Ohio lawmakers pass one criminal justice measure, but a second, broader bill appears to be dead
Updated Dec 17, 2020;
Posted Dec 17, 2020
House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 3 came after 2018’s failed measure to amend the Ohio Constitution to reduce drug crime sentences, reclassify drug felonies, and release inmates convicted of low-level drug crimes, among other changes.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Senate passed a bill Thursday evening that urges more drug treatment and makes it easier for people to have their criminal records sealed.
But a broader criminal justice reform measure that reclassifies many smaller-level drug possession felonies to misdemeanors and requires addicts get treatment looks like it will die in these final days of the 133rd Ohio General Assembly.
Bipartisan drug sentencing reform in Ohio thwarted by opposition from prosecutors (and former prosecutors)
As well reported in this local article, headlined Ohio lawmakers pass one criminal justice measure, but a second, broader bill appears to be dead, a long-running effort to reform drug sentencing in Ohio failed to get completely to the finish line in the state General Assembly. Here are the details:
The Ohio Senate passed a bill Thursday evening that urges more drug treatment and makes it easier for people to have their criminal records sealed.
But a broader criminal justice reform measure that reclassifies many smaller-level drug possession felonies to misdemeanors and requires addicts get treatment looks like it will die in these final days of the 133rd Ohio General Assembly..
As shots go into arms, advocates for prisoners, teachers, restaurant employees and court staffers jostled to be next in line for vaccination against COVID-19.
With Ohio health care workers receiving vaccinations and the vaccine scheduled to reach the first skilled nursing home residents and employees Friday, groups are lobbying Gov. Mike DeWine to be among the early recipients of doses of vaccine.
DeWine welcomes such suggestions, but observed Tuesday the state s priorities for who is vaccinated when remain a work in progress as health officials await federal guidance and more definitive information on the numbers and flow of vaccines to Ohio.
Dec 16, 2020
Forcing people into categories that may not fit them well is foolish under any circumstances. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine should not permit it to become a deadly mistake.
Like other states, Ohio has a priority list for immunizations by the still relatively scarce COVID-19 vaccine. Health care providers and older people, especially those in long-term care facilities, are at the top of the list. Inmates at jails and prisons are not as high on it.
DeWine has been asked by the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio to include inmates in the same vaccine category as people in other group-living arrangements, such as nursing homes.