Ohio Senate Approves Bill Upholding Gun Sales Amid Emergencies

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio governments would be prohibited from stopping sales of guns or ammunition during a public emergency, under legislation approved by the GOP-controlled Senate Wednesday.

The bill is one of several General Assembly proposals meant to restrict governments’ powers as they relate to emergency orders issued during the coronavirus pandemic as well as concerns raised by Republican lawmakers about the racial injustice and police brutality protests in the summer of 2020.

The measure says the law would be in effect during a declared emergency as authorities suppress “a riot, mob, or potential riot or mob.” The Senate Veterans and Public Safety Committee passed the bill earlier this month.