Hicks-Hudson, Ingram Testify on Bill to Increase the Penalty for Failure to Report a Lost or Stolen Firearm

Today, state Senators Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) and Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati) gave sponsor testimony on Senate Bill 75, their legislation to increase the penalty for failure to report a lost or stolen firearm from a fourth-degree to a first-degree misdemeanor.

“Ohio is one of 17 states that requires lost or stolen firearms to be promptly reported to law enforcement. However, since the introduction of this legislation, the landscape of gun ownership and gun regulation in Ohio has drastically changed,” said Hicks-Hudson. “A little over a decade ago, it was less common for guns to be stolen from vehicles. In 2022, however, more than half of known stolen firearms were taken from vehicles, amounting to nearly 62,000 guns stolen from cars across 337 different cities. Guns that are stolen often make their way into the hands of individuals who may be prohibited from possessing them.”

Senate Bill 75 strengthens accountability by increasing the penalty for failing to report a lost or stolen firearm from a fourth-degree misdemeanor to a first-degree misdemeanor. In Ohio, a first-degree misdemeanor carries a potential penalty of up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

Senate Bill 75 now awaits further hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee.