Buckeye Reporter

The Ohio Senate has passed two bills, Senate Bill 58 and Senate Bill 148, which are now headed to Governor Mike DeWine for approval. The legislation aims to prevent the requirement of firearm liability insurance and restricts financial institutions from tracking firearms purchases.

Senate Bill 58, sponsored by Senators Terry Johnson and Theresa Gavarone, prohibits mandating firearm liability insurance or imposing fees related to the possession of firearms and related items. Senate Bill 148, also sponsored by Senator Johnson, was integrated into SB 58. It seeks to prevent government entities from maintaining registries of firearms or their owners.

Both bills have been supported by the Buckeye Firearms Association (BFA) since the start of the legislative session. The association expressed gratitude towards the House and Senate for passing these measures and urged Governor DeWine to sign them into law promptly. "It is time to stop trying to punish and infringe the rights of ordinary, law-abiding gun owners for the acts of criminals," stated BFA.

Rob Sexton, Legislative Affairs Director at BFA, testified in favor of both bills before legislative committees. In his testimony for SB 58, Sexton highlighted efforts in other states like California, Connecticut, and New York that require special liability insurance for firearm owners as a way to increase ownership costs without outright bans. He argued that such requirements could be unconstitutional.

For SB 148, Sexton emphasized concerns over privacy invasion through potential tracking codes aimed at firearms purchases by financial institutions. He noted that many banking organizations currently oppose this idea but warned about future changes due to pressures on companies regarding Environmental, Social & Governance scores.

Dean Rieck serves as Executive Director of BFA while Joe D. "Buck" Ruth is a longtime small-game hunter with extensive experience in the news industry.