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Ohio Gov. Kasich Wants Tighter Background Checks, Crackdowns on Bump Stocks and Straw Men

A photo of former U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce (left), Jim Tobin of the Catholic Conference of Ohio, former state Rep. Ron Maag and former Senate president Tom Niehaus are members of Gov. John Kasich’s group, moderated by Public Safety director Col. John Born.
KAREN KASLER
/
STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU
Former U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce (left), Jim Tobin of the Catholic Conference of Ohio, former state Rep. Ron Maag and former Senate President Tom Niehaus are members of Gov. John Kasich’s group, moderated by Public Safety Director Col. John Born. ";

Gov. John Kasich has put out a package of gun-law changes he hopes to get through the Republican-dominated state Legislature. This comes after several weeks of talking about a private group he convened to discuss gun laws, and after a very public pivot on gun regulations following last month’s Florida school shooting.

Kasich says the group wants state laws keeping firearms from potentially dangerous people and domestic abusers, closing gaps in the National Instant Criminal Background Check system, strengthening prohibitions on third party or “straw man” purchases, and banning armor-piercing ammo and bump stocks. And he’s handing what he calls a reasonable package over to state lawmakers for action.

“This is something they have to work on. I don’t intend to browbeat them. I’m going to encourage them every step of the way.”

Kasich says there are things he could do to push the package along, but wants to give lawmakers a chance to work. Senate President Larry Obhof’s spokesman says he’s open to dialogue.

Karen is a lifelong Ohioan who has served as news director at WCBE-FM, assignment editor/overnight anchor at WBNS-TV, and afternoon drive anchor/assignment editor in WTAM-AM in Cleveland. In addition to her daily reporting for Ohio’s public radio stations, she’s reported for NPR, the BBC, ABC Radio News and other news outlets. She hosts and produces the Statehouse News Bureau’s weekly TV show “The State of Ohio”, which airs on PBS stations statewide. She’s also a frequent guest on WOSU TV’s “Columbus on the Record”, a regular panelist on “The Sound of Ideas” on ideastream in Cleveland, appeared on the inaugural edition of “Face the State” on WBNS-TV and occasionally reports for “PBS Newshour”. She’s often called to moderate debates, including the Columbus Metropolitan Club’s Issue 3/legal marijuana debate and its pre-primary mayoral debate, and the City Club of Cleveland’s US Senate debate in 2012.