Ohio Legislature Approves Suppressors for Hunting

Lawmakers in Ohio have just approved the legalization of suppressors for hunting. The bill is now waiting for Ohio Governor John Kasich’s signature (which he’s expected to sign). Our counterparts in Ohio, the Buckeye Firearms Association, have been working extremely hard to legalize suppressors. Yesterday the Ohio House of Representatives passed H.B.234 by a massive 69-16 margin. Once again we’re seeing that when legislators take the time to thoroughly examine the legalization of suppressors the vast majority of reasonable lawmakers find no reason to oppose such a bill.

During the 2014 legislative session the National Rifle Association, the Iowa Firearms Coalition, and the American Suppressor Association all pushed for the legalization of suppressors in Iowa. The bill passed through the Iowa House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support, only to be stopped cold by the anti-gun chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee Rob Hogg. Full details on the plight of last year’s suppressor bill can be found HERE.

A bill to legalize suppressors will likely be brought up again in the 2015 legislative session. Fortunately for Iowa’s firearms community Sen. Rob Hogg is no longer the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He’s been replaced by Senator Steve Sodders, of State Center. Sodders has been supportive of some of our pro-2nd Amendment bills in the past, but has opposed others.

Remember, the primary role of a suppressor is to reduce the overall sound signature of the host firearm to hearing safe levels. Contrary to popular belief, they do not “silence” or eliminate the noise of a gunshot. Rather, they trap the expanding gasses at the muzzle of a firearm and allow them to slowly cool, in a similar fashion to car mufflers. Their muffling capabilities intrinsically make them a hearing protection device for both the shooter and those around them.

If you’d like to see suppressors legalized in Iowa, there are two very important steps you can take right now before the 2015 legislative session begins:

1) Contact your legislators and tell them you want them to legalize suppressors as well as protect and enhance your 2nd Amendment rights.

2) Fill out Senator Steve Sodders’ 2015 legislative priorities survey and make sure he knows that Iowa’s firearms community has high expectations for him.

Bonus: Sign up for our email list to for the latest on pro-2nd Amendment bills, and Action Alerts to help advance our cause.

Iowa Firearms Coalition is an entirely volunteer, grassroots, 2nd Amendment advocacy group. Responsible for bringing uniformity to Iowa’s Concealed Weapons Permitting process, IFC’s members work to protect and enhance 2nd Amendment rights in Iowa. An affiliate of the National Rifle Association, the IFC actively seeks to foster and promote the shooting sports. Sign up for our email list for the latest on 2nd Amendment issues in Iowa. You can support our work by becoming a member, or making a donation.