The Columbus City Council plans Monday to begin the process of tightening the ban on carrying a gun into an airport by placing a proposed ordinance on its agenda for a vote next week.
Three weeks ago, Councilman Mitchell Brown held a public hearing to discuss possible solutions to the rising number of firearms being detected at TSA checkpoints at John Glenn Columbus International Airport and other U.S. airports.
The federal Transportation Security Administration reported that a record 4,432 guns were discovered on passengers or in carry-on bags at 278 U.S. airport checkpoints in 2019.
At TSA checkpoints at John Glenn Columbus International Airport last year, 29 guns were found, and 82% were loaded. In 2018, 26 were found.
The proposal is set for a first reading Monday, with a potential vote a week later.
The current code employs a "knowingly" threshold, meaning that a criminal charge requires that authorities show that the person had the intent of carrying a gun through the checkpoint. The vast majority of people caught with a gun tell TSA officers that they had forgotten they had the gun on them or in a carry-on bag.
Brown's proposal would allow the passenger to be charged with a second-degree misdemeanor if airport authorities found the actions to be "reckless." Conviction could result in a year in jail and a $750 fine.
The TSA fines gun violators $4,000 or more but does not publicly release their names, citing "privacy reasons." No representative of the TSA spoke at Brown's hearing.
Passengers may travel with guns, but firearms (including replicas), ammunition and gun parts aren't allowed in carry-on bags. They may be placed in checked luggage as long as the proper packing guidelines are met. Guns must be unloaded and packed in a locked, hard-sided case. Ammunition must be kept in its original box, and passengers must inform an airline representative that they are traveling with a gun, according to TSA guidelines.
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