The following is a brief rundown of proposed house and senate bills, including their status.
HB 5 Sponsor: Kathy Walcher (R-Norwalk)
The bill is designed to strengthen Ohio’s sex offender registration requirements. If HB 5 is passed, a sex offender has only five days after his or her prison release to officially register with law enforcement. Under the old statutes of Megan’s Law, an offender had up to seven days to properly notify law enforcement.
Under HB 5, landlords will be given the ability to evict their tenants if he or she is a registered sex offender and lives within 1,000 feet of a designated school.
In September 2002, Gov. Bob Taft established a task force to examine Ohio’s sex offender registration and community notification (SORN) laws. The bill would implement many of the task force’s recommendations into legislative form and improve the Megan’s Law system.
The legislation would also impose stiffer penalties for failure to comply with the new standards, by grouping the penalty for the failure to register with the level of sex offense committed. New registration also requires offenders to register in the county where the offender works or goes to school.
“House Bill 5 will protect our children and families from offenders who are likely to commit their crimes again,” Walcher said. “It’s time to update Ohio’s laws dealing with sex offenders.”
The bill was unanimously voted out of the Criminal Justice Committee and is now on the House floor.
SB 57 Sponsor: Jeff Jacobson (R-Butler)
The bill is legislation that is designed to protect law enforcement officers in threatening riotous environments. The proposal includes provisions to increase the penalties for failing to disperse a potentially riotous situation. The law would come into play in an emergency situation where law enforcement has already requested the removal of the civilians.
The measure would also clarify the riot and aggravated riot statues and create a new stipulation, eliminating the need for law enforcement to prove that the riotous action was premeditated, a common stumbling block in imposing penalties on the alleged rioters.
Sen. Jacobson testified in front of the Criminal Justice Committee for his bill.
“This is important legislation that will give law enforcement the tools they need to prevent the loss of valuable property, damage to businesses and serious injuries causes by rioters,” Jacobson said. “This bill will in no way impact or impede the rights of citizens to conduct peaceful demonstrations and lawful protests.”
The bill is in the wake of costly disturbances at college campuses in the state, notably the post-OSU-Michigan game so negatively viewed by the rest of the nation. The Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association and the Fraternal Order of Police are supportive of the bill.
The bill is on the Senate floor and is awaiting deliberation.
SB 28 Sponsor: Bob Spada (R-North Royalton)
The bill would allow Ohio consumers to make a single toll-free call to curb all unwanted telemarketing calls. Citizens will also be permitted to register on the Internet. Under this legislation, consumers and regulators will be able to take advantage of the federal registry, recently established by the Federal Trade Commission.
The Federal Do-Not-Call Act was signed into law on March 11, allowing consumers to register on a federal list. However, the FTC does not regulate intrastate calls, meaning Ohio is not covered under the federal rules. This bill would allow Ohioans to regulate in-state and out-of-state telemarketing calls.
Sen. Spade commented on his proposal.
“This bill gives consumers control over the telephone calls they receive in the privacy of their own homes,” Senator Spada said. “It is not an ‘anti- business’ bill and it will not put telemarketers out of business in this state. It will simply provide consumers with the ability to sit down at the dinner table or spend time with their family without having to answer unwanted telemarketing phone calls.”
The bill passed 32-1 in the Senate and is now under consideration in the House.
