HB 396 expands Ohio's Address Confidentiality Program to protect more individuals in high-risk situations. It directly affects victims of domestic violence, stalking, and other threats who need to keep their home addresses private from public records. The key provision updates the law to allow these individuals to use a secure P.O. box for official mail and address verification instead of their actual residence. This change helps them maintain safety while still accessing government services without revealing their location.
To amend section 149.43 of the Revised Code to prohibit a law enforcement agency for charging a fee for preparing or producing a video public record for a person known or presumed to be depicted in the video.
To enact sections 149.437 and 2950.036 of the Revised Code to specify that a video, taken by a public office depicting a minor at a public recreational facility with water activities, is not a public record, and is subject to restricted release, and to prohibit a sexually oriented offender or child-victim oriented offender from establishing or maintaining a library box.
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Government Transparency
To enact sections 341.193, 753.022, and 5120.052 of the Revised Code to require municipal and county correctional facilities and state correctional institutions to provide inmates who are deaf, hard of hearing, or severely speech impaired with access to teletypewriters.
HB 144 expands Ohio's communication disability database to include all individuals with disabilities, not just those with specific communication needs. It requires county 9-1-1 systems to access this database during emergency calls, ensuring first responders can quickly identify communication support needs. The law, named "Keith's Law," directly affects people with disabilities during emergencies and 9-1-1 dispatchers who will use the database to provide appropriate assistance.
HB 110 amends Ohio law to increase penalties for repeat voyeurism offenses. It raises penalties for individuals with two or more prior convictions of secretly recording others in private spaces (e.g., bathrooms, changing rooms) or undergarments, upgrading violations from misdemeanors to third-degree felonies. The bill specifically targets repeat offenders who previously violated laws against surreptitiously videotaping, photographing, or broadcasting private areas without consent. It does not change penalties for first-time offenses but strengthens consequences for repeat violations across all scenarios described in the law.
To amend sections 3901.382 and 5164.46 of the Revised Code to prohibit fees for electronic claims submission by health insurer and the Medicaid program.
To amend sections 1345.02, 3901.046, 3964.03, 3964.194, 4509.70, and 4513.70 and to enact section 1345.82 of the Revised Code regarding electronic signatures in insurance transactions, the Ohio assigned risk insurance plan, special purpose financial captive insurance companies, civil actions related to towed vehicles that are brought by insurance companies, and to prohibit certain repair shop activities related to insurance policies.
To amend sections 2901.30, 2901.41, and 2901.42 of the Revised Code to enact the Finding and Identifying with NamUs Data (FIND) Act to require law enforcement agencies to enter information relating to a report of a missing person in the national missing and unidentified persons system (NamUs).
To amend sections 149.43, 3503.13, and 3503.153 of the Revised Code to enact the Protecting Elected Officials Against Coercion and Extremism (PEACE) Act to generally prohibit the disclosure of an elected official's residential and familial information under the Public Records Law.
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Government Transparency
