To amend sections 2919.25, 2923.13, and 2923.14 of the Revised Code to expand the offense of domestic violence to include a person with whom the offender is in a dating relationship and to expand the offense of weapons under disability to include a person subject to a domestic violence protection order and a person convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence.
Summary
HB352 would expand Ohio’s domestic violence statute to cover abuse against a person with whom the offender is or was in a dating relationship, not just family or household members. The bill defines “dating relationship” by reference to existing law and treats a dating partner the same as a family or household member for purposes of the offense, including the penalty structure and repeat-offender enhancements. It also preserves the bill’s existing pregnancy-related sentencing enhancements for domestic violence offenses.
The bill would also broaden Ohio’s “weapons under disability” law by adding two new firearm prohibitions: people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence and people subject to a domestic violence protection order or consent agreement. Related relief-from-disability provisions would continue to allow some prohibited persons to petition the court for restoration of firearm rights, but the new categories would be added to the list of conditions that can trigger or maintain the disability. The bill repeals the prior versions of the amended sections and replaces them with the expanded language.
Impact
HB352 would amend Revised Code sections 2919.25, 2923.13, and 2923.14, changing both criminal liability and firearm restrictions in Ohio. It would extend domestic violence protections to dating partners, which could increase the number of cases prosecuted as domestic violence and affect sentencing, repeat-offender treatment, and related protective-order enforcement. It would also expand the class of people barred from possessing firearms to include those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence and those under domestic violence protection orders, with corresponding effects on criminal enforcement and relief-from-disability proceedings.
Sentiment
The bill appears to be framed as a public-safety and victim-protection measure, with support implied by its introduction and multiple bipartisan cosponsors. No committee testimony or recorded votes are available in the provided materials, so there is no documented opposition or amendment debate in the record here. Based on the text alone, the proposal reflects a generally protective stance toward domestic violence victims and firearm restrictions for persons with domestic violence histories.
Contention
The main policy issues likely to draw debate are the expansion of domestic violence to dating relationships and the firearm disability provisions. Supporters would likely view the dating-relationship expansion as closing a gap in protection for victims who are not cohabiting or related to the offender, while critics could question the scope or evidentiary boundaries of what qualifies as a dating relationship. The firearm provisions may also be contentious because they add misdemeanor domestic violence and protection-order subjects to the list of prohibited possessors, raising due-process and Second Amendment concerns for some stakeholders, especially regarding the breadth and duration of the disability and the standards for relief.
To amend sections 3517.12, 3517.13, and 3517.155 of the Revised Code to modify the Campaign Finance Law regarding foreign nationals and statewide initiatives and referenda and to declare an emergency.
To amend sections 3505.01 and 3505.10 of the Revised Code to modify the deadline for a political party to certify its nominees for President and Vice-President to the Secretary of State.
To amend sections 3517.12, 3517.13, and 3517.155 of the Revised Code to modify the Campaign Finance Law regarding foreign nationals and statewide initiatives and referenda and to declare an emergency.
To delay the deadline for a major political party to certify its presidential and vice presidential candidates to the Secretary of State for the 2024 general election.