As Introduced

136th General Assembly

Regular Session S. B. No. 238

2025-2026

A BILL

To enact section 2923.22 of the Revised Code to limit liability for federally licensed firearms dealers in regards to firearm hold agreements

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That section 2923.22 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 2923.22. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Federally licensed firearms dealer" has the same meaning as in section 5502.63 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Firearm hold agreement" means a private agreement between a federally licensed firearms dealer and an individual firearm owner in which the dealer takes physical possession of the owner's lawfully possessed firearm at the owner's request, holds the firearm for an agreed period of time, and returns the firearm to the owner according to the terms of the agreement.

(3) "Indoor shooting range" means an indoor facility operated for the purpose of shooting with firearms that conforms to the generally accepted standards for shooting ranges adopted by the chief of the division of wildlife under section 1533.84 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1) No person has a cause of action against a federally licensed firearms dealer or the operator of an indoor shooting range for any act or omission arising from a firearm hold agreement and resulting in personal injury or death of any person, including the return of any firearms to the individual firearm owner at the termination of the agreement.

(2) This section does not apply to any action arising from a firearm hold agreement if such action was the result of otherwise unlawful conduct on the part of the federally licensed firearms dealer or the operator of an indoor shooting range.

(3) This section does not apply to agreements in which the owner of the firearm becomes prohibited from possessing firearms under state or federal law during the agreement period, and the federally licensed firearms dealer or the operator of an indoor shooting range knows or reasonably should know about the weapons disability.

(C) Nothing in this section requires a federally licensed firearms dealer or operator of an indoor shooting range to enter into a firearm hold agreement.