HB 247: Revise dog law, including dangerous and vicious dogs
The bill aims to amend the laws governing dogs in Ohio, including dangerous and vicious dogs. The amendments include new security procedures for electronic records and electronic signatures in county offices, and changes to the process for designating dogs as nuisance dogs, dangerous dogs, or vicious dogs. The bill also repeals certain sections of the law and introduces new provisions for renewing dangerous dog registration certificates. Owners of dogs with valid registration certificates issued under the old law must renew their certificates within a specific timeframe and pay a prorated fee if the renewal period is reduced. The bill is named Avery's Law, and it completes the section numbering of the law of a general and permanent nature.
| Mar. 20, 2026 | Effective |
| Dec. 19, 2025 | Signed By The Governor |
| Dec. 09, 2025 | Sent To The Governor |
| Nov. 19, 2025 | Concurred in Senate amendments |
| Nov. 19, 2025 | Introduced |
ANACT
To amend sections $304.02,304.03,715.23,901.80,935.03,955.01,955.011,955.012$, $955.02,955.03,955.04,955.05,955.06,955.07,955.10,955.11,955.12,955.121,955.14,955.16$, $955.20,955.22,955.221,955.222,955.26,955.261,955.40,955.43,955.44,955.50,955.54,959.132,1533.12,1901.18,1907.031,2913.01$, and 2921.321 ; to amend, for the purpose of adopting new section numbers as indicated in parentheses, sections 955.01 (955.02), 955.011 (955.021), 955.012 (955.022), 955.013 (955.023), 955.02 (955.01), 955.09 (955.08), 955.10 (955.09), 955.22 (955.24), 955.221 (955.10), 955.222 (955.23), and 955.40 (955.262); to enact new sections 955.21 and 955.22 and sections $955.024,955.60$, and 955.61 ; and to repeal sections $955.08,955.21,955.23,955.24,955.25,955.39,955.51$, $955.52,955.53$, and 955.99 of the Revised Code to make changes to the laws governing dogs, including dangerous and vicious dogs, and to name this act Avery's Law.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:
That sections $304.02,304.03,715.23,901.80,935.03,955.01,955.011,955.012$, $955.02,955.03,955.04,955.05,955.06,955.07,955.10,955.11,955.12,955.121,955.14,955.16$, $955.20,955.22,955.221,955.222,955.26,955.261,955.40,955.43,955.44,955.50,955.54$, $959.132,1533.12,1901.18,1907.031,2913.01$, and 2921.321 be amended; sections 955.01 (955.02), 955.011 (955.021), 955.012 (955.022), 955.013 (955.023), 955.02 (955.01), 955.09 (955.08), 955.10 (955.09), 955.22 (955.24), 955.221 (955.10), 955.222 (955.23), and 955.40 (955.262) be amended for the purpose of adopting new section numbers as indicated in parentheses; and new sections 955.21 and 955.22 and sections $955.024,955.60$, and 955.61 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 304.02.
Prior to the use of electronic records and electronic signatures by a county office under Chapter 1306. of the Revised Code, and except as otherwise provided in section 955.013-955.023 of the Revised Code, a county office shall adopt, in writing, a security procedure for the purpose of verifying that an electronic signature, record, or performance is that of a specific person or for detecting changes or errors in the information in an electronic record. A security procedure includes, but is not limited to, a procedure that requires the use of algorithms or other codes, identifying words or numbers, encryption, or callback or other acknowledgment procedures.
Sec. 955.222 955.23.
(A) The municipal court or county court that has territorial jurisdiction over the residence of the owner, keeper, or harbore of a dog shall conduct any hearing concerning the designation of the dog as a nuisance dog, dangerous dog, or vicious dog As used in this section, "authorized person" means a person who is authorized to enforce this chapter.
Section 2.
That existing sections $304.02,304.03,715.23,901.80,935.03,955.01,955.011$, $955.012,955.013,955.02,955.03,955.04,955.05,955.06,955.07,955.09,955.10,955.11,955.12$, $955.121,955.14,955.16,955.20,955.22,955.221,955.222,955.26,955.261,955.40,955.43$, 955.44, 955.50, 955.54, 959.132, 1533.12, 1901.18, 1907.031, 2913.01, and 2921.321 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
SECTION 3.
That sections $955.08,955.21,955.23,955.24,955.25,955.39,955.51,955.52$, 955.53 , and 955.99 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
SECTION 4.
The owner of a dog who holds a valid dangerous dog registration certificate for the dog that was issued under division (I) of section 955.22 of the Revised Code as that section existed prior to its amendment by this act shall renew the certificate beginning on the first day of December of the year in which this section takes effect, but not later than the thirty-first day of January of the subsequent year regardless of when the owner would have been required to renew the certificate under former law. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the owner shall file the application in accordance with section 955.02 of the Revised Code as amended by this act.
If the renewal required by this section results in a reduction of the registration period for which the owner paid fifty dollars under former law, the owner shall pay a registration fee for the renewal required by this section in an amount that is prorated as determined by the county auditor of the county in which the owner resides. Thereafter, the owner shall renew the dangerous dog registration certificate in accordance with section 955.02 of the Revised Code as amended by this act.
SECTION 5.
This act shall be known as Avery's Law.
The section numbering of law of a general and permanent nature is complete and in conformity with the Revised Code.
Director, Legislative Service Commission.
Filed in the office of the Secretary of State at Columbus, Ohio, on the $\qquad$ day of $\qquad$ , A. D. 20 $\qquad$ .
Secretary of State.
File No. $\qquad$ Effective Date $\qquad$