November 11, 2026 — Informational legal-news update.
On Tuesday, November 10, 2026, the Ohio General Assembly completed work on Senate Bill 214 and sent it to Gov. Mike DeWine. The bill would take firearm suppressors and “sawed-off” firearms—short-barreled rifles and shotguns—out of Ohio’s definition of “dangerous ordnance.” It is not law yet. As of the morning of November 11, official legislative status still listed the last action as Senate concurrence on November 10, with no recorded action by the governor.
What Ohio did on November 10
The official vote record shows a single-day finish. The House Public Safety Committee reported a substitute bill 9 to 2 after amending the suppressor-only measure to add short-barreled rifles and shotguns, following testimony from the Firearms Policy Coalition and Gun Owners of America, according to the Buckeye Firearms Association and contemporaneous coverage.
The House then passed the amended bill. The official roll call is 69 to 27, matching Buckeye Firearms Association’s report. Some early accounts, including the Cincinnati Enquirer’s reporting as cited by AmmoSight, put the vote at 68 to 27. That evening the Senate concurred in the House amendments 21 to 9. The Senate had first passed a suppressor-only version 31 to 1 on March 25, 2026.
What the bill would change
Under current R.C. 2923.11, “dangerous ordnance” includes “any firearm muffler or suppressor” and any “sawed-off firearm,” defined as a shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches, a rifle with a barrel less than 16 inches, or a shotgun or rifle less than 26 inches overall. SB 214 would remove those items from that definition. It would also amend R.C. 1533.04 by dropping the requirement that a licensed hunter’s suppressor be registered under the National Firearms Act.
Until any change takes effect, Ohio law is unchanged. Knowingly acquiring, having, carrying, or using dangerous ordnance without an exemption remains unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance, a felony of the fifth degree.
It is not law yet
Under Article II, Section 16 of the Ohio Constitution, the governor has ten days, Sundays excepted, after a bill is presented to him to sign it, return it with objections, or allow it to become law without a signature. Under Article II, Section 1c, a law generally takes effect 90 days after it is filed with the secretary of state, so February 2027 at the earliest. Official status has not yet posted a separate “presented to the governor” entry, so the ten-day clock should be counted from presentment, not from the moment of concurrence.
The federal backdrop
The House expansion comes against a changed federal picture. On August 5, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF. On October 9, 2026, ATF issued a non-enforcement letter stating it would not enforce National Firearms Act registration requirements for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and “any other weapons.” Federal rules for machine guns and destructive devices are unchanged.
Where Pennsylvania stands
Pennsylvania has not made a comparable change. 18 Pa.C.S. § 908 still lists these items as prohibited “offensive weapons,” including a sawed-off shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches and a “firearm specially made or specially adapted for concealment or silent discharge”—the language that covers suppressors and short-barreled rifles. A violation is a misdemeanor of the first degree, not a felony. Compliance with the National Firearms Act is an affirmative defense, except for a bomb, grenade, or incendiary device.
House Bill 2855, introduced by Rep. Rob Kauffman with a total of 62 sponsors, would rewrite that definition so those firearms are not treated as prohibited offensive weapons if possessed in compliance with Pennsylvania’s firearms chapter and applicable federal law, including the National Firearms Act only “to the extent required by law.” It would also drop the current NFA-compliance defense from § 908(b)(1). The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee on October 14, 2026, and has had no votes. The 2025-26 session ends November 30.
What it means for Pennsylvania gun owners
A neighboring state has lined up a pending bill with the new federal picture. Pennsylvania has not. Ohio’s bill, if and when it becomes law, and ATF’s non-enforcement letter do not rewrite 18 Pa.C.S. § 908. Pennsylvanians should not assume that either development changes what Pennsylvania law requires. Watch HB 2855 in the closing days of this session, and whatever is taken up in 2027.
Bottom line: Ohio’s General Assembly has sent SB 214 to the governor on official votes of 69-27 in the House and 21-9 in the Senate. The bill would drop suppressors and short-barreled firearms from Ohio’s dangerous-ordnance list, but it is not law and would not take effect before February 2027 at the earliest. Pennsylvania’s § 908 is unchanged.
Sources
- Ohio Legislature, Senate Bill 214 votes
- Ohio House, Senate Bill 214 status
- Buckeye Firearms Association, November 10, 2026
- AmmoSight, November 10, 2026
- Ohio Revised Code § 2923.11
- Ohio Revised Code § 2923.17
- Ohio Revised Code § 1533.04
- Ohio Constitution, Article II, Section 16
- Ohio Constitution, Article II, Section 1c
- ATF open letter on NFA guidance, October 9, 2026
- 18 Pa.C.S. § 908
- Pennsylvania General Assembly, House Bill 2855
- House Bill 2855, Printer’s Number 4037
This article is informational, not legal advice. Sources reviewed November 11, 2026 (ET).