Legislators seek to strengthen Ohio's domestic violence laws
COLUMBUS — State legislators are advocating for a stronger law against domestic violence after a former lawmaker is accused of stabbing his ex-wife to death in her driveway.
State Rep. Janine Boyd, D-Cleveland Heights, is pushing a bill that would better identify high-risk domestic violence situations that could escalate.
The bill would call on police agencies to use a risk assessment questionnaire when responding to domestic violence calls, creating a task force to determine the best steps to connecting victims and abusers to services, and prohibiting defendants from being offered a chance to plead to a misdemeanor instead of felony charge if they had previous convictions for violence, Boyd said.
Former state legislator and county judge Lance Mason, 51, is awaiting trial on theft, assault and aggravated murder charges in Cuyahoga County. He was arrested Nov. 17 in the death of Aisha M. Fraser, who was a sixth grade teacher in Shaker Heights.
Read more: https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ohio-lawmakers-want-strengthen-domestic-violence-laws/VLpAUDXp4g1UnnNbXnTnGL/