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Key Points on Conceal and Carry
for Municipalities
January/February 2004
By:
Kimball H. Carey
VIEW OR PRINT ARTICLE IN PDF FORMAT
The controversial “conceal/carry” bill, signed by
Governor Taft on January 8, 2004, contains a number
of provisions that will have a direct impact on Ohio
municipalities. Some key things for municipal officials
to note about the new law (effective 4-8-04) include the
following:
It does NOT authorize a conceal/carry licensee to
carry a concealed handgun into ANY municipally
owned or leased property OR into any type of jail
or other detention facility, airport passenger
terminal, department of mental health institution,
department of MR/DD facility, or federal facility.
One rather bizarre exception: A conceal/carry
licensee MAY bring a handgun into a courtroom if
the licensee transfers the handgun to the officer in
charge of the courtroom. This officer must secure
the handgun until the licensee is prepared to leave
the premises.
It grants immunity to municipalities for “any
injury, death, or loss . . . that allegedly was caused
by or related to a licensee bringing a handgun”
onto municipal property.
The director of public safety for a municipality, or
other persons in charge of municipal buildings,
are required to post a sign “in a conspicuous
location” at each municipal building or facility
“that contains a statement in substantially the
following form:”
UNLESS OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED
BY LAW, PURSUANT TO OHIO
REVISED CODE, NO PERSON SHALL
KNOWINGLY POSSESS, HAVE UNDER
THE PERSON’S CONTROL, CONVEY,
OR ATTEMPT TO CONVEY A DEADLY
WEAPON OR DANGEROUS
ORDNANCE ONTO THESE PREMISES.
Note that the law allows the wording of the sign to be
modified slightly, as long as the modifications are not
“substantial.” Note also that the signs posted need
only “contain” the above language. Thus, it would
appear to be permissible to add additional wording or
symbols, such as wording or symbols designed to
emphasize that conceal/carry licensees are NOT given
special permission to carry firearms into the
building.
Reprinted from Finley’s Ohio Municipal Service, with the permission of the
publisher and copyright owner, West Group.
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