Hudson council approves amended ordinance creating process for elected officials to carry concealed handguns in some city buildings

Hudson City Council voted 4–3 on Aug. 19, 2025, to pass Ordinance 25-91, an amendment to codified ordinance section 672.02 that implements a process for certain people to carry concealed handguns in some city government buildings in order to comply with state law.

The ordinance was amended on the council floor by Councilor Mrs. Kowalski, who proposed language narrowing who may carry: "any building that is a government facility of this city ... unless that person a) is an elected City of Hudson official, b) is either a licensee or qualified adult authorized under state law to carry a concealed handgun, and c) has provided notice of their intent to carry to the chief of police, the city manager, and council president." The amendment also designates records related to the policy as confidential security records under Ohio Revised Code 149.433. That amendment passed 6–1.

The council then passed the ordinance as amended by a 4–3 roll-call vote (yes: Councilor Banwag, Council President Foster, Councilor Heater, Councilor Sutton; no: Dr. Burd, Dr. Getz, Councilor Kowalski). The ordinance does not itself authorize immediate carrying; it establishes a process and a notification requirement for a narrowly defined set of elected officials who are otherwise eligible under state law.

Supporters, including Council President Foster and Councilor Van Wijk during debate, said the ordinance creates a process the city needs to align local policy with recent changes in state law. Councilor Van Wijk characterized the change as procedural: "This is a process to determine a policy. It does not set the policy," he said, arguing the council should create a clear process rather than leave ambiguity.

Opponents and several public commenters urged caution and greater transparency. Tracy McKay, president of the League of Women Voters of Hudson, said the group recommends attention to "personnel selection, transparency, funding and liability, storage, personnel selection, and training" before any policy allowing weapons in public buildings is adopted. Inge Arendt of Moms Demand Action urged councilors to vote no, saying the change could increase the risk of violence at public meetings.

Councilor Burd had moved an alternative amendment to delete the paragraph permitting a council president-issued policy allowing concealed handguns; that motion failed 4–3. After the Burd motion failed, Councillor Kowalski presented her narrower notification-and-confidentiality amendment, which passed, then carried the subsequent vote on the ordinance as amended.

What happens next: the ordinance, as amended and passed, establishes the framework and notification requirements described above; it directs city staff to work on implementing policy language and record-handling consistent with Ohio law. The transcript does not record any immediate hires or operational changes; any future implementation steps and specific carrier approvals will be subject to the policy process established by the ordinance and any required confidential procedures referenced in the amendment.