BILL TO MANDATE DATE RAPE DRUG TESTING KITS IN OHIO BARS PROPOSED BY STATE LAWMAKER
Ohio bars would be required to make date rape drug test kits available to their customers under a bill advanced by two state lawmakers earlier this month.
This bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Sens. William P. DeMora (D-Columbus) and Louis W.Blessing, III (R-Cincinnati), would require nearly all alcohol-serving state permit holders to providethe kits in an effort to prevent drink-spiking, according to DeMora.
“It’s happening far too often, and drink-spiking can lead to other things like human trafficking,sexual assault, sexual abuse, and it’s something I’m trying to protect my constituents from havinghappen to them,” DeMora said.
The executive director of the Ohio Bar Owners Association, Andrew Herf, said he liked the idea of the bill but pointed out potential drawbacks, such as the price of drug-detecting strips. Herf also said the idea of state funds being used to purchase the tests, could be a possibility.
“We are interested in working on it, and we’re supportive of the general concept, but we don’t want it to become a multi-million dollar mandate for bar owners,” Herf said.
According to the bill (https://www.ohiosenate.gov/legislation/136/sb348/documents), the kits must test for Rohypnol — commonly known as ‘roofies’ — gamma hydroxybutyric acid, known as ‘liquid ecstasy’— ketamine and other drugs with similar effects.
Free test strips must be available to patrons or at a reasonable price, according to the bill. DeMora said bar owners may charge patrons a small amount to recoup purchase costs.
Bar owners would also be required to post a sign notifying customers of the available strips, according to the bill.
Similar bipartisan legislation in the Ohio House of Representatives was sponsored by Reps. CrystalLett (D-Hilliard) and Jean Schmidt (R Loveland), a week after the Senate bill was introduced,according to the bill’s website (https://ohiohouse.gov/legislation/136/hb685)
The House bill proposed that positive test results could be voluntarily reported to the division ofliquor control for data collection. The version would exclude select liquor permit holders, such ascertain wineries. DeMora said a plan for a positive test protocol is in the works for his bill, but hewanted to get the bill out to kickstart the initiative.
Columbus had almost 600 criminal sexual contact cases in 2024, according to the FBI’s NationalIncident-Based Reporting System (https://nibrs.fbi.gov/2024/). Of those, 22 cases were reported onOhio State University’s campus.
Herf also said the bar owners association considered partnering with Ohio State to pass out testingstrips during orientation and through the
Student Wellness Center (https://swc.osu.edu/).
Ben Johnson, university spokesperson, said in an email Ohio State has no position on the bill.
The bill has yet to be heard by the Ohio Senate Small Business and Economic Opportunity Committee and could be subject to amendments.
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