Bill > HJR5

This resolution proposes an amendment to Section 6 of Article I of the Ohio Constitution to eliminate the existing language that allows slavery or involuntary servitude as a criminal punishment. The proposed change would categorically prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude in Ohio, removing the previous exception for punishment of crime. Instead, the resolution provides that upon conviction of a crime, courts or probation and parole agencies may order convicted persons to participate in alternative programs such as education, counseling, treatment, community service, or other alternatives to incarceration. These alternatives are intended to promote accountability, reformation, protection of society, and rehabilitation. If approved by a majority of voters, the amendment would take effect immediately, repealing the existing version of the constitutional section. This resolution reflects a broader national movement to eliminate constitutional provisions that potentially allow forced labor as a criminal penalty, which have roots in post-Civil War era language that often perpetuated systems of racial oppression.

Government Affairs

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hjr5