State Fiscal Highlights
· No direct fiscal effect on the state.
Local Fiscal Highlights
· County courts of common pleas may incur minimal annual costs related to the possibility that a few individuals could file petitions that would require the courts clarify that the petitioners restoration of civil firearms rights conforms to federal law.
Detailed Fiscal Analysis
The bill makes state law consistent with federal law in certain matters related to civil firearms rights. It will not increase the eligibility for restoration of civil firearms rights, so there is no new group of individuals, with criminal histories, that would be able to seek such restoration. A more likely result is that a few individuals would be permitted to request a local court clarify that their restoration of civil firearms rights fully conforms to federal law. It is unlikely there would be many such actions, which means the potential annual costs for a court to adjudicate such matters would not likely exceed minimal.
Under current law, Ohio has a process for the restoration of civil firearms rights that does not apply to the restoration of rights to firearms that are dangerous ordnances. Federal case law has held that, unless state court restoration of firearms was a complete restoration of firearm rights (for all firearms including firearms that are dangerous ordnances), the person is still under a federal firearm disability. The bill affirms that the restoration is for all civil firearms rights and repeals the restriction for firearms that are dangerous ordnances.
