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Sponsors urge voluntary safe‑storage measures in House Resolution 148; say resolution respects Second Amendment
Summary
Proponents told the committee HR148 encourages voluntary safe firearm storage, distribution of locks, education and partnerships; sponsors emphasized it does not create new laws or penalties and framed the measure as balancing safety and constitutional rights.
Representatives Brewer and Dieter presented sponsor testimony for House Resolution 148, which urges Ohioans to store firearms safely and promotes voluntary education and partnerships to reduce accidental shootings.
Both sponsors stressed the resolution affirms Second Amendment rights while promoting personal responsibility. They described the proposal as non‑regulatory — it does not create new criminal penalties or require new mandates — and said its intent is to encourage voluntary, common‑sense precautions such as gun safes, lockboxes and trigger locks.
Speakers cited recent local incidents in which young children accessed unsecured firearms, noting those cases as the motivation for the resolution. Representative Brewer described a 2023 local tragedy in which a toddler accessed a loaded firearm and fatally shot his pregnant mother; Representative Dieter referenced several incidents statewide and programs that provide free gun locks through local partnerships.
Sponsors outlined examples of voluntary programs and local efforts, including law‑enforcement lock‑distribution drives and libraries’ free gun‑lock programs in Hamilton County. They said programs typically do not require proof of ownership or identification and are intended to reduce accidental injury, theft and misuse during crises. Sponsors repeatedly said safe storage ‘‘is not about restriction, it’s about respect.”
Committee members asked questions; sponsors said they would stand ready to answer questions and discuss collaborations with law enforcement, public‑health partners and community organizations. No formal amendment or vote was recorded during the hearing.
Ending: Sponsors and advocates described HR148 as a non‑punitive, educational approach intended to lower accidental firearm injuries and encourage partnerships that make safe storage tools available to Ohioans.
