COLUMBUS— State Representative Brett Hillyer (R-Uhrichsville) today applauded the Ohio House passage of House Bill 136, his legislation that prohibits imposing the death penalty for aggravated murder when the offender had a serious mental illness at the time of the offense.
“Mental health matters,” said Rep. Hillyer. “I am happy that my fellow members of the House saw fit to pass HB 136. This bill will protect the death penalty in a narrow strike zone for the worst capital offenders.”
This legislation also requires the resentencing of a person previously sentenced to death who has been proven to have had a serious mental illness at the time of the offense to life imprisonment, and provides a mechanism for resentencing.
House Bill 136 passed the Ohio House with 76 affirmative votes and 18 negative votes and now heads to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.