(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – January 3, 2023 – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed the following bills into law:
- Senate Bill 16, sponsored by Senator Tim Schaffer, modifies the law regarding assault or menacing committed or directed against, and targeting, an emergency service responder, family member, or co-worker; the offense of unlawfully impeding public passage of an emergency service responder; prohibits certain sex offenders and child-victim offenders from engaging in a specified volunteer capacity involving direct work with, or supervision or disciplinary power over, minors; makes changes to the offense of voyeurism; firearms qualification for county correctional officers; the specification that there is no period of limitations for prosecution of a conspiracy or attempt to commit, or complicity in committing, aggravated murder or murder; a political subdivision’s emergency powers when suppressing a riot, mob, or potential riot or mob; the preservation of rights regarding deadly weapons and firearms during an emergency; the penalties for the offense of importuning; additions to the Statewide Emergency Alert Program; the requirement that county prosecutors annually report all case resolutions to the board of county commissioners and all fire-related case resolutions to the State Fire Marshal; and the removal of ankle and leg restraints from those prohibited for use on a pregnant charged or convicted criminal offender or a pregnant charged or convicted delinquent child, and the lowering of the required threat level for this use of restraints.
- House Bill 279, sponsored by Representatives Richard D. Brown and Scott Oelslager, revises the law regarding wrongful death claims.
- House Bill 364, sponsored by Representative Thomas F. Patton, modifies the application process for the waterworks infrastructure improvement surcharge and to residential PACE lien priority, creates exceptions to the moratorium on modifications to hazardous waste incinerator installation and operation permits, and eliminates public water system asset management program requirements for transient noncommmunity water systems.
Governor DeWine today also vetoed House Bill 286, which would have generally changed the venue in which appeal from an agency order is proper to the local court of common pleas, provided that a civil action to challenge a state administrative order issued in a state of emergency be brought in the Court of Claims, and to allowed the General Assembly and the Governor to retain special counsel. Governor’s Veto Message