Ohio

Ohio has achieved all six pillars of rape kit reform. The state needs to finish testing its backlog.

Reform Status
Full Reform
Testing Status
In-Process

Pillar Count

6/6 Pillars
Ohio has achieved all six pillars of rape kit reform. The state needs to finish testing its backlog.
Statewide Inventory

Yes, the state has a recurring inventory.

  • Is the inventory recurring? Yes
  • Are law enforcement agencies and/or labs required to participate in the inventory? Yes
  • Does the law require to document the date of when each kit was collected? Yes
  • Does the law require a reason to be given as to why the kit was not submitted to a crime lab for testing? Yes
  • Does the law require untested kits to be counted? Yes
Test Backlogged Kits

In-Process, the state has committed to testing its backlogged kits.

  • Does the law require law enforcement to submit all untested kits, including those past the statute of limitation, within a certain deadline? Yes
  • Does the law set a deadline for the crime laboratory to complete analysis once a kit has been submitted to the lab? No
  • Does the law require kits past the statute of limitations to be sent in for testing? No
  • Does the law allow public crime labs to outsource unsubmitted kits? Yes
Test New Kits

Yes, all newly collected kits are being tested.

  • According to the law, how much time after a rape kit examination do hospitals have to notify law enforcement that a kit is ready to be picked up? Not specified
  • According to the law, after being notified, within what time frame is law enforcement required to pick up the kit? Not specified
  • According to the law, after picking the kit up, within what time frame is law enforcement required to submit the kit to the lab? 30 Days
  • According to the law, after receiving the kit, within what time frame is the lab required to test the kit? Not specified
  • Does the law allow crime labs to outsource kits for testing if they are unable to meet the deadline? Not specified
Implement Tracking System

Yes, tracking system in use.

  • Does the law state that the tracking system should track initial collection at hospital, inventory and storage by law enforcement, and testing and storage by state labs? Yes
  • Does the law state that the tracking system should track if kit a has been destroyed? Yes
  • Does the law allow all agencies who participate in the tracking system to update the status of a kit? Yes
  • Does the law state that the tracking system should have a victim portal? Yes
  • Does the law require law enforcement, labs, and hospitals to participate in the tracking system? Yes
  • Does the law state that all previously untested kits should be entered into the system? No
Victim's Right To Know

Yes, the state has granted victims the right to notice and be informed on the status of their kit.

  • Do victims have the right to receive information of the location, testing date, and testing results of their kit? Yes
  • Do victims have the right to be informed when there is any change in the status of their case? Yes
  • Do victims have the right to receive notification before destruction of their kit? Yes
  • Are victims granted further preservation of the kit or its probative contents? Yes
  • Are victims provided with the contact information for the designated liaison(s) at the corresponding law enforcement agency at the time that a kit is collected? No
  • Do victims have the right to receive a physical document identifying their rights under law? Yes
Fund Reform

Yes, the state has allocated ongoing funding.

See state reform timeline below.

Take Action Today to Bring Further Rape Kit Reform to Ohio

State Reform Timeline

2025
Inventory
525 kits waiting testing in Ohio

According to internal sources, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has 525 kits awaiting testing as of February 2025. In January, the average turnaround time was 59.5 days.

2024
Funding
Ohio Governor Awards Nearly $900,000 for Rape Kit Testing

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson announced that nearly $900,000 funds are awarded through the new Ohio Sexual Assault Investigations Grant Program. The grantees include the Forensic Nursing Network, the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office, the Columbus Division of Police, the Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center, and the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office. 

Funding
Ohio Governor Announces $1 million for rape kit testing

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson announced that $1,000,000 funds will be awarded through the new Ohio Sexual Assault Investigations Grant Program. This funding will be used toward drug-facilitated sexual assault toxicology testing, sexual assault kit testing, expert testimony, sexual assault kit storage upgrades, transportation/shipping costs, sexual assault investigations training, specialized DNA analysis, and other sexual assault investigation costs.

2023
Funding
$2,500,000 awarded in Cuyahoga County

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office. This funding will be used to expand beyond sexual assaults to tackle all unsolved violent crimes in Cleveland.

Bill: Enacted
HB33 enacted in Ohio

In 2023, Ohio legislators enacted HB33 with Amendment HC912. The new law requires an annual inventory of untested rape kits, granted victims the right to know the status and location of their kits, and allocated an ongoing, instead of a one-time funding of $1 million in each fiscal year. The state had a one-time, non-legislative inventory in 2017, and had allocated $1 million in 2021 for the fiscal years of 2022 and 2023. HB33 expands on those successes, and ensures ongoing work on rape kits. With this law the state has completed all six pillars of rape kit reform.

2022
Funding
$2.5 million awarded in Cuyahoga

In 2022, BJA awarded the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office $2.5 million to sustain its work on rape kit reform. 

2021
Other
7,026 kits tested in Ohio

As of February 2021, Cuyahoga County had tested all of the 7,026 backlogged kits from 1993-2011. The efforts resulted in the identification of 511 serial rapists, 850 serial sex offenders, and 817 indictments.

Bill: Enacted
HB110 enacted in Ohio

In 2021, Ohio legislators introduced HB110, a bill that allocated up to $1 million in Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023 for state and local law enforcement to conduct investigations on rape kit testing results and related expenses. In June 2021, this bill was signed into law.

Funding
$5,859,516 awarded in Ohio

In 2021, BJA awarded the city of Akron, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, and the city of Cleveland $2,002,676; $1,395,078, and $2,461,762 respectively to investigate and prosecute cold case sexual assaults.

2020
Funding
$1,150,000 awarded in Ohio

In 2020, BJA awarded the city of Akron and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office $150,000 and $1 million respectively to investigate and prosecute cold case sexual assaults.

Other
Ohio's tracking system goes live

In 2020, Ohio’s tracking system went live.

2019
Funding
$4,980,292 awarded in Ohio

In 2019, BJA awarded the city of Akron $1,980,292. The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office was awarded $2 million with an additional $1 million to sustain its work on rape kit reform.

2018
Other
Ohio tested 13,931 kits

In February 2018, the state lab completed testing of the kits uncovered in 2017.

Funding
$2,991,582 awarded in Ohio

In 2018, BJA awarded the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office $2 million to continue their work, and the city of Akron $991,582 to test kits, investigate and prosecute cases, and re-engage survivors in the criminal justice system.

Bill: Enacted
SB201 enacted in Ohio

In 2018, Ohio legislators enacted SB201 (see page five), which required the attorney general to create and operate a statewide rape kit tracking system. The system would allow survivors to have anonymous access to obtain information on the status and locations of their rape kits.

2017
Report
13,931 kits found in Ohio

In 2017, Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that nearly 300 law enforcement agencies had submitted 13,931 rape kits for testing. The same year, the city of Cleveland received a SAKI grant to test kits collected before 1993. The city began the process of inventorying and testing those kits.

Funding
$2,083,842 awarded in Cleveland

In 2017, BJA awarded the city of Cleveland $2,083,842 to support local backlog reduction efforts.

2016
Funding
$3 million awarded in Cuyahoga

In 2016, BJA awarded the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office an additional $2 million to sustain its work on rape kit reform. BJA also awarded the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office $1 million to expand their collection of DNA to help identify unknown offenders.

2015
Funding
$3,992,041 awarded in Ohio

In 2015, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office awarded the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation $1,998,300 to test 2,630 rape kits. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office $1,993,741 to investigate and prosecute cases and re-engage survivors.

2014
Bill: Enacted
SB316 enacted in Ohio

In 2014, Ohio enacted SB316, requiring law enforcement agencies to submit previously untested rape kits to a crime lab for testing within one year of enactment. The law also required agencies to submit all newly collected kits to the lab for testing within 30 days, and required labs to complete analysis as soon as possible.

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