Drug sentencing among bills headed to DeWine
Liquor, PTSD bills also on way, as legislative session winds down.
State lawmakers took final action Tuesday on two bills intended to give people with criminal convictions a second chance in the job market.
House Bill 1 would make it easier for people convicted of low-level drug of ff ff ff ff ff fens es to have their criminal records sealed and expand drug treatment options in lieu of conviction if alcohol or drug use were contributing factors to the crimes.
The bill also would ban shackling pregnant women before, during or immediately after delivering their babies.
House Bill 264 would change occupational licensing rules to remove barriers for people with criminal records.
“An individual should not be denied an occupational license and subsequent employment due to an offense that is not related to their licensed occupation. In the face of job losses due to COVID-19, Ohio policy should not bemaking it harder to fifind a family-sustaining job for anyone,” said Susan Jagers, of Ohio Poverty Law Center, in a written statement.
Legislators gave fifinal approval to several other bills, including:
HB308: The state would create a fund to pay lost wages and mental health benefits for first responders suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. The Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund
would be in charge of conducting an actuarial study on howmuchwould be needed in the fund.
HB674: The state Division of LiquorControlwould adopt rules toallowforhome delivery of spiritous liquor and mixed beverage pods.
It also would allow certain brewpubstohave theflexibility of either selling pre-packaged food or arranging for a foodtruck tobeonpremises. More controversial elements of the bill, such as allowing alcohol sales until 4 a.m. and on Sundays, were removed from the legislation.
SB68: Ohioans age 21 to 65 would be allowed to renewtheir driver’s licenses, motorcycle licenses and other licenses for up to eight years, instead of the usual four year cycle. The billwould also create a program for people who can’t afford to pay license reinstatement fees to docommunity service hours instead.
The bills nowhead to Ohio Gov. MikeDeWine, who has 10 days fromwhen the legislation is delivered to him to sign, veto or let them go into law without his signature.
As of deadline, the House and Senate had yet to agree on how to address the controversial energy lawknown as House Bill 6.