SB 6 Ohio Senate · 136th Legislature (2025-2026)

Revise building inspection law

The bill title and abstract state it revises building inspection laws but do not specify the exact changes. The abstract mentions amendments to sections 3781.19, 3781.20, and a new section 3781.21 of the Revised Code, but provides no details on who is affected, key provisions, or concrete policy changes. Without additional content describing the revisions, a substantive summary cannot be provided. This appears to be a procedural bill lacking sufficient detail in the given context to summarize as requested.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Sep 2025

Introduced Jan 22, 2025 Signed Sep 30, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

As Passed by the House → As Enrolled · 3 edits · Jul 1, 2025

MINOR

This bill transitions SB 6 from its House-passed version to its enrolled final version, primarily adding standard legislative formatting and signatures while retaining the core policy changes. The substantive policy content remains consistent between versions, establishing a new Board of Building Appeals with specific member qualifications, certification requirements for local boards, and expedited appeal procedures with associated fees.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains unchanged; the enrolled version includes standard legislative formalities (General Assembly designation, bill number, signatures, filing information) that were absent in the House-passed version.

TECHNICAL

Added standard legislative formatting including '136th General Assembly' designation, 'Senate Bill Number 6' header, 'AN ACT' declaration, and signature blocks for Speaker, President, Governor, and Secretary of State.

Removed House-specific formatting elements including the 'As Passed by the House' header, individual cosponsor lists, and page numbering that were used during the legislative process.

Replaced the informal 'A BILL' heading with the formal 'AN ACT' declaration required for enrolled legislation, while maintaining the same substantive text about amending building inspection laws.

As Passed by the Senate → As Passed by the House · 6 edits · Jun 11, 2025

MODERATE

The House version of SB 6 adds representatives as cosponsors and restructures the bill's formatting. Substantively, the House version creates a new Section 3781.20 for certifying local boards of building appeals, adds detailed membership requirements for local boards, and establishes expedited appeal procedures with specific timelines and fee caps. The Senate version's original Section 3781.19 is largely incorporated but modified with new subsections for local board certification and expedited processes.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly establishes a certification process for local municipal and county boards of building appeals, expanding the scope from just creating a state board to including a framework for local board oversight and authority.

REQUIREMENT

New Section 3781.20 establishes a certification process for local boards of building appeals, requiring applications, specific membership qualifications, and periodic hearings for certification or revocation.

Local boards must include five members with specific professional qualifications including attorneys, architects, structural and mechanical engineers, and a labor representative, with staggered five-year terms.

TIMELINE

Expedited appeal procedures now include specific timelines: appeals must commence within one day and hearings within five days (excluding weekends and holidays), with follow-up hearings within five days of continuance requests.

FISCAL

Fee caps were established: local boards may charge up to $100 for filing fees, state boards up to $200, and expedited appeals capped at $500 per day with a $1,000 total maximum.

ENFORCEMENT

Certified local boards now have exclusive jurisdiction over adjudication hearings arising from local enforcement officials' rulings, with authority to reverse or modify orders and grant variances.

TECHNICAL

The House version allows expedited hearings to be conducted via teleconference, video conference, or other electronic technology.

As Introduced → As Passed by the Senate · 8 edits · Feb 19, 2025

MODERATE

This bill significantly restructures the building appeals process in Ohio by creating a new state Board of Building Appeals and establishing detailed procedures for local certification. The changes expand due process protections for building code enforcement cases, add expedited appeal options with specific timelines, and introduce new requirements for local boards to consider architectural and historical significance when granting variances.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of building appeals by creating a new state-level board of building appeals and establishing certification requirements for local boards, while adding specific protections for persons with disabilities in the appeals process.

REQUIREMENT

Created a new state Board of Building Appeals consisting of five members including an attorney, architect, engineer, fire prevention officer, and plumbing expert, with specific appointment and term requirements.

Added requirement that local boards must consider architectural and historical significance when granting variances from building code requirements.

Changed local board composition requirements, now requiring five members including labor representation, with terms ranging from one to five years for original appointments.

Removed previous formatting and page numbering from the original bill text, replacing with new structured formatting.

TIMELINE

Established expedited appeal procedures with strict timelines: appeals must commence within one day and hearings held within five days, with a maximum fee of $1,000 for expedited appeals.

ENFORCEMENT

Created certification process for local boards of building appeals with specific membership requirements and established revocation procedures for non-compliant local boards.

ELIGIBILITY

Added specific protections for persons with disabilities, requiring notice to disability organizations and allowing them to apply for de novo hearings or appeals.

TECHNICAL

Added provision allowing expedited appeals to be conducted via teleconference, video conference, or other electronic technology.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 19, 2025 · House Jun 12, 2025

How they voted

32–0

Passed

Total votes 32

Feb 19, 2025

D Democratic9

9 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican23

23 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 24, 2025

Legislature · Passed

Sent To The Governor

legislature

Jun 12, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (91-0)

house

Jun 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Committee

Referred to committee

lower

Feb 24, 2025

Introduced

lower

Feb 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

Jan 29, 2025

Committee

Referred to committee

upper

Jan 22, 2025

Introduced

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors