Sen. Catherine Ingram

Maddy summarySB 156 amends the laws governing the designation and management of wild, scenic, and recreational rivers in Ohio. The bill primarily affects landowners, developers, and mining operations near these protected waterways by establishing specific buffer zones where surface and in-stream mining activities are prohibited. It sets strict distance limits from the highwater mark of designated rivers, ranging from 50 to 120 feet, depending on the size of the watershed the river drains. Additionally, the legislation clarifies that clearing snow or debris from undedicated roads in these areas does not constitute official approval of those roads by the township.

Maddy summarySB 112, known as the Ohio Childhood Safety Act, requires all school buildings in Ohio to have their protective door assemblies inspected and tested annually by qualified professionals. These inspections ensure that doors used for emergency exits meet current safety standards, with older doors needing to comply with the rules in place when they were originally installed. If a door is found to be non-compliant, the school must fix the issue immediately and have it re-inspected, while schools actively working toward compliance are exempt from fines. The bill also mandates that schools keep records of these inspections and allows the state fire marshal to review those records, though no monetary penalties will be assessed for violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens protections against fraudulent business filings and deceptive mailings by requiring third-party service providers to clearly label their communications as advertisements and provide specific contact information. It prohibits these entities from including names or addresses on official documents without the explicit consent of the individuals involved and bans any language that makes filings appear to be issued by a government agency. The legislation also establishes a formal complaint process where affected individuals can report violations to the secretary of state, who is then authorized to investigate and refer potential criminal cases to prosecutors.

Maddy summarySB 29 amends state laws to clarify which educational records and student data are considered confidential and protected from public disclosure. The bill directly affects school districts, alternative education providers, and other public entities that maintain student information by expanding the list of exempt records to include details about probation, adoption, DNA data, and specific health information. Key provisions explicitly shield records related to juvenile traffic accidents, military service orders, and certain photographic depictions of crime victims from being released as public records. By updating the Revised Code, the legislation ensures that sensitive personal data held by schools and related agencies remains private unless specific legal exceptions apply.

Maddy summaryHB 466 requires licensed real estate brokers in Ohio to have a written agreement with clients before representing them in residential transactions involving one to four units or vacant land. This written contract must include specific details such as an expiration date, compensation terms, and mandatory statements about fair housing laws and illegal practices like blockbusting. The bill also mandates that brokers provide clients with a written policy explaining their agency duties, potential dual agency situations, and how the brokerage handles cooperation with other firms. Brokers must obtain a signed acknowledgment from the client receiving this policy, ensuring both parties clearly understand their rights and the nature of the representation.

Maddy summaryHB 226 allows water utility companies to include the costs of replacing customer-owned water service lines in their rate filings, shifting the financial responsibility for these replacements from individual homeowners to the utilities. The bill requires the Public Utilities Commission to create a specific valuation report that tracks these replacement costs and any reimbursements previously given to customers, ensuring these expenses are accounted for separately. By including these costs in the official property valuation, the legislation enables utilities to recover the expenses through future customer rates rather than requiring customers to pay directly for the work. This change applies to water-works companies operating in the state and aims to clarify how infrastructure replacement costs are calculated and billed.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public and private schools, as well as public recreational facilities, to install automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and create emergency plans for their use. It mandates that staff at these locations complete training on AEDs and that student athletes receive education about sudden cardiac arrest before participating in sports. Additionally, the law prohibits students with a family history of sudden cardiac arrest or those who have fainted from playing sports until they are medically cleared, and it requires coaches to complete specific training. Local governments must also provide hospital relief payments related to these cardiac events, and the Ohio Department of Health is tasked with developing a model emergency action plan to guide schools and facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows individuals convicted of crimes while being victims of human trafficking to request the expungement of their criminal records. To qualify, applicants must prove by a preponderance of the evidence for misdemeanors or clear and convincing evidence for felonies that their participation in the offense resulted from their victimization. The process requires filing a detailed application with the sentencing court, which may hold a hearing where prosecutors can object and the judge evaluates specific factors such as the degree of duress and the seriousness of the crime. If approved, the conviction is legally treated as if it never occurred, and the court must notify relevant agencies to remove the record from public view. Applicants are responsible for paying a fifty-dollar fee to initiate the request, with a portion of those funds directed to state and county treasuries.

Maddy summaryThis bill officially designates a specific stretch of highways in Greene and Brown counties as the Brigadier General Charles Young Memorial Historical Corridor. It defines the corridor by naming three connected sections of United States Routes 42, 68, and 62, along with the Simon Kenton Bridge. The legislation also authorizes the state director of transportation to place markers along these roads to indicate their new name. This change is primarily commemorative and does not alter traffic rules, funding, or other operational aspects of the highways.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a Senate resolution honoring the life of William Thomas Ariss, a retired Ohio State Highway Patrol officer and former Warren County sheriff. It formally acknowledges his public service, military background, and community involvement while expressing the Senate's condolences to his family. The resolution concludes by directing the Senate Clerk to send an official copy of the tribute to Ariss's family.