(The Center Square) – Local governments in Ohio could soon expand concealed carry laws and allow citizens to carry guns in courtrooms.
House Bill 272, which recently had its fourth hearing before the House Government Oversight Committee but has yet to be voted on, would allow local governments to create an exception to carry a deadline weapon into a building that contains a courtroom when court is not in session.
The building would have to be a government building, court could not be in session and the building could not be used for court purposes when weapons would be allowed.
Bill sponsors Rep. Justin Pizulli, R-Scioto County, and Adam Matthews, R-Lebanon, testified that allowing local governments to change the law could stop the possibility of weapons being banned from council chambers or other government offices when they share a facility with a courtroom.
“Our bill simply allows municipalities, which already have the authority to recognize concealed carry in their secondary buildings like the electric building, storage garages, and the like, to expand that protection to themselves even if in other instances or in other wings their home buildings are used for courtroom proceedings,” the two said in testimony. “This bill recognizes the need to treat court proceedings with necessary care. In keeping with current law, a municipality cannot authorize concealed carry in a building that is entirely a courthouse.”
It’s illegal to carry a deadly weapon into a courtroom or any building that contains a courtroom, regardless of whether a court is in session or if the building is being used as a courthouse. The Ohio Judicial Conference wants the law to stay that way.
“As we all know, courts are places where disputes are settled, where justice is administered, and where emotions can run high,” testified Paul Pfeifer, with the conference. “As happened in Jefferson County in 2017, judges can be targets: a common pleas judge there was shot in a targeted, ambush-style attack as he made his way into the county courthouse. While the attack happened outside the courthouse, and thankfully the judge survived and eventually fully recovered, imagine what could have happened had the gunman been permitted to carry a weapon inside the building.”
Pfeifer also raised concerns about language that allows weapons in a building that contains a courtroom does not apply when the building is a courthouse. But, the bill does not define a courthouse. Also, the conference is worried about logistics if court begins after someone enters with a gun.
“I close my testimony by noting that even if these problems are addressed, the Judicial Conference will remain opposed to any efforts to expand access to carrying deadly weapons into structures that house court facilities,” Pfeifer said.
