While I support the Second Amendment right to bear arms, like all constitutional rights, it comes with reasonable responsibilities to protect public safety. Throughout our history, we’ve had sensible gun regulations that respected gun owners while keeping communities safe. Today, those regulations have loopholes that undermine their effectiveness and lack proper enforcement.

Universal Background Checks

Federal background checks work – they’ve stopped millions of prohibited purchases. But there are dangerous loopholes. The “Charleston Loophole” allows gun sales to proceed if a background check isn’t completed within 72 hours, even when delays are caused by red flags requiring investigation. We should close this loophole and require that background checks be completed before any sale proceeds.

Private sales and gun show transfers currently bypass background checks entirely, creating an unregulated secondary market. I support universal background checks – requiring them for every gun transfer, just like we require them at licensed dealers. This isn’t about creating a registry; it’s about closing loopholes that let prohibited buyers circumvent the law.

Safe Storage

Safe storage prevents tragedies. Every year, hundreds of children are killed or injured in accidental shootings that could have been prevented with proper storage. Trigger locks, gun safes, and separating ammunition from firearms are common-sense steps that most responsible gun owners already take.

We should make safe storage easier by providing gun locks and education with every purchase. We should also increase liability – both civil and criminal – for gun owners whose unsecured weapons are used to harm others. This isn’t about punishing responsible gun owners; it’s about holding negligent ones accountable and protecting our kids.

Mental Health and Crisis Intervention

We need to invest in mental health services and crisis intervention. Many mass shooters showed clear warning signs that were missed or ignored because we don’t have the resources to respond. Better mental health care, school counselors, and crisis response teams can prevent tragedies while respecting the rights of people with mental illness who aren’t violent. Mental health is a public health issue, not a gun control issue, but addressing it can save lives.

Extreme Risk Protection Orders

Extreme Risk Protection Orders (red flag laws) save lives by temporarily removing firearms from people in crisis who pose a danger to themselves or others. These orders include due process protections and allow family members, law enforcement, or medical professionals to intervene before tragedy strikes.

The data is clear: red flag laws reduce gun suicides by 13-14% and could prevent many mass shootings where warning signs were ignored. Many gun deaths occur during domestic violence incidents, and abusers with access to firearms are five times more likely to kill their partners. Red flag laws give us a tool to intervene in these dangerous situations while preserving gun rights for law-abiding citizens.

Strengthen Background Check Systems

We need to strengthen the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) by ensuring all states and federal agencies report prohibited purchasers, including those convicted of domestic violence, violent crimes, and those subject to restraining orders. Right now, reporting is incomplete, leaving dangerous gaps.

I oppose a national gun registry – that’s not what background checks do. They simply verify whether someone is legally prohibited from owning a gun. What we need is complete, accurate data about who’s prohibited, so the system we already have can work the way it was designed to.

Respecting Ohio’s Heritage

I respect Ohio’s hunting and shooting traditions. These policies aren’t about taking guns from law-abiding citizens – they’re about keeping guns out of the hands of people who are dangerous. Most gun owners support common-sense measures like background checks and safe storage because they’re responsible gun owners themselves. I believe we can protect both our Second Amendment rights and our communities.

I will be A Voice for All, fighting to restore your chance to live the American Dream, safely and with the assurance of legislation that protects children and all of us.