As Introduced

128th General Assembly
Regular Session
2009-2010
S. B. No. 74


Senator Turner 

Cosponsors: Senators Miller, D., Miller, R., Sawyer, Morano 



A BILL
To enact section 181.27 of the Revised Code to 1
require the State Criminal Sentencing Commission 2
to study sentencing for drug-related offenses and 3
to report its findings and recommendations to the 4
General Assembly.5


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1. That section 181.27 of the Revised Code be enacted 6
to read as follows:7

       Sec. 181.27.  (A) As used in this section, "local detention 8
facility" has the same meaning as in section 2929.36 of the 9
Revised Code.10

       (B) The state criminal sentencing commission shall conduct a 11
study of sentencing for drug-related offenses in this state, 12
including offenses contained in Chapters 2925. and 3719. and 13
section 4511.19 of the Revised Code. In conducting the study, the 14
commission shall do all of the following:15

       (1) Gather information on the number of individuals 16
incarcerated for drug-related offenses in all local detention 17
facilities and state correctional facilities, the percentage of 18
the total incarcerated population that those individuals 19
constitute, and the terms of imprisonment to which offenders are 20
sentenced for drug-related offenses;21

       (2) Determine whether and to what extent racial disparities 22
and disparities among socioeconomic classes exist in sentencing 23
for drug-related offenses and in incarceration for violations of 24
the conditions of sentences or post-release control sanctions for 25
drug-related offenses;26

       (3) Study ways to reduce the number of individuals who are 27
incarcerated in local detention facilities and state correctional 28
facilities for drug-related offenses.29

       (C) The commission shall report its findings, together with 30
recommendations for reducing the number of individuals who are 31
incarcerated in local detention facilities and state correctional 32
facilities for drug-related offenses, to the speaker of the house 33
of representatives, the minority leader of the house of 34
representatives, the president of the senate, and the minority 35
leader of the senate within six months after the effective date 36
of this act.37