Ohio state Rep. Ron Maag, who introduced legislation that would eliminate so-called “victim zones” outlined in the state’s concealed-carry gun law, recently testified before members of the Senate’s Government Oversight and Reform Committee.
According to Maag, current law infringes on the the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens because, as the law is written now, a permit holder would be charged with a felony upon entering a zone deemed gun free, even if it was done unintentionally.
Substitute House Bill 48 would eliminate “victim zones” where citizens may be vulnerable to crime, such as daycare centers, private aircraft and certain government buildings. It would also restrict these zones to secure areas in airports and police stations, and clarify the existing provision regarding schools’ right to allow concealed carry on college campuses if they so choose.
“This bill essentially cleans up issues with the original concealed-carry legislation,” Maag told committee members. “It is my aim to facilitate responsible gun ownership and enable Ohioans to protect themselves.”