Bill > SB162

This bill modifies Ohio law to prevent individuals convicted of aggravated murder from being sentenced to death if they can prove they had a serious mental illness at the time of the offense, defining "serious mental illness" as a diagnosed condition like schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, or delusional disorder that significantly impaired their judgment, ability to conform their conduct to the law, or understanding of the wrongfulness of their actions, excluding disorders primarily caused by criminal conduct or substance abuse. It also establishes a process for individuals already sentenced to death to seek resentencing to life imprisonment if they can demonstrate they had such a serious mental illness at the time of the crime, and it amends existing procedures for determining eligibility for the death penalty and for post-conviction relief to include these provisions related to serious mental illness.