Lawmakers in Ohio have voted to allow gun owners to carry guns in bars.The state has ruled that it is acceptable for drinkers to conceal their weapons as they prop up bars.
The Ohio General Assembly passed the bill in a 55-38 vote despite opponents complaining that guns and alcohol would endanger public safety.
Also included in the controversial law is a change to the restrictions on how guns can be transported within the Midwest state.
The state Senate, which had already passed a similar bill, passed a concurring measure by a 25-7 vote.
Now if Republican Governor John Kasich agrees the measure, residents will be able to take concealed handguns into licensed establishments.
The ruling means that shoppers could take hidden weapons into shopping malls and sports stadiums.
kasich headshot
Backing: Republican John Kasich fully backs the guns and drink plan
Businesses do have an opt out and can ban concealed weapons on their premises for safety reasons.
But the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League, have already said they will not allow gun-toting fans to bring firearms into the stadium.
Jim Irvine, the head of Buckeye Firearms Association, a political action committee for gun owners that supported the legislation, said the measure brought Ohio's laws regarding the rights of gun owners in line with those in other states with concealed carry rules.
The law also prohibits gun owners from consuming alcohol or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs when they carry their weapons into bars.
Recent analysis by the Columbus Dispatch newspaper of the state's public records and data from 2009 revealed that there were an average of 34 gun related incidents took place across the state's seven largest cities.
Guns were found to be present in more than 12,500 incidents investigated in the county in Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown.
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Source: Daily Mail
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