H.B. No. 367 Summary

• Requires all Ohio law enforcement agencies to equip peace officers with body-worn or dashboard cameras by July 1, 2023, and mandates activation during enforcement actions and certain jail tasks.

• Mandates law enforcement agencies release unedited video and audio recordings to the public within 21 days of receiving a misconduct complaint, with limited exceptions for redacting restricted portions and a 45-day delay for active investigations.

• Creates a permissive inference of misconduct in administrative or civil proceedings if an officer fails to activate a camera or tampers with recordings; establishes a rebuttable presumption of inadmissibility for statements not recorded due to camera failure.

• Defines excessive force as force exceeding the minimum necessary to diffuse an incident and presumes excessive force when an officer continues using force on a person rendered incapable of resisting arrest; makes it a first-degree misdemeanor to recklessly fail to intervene.

• Prohibits employers from discriminating against officers who intervene to stop excessive force, report misconduct, or refuse unconstitutional orders; requires prosecuting attorneys to release written explanations when charges are selectively filed related to excessive force.