Bill tied to SORN clears the Ohio House

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — A new bill aimed at closing a loophole in the state’s Sex Offender Registry and Notification (SORN) laws has passed the Ohio House.

According to State Representatives Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.), House Bill 102 expands residency and loitering restrictions for registered sex offenders, ensuring stronger protection for victims, especially children, who may continue to face proximity to their abusers.

“Victims should never have to live in constant fear of encountering their attacker every time they step outside,” Rep. Klopfenstein said. “With 80 percent of sexual assaults committed by someone the victim knows, it’s unacceptable that current laws allow an offender to move in right next door. House Bill 102 will help protect our constituents, ensuring they don’t have to endure these traumatic situations.”

Under current law, sex offenders are prohibited from living near schools and childcare centers but can legally reside near their victims. House Bill 102 addresses this issue by prohibiting registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of their victims’ homes and loitering within 1,000 feet of their victims’ residence.

“Victims should never have to look over their shoulder or fear running into the person who traumatized them,” Rep. Williams said. “This bill closes a dangerous loophole and puts the safety and dignity of survivors first. No family should ever have to live with the anxiety of the sex offender who victimized them legally moving in next door. House Bill 102 ensures that Ohio stands firmly on the side of protecting victims, not predators.”

The legislation is modeled after Oklahoma’s Senate Bill 1221, which passed with unanimous support in 2018 and has been adopted in several other states. House Bill 102 aims to protect Ohio’s most vulnerable residents by ensuring that victims do not have to live in fear of encountering their abuser on a daily basis.

House Bill 102 now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

Klopfenstein represents Ohio’s 82^nd District, which includes all of Van Wert, Paulding, and Putnam counties and the southern portion of Defiance County.