COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio lawmakers on Wednesday moved a step closer to allowing gun owners to carry their concealed firearms into bars and restaurants.

The Ohio House approved House Bill 45 by a vote of 56 to 40. The Senate passed its own version, Senate Bill 17, last month. Because the Republican-controlled legislature can only send one bill on the same issue to Gov. John Kasich, they must pick a bill to work from then iron out any differences.

House Speaker Bill Batchelder, a Medina Republican, said the Republican governor has already assured him that the bill will get signed.

"We visited about it," Batchelder said. "Absent something drastically changing, I don't know what that would be, the language is clear. There really is no problem there. I would expect the governor to sign it."

A Kasich spokesman, however, was non-committal, saying the governor would make a decision once he receives the bill and has time to review it.

Currently, 42 other states have a version of rules allowing concealed carry permit holders to tote their firearms in alcohol-serving establishments. Some states allow it in restaurants but not bars. Others are silent on the issue -- no law specifically for or against-- making it legal by default.

Dark blue: States prohibiting guns where liquor is sold. Pale blue: States with more permissive laws, such as allowing guns in restaurants.

White: States with no specific law.

States that permit guns in bars

Gun supporters have tried for years to have their concealed carrying privileges expanded to Ohio's class D liquor license establishments, which includes bars, restaurants, clubs and stadiums and arenas.

But despite Wednesday's decisive vote, the proposal has been on a slow road thanks to significant opposition. Various groups representing the state's largest law enforcement agencies, restaurants and bartenders oppose the bill which was a factor for many lawmakers.

The House bill cleared a committee in March but Batchelder was reluctant to bring to a full vote because he was not certain he could get the 50 votes needed, this despite Republicans having a clear majority in the chamber.

"We wanted to make sure we didn't bring out a bill to the floor and lose it," Batchelder said. He said the Republican caucus met five more times on the bill and "we picked up votes."

Proponents argue that it is a personal safety issue. They also note that bars and restaurants that do not want guns in their establishments can still prohibit it by posting a sign to that effect.

"You never know when a crime is going to be perpetuated, and you better be prepared to defend yourself," said Rep. Danny Buph, a Republican from Southern Ohio, and co-sponsor of the House bill. "And that's what this bill does."

Most importantly, supporters say, the bill forbids the gun owner from drinking alcohol while in possession of a firearm while in a bar or restaurant. Violating this rule would be a felony.

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The biggest supporters of the bill were the Buckeye Firearms Association and Ohioans for Concealed Carry, two gun rights groups that lobbied lawmakers heavily.

Opponents argue that allowing guns into places where people are drinking alcohol is unnecessarily inviting trouble for patrons and law enforcement officials who respond to disturbances.

They also argue that the bill could have a more detrimental impact in urban areas where there are more bars and restaurants.

"It might work in some areas of the state but it does not work in every area of the state," said state Rep. Sandra Williams, a Cleveland Democrat, who voted against the bill.

Williams offered an amendment that would allow local municipalities to opt out of the law but it, like all the other Democratic amendments, was rejected by the Republican-controlled House.

The bill also allows concealed carry license holders to more freely handle their firearms while driving by removing rules requiring the weapon to be secured in a holster, case, bag, box or other enclosure.

The next step for the legislature is to determine which bill they will work from. The House could have accepted the Senate's bill, which is nearly identical, and moved the legislation forward more quickly.

Batchelder said he would speak to Republican Senate President Tom Niehaus on how to proceed and said one of the bills could move as soon as next week.