OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
H.B. 507 Bill Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for H.B. 507’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Reported by House Technology and Innovation
Primary Sponsor: Rep. Hillyer
Effective date:
Reid J. Fleeson, Attorney
SUMMARY
▪ Extends eligibility to political subdivisions for affirmative defenses against claims that a
failure to implement reasonable information security controls resulted in a data breach
concerning personal information or restricted information.
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Affirmative defense eligibility
The bill extends eligibility to political subdivisions for affirmative defenses against claims
that a failure to implement reasonable information security controls resulted in a data breach
concerning personal information or restricted information. To be eligible for the affirmative
defense, a political subdivision, like a business under current law, must create, maintain, and
comply with a written cybersecurity program that contains specified safeguards for the
protection of personal information, restricted information, or both.
Under current law, eligibility for such affirmative defenses applies to covered entities.
A ”covered entity” is a business that accesses, maintains, communicates, or processes personal
information or restricted information in or through one or more systems, networks, or services
located in or outside Ohio. The bill adds “political subdivisions” to the definition of “covered
entity,” and defines “political subdivision” as a municipal corporation, township, county, park
district, conservancy district, sanitary district, sewer district, special water district, or other
body corporate and politic responsible for governmental activities in a geographic area smaller
than that of the state.1
1 R.C. 1354.01; R.C. 1354.02 and 1354.03, not in the bill.
December 5, 2024
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
For more information on the affirmative defense under current law, see the LSC Final
Analysis for S.B. 220, 132nd General Assembly (PDF), which is available on the General
Assembly’s website: www.legislature.ohio.gov.
HISTORY
Action Date
Introduced 04-24-24
Reported, H. Technology & Innovation 12-04-24
anhb0507rh-135/ks
P a g e |2 H.B. 507
As Reported by House Technology and Innovation


Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 1354.01