Hicks-Hudson, Manning Introduce Juvenile Justice Bill

Today, state Senators Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) and Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville) introduced Senate Bill 270, which will implement recommendations presented in the July 2024 report from the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Working Group, which first convened in November 2023.

“As a lawyer whose primary and consistent work has been in the juvenile justice setting, this much-needed legislation will provide guidance for courts and juvenile service providers,” said Hicks-Hudson. “We must make sure that our community and juvenile justice workers are safe, while also focusing on providing appropriate strategies to improve outcomes for children and their families.”

Senator Hicks-Hudson and Senator Manning both served as legislative advisors to the 11-member working group assembled by the governor, which consisted of judges, policy specialists, law enforcement agents, and faith-based service providers. The report made several statutory and programmatic recommendations to improve Ohio’s state and local juvenile justice system.

Among the recommendations that fall under the purview of the legislature were to:

• Increase the minimum age of juveniles committed to DYS from 10 years of age to 14 years of age;
• Allow a presiding judge’s discretion when sentencing youth in gun-related cases rather than the current mandatory sentencing; and,
• Prohibit first-time non-violent F-4 and F-5 felony offences from being placed in DYS state facilities.

The goal of Senate Bill 270 is to encourage rehabilitative services for youth within the juvenile justice system and to allow the local judicial system to best determine how to aid in the rehabilitation of youth within their districts, rather than handing down harsh sentences as a first resort.

Senate Bill 270 now awaits referral to committee.