OHIO — Gun laws are changing this week in the state as HB 227 takes effect on Monday.

The law will allow Ohioans 21 and older to carry legally owned concealed firearms without training or permits. Despite the change, a concealed carry instructor said training is still a critical piece that’s needed when carrying a firearm.

What You Need To Know

  • The law also removes the legal requirement of a licensed gun owner to promptly notify police of a gun in their car

  • Many students don’t learn until the end of the class how essential training is for carrying a firearm 

  • Rules about range safety, firing warning shots or brandishing a firearm are rules the public may not know about without training 

  • Legal responsibility is personal responsibility, and it's everyone's responsibility to know the laws for Ohio
”They do learn about the laws," said Buzz Johnson, Concealed Carry Instructor with Workman Firearms. "They learn about range safety. There (are) a lot of items in our classes that are designed to inform, so that they don't have things like a negligent discharge, so they don't have things like any unwanted criminal charges, especially during a traffic stop.”

While Johnson said they’re always working to make sure people understand the rules, they often get questions about Castle Doctrine or about what happens with firearms in either homes or in legally owned vehicles. 

Other questions come up about warning shots. Johnson said a lot of people think warning shots are OK, but he said you cannot do that at any point in time. Johnson said you cannot even show the firearm because that is consided brandishing. His concern now is if someone goes into the public with a loaded gun.

"They could be setting themselves up for some severe legal consequences,” Johnson said.

Knowing what trouble could be ahead, Johnson indicated future classes will be focused on going more in-depth on constitutional carry laws.

“One of the things that we've always impressed upon every single class is that every single round that exits a firearm is going to have a lawyer attached to it.," Johnson said. "Essentially, legal responsibility is the personal responsibility. It's everyone's responsibility to know the laws for Ohio, but also to hold themselves accountable to that law."

Johnson said ignorance of the law does not negate consequences from violating the law. 

Even though the law is changing, he said people still need to know where they can’t carry a weapon: 

Where firearms are prohibited:

  • Anything that's affiliated or associated with law enforcement
  • School safety zones, unless licensed
  • Airports
  • Hospitals
  • Prisons and detention facilities
  • Anything affiliated with the federal government

Editor's Note: During the editing process, a quotation was abbreviated in a way that made the rules surrounding warning shots unclear. The article has been amended to relfect the quote as it was spoken to our reporter. (June 14, 2022)