Senate Passes Roegner Bill Protecting the Personal Information of Public Servants

COLUMBUS—Today, the Ohio Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 4, sponsored by State Senator Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson), which aims to protect personal information for public servants who work in emergency communications, such as 911 operators and Ohio National Guard drone pilots. Various provisions in Ohio Public Records Law can allow for personal information, including addresses and phone numbers, of certain public safety employees to be released, potentially leading to these individuals being targeted for their important work protecting Ohioans. Senate Bill 4 creates a simple public records exception for the personal, identifying information of these individuals to protect them and their families from potential harm. The bill accomplishes this by adding these professions to the state’s list of 20 occupations already offered the protection under “designated public service worker” status. “We owe it to our public servants and their families to prevent their residential and familial information from falling into the wrong hands, putting them at risk,” said Roegner. “I am grateful my Senate colleagues joined me today in taking this important step to provide an additional layer of protection for the people who protect us." To learn more about Senate Bill 4, click here.