Ohio Senate Republicans Pass Bill to Restrict Local Gun Safety Laws
Ohio senators advance bill targeting cities like Columbus and Cincinnati that require gun owners to secure firearms from children.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Ohio Senate Republicans passed legislation Monday that would impose penalties on local governments for enacting gun safety regulations stricter than state law, advancing a measure that cities across the state have opposed.
Senate Bill 278 restricts cities and townships from passing local firearms ordinances that exceed state regulations. The bill passed along party lines as Columbus and Cincinnati continue defending their gun storage requirements in court.
Recent School Gun Incidents Highlight Ongoing Concerns
The legislative action comes amid continued incidents of children accessing firearms. Earlier this month, a second grader brought a loaded handgun to school in Kent, with police reports showing the “8-year-old student had easy access to the firearm at home.”
No one was injured in the Kent incident, but the child’s mother was arrested and charged with child endangerment. Days later, police discovered another firearm on an elementary school student in Maple Heights.
Both Columbus and Cincinnati have implemented ordinances requiring gun owners to secure their firearms to prevent children from accessing them. These local laws are currently being challenged in court by state officials.
Cities Defend Local Authority
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther has previously advocated for local control over gun safety measures. “Let us do our jobs; what we know we need to do to keep our cities safe,” Ginther said in 2023 following a teen shooting incident.
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval expressed similar concerns last year. “Unfortunately, every time we try to enact meaningful and reasonable, in my view, gun reform — the state legislature has preempted us,” Pureval said in 2025.
The ongoing dispute represents a years-long battle between state lawmakers and municipal governments over firearms regulation authority.
Senate Leadership Defends Legislation
Ohio Senate President Rob McColley, R-Napoleon, defended the measure as protecting constitutional rights. “What this is meant to protect is an individual who is exercising their Second Amendment rights lawfully from having to stand up and go to court to enforce their Second Amendment rights against an overzealous municipality who has passed a law against the United States and the Ohio Constitution,” McColley said.
McColley argued that local governments should not implement firearm regulations exceeding state law requirements. The senator emphasized that municipalities currently face no barriers to passing such ordinances under existing law.
The bill now moves to the Ohio House of Representatives for consideration. If passed and signed into law, the measure would establish financial penalties for cities that enact gun regulations beyond state standards.
