As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session H. B. No. 23
2025-2026
Representatives Roemer, Williams
Cosponsors: Representatives Robb Blasdel, Brennan, Click, Daniels, Deeter,
Gross, John, Johnson, Klopfenstein, Richardson, Schmidt, Sigrist, Thomas, C.,
Young
A B I LL
To enact section 5502.54 of the Revised Code to
create the escaped convict alert program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That section 5502.54 of the Revised Code be
enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 5502.54. (A) "Law enforcement agency" means an
organization or unit made up of law enforcement officers as
defined in section 2901.01 of the Revised Code.
(B)(1) The escaped convict alert program is created to aid
in the identification and location of any person who was
convicted of or pleaded guilty to a felony offense or was
indicted or otherwise charged with the commission of a felony
offense who has escaped from a jail, workhouse, or correctional
institution while incarcerated for or awaiting adjudication of
that felony offense.
(2) A law enforcement agency that receives a notice
pursuant to section 341.011, 753.19, or 5120.14 of the Revised
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As Introduced
Code regarding a person who was convicted of or pleaded guilty
to a felony offense or was indicted or otherwise charged with
the commission of a felony offense may activate the escaped
convict alert program for the surrounding area or region of the
jail, workhouse, or correctional institution from which the
person has escaped.
(C) Nothing in division (B) of this section prevents the
activation of a local or regional alert program that may impose
different criteria for the activation of a local or regional
alert.
(D) Any radio broadcast station, television broadcast
station, or cable system participating in the escaped convict
alert program or in any local or regional alert program, and any
director, officer, employee, or agent of any station or system
participating in either type of alert program, shall not be
liable to any person for damages for any loss allegedly caused
by or resulting from the station's or system's broadcast or
cablecast of, or failure to broadcast or cablecast, any
information pursuant to the escaped convict alert program or the
local or regional alert program.
(E) Nothing in this section shall be construed to
authorize the use of the federal emergency alert system unless
otherwise authorized by federal law.
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