HB 472 Ohio House · 136th Legislature (2025-2026)

Waive ID, birth certificate fees for homeless individuals

Summary

To amend sections 3109.14, 3705.24, 3705.242, 4507.50, and 4507.52 and to enact section 3705.243 of the Revised Code to waive fees for an identification card or a copy of a birth certificate for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Sep 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Jun 2026

Senate Passage

Jun 2026

Vetoed

Jun 2026

Introduced Sep 29, 2025 Vetoed Jun 25, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

As Passed by the Senate → As Enrolled · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Ohio election and probate laws to expand access for individuals experiencing homelessness. Key changes include allowing homeless shelters to securely store sensitive documents like birth certificates and Social Security cards, creating a fund to mail unsolicited absentee ballot applications to voters, and waiving various court and vital record fees for homeless individuals verified by specific agencies.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of eligibility for fee waivers and document storage to specifically include individuals experiencing homelessness, verified by designated government or nonprofit agencies.

ELIGIBILITY

Added new provisions allowing homeless shelters and nonprofit agencies to retain physical or digital copies of an individual's social security card, birth certificate, or birth record with consent, including requirements to protect these documents.

Established fee waivers for probate judges and clerks of court for specific services (e.g., marriage abstracts, name changes, divorce certificates) for individuals experiencing homelessness verified by designated agencies.

FISCAL

Created a new 'absent voter's ballot application mailing fund' to pay for printing and mailing unsolicited absentee ballot applications to electors for general elections.

ADDED

Added a new section requiring clerks of court to waive fees for certified records of name changes or divorce certificates for individuals experiencing homelessness.

REQUIREMENT

Modified the definition of 'veteran' in the student residency rules to include those who served in the uniformed services as defined in section 3501.01 (which was also amended in this bill).

As Passed by the House → As Passed by the Senate · 6 edits · Jun 10, 2026

MODERATE

The Senate version significantly expanded the bill's scope by adding numerous new sections related to voter access, student residency, and library services, while also reorganizing fee schedules. It introduced a new mechanism for the Secretary of State to mail unsolicited absentee ballot applications to eligible voters and created a dedicated fund to cover mailing costs. Additionally, the bill now grants residency status to specific groups of veterans and service members for tuition purposes and allows public libraries to provide free copies of driver's licenses and voter IDs.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from primarily waiving fees for homeless individuals to include provisions for absentee voting logistics, student tuition residency rules, and library identification services.

FISCAL

Created a new 'absent voter's ballot application mailing fund' to pay for printing and mailing unsolicited absentee ballot applications, with the Secretary of State required to submit detailed reports on mailing effectiveness.

ELIGIBILITY

Added specific criteria granting in-state tuition residency status to veterans receiving federal benefits, service members on active duty, and certain graduates completing bachelor's degrees before enrolling in graduate programs.

REQUIREMENT

Authorized public libraries to provide free photocopies of driver's licenses and state ID cards to individuals upon request, and to provide copies of voter IDs specifically for casting absentee ballots.

Introduced new fee waiver provisions for certified divorce records and name changes for individuals experiencing homelessness, requiring annual reporting on the number of waivers issued.

DEFINITION

Added a new definition for 'Nonprofit agency providing case management services' to clarify that it excludes any governmental agency.

SCOPE

Expanded the list of amended sections to include various election codes, higher education residency rules, and library statutes, alongside the original fee waiver sections.

As Introduced → As Passed by the House · 7 edits · Feb 18, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was significantly expanded from a simple fee waiver for homeless individuals to a comprehensive package that adds new fee waivers for marriage records, introduces strict data privacy rules for shelters storing ID documents, creates new state funds for guardianship and putative father registry services, and establishes detailed reporting requirements. The changes broaden the scope to include more document types and add specific verification criteria to ensure only eligible individuals receive fee waivers.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from waiving fees for birth records to also waiving fees for marriage certificates and name changes, while adding new sections to create specific funds for indigent guardianships and putative father registries.

ELIGIBILITY

Added specific verification criteria requiring verification by social workers, school counselors, or agency directors to confirm an individual is experiencing homelessness before fees are waived.

DEFINITION

Created new definitions for 'homeless shelter,' 'individual experiencing homelessness,' and 'nonprofit agency providing case management services' to standardize who qualifies for benefits.

REQUIREMENT

Mandated that shelters storing copies of social security cards or birth records must implement physical or virtual locks and restrict access to appropriate staff only.

Added a right for individuals to request the destruction, deletion, or return of stored documents held by shelters or agencies.

FISCAL

Established a new 'indigent guardianship fund' and a 'putative father registry fund' to cover investigation costs and registry operations for low-income individuals.

SCOPE

Extended fee waivers to include certified abstracts of marriage, name change records, and divorce certificates in addition to birth records.

ENFORCEMENT

Required annual reports from courts and health officials detailing the number of fee waivers issued, tracked by document type.

Floor votes · Senate Jun 11, 2026 · House Jun 11, 2026

How they voted

23–10

Passed

Total votes 33

Jun 11, 2026

D Democratic9

9 Nay

100% Nay

R Republican24

23 Yea 1 Nay

95% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 25, 2026

Vetoed

Veto receipt

lower

Jun 12, 2026

Legislature · Passed

Sent To The Governor

legislature

Jun 11, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (23-10)

senate

Jun 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

Jun 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

The question being, Shall the amendments be concurred in?

lower

Jun 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Concurred in Senate amendments

lower

Mar 4, 2026

Committee

Referred to committee

upper

Feb 23, 2026

Introduced

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

Oct 1, 2025

Committee

Referred to committee

lower

Sep 29, 2025

Introduced

lower

2 primary · 13 co-sponsors