OFUPAC strongly condemns the pro-gun legislation signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine yesterday
In response to the deadliest school shooting since Sandy Hook in 2012 that transpired on May 24th in Uvalde, Texas, OFUPAC and families across Ohio expect our elected officials to work to eradicate such shootings. Instead, Rep. Thomas Hall and Gov. Mike DeWine have pandered to the pro-gun fringe at the expense of our children's safety.
The new pro-gun law sponsored by Rep. Thomas Hall and signed by Gov. DeWine yesterday reduces the number of training hours that teachers are required to undergo in order to carry firearms — now, only 24 hours of training is the maximum the legislation would allow.
Republicans and Democrats have once again failed to find common ground on appropriate measures to promote gun safety and end gun violence in Ohio.
As the action fund of OFUAPB, Ohio Families Unite Against Police Brutality, we firmly oppose this dangerous bill. Like most teachers in our state, OFUPAC does not support the permission of guns to be carried by teachers, nor does it support the reduced number of training hours needed to carry firearms in schools.
We demand our elected officials put Ohio families first.
Yesterday's signing of HB 99 by Gov. DeWine was accompanied by the first day of SB 215 going into effect, a law previously passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. DeWine to permit those 21 years of age and older to carry a handgun without a permit.
“Permitless carry” or “constitutional carry” also eliminates the 8-hour training program previously used as a requirement to carry a concealed firearm and allows people to carry guns without alerting a police officer of their concealed weapon. Ohio is already an open-carry state, and by ensuring that more untrained and unqualified people are able to carry and use guns, this law makes gun-related violence more likely in our communities.
Once again, as an organization that works directly with families affected by gun violence, we strongly oppose this bill. SB 215 not only bolsters bills such as HB 99 but is deadly on its own.
We are horrified to bear witness to the actions of this legislature and our Governor, weighing the rights of firearms as greater than the lives of our children.
We know all Ohioans love their children and want to keep them safe, and we know that the vast majority of us support gun safety to protect our schools, our grocery stores, our malls, and our communities.
We strongly condemn the actions of this administration, and encourage all Ohioans to hold our elected officials accountable this November.
We will remember, and we will vote.
Sources:
https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA134-HB-99
https://www.fox19.com/2022/06/13/ohio-permitless-carry-law-goes-into-effect-monday/
https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA134-SB-215