HB 459 Ohio House · 136th Legislature (2025-2026)

Enact Katelyn's Law

Summary
To amend sections 2152.17, 2901.13, and 2929.14 and to enact sections 2921.322 and 2941.1427 of the Revised Code to enact Katelyn's Law to create an offense and specification related to moving or removing human remains and to provide that the offense has no statute of limitations.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Sep 2025
Committee Review
Oct 2025
House Passage
Jun 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Sep 17, 2025 Last action Jun 11, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

As Introduced As Passed by the House · 6 edits · Jun 10, 2026
MODERATE
This bill amends Ohio's criminal code to create new offenses and sentencing enhancements for moving human remains (Katelyn's Law) and abusing corpses, while also adding new mandatory prison terms for violent crimes involving firearms, gangs, and specific victim statuses. It establishes that these new offenses have no statute of limitations and introduces stricter sentencing rules for children adjudicated delinquent for these specific crimes.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of criminal liability to include the specific act of moving human remains to prevent discovery, and it broadens the applicability of mandatory sentencing enhancements to include new specifications for gang involvement and specific victim characteristics.
SCOPE

Created a new offense for moving or removing human remains to prevent the discovery of an unlawful act, death, cause of death, or the remains themselves.

REQUIREMENT

Established that the new offense of moving human remains has no statute of limitations, allowing prosecution at any time.

Revised sentencing guidelines to require consecutive prison terms for multiple violent offenses and added new mandatory minimums for repeat violent offenders.

ENFORCEMENT

Added new mandatory prison terms for violent felonies committed with firearms, by gang members, or against specific victims like peace officers and pregnant women.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified juvenile justice provisions to mandate specific commitment periods for children adjudicated delinquent for moving human remains or abusing corpses.

DEFINITION

Added specific definitions for 'spontaneous miscarriage' and 'stillbirth' to clarify exemptions in corpse abuse laws.

Floor votes · House Jun 11, 2026

How they voted

950
Passed
Total votes 95
Jun 11, 2026
D Democratic31
31 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican64
64 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
6
Key actions
2
Committee
1
Amendments
1
Jun 11, 2026
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (95-0)
house
Jun 11, 2026
Introduced
Introduced
upper
Jun 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed
lower
Jun 10, 2026
Introduced
Reported - Amended
lower
Oct 1, 2025
Committee
Referred to committee
lower
Sep 17, 2025
Introduced
Introduced
lower
2 primary · 5 co-sponsors

Sponsors