The Supreme Court of Ohio
& The Ohio Judicial System

Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission Enabling Legislation

Ohio Revised Code §§181.21 - 181.26 These statutes govern the Sentencing Commission. In 1990, the Governor signed legislation creating a 17-member Commission (S.B. 258). The Commission began meeting in February 1991. In 1992, the General Assembly (G.A.) gave the Commission a year to submit felony recommendations (S.B. 273). In 1993, the G.A. placed the Commission within the Supreme Court (H.B. 152). In 1994, the G.A. expanded the Commission to 24 members with an eye toward adding misdemeanor sentencing expertise (H.B. 21). In 1996, the G.A. instructed the Commission to study criminal forfeiture statutes and to specifically monitor the impact of the new felony laws on local government and appellate courts (S.B. 2). In 1996, as part of a reorganization of boards and commissions, the G.A. formally renamed the Commission the "Sentencing Council" (H.B. 670). Effective in 1997, the G.A. expanded the Commission to 31 members and instructed it to study juvenile dispositions (H.B. 591). In 1998, the G.A. gave the Commission until October, 1999 to submit a plan for juvenile sentencing (H.B. 484). Effective in 2000, the G.A. restored "Sentencing Commission" as the group's formal name (S.B. 107).

§181.21
§181.22
§181.23
§181.24
§181.25
§181.26