Mary Alice Reporting –
Legislation sponsored by Representatives Brett Hillyer and Jessica Miranda regarding Ohio’s rape and sex crimes is moving to the Senate.
House Bill 161 looks to revise the code to eliminate spousal exceptions for the offenses of rape, sexual battery, and other unlawful acts and would also permit a person to testify against the person’s spouse in prosecution for any of the offenses.
Hillyer says that Ohio is one of the few remaining states where, based upon current law, it’s legal for a spouse to rape their spouse.
“A legal anomaly exists simply because you took a commitment to be married where if this behavior were taking place as a dating couple it’s against the law. This issues has percolated several times, in my time, in the general assembly.”
With the House passage, Bill 161 goes to the Ohio Senate for committee assignment and further consideration.
Previous Senate Bills were introduced to eliminate the spousal exemption for rape and end the statute of limitations on rape and sexual assault, in 2019 and 2021, respectively.
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