Criminal Justice

in committee · Ohio · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 75: Increase penalty for failure to report a lost or stolen firearm

SB 75 increases the penalty for failing to report a lost or stolen firearm or dangerous ordnance to law enforcement. It directly affects firearm owners who lose or have their weapons stolen, requiring them to report immediately or face stricter consequences. The bill amends Ohio law to elevate the penalty for this specific violation from a misdemeanor to a more severe classification (described as "misdemeanor of the fourth first degree" in the text, though the exact classification appears to be a typo). This is a concrete policy change to strengthen accountability for firearm reporting, not a procedural or commemorative measure.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for failing to report lost/stolen firearms, expanding criminalization and a stricter approach within the criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms

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in committee · Ohio · House Sep 15, 2025

HJR 5: CA: Prohibit slavery, involuntary servitude as criminal penalty

Proposing to amend Section 6 of Article I of the Constitution of the State of Ohio to prohibit slavery or involuntary servitude in Ohio for the punishment of crime.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeThe bill promotes criminal justice reform by prohibiting slavery/involuntary servitude as a criminal penalty, thereby protecting civil rights within corrections and sentencing.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentThe bill prohibits slavery/involuntary servitude, fundamentally protecting workers' rights and upholding employment standards by eliminating forced labor.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

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passed · Ohio · House Nov 5, 2025

HR 227: Urge US DOJ to expedite connection of NCIC and NamUs

HR 227 urges the U.S. Department of Justice to prioritize connecting the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database - which tracks crime records - and the NamUs (National Missing and Unidentified Persons System) database. This non-binding resolution does not create new laws but calls on the DOJ to accelerate efforts to integrate these systems. The goal is to help law enforcement more quickly match missing persons reports with unidentified remains stored in NamUs. It directly affects law enforcement agencies and families of missing persons by improving access to critical case information.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeHR 227 strengthens law enforcement capabilities by urging the DOJ to expedite connecting NCIC and NamUs, aiding in solving missing persons cases and identifying remains.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyHR 227 urges the expedited connection and integration of databases (NCIC and NamUs), which promotes the efficient use and advancement of technological systems.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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passed · Ohio · House Jun 2, 2026

HB 478: Create jury tampering offense; revise court intimidation offenses

To amend section 2921.04 and to enact section 2921.06 of the Revised Code to create the offense of jury tampering and to include a public servant in the offense of intimidation of an attorney, victim, witness, or public servant in a criminal case.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeThe bill creates a new offense of jury tampering and expands existing court intimidation offenses, directly aligning with the 'expands criminalization' indicator.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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passed · Ohio · House Jun 4, 2025

HB 131: Prohibit law enforcement from using quotas for arrests, citations

HB 131 prohibits law enforcement agencies from setting or using numerical quotas for arrests and citations. This means police departments and other agencies would no longer be allowed to require officers to meet specific targets for the number of arrests or tickets they issue. The bill enacts a new section in the Revised Code to make this practice illegal across all law enforcement agencies in the state. By banning quotas, the law aims to ensure that enforcement actions are based on individual circumstances rather than arbitrary numerical goals.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeHB 131 prohibits law enforcement quotas, aiming to ensure fairness in enforcement actions and enhance police accountability, aligning with criminal justice reform.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentThe bill prohibits employment quotas for law enforcement officers, which can improve working conditions and protect officers from undue pressure related to employment standards.75% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationHB 131 regulates law enforcement practices for traffic offenses, aiming for enforcement based on individual circumstances rather than quotas, which can enhance the fairness and effectiveness of transportation safety regulations.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

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passed · Ohio · Senate Sep 15, 2025

SB 4: Create Election Integrity Unit; revise election law prosecution

To amend sections 109.95 and 3501.05 and to enact section 3501.055 of the Revised Code to establish the Election Integrity Unit in the Office of the Secretary of State and to modify the law governing the prosecution of Election Law violations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesThe bill establishes a new Election Integrity Unit, which will require government funding and thus increase government spending, impacting state budgets.80% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeThe bill establishes a new Election Integrity Unit and modifies prosecution laws, directly strengthening the enforcement and judicial aspects of the criminal justice system for election law violations.90% confidence

Tags Elections

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passed · Ohio · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 84: Enact the Innocence Act

To amend sections 2307.66, 2917.211, and 2981.02 and to enact sections 2307.68 and 2907.312 of the Revised Code 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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnacts new prohibitions and private rights of action to protect juveniles and individuals from sexual exploitation, strengthening the legal framework against such harms.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyThe bill protects digital rights by prohibiting the creation of sexual images using another's likeness and regulates organizations regarding age verification for online content, aligning with consumer protection in technology.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

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in committee · Ohio · House Sep 15, 2025

HB 408: Limit the locations at which a person has no duty to retreat

HB 408 would amend Ohio law to restrict the locations where a person is not required to retreat before using force in self-defense. Currently, the law allows "no duty to retreat" in certain places like a person's home, but this bill would limit those locations, requiring retreat in more settings such as public areas or businesses. It specifically updates sections 2307.601, 2901.05, and 2901.09 of the Revised Code to narrow the circumstances where the duty to retreat does not apply. This change directly affects individuals involved in self-defense situations, particularly in non-residential settings like stores or parks.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeThe bill restricts locations where the 'no duty to retreat' rule applies, thereby limiting self-defense rights and potentially expanding criminal liability for force used in public settings.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms

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in committee · Ohio · House Oct 22, 2025

HB 524: Impose penalties for AI models suggesting harming self or another

To amend section 5119.84 and to enact sections 109.96, 109.961, 109.962, 109.963, 109.964, 109.965, 109.966, 109.967, 109.968, 109.969, 109.9610, 109.9611, 109.9612, 109.9613, 109.9614, 109.9615, and 109.9616 of the Revised Code to impose penalties on entities whose AI models suggest harming one's self or another person.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeThe bill imposes new penalties for AI models, which expands criminalization and directly affects sentencing and the scope of the criminal justice system.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareThe bill aims to prevent AI models from suggesting self-harm, directly supporting mental health and public safety within the healthcare domain.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyThe bill regulates AI models by imposing penalties for harmful suggestions, which is a form of consumer/public protection within the technology domain.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

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in committee · Ohio · House Oct 29, 2025

HB 544: Expand the offense of obstructing justice

HB 544 amends Ohio Revised Code section 2921.32 to expand the legal definition of obstructing justice. This change broadens the types of conduct considered obstructive, potentially including additional actions that interfere with legal proceedings. The bill directly affects individuals who engage in conduct interfering with investigations or court processes by increasing the range of behaviors that could be classified as a criminal offense. The key mechanism is the amendment to the specific code section, which redefines the scope of what constitutes obstructing justice.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeHB 544 expands the legal definition of obstructing justice, broadening the types of conduct considered criminal offenses, which aligns with expanding criminalization.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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