Columbus City Council Passes Gun Violence Prevention Ordinance — Ohio Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Applaud Commitment to Gun Safety
12.7.2022
The Ohio chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statement after the Columbus City Council passed an ordinance to both address firearm trafficking and firearm secure storage. This is the first ordinance Columbus has passed addressing gun violence prevention following preemption litigation.
“Columbus Council action is an important step towards protecting our communities from gun violence – and shows strength and commitment to public safety in a state continuously passing dangerous and reckless gun laws,” said Shela Blanchard, a resident of Columbus and volunteer with the Ohio chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Local municipalities across the state should follow Columbus’ lead and take action to pass locally tailored solutions.”
“Despite reckless decisions made at the Statehouse, Columbus residents deserve to live free of gun violence,” said Mayor Andrew Ginther, Mayor of Columbus, Ohio, and a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. “I will continue to prioritize Columbus lives over partisan gun lobby politics, and will continue pursuing gun violence prevention measures.”
This effort is in part due to current legal proceedings around the state’s preemption law that has opened the opportunity for local action on gun violence prevention, in a state that continues to pass reckless laws to weaken gun safety.
This year, Governor DeWine signed two bills into law that weakened the state’s gun laws, including one that eliminated Ohio’s permit requirement for carrying a handgun in public and another that allowed teachers to bring firearms into learning environments with minimal training despite widespread public opposition. Volunteers with the Ohio chapter of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action tirelessly advocated against all of these bills during the legislative session.
In an average year, 1,602 people die and 3,753 people are wounded by guns in Ohio. Gun violence costs Ohio $22.3 billion each year, of which $493.7 million is paid by taxpayers. Learn more about gun violence in Ohio here.