COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio's concealed carry law could be at risk of being undermined, should a bill pass that is now under consideration in the U.S. Senate. The National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011 (H.R. 822) would allow anyone who is licensed to carry a concealed weapon in one state to carry a concealed weapon in almost every other state.

As a result, says Toby Hoover, executive director of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, those with a carry permit from states with more lax requirements could enter Ohio with a concealed weapon unchecked.

"Some of those states you can get permit to carry a concealed weapon over the Internet; some of them don't have records up-to-date as far as domestic abuse; some of them allow people under 21 to have them – and then, all of a sudden, Ohio would be allowing them to have the same privileges."

Supporters argue the legislation is needed to bring clarity to a complicated system, similar to the requirement that each state's drivers license be recognized in all other states. However, Hoover points out that it took a long time to get Ohio's concealed carry law passed, and she believes the bill would take away the Attorney General's power to meet with legal experts and decide whether another state's qualifications are strong enough.

Further, Hoover claims the legislation supports the view of some that there shouldn't be any rules about gun ownership or possession.

"The proponents of this kind of legislation say, 'We really don't want to have any rules; we want to be able to do whatever we please with whatever kind of gun we please,' where that's not the safest thing for the citizens."

Hoover adds most Ohioans do not carry guns and should not have to worry about more people carrying loaded, hidden weapons in public places.

"People have a right to be safe from gun violence, and you can't do that if you keep increasing the number of guns on the streets, in the parks, and in the restaurants and everyplace else."

The Ohio Attorney General has already granted 20 states gun permit reciprocity, because their requirements are similar to Ohio's. The federal legislation has passed in the House, with 12 of 15 voting Ohio representatives in favor. It has been read in the Senate and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.



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The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas says it is monitoring protests at college campuses, after almost 60 students protesting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were arrested during a demonstration at the University of Texas in Austin.

State troopers on horses and in riot gear were called in to control the crowd. ACLU Staff Attorney Brian Klosterboer said students planning to participate in peaceful protests should know their rights.

"We encourage everyone to follow the guidance of law enforcement even if they believe that law enforcement might be violating their First Amendment or constitutional rights," said Klosterboer. "It's important that people try to stay safe. Remember, they also have a right to remain silent. You can ask if you are free to leave."

Charges were dropped against the protesters in Austin. Students also held a sit-in at the University of Texas in Dallas and a walkout was held at the University of Texas in Arlington.

Following the arrests of the protesters, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on the social media platform X that the students belonged in jail, and accused them of hate speech.

Klosterboer said when state officials attack free speech, they undermine the core of democracy.

"Texas public universities were specifically designated by Gov. Abbott as traditional public forums," said Klosterboer. "That's where students and others who are engaging in any kind of speech, whether it's passing out Bibles and religious literature or engaging in protests for human rights. That's where free speech is at its apex."

He added that if someone feels their civil liberties have been violated, they can file a complaint on the ACLU website.

The demonstrations in Texas are part of nationwide protests calling for a ceasefire between the Israeli forces and Hamas.





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The Montana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has filed class-action lawsuit challenging a measure barring people from listing a gender on their birth certificate other than the one they were born with.

Montana lawmakers passed Senate Bill 280 in 2021, which requires a court order to change gender on a birth certificate. A state court issued an injunction against the measure but now the state health department has put a total ban on changes to sex designations on birth certificates.

Akilah Deernose, executive director of the ACLU of Montana, called the measure part of a "concerted and unrelenting attack" on the civil rights of people who identify as transgender.

"We've previously sued on the birth certificate issue," Deernose pointed out. "Once again, we're seeing the state implement laws and rules and policies that unfairly target transgender people."

On the other side, some people argued birth certificates contain vital statistics and should be based on the facts at the time of birth. The suit awaits action in state court.

Deernose noted beyond privacy rights, the birth certificate measure has the potential to force a person to declare themselves to be someone other than who they are, based on their declared identity.

"And who they know themselves to be," Deernose observed. "That puts them at risk of discrimination and also forces them to out themselves every time they share those identity documents."

The suit also challenges a motor vehicle department policy forbidding changing sex designations on driver's licenses.

New York state lawmakers have appointed members to the Community Commission on Reparations Remedies, created through legislation Gov. Kathy Hochul signed in 2023.

Its goal is to examine the legacy of slavery and its continuing impacts on black New Yorkers. The commission will develop a report outlining recommendations for addressing these inequities.

Linda J. Mann, co-founder of the African American Redress Network, said there is one problem facing the commission: a lack of funds.

"It is absolutely imperative that funds for these types of task force, because of the amount of research that's going into it, is an imperative," Mann emphasized.

While the bill had plenty of Democratic support, it drew the ire of Republican lawmakers.

Many areas of the country are determining how to redress past disparities Black people face. A recent report found philanthropies have received millions in funds stemming from depriving Black people of opportunities to build wealth similar to those of their white counterparts.

The New York commission will have to present its findings in 2025.

A 2021 Pew Research survey showed three-quarters of Black Americans surveyed support reparations, while only 18% of white Americans support it.

Along with the U.S., countries worldwide are navigating reparations, with Mann noting they are not always compensatory.

"We're not talking about just altering economic wellness," Mann pointed out. "There's other ways in which historical harms have led to disparities in education, in health, in housing."

Beyond New York, California is the only other state to have created a reparations commission. California's reparations task force recommended some compensatory reparations based on factors such as health harms, mass incarceration and over-policing, housing discrimination and the devaluation of African American businesses. But, it wasn't certain how much all of this would amount to.