Licking Today

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has signed House Bill 37, known as Liv’s Law, into law. This legislation increases penalties for aggravated vehicular homicides committed by drunk drivers. The bill was led by State Representatives Mark Johnson and Kevin Miller.

The law is named after Olivia Wright, an Ohio native who died in a drunk driving incident. It introduces harsher penalties for those who commit aggravated vehicular homicide and have previous OVI-related convictions. Additionally, it allows law enforcement to use oral fluid testing for OVI enforcement. The legislation targets repeat offenders whose actions have resulted in fatalities, without altering laws for first-time offenders.

“A constituent, Bryan Wright, brought this issue to my desk after losing his daughter, Olivia, to a drunk driver,” said Johnson. “He pointed out to me how weak Ohio’s laws are compared to other states in the nation, and that is what inspired me to work on this legislation in an attempt to try and deter any drunk driver from becoming a repeat offender.”

“HB37 moves us closer to protecting Ohioans from individuals with repeated OVI convictions,” said Miller. “I’m grateful to my colleagues in both the House and Senate for supporting this important legislation, which sends a strong message to deter impaired driving and keep our roads safer.”

Liv’s Law will take effect in 90 days.