Before Christmas, outgoing Republican Gov. John Kasich vetoed a gun bill that would have shifted the burden of proof provision in a self-defense shooting. Kasich, who calls himself a “Second Amendment guy,” voiced his frustration that the state legislature couldn’t come up with bipartisan solutions as the year closed. Well, that’s not the mood, John. It’s a state of war. And the legislature showed that when they returned after Christmas to override your veto (via NRA-ILA):
…the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate voted 67-22 and 21-11, respectively, to override Governor John Kasich’s veto of self-defense legislation, Sub. House Bill 228. Substitute House Bill 228 will now be enacted into law.
Some of the important provisions in Sub. House Bill 228 are:
Placing the burden of disproving a self-defense claim on the prosecution, similar to how it is in every other state in the country
Critical expansion of preemption to ensure that localities do not create a patchwork of gun laws throughout Ohio.
Language updates to mirror federal law that affects certain types of firearms, such as the Mossberg Shockwave
Clarifies Ohio’s signage law in regards to concealed carry. These important changes simplify what has become a complicated portion of Ohio law.
So, sign the bill, and then go away, John.