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Read. Follow. Verify.Ohio House Bill 728 Eliminates Informal Hearings and Dismissals in Certain Juvenile Delinquency Cases
Last action · March 4, 2026: Referred to JudiciarySponsors: Mike Odioso and 1 other
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What This Bill Would Do
Ohio House Bill 728 prohibits juvenile courts from dismissing delinquency cases or specifications without a formal disposition when a child is adjudicated for an act that would be a felony or an offense of violence if committed by an adult. The measure amends sections 2151.35 and 2152.11 of the Revised Code to remove informal hearing dismissals made in the best interest of the child for serious offenses.
Juvenile offenders adjudicated for felonies or violent acts must receive formal dispositions rather than having their cases informally dismissed in the best interest of the child, altering case outcomes for youth facing serious delinquency charges in juvenile courts.
- House Bill 728 was introduced in the 136th General Assembly of Ohio and referred to the House Judiciary committee. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Juvenile courts
Juvenile courts lose the authority to conduct informal hearings and issue dismissals in the best interest of the child for felony and violent delinquency cases.
Juvenile delinquents
Children adjudicated for acts that would be felonies or offenses of violence are no longer eligible for informal dismissals and must receive formal dispositions.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does House Bill 728 change about juvenile court hearings?
Can a juvenile court still dismiss a felony delinquency case without a disposition under this bill?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- Mar 4, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred to Judiciary
- Mar 3, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Restriction of Judicial Discretion
The bill systematically removes the long-standing judicial option to dismiss felony-level juvenile delinquency cases informally in the best interest of the child.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legislature.ohio.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy50Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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