Criminal Justice

in committee · Ohio · House Mar 4, 2026

HB 723: Prohibit nondisclosure agreements regarding child sexual abuse

To amend section 4117.10 and to enact section 4113.25 of the Revised Code to prohibit certain nondisclosure or confidentiality agreements regarding sexual abuse of a child.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill prohibits nondisclosure agreements in child sexual abuse cases, enhancing transparency and accountability in criminal justice proceedings.90% confidence

Track

passed · Ohio · Senate May 27, 2026

SB 393: Regards sexually oriented offenses involving juveniles, animals

To amend sections 959.21, 959.99, 2907.04, 2907.05, 2907.321, 2907.322, 2907.323, 2929.14, and 2950.01 and to enact section 2941.1427 of the Revised Code to make changes to various sexually oriented offenses involving juvenile victims and to create the offenses of creating or possessing material depicting sexual conduct with an animal.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates new offenses for animal sexual abuse material and strengthens protections for juvenile victims, enhancing criminal justice enforcement and victim safety.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

Track

in committee · Ohio · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 394: Require courts to supply electronic notification of hearings

To enact section 2709.01 of the Revised Code to require courts to supply electronic notification of hearings to defendants in criminal and traffic cases and to make an appropriation.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill improves court transparency by requiring electronic notification of hearings, enhancing defendant rights and access to justice in criminal and traffic cases.75% confidence

Track

in committee · Ohio · House Mar 4, 2026

HB 725: Restrict commercial use of license plate recognition data

To enact section 4549.07 of the Revised Code to restrict the collection, use, sale, transfer, and sharing of data collected from an automated license plate recognition system for commercial purposes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill restricts commercial use of license plate recognition data, enhancing privacy and protecting civil rights in law enforcement surveillance practices85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill restricts commercial use of license plate recognition data, protecting individual privacy and limiting surveillance technology for commercial purposes.90% confidence

Track

in committee · Ohio · House Feb 18, 2026

HB 705: Enact the Alford Plea Fairness Act

To amend sections 2929.12, 2929.15, and 2929.25 of the Revised Code to prohibit a sentencing court from imposing, as a condition of community control, a requirement that the offender admit guilt if the offender was found guilty after entering an Alford plea and to name this act the Alford Plea Fairness Act.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits courts from forcing Alford plea defendants to admit guilt, protecting defendant rights and advancing sentencing fairness per criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Sentencing

Track

in committee · Ohio · House Feb 18, 2026

HB 701: Regards juvenile offenders, qualification for employment

To amend sections 4109.02 and 4123.35 and to enact sections 2152.30, 4113.90, and 4123.97 of the Revised Code regarding juvenile offenders and certificates of qualification for employment.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates employment qualification pathways for juvenile offenders, reducing recidivism through rehabilitation-focused reentry support.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

Track

in committee · Ohio · House Feb 18, 2026

HB 688: Prohibit employment application question re: criminal background

To enact section 4113.87 of the Revised Code to prohibit private employers from including on an employment application any question concerning the criminal background of the applicant.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits employment inquiries about criminal history, reducing barriers to reemployment for people with records - aligns with criminal justice reform goals to lower recidivism.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits criminal background questions in hiring, reducing employment barriers for workers with records, directly protecting employment rights under Labor & Employment policies.95% confidence

Track

in committee · Ohio · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 348: Require bars, restaurants to have date rape drug testing devices

To enact section 4301.73 of the Revised Code to require bars or restaurants to have date rape drug testing devices available for their customers' use.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates date rape drug testing in venues to prevent sexual assaults, directly addressing crime prevention within criminal justice framework.95% confidence

Track

in committee · Ohio · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 357: Expand violent offender database; revise database availability

To amend sections 2903.41, 2903.42, and 2903.43 and to enact section 5503.102 of the Revised Code to expand the violent offender database, to make public records in that database available on the internet, and to make the database information available through LEADS.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands public access to violent offender database, enhancing transparency and public safety - aligns with criminal justice reform indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Victims' Rights

Track

in committee · Ohio · House Feb 18, 2026

HB 691: Enact the Community and Police Protection Act

HB 691, the Community and Police Protection Act, requires law enforcement officers (including federal officers) to remove masks during public interactions while performing duties, except for medical masks (like N95s), safety masks (for smoke/environmental hazards), or SWAT team gear. It mandates officers to display their name and badge number visibly at all times during public contact. Violating these rules is a misdemeanor, with exemptions for undercover operations. The bill directly affects all state and federal officers interacting with the public, aiming to increase transparency in police-citizen encounters.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates officer identification and mask removal during public interactions, enhancing police accountability per criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

Track