Rep. Green votes to override Kasich’s veto of self-defense laws in HB 228
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COLUMBUS — Today, State Representative Doug Green (R-Mt. Orab) voted to override Governor John Kasich’s veto of House Bill 228, legislation that modifies self-defense laws to better enable Ohioans to defend themselves and their families against harm.
Following 11 committee hearings in the legislature, the two chambers agreed on a package of common-sense provisions that received bipartisan support in the Ohio House during today’s voting session.
“Today I was honored to remind Governor Kasich that the legislature does not work for him,” said Green. “We work for the people that elected us to office. This legislation, which was thoroughly vetted and overwhelmingly voted out of the General Assembly, will, among other things, allow all Ohioans to be innocent until proven guilty.”
The bill shifts the burden of proof for claiming self-defense from the defendant to the prosecution. Ohio is the only state that requires the defendant to prove he or she was acting in self-defense. This can be difficult to prove and immediately places a presumption of guilt on the accused, which is contrary to the defining principle of the American legal system of “innocent until proven guilty.”
Ohioans who do not act in self-defense, but rather act recklessly and without regard to the safety of others, will still be held accountable for their actions in a court of law. However, as with most criminal proceedings, it should be up to the prosecution to prove that someone was not acting in self-defense.
While this legislation seeks to uphold Ohioans’ safety and preserve their Second Amendment rights, it also enhances punishments for individuals who engage in unlawful activity. For example, an individual who is caught transferring or selling a firearm or ammunition in a manner prohibited by state law will be subject to a third-degree felony.
For more information, contact Rep. Green’s office at 614-644-6034 or Rep66@OhioHouse.Gov.
Following 11 committee hearings in the legislature, the two chambers agreed on a package of common-sense provisions that received bipartisan support in the Ohio House during today’s voting session.
“Today I was honored to remind Governor Kasich that the legislature does not work for him,” said Green. “We work for the people that elected us to office. This legislation, which was thoroughly vetted and overwhelmingly voted out of the General Assembly, will, among other things, allow all Ohioans to be innocent until proven guilty.”
The bill shifts the burden of proof for claiming self-defense from the defendant to the prosecution. Ohio is the only state that requires the defendant to prove he or she was acting in self-defense. This can be difficult to prove and immediately places a presumption of guilt on the accused, which is contrary to the defining principle of the American legal system of “innocent until proven guilty.”
Ohioans who do not act in self-defense, but rather act recklessly and without regard to the safety of others, will still be held accountable for their actions in a court of law. However, as with most criminal proceedings, it should be up to the prosecution to prove that someone was not acting in self-defense.
While this legislation seeks to uphold Ohioans’ safety and preserve their Second Amendment rights, it also enhances punishments for individuals who engage in unlawful activity. For example, an individual who is caught transferring or selling a firearm or ammunition in a manner prohibited by state law will be subject to a third-degree felony.
For more information, contact Rep. Green’s office at 614-644-6034 or Rep66@OhioHouse.Gov.