To amend sections 9.68, 109.69, 109.731, 311.41, 311.42, 311.43, 1547.69, 2921.13, 2923.11, 2923.111, 2923.12, 2923.121, 2923.122, 2923.123, 2923.124, 2923.125, 2923.126, 2923.127, 2923.128, 2923.129, 2923.1210, 2923.1211, 2923.1212, 2923.1213, 2923.16, 2923.17, 2953.35, and 4749.10 and to repeal section 1533.04 of the Revised Code to enact the Freedom to Carry Act to rename a concealed handgun license a concealed weapons license and to allow a concealed weapons licensee to carry a concealed deadly weapon other than an exclusive deadly weapon.
HB495, titled the Freedom to Carry Act, would substantially revise Ohio’s concealed-carry and firearms statutes by renaming a “concealed handgun license” as a “concealed weapons license” and expanding the scope of what licensees may carry. The bill would allow a licensee to carry a concealed deadly weapon other than an “exclusive deadly weapon,” and it would also extend many existing concealed-carry rules, exemptions, and procedures to cover concealed deadly weapons generally rather than only handguns. In addition, the bill would create a broad “qualifying adult” framework under which adults meeting the bill’s eligibility criteria could carry a concealed deadly weapon without first obtaining a license, subject to the same restrictions that apply to licensees.
The bill also revises related administrative and enforcement provisions. It updates application forms, background-check procedures, license issuance and renewal rules, reciprocity with other states, suspension and revocation standards, recordkeeping, and immunity provisions for sheriffs and other officials. It would change several criminal statutes and location-based restrictions so they refer to concealed deadly weapons instead of only handguns, while preserving many existing prohibited places such as schools, courthouses, certain government buildings, and liquor permit premises. The bill also addresses vehicle carry, temporary emergency licenses, and expungement eligibility for certain older firearms-related offenses.
HB495 would have a broad impact on Ohio law because it amends a large number of sections in the Revised Code governing firearms possession, concealed carry, licensing, law-enforcement procedures, and related penalties. It would effectively convert much of the state’s concealed-handgun framework into a concealed-weapons framework, while also preserving the state’s preemption of local firearms regulation and expanding civil remedies against political subdivisions that enact conflicting rules. It would also affect sheriffs, the attorney general, the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission, private employers, property owners, schools, and license holders by changing forms, training references, reporting duties, and the legal consequences of carrying concealed weapons in various settings.
The overall sentiment reflected in the bill materials is strongly pro-gun and expansionary. The bill is introduced as the “Freedom to Carry Act,” and its text repeatedly emphasizes the fundamental right to keep and bear arms, the removal of barriers to carrying, and the elimination of what it describes as unnecessary restrictions. The bill has multiple cosponsors, suggesting support among its sponsors, but the available context does not include committee testimony or recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence here of opposition or support from hearings. Because the bill was only introduced and referred to the House Public Safety Committee, its broader political reception cannot be determined from the provided record.
The main points of contention likely center on the bill’s expansion of concealed-carry rights beyond handguns to other deadly weapons, and on the creation of permitless carry for qualifying adults. Other likely areas of dispute include the bill’s continued limits on local regulation, its civil liability and immunity provisions, its treatment of sensitive locations, and the extent to which it changes licensing, training, and enforcement standards. Supporters would likely view the measure as simplifying and broadening lawful carry rights, while critics would likely focus on public-safety concerns and the reduced role of licensing and local control.
HB495 would amend a wide range of Ohio Revised Code provisions governing firearms, concealed carry, licensing, background checks, reciprocity, prohibited locations, vehicle transport, and related criminal penalties. It would rename concealed handgun licenses as concealed weapons licenses, expand those licenses to cover concealed deadly weapons other than exclusive deadly weapons, and create a permitless-carry framework for qualifying adults. The bill would also update administrative procedures for sheriffs and state agencies, revise immunity and recordkeeping rules, and alter several offenses and defenses tied to concealed carry and firearm transport.
The bill’s tone and structure are strongly supportive of expanded gun-carry rights. It is framed as a freedom-oriented measure, and the text repeatedly removes or narrows licensing and regulatory requirements while broadening carry authority. The available context shows sponsorship but no committee testimony or votes, so there is no recorded opposition or support beyond the bill’s introduction; however, the policy direction is clearly pro-expansion and likely to be controversial among those concerned about firearms regulation.
The most likely points of contention are the bill’s permitless-carry provisions for qualifying adults, the expansion from handguns to other deadly weapons, and the reduction of licensing as a gatekeeping mechanism. Additional disputes may arise over the bill’s preemption of local rules, its treatment of sensitive places such as schools, courthouses, liquor permit premises, and government buildings, and its liability/immunity provisions for public and private entities. Supporters are likely to emphasize self-defense and uniform statewide rules, while opponents are likely to focus on public safety, training, and the loss of local control.