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Judiciary Committee advances changes to expungement process, sentencing in weapons-under-disability cases
Summary
The Ohio House Judiciary Committee accepted a substitute for House Bill 5 that adjusts sentencing for certain weapons offenses and changes the process for sealing eligible records, drawing opposition from the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police over background-check access to expunged records and reductions in felony classifications.
The Ohio House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday accepted a substitute to House Bill 5 that restores original sentencing ranges for some firearms offenses, increases penalties when a firearm is brandished or used in a crime, and replaces a mandatory court hearing for record sealing with a notice-and-application process for eligible people.
Proponents said the substitute balances public safety and second-chance pathways; opponents warned the change could limit law enforcement access to expunged records and reduce penalties for weapons-under-disability violations.
Representative Williams, who presented the substitute, said the bill restores “the original language as it relates to specifications for automatic firearms and suppressors” and increases the sentence for brandishing or using such a weapon in the commission of a crime to 10 years on first specified occasions and 15 on second specified occasions. Williams also told the committee the subbill replaces a mandatory…
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