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Sponsor proposes online access and offense expansion for violent‑offender database under SB357
Summary
Sen. Gavirone said SB357 would make the state violent‑offender database publicly accessible online and add second‑degree felony strangulation to reportable offenses; sponsors argued increased access improves public safety.
Senate Bill 357 would expand access to Ohio’s violent‑offender database established under Sierra’s Law and add offenses requiring registration, sponsor testimony said.
Senator Gavirone told the committee the database created after Sierra Jagan’s 2016 murder is currently only viewable at a local sheriff’s office; SB357 would make a publicly available online database so Ohioans can access information from any location and would add second‑degree felony strangulation to the list of reportable violent offenses. Gavirone said the change would also make the information available to law enforcement through LEADS so officers would have access during encounters.
Committee members asked how many other states have publicly searchable violent‑offender registries and whether public access could lead to vigilante conduct or other unintended consequences. Gavirone said the current data is public but requires travel to a sheriff’s office; SB357 would not create new public data but would make it easier to access. He offered to gather comparative data on other states’ practices for the committee.
The committee recorded this exchange as the first hearing on SB357; Gavirone said he would provide follow‑up materials about other states’ publicly searchable registries if requested.
