Tuesday night Mansfield City Council passed a bill opposing Ohio House Bill 203 (HB 203), commonly referred to as “Stand Your Ground.” Two key bills addressing personnel positions and pay grades as well as wages and salaries were not expedited and will continue with readings at the next council meeting. And the mayor presented the Washington family with a proclamation to honor the late Reverend Henry Washington, who recently passed away at the age of 91.
In November the Ohio House of Representatives passed HB 203 in a 62-27 vote. Many are referring to this legislation as Ohio’s “Stand Your Ground” because the law changes the parameters under which a person can claim self defence.
Under the current law a person may claim self defence and is not obligated to retreat if attacked on their own property or in their vehicle. This law would expand that provision to any place that a person may lawfully be.
The law is slightly more complex than that because it also includes several changes in the regulation of the Ohio Concealed Handgun Licence (CHL) as well.
The bill strengthens the background check process, establishes an automatic reciprocity process for CHL holders, allows purchase and sale of shotguns and rifles in non-contiguous states, reduces the minimum training requirement to obtain a competency certificate required to apply for a CHL from twelve hours to four hours, and establishes a non-resident application process to obtain a CHL.
Despite the overwhelming support for the bill in the Ohio House, opponents such as the Democratic Party are hopeful that the Senate may vote differently. Local bills such as the one passed in Mansfield on Tuesday are an attempt to send a message to the Ohio Senate.
“We’re very pleased with the outcome today,” said Democratic Party representative Samantha Peko.
City Law Director John Spon believes that our current laws are sufficient. He explained that many in law enforcement as well as prosecutors oppose the bill. In his experience there have not been instances where the current laws were inadequate in self defence cases.
“As a former prosecutor, as a law director I don’t believe it’s necessary. I believe it opens up doors for people who are mentally unstable that can’t rationalize subjectively their reason to use deadly force when the matter could be solved without deadly force.”
Councilman Cliff Mears was the only member of council to oppose the local bill. He believes that HB 203 protects people and ensures their safety.
“You’re telling people to run and hide. You’re not putting a stop to it, this perpetuates violence. You’re not addressing the problem. This stops the person from further violence. Avoiding conflict doesn’t solve it,” said Mears.
In other council activity, Human Resources Director David Remy presented council with a comprehensive overhaul and update of the personnel positions, pay grades, and salaries of employees that were deemed by Human Resources to be in need of updates and changes.
In addition to that, a second piece of legislation would upgrade wages and salaries, fringe benefits and terms of employment for certain employees.
Job titles and salary adjustments were a hot button issue at the December 3 council meeting. One position in the Law Director’s Office sparked heated debate, that same position came under fire again at Tuesday’s meeting.
Councilwoman Pat Hightower said, “I think this is about the third time, if I’m not mistaken, that this has come to our attention and every time we’ve said, ‘No, not now,’ but keeps it coming up around this certain person. I’m having a hard time, no disrespect to any elected official, but I’m having a hard time myself understanding why this keeps occurring.”
Originally the two ordinances were slated for fast tracking; but given the controversial nature of the issues, council voted to read the bills again at the next council meeting.
Just one day after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was remembered, the mayor and council remembered a local civil rights hero with a proclamation.
Reverend Henry Washington was a civil rights pioneer in the NAACP, served six terms on Mansfield City Council, served on the first human relations committee, ministered at the Alpha and Omega Church of God in Christ, and worked with the Mansfield Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance.
From the proclamation, “As a man and an official he leaves behind a memorial of good citizenship. Reverend Washington justly earned the respect and admiration and high regards from all the citizens of Mansfield and this community.”
