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Gun Control Laws in Ohio vs other States in the United States

Introduction

The United States is a country of concerned and dutiful citizens who quite often choose to protect their own people than to harm; the country has experienced its citizens come to the rescue and aid of each other from time to time especially in the cases of hurricanes, floods, and tornados vis-à-vis mass shootings and the general illegal use of guns (Glanton, 2018). Some of the American people dig their heels in the sand and chooses their guns at the expense of the safety of their young ones. The country’s lawmakers mostly get off the hook easily for evading their role to pass responsible gun laws (Glanton, 2018).     

It is not surprising that the majority of other law-abiding American citizens who own guns have a related halfhearted attitude about assault weapons. The majority don’t take part in the National Rifle Association’s keenness for converting America into everybody’s free gun state (Siracusa, 2020). Nevertheless, after the consequences of the most recent school shooting in Florida for example, various groups within America are appealing for more measures that control the use of guns; protests have been put into place alongside school walkouts to pressurize lawmakers to take up the matter in order to mitigate gun crimes (Glanton, 2018).

Ohio is not any different when it comes to the challenges encountered with the misuse of guns; it is an open state where the majority of the adults walk from place to place with guns without licenses a fact which is very risky to the lives of the citizens (Gjelten, 2020). Nonetheless, the state is very clear on its demands for a license for anyone who carries concealed handguns. Furthermore, it has regulated measures on who can have a gun, the sources of such a gun, and the types and the use of disallowed weapons within the state of Ohio (Gjelten, 2020). As an overall law, the rules make exemptions for on-duty law enforcement military people and other state representatives given authority to possess guns as demanded by part of their state work. For total eradication of mass shooting and other gun crimes, there must be strong laws in place that prohibit misuse of guns and condemns illegal possession of the same. This paper presents gun control laws in the state of Ohio versus the state of California, Florida, and Washington.

How Gun control in Ohio Compares with other States in the United States 

Ohio is customarily an open-carry state whereby the possession of guns legally by people is considered as a legal activity with or without a license. The state’s constitutional provision under article 1, section 4 puts it clear that citizens have the right to possess a gun for defense and security reasons, however, standing armies, in moments of harmony are unsafe to liberty, and shall not be upheld (Gun Laws, 2020). According to Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.12(A), (C)(2); it is usually against the state’s gun control laws to carry concealed on an individual a gun minus a concealed gun license. The Ohio gun control laws forbid certain weapons and constrain the purchases of guns and possession by certain people. For example, nobody may own a sawed-off gun that permits easy revelation and extreme injury to the state’s people.

The Ohio gun control laws forbid certain people from owning guns among them includes; felons found guilty (though not all), fugitive from justice, people who are under indictment for various crimes, people with substance abuse challenges, those who are considered mentally inept, and juveniles excerpt when they use under the supervision of adults and for hunting or educational purposes as stipulated in Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.21 (2019 (FindLaw, 2016). The state makes it a third-degree felony for whoever mentioned above when found in possession of guns and a fifth-degree felony for those who give guns to juveniles excerpt for the above-mentioned reasons (Gjelten, 2020). However, Ohio Rev. Code §§ 2923.13, 2923.14 (2019) gives room for the above-mentioned people to get their gun rights restored if they meet the deemed demands of gun control laws at any point in time (Gjelten, 2020).

 The state does not necessitate a waiting period to buying a gun; it instead calls for background verification for guns bought from federally licensed sellers. Anyone who buys from a private dealer or unlicensed sellers is not mandated to have a background check-up. The Ohio state laws do not forbid the open carrying of guns apart from prohibited particular locations. The state forbids any guns in courtrooms and school regions, nevertheless, one is permitted to have a handgun in his or her vehicle while in the school area provided he or she has a concealed carry license. The Ohio gun control laws consider it a first-degree misdemeanor for anyone who claims to have a fake gun within the school area in the name of claiming to be real.

According to Ohio Rev. Code §§ 2923.121, 2923.122, 2123.123 (2019), gun control laws in Ohio consider it a fifth-degree felony for the possession of a gun in an establishment with an alcohol permit except one has a concealed carry license or is the permit holder. The Ohio gun control laws forbid people from firing a gun in various places such as schools or near school zones, people’s homestead (penalty of a second-degree felony), on a public road (penalty first-degree felony), churches, and any structure with people (fourth-degree misdemeanor), and in vehicles (fourth-degree felony) (Gjelten, 2020). Additionally, the state laws put more penalties on anyone who engages in robbery or assaults by using a brandished gun or any deadly weapon while committing a crime (Ohio Rev. Code §§ 2903.12, 2911.01, 2923.15, 2923.161, 2923.16, 2923.162, 2923.201 (2019).)

The case in the state of California is a little bit different vis-à-vis Ohio; California gun control laws are mostly preventive and they take care of who, what, where, when, and how to purchase, sell, lend or fire the gun. Guns are not carried openly in California; only dealers are licensed and people can only buy a gun from a licensed seller (Christopher, 2020). The state has a 10 day waiting period for the purchase of a gun and the laws have strict restrictions on who may or may not possess the gun, where to store it, and when to fire it. 

California gun control laws, just like in Ohio forbid any person with a felony conviction or other crimes by the California department of justice from possessing guns, furthermore, if forbids any adjudicated individual considered to be a mentally disordered sex offender or any individual who is incompetent to stand trial, and any person convicted of misdemeanor defilement of particular vicious crimes like domestic violence from owning guns (FindLaw, 2020). The laws further forbid guns from being used near or in school zones and give harsher penalties on the violation of the same. 

The state of California punishes gun crimes thoroughly; possession of guns is not considered for self-protection or security per se in California and may result in criminal prosecution. The state laws do not permit guns to be loaded underway and advocate for the keeping of ammunition separate from the weapon and forbid handguns from being kept on a person or glove compartment. It calls for people who own guns to carry with them their permit always and to show to the officers when asked (FindLaw, 2020). The laws do not permit anyone to pull out a gun in a state of anger, revenge, or emotionally upset.

Under the state of Florida, gun control laws regulate the selling, ownership, and usage of guns; the state issues concealed carry licenses to both inhabitants and non-inhabitants, however, no state permit is demanded the ownership or purchase of a gun (GunLaws, 2020). The state does not permit any convicted felon to possess a gun or to carry a concealed weapon excerpt his or her civil rights have been reestablished. The laws do not permit open carrying of guns, or anyone to carry a concealed gun on or about the individual in the absence of a license.  

Florida state laws allow people to keep and bear guns for defense and protection purposes as well for hunting and sporting activities just like in the state of Ohio. Under this frame of thought, the gun control laws regulate how guns are handled; it gives a mandatory of 3 days exclusive of weekends and legal holidays between the buying and the supply at retail of any handgun (GunLaws, 2020).

The state of Washington permits the open carrying of guns that are not concealed unless the situations that either shows intent to threaten another person or that merit alarm for the protection of other people. The state allows individuals to carry guns for self-defense and protection reasons but not to maintain or employ an armed body of men or women (GunLaws, 2020). There is no permit required to purchase a gun neither licensing of the owners through the permit to carry a gun is required. The state has no laws demanding a license to buy a gun; it has no laws regulating the selling or the buying of multiple guns or monitoring gun shows. However, according to Wash. Rev. Code § 9.41.050(1); it is a crime to carry a gun concealed on a person without a license (GunLaws, 2020). 

Conclusion

America is known to be the most mass shootings globally; it has an exceptional relationship to gun ownership which is enshrined as a right in the country’s constitution. This has greatly contributed to a great number of deaths of the country’s people caused by its own fellow citizens who possess guns than any other country globally. Gun-related deaths take place in tragic situations across the nation every day; nevertheless, it is frequently mass shooting that brings onboard gun control debate in the country (Fox, 2019). The country needs to continue strengthening the red flag legislation which is a gun control law that protects and inhibits the access of citizens that may present life danger to the country’s citizens through the use of guns in an unjustified manner.