Bill > SB55

This bill modifies Ohio's laws regarding operating a vehicle or watercraft under the influence of marihuana (marijuana). The key provisions include changing the legal standards for determining marihuana impairment, specifically by adjusting the concentration thresholds of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that can be used as evidence of impairment. The bill updates language in several sections of the Ohio Revised Code to standardize terminology, replacing "marihuana" with "tetrahydrocannabinol" and modifying the specific nanogram levels that can be used to infer impairment in different bodily substances like whole blood, urine, and oral fluid. For instance, the threshold for whole blood THC concentration changes from two to five nanograms per milliliter. The bill also clarifies rules about the admissibility of evidence in operating a vehicle under the influence (OVI) cases, ensuring that scientific test results can be introduced in court while maintaining strict standards for expert testimony and evidence interpretation. Additionally, the bill provides guidance for courts on how to consider THC concentration evidence when determining whether a person was operating a vehicle while impaired.