Overhaul of Ohio’s civil forfeiture system could come by the end of the year

It appears a legislative overhaul of Ohio’s civil forfeiture system could come by the end of the year. Republican State Rep. Rob McColley of Napoleon is chief sponsor of a reform bill aimed at preventing the government from confiscating a person’s property based on the suspicion that the property was involved in a crime, even if the owner never faces criminal charges. House Bill 347 was approved by the Ohio House 72-25 in May, and is now in the Ohio Senate. McColley said he’s hopeful it will pass the Senate before the two-year legislative session ends next month, especially since any bills pending at the end of the year die and must be re-introduced next year. He told The Bryan Times that he’s not alleging abuse, but the civil forfeiture law has become “an unbudgeted funding source” for some law enforcement agencies in the state.