Stand-your- ground bill vote postponed until fall

A controversial “stand your ground” gun bill is not expected to get a vote in the Ohio House this week as anticipated, but it could still emerge for consideration this fall, either before or after the November election.

Gun supporters and guncontrol advocates had been gearing up for a show-down this week, particularly following comments last week from Speaker Ryan Smith, R-Bidwell, who said a vote was expected, with enough support to override any veto by Gov. John Kasich.

The bill would shift the burden of proof in self-defense cases from the defendant to the prosecution, removing the “duty to retreat” when faced with a threat. The change would put Ohio law in line with about half of other states.

But opponents say it would give those involved in a conflict less incentive to try to de-escalate or escape without using lethal force. The Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association has argued that current law allows those who are truly being threatened with serious harm to use a weapon in self-defense, and it’s reasonable to require a defendant to prove selfdefense by a preponderance of evidence — a lesser standard than “beyond reasonable doubt.”

The Ohio chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, attempted to deliver 2,000 signatures to Smith on Monday urging rejection of the bill.

Meanwhile, a group called Ohio Gun Owners said it was working with Rep. Nino Vitale, R-Urbana, to amend the bill with what it called the “real” stand-your-ground provisions that would further restrict prosecution and civil lawsuits after a shooting and allow someone to draw a firearm to de-escalate a situation.

Rep. Sarah LaTourette, R-Chagrin Falls, a member of House leadership and a prime sponsor of House Bill 228, declined to comment on whether the bill is going to get a vote this week, but she gave a good clue.

“This is not currently on the list of bills that we are whipping,” she said, referring to the process of counting votes. “Given my experience whipping bills for the past couple of years, if it’s not on the list, the chances of it being on the floor are not very good.”

Smith spokesman Brad Miller referred to LaTourette’s statement.

The bill also would get rid of current requirements that K-12 schools, police stations, courthouses, airports and other public locations post signs declaring themselves as gun-free zones. And, it would reduce certain concealed handgun violations to minor misdemeanors and further block local governments from passing gun-related ordinances.

The Ohio House will take up more than 30 bills on the floor Wednesday, an unusually large number as the chamber meets for the last time before heading into summer break.