COLUMBUS, Ohio — Editor's note: Video in the player above features comments from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on June 13, 2022, in which he confirmed he signed House Bill 99.
Reaction is coming in after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill that will allow school employees to arm themselves as soon as this fall.
Republicans said the measure, which is optional, could prevent massacres such as the shooting in Texas that killed 19 elementary school students and two teachers. Democrats, however, said it sends the wrong message.
The bill will protect children by ensuring instruction is specific to schools and includes significant scenario-based training, DeWine said when he announced his support Monday.
Below are reactions from local politicians:
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Nan Whaley:
“Governor DeWine has once again ignored calls from Ohioans to ‘Do Something’ on gun violence and, instead, has made our communities less safe. He’s continued to show Ohioans that he cares more about the gun lobby that funds his campaigns and the Republican extremists than he does about keeping our children and our communities safe from gun violence. Unfortunately for him, voters will remember his callousness in November and vote him out of office.”
Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters:
“This is not what Ohioans meant when they called on DeWine to ‘do something’ following the 2019 mass shooting in Dayton. Ohioans were counting on DeWine to grow a spine and stand up to the gun lobby. All he did was cash the gun lobby’s campaign checks and do its bidding instead."
We will update this story as additional reactions come in...