The bill skated through the Senate without any formal opposition, attracting support from gun lobbyists and religious organizations of varying sects, including a small Warren County church and the statewide advocacy group Ohio Jewish Communities (OJC), both of which cited a rise in violence against places of worship in recent years as reasons for their support.
S.B. 32 was carried by Ohio Sen. Tim Shaffer, R-Lancaster, who told the Senate Judiciary Committee in early 2023 that the bill won’t expand concealed carry rights or locations.
“The concept for this legislation was brought to my attention by a constituent who wants to close the loophole in current law for his church,” Shaffer explained. “My constituent’s church has highly trained members who carry concealed as a part of their structured defensive protection plan, as do many other places of worship throughout our state.”
Howie Beigelman, the president and CEO of Ohio Jewish Communities, framed S.B. 32 bill as a “critical missing piece to community safety.”
Beigelman testified in May referencing an “explosion of Jew-hatred” following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel and Israel’s subsequent attacks on Gaza.
“Whether on duty, off duty, or as private security, we depend on armed individuals to be our last line of defense,” Beigelman said. “What this legislation will do is very simply provide legal immunity to those defending houses of worship, preschools, summer camps, community centers, nursing homes, and college student groups from those with deadly intent.”
A representative of Warren County’s “Christ’s Fellowship @ Little Miami Church” called the bill an “excellent step in the right direction.”
“This is a good bill. We need to encourage our fellow Ohioans to take responsibility to protect themselves and their families,” testified Greg Hennecke. “Too many times people are afraid to act for fear of the legal consequences and their inaction only leads to further destruction and devastation. We should surround and protect those who step forward to protect innocent lives by eliminating this obstacle.”
Similar sentiments were brought by gun advocates, including the Buckeye Firearms Association, whose Legislative Affairs Director Rob Sexton testified, “Senate Bill 32 extends civil protection for people who do the right thing. We want people to do the right thing.”
For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter. It’s free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening.
Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below.
About the Author
