Lawmakers had the right to pass a uniform statewide gun law that blocked Cleveland and other cities from passing tougher laws such as assault weapons bans and handgun registration requirements, the state's highest court ruled Wednesday.
Gun-rights advocates hailed the Ohio Supreme Court's decision as a victory for constitutional rights, while Cleveland officials attacked it as an infringement on their authority to protect citizens from gun violence.
In the 5-2 decision, the Republican-dominated court said a 2006 state law does not violate Ohio's home rule provision that gives local authorities the ability to enact measures in the interest of their citizens. A key question in the case was whether the statewide gun law is considered a "general law"-- which under the home rule provision would override local ordinances.
The 13-page decision written by Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton.....
