AG: Concealed-carry permits continue rising

By Marc Kovac | March 7, 2016 at 12:05a.m.

COLUMBUS

The number of new licenses issued to carry concealed firearms rose in 2015 to the second-highest level in the past five years, according to statistics recently released by the Ohio attorney general’s office.

The number of license suspensions in 2015 was lower than in 2014, and the number of license revocations was the highest since 2011.

State law requires the attorney general to track the number of permits issued, renewed, suspended, revoked and denied and compile the information in an annual report.

Copies are available online at www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov.

A total of 71,589 new licenses were issued in 2015, up from 58,066 in 2014 but down from 96,972 in 2013. More than 44,500 licenses were renewed from January to December 2015.

Additionally, 1,319 licenses were suspended during the year, down from 1,412 in 2014 but up from 1,154 in 2013.

The attorney general’s office also reported 530 license revocations, up from 373 in 2014 and 286 in 2013. Licenses are revoked if holders are convicted of certain crimes or otherwise deemed in eligible, moved out of state, died or decided not to hold their license anymore.

A total of 1,117 applications were denied in 2015 because seekers did not meet state-law requirements for carrying concealed firearms. The total was up from 882 the previous year.

Here are the statistics for Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties:

Mahoning County: 1,743 new licenses were issued and 827 were renewed. A total of 46 were suspended, four were revoked and 29 applications were denied.

Trumbull County: 904 new licenses were issued, and 1,003 were renewed. Forty-eight were suspended, three were revoked and 10 applications were denied.

Columbiana County: 866 new licenses were issued and 548 were renewed. Fifteen were suspended, three were revoked, and three applications were denied.