Key Takeaways:
- Ohio recorded 157 domestic violence deaths in 2025, the state’s deadliest year in at least a decade, according to the Safer Communities Legislative Working Group.
- The bipartisan group, co-led by an Ohio House member from Cincinnati, released dozens of recommendations in a report published Sept. 23.
- Domestic violence affects about 189,000 Ohioans each year and costs the state more than $1 billion annually, the report found.
- Recommendations include extending or eliminating the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse cases and aligning state gun law with federal domestic violence restrictions.
- No new law has passed yet. Sponsors plan to introduce legislation in the coming weeks for lawmakers to consider.
Quick Facts:
What: A bipartisan legislative working group recommended dozens of changes to Ohio’s domestic violence laws.
Where: Statewide, with the report released in Columbus.
When: Report released Sept. 23; covered by NBC4 Columbus on Sept. 28.
Who: Safer Communities Legislative Working Group, Ohio Rep. Rachel Baker (D-Cincinnati), Ohio Sen. Louis Blessing III
Status: Under review by the Ohio General Assembly
Source: NBC4 Columbus
What Happened
The Safer Communities Legislative Working Group released its final report Sept. 23 after more than a year of research, according to NBC4 Columbus. The bipartisan, bicameral group was convened by Sen. Louis Blessing III and Rep. Rachel Baker.
The report found that 157 people died from domestic violence in Ohio in 2025, up from 114 the year before, citing data from the Ohio Domestic Violence Network. It also found domestic violence affects roughly 189,000 Ohioans annually and costs the state more than $1 billion a year in medical care, lost productivity and other expenses.
The recommendations span four areas: forensic nursing access, statute of limitations reform, protections for children and vulnerable populations, and broader domestic violence policy, according to the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, which took part in the working group.
What Officials Said
Baker said constituents have raised the issue with her frequently. “People are going to expect changes in Ohio,” she said, according to NBC4 Columbus. Baker said she expects the report to guide the incoming governor and General Assembly as they draft new legislation. Baker and Blessing plan to introduce bills based on the recommendations in the coming weeks, according to NBC4 Columbus.
What This Means for Columbus Residents
No new law is in effect yet. The report is a policy blueprint, not enacted legislation, so current protective-order and reporting procedures in Franklin County remain unchanged for now. Columbus-area survivors and advocates should watch for bill introductions this fall, since the sponsors said they intend to act before a new governor and legislature take office. Residents seeking help today can still use existing local domestic violence resources regardless of the pending legislation.
Background
The report follows years of advocacy from groups including the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, which held its 2026 Advocacy Day at the Riffe Center in downtown Columbus in February, when more than 160 advocates met with lawmakers to push related bills.
What To Do
Ohioans experiencing domestic violence can contact the Ohio Domestic Violence Network through odvn.org for local shelter and support program referrals. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-7233.
Columbus Frontline will update this story as lawmakers introduce legislation based on the report’s recommendations.