Senate Passes Johnson Bill Protecting Second Amendment Rights

COLUMBUS—State Senator Terry Johnson (R-McDermott) today announced that the Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 58, which would prohibit the state or local government from requiring liability insurance or charging fees for the possession of firearms or knives.

“The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution not only grants us the right to keep and bear arms but states that this right shall not be infringed,” Johnson said. “Clearly, requiring a fee to own a firearm, or stipulating that gun owners must carry a special type of insurance to simply own that firearm qualify as blatant infringements. This bill seeks to ensure that this can never happen here in Ohio.”

Last year, the San Jose City Council voted to require gun owners to purchase and carry liability insurance as well as pay an annual fee. New Jersey's State Legislature also recently passed legislation requiring stricter liability insurance for firearms. Senate Bill 58 would protect against such infringements on Ohioans' constitutional right to bear arms.

To learn more about Senate Bill 58, click here.