Sen. Hearcel Craig

Maddy summaryHB 37 amends Ohio law to increase penalties for operating a vehicle or watercraft while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The bill specifically raises the legal blood alcohol concentration limit for drivers under twenty-one years old and establishes specific thresholds for various controlled substances, including marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine, that constitute impairment. These changes directly affect individuals who operate vehicles or watercraft while impaired, subjecting them to stricter legal consequences if they exceed the new limits. By defining precise chemical concentrations for different substances, the legislation aims to clarify what constitutes a violation for law enforcement and the courts.

Maddy summaryHB 29 amends state laws to give municipal, mayor's, and county courts more flexibility in handling fines and costs for people found guilty of offenses. When a defendant cannot pay a fine immediately, the court can now order them to perform community service instead or set up a payment plan. The bill also updates the process for suspending vehicle registration if someone fails to pay fines or court costs, requiring courts to send specific forms to the motor vehicle registrar to trigger the suspension. Once the outstanding fines are paid in full, the court must notify the registrar to lift the suspension and allow vehicle registration or transfer applications to resume.

Maddy summaryHB 173 requires hospitals to publish detailed price information for all their items and services in a digital format that computers can easily read. This rule mandates that hospitals list specific costs, such as the highest and lowest negotiated rates with insurance companies, as well as the price for patients paying with cash. The bill also establishes "Ohio Black Media Week" and "Older Ohioans Month" to recognize contributions to the state. Additionally, the legislation includes definitions for terms related to hospital pricing and data privacy to support these transparency requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 452 updates Ohio laws regarding hospital security and concealed carry rights. The bill mandates that hospital security personnel have access to specific online training for handling violent situations and grants civil immunity to individuals acting in self-defense to protect hospital members or guests. It also clarifies where people with valid concealed handgun licenses are prohibited from carrying firearms, including schools, courthouses, and certain government buildings, while allowing institutions of higher education to set their own policies. Additionally, the legislation provides immunity to private employers from lawsuits if a licensee brings a gun onto their property, unless the employer acted with malicious intent.

Maddy summaryHB 77 establishes a legal process for public-use airports in Ohio to sell abandoned or derelict aircraft that have remained on airport property for at least 90 consecutive days without payment of fees. The bill defines an abandoned aircraft as one located at a public airport where the owner has not paid tie-down, hangar, rent, or storage costs for the specified period. It also creates a lien system that allows repair shops and storage providers to secure payment for labor, materials, and storage by filing an affidavit with the Federal Aviation Administration. Additionally, the bill outlines specific steps for airport directors to identify aircraft owners, notify them of accrued fees, and proceed with selling the aircraft if the owner fails to pay or remove the plane within a set timeframe.

Maddy summaryHB 315 amends Ohio laws to regulate how newspapers charge for publishing legal notices and establishes a new program to help clean up contaminated industrial sites. The bill requires newspapers to offer a special, capped rate for government-mandated legal advertisements and mandates that these notices be posted online alongside their print versions. It also allows agencies to publish abbreviated summaries of repeated notices online to reduce costs, provided the full text remains accessible on an official public notice website. Additionally, the legislation creates a brownfield remediation program that provides grants to counties and other entities for cleaning up abandoned properties with hazardous substances to encourage redevelopment.

Maddy summaryHB 331 modifies how legal notices, such as those related to village dissolution, must be published by requiring them to be posted on an official public notice website in addition to appearing in newspapers. The bill mandates that the publisher of the newspaper hosting the official public notice site cannot charge state agencies or political subdivisions for this online posting. Furthermore, the legislation allows for abbreviated versions of these notices to be posted online after the initial full publication in a newspaper, provided the summary clearly describes the notice's purpose and includes contact information.

Maddy summaryHB 531, known as Braden's Law, establishes new criminal penalties for sexual extortion, which involves threatening to release private images to force someone into performing acts, paying money, or providing additional photos. The bill specifically defines private images to include content involving nudity, sexual activity, or extreme violence, and it sets felony charges that become more severe if the victim is a minor, elderly person, or disabled adult. Additionally, the legislation clarifies the legal responsibilities of digital service providers regarding deceased users' accounts, requiring them to comply with court orders for disclosure or termination while protecting them from liability when acting in good faith.

Maddy summaryHB 403 creates new legal causes of action for vehicles that are towed following an accident, allowing owners to seek compensation in such cases. The bill also clarifies rules regarding tampered emission control systems by defining specific prohibited actions, such as selling or operating vehicles with bypassed emissions equipment, while providing exceptions for legitimate repairs and vehicle conversions. Additionally, it expands an existing exception to window tinting laws to include residents who own non-compliant vehicles and requires transportation network companies to perform annual background checks on their authorized drivers.

Maddy summaryHB 496 updates the legal procedures for local governments in Ohio to issue general obligation bonds by clarifying the specific information that must be included in legislation submitted to voters. The bill requires taxing authorities to provide detailed estimates of bond interest rates and the resulting property tax increases, which must then be independently verified by county auditors before an election is held. It also establishes strict timelines for filing these documents and mandates that election ballots clearly display the bond amount, repayment period, and the estimated additional tax burden on property owners. By standardizing these disclosure requirements, the bill aims to ensure voters receive consistent and accurate financial data when deciding on local debt financing.