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Committee accepts amendment raising penalties and restoring child‑victim reporting in HB 168
Summary
During the fourth hearing on House Bill 168 the committee accepted Amendment 0577, offered by Representative Williams, which increases penalties tied to a specified motivational enhancement and restores a child‑victim oriented sworn‑reporting requirement; the amendment was accepted with no objections during the session.
Columbus — During the House Judiciary Committee's fourth hearing on House Bill 168, Representative Williams moved and the committee accepted Amendment 0577, which sponsors described as negotiated with interested parties including prosecutors.
Representative Williams explained the amendment increases penalties when an offense carries a specified motivational element: the amendment raises an offense from a first-degree misdemeanor to a fifth-degree felony, and increases to a fourth-degree felony for repeat offenders. Williams also said the amendment "reverts previous Ohio law ... to make this a child victim oriented offense, which is a sworn reporting requirement."
The chair called the motion, no members objected, and the amendment was accepted. Committee minutes show the amendment was entered and accepted during the hearing; no recorded roll-call vote was taken at the time.
Committee members and sponsors indicated the changes were produced after conversations with interested parties, including the county prosecutors' association, and that more detailed statutory drafting would be available to members for review.
