Ohio currently has statewide breed-specific legislation that declares all “pit bulls” to be “vicious” dogs. HB 14 and HB 25 are two separate bills that would remove the breed-specific language from state law.
HB 25 and HB 14 are scheduled for hearings in the House Criminal Justice Committee on March 23 at 9:00 AM in Room 114 (Ohio Statehouse, Columbus, Ohio 43215). *Per this week’s online House Committee Schedule.*
If you are a resident of Ohio, please make every effort to attend the committee hearing and show your support for the removal of breed-specific language. If you would like to testify at the hearing, please arrive 30 minutes ahead of time and bring 30 copies of your testimony; you will need to complete a Witness Slip and submit your written copies before the hearing begins.
Contact the Criminal Justice Committee members to express support for HB 25 and HB 14:
Lynn Slaby, Chair, district41@ohr.state.oh.us
Bill Hayes, Vice Chair, district91@ohr.state.oh.us
Louis W. Blessing, Jr., district29@ohr.state.oh.us
Danny R. Bubp, district88@ohr.state.oh.us
William P. Coley, II, district55@ohr.state.oh.us
Cliff Hite, district76@ohr.state.oh.us
Joseph W. Uecker, district66@ohr.state.oh.us
Ron Young, district63@ohr.state.oh.us
Roland Winburn, district40@ohr.state.oh.us
Nancy J. Garland, district20@ohr.state.oh.us
Connie Pillich, district28@ohr.state.oh.us
W. Carlton Weddington, district27@ohr.state.oh.us
Sandra Williams, district11@ohr.state.oh.us
Cut-and-paste email block:
district41@ohr.state.oh.us; district91@ohr.state.oh.us; district29@ohr.state.oh.us; district88@ohr.state.oh.us; district55@ohr.state.oh.us; district76@ohr.state.oh.us; district66@ohr.state.oh.us; district63@ohr.state.oh.us; district40@ohr.state.oh.us; district20@ohr.state.oh.us; district28@ohr.state.oh.us; district27@ohr.state.oh.us; district11@ohr.state.oh.us
Read HB 14 here: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText129/129_HB_14_I_N.html
Read an explanation of HB 14 here:
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/analysis.cfm?ID=129_HB_14&hf=analyses129/h0014-i-129.htm
Read HB 25 here: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText129/129_HB_25_I_N.html
Read an explanation of HB 25 here:
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/analysis.cfm?ID=129_HB_25&hf=analyses129/h0025-i-129.htm
i am a resident of ohio who owns a bully breed (not a pit bull but one that can be looked at and viewed as one by the uninformed) I have made an effort to contact these people involved and hopefully the people out there who do love the breed and think this is just pathetic can make a case which will deliver the pits from BSL.
I am in the same situation with my American Bulldogs and have also contacted the committee members, although I was unable to attend the hearing. My biggest concern with the current law is that the definition of a pit bull or pit bull type dog is so vague that the “officials” are left to determine what dogs are and what dogs aren’t vicious. I disagree with the BSL as a whole, but if they are going to discriminate, at least clarify what is being descriminated against.
So are american bulldogs considered vicious by the bsl list in cuyahoga county? Thats what the city kennel told me but I cannot find an exact answer from anyone?