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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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