12/23/04-A bill that would modify and correct errors in the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission’s traffic law revisions act that was signed into law last year has died.
HB324 remained in the Senate Judiciary Criminal Justice Committee when the session ended earlier this month, effectively killing it for the year.
The new law, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2004, includes a provision that requires a court to permit the victim of any misdemeanor offense to make a statement before a sentence is imposed on a defendant.
Victims also are permitted to seek restitution for their “total economic loss.” Under previous law, they could only ask to be reimbursed for property damage.
The enacted law also requires people ticketed for traffic accidents to come to traffic court to enter a plea – and then make return trips for sentencing.
HB324 sought to tweak the new law to avoid requiring a court appearance for those people charged with minor misdemeanors.

3/8/04-A bill before the Senate Judiciary Criminal Justice Committee would modify and correct errors in the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission’s traffic law revisions act that was signed into law this past year.
The new law, which went into effect Jan. 1, includes a provision that requires a court to permit the victim of any misdemeanor offense to make a statement before a sentence is imposed on a defendant.
Victims also are permitted to seek restitution for their “total economic loss.” Under previous law, they could only ask to be reimbursed for property damage.
The enacted law also requires people ticketed for traffic accidents to come to traffic court to enter a plea – and then make return trips for sentencing.
HB324, which passed the House Dec. 10, would tweak the new law to avoid requiring to appear in court those people charged with minor-misdemeanors.
For bill status, call (614) 466-8842. In Ohio, call 1-800-282-0253.