The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Ohio HB 447 increases damage caps in civil actions and creates annual consumer price index adjustments
Last action · October 1, 2025: Referred to JudiciarySponsor: Brian Stewart
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What This Bill Would Do
The General Assembly proposes amending sections of the Revised Code to increase statutory dollar caps on noneconomic damages and in civil actions, while requiring the Department of Taxation to calculate annual adjustments based on the consumer price index.
Changes maximum recovery limits for pain and suffering and punitive awards in civil lawsuits, establishing an ongoing automatic annual adjustment tied to inflation metrics managed by the Department of Taxation.
- Ohio civil law establishes statutory caps on noneconomic damages (such as pain and suffering) and punitive or exemplary damages in various tort actions. context
- House Bill 447 was introduced in the 136th General Assembly and referred to committee in September 2025. 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.
Civil litigants
Litigants are subject to new statutory caps on noneconomic and punitive damages and revised annual inflation adjustments.
Department of Taxation
The department must calculate, certify, report, and transmit annual inflation-based adjustments for damage caps.
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
Who calculates the annual adjustments to the damage caps?
What index is used to determine the annual adjustment amount?
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- Oct 1, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to Judiciary
- Sep 15, 2025HouseIntroducedIntroduced
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.
Introduction of Automated Inflation Adjustments for Civil Damage Caps
The legislation introduces a standardized procedure requiring the Department of Taxation to calculate annual adjustments to civil damage caps based on the consumer price index.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legislature.ohio.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy50Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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