Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Signs Bill Allowing Teachers To Carry Guns In Schools

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Signs Bill Allowing Teachers To Carry Guns In Schools With Reduced Training

School districts across Ohio will be able to authorize teachers, principals and other staff to carry firearms into classrooms this fall after 24 hours of training.

The new law, signed Monday by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, will lower the required training hours for armed school personnel from about 700 hours to four scenario-based training hours, plus a maximum of 20 hours for first aid training, history of school shootings and reunification education.

School districts are not required to allow staff to carry firearms under the law. House Bill 99 allows local boards of education to decide whether they want staff to carry firearms at all and how much training will be required.

 

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“Each school board will determine what’s best for their students, their staff and their community,” DeWine said Monday.

DeWine’s signature puts an end to years of debate over how many hours of firearm training Ohio teachers should have Parents in a southwest Ohio school district sued over their school’s armed teacher program, arguing that the training required – about 24 hours – violated state law. The Ohio Supreme Court ruled for the parents in 2021.

The court ruled in a 4-3 decision that Ohio Revised Code required anyone authorized to carry a gun on school grounds to have 20 years of experience or peace officer training. Monday’s signing came the same day Ohio’s new constitutional carry law took effect.

People 21 or older, who are legally allowed to own a gun, can now carry concealed weapons without training or a permit.