Ohio Reports Record Year for Concealed Carry Licensing 3-2-2010

March 2 : 2010
Ohio Reports Record Year for Concealed Carry Licensing
DELAWARE, OHIO - Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray (D) has released the concealed handgun license (CHL) statistics for the fourth quarter of 2009 and the year-end report.The fourth quarter has generally been a strong quarter for licenses issued, and 2009 was no exception. The demand for licenses to carry concealed handguns remained strong through the entire year. During the final quarter, Ohio sheriffs issued 10,687 CHL’s, 15 temporary emergency licenses (TEL’s) and processed another 3,112 renewals.

For the year 2009, there were 56,691 regular licenses issued, shattering the old record of 45,497 in 2004, the first year that CHL’s were issued. There were an additional 16,443 licenses renewed during the year for a total of 73,134 CHL’s handed out during the year.

At year-end there were approximately 178,240 Ohioans licensed to carry concealed, and millions of out-of-state residents who may carry here on other state-issued licenses.

“People who carry concealed weapons are not some small fringe group,” said Jim Irvine, Chairman of Buckeye Firearms Association. “We are becoming more mainstream every day.”

Gun owners and concealed carry license holders are growing in numbers and becoming more active.
When a state passes a “shall issue” law, it is normal to see an initial surge, then a steady decline over the first three years. Ohio had this exact pattern until recently.

Those opposed to concealed carry claimed it was because few people wanted a license and the number of licenses issued would decrease. However, after a historic override of then-Governor Taft’s veto of concealed carry reform laws and improvements signed into law by Governor Strickland, Ohio saw renewed interest in concealed handgun licenses.

According to Irvine, “This isn’t surprising. Many people avoided getting a license because the laws put up too many unnecessary hurdles. With the improvements to the law, more people are choosing to carry a concealed handgun. And after almost six years of concealed carry being legal in Ohio, we’re seeing that the program works well.”

Even with the surge in total outstanding licenses, the number of suspensions and revocations remains small compared to other state-issued licenses. Less than one half of one percent have ever been revoked, and among that small number are many CHL’s revoked for benign clerical reasons, such as license-holders passing away, moving out of state, or deciding not to renew.

In his press release announcing the report, Cordray remarked that “if there’s something to take away from these numbers, it is that more and more Ohioans are comfortable exercising the right to carry concealed handguns. We are pleased that we have a strong partnership with the county sheriffs who issue concealed handgun licenses, and we will continue to work together to help eligible Ohioans take advantage of this law.”
Media Contact:
Jim Irvine (440) 503-3011 or jirvine@buckeyefirearms.org