To amend sections 2923.13 and 2923.14 of the Revised Code to enact the Keeping Our Survivors Safe Act to prohibit a person who has been convicted of first degree misdemeanor domestic violence from possessing a firearm or dangerous ordnance.
Summary
HB354, titled the Keeping Our Survivors Safe Act, would amend Ohio’s weapons-under-disability law to add a new firearm and dangerous ordnance prohibition for anyone convicted of a first-degree misdemeanor domestic violence offense under section 2919.25. Under current law, the disability statute already bars firearm possession for certain categories of people, including those convicted of felony violent offenses, certain drug offenses, and those with specified mental health or substance-use-related disabilities. This bill would expand that list to include a domestic violence misdemeanor conviction at the highest misdemeanor level.
The bill also makes a conforming change to Ohio’s relief-from-disability process. A person subject to the new prohibition could generally seek relief in common pleas court if they meet the existing statutory criteria, but the new disability would be added to the conditions that can trigger automatic voiding of relief if the person later commits another disqualifying offense or falls into another prohibited class. The bill would repeal the current versions of sections 2923.13 and 2923.14 and replace them with updated language reflecting the new domestic-violence-based firearm restriction.
Impact
If enacted, HB354 would broaden Ohio Revised Code section 2923.13 by creating a new category of persons prohibited from acquiring, having, carrying, or using firearms or dangerous ordnance: individuals convicted of a first-degree misdemeanor domestic violence offense. It would also affect section 2923.14 by preserving the existing court-based relief mechanism while tying the new disqualification into the statute’s restoration and revocation rules. The practical effect would be to impose a state-level firearm disability on a group not currently covered by the existing felony-based domestic violence firearm ban.
Sentiment
Based on the bill title, sponsor framing, and the absence of recorded opposition or vote history in the provided materials, the measure appears to be presented as a public-safety and survivor-protection bill. The name “Keeping Our Survivors Safe Act” signals supportive intent toward domestic violence victims and firearm risk reduction. Because there are no committee transcripts or votes included, there is no documented recorded debate in the supplied context, but the bill’s structure suggests it is designed to be a targeted expansion of an existing firearms restriction rather than a broader gun-control overhaul.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely to be whether a first-degree misdemeanor domestic violence conviction should trigger the same firearm disability as more serious violent or felony offenses. Supporters would likely argue that domestic violence, even at the misdemeanor level, presents a serious risk of escalation and that firearm access should be restricted to protect survivors. Opponents, if any, would likely focus on due process, proportionality, and the breadth of permanently or temporarily disarming people based on a misdemeanor conviction. The bill’s inclusion of a court relief process may be intended to address some of those concerns by allowing individualized restoration of rights.
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