Ohio Democrats unveil legislative gun control proposals

FILE – In this Oct. 2, 2018, file photo, semi-automatic rifles fill a wall at a gun shop in Lynnwood, Wash. Mass shootings in Georgia and Colorado in March 2021, that left several people dead, have reignited calls from gun control advocates for tighter restrictions on buying firearms and ammunition. But with Democrats in control of the federal government, gun rights advocates have been persuading Republican-run state legislatures to go the other way, making it easier to obtain and carry guns.(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

The measures face an uphill climb in a Republican-dominated Legislature where lawmakers have pushed to ease many weapons restrictions

by: The Associated Press

Posted: Apr 21, 2021 / 07:47 AM EDT

Updated: Apr 21, 2021 / 07:47 AM EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Democrats in the Ohio House have unveiled several legislative gun control priorities.

The proposals include universal background checks for gun purchases and a so-called “red flag” law allowing the temporary removal of guns from individuals deemed a risk to themselves or others.

The measures introduced Monday face an uphill climb in a Republican-dominated Legislature where lawmakers have pushed to ease many weapons restrictions.

Democratic Rep. Emilia Strong Sykes of Akron, the House Minority Leader, says the proposals would reduce gun violence and save lives.

She said shootings have increased in Ohio since the August 2019 mass shooting in Dayton that killed nine.