Ohio could ban reporters from seeing gun records
[url]http://news.cincinnati.com/viewart/20130615/NEWS0108/306150039/Ohio-could-ban-reporters-from-seeing-gun-records[/url]
COLUMBUS — Ohio could join dozens of other states in banning public access to handgun license records as the General Assembly considers a measure to force journalists — the only ones other than law enforcement agencies exempted from the ban — to obtain a court order to review the information.
The legislative proposal would eliminate a provision under Ohio’s existing law that allows reporters to view the name, date of birth and county of residence of each person for whom a sheriff has issued, renewed, suspended or revoked a concealed handgun permit.
Journalists can see the records but cannot copy the information. The records are not available to the public.
The proponent of the measure, Sen. Joseph Uecker, R-Loveland, said his 2-year-long effort to eliminate the journalists’ exception was further ignited by the fear that an Ohio news outlet could replicate the December work of a suburban New York newspaper that displayed a map showing all gun permit holders in a given area....
I'd be interesting in hearing others' views on this subject. Right now I have mixed feelings.
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