We are in the final days of "lame duck" in our statehouse, with a few critical bills that are languishing just as they are about the cross the finish line! We could use your help to make phone calls on the following issues:
SB 256: Regards sentencing offenders under 18 when committed offense
MORE INFO on SB 256:- Lehner (R) speaks about her Support
- Status of Bill in Committee
- Opinion Piece - Columbus Dispatch: Evelyn L. Stratton - retired justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and chair of the Ohio Conservative Juvenile Justice Network - speaks in favor of the bill in the Columbus Dispatch (must read)
- Victim's mother testifies about bill (Columbus Dispatch)
SB 3: Reform Drug Sentencing Laws
Senate Bill 3 reclassifies some low-level, drug possession crimes from felonies to misdemeanors to ensure that people struggling with addiction receive treatment rather than jail time. Tell the members of the House Criminal Justice Committee to pass Senate Bill 3!
WHY THIS BILL MATTERS: This legislation (and others) are needed to address our mass incarceration crisis.
Send a message to the members of the House Criminal Justice Committee urging them to vote YES on SB 3 with a few changes:
- Don't include the new language using prisons for overflow of low-level misdemeanors when local jails are full.
- **Do include language that improves the "Good Samaritan Law,"** so people calling to save a life during an overdose have protection against arrest -- even if they are on probation/parole, or if they have had to make multiple 911 calls. Post about it too: #GetGoodSamIn.
We think these Good Samaritan additions can be still made on SB 3 (many legislators support!) -- we just need to make it a priority and use this moment to get it done!
MORE INFO on SB 3:
- Details on the legislation and status
- Cleveland Browns submit testimony supporting SB 3
- Buckeye Institute supports SB 3
- Columbus Dispatch editorial, calling SB 3 long overdue
Tell these House Criminal Justice Committee members: Death Penalty Update