HB 281 Ohio House · 135th Legislature (2023-2024)

Require criminal conviction for certain civil actions for damages

This bill modifies Ohio law to allow victims of criminal acts to sue for damages without requiring the perpetrator to have been convicted, pleaded guilty, or adjudicated delinquent for the specific offense. Under the new rules, anyone injured by a crime can recover full damages and associated costs in a civil lawsuit, even if the criminal case against the perpetrator was never resolved or resulted in an acquittal. The legislation also establishes that a final criminal conviction for violent offenses can be used as evidence in civil court to prevent the defendant from denying those facts. Additionally, the bill clarifies that public officials and employees must generally avoid receiving outside compensation for work related to their official duties, with specific filing requirements and disqualification rules for exceptions.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Sep 2023
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Sep 26, 2023 Last action Dec 4, 2024
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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
3
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Oct 3, 2023
Committee
Refer to Committee
lower
Sep 26, 2023
Introduced
Introduced
lower
2 primary · 5 co-sponsors

Sponsors