The Ohio House Public Safety Committee held its first hearing on Senate Bill 214 on June 9, advancing the state's suppressor reform effort after the legislation cleared the Ohio Senate by a 31-to-1 margin earlier this session, NRA-ILA reported. The bill would amend Ohio's firearms statutes to remove suppressors and firearm mufflers from the Revised Code's "dangerous ordnance" classification, eliminating a state-level prohibition that exists independently of — and in addition to — federal National Firearms Act regulation.

SB214 was introduced to realign Ohio's statutes with a rapidly changing regulatory environment. Earlier this year, the NFA transfer tax on suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns was reduced to zero as part of the fiscal year 2027 appropriations process. The change sent suppressor demand surging; NSSF data shows NFA background checks running roughly double year-over-year through the first half of 2026, as buyers previously deterred by the $200 tax moved to acquire suppressors for the first time.

Under current Ohio law, suppressors are classified as "dangerous ordnance" under Ohio Revised Code 2923.11, placing them alongside destructive devices in a category whose possession is broadly prohibited under state statute regardless of federal compliance status. SB214 would amend ORC 2923.11 and related sections to remove suppressors from that designation. Federal NFA requirements would remain fully in force: buyers would still need to complete ATF Form 4 paperwork, pass a background check, pay any applicable transfer fee, and await ATF approval before taking possession. The bill simply removes the independent state-law prohibition that currently stacks on top of federal compliance.

Buckeye Firearms Association has testified in support of the legislation, and NRA-ILA issued a legislative alert on June 8 urging Ohioans to contact their representatives ahead of the committee hearing. Supporters argue the "dangerous ordnance" label reflects an outdated understanding of suppressor use; suppressors are currently legal to own in 44 states and are widely recognized as hearing-protection equipment used by hunters, competitive shooters, and lawful gun owners across the country.

The Ohio hearing comes as several other states have moved to modernize suppressor statutes following the federal NFA transfer tax reduction, with NRA-ILA identifying state-level suppressor reform as a legislative priority for the year.

With the Senate already on record at 31-to-1 in favor, the key question is whether the House will schedule a floor vote before the session closes. The Public Safety Committee could hold additional hearings, take further testimony, or propose amendments before sending the bill to the full chamber. A successful House vote would send SB214 to Governor Mike DeWine for signature.