Bill > SB225

This bill expands the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) in Ohio by modifying definitions and eligibility criteria to provide protection for more victims. The bill broadens the types of crimes that qualify individuals for the program, specifically adding "crimes in which the victim is threatened with a deadly weapon" to the existing list of qualifying offenses. The ACP allows victims to use a confidential address provided by the Secretary of State to help protect their safety, preventing their actual residential address from being publicly disclosed. Applicants must still work with an application assistant and meet certain criteria, such as residing in Ohio and not being a registered sex offender. The program provides participants with a unique identification number, an authorization card, and instructions on how to receive mail and process legal documents through the Secretary of State's office. Participants can be certified for four years and may renew their certification, continuing to use their original identification number. The bill also strengthens confidentiality provisions, making it a first-degree misdemeanor for public officials or others to improperly disclose a participant's confidential address, thus providing additional legal protection for vulnerable individuals seeking to maintain their safety.

Justice

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/sb225