If you want to know more or read the full text of a bill, go to legislature.ohio.gov, click "Legislation," then "Search Legislation," and type the bill number (e.g., HB 184) into the search bar.

⚡ The Action (Active & Passed)

HB44: Law Enforcement Training and Exams

  • Summary: This bill updates training requirements for police chiefs and sergeants while allowing certain vacant positions to be filled without a competitive exam.

  • Sponsors: 22 Total (13 Republicans, 9 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-02-04: Passed.

HB171: CPT Louis John Speidel Memorial Highway

  • Summary: This designates a portion of State Route 28 in Clermont County to honor Captain Louis John Speidel.

  • Sponsors: 15 Total (8 Republicans, 7 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-02-04: Passed.

⏳ The Waiting Room (Proposed & Pending)

HB661: NIL Ban for High School Athletes

  • Summary: This would stop middle and high school students from getting paid for the use of their name, image, or likeness in sports.

  • Sponsors: 15 Total (15 Republicans, 0 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-29: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB662: Penalties for Disturbing Meetings

  • Summary: This proposal looks to increase criminal penalties for people who disrupt lawful public meetings under certain conditions.

  • Sponsors: 23 Total (23 Republicans, 0 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-29: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB663: Artificial Intelligence Study Commission

  • Summary: This would create a new commission to study how state and local governments are using AI and make recommendations on it.

  • Sponsors: 20 Total (4 Republicans, 16 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-29: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB664: Veterinary Technician Authority

  • Summary: This allows registered vet techs to establish the official vet-patient relationship for things like giving shots or flea meds to cats and dogs.

  • Sponsors: 2 Total (2 Republicans, 0 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-29: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB665: Pricing Algorithm Regulations

  • Summary: This bill aims to regulate how companies use automated algorithms to set prices for goods and services.

  • Sponsors: 12 Total (1 Republicans, 11 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-29: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB666: Ohio Tech Institute

  • Summary: One lawmaker wants to establish a dedicated "Ohio Tech Institute" through the state's education code.

  • Sponsors: 1 Total (1 Republicans, 0 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-29: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB667: Reagan Tokes and Patrick Heringer Act

  • Summary: This would require GPS monitoring for released prisoners and ensure certain warrants are entered into the state's law enforcement database.

  • Sponsors: 12 Total (11 Republicans, 1 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-29: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB653: Parking Ticket Late Fee Caps

  • Summary: This would put a ceiling on how much cities can charge you in late fees for civil parking tickets.

  • Sponsors: 7 Total (1 Republicans, 6 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-27: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB654: Amanda Dean's Law

  • Summary: This bill increases the criminal penalties for those convicted of abuse of a corpse.

  • Sponsors: 2 Total (2 Republicans, 0 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-27: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB655: Neglect of Parental Duties

  • Summary: This would create a new criminal offense specifically for the "neglect of parental duties."

  • Sponsors: 2 Total (2 Republicans, 0 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-27: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB656: Negligent Assault of a Peace Officer

  • Summary: This creates a specific criminal charge for when someone negligently causes physical harm to a law enforcement officer.

  • Sponsors: 3 Total (3 Republicans, 0 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-27: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB657: PUCO Nominating Process

  • Summary: This makes a few changes to who gets to sit on the council that picks the people who regulate our utilities.

  • Sponsors: 14 Total (0 Republicans, 14 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-27: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB658: "SHELTER" License Plate

  • Summary: This would create a new specialty "SHELTER" license plate to support animal shelters.

  • Sponsors: 19 Total (9 Republicans, 10 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-27: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB659: Childhood Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

  • Summary: This updates the rules and timeframes for filing civil lawsuits related to childhood or student sexual abuse.

  • Sponsors: 10 Total (0 Republicans, 10 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-27: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB660: National Guard Scholarships

  • Summary: This bill makes technical updates to the scholarship program available to members of the Ohio National Guard.

  • Sponsors: 6 Total (0 Republicans, 6 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-27: No floor votes recorded yet.

SB343: Search and Rescue Workers' Comp

  • Summary: This ensures urban search and rescue members are covered by workers' compensation during state-requested missions.

  • Sponsors: 1 Total (1 Republicans, 0 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-22: No floor votes recorded yet.

SB344: Infection Prevention Textiles

  • Summary: This would set new standards for "infection prevention textiles" used in Ohio healthcare facilities.

  • Sponsors: 1 Total (1 Republicans, 0 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-22: No floor votes recorded yet.

SB345: Higher Ed Evidence-Based Innovation Fund

  • Summary: This creates a grant program for college innovations and requires a study on how schools handle budget-related cuts.

  • Sponsors: 1 Total (1 Republicans, 0 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-22: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB648: Digital Asset Kiosk Rules

  • Summary: This would force Bitcoin and other crypto kiosks to register as money transmitters and follow specific consumer protections.

  • Sponsors: 4 Total (3 Republicans, 1 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-20: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB649: Child Care Fraud Prevention Act

  • Summary: This would require video cameras in child care centers and a new online portal to track attendance to prevent fraud.

  • Sponsors: 28 Total (28 Republicans, 0 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-20: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB650: Frontier Technologies and Quantum Computing Commission

  • Summary: This establishes a state commission to focus on advanced tech like quantum computing and its impact on Ohio.

  • Sponsors: 7 Total (6 Republicans, 1 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-20: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB651: Sgt. Andrew Lansing Memorial Bridge

  • Summary: This names a bridge over the Scioto River on State Route 207 after Sergeant Andrew Lansing.

  • Sponsors: 1 Total (1 Republicans, 0 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-20: No floor votes recorded yet.

HB652: Insurance Nonrenewal Notifications

  • Summary: This bill changes the timeline for when an insurance company has to tell you they aren't renewing your policy.

  • Sponsors: 16 Total (10 Republicans, 6 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-20: No floor votes recorded yet.

SB341: Repeal law that authorizes a person who is 17 to marry

  • Summary: This would officially remove the parts of Ohio law that currently allow 17-year-olds to get married.

  • Sponsors: 8 Total (2 Republicans, 6 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-20: No floor votes recorded yet.

SB342: Prohibit certain clauses from conservancy district contracts

  • Summary: This stops conservancy districts from including certain "indemnification" clauses in their contracts.

  • Sponsors: 2 Total (2 Republicans, 0 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-20: No floor votes recorded yet.

SR261: Urge Congress to create a National Infrastructure Bank

  • Summary: Ohio senators are urging Congress to create a national bank to fund large infrastructure projects.

  • Sponsors: 4 Total (1 Republicans, 3 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-20: No floor votes recorded yet.

SCR15: Credit Reporting Review

  • Summary: This is a formal request for Congress to look into how credit scores might be causing economic unfairness.

  • Sponsors: 1 Total (0 Republicans, 1 Democrats).

  • Current Status: 2026-01-20: No floor votes recorded yet.

Keep an eye on your inbox this Thursday. We’re going to do a deep-dive breakdown on a few of these bills.

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