COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Senate on Wednesday took action to make mufflers and sound suppressors for firearms – sometimes called silencers – more accessible for gun owners.
Approved with bipartisan support, the bill is the latest in a series of moves to loosen up gun control laws.
The bill would remove firearm mufflers and suppressors, devices that diminish the sound of gunshots, from the list of dangerous ordinances. The list also includes grenades and torpedoes.
Ohio GOP lawmakers have moved in recent years to no longer require a permit to carry a concealed handgun in the state, lift training requirements for military service members and veterans to obtain a concealed-firearm permit, and remove the state’s ban on conceal-carry on college campuses and several other locations.
Proponents of Senate Bill 214, though, have focused on safety benefits. Sen. Kyle Koehler, a Clark County Republican, noted in committee testimony that the suppressors lower sound levels that can damage hearing.
“I can tell you that many law-abiding citizens own registered and stamped suppressors that they use with their firearms to prevent hearing damage and mitigate noise pollution,” he told the Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee last June.
Among those who testified as proponents were the Buckeye Firearm Association and Ohio Gun Owners.
“This bill is about liberty, safety and common sense,” Rob Knisley, political director of Ohio Gun Owners, said in his committee testimony.
On Wednesday, Koehler again emphasized the safety aspect before the vote.
“It protects not only me, but those around me,” he said about a suppressor’s ability to lower the decibel level of gunfire.
The legislation allows suppressors to be regulated like regular firearms, rather than requiring fingerprints and an enhanced background check.
After the 2017 mass shooting in a Las Vegas nightclub which killed 58 people and injured hundreds, Las Vegas police credited their quick response to their ability to hear the shots. Las Vegas Undersheriff Kevin McMahill told CNN that officers “could actually hear where rounds were coming from.”
Koehler has said suppressors are sometimes referred to erroneously as silencers. He noted Wednesday that suppressors do not completely silence a firearm.
“The bullet traveling well over the speed of sound still creates the loud ‘cracking’ sound as it breaks the sound barrier,” Koehler said.
The bill, approved 31-1, now moves to the House.
This legislative development signifies a growing trend in Ohio towards decreasing restrictions on firearm accessories, reflecting a continuously evolving dialogue about gun rights and personal safety. Advocates argue that easing access to suppressors could promote safer shooting practices while reducing noise pollution, especially in populated areas. Proponents believe that this could benefit wildlife communities, reducing disturbances caused by gunshots during hunting and outdoor activities.
The recent vote by the Ohio Senate underscores an ongoing shift in firearm policy, favoring less regulation on firearm accessories like suppressors. As early reports suggest, this may lead to a reassessment of safety impacts concerning both gun users and the surrounding communities. While the move is lauded for enhancing personal safety and hearing protection, the broader implications on public safety, especially in terms of ensuring that gunfire remains audible in critical situations, remains an open question. This development reflects a larger national trend towards deregulation within the firearms sector, impacting not just Ohio, but potentially setting precedents for other states to follow in the discussions surrounding Second Amendment rights and responsible gun ownership.