COLUMBUS, OH—Individuals convicted of intentionally killing law enforcement officers could permanently lose any chance of leaving prison under legislation that has generated widespread support in the Statehouse.

Ohio law permits the death penalty as well as life imprisonment with or without parole for the aggravated murder of a police officer, prosecutor, first responder or military member. House Bill 372 would eliminate the parole-eligible sentencing options while expanding the law to cover corrections officers as well.

Sponsored by Reps. Cindy Abrams of Harrison and Dayton’s Phil Plummer, it unanimously cleared the House Judiciary Committee after four hearings before passing the full House in March. The proposal is currently under consideration at the Senate Judiciary Committee, where lawmakers have held two hearings but have not yet voted on whether to advance it.

Also known as the Larry Henderson Act, it was inspired by the deputy whose death became the emotional centerpiece of the hearings. Though he had retired after 33 years with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Henderson continued working special-duty assignments for the agency. He was directing traffic last year when Rodney Hinton Jr. drove onto a sidewalk and fatally struck him.

Earlier that day, police had shown Hinton body camera footage of the police shooting of his 18-year-old son. According to investigators, Ryan Hinton had fled the scene of a stolen vehicle investigation and later pointed a loaded handgun at law enforcement during the pursuit. He was subsequently shot and killed by an officer, whose use of force Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich determined was legally justified.

Prosecutors say Henderson was targeted because of his uniform, though Hinton has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder by reason of insanity and has not been convicted.

“One man made the decision to hit and kill Deputy Henderson because of the uniform he was wearing,” Rep. Abrams, a former Cincinnati police officer, said. “Ohio’s law enforcement, first responders and military members risk their lives daily for our safety. It is our turn to prove to them that we have their backs.”

Rep. Plummer, who previously served as the sheriff of Montgomery County, built on her point: “When someone murders a peace officer, they are not only taking an innocent life but rather they are attempting to intimidate our entire system of justice and public safety. That demands the strongest possible penalty.”

Henderson’s widow, Lori, told legislators that every court hearing has reopened wounds that have barely begun to heal.

“The thought of the person responsible for Larry’s death being given another chance to walk free and fighting to prevent that is cruel and unfair to the families of the victims who are forced to endure this process over and over again,” she said during an emotional address at the Statehouse last year.

In joint testimony, the Hendersons’ children reflected on their loss and recalled the hardship of first learning about it.

“As young children, the five of us understood that our father’s job was dangerous and put him at risk while protecting our community,” the statement read. “It was our worst nightmare that came true the day when we each received the call that he was fatally struck and to get to the hospital as soon as we could if we wanted to say our last goodbyes.”

Hamilton County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Timothy Nash, who served alongside Henderson for nearly three decades, told lawmakers that the possibility of perpetrators walking free “makes a hard job even harder.”

The bill also received strong endorsement from Jon and Karen Ritter, whose son was killed in July 2024 while on duty. Cleveland Police Officer Jamieson Ritter was attempting to arrest a man accused of killing his grandmother when the suspect fatally shot him with a handgun. His parents pointed to the deaths of their son, Henderson, Euclid Officer Jacob Derbin, Morrow County Deputy Daniel Sherrer and Lorain Officer Phillip Wagner within roughly one year as evidence that officers are increasingly being targeted.

Last year, proponent Jay McDonald of the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio said that four officers in the state had been killed in the line of duty that year while at least 14 others had been shot.

On behalf of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association, Louis Tobin noted that prosecutors generally oppose creating enhanced penalties for specific categories of victims but that his organization considers law enforcement officers an exception because attacks against them undermine the justice system itself.

Proponent testimonies were also submitted on behalf of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, National Police Association, Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters and Northern Ohio Fire Fighters.

Rep. D.J. Swearingen of Huron anticipated pushback from the American Civil Liberties Union and said a representative from the organization would likely come “crawling in here saying why this is a bad bill.” While the nonprofit hasn’t formally challenged the legislation, HB 372 has received opponent testimonies from two other groups.

Mackenzie Doyle of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati urged lawmakers to reject the proposal, arguing that every person retains the capacity for redemption and that juries should be able to fully consider a defendant’s circumstances. While making it clear that Henderson’s death wasn’t justified, she added that the emotional trauma surrounding the fatal police shooting of Hinton’s son should remain relevant when determining punishment.

“I do not believe he was in his right mind when he killed Larry, and I believe that both families have been through horrible damage and grief,” she wrote. “Yet, I also believe that Rodney Hinton deserves reconciliation, just as the officer who took Ryan Hinton’s life also deserves that chance. This bill would deny Rodney that ability.”

The Ohio Public Defender’s Office raised broader legal concerns. Legislative officer Zachary Miller said that the proposal creates “a two-tiered standard for justice” by making punishment contingent upon a victim’s occupation. He also warned that limiting sentences to death or life without parole would strip judges and juries of important discretion while expanding the number of costly capital cases, noting that there isn’t any evidence of harsher penalties discouraging would-be offenders.

Jon Ritter contrarily insisted that stronger punishments have a deterrent effect, while his wife argued that Ohio’s parole-eligible sentencing options “embolden criminals.” Drawing on his 28 years as a police officer, he said jurisdictions that impose tougher consequences generally experience lower crime because offenders know they will be held accountable. He also cited a chart attached to his testimony that compared officer homicide rates in Ohio to states he classified as having strong deterrence laws as well as those lacking them. While the document did cite sources for the figure, it did not explain the methodology behind the conclusion.

Rep. Josh Williams of Sylvania previously suggested expanding the bill to cover all elected officials, citing the threat of political violence that he believed has made public service increasingly dangerous. While Rep. Plummer said he “100%” agreed with the idea and expressed support for amending the legislation accordingly, that addition has not yet been made.

HB 372 has been cosponsored by 51 representatives, with Republicans making up the vast majority.

In this recurring feature, cleveland.com offers readers an inside look at the debates, proposals and personalities that shape legislation in Ohio’s Statehouse committees. Some items may reflect hearings from recent months, as we review past sessions to surface noteworthy discussions and proposals.

____________

©2026 Advance Local Media LLC.

Visit cleveland.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.