08-04-2025
Ohio cracking down on OVI penalties
(WKBN) — Ohio is cracking down on the penalties for OVI charges.
Liv's Law, or House Bill 37, goes into effect Wednesday, changing how OVI offenses are handled.
Under the new law, all the fines are increased by hundreds of dollars and an aggravated vehicular homicide's maximum penalty is raised to 20 years of jail time.
With the law being so new, Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor Mike Burnett says some of the current penalties may change, but the law's message is clear.
'So it's tragic and it's hard for the victim's families to understand why we're not more harsh on penalties, and it's hard to argue with them. It needs to be dealt with in such a fashion that people stop drinking and driving period,' Burnett said.
Another part of the law allows law enforcement to collect oral fluid testing for DUI enforcement. Burnett says this will help with drug-related OVI offenses, especially after the legalization of marijuana.
However, he says it might be a while before law enforcement agencies are equipped with the kits.
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