By Leo Shane III
Gannett Columbus Bureau

COLUMBUS - The Ohio Fraternal Order of Police withdrew its objections to a bill allowing citizens to carry concealed handguns after a Senate committee made major revisions, including required fingerprinting of all gun permit applicants.

Mike Taylor, a spokesman for the FOP, called the changes "reasonable and responsible" for both law enforcement and Ohio citizens.

"We're concerned with the safety of our members, and these changes go a long way toward addressing those concerns," he said.

PROVISIONS OF BILL

Following are major provisions of a new Senate version of a House bill that would allow Ohioans to carry concealed weapons. The bill would: • Allow property owners, including the government, to decide whether people can carry concealed weapons on premises. • Bar people who have been convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers from obtaining conceal-carry permits. • Create a computer database that lists permit holders and make it available to authorities outside Ohio. • Include fingerprinting as part of a criminal background check. Sheriffs would be required to destroy the prints within 20 days. • Bar permits to people who have arrest warrants against them. • Require 12 hours of safety training to obtain a permit. • Require the attorney general to publish a pamphlet that describes when a person can use deadly force under Ohio law. Source: Substitute House Bill 274

Gov. Bob Taft has threatened to veto the measure if it does not get support from a majority of law enforcement groups.

Supporters hailed the FOP decision as a boost in passing the new law. But the state Highway Patrol and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police still oppose the measure, a version of which was adopted by the House in March.

Joe Andrews, a spokesman for Mr. Taft, said the governor is reviewing the changes and will meet with representatives of the FOP, highway patrol and other law enforcement groups before announcing his opinion of the bill.

GOP leaders hope to put the measure before the full Senate for a vote on Thursday, and possibly on the governor's desk by next week.

Bill author Rep. Jim Aslanides, R-Coshocton, said he is optimistic that any remaining opposition by law enforcement wouldn't derail the measure. "In every state where this was passed, the chiefs of police were against it," he said. "This bill is a good bill. It has provisions within it that I hope would make it difficult for the governor not to sign."

The bill would authorize county sheriffs to license citizens who complete a gun training class and submit to a background check.

The Buckeye State Sheriffs' Association has supported the measure.

Under Senate revisions, sheriffs would use fingerprinting - not just the applicant's Social Security number - to perform background checks.

Because of privacy concerns, the bill mandates that those reports be destroyed within 20 days.

Fingerprinting was a main source of contention in the House, where some members were concerned that it treated gun-permit holders as criminals. Before the bill passed the House early this year, fingerprinting requirements were lessened.

But Mr. Aslanides said he remained confident that enough House members will still support the bill.

The Senate revisions also strengthen training requirements and ban anyone convinced of assaulting a police officer from obtaining a permit.

To a list of places where concealed weapons will be prohibited, legislators added day-care facilities, police stations and jails.

John Hohenwarter Jr., state spokesman for the National Rifle Association, called the changes an important compromise for Ohio citizens.

"Does this legislation contain everything the NRA wants? No," he said.

"Does it contain everything law enforcement want? No. But what we have here is a pretty good piece of legislation."

The House-approved bill made schools and universities - as well as churches, mental hospitals and any place selling alcohol - gun-free zones.

Lt. Gary Lewis of the state Highway Patrol said troopers oppose allowing permit holders to carry a concealed, loaded handgun while driving.

"Concealment is a big deal because it's unknown to the officers," he said.

"That changes how you approach situations."

John Gilchrist, spokesman for the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, said a proliferation of concealed weapons will mean more gun violence and more problems for police.

"Every time an officer stops a driver, even for a minor traffic stop, the officer will have to assume ... that a loaded gun may be on the person, under the front seat, in a purse or in the glove compartment," he said.

Ohio would be the 45th state to issue concealed-weapon permits if the bill passes, and the 33rd to require proficiency testing before receiving the permit.

Under Ohio law now, it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon. There are some exceptions if it can be demonstrated that the weapon is for self-defense.

The 1st Ohio District Court of Appeals ruled the law unconstitutional in April in a Hamilton County case. The case is before the Ohio Supreme Court.