02/15/2024

House Bill 305

Lead Sponsors: Representative Brian Stewart and Representative Richard Brown

Status: Passed the House 88-0 (December 13, 2023), Passed the Senate 24-7 (May 22, 2024)

Description: The bill prohibits the clerk of a common pleas court from requiring a fee for electronic filing that is greater than the applicable fee for the filing in paper format or from requiring a fee be paid before the filing, unless an electronic payment system is already in place.

The bill also removes the requirement that funds for computerization of municipal, county, and common pleas courts be authorized and disbursed by the court and instead allows the clerk of courts to do so.

CCAO Position: No position (as of February 26, 2024)

Other Notes: The Ohio Clerk of Courts Association provided proponent testimony and the Ohio Judicial Conference provided interested party testimony.