Ohio House Passes Bill to Strengthen Penalties for Voyeurism

COLUMBUS—State Representative Jeff LaRe (R-Violet Twp.) is pleased to announce that the Ohio House of Representatives today passed House Bill 345, legislation to strengthen penalties for the offense of voyeurism.

The bill, spearheaded by LaRe, makes the following three key changes to Ohio law:

• Increases the penalty for secretly viewing or recording another adult’s private areas in a place where there is reasonable expectation of privacy, commonly known as voyeurism, from a misdemeanor to a fifth-degree felony on a first offense, and to a fourth-degree felony for repeat offenders.
• Increases the penalty for secretly viewing or recording the body or undergarments of another person, commonly known as “upskirting” or similar conduct, to a fifth-degree felony, and to a fourth-degree felony for repeat offenders.
• Increases the penalty for secretly viewing or recording a minor’s private areas from a fifth-degree felony to a fourth-degree felony on a first offense, and to a third-degree felony for repeat offenders.
   

“The goal of this legislation is to ensure that our criminal statutes appropriately reflect the seriousness of the harm being committed,” said LaRe. “When someone deliberately invades another person’s privacy for sexual gratification or exploitation, especially when that victim is a child, the law must respond firmly.”

House Bill 345 now awaits further consideration from the Ohio Senate.