Ohio House Passes Legislation to Ban TikTok on Government Devices, Codify Criminal Rule 46

COLUMBUS—State Rep. D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron) today announced the passage of two critical pieces of legislation he spearheaded in the Ohio House of Representatives.

House Bill 17 will protect the security of Ohio by prohibiting state employees and agencies from downloading and using TikTok or any other application owned by a Chinese entity on government devices.

“The issue of maintaining cybersecurity is bipartisan and necessary; it’s an issue that impacts all Ohioans,” said Swearingen. “I am excited to see this important bill progress in the Ohio Senate.”

The bill will not prohibit Ohioans from using TikTok or other Chinese-based applications on their personal devices.

House Bill 191 will codify Criminal Rule 46, which addresses pretrial release and detention for individuals accused of a crime. This legislation comes as a direct result of the recent Supreme Court decision to repeal this rule and direct guidance for pretrial release and detention to be determined by the General Assembly.

Both pieces of legislation now move to the Ohio Senate for consideration.