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Home/Bills/SB 277Ohio · 136th General Assembly (2025–2026)
Senate BillPassed first house

SB 277: Clarify that child independent activity is not abuse or neglect

Ohio · Senate · 136th General Assembly (2025–2026) · last verified September 25, 2026

What SB 277 does, verified September 25, 2026

The bill clarifies that a child granted permission to engage in independent activities is not considered abused or neglected. It sets guidelines for independent activities, stating that they must be appropriate for the child's age, maturity, and abilities. The lack of supervision is only considered a concern if it poses a risk to the child's health or safety. Examples of independent activities include traveling to school or nearby facilities, outdoor play, and remaining at home unattended for a reasonable time.

Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
4Second ChamberCurrent
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: Referred to committee: Judiciary (2026-05-20)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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Coauthors
Al LandisNathan ManningSandra O'BrienThomas PattonBill ReinekeMark RomanchukJane TimkenShane Wilkin
Recent actions6 total · showing 5
May. 20, 2026Referred to committee: Judiciary
May. 19, 2026Introduced
May. 13, 2026Passed
May. 13, 2026Reported: Judiciary
Oct. 01, 2025Referred to committee: Judiciary
Full action history, 1 earlier actionConnect Plus
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