by J.D. Davidson
While Ohioans can vote on some bail reform issues on Election Day, lawmakers and other policy groups continue to work on other aspects in the General Assembly.
The ballot wording on Issue One gives the legislature room to pass bills that would add to the requirements judges must use to establish bail. That, according to the Columbus-based Buckeye Institute, provides an opportunity to continue to tackle issues it believes are key.
“Irrespective of whether Issue One passes, there will still need to be reforms to bail that both add additional layers of public safety and not unfairly penalize low level, non-violent offenders that happen to have low incomes,” said Greg Lawson, research fellow at The Buckeye Institute.
The Institute expressed concern over the original language in the resolution that led to Issue One, but the final language created options, according to Lawson.
The original text read, “when determining the amount of bail, the court shall consider public safety, a person’s criminal record, the likelihood a person will return to court, and the seriousness of a person’s offense.”
The final language reads, “when determining the amount of bail, the court shall consider public safety, including the seriousness of the offense, and a person’s criminal record, the likelihood a person will return to court, and any other factor the General Assembly may prescribe.”
“Unlike the original language, which we believed would preclude additional bail reform, the new language left the door open to policy changes as passed by the General Assembly, which, of course, we are working on with pending legislation,” Lawson said.
Currently, a bail reform bills sit in the General Assembly.
Rep. David Leland, D-Columbus, proposed House Bill 315, with bipartisan support, that supporters say would reform the bail process to promote public safety and save taxpayers money by providing bail opportunities for those eligible.
That bill has had two hearings in the Criminal Justice Committee but only sponsor testimony.
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An Ohio native, J.D. Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers in Ohio, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. He has served as a reporter, editor, managing editor and publisher. Davidson is a regional editor for The Center Square.
