As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session H. B. No. 144
2025-2026
Representatives Click, Lorenz
Cosponsors: Representatives Williams, Deeter, Thomas, D., Fischer, Mohamed, Odioso
To amend sections 3304.23 and 5502.08 of the Revised Code to expand the communication disability database to include any person with a disability, to expand access to that database through countywide 9-1-1 systems, and to name this act "Keith's Law".
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 3304.23 and 5502.08 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:
Sec. 3304.23. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Clinical nurse specialist" and "certified nurse practitioner" have the same meanings as in section 4723.01 of the Revised Code.
(2)
"Communication
disability" means a human condition involving an impairment in
the human's ability to receive, send, process, or comprehend concepts
or verbal, nonverbal, or graphic symbol systems that may result in a
primary disability or may be secondary to other disabilities.
(3)
"Disability
that can impair communication"
means a
human condition with symptoms that can impair the human's ability to
receive, send, process, or comprehend concepts or verbal, nonverbal,
or graphic symbol systemsan
intellectual impairment, a hearing impairment (including deafness), a
speech or language impairment, a visual impairment (including
blindness), a serious emotional disturbance, an orthopedic
impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, a serious health
impairment, a specific learning impairment (including dyslexia),
deaf-blindness, or a mental health condition with symptoms that make
it difficult for a person to do certain activities or to interact
with others.
(4)(3)
"Guardian" has the same meaning as in section 2111.01 of
the Revised Code.
(5)(4)
"Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine or
surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery under Chapter 4731. of
the Revised Code.
(6)(5)
"Psychiatrist" has the same meaning as in section 5122.01
of the Revised Code.
(7)(6)
"Psychologist" has the same meaning as in section 4732.01
of the Revised Code.
(B)
The opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities agency shall develop
a verification form for a person diagnosed with a communication
disability
or
a disability that can impair communication to
be submitted voluntarily to the department of public safety so that
the person may be included in the database established under section
5502.08 of the Revised Code. The same form shall be used to indicate
that the person wishes to be removed from the database in accordance
with division (F) of section 5502.08 of the Revised Code.
(C) The form shall include the following information:
(1)
The name of the person diagnosed with a communication
disability
or a disability that can impair communication;
(2)
The name of the person completing the form on behalf of the person
diagnosed with a communication
disability
or a disability that can impair communication,
if applicable;
(3)
The relationship between the person completing the form and the
person diagnosed with a communication
disability
or a disability that can impair communication,
if applicable;
(4) The residential address of the individual in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section;
(5) The telephone number of the individual in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section;
(4)(6)
The driver's license number or state identification card number
issued to the person diagnosed with a communication
disability
or
a disability that can impair communication,
if that person has such a number;
(5)(7)
The license plate number of each vehicle owned, operated, or
regularly occupied by the person diagnosed with a communication
disability
or
a disability that can impair communication or
registered in that person's name;
(6)(8)
A certification that the person has been diagnosed with a
communication
disability
or
a disability that can impair communication,
signed by a psychiatrist or other physician, a psychologist, a
clinical nurse specialist, or a certified nurse practitioner;
(7)(9)
The name, business address, business telephone number, and
professional license number of the professional making the
certification described in division (C)(6) of this section;
(8)(10)
The signature of the person diagnosed with a communication
disability
or
a disability that can impair communication or
the signature of the person completing the form on behalf of such a
person;
(9)(11)
A place where the person diagnosed with a communication
disability
or
a disability that can impair communication or
the person completing the form on behalf of such a person may
indicate the desire to be removed from the database.
(D) Any of the following persons may complete the verification form:
(1)
Any person diagnosed with a communication
disability
or
a disability that can impair communication who
is eighteen years of age or older;
(2)
The parent or parents of a minor child diagnosed with a communication
disability
or a disability that can impair communication;
(3)
The guardian of a person diagnosed with a communication
disability
or a disability that can impair communication,
regardless of the age of the person.
(E)(E)(1)
The opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities agency,
the department of developmental disabilities,
and the department of public safety shall make the verification form
electronically available on each of their respective web sites.
(2) The opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities agency and the department of developmental disabilities shall conduct public outreach concerning the existence of the database created under section 5502.08 of the Revised Code and include information regarding the database on their respective web sites.
Sec. 5502.08. (A) As used in this section:
(1)
"Communication
disability" has the same meaning as in section 3304.23 of the
Revised Code.
(2)
"Disability
that can impair communication"
has the same meaning as in section 3304.23 of the Revised Code.
(3)
(2)
"Emergency medical service personnel" and "firefighter"
have the same meanings as in section 4765.01 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Guardian" has the same meaning as in section 2111.01 of the Revised Code.
(4) "Ward" has the same meaning as in section 2111.01 of the Revised Code.
(B)
The department of public safety shall establish and maintain a
database of persons who register under this section as being
diagnosed with a communication
disability
or a disability that can impair communication.
(C)
Any person diagnosed with a communication
disability
or
a disability that can impair communication who
is eighteen years of age or older may register with the department
for inclusion in the database by submitting a completed verification
form established by the opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities
agency under section 3304.23 of the Revised Code.
(D)
Any parent or guardian of a minor child or a ward diagnosed with a
communication
disability
or a disability that can impair communication
may register the minor child or the ward with the department for
inclusion in the database by submitting a completed verification form
established by the opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities agency
under section 3304.23 of the Revised Code.
(E)(1)
The department shall include in the database information provided on
a completed verification form that the department determines is
necessary for a law enforcement officer,
emergency medical service personnel, or firefighter
to identify a person as diagnosed with a communication
disability
or a disability that can impair communication.
The department shall make the database available to state and local
law enforcement officers,
emergency
medical service personnel, and firefighters through
the
both
of the following, as applicable:
(a) The law enforcement automated data system;
(b) Each countywide 9-1-1 system established under section 128.03 of the Revised Code. A countywide 9-1-1 system shall use the database to provide information concerning an individual's disability to local law enforcement officers, emergency medical service personnel, and firefighters, as applicable, that are responding to a 9-1-1 communication concerning that individual.
(2) Information in the database is not a public record subject to inspection or copying under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.
(F)
A person diagnosed with a communication
disability
or
a disability that can impair communication who
is included in the database or the parent or guardian of a minor
child or a ward diagnosed with a communication
disability
or
a disability that can impair communication who
is included in the database may request removal of the person, minor,
or ward, as applicable, from the database. The person, parent, or
guardian shall do so by completing the verification form with only
the information required under divisions (C)(1), (2), (3), (8)(10),
and (9)(11)
of section 3304.23 of the Revised Code, as applicable, and submitting
the form to the department. Upon receipt of a properly completed
verification form requesting the removal of a person with a
communication
disability
or
a disability that can impair communication from
the database, the department shall immediately remove that person
from the database.
Section 2. That existing sections 3304.23 and 5502.08 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
Section 3. This act shall be known as Keith's Law.