Sen. Michele Reynolds

Maddy summaryThis bill is a Senate resolution honoring Senator Robert D. Hackett for his distinguished service to the Ohio Senate. It recognizes his contributions through various committee roles and his dedication to public service, noting his bipartisan respect among colleagues. The resolution formally applauds his tenure and directs the Senate Clerk to send an authenticated copy of the document to Senator Hackett.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New African Immigrants Grant and Gift Fund within the state treasury to manage financial contributions specifically designated for new African immigrants. The fund will be financed through grants, gifts, and legislative appropriations, with any investment earnings automatically added to the balance. The New African Immigrants Commission is authorized to use these resources to support its official duties and operations.

Maddy summaryHB 37 amends Ohio law to increase penalties for operating a vehicle or watercraft while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The bill specifically raises the legal blood alcohol concentration limit for drivers under twenty-one years old and establishes specific thresholds for various controlled substances, including marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine, that constitute impairment. These changes directly affect individuals who operate vehicles or watercraft while impaired, subjecting them to stricter legal consequences if they exceed the new limits. By defining precise chemical concentrations for different substances, the legislation aims to clarify what constitutes a violation for law enforcement and the courts.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a temporary board to review cybersecurity and fraud prevention practices for state agency information systems, requiring the board to submit its findings and recommendations to state leaders within twelve months before it is dissolved. It mandates a post-election audit for every election in Ohio and requires the Secretary of State to certify ballot titles and initiative petitions alongside their summaries. The legislation also modifies voter registration procedures, including updates to how the Bureau of Motor Vehicles registers electors and rules for removing ineligible voters from the registration database. Additionally, it limits when individuals can fill out election forms for others and adjusts requirements for petitions filed by new political parties.

Maddy summaryHB 29 amends state laws to give municipal, mayor's, and county courts more flexibility in handling fines and costs for people found guilty of offenses. When a defendant cannot pay a fine immediately, the court can now order them to perform community service instead or set up a payment plan. The bill also updates the process for suspending vehicle registration if someone fails to pay fines or court costs, requiring courts to send specific forms to the motor vehicle registrar to trigger the suspension. Once the outstanding fines are paid in full, the court must notify the registrar to lift the suspension and allow vehicle registration or transfer applications to resume.

Maddy summaryHB 173 requires hospitals to publish detailed price information for all their items and services in a digital format that computers can easily read. This rule mandates that hospitals list specific costs, such as the highest and lowest negotiated rates with insurance companies, as well as the price for patients paying with cash. The bill also establishes "Ohio Black Media Week" and "Older Ohioans Month" to recognize contributions to the state. Additionally, the legislation includes definitions for terms related to hospital pricing and data privacy to support these transparency requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 206 amends Ohio law to clarify and expand the procedures for suspending and expelling public school students who bring dangerous items to campus. The bill requires school officials to provide written notice and an informal hearing before issuing an out-of-school suspension, while also mandating that students complete missed assignments without receiving failing grades solely due to the suspension. It establishes specific expulsion terms, such as a one-year ban for bringing a firearm to school or an interscholastic event, and allows school boards to adopt resolutions permitting expulsions for bringing certain knives. Additionally, the legislation outlines how remaining suspension or expulsion time should be handled if the school year ends before the full period is served, offering community service as an alternative to carrying over the penalty.

Maddy summaryHB 77 establishes a legal process for public-use airports in Ohio to sell abandoned or derelict aircraft that have remained on airport property for at least 90 consecutive days without payment of fees. The bill defines an abandoned aircraft as one located at a public airport where the owner has not paid tie-down, hangar, rent, or storage costs for the specified period. It also creates a lien system that allows repair shops and storage providers to secure payment for labor, materials, and storage by filing an affidavit with the Federal Aviation Administration. Additionally, the bill outlines specific steps for airport directors to identify aircraft owners, notify them of accrued fees, and proceed with selling the aircraft if the owner fails to pay or remove the plane within a set timeframe.

Maddy summaryHB 315 amends Ohio laws to regulate how newspapers charge for publishing legal notices and establishes a new program to help clean up contaminated industrial sites. The bill requires newspapers to offer a special, capped rate for government-mandated legal advertisements and mandates that these notices be posted online alongside their print versions. It also allows agencies to publish abbreviated summaries of repeated notices online to reduce costs, provided the full text remains accessible on an official public notice website. Additionally, the legislation creates a brownfield remediation program that provides grants to counties and other entities for cleaning up abandoned properties with hazardous substances to encourage redevelopment.

Maddy summaryHB 531, known as Braden's Law, establishes new criminal penalties for sexual extortion, which involves threatening to release private images to force someone into performing acts, paying money, or providing additional photos. The bill specifically defines private images to include content involving nudity, sexual activity, or extreme violence, and it sets felony charges that become more severe if the victim is a minor, elderly person, or disabled adult. Additionally, the legislation clarifies the legal responsibilities of digital service providers regarding deceased users' accounts, requiring them to comply with court orders for disclosure or termination while protecting them from liability when acting in good faith.