A gun safety group has filed petitions to put a measure before the voters requiring background checks on virtually all guns sales, including private sales.
Ohioans for Gun Safety says closing the so-called "Gun Show Loophole" will help keep firearms away from people who are not legally allowed to have them. Ohio Public Radio's Andy Chow reports.
The proposed law would require the sale and transfer of a gun to be conducted by a federally-licensed firearms dealer. And that exchange would be conditioned on the person receiving a background check.
Dennis Willard with Ohioans for Gun Safety says this will close what they see as loopholes to the current system especially when buying a gun at a gun show or online.
Willard: “This is a great step toward reducing gun violence in Ohio. We absolutely support people’s right to have guns but we think they should go through a background check.”
There are exceptions in the petition language.
If they get enough signatures, Ohioans for Gun Safety would pass their petition to the legislature. If lawmakers don’t act then the group would need another round of signatures to put the issue on the ballot.
