Bill > HB459

This bill, known as Katelyn's Law, creates a new criminal offense related to moving or removing human remains with the intent to prevent the discovery of an unlawful act, death, cause of death, or the remains themselves. Specifically, the bill adds a new specification to Ohio law that allows for an additional five-year mandatory prison term for offenders who move or remove human remains under these circumstances. The specification must be explicitly stated in the indictment or information charging the offense. The bill also amends several existing sections of the Ohio Revised Code to incorporate this new offense, including provisions for how the specification can be applied to juvenile offenders. The five-year prison term for this specification cannot be reduced and can only be imposed once for offenses committed as part of the same act or transaction. This new law aims to create a specific criminal penalty for actions that appear to be attempts to conceal a crime or death, providing law enforcement and prosecutors with a clear legal mechanism to address such behavior.

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https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb459