HB 528: Require 7 year mandatory minimum prison term for forcible rape

The bill aims to strengthen laws against forcible rape in Ohio. A person convicted of this offense will face a mandatory minimum prison term of seven years, with no exception for minors or first-time offenders. The court will also consider the offender's age at the time of the crime and the victim's age. The bill restricts the admissibility of evidence of the victim's past sexual activity or the offender's past sexual activity with the victim. The court will hold a hearing to resolve the admissibility of such evidence before it is presented in court. Marriage or cohabitation at the time of the crime will not be considered a defense. The bill also provides for the representation of victims by counsel in hearings to resolve evidence admissibility. The bill repeals the existing section on forcible rape and presents a revised version that combines elements of previous amendments. The result…