Ohio Senate Invoice 392 (SB392) was launched into the Ohio legislature on March 23, 2026. It’s a lengthy invoice of 182 pages that reforms and rationalizes a lot of the Ohio code governing the possession and carry of weapons. Right here is the abstract as listed in Legiscan.
To amend sections 9.68, 109.69, 109.731, 311.41, 311.42, 311.43, 1547.69, 2921.13, 2923.11, 2923.111, 2923.12, 2923.121, 2923.122, 2923.123, 2923.124, 2923.125, 2923.126, 2923.127, 2923.128, 2923.129, 2923.1210, 2923.1211, 2923.1212, 2923.1213, 2923.16, 2923.17, 2953.35, 4511.19, and 4749.10 and to repeal part 1533.04 of the Revised Code to enact the Freedom to Carry Act to rename a hid handgun license a hid weapons license, to permit a hid weapons licensee to hold a hid lethal weapon apart from an unique lethal weapon,and to permit the possession or transportation of a loaded firearm whereas in a motorized vehicle or vessel.
A lot of the invoice replaces references to “handgun” with broader “lethal weapon” language, suggesting lawmakers try to increase or make clear Ohio’s carry framework past handguns. The invoice seems geared toward resolving whether or not licensed or in any other case lawful carry extends to different lethal weapons beneath Ohio regulation.
The invoice continues to ban some weapons which can fall beneath the class of “harmful and weird” as utilized in Second Modification jurisprudence following the Heller, MacDonald, Caetano, and Bruen selections. For instance, it seems damaging gadgets are nonetheless banned from carry if they aren’t owned in accordance with Nationwide Firearms Act provisions.
Right here is the definition of “unique lethal weapon” within the invoice. Underlined phrases are new phrases. Strike-through phrases are phrases to be eliminated. The weapons assembly the definition are a really quick listing:
(2) “Unique lethal weapon” means a lethal weapon that’s an unique firearm or that may be a lethal weapon that any regulation of this state or the US prohibits the topic individual from buying, possessing, having, or carrying.
(3) “Unique firearm” means a firearm that’s harmful ordnance or that may be a firearm that any regulation of this state or the US prohibits the topic individual from buying, possessing, having, or carrying.
The invoice would chop the class of weapons excluded from the broader carry framework by defining “unique” weapons as harmful ordnance or weapons in any other case prohibited by state or federal regulation.
As well as, SB 392 would decrease the age threshold in Ohio’s hid carry licensing framework from 21 to 18.
(2) “Qualifying grownup” means an individual who’s all the following:
(a) Twenty-one Eighteen years of age or older;
The invoice modifications the definition of prohibited weapons from a really particular reference to the Nationwide Firearms Act (NFA) provisions to a normal provision. That is probably put in place in order that if the courts strike down the elements of the NFA, the Ohio legislature is not going to be required to revise Ohio legal guidelines once more. From the invoice:
(b) Not legally prohibited from buying, possessing, or receiving a firearm lethal weapon beneath 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1) to (9) or beneath part 2923.13 of the Revised Code or another Revised Code provision the regulation of this state or the United States;
There are modifications that take away among the restrictions on the carry of weapons in autos and vessels.
SB392 is likely one of the longest state payments this reporter has encountered in a long time. It has a big probability of being amended whether it is handed. The provisions seem like clear rationalizations and clarifications in mild of Supreme Court docket selections involving the Second Modification.
The Ohio Legislature has a supermajority of Republicans within the Senate, 24 of 33. The Ohio Home of Representatives has a supermajority of Republicans within the Home, 65 of 99. The Ohio Governor is Mike DeWine, a Republican.
SB392 has probability of passage. Its provisions are cheap and prone to resonate with Ohio conservatives. This might increase Republicans’ electoral prospects in Ohio within the 2026 elections. This correspondent just isn’t a lawyer. This text just isn’t authorized recommendation.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a army officer, was on the College of Wisconsin Pistol Group for 4 years, and was first licensed to show firearms security in 1973. He taught the Arizona hid carry course for fifteen years till the objective of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has levels in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Division of Protection after a 30 yr profession in Military Analysis, Growth, Testing, and Analysis.
