Ohio Lawmakers Override Gun Veto

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio lawmakers on Tuesday overrode outgoing Gov. Bob Taft's veto of a bill that will wipe out local gun laws, marking the first time in 29 years that the Legislature has rejected a gubernatorial veto.

The move was all the more unusual because both chambers are dominated by Republicans -- the governor's own party.

The Senate voted 21-12 to override on Tuesday, and the House voted last week. The bill will now take effect in about three months.

Taft, who leaves office in a few weeks, has said the gun bill exceeded its goal of cleaning up Ohio's concealed weapons law because it pre-empts about 80 local gun laws, including assault-weapons bans in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo.

Supporters of the bill said it didn't make sense to have contradictory gun laws across the state.

The last time the Legislature overrode a veto it was 1977 and the issue was an election revision bill.