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As Introduced
136th
General Assembly
Regular
Session
S. B. No. 26
2025-2026
Senator Johnson
A
BILL
To
enact sections 103.52 and 103.53 of the Revised Code
to
create the Joint Law Enforcement Oversight Committee and to make an
appropriation.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section
1.
That
sections 103.52 and 103.53 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as
follows:
Sec.
103.52.
(A)
As used in sections 103.52 and 103.53 of the Revised Code:
(1)
"JLEOC" means the joint law enforcement oversight committee
created under this section.
(2)
"Peace officer" has the meaning defined in section 109.71
of the Revised Code.
(B)
The joint law enforcement oversight committee (JLEOC) is created.
JLEOC shall evaluate training standards and programs required to be
completed by any peace officer in the state.
(C)
JLEOC shall consist of the following members:
(1)
Three members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate,
two of whom are members of the majority party and one of whom is a
member of the minority party;
(2)
Three members of the house of representatives appointed by the
speaker of the house of representatives, two of whom are members of
the majority party and one of whom is a member of the minority party.
(D)
The term of each JLEOC member shall begin on the day of appointment
to JLEOC and end on the last day that the member serves in the house
(in the case of a member appointed by the speaker) or senate (in the
case of a member appointed by the president) during the general
assembly for which the member is appointed to JLEOC. The president
and speaker shall make the initial appointments not later than sixty
days after the effective date of this section. The president and
speaker shall make subsequent appointments not later than fifteen
days after the commencement of the first regular session of each
general assembly. JLEOC members may be reappointed. A vacancy on
JLEOC shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
(E)
In odd-numbered years, the speaker shall designate one of the
majority members from the house as the JLEOC chairperson, the
president shall designate one of the majority members from the senate
as the JLEOC vice-chairperson, and the president shall designate one
of the minority members from the senate as the JLEOC ranking minority
member. In even-numbered years, the president shall designate one of
the majority members from the senate as the JLEOC chairperson, the
speaker shall designate one of the majority members from the house as
the JLEOC vice-chairperson, and the speaker shall designate one of
the minority members from the house as the JLEOC ranking minority
member.
(F)
In appointing members from the minority, and in designating ranking
minority members, the president and speaker shall consult with the
minority leader of their respective houses.
(G)
JLEOC shall meet at the call of the JLEOC chairperson. The
chairperson shall call JLEOC to meet not less often than once each
calendar month, unless the chairperson and ranking minority member
agree that the chairperson should not call JLEOC to meet for a
particular month.
(H)
Notwithstanding section 101.26 of the Revised Code, the members, when
engaged in their duties as members of JLEOC on days when there is not
a voting session of the member's house of the general assembly, shall
be paid at the per diem rate of one hundred fifty dollars, and their
necessary traveling expenses, which shall be paid from the funds
appropriated for the payment of expenses of legislative committees.
(I)
The JLEOC chairperson may, subject to approval by the speaker of the
house of representatives or the speaker's designee and the president
of the senate or the president's designee, employ professional,
technical, and clerical employees as are necessary for JLEOC to be
able, successfully and efficiently, to perform its duties. All such
employees are in the unclassified service and may be terminated by
the chairperson, subject to approval of the speaker or the speaker's
designee and president or the president's designee. JLEOC may
contract for the services of persons who are qualified by education
and experience to advise, consult with, or otherwise assist JLEOC in
the performance of its duties.
(J)
The JLEOC chairperson, when authorized by JLEOC and the president and
speaker, may issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum in aid of
JLEOC's performance of its duties. A subpoena may require a witness
in any part of the state to appear before JLEOC at a time and place
designated in the subpoena to testify. A subpoena duces tecum may
require witnesses or other persons in any part of the state to
produce books, papers, records, and other tangible evidence before
JLEOC at a time and place designated in the subpoena duces tecum. A
subpoena or subpoena duces tecum shall be issued, served, and
returned, and has consequences, as specified in sections 101.41 to
101.45 of the Revised Code.
(K)
The JLEOC chairperson may administer oaths to witnesses appearing
before JLEOC.
Sec.
103.53.
(A)
JLEOC shall do both of the following:
(1)
Review and evaluate training standards and programs required to be
completed by any peace officer in the state;
(2)
Recommend, to the extent JLEOC determines appropriate, improvements
in statutes and rules concerning peace officer training standards and
programs.
(B)
JLEOC may do all of the following:
(1)
Require that the chairperson of the Ohio peace officer training
commission appear before JLEOC to provide information and answer
questions about the activities of the Ohio peace officer training
commission;
(2)
Review bills and resolutions regarding the peace officer training
standards and programs that are introduced in the general assembly.
JLEOC may submit a report of its review of a bill or resolution to
the general assembly in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised
Code. The report may include JLEOC's determination regarding the
bill's or resolution's desirability as a matter of public policy;
JLEOC's decision on whether and when to review a bill or resolution
has no effect on the general assembly's authority to act on the bill
or resolution.
(3)
Solicit written comments on, and conduct public hearings at which
persons may offer verbal comments on, drafts of its reports.
Section
2.
All
items in this act are hereby appropriated as designated out of any
moneys in the state treasury to the credit of the designated fund.
For all operating appropriations made in this act, those in the first
column are for fiscal year 2026 and those in the second column are
for fiscal year 2027. The operating appropriations made in this act
are in addition to any other operating appropriations made for these
fiscal years.
Section
3.
1
2
3
4
5
A
JLO
JOINT LAW ENFORCEMENT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
B
General
Revenue Fund
C
GRF
030400
Operating
Expenses
$600,000
$0
D
TOTAL
GRF General Revenue Fund
$600,000
$0
E
TOTAL
ALL BUDGET FUND GROUPS
$600,000
$0
OPERATING
EXPENSES
The
foregoing appropriation item 030400, Operating Expenses, shall be
used for the purpose of employing a task force of technical
professionals to assist the Joint Law Enforcement Oversight
Committee, created by section 103.52 of the Revised Code, in the
performance of its duty of evaluating training standards and programs
required to be completed by any peace officer in the state.
Section
4.
Within
the limits set forth in this act, the Director of Budget and
Management shall establish accounts indicating the source and amount
of funds for each appropriation made in this act, and shall determine
the manner in which appropriation accounts shall be maintained.
Expenditures from operating appropriations contained in this act
shall be accounted for as though made in, and are subject to all
applicable provisions of, the main operating appropriations act of
the 136th General Assembly.