16-04-2025
Ohio bill would create emergency alerts for escaped inmates
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Ohio residents could begin receiving notifications when inmates escape correctional facilities, in a proposed system that would operate similarly to Amber Alert.
House Bill 23, sponsored by Reps. Bill Roemer (R-Richfield) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Township), would allow law enforcement to immediately notify residents in the 'surrounding area' of a jail or prison when an inmate has escaped. The proposed system is named the 'escaped convict alert program.'
'The idea is to have a Amber Alert-style system that will make residents aware if an individual escapes from confinement,' Williams said. 'They can be made aware in real time that there's someone in the community who may have a higher propensity to do carjackings or break into homes or do crimes in an effort to flee the area.'
The alert system would apply to inmates who were convicted of, indicted of or pleaded guilty to a felony offense. Williams believes the alerts would enhance residents' safety and help law enforcement locate escaped inmates.
'If an individual escapes, there needs to be one immediate alert provided to the residents so they can make sure they secure their property and be on the lookout for this individual,' Williams said. 'Our law enforcement officers would have the opportunity to apprehend that individual in a quicker fashion because the community is engaged now.'
The details of the system still need to be hashed out during committee hearings, Williams said. However, Williams said he plans for the notifications to be sent directly to residents' phones, as well as broadcast through televisions and the radio.
'Our initial opinion is that similar to Amber Alert, you will get notifications directly to your phone with that very loud annoying sound that gets your attention and now has you on the lookout for an individual,' Williams said. 'Especially with modern phones, we could even provide a picture of the individual.'
The bill, introduced in January, also noted that any entity involved in broadcasting alerts could not be held liable for any 'damages' or 'loss' that might result from sharing or failing to share the notification.
Roemer introduced a similar bill in October 2024, but it did not progress to the point of receiving a hearing before the legislative session ended. Indiana and Oklahoma have enacted similar alert systems for escaped inmates.
Ohio did not experience any escapes from prisons from 2019 to 2022, according to the state Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Two inmates escaped from a Lima correctional institution in 2023, marking the state's most recent prison escape.
'I think this is a bipartisan bill that should not have any opposition and I look forward to the committee process moving in steadfast and providing safety and security to our residents,' Williams said.
HB 23 was assigned to the House's Public Safety Committee where it awaits its first hearing. The bill has 11 Republican and three Democrat cosponsors.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
