(THE CENTER SQUARE) – While the Ohio General Assembly moves closer to removing the sales tax from baby items, another bill introduced late Wednesday would strip sales tax from guns and ammunition.
The proposed legislation would also give tax credits to gun and ammunition manufacturers to offset a federal excise tax on gun and ammunition makers.
“We are enforcing the constitutional rights of our citizens with this legislation,” Rep. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, said. “This will not only lower costs for Ohioans, but it will also assist Ohio’s businesses.”
Ohio would become the first state in the nation – of those with sales taxes – not to charge sales taxes on guns in ammunition if the bill is passed and signed into law. Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon are the only states without sales taxes on guns and ammunition. Each of those states also does not have a statewide sales tax.
HB189, which includes 10 other Republican co-sponsors, would also give tax credits to firearm and ammunition makers that both Cutrona and Sen. Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster, say will offset set the federal excise tax of 10% to 11% on the sale of firearms in the U.S.
The Senate version has one other Republican co-sponsor.
The two lawmakers say both removing the sales tax and creating a tax credit will make Ohio more competitive with other states.
“I am proud to work with Representative Cutrona on removing burdensome taxation on Ohioans exercising their Second Amendment right,” Schaffer said. “This is the least we can do to make owning a firearm for self-defense, hunting, and sport more affordable for the average Ohioan.”
HB189 has yet to be assigned to a committee, while SB124 awaits its first hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
The Ohio Legislative Service Commission still needs to produce a fiscal note detailing the potential revenue loss for state or local governments.
