Ottawa County Sheriff Steve Levorchick has announced that with Ohio’s Senate Bill 215 taking effect this week, “qualifying adults” in Ohio are now allowed to carry a concealed handgun in the state without the need for a concealed handgun license.

“Although the law regarding CCW (carrying a concealed weapon) is changing within the State of Ohio, some aspects of our current law will not change,” said Sheriff Levorchick on Monday. “For example, it will still be illegal to carry a deadly weapon into any courthouse, building containing a courtroom, and the courtroom itself.

“Ohio Revised Code section 2923.123 clearly reads that such a violation is a felony. The exception to this law is any police offer acting within his or her official capacity,” said Sheriff Levorchik. “Please be sure to educate yourself thoroughly in regards to carrying weapons prior to doing so.”

Qualifying adults must be 21 years of age or older; legal residents; not fugitives; not subject to a protection order; have not been hospitalized or adjudicated mentally ill; have not been dishonorable discharged from the military; do not have a conviction or delinquency for a felony; a drug offense; domestic violence; one misdemeanor offense of violence with three years or two within five years; or are not otherwise forbidden under state or federal law.