The leader of Republicans in the Senate says he thinks a “Stand Your Ground” bill that Gov. John Kasich said he wouldn’t sign will pass anyway.
The bill, sponsored by Republican state Sens. Joe Uecker and Jay Hottinger, removes the requirement for a person to try to retreat before using lethal force in self-defense. Kasich said on NBC’s Meet the Press Daily last week that he wouldn’t sign it.
“If I think it’s going to endanger the public, I’m not going to sign it,” Kasich said. “For example, there’s talk now in my state about changing Stand Your Ground. I said, ‘I’m not signing it. Don’t give it to me.’”
For a while it’s appeared the bill was stalled. But Senate President Larry Obhof of Medina says he’s not sure about that.
“I think that would easily pass the Legislature," Obhof said. "I don’t think there would be any problem with that, no. Now whether we choose to go that route or not remains to be seen.”
The so-called "Stand Your Ground" bill is one of 23 pieces of gun-related legislation at the Statehouse – 14 of which would expand gun owners’ rights, including adding places where permit holders could carry concealed weapons.
Kasich has previously signed every pro-gun bill that came to his desk.
