Ohio Lawmakers Propose Bills to Ease Re-Entry for Formerly Incarcerated

Bipartisan legislation aims to help ex-offenders rebuild their lives and reduce recidivism rates.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 2:35am

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Ohio state lawmakers from both parties have announced new bills designed to assist formerly incarcerated individuals with the challenges of re-entering society. The proposed legislation includes automatically sealing records for certain low-level offenses, requiring halfway houses to help inmates obtain state IDs, and speeding up the process for obtaining certificates that allow ex-offenders to work in qualified fields.

Why it matters

Helping formerly incarcerated people successfully reintegrate into their communities is seen as a matter of both economic opportunity and public safety. Lawmakers argue that removing barriers to employment, housing, and other essentials can prevent ex-offenders from reverting to criminal activity out of desperation.

The details

The key bills announced include the 'Grow Act' from state Sen. Michele Reynolds, which would automatically seal records for nonviolent offenses eligible for expungement. State Reps. Latyna Humphrey and Darnell Brewer also highlighted legislation they sponsored to streamline the process for obtaining state IDs and employment certificates for ex-offenders. The lawmakers framed the bills as a 'hand up, not a hand out' to help address workforce shortages and reduce recidivism.

  • April is recognized nationally as Second Chance Month.
  • The event highlighting the legislation took place on Wednesday.

The players

Michele Reynolds

A Republican state senator from Canal Winchester who introduced the 'Grow Act' to automatically seal records for certain low-level offenders.

Latyna Humphrey

A Democratic state representative from Columbus who sponsored a bill to speed up the process for ex-offenders to obtain employment certificates.

Darnell Brewer

A Democratic state representative from Cleveland who co-sponsored a bill requiring halfway houses to help inmates obtain state IDs.

Gary Click

A Republican state representative from Vickery who co-sponsored the bill with Brewer on state IDs for ex-offenders.

Ohio Justice & Policy Center

A nonprofit organization that hosted the event highlighting the legislation.

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What they’re saying

“'In the age of technology, things are easier, there's a bot for everything, there's an AI for everything. We should be able to do that in 2026.'”

— Michele Reynolds, State Senator

“'Without it, you're invisible to the system that's supposed to be helping you rebuild your life.'”

— Darnell Brewer, State Representative

“'Employers really need that extra help, and when people are barred or have these barriers from being able to apply, it hurts the workforce. I really look at these bills, one, as a second chance and a hand up, and not necessarily a hand out, but it really impacts economic opportunity throughout the state and it helps the employers.'”

— Latyna Humphrey, State Representative

What’s next

The proposed bills still need to go through the legislative process, with the 'Grow Act' from Sen. Reynolds and the ID assistance bill from Reps. Brewer and Click awaiting further consideration.

The takeaway

This bipartisan effort to ease re-entry challenges for formerly incarcerated individuals reflects a growing recognition that supporting ex-offenders' successful reintegration can benefit both individuals and communities by reducing recidivism, addressing workforce needs, and improving public safety.