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In Your StateOhio

In Your State

Ohio

Ohio has had at least 161 mass shootings since 2020 and guns are the number one leading cause of death of children. Lawmakers must do more to keep kids safe from gun violence. Learn more about what you can do to help in your state and community.

Take Action Now

Join us right now and urge your representatives to make Ohio safer by passing Secure Storage Laws.

Ohio had the

24th

highest firearm death rate in the U.S.

Gun fire was the

1st

leading cause of death for Ohio children.

Data from the last reported year. See sources.

Ohio had the

24th

highest firearm death rate in the U.S.

Gun fire was the

1st

leading cause of death for Ohio children.

Take Action Now

Join us right now and urge your representatives to make Ohio safer by passing Secure Storage Laws.

Play video

Keep Every Home Safe

Too often, children accidentally find firearms in their home. This can lead to the death of themselves and family members. Secure storage laws like the Keep Every Home Safe Act can prevent these tragedies and make it easier for gun owners to keep firearms away from children in their home.

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79

children died by gun fire.

1115

Ohioans died by suicide with a firearm.

22

mass shootings.

Data from the last reported year. See sources.

Ohio Makes History In Prioritizing School Safety

Ohio set the national standard for protecting youth by being the first legislature in the country to sign the Safety and Violence Education for Students Act into law. The SAVE Students Act requires that all middle and high school students in Ohio have access to evidence-based programs for schools that teach how to recognize social isolation, identify the signs of potential violence and suicide, and when and how to intervene and get help. This programming can be delivered either digitally or through in-person training at no cost to the schools.

Read our Statement

Gun Laws in Ohio

Enhanced background checks
Restricts certain semi-automatic rifles
Secure storage
Temporary transfer

Ohio Statehouse Day

Sandy Hook Promise staff and volunteers met at the Ohio Statehouse to meet with their state legislators about a groundbreaking policy, the Keep Every Home Safe Act, dedicated to safeguarding the children of Ohio. This legislation aims to prevent accidental shootings and reduce youth suicide by firearm, addressing the alarming rise in firearm-related deaths among young people. Watch a brief video to learn more about the legislation.

Want to get more involved? Sign up to become a Promise Leader. Promise Leaders are dedicated Sandy Hook Promise volunteers who take meaningful action to keep children safe. By volunteering, you play a powerful role in creating safer schools, homes and communities.

Volunteer
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Our Impact in Ohio

Throughout Ohio, Sandy Hook Promise has engaged youth & adults in our mission and prevention programs.

423k

Supporters in the state

1004

Volunteer Promise Leaders who help raise awareness & engage communities

3m +

Program participants in 8,406 schools, including first-time and repeat participants

6231

Students involved in 195 SAVE Promise Clubs throughout the state

Prevent gun violence in Ohio

You can help make Ohio a safe place for kids and for your whole community. We urge the legislature to pass proven policy solutions, including emergency temporary transfer, secure storage, and closing the stranger-to-stranger loophole to prevent gun violence and tragedy. These policies keep the public safe from harm while protecting individual rights.

State Issue

Everyone experiences temporary moments of crisis. When that crisis is combined with a firearm, the outcomes can be deadly. Temporary transfer supports gun owners in crisis while protecting their rights and gets them help before things turn tragic.
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State Issue

A deadly loophole allows guns to be sold between a seller and a buyer who don’t know each other – and no background check is required. Ohio can close this “stranger-to-stranger” loophole and expand background checks to prevent dangerous people from buying guns.
Take Action
State Issue

Too often, children accidentally find firearms in their home. This can lead to the death of themselves and family members. Secure storage laws can prevent these tragedies and make it easier for gun owners to keep firearms away from their young sons and daughters.
Take Action
Mark Barden
“We are proud to work with the bipartisan champions to ensure we're doing everything we can to protect our kids and that millions more students will be trained to know the signs of violence and act to save lives. Our work does not end here, we will continue to bring our prevention programs to schools and communities across the country and advocate for life-saving policies.”
Mark BardenSandy Hook Promise Co-Founder and Co-CEO

News and Resources

Stay informed about current issues and stories about preventing gun violence and promoting school safety.

Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on Seattle Festival Mass ShootingRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on Targeted Mass Shooting of East St. Louis FamilyRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on Fourth of July Weekend Shootings in Several U.S. CitiesRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on Ohio Festival ShootingRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on Mass Shooting in IowaRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on Youth-Involved Shootings in Several U.S. CitiesRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Thanks House Appropriators for Approving Increased STOP FundingRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on Weekend Mass Shootings in Texas and OklahomaRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Applauds Increased Federal Budget to Strengthen School SafetyRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Action Fund Responds to Federal Gun Policy ChangesRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on the Murder of Eight Children in Shreveport, LouisianaRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Action Fund Applauds Kansas Legislature for Unanimously Passing the Students Safe at School ActRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on Bulverde, Texas School ShootingRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on Meta and YouTube Being Held Liable for Social Media AddictionRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on Shooting at Old Dominion UniversityRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on the Verdict and Warning Signs Revealed in the Trial of the Apalachee High School Shooter’s FatherRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on Mass Shooting in Austin, TexasRead More
Press ReleaseSandy Hook Promise Statement on Six Killed in Two Connected Florida ShootingsRead More
Press ReleaseNew Report Calls for Platform Transparency to Support Family Conversations About Firearm Content OnlineRead More
Press ReleaseFear and Disruption in Schools: Sandy Hook Promise Calls for Safe, Trusting Learning EnvironmentsRead More

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