Ronald Edward Hood

The national gun rights political battle these days necessitates a number of specific legislative battles in many of the individual States of the United States.  That being the case, it is most important for the preservation of the right to keep and bear arms that solid gun rights supporters and advocates take the lead in this fight in state legislatures.
 Ohio State Rep. Ronald Edward Hood of Ashville, Ohio, is just such a leader.  He has been nominated as CCRKBA Gun Rights Defender of the Month for May by long-term Ohio gun rights activist Dennis Walker of the Ohio Constitution Defense Council, himself the holder of a CCRKBA Gun Rights Defender of the Month Award.
 Born in 1969, Hood graduated from The Ohio State University College of Business in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with dual majors in Marketing and Economics.
 In 1992, Hood ran for an open seat in the Ohio House of Representatives but lost that election by a narrow margin, says Walker, “to a well funded, union supported opponent.”
 Two years later, in 1994, Hood again sought election to the Ohio House of Representatives.  On this occasion, Hood narrowly defeated the incumbent State Representative with a 51 percent margin in what was one of the most high profile legislative races in the state.
 During Hood’s first three terms as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, he distinguished himself by being named the 1995-1996 Outstanding Conservative Freshman Legislator.  On three occasions, he received the Watchdog of the Treasury Award and on two occasions he was named Friend of the Taxpayer.  In 2000, Rep. Ron Hood received the Frank Lausche Young Conservative Award.
 In 2000, after a close defeat, Hood married and relocated to Central Ohio.  In 2004, notes Walker, “Hood returned to the State House and resumed the legislative fight for the rights of gun owners.”
 As a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, reports Walker, Hood has an outstanding record standing up for the rights of gun owners in the State of Ohio.
 In 1995, says Walker, in connection with the so-called “Ohio Little Brady Bill” to enforce the Brady Law in Ohio, Hood offered several watering-down amendments on the House floor, including a sunset provision.  Although the bill passed in the House on a 97-2 vote, notes Walker, “enough hoopla was created to kill it in the State Senate.”
 In 1997, Rep. Hood promoted the Gun Rights Restoration Act.  This was added successfully to the House budget bill.  The legislation would prohibit the Ohio State Attorney General from retaining personal records on gun owners when they make firearm purchases.
 In 1995, 1997 and 1999, in connection with promotion of a Vermont-style concealed carry measure, Rep. Hood “took a leadership role in forcing roll call votes when the relevant legislative committee refused to vote on the bill,” says Walker.  “This action put all House members on record.”
 In 2000, says Walker, pro-gun forces defeated “Governor Taft’s trigger lock bill in the House Criminal Justice Committee.  Hood was the outspoken leader of the opposition in this fight.”
 Following Hurricane Katrina, says Walker, “we saw TV footage showing confiscation of firearms from law-abiding gun owners.  Various police agencies, National Guardsmen and out-of-state law enforcement officials went door to door and disarmed the homeowners who stayed in New Orleans.  Since then, Louisiana passed a law to make confiscation of a lawfully owned firearm a crime.  Ron Hood is pushing this same legislation in Ohio, House Bill 508, so that our citizens will remain protected in the event of a state emergency.”
 Hood says that “gun confiscation is not just something that has happened to foreign citizens on foreign shores.  It has happened in our own country, as anti-gun politicians used the cloak of a horrible tragedy, Hurricane Katrina, to steal firearms from law-abiding citizens in New Orleans.  After this tragedy, Louisiana took steps towards removing all supposed legal authority for committing this offense in the future.  Ohio should be in the forefront of this fight.”
 “Hood has been leading the effort to blunt the zero tolerance nonsense which is designated to produce a generation of children who hate guns,” adds Walker.  “Schools used to teach safe use of firearms, and now Arizona has passed legislation permitting schools to offer such instruction.  House Bill 460 will help Ohio return to a similar measure of sanity on this issue.
 Hood resides in Ashville with his wife Michal and daughter Ellah.