Criminal Justice

in committee · Ohio · House Jun 10, 2026

HB 417: Regards animal abuse offenses and penalties

To amend sections 109.803, 955.54, 955.99, 959.131, 959.99, 2921.321, and 2929.18 and to enact sections 955.55, 955.56, and 955.57 of the Revised Code to prohibit the abuse of a companion animal corpse, to prohibit an animal abuse offender from owning a dog in certain circumstances, and to establish mandatory fines for violations of an animal abuse offense.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeThe bill expands criminalization by prohibiting new offenses, restricts offenders, and establishes mandatory fines, aligning with increased mandatory sentencing and criminalization.95% confidence

Track

passed · Ohio · Senate Mar 5, 2025

SCR 1: Urge designation of illicit fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction

To urge the 119th Congress to introduce and pass legislation similar to the Stop Our Scourge Act of 2023, directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeDesignating fentanyl as a WMD would expand criminalization and likely lead to harsher penalties and stricter enforcement within the criminal justice system for fentanyl-related offenses.80% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill addresses illicit fentanyl, a major public health crisis (Substance Abuse and Addiction), by urging its designation as a weapon of mass destruction, thereby seeking to protect public health.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Substance Abuse

Track

in committee · Ohio · House May 21, 2025

HB 282: Add immigration status as a required factor for sentencing, bail

To amend sections 2929.12, 2929.15, 2929.22, 2929.25, and 2937.011 of the Revised Code to add a person's immigration status as a factor a court must consider when sentencing or ordering bail.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill HB 282 adds immigration status as a required factor for sentencing and bail, which could lead to reduced defendant rights or expanded criminalization for certain individuals within the criminal justice system.85% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationBill HB 282 mandates courts consider immigration status for sentencing and bail, increasing state immigration enforcement and potentially limiting protections for immigrants.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Sentencing Detention Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

Track

in committee · Ohio · House Feb 26, 2025

HB 110: Increase the penalty for repeat voyeurism

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.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeHB 110 increases penalties for repeat voyeurism offenses, upgrading them to felonies, which aligns with indicators for opposing criminal justice reform (e.g., increasing mandatory sentences).95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyHB 110 protects individual privacy by increasing penalties for unauthorized recording and broadcasting, addressing misuse of technology related to digital rights.80% confidence

Track

in committee · Ohio · House Oct 29, 2025

HB 559: Allow for the waiver of peace officer refresher training

HB 559 allows peace officers (such as police and sheriff's deputies) to skip mandatory refresher training under specific circumstances, declared as an emergency. The bill's key provision is creating a process for state authorities to grant waivers, bypassing standard training requirements. This directly affects active peace officers who would otherwise need to complete annual training. The emergency declaration suggests urgency, likely related to staffing shortages or crisis response needs, though the abstract doesn't detail specific waiver conditions. (1-2 sentences as it's a procedural bill.)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBy allowing the waiver of mandatory training, the bill would reduce government expenditures associated with peace officer training programs, impacting state budgets and fiscal management.75% confidence ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeThe bill allows peace officers to skip mandatory refresher training, potentially weakening professional standards and oversight within law enforcement.80% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentHB 559 allows peace officers to skip mandatory refresher training, which limits an established employment standard and could weaken a safety-related requirement for these workers.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing Professional Licensing Tags Emergency Management Public Safety

Track

passed · Ohio · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 507: Prohibit a person from receiving proceeds of prostitution

HB 507 prohibits individuals from receiving money or benefits derived from prostitution activities. It directly affects people who profit from prostitution, such as those operating brothels or facilitating sex work. The bill amends Ohio Revised Code sections 2907.01 and 2923.31 and adds new section 2907.251 to establish this prohibition as a criminal offense. Violators could face penalties under the revised legal framework.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeHB 507 expands criminalization by establishing a new criminal offense for receiving prostitution proceeds, adding to the scope and penalties within the criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

Track

signed · Ohio · House Jul 7, 2026

HB 533: Revise list of vehicles that can commit vehicular homicide

To amend sections 2903.06 and 2903.08 of the Revised Code to add to the list of vehicles that can be used to commit a vehicular homicide or vehicular assault.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeThe bill expands the definition of vehicles that can commit vehicular homicide/assault, thereby broadening criminalization within the justice system.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill strengthens legal consequences for vehicular homicide/assault, which enhances transportation safety and vehicle regulation.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

in committee · Ohio · Senate Oct 1, 2025

SB 252: Prohibit a person from declawing a cat

SB 252 bans the declawing procedure for cats in Ohio. The law directly affects cat owners and veterinarians by prohibiting the surgical removal of a cat's claws. This new law makes it illegal for anyone to perform declawing, which involves amputating a cat's toes, and applies to all cats within the state. The key provision is a clear prohibition on the procedure, not a requirement for alternative care.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeSB 252 criminalizes cat declawing, expanding the scope of acts subject to law enforcement and the criminal justice system, aligning with 'expands criminalization'.90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentThe bill bans declawing, directly restricting the scope of services veterinarians can legally perform, thereby limiting a specific aspect of employment within that occupation.65% confidence

Track

in committee · Ohio · House Jun 18, 2025

HB 352: Expand offense of domestic violence, weapons under disability

To amend sections 2919.25, 2923.13, and 2923.14 of the Revised Code to expand the offense of domestic violence to include a person with whom the offender is in a dating relationship and to expand the offense of weapons under disability to include a person subject to a domestic violence protection order and a person convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeHB 352 expands the offense of domestic violence and broadens the category of individuals subject to weapons under disability, thereby expanding criminalization within the justice system.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Firearms

Track

in committee · Ohio · House Apr 2, 2025

HB 200: Enact the America First Act

To amend sections 2909.30, 2929.15, 2929.16, 2929.17, 2929.25, 5747.50, 5747.502, 5747.51, and 5747.53; to amend, for the purpose of adopting a new section number as indicated in parentheses, section 2909.30 (2965.03); and to enact sections 2965.01, 2965.02, 2965.04, 2965.05, 2965.06, 5747.504, and 5747.505 of the Revised Code to enact the America First Act to prohibit a person who is unlawfully present in the United States from entering or being present in Ohio, to require law enforcement agencies and detention facilities to cooperate in the enforcement of federal immigration laws, and to withhold state local government funds from a subdivision that does not abide by the act.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeHB 200 expands criminalization by prohibiting unlawful presence in Ohio and involving law enforcement in its enforcement, thereby increasing the scope of the criminal justice system.85% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationThe bill explicitly prohibits unlawfully present individuals from entering or being present in Ohio and requires law enforcement action, indicating increased state immigration enforcement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

Track