Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association

HB20	OHIO COMPUTER CRIMES ACT (SWEARINGEN D) To enact the Ohio Computer Crimes Act.
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-20

HB37	OVI PENALTIES (JOHNSON M, MILLER K) To modify the law related to OVI-related offenses.
	Comments:	Remove requirement for court to provide advisement to OVI offenders regarding the penalties for AVH Seek additional change to level up the penalties for hit-skip with OVI related AVH/AVA removing the incentive to flee Seek additional change to make conviction for OVI related AVH/AVA result in any subsequent OVI being a felony Need a higher penalty for refusalsÂ
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-37

HB44	RECORD PAROLE BOARD HEARINGS (HUMPHREY L, STEWART B) To require electronic recordings to be made of all parole board hearings, excluding certain personal identifying information, and to make those electronic recordings "public records" under the Public Records Law.
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-44

HB51	SECOND AMENDMENT PRESERVATION (LOYCHIK M, SCHMIDT J) To enact the Second Amendment Preservation Act to add additional protections to the right to bear arms.
	Comments:	Negative implications for voluntary cooperative efforts with federal entities to address gun crime and gun violence. Constitutional issues.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-51

HB67	PENALTY REDUCTIONS DUE TO CHANGES IN LAW (SEITZ B, WILLIAMS J) To provide that if a penalty for an offense has been imposed on an offender and if the penalty for that offense is subsequently reduced by a change to the Revised Code or Constitution, the penalty previously imposed on the offender may be reduced.
	Comments:	Definitional problems with what it means for their to be a change in 'the substance' or the 'seriousness of the substance' of an offense. Creates substantial work for courts and prosecutors in situations where the applicant will gain little to nothing from seeking the reduction. Should just get records sealed/expunged. This should be addressed on a bill-by-bill basis.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-67

HB77	DRONE OPERATION REQUIREMENTS, PROHIBITIONS (WILLIS B) To establish requirements and prohibitions governing the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles in Ohio.
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-77

HB91	PROHIBIT TRACKING DEVICES WITHOUT CONSENT (PATTON T) To generally prohibit a person from knowingly installing a tracking device or application on another person's property without the other person's consent.
	Comments:	Amend to (1) better define "tracking application" and "tracking device," (2) prohibit the use of the device "in or on" another person's property, (3) address revoked consent and clarify consent of parents in situations involving different child custody arrangements and (4) enhance to felony under circumstances similar to menacing by stalking.Â Amended 6/13/23 to address these issues. Amendments prohibit installing or using a tracking device on another person or another person's property without their consent, remove provisions regarding automatic revocation of consent to track upon filing of motion for divorce or motion for protection order, clarifies provision regarding parental consent under a joint custody agreement, and enhances the penalty for a violation of tracking from an M1 to an F4 under certain circumstances similar to menacing by stalking.Â Â
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-91

HB111	DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PENALTIES (LARE J, MILLER K) To increase the sentencing range for third degree felony domestic violence and to create a presumption in favor of a prison term for the offense.
	Comments:	Amended 5/24 to clarify the circumstances under which a violation of R.C. 2919.25(C) is an M1.Â
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-111

HB122	EXPAND INTIMIDATION OFFENSES (PAVLIGA G, MILLER A) To expand intimidation offenses to include guardians ad litem and court-appointed special advocates and to designate May 1st as "Court-Appointed Special Advocates Appreciation Day."
	Comments:	Amend to include victim/witness coordinators employed by non-governmental entities.
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-122

HB139	INCREASE PENALTIES FOR ASSAULT OF SPORTS OFFICIAL (ROEMER B, MILLER J) To increase the penalties for assault if the victim is acting as a sports official or the assault is committed in retaliation for the victim's actions as a sports official.
	Comments:	Opposed to creation of special classes of victim.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-139

HB140	PASSING SCHOOL BUS (BROWN R) To make changes to the law governing passing a school bus.
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-140

HB149	DRONE SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS (WILLIS B) To establish requirements related to the use of an uncrewed aerial vehicle for surveillance.
	Comments:	Amended 4/9/24 to require law enforcement to obtain a warrant for drone usage only under circumstances where they would be required to obtain a warrant if the search were being conducted without a drone.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-149

HB196	COMMUNITY CONTROL SANCTIONS (WILLIAMS J, SEITZ B) To change the maximum periods of community control sanctions authorized for felonies and misdemeanors, to modify the confinement sanctions authorized for a violation of community control sanction conditions, and to create a procedure for early termination of community control sanction conditions.
	Comments:	The law already allows judges to terminate supervision early. This bill artificially restricts the length of supervision based on the offense rather than on the risk of the offender and their supervision needs. Judges will be less comfortable sentencing people to community control if they can't effectively supervise them. Amended 4/3/24 to allow judges to extend community control to up to 5 years if certain conditions are met.Â
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-196

HB212	PROPERTY PROTECTION ACT (KING A, KLOPFENSTEIN R) To extend the law that prohibits certain governments, businesses, and individuals from acquiring agricultural land to certain other property and to name this act the Ohio Property Protection Act.
	Comments:	Amended 4/9/24 to require the sheriff or sheriffs, instead of the prosecutor, to conduct the investigation at the request of the county auditor.
	Position:	Monitor
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-212

HB221	EXPAND POSTCONVICTION RELIEF (SCHMIDT J, UPCHURCH T) To expand the availability of postconviction relief based on DNA testing showing actual innocence.
	Comments:	The bill eliminates procedures and safeguards for DNA testing that were enacted to ensure the reliability of test results.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-221

HB230	DRUG TRAFFICKING, ORGANIZED TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS (ABRAMS C, SWEARINGEN D) To increase penalties for drug trafficking above certain amounts, to prohibit organized trafficking of persons, to authorize collecting oral fluid as evidence in suspected OVI cases, to require schools and institutions of higher education to incorporate instruction and policies on fentanyl awareness and abuse prevention, to designate the month of August as "Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month," and to amend the version of section 3314.03 of the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2025, to continue the changes on and after that effective date.
	Comments:	The new offense for participating in an organization or operation for trafficking in persons should be included in the definition of corrupt activity. Elements of this new offense need some clarification and the terms "trafficking in persons", "public official", "public servant" and "organization for trafficking in persons" should be defined.Â The bill should also be used to address once and for all the issue from State v. Gonzalez, 150 Ohio St.3d 261. Â Amended 11/28/23 - Allows law enforcement to collect an oral fluid sample from a person arrested for operating a motor vehicle under the influence. A separate amendment establishes "Fentanyl Awareness Week" and requires fentanyl abuse prevention instruction in schools.Â
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-230

HB233	SELF-DEFENSE PROTECTION ACT (WILLIAMS J, HILLYER B) To enact the Self-Defense Protection Act to create a pretrial procedure for a person asserting self-defense, defense of another, or defense of that person's property.
	Comments:	The rebuttable presumption in the bill creates confusion in light of the shift in the burden of proof. No risk to the defendant in filing the pretrial motion to establish the rebuttable presumption since they can raise self-defense at trial if the pretrial motion fails. Potential for abuse of victims/witnesses.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-233

HB234	GENUINE REMORSE COURT CONSIDERATIONS (WILLIAMS J, ROGERS E) To prohibit a court imposing a sentence on an offender for a felony or misdemeanor from considering whether the offender who entered an Alford plea shows genuine remorse for the offense.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-234

HB245	ADULT CABARET PERFORMANCES (KING A, WILLIAMS J) To prohibit adult cabaret performances in locations other than adult cabarets.
	Comments:	This could already be prosecuted under R.C. 2907.31 (Disseminating Matter Harmful to Juveniles) and/or R.C. 2907.32 (Pandering Obscenity). Bill would require proof of an additional element. Because the penalty would be the same as for disseminating or pandering, prosecutors would be unlikely to charge someone with this new offense and take on the burden of proving the additional element.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-245

HB258	TOBACCO SALES TO MINORS (CARRUTHERS S) To increase fines for repeatedly selling tobacco products to minors and to apply the public nuisance law to places where such sales occur.
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-258

HB259	ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY (SCHMIDT J, MILLER A) To abolish the death penalty and to modify the number of jurors that may be challenged in cases where a defendant may be sentenced to life imprisonment, and to make an appropriation.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-259

HB265	EXEMPTIONS FOR PUBLIC RECORDS LAW (WIGGAM S, HALL T) To exempt redaction request forms, affidavits, and the records of the work schedules of designated public service workers from disclosure under public records law.
	Position:	Monitor
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-265

HB270	SAM KNISLEY FAMILY SUPPORT ACT (YOUNG T, MATHEWS A) To require a felony offender of an OVI-caused aggravated vehicular homicide to pay child maintenance when the victim is a parent, legal guardian, or custodian of a minor child, to allow child maintenance to be awarded in a wrongful death action when the offender is deceased, and to name this act the Sam Knisley Family Support Act.
	Comments:	We do not need to turn criminal cases into child support proceedings. This is properly handled through a civil suit.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-270

HB272	HANDGUNS -- COURTROOMS (MATHEWS A, PIZZULLI J) To allow a concealed handgun licensee to carry a handgun in a building or structure that is not a courthouse but in which a courtroom is located in specified circumstances and to permit a nonresident of Ohio to obtain statutory relief from firearms disability based on an Ohio conviction, guilty plea, or delinquent child adjudication.
	Comments:	Needs to define what a "courthouse" is and remove references to "dangerous ordnance." Amended 10/31/23 - Removed references to dangerous ordnance and limited the bill to times when neither the court nor the clerk of the court are in "operation."Â
	Position:	Monitor
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-272

HB281	DAMAGE COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS (SEITZ B, YOUNG T) To require in a civil action for damages caused by another person's criminal act that such other person was convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or adjudicated delinquent in connection with the criminal act.
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-281

HB289	SORN LAW NONCOMPLIANCE (ROBB BLASDEL M, SWEARINGEN D) To provide that if a Tier I or Tier II sex offender/child-victim offender fails to comply with duties under the SORN law, the period of time that the offender has a duty to comply is tolled during the time of the failure and to require a sex offender/child-victim offender to register a fixed residence address or provide a detailed description of the places at which the offender or delinquent child intends to stay under the SORN Law.
	Comments:	Support changes that toll SORN registration time requirements for periods of noncompliance. Remove changes that make disseminating matter harmful to juveniles a SORN registerable offense. Amended 12/12/23 to remove the changes regarding disseminating.Â Amended 4/23/24 to require sex offenders without a fixed residence address to provide a detailed description of the place or places they intend to reside every 30 days.Â
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-289

HB295	INNOCENCE ACT (DEMETRIOU S) To enact the Innocence Act to prohibit an organization from failing to verify the age of a person attempting to access material that is obscene or harmful to juveniles, to prohibit a person from using another person's likeness to create sexual images of the other person, and to create a private right of action for each prohibited activity.
	Comments:	Amend to require age verification for dating apps and make penalty for disseminating fake pornography equal for adults and juveniles. Substitute Bill adopted 4/3/24 provides for the same penalty for adults and juveniles for nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images.Â Made changes to the age verification portion of the bill.Â
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-295

HB314	JUVENILE COURT TRANSFERS (BIRD A, WILLIAMS J) To remove the option for the juvenile court to transfer a proceeding against a juvenile to the county where the juvenile resides.
	Position:	Monitor
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-314

HB315	TOWNSHIP LAW CHANGES (HALL T, SEITZ B) To make various township law changes and to make an appropriation.
	Comments:	Amended 4/23/24 to make changes to the zoning enforcement mechanism in the bill. Replaces a criminal enforcement mechanism with a civil mechanism that was recommended by OPAA.
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-315

HB322	CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE LAWS (SEITZ B, ABRAMS C) To impose a civil penalty, rather than a criminal penalty, on a person who fails to register with the childhood sexual abuse civil registry, to eliminate the residence restriction on such person, to create the offense of grooming, and to extend the limitation period for prosecuting a violation of the law requiring certain persons to report child abuse or neglect under certain circumstances.
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-322

HB328	CATALYTIC CONVERTERS (ROEMER B, PLUMMER P) Regarding the sale of used catalytic converters.
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-328

HB331	VILLAGE DISSOLUTION (MATHEWS A, YOUNG T) To modify the law regarding village dissolution.
	Comments:	State Auditor already has the authority to dissolve villages. Prosecutor involvement in the process outlined in the bill is problematic in that it could create conflicts for the prosecutor. Amended 5/7/24 to remove references to the county budget commission and instead require the county auditor, the county treasurer, and one county commissioner to conduct the audits of the village.Â
	Position:	Monitor
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-331

HB351	PROHIBIT ABUSE OF COMPANION ANIMAL CORPSE (YOUNG T) To prohibit the abuse of a companion animal corpse.
	Comments:	Penalty higher than the penalty for domestic violence and endangering children. Amended 5/14/24 to provide for a misdemeanor rather than an F5 on a first offense and for an F5 on any subsequent offense.Â
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-351

HB354	MODIFY MARIJUANA LAW (CALLENDER J) To modify the law governing the cultivation, processing, dispensing, testing, and taxation of adult use cannabis and to levy a gross receipts tax on marijuana cultivators.
	Comments:	Priority changes to Issue 2 should include: (1)Â Prohibiting the sale of marijuana in any form or method considered attractive to children, (2)Â Subjecting marijuana to open-container like laws similar to those governing alcohol, (3)Â Repealing R.C. 3780.33(E) that unnecessarily restricts field sobriety testing, (4)Â Limit home grow to 6 plants, (5)Â Prohibit the transfer of home grow, (6)Â Authorize prosecutors to file any appropriate charge under Chapter 2925 for violations of home grow.Â Â
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-354

HB366	FIGHT ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME ACT (GHANBARI H) To enact the Fight Organized Retail Crime and Empower Law Enforcement (FORCE) Act to create the Organized Retail Theft Advisory Council and an investigative task force, to create the crime of theft of mail, to modify theft offenses and penalties related to retail property.
	Comments:	Generally support the legislation. Concerns with (1) making the organized retail theft offense an allied offense to theft, RSP, and criminal simulation, and (2) requirement that the prosecutor provide written notice to a retailer of a decision not to prosecute. Provision regarding theft of mail needs preclusion language. The bill may not improve criminal justice outcomes without harsher penalties. Amended 6/25/24 to create a stand alone offense for theft of mail, increase penalties for repeat theft and repeat organized retail theft offenders, to add a prosecuting attorney to retail theft advisory council. The amendment also removed language regarding prosecutor notice to retail establishments regarding a decision not aggregate theft amounts. A separate amendment, however, inadvertently reinserted this language and this will now have to be addressed in the Senate.Â
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-366

HB367	PROHIBIT UNAUTHORIZED DEEPFAKES (MATHEWS A, HILLYER B) To make changes to the law relating to the unauthorized use of an individual's persona and to prohibit certain unauthorized deepfake recordings.
	Comments:	Support the bill but some clarification to the definitions of "deepfake recording" and "malicious deepfake" recording are needed.
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-367

HB377	HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION ACT (WILLIAMS J, SANTUCCI N) To enact the Human Trafficking Prevention Act to increase the penalty for human trafficking of a minor or person with a developmental disability, kidnapping, and abduction.
	Comments:	Generally supportive of this legislation but there is concern with reducing the mens rea for trafficking in persons from "knowingly" to "recklessly" and with the amendment to division (B) of the kidnapping statute that inserts "unlawfully".
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-377

HB392	ADD NITROGEN HYPOXIA AS EXECUTION METHOD (STEWART B, PLUMMER P) To add nitrogen hypoxia as a method of execution and to prohibit the disclosure of execution identifying information.
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-392

HB401	CREATE OFFENSE OF DEEPFAKE DISTRIBUTION (MILLER K, DEMETRIOU S) To create the offense of nonconsensual distribution of a deepfake.
	Comments:	Support this in concept but should be done by amendment to telecommunications harassment statute.
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-401

HB429	TRAFFIC OFFENSES IN CONSTRUCTION ZONES (CLICK G, JOHNSON M) Regarding traffic offenses in construction zones.
	Comments:	Remove the requirement to have two witnesses and create a sentencing spec rather than increase fines.
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-429

HB450	PROHIBIT VOYEURISM THROUGH DRONES (LAMPTON B, YOUNG T) To prohibit voyeurism, criminal trespass, and aggravated criminal trespass through the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle system.
	Comments:	Portions of the bill on criminal trespass create issues for law enforcement. Could require a warrant where one is not currently required.
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-450

HB460	AUTOMATIC SEALING-CRIMINAL RECORDS (HILLYER B, SEITZ B) To enact the Getting Rehabilitated Ohioans Working Act to allow for the automatic sealing of certain criminal records.
	Comments:	Opposed to automatic record sealing. People should have to ask to have their own records sealed. Among other things it helps show that they take personal responsibility and provides at least some indication that they might be rehabilitated.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-460

HB478	EXPEDITED REMOVAL-UNAUTHORIZED OCCUPANTS (EDWARDS J, LARE J) To provide for the expedited removal of unauthorized occupants of residential property and to prohibit the use and sale of fraudulent deeds.
	Comments:	Issues with the conditions that must be satisfied for removal and who the work will be responsible for determining things like whether the requesting person is the record owner, whether the record owner has the "right to occupy" the premises "to the exclusion of others," and whether there is any pending litigation related to the property. The legislation is also a problem in that it creates the possibility of a lawsuit against he sheriff and the county for wrongful removal. Will result in frivolous actions by squatters.
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-478

HB480	EXPEDITED REMOVAL-UNAUTHORIZED OCCUPANTS (YOUNG T, DEMETRIOU S) To provide for the expedited removal of unauthorized occupants of residential property, to prohibit the use and sale of fraudulent deeds, and to declare an emergency.
	Comments:	Issues with the conditions that must be satisfied for removal and who the work will be responsible for determining things like whether the requesting person is the record owner, whether the record owner has the "right to occupy" the premises "to the exclusion of others," and whether there is any pending litigation related to the property. The legislation is also a problem in that it creates the possibility of a lawsuit against he sheriff and the county for wrongful removal. Will result in frivolous actions by squatters.
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-480

HB486	AISHA'S LAW (CARRUTHERS S, BRENT J) To make changes to civil and criminal law regarding domestic violence, to address State Highway Patrol arrest authority, to name the act Aisha's Law, and to make an appropriation.
	Position:	Monitor
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-486

HB497	VARIOUS CHANGES TO COUNTY LAW (STEWART B, KLOPFENSTEIN R) To make various changes regarding county law and to amend the version of section 153.39 of the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2025, to continue the change on and after that date.
	Comments:	One part of the bill raises the threshold amount at which the county prosecutor must review a contract from $1000 to $20000. It also allows the commissioners to have outside counsel review contracts in lieu of the prosecutor. Amend to require prosecutor approval for the use of outside counsel. Amended 6/11/24 to remove the language regarding review by outside counsel. Threshold will still be raised from $1000 to $20000.Â
	Position:	Monitor
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-497

HB513	MODIFY CRIMINAL PROVISIONS ON HIV, AIDS (CARRUTHERS S) To modify definitions and criminal and professional disciplinary provisions relating to HIV or AIDS and to amend the versions of sections 2950.11 and 2950.13 of the Revised Code that are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2025, to continue the change on and after that date.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-513

HB522	REPEAT OFFENDER ACT (WILLIS B, WILLIAMS J) To enact the Repeat Offender Act to create a repeat offender classification, to create certain specifications, to increase the penalties for certain firearm offenses and specifications, to broaden the scope of relief from firearms disability, and to allow automatic sealing for fourth and fifth degree felonies.
	Comments:	Opposed to the bill due to inclusion of automatic record sealing and the reduction to an F4 for WUD based on circumstances other than an underlying offense of violence.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-522

HB525	ASSAULT ON SCHOOL EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS (BRENNAN S, PIZZULLI J) Regarding the penalty for assault when the victim is a school employee or volunteer.
	Comments:	Opposed to the creation of special classes of victims.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-525

HB531	SEXUAL EXTORTION PROHIBITIONS, VICTIM COMPENSATION (LEAR B, LORENZ B) To enact Braden's Law to prohibit sexual extortion and aggravated sexual extortion and to allow family of certain victims of aggravated sexual extortion to receive compensation from the crime victims compensation fund.
	Comments:	Amend to allow victim compensation regardless of the sextortion victim's age, replace references to "great bodily harm" with "serious physical harm," replace reference to "causing" harm to "results in" harm, create presumption of a violation if death or harm occurs within a certain amount of time of the extortion. Amended 6/25/24 to replace references to "great bodily harm" with "serious physical harm," replace the reference to "causing" harm with "results in" harm, and to create a presumption of a violation if death or serious physical harm occurs within 14 days of extortion.Â
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-531

HB532	PEACE OFFICER EXPANSION-COURT OFFICIALS (LORENZ B) To expand the definition of "peace officer" to include bailiffs of a municipal court and probation officers, and to increase the penalty for assault when the victim is a bailiff, probation officer, or another court official or employee.
	Comments:	Should be amended to ensure that only bailiffs who are OPOTA certified are included in the definition of peace officer.
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-532

HB536	SEAT BELT USAGE REQUIREMENTS (CROSS J, MILLER K) To make failure to wear a seat belt and failure to properly secure a child in the appropriate booster seat or seat belt a primary offense, rather than a secondary offense, and to make other specified changes regarding those offenses.
	Comments:	Amend to allow prosecutors to use evidence of improper restraint of a child for more serious charges.
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-536

HB551	FIREARM PROHBITION-PERSONS ILLEGALLY IN U.S. (WIGGAM S) To prohibit persons who are unlawfully present in the United States from possessing firearms.
	Comments:	Issues with proof. Need federal government to testify that the person is here illegally.
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-551

HB556	OBSCENITY LIABILITY-TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS (MATHEWS A) To create criminal liability for certain teachers and librarians for the offense of pandering obscenity.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-556

HB593	CRIMINAL CHILD ENTICEMENT REQUIREMENTS (DELL'AQUILA R, WILLIAMS J) To require that a person act with a sexual motivation or an unlawful purpose to commit the offense of criminal child enticement.
	Position:	Monitor
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-593

HB594	NEW TRIAL FOR NEW EVIDENCE (JARRELLS D, WILLIAMS J) To allow a person to file a motion for a new trial or a petition for postconviction relief if the person produces new evidence that would establish a strong probability of a different result at trial.
	Comments:	The law already allows for new trial motions based on newly discovered evidence. This legislation appears to allow defendants to use evidence that they already knew about, and that is therefore not newly discovered, or that they could have discovered through reasonable diligence. The legislation also removes the time limit for filing motions for a new trial, something that is likely unconstitutional under Marsy's Law.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-594

HB603	VIOLATIONS OF COMMUNITY CONTROL REPORTS (PAVLIGA G) To allow a sheriff or deputy sheriff to report violations of community control.
	Comments:	Should also give the prosecutor the authority to file and a requirement for law enforcement to report a violation to the prosecutor when known.
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-603

HB615	CERTAIN CHILDREN IN NEED OF PROTECTIVE SERVICES (JONES D, WILLIAMS J) To amend the versions of sections 109.65, 121.37, 2151.011, 2151.281, 2151.353, 2151.36, 2151.412, 5103.04, 5153.122, 5153.123, and 5153.16 of the Revised Code that are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2025, to continue the changes on and after that date regarding abused, neglected, or dependent children as children in need of protective services.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-615

HB639	AGGRAVATED RIOT-MASKS, DISGUISES (WILLIAMS J) To modify the offense of aggravated riot when the offender is wearing a mask or disguise and to require an additional prison term of one year for an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a felony if the offender is convicted of or pleads guilty to a specification that the offender wore a mask or disguise in commission of the offense.
	Position:	Support
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-639

HB653	VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER, ASSAULT (LORENZ B) To alter the law governing vehicular manslaughter and vehicular assault.
	Comments:	Turns every traffic accident into a criminal case.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-653

HB671	PROHIBIT UNLAWFUL PRESENCE IN OHIO (CLICK G, SANTUCCI N) To enact the America First Act to prohibit a person who is unlawfully present in the United States from entering or being present in Ohio.
	Comments:	Issues of proof. Need federal government to provide a witness to testify that the person is here illegally. Shifts responsibility to the state for a federal issue.
	Position:	Oppose
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-671

HB678	COMPANION ANIMAL CRUELTY LAW DEFINITIONS (FISCHER T) To revise the definition of "companion animal" for purposes of the law governing cruelty to companion animals.
	Comments:	Clarify to exclude livestock.
	Position:	Amend
	State Bill Page:	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA135-HB-678

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