OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
H.B. 281 Bill Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for H.B. 281’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Reported by House Civil Justice
Primary Sponsors: Reps. Seitz and T. Young
Effective date:
Aida S. Montano, Research Analyst
SUMMARY
▪ Requires that in a civil action for damages for a criminal act, the criminal act must have
been committed by a person who previously has been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to,
the offense charged for such criminal act, or previously has been adjudicated a delinquent
child in connection with the criminal act, in a final, unappealable order.
▪ Exempts specified offenses from the requirement described in the preceding dot point.
▪ Tolls the limitation period for the civil action during the pendency of the prosecution for
the offense charged for, or the pendency of the delinquency adjudication proceeding in
connection with, the criminal act involved.
▪ Modifies current law which prohibits public officials or employees from receiving
compensation for services rendered before the General Assembly or other government
agencies, except courts, by expanding the exception to services rendered before a board
of elections, thus permitting the official or employee to receive compensation for services
rendered before a board of elections.
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Civil action for damages for criminal act
The bill modifies current law by providing that, with specified exceptions, anyone injured
in person or property by a criminal act committed by a person who previously has been convicted
of, or pleaded guilty to, the offense charged for such criminal act, or previously has been
adjudicated a delinquent child in connection with the criminal act, in a final, unappealable order
has, and may recover full damages in, a civil action unless specifically excepted by law.1
1 R.C. 2307.60(A).
December 5, 2024
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
Exceptions
The bill provides that anyone injured in person or property by a criminal act that
constitutes any of the following offenses may recover full damages in a civil action unless
specifically excepted by law, regardless of whether the person who committed that criminal act
has been charged with, convicted of, or pleaded guilty to committing, an offense in connection
with such criminal act, or has been adjudicated a delinquent child in connection with the criminal
act: permitting child abuse, aggravated menacing, menacing by stalking, menacing, trafficking in
persons, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, gross sexual imposition, sexual imposition,
importuning, voyeurism, compelling prostitution, endangering children, domestic violence,
violating a protection order, intimidation of an attorney, victim, or witness in a criminal case, or
perjury.2
The bill specifies that nothing in the above provisions impairs the ability of any person
against whom the offense of intimidation or any of the falsification offenses is committed to bring
a civil action for damages under the specific statute that prohibits those offenses as applicable. 3
Tolling of limitations period for civil action
Under the bill, the time during which the prosecution for the offense charged for the
criminal act is pending or the time during which the proceeding to adjudicate a delinquent child
in connection with the criminal act is pending must not be computed as any part of the period
within which the civil action must be brought.4
Public official compensation; board of elections
Prohibitions
The bill modifies current law which, with certain exceptions, prohibits any person elected
or appointed to an office of or employed by the General Assembly or any state agency, excluding
the courts, from doing any of the following:5
1. Receiving or agreeing to receive directly or indirectly compensation other than from the
agency with which the official or employee serves for any service rendered by the official
or employee personally in any case, proceeding, application, or other matter that is
before the General Assembly or state agency, excluding the courts and boards of
elections;
2. Selling or agreeing to sell, except through competitive bidding, any goods or services to
the General Assembly or any state agency, excluding the courts and boards of elections.
The bill further modifies current law which, with certain exceptions, prohibits any person
who is elected or appointed to an office of or employed by a county, township, municipal
2 R.C. 2307.60(B).
3 R.C. 2307.60(C).
4 R.C. 2307.60(F).
5 R.C. 102.04(A) and (B).
P a g e |2 H.B. 281
As Introduced
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
corporation, or any other governmental entity, excluding the courts, from receiving or agreeing
to receive directly or indirectly compensation other than from the agency with which the official
or employee serves for any service rendered or to be rendered by the official or employee
personally in any case, proceeding, application, or other matter which is before any agency,
department, board, bureau, commission, or other instrumentality, excluding the courts and
boards of elections, of the entity of which the individual is an officer or employee.6
HISTORY
Action Date
Introduced 09-26-23
Reported, H. Civil Justice 12-04-24
ANHB0281RH-135/sb
6 R.C. 102.04(C).
P a g e |3 H.B. 281
As Introduced


Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 2307.60