This bill would instruct the Attorney General to create a violent offender registry similar to the one that exists for sex offenders by December 31, 2017.
The bill would not require the Attorney General to include any specific criminal convictions on this registry; however, it suggests they include aggravated murder, murder, voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping, and abduction—including attempt or conspiracy to commit any of these crimes.
Further, the bill would give the Attorney General wide discretion to include any other offense they consider “necessary to include in the registry.”
Jurisdiction/Legislation Level
State
LCS Legislation Status
https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-status?id=GA132...
Our Take on This Bill
The ACLU of Ohio is opposed to SB 67. This bill is not only vague, but it also gives the Attorney General unchecked discretion to include or remove any crime they so please.
This bill does not actually instruct the Attorney General to include any specific violent crimes on the registry, but rather suggests six offenses that “may be included in the registry.” Further, this bill is open ended and does not include what information would be on the registry, how long a person would be on the registry, what role law enforcement has in developing the registry, and how an appeals process would work.
Although this bill suggests that this new registry could be incorporated into the sex offender or arson offender registry, it again does not require the Attorney General to do anything, giving them too much unchecked discretion.
Bill Status
Introduced in the Senate on 2/21/17
Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on 2/22/17
Received Committee hearings on 2/28/17, 3/14/17, and 6/13/17
Committees
Judiciary (S)
