Ohio House Bill 460, proposed by Ohio Republican Reps. Thaddeus Claggett and Bernard Willis, is a legislation bill that would allow elected officials to carry handguns in government buildings across the state.
The bill follows a rise in concern regarding political tension and violence. After the recent assassinations of political commentator Charlie Kirk and Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman, experts worry political violence will continue to rise in the coming years, according to the Associated Press.
The bill was introduced to the House on Sept. 17 and was referred to the Public Safety committee Oct. 1.
Thomas Phillips, the constituent assistant for Claggett, commented on how recent events prompted the proposal of this bill.
“With current events going on right now, our elected officials are under increased risk, and the idea was to protect our elected officials,” Phillips said. “So, allow them to protect themselves if violence ever erupts in certain situations.”
Bella Kraus, a freshman studying social work, argued arming elected officials would not be able to protect elected officials like the bill intends to. She stated it will most likely incite more violence.
Kraus commented on how the bill will engage with the rise of political violence.
“If there was an attempted assassination, them (elected officials) having a gun wouldn't really help them before it would be too late,” Kraus said. “In my mind, I feel like it would be more dangerous for them to carry guns than the likelihood that it would actually protect them.”
The bill would allow any individual who is a member of the general assembly, statewide elected official, judge or magistrate to carry a concealed handgun, as long as they have been given a valid concealed handgun license under the Revised Code.
Government officials must also carry a valid identification and a valid concealed handgun license while carrying concealed.
“Our elected officials are already required to go through rigorous background checks and that sort of thing,” Phillips said. “A lot of them already have their concealed carry permits, but the process would be just getting your concealed carry. Once you have that, you would be allowed to, under this bill, concealed carry a handgun in state and local government facilities.”
Kraus commented on how increasing the presence of guns in government buildings is not the solution to protection from gun violence.
“In my mind, it's just not the solution,” Kraus said. “I think we need to enforce more gun control measures, and just in general, I think just adding more guns into the mix is not the solution.”
The Ohio Council of Churches is a partnership of 17 different Christian denominations across the state. The OCC educates and advocates on issues such as anti-racism, reducing stigma surrounding mental health and death penalty abolition.
Around 2020, the OCC took over the gun violence prevention initiative from the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence. Since then, the organization has advocated for gun violence prevention in the Ohio Supreme Court, continues to provide resources about proper gun management and more.
Executive Director of OCC, Rev. Jack Sullivan, Jr., commented on what needs to be done to prevent further gun violence.
“The answer is the willingness of elected officials to enact legislation designed to prevent gun acquisition by people whose history or condition places them at risk of using a gun to hurt others or themselves,” Sullivan said.
