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In the aftermath of the El Paso and Dayton mass shootings in August, renewed energy in the movement for reasonable gun control in Ohio gave rise to some hope for change.

Three months down the road, that hope isn’t dead, but change has been elusive. Responsive leaders are trying to heed the cries of “Do something!” that rose from the people listening to Gov. Mike DeWine speak in Dayton after the Aug. 4 slaughter of nine people.

Meanwhile, at least seven bills that would help keep Ohioans safer from guns remain stuck in the legislature, buried in committee by Republican leadership. After languishing for months with no hearings, several bills were discussed Sept. 17 by the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee. They aren’t expected to get far.

DeWine’s own package of post-Dayton gun reforms was supposed to bridge the gap between gun-control advocates and Republicans. After initially calling for near-universal background checks and a law to allow seizure of guns from people judged by a court to be dangerous to themselves or others, he made adjustments based on Republicans’ concerns.

In his proposals now, background checks remain optional, but new rules create an incentive for sellers to insist on them. Instead of seeking temporary seizure of guns, DeWine’s plan would allow courts to order involuntary commitment of people based on a doctor’s assessment of danger as a precursor to taking weapons.

Despite DeWine’s efforts to compromise, his proposals have received a chilly welcome from lawmakers, with House Speaker Larry Householder saying he has “deep concerns” about holding gun sellers accountable for trying to make sure the buyer is legally entitled to have a gun.

So just what are Statehouse Republicans willing to do about guns these days? Why, a “stand your ground” bill, of course. That eliminates a person’s duty to retreat, if possible, when faced with a threat of violence. Essentially, it’s a license for anyone who feels threatened to shoot first and consider other options later.

Opposition from former Gov. John Kasich blocked a stand-your-ground bill last year. DeWine is generally expected to sign such a bill, but he hasn’t yet said explicitly that he will. He should demonstrate a true willingness to “Do something” and veto this extreme and unnecessary measure. Respect for Second Amendment rights doesn’t require the public to tolerate gunfire when it can be avoided.

Sen. Peggy Lehner, a Republican from Kettering, is still trying to do something. After declaring in August that she had remained “on the sidelines” of gun safety for too long, she has signed on as a co-sponsor of some Democrat-backed gun-control bills.

On Friday she teamed up with Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, a Democrat who has become a national figure among mayors fighting for gun safety. The two joined with Montgomery County Auditor Karl Keith, also a Democrat, to launch a campaign to distribute yard signs that say “DO SOMETHING!”

It might seem a relatively impotent measure next to the relentless tide of pro-gun legislation coming from Lehner’s Republican colleagues in the Statehouse, but it offers frustrated Ohioans a public way to demonstrate that most Ohioans don’t want what the gun lobby wants.

People can inquire about signs through the Do Something Ohio page on Facebook or by emailing dosomethingohio@gmail.com.

Even more effective? They can vote in new lawmakers in 2020.