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"45,497 Concealed Carry Licenses Issued to Ohioans"
"COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio sheriffs issued more than 45,000 licenses to carry concealed handguns since April 8, 2004, when the state law went into effect, according to the first annual licensing report issued by state Attorney General Jim Petro. Last year, Ohio sheriffs issued 45,497 regular licenses to carry concealed weapons, Petro said. The sheriffs issued 65 temporary emergency licenses, which allow a person who submits evidence of imminent danger to receive a non-renewable 90-day license to carry a concealed handgun. Sheriffs must immediately suspend a license if the holder has been arrested or charged with certain offenses, or if the licensee is the subject of a protection order, Petro noted. By the end of 2004, 78 licenses had been suspended by Ohio sheriffs, who also must revoke the license of persons who no longer meet the eligibility requirements to carry a concealed handgun. Ohio sheriffs revoked 42 regular licenses and 4 temporary emergency licenses. The sheriffs denied 428 applications because the applicants failed to meet the criteria of the law. Petro's office answered thousands of questions from citizens and from law enforcement about the new law, created and maintained new publications, a Web site, and electronic databases required by the statute, processed in a timely fashion a majority of the criminal background checks, and provided in-person and online training and assistance to sheriffs to help them fulfill their obligations under the law. "Our office formalized reciprocity agreements with 16 other states to allow Ohioans to carry concealed weapons outside our borders, and developed processes to let Probate Courts and hospitals securely report data regarding persons disqualified for medical reasons," Petro said. "My office also issued two advisory opinions concerning the law and successfully defended it against a court challenge in the Ohio Supreme Court." Petro issued the report on behalf of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission, which compiles statistics on licenses reported by county sheriffs."