The Ohio House is preparing to strip away more gun regulations making it easier to use lethal force in self-defense. This comes as the new House leader says Republican members aren’t close to approving new gun control measures.
The gun control bill, which has just a single Republican sponsor, would prohibit people with a history of domestic violence from owning guns and allow guns to be seized from people showing signs of violence – among other things. The bill would also outlaw devices known as bump stocks, eliminate armor-piercing ammunitition and require gun purchases to be entered in state-wide law enforcement database.
New Republican House Speaker Ryan Smith says he takes the issue of gun violence seriously, but these laws are unlikely to stop criminals.
“There’s no gun law in America that’s going to stop a lot of this. I mean criminals don’t abide by the law by their very nature so it’s not to say that we’re insensitive to it or don’t want to do something on it, it’s just people are very protective of the Second Amendment,” says Smith who added that he’ll ask his caucus if there’s any middle ground on other provisions.
Gov. John Kasich backed what he called these common-sense reforms after the fatal high school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
