The Northern Ohio Firefighters would like to thank Representative Dave Greenspan for sponsoring Ohio House Bill 38 to protect fire fighters. The bill passed the Ohio House of Representatives and will now be heard in the Ohio Senate. 

Ohio House Bill 38  would increase penalties against an offender who feloniously assaults or murders a first responder or member of the military with targeted intent.

Ohio House Bill 38, sponsored by Representative Dave Greenspan, expands the offense of aggravated murder to include purposely causing the death of a first responder or military member when the offender had specific intent to commit the crime against one of these individuals. Under the legislation, a first responder is defined as a firefighter or emergency medical service provider. Additionally, the definition of a military member includes a member of the United States Armed Forces, reserves, the Ohio National Guard, or a participant in ROTC.

The bill also increases the penalty for a targeted felonious assault against a first responder or military member from a second degree felony to a first degree felony, requiring a mandatory prison term of three to eleven years if the victim suffered serious physical harm.

Also known as the “Public Safety and Military Protection Act,” House Bill 38 comes in response to a recent upsurge in specifically directed attacks on fire fighters and police officers and including the murders of a Danville police officer and a Kirkersville Police Chief in Ohio. 

As firefighters and paramedics our goal is to save lives and in turn, arrive home safely to our families.  Ohio HB 38 provides protection to those that serve with strong deterrents for those that wish to harm our safety forces.