toledoblade.com --

COLUMBUS - A bill allowing licensed Ohioans to carry concealed handguns on their persons and in their cars appeared to be in danger yesterday as time to work out a compromise grows short.

One day after convincing the Ohio Fraternal Organization of Police to withdraw its opposition to the bill, the Senate Judiciary on Civil Justice Committee postponed today's planned vote until Tuesday.

The delay sets up a showdown between the Senate and House. Speaker of the House Larry Householder (R., Glenford) said the House does not plan to be here next week. The exodus of either chamber would leave any unfinished business, such as the concealed carry bill, to die as the 124th General Assembly goes home.

"I think there's a good shot at getting concealed-carry done. A good shot," insisted Senate President Richard Finan (R., Evendale). Mr. Householder didn't agree.

Gov. Bob Taft personally met with FOP representatives yesterday. After months of saying he would not sign the bill without the support of law-enforcement organizations, his rhetoric had softened in the wake of the FOP's shift to a position of neutrality.

The Buckeye State Sheriffs Association is the sole major law-enforcement organization to support the bill outright. The Ohio Highway Patrol and Association of Chiefs of Police remain opposed.

Governor Taft has asked for a prohibition against a driver or passenger in a car having a loaded gun, an issue raised by the highway patrol. He has repeated his call for gun dealers to offer trigger locks for sale at the time of purchase and a prohibition against carrying guns into sports stadiums and government buildings.

"The governor hasn't said he will sign the bill even if he gets the things he's asked for," said Taft spokesman Joe Andrews.

No matter the compromise, Toledo Mayor Jack Ford and police Chief Mike Navarre remain opposed to legislation that would allow Ohioans to carry concealed handguns.

"I believe this bill is wrong for Ohio," Mr. Ford said yesterday. "I remain strongly against any law that would allow a large number of new weapons on the streets of our city."

Chief Navarre said he has seen the revisions in the legislation, "and that's not going to change my opinion." He said that a concealed-carry law will result in increased suicides, homicides, and accidental shootings.

Mr. Ford wrote Mr. Taft yesterday and urged a veto of the legislation. The mayor said he has contacted other mayors and urged them to do the same.

Greg Kopp, secretary of Ohioans for Concealed Carry, said the group withdrew its support as a result of expanded fingerprinting requirements, training requirements, and an expanded list of places where guns would be prohibited.

The group would prefer to take its chances with the Ohio Supreme Court, which has before it an appeal of a Cincinnati court ruling that Ohio's ban on carrying hidden guns is unconstitutional.

"We only need four more judges to say the same thing," he said. "To get four out of seven on a conservative court next session is probably not that unlikely."

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