CONCEALED HANDGUN LICENSE ANNIVERSARY!

This year marks the 8th anniversary of Ohio's Concealed Carry Law. Before the adoption of the concealed-handgun license law in 2003, anti-gun advocates claimed the passage would lead to incredible violence. However, despite the unfounded warnings, concealed carry laws throughout the country have not raised gun-related crime or injuries. Ohio was the 46th state to adopt licensed concealed carry. Now, 49 states have a version of the law, with only Illinois not having adopted one. Unfortunately, some states, like New York and California, have "may issue" laws. This means that bureaucrats have complete discretion over whether a person will receive a license. Maryland recently struck down its "may issue" law because of the fact that it gave sole discretion to government officials. Hopefully more states continue to strike down such language, allowing all qualified citizens to obtain a license. It is important to know that the spread of the concealed carry laws has not increased crime or gun-related accident rates. Accidental gun injuries are decreasing, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as NRA-ILA. In addition, according to several sources, including Buckeye Firearms Association, unjustified shootings by licensees continue to be extremely rare. Because licensees have proved skeptics wrong, Ohio's concealed carry law has changed for the better over the last eight years. For example, at first, Ohio forced licensees to disarm when using a bathroom in a park or highway rest stop, but this has been removed. Also, Ohio townships cannot interfere with a person's right to carry, which means an Ohio licensee can move freely throughout the state without worrying about where he is allowed and not allowed to carry.