced gun violence, Politicians in Ohio continue to SUPPRESS the Will of the Majority of Voters.
Moms Demand Action 2023 Advocacy Day event at the Ohio Statehouse
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IN THE NEWS
Published by Ohio Capital Journal
G9.) Human, financial costs of gun violence are growing dramatically, health care group says
By MARTY SCHLADEN
FEBRUARY 20, 2024
In Ohio . . . The number of gun deaths increased 52% between 2012 and 2021, according to the group Everytown for Gun Safety.
There have been attempts to quantify the cost of gun violence in the United States . . . an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association that added up 2022 estimates from medical expenses to criminal-justice costs to quality-of-life costs due to gun violence. The total: $557 billion . . .
Since 2013, there have been at least 1,165 cases of gunfire on school grounds . . .
Published in Ohio Capital Journal
G8.) Ohio Republican gun law proposal is unconstitutional, performative, and needlessly dangerous
By Marilou Johanek
March 14, 2023
Ohio House Bill 51, introduced on February 15, 2023 bans local and state police from enforcing federal gun laws that keep citizens safe.
“The U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause ensures that federal law trumps state law. (A federal judge has already rejected the stunt pulled by Missouri Republicans, and widely panned by police, as unconstitutional.)”
“Ohio leaders have bent over backward to give powerful gun lobbyists everything they wanted and more. The National Rifle Association owns our Statehouse lock, stock, and barrel.”
(Ohio GOP legislators) . . .” have made it legal to shoot first and ask questions later, pack heat as a classroom teacher with minimal firearm instruction, not inform police you are carrying a lethal weapon, and bring an assault rifle to a riot.”
Published in The Columbus Dispatch
G7.) “Columbus mayor declares gun violence a public health crisis, forms alliance to fight illegal guns”
“Mayor Andrew J. Ginther declared gun violence a public health crisis in Columbus and announced the formation of a community coalition tasked with advocating for state and federal gun control laws.”
By Eric Lagatta
February 15, 2022
“After 2021 became the second-consecutive record year for homicides in the city (Columbus), Mayor Andrew J. Ginther and other city leaders announced Tuesday that they are taking the significant step of declaring gun violence a public health crisis within the city.”
“ Ginther (Columbus mayor) also announced at the press conference that the city is forming a broad multi-disciplinary coalition to pressure Ohio and U.S. lawmakers to pass legislation to help get illegal guns off the streets.”
“‘There is a Republican blockade,” said Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein, that is seeking to “prevent cities and individuals from doing anything to prevent gun violence in our communities.'”
Published on WCMH TV NBC4 (Columbus)
G6.) “Ohio files suit against Columbus firearm restrictions”
By Maeve Walsh
December 14, 2023
“The state of Ohio has launched a legal challenge against Columbus City Council’s move to restrict the use and sale of firearms within city limits.
“ The three-pronged package (new Columbus law), which becomes effective on Thursday, bans Columbus residents from having magazines holding 30 or more rounds, criminalizes the sale or lending of firearms to those prohibited from having a gun, and penalizes those who fail to safely store a firearm.”
High school student protest march against gun violence and for gun_ aw reform (Wikimedia Commons License)
Published in USA Today
G5.) “A ‘disturbing trend’: More police are dying from gun violence today than a decade ago“
By Grace Hauck
January 11, 2023
“From 2010 through the end of 2020, an average of 53 officers were killed each year in firearms-related incidents, the report said. The 64 deaths by gunfire in 2022 represents an increase of 21% over the average a decade ago.”
“Of the dozens of officers fatally shot last year, 11 were ambushed, 10 were attempting to make an arrest, nine were handling domestic disputes, eight were investigating “suspicious circumstances or people,” six were killed making traffic stops, and five were killed handling disturbance calls, according to the report.”
“Firearms became the leading cause of death among children and teens in the United States in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
Published on Politico
G4.) “Study shows majority of gun owners support specific gun safety policies”
” “This is not as partisan an issue as it’s perceived, and this is not as controversial an issue as it is perceived,” said Michael Siegel, who led the research.”
“The study found broad support among gun owners for laws that aim to keep people at high risk of violence from gaining access to guns.”
Published on Politico
By Madison Fernandez
October 19, 2022
“A report released Wednesday from 97Percent, a bipartisan group of gun owners and non-gun owners that conducts research on gun safety policies, surveyed 1,078 gun owners nationwide to examine their perceptions of specific gun safety policy details. The study found broad support among gun owners for laws that aim to keep people at high risk of violence from gaining access to guns.”
” Red flag laws, universal background checks, required permits for the purchase or possession of a gun and violent misdemeanor laws are among those that win support from gun owners, according to the polling. Altogether, those policies have the potential to reduce firearm homicide rates by as much as 28 percent, the study says.”
Published on Giffords.org
G3.) “Background Checks and Mental Health Reporting in Ohio“
Published on Giffords.org
September 15, 2021
” Federal law generally prohibits possession of firearms and ammunition by people who have been found by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority to be a danger to themselves or others, or to lack “the mental capacity to contract or manage [their] own affairs,” as a result of their mental condition or illness.”
” Federal law also generally prohibits people from possessing firearms if they have been involuntarily hospitalized or committed to a mental health or substance abuse treatment facility by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority.”
“(However,)Ohio has no laws requiring the reporting of mental health information to NICS.”
Published by The Associated Press
G2.) “US Supreme Court Ruling Could Topple State, Local Gun Laws“
August 7, 2022
“The Supreme Court ruling (Bruen) expanding gun rights threatens to upend firearms restrictions across the country as activists wage court battles over everything from bans on AR-15-style guns to age limits.”
” The first major gun decision in more than a decade, the ruling could dramatically reshape gun laws in the U.S. even as a series of horrific mass shootings pushes the issue back into the headlines.”
“‘We will see a lot of tax dollars and government resources that should be used to stop gun crime being used to defend gun laws that are lifesaving and wildly popular,” said Jonathan Lowry, chief counsel and vice president at Brady, the gun control group.”
Published by Reuters
G1.) “Buffalo, New York sues gun makers, accusing industry of fueling violence“
By Brendan Pierson
December 20, 2022
” The upstate New York city of Buffalo on Tuesday filed a lawsuit in state court accusing major gun manufacturers of fueling violence through irresponsible marketing and sales practices.”
” The case appeared to be the first time a city has sued major gun companies under a 2021 New York law that allows lawsuits against gun makers and sellers for creating a “public nuisance” through their business practices.”
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