Ohio Bill Permits Lawsuits and Punitive Damages Against Municipalities Enacting Gun Control

Original title: Permit monetary damages against municipal corps with gun controls

Last action · May 13, 2026: Referred to JudiciarySponsors: Terry Johnson and 15 others

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Introduced

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Floor Vote

Passed

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What This Bill Would Do

Ohio Senate Bill 278 allows individuals, groups, or entities adversely affected by local gun control ordinances or regulations to sue municipal corporations for actual, punitive, or exemplary damages, alongside reasonable legal expenses.

Why it matters

Changes financial liability for s that enact firearms regulations conflicting with state preemption laws, opening them up to mandatory attorney fees and punitive damages if plaintiffs prevail or if the local rule is repealed after a lawsuit is filed.

Background

Ohio Revised Code section 9.68 establishes state preemption over firearm laws, restricting local governments from enacting independent restrictions on firearms and ammunition. context

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

political subdivisions

Municipal corporations and local governments face civil liability, including punitive damages and mandatory payment of plaintiff legal expenses, if they enact or enforce gun control measures conflicting with state law.

Directly affected

individuals, groups, or entities adversely affected by local firearms regulations

Individuals and entities are explicitly granted the right to bring civil actions seeking punitive or exemplary damages, declaratory relief, and injunctive relief against municipalities with conflicting rules.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can file a civil action under this bill?

A person, group, or entity adversely affected by any manner of ordinance, rule, regulation, resolution, practice, or other action enacted or enforced by a in conflict with state firearm laws.

What happens to a lawsuit if the municipality repeals the gun control rule after the case is filed?

The court must still award reasonable expenses to the person, group, or entity that brought the action, to be paid by the .

Are local zoning boards completely barred from regulating firearms or knife sales?

No. The bill does not apply to zoning ordinances that regulate or prohibit commercial sales in residential/agricultural zones, or specify operating hours and geographic areas for commercial sales in commercial/industrial zones, provided they are consistent with other retail establishments.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

6 actions

May 13, 2026HouseCommittee
Referred to Judiciary
Apr 21, 2026HouseIntroduced
Introduced
Apr 15, 2026SenateFloor
Passed
Mar 11, 2026SenateCommittee
Reported (Local Government)
Oct 8, 2025SenateCommittee
Referred to Local Government
Oct 7, 2025SenateIntroduced
Introduced

Version history & redline

3 versions on file

Comparing As Reported by the Senate Local Government Committee → As Passed by the Senate

removed addedOfficial text

sb278_01_RS sb278_02_PS As Reported Passed by the Senate Local Government Committee 136th General Assembly Regular Session S. B. No. 278 2025-2026 Senator Johnson Cosponsors: Senators O'Brien, Koehler, Manchester Manchester, Brenner, Chavez, Cutrona, Gavarone, Huffman, Landis, Lang, Patton, Schaffer, Timken, Wilkin, Wilson To amend section 9.68 of the Revised Code to permit individuals to seek punitive or exemplary damages against municipal corporations that pass gun control […]

Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →