Seeker of Truth
05-26-2003, 09:47 PM
Concealed-carry debate evolving into battle over rights of property owners
Columbus Dispatch | 26 May 2003 | Lee Leonard
Concealed-carry debate evolving into battle over rights
of property owners
Monday, May 26, 2003
LEE LEONARD
The debate over whether to allow concealed handguns in Ohio has always been about constitutional rights and individual liberty, but recently it has taken a turn toward property rights.
Some conservatives may be torn between supporting the right to carry concealed weapons and the right of a privateproperty owner to ban them.
That doesn’t mean that a gunrights advocate would drop his or her support of concealed carry just because a small portion of the proposed law may violate property rights. But it does set up an interesting conflict.
The House-passed bill is sitting in a Senate committee and is expected to emerge in several weeks.
One of the provisions would allow private-property owners to ban concealed weapons by posting a conspicuous notice at the entrance or entrances. The provision is mainly for stores and other businesses; residential-property owners may ask visitors to disarm, and if they don’t, cite them for trespassing.
However, in what has become known as the parking-lot exemption, permit-holders could bring their weapons onto the business property as long as they leave the guns in a locked compartment of the vehicle. This provision is for employees who feel they need to protect themselves while traveling to and from work.
Gahanna Police Chief Dennis Murphy, who favors concealed carry, said last week that requiring people to store their weapons would draw more attention than if they just carried the weapons under cover.
Source & More @ Free Republic via Columbus Dispatch which requires registration (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/917941/posts)
Columbus Dispatch | 26 May 2003 | Lee Leonard
Concealed-carry debate evolving into battle over rights
of property owners
Monday, May 26, 2003
LEE LEONARD
The debate over whether to allow concealed handguns in Ohio has always been about constitutional rights and individual liberty, but recently it has taken a turn toward property rights.
Some conservatives may be torn between supporting the right to carry concealed weapons and the right of a privateproperty owner to ban them.
That doesn’t mean that a gunrights advocate would drop his or her support of concealed carry just because a small portion of the proposed law may violate property rights. But it does set up an interesting conflict.
The House-passed bill is sitting in a Senate committee and is expected to emerge in several weeks.
One of the provisions would allow private-property owners to ban concealed weapons by posting a conspicuous notice at the entrance or entrances. The provision is mainly for stores and other businesses; residential-property owners may ask visitors to disarm, and if they don’t, cite them for trespassing.
However, in what has become known as the parking-lot exemption, permit-holders could bring their weapons onto the business property as long as they leave the guns in a locked compartment of the vehicle. This provision is for employees who feel they need to protect themselves while traveling to and from work.
Gahanna Police Chief Dennis Murphy, who favors concealed carry, said last week that requiring people to store their weapons would draw more attention than if they just carried the weapons under cover.
Source & More @ Free Republic via Columbus Dispatch which requires registration (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/917941/posts)