Rep. Roemer Attends Ceremonial Bill Signing for House Bill 23

State Representative Bill Roemer (R-Richfield) attended the ceremonial bill signing of House Bill 23 on Thursday, hosted by Governor DeWine. This legislation creates the Escaped Convict Alert Program (ECAP), which will strengthen public safety through a new alert system to notify residents when a nearby convict escapes from custody.

ECAP will be used to alert the public to an incarcerated felon that has escaped from a jail, workhouse or correctional institution. Local law enforcement will be the controlling agency that would activate the ECAP once they are informed of the escape.

"This legislation is deeply personal to me, and it came from a terrifying realization that our constituents miss out on critical, time-sensitive information about a public danger," said Rep. Roemer. "We want to make sure Ohioans are safe and secure in their local communities and that they will have access to information that can be the difference between life and death. The public deserves better when it comes to immediate threats to their safety, and thus more easily accessible and timely warnings are needed. This bill intends to fix this gap in communication for our constituents and to make sure all Ohioans are not left unaware and unprotected when a dangerous felon escapes custody."

The legislation will also provide the following:

• Allows for local or regional adaptations of the alert system, ensuring flexibility for jurisdictions with existing programs;
• Grants liability protections to broadcasters and systems that participate in good faith, regardless of whether an alert is ultimately broadcast, and;
• Clarifies that ECAP does not permit use of the federal Emergency Alert System unless expressly allowed by federal law.

With ECAP now signed into law, Ohio has taken a decisive step towards stronger, more responsive public safety. Legislators are confident that this new system will support law enforcement agencies and bring a greater peace of mind to communities across the state.

House Bill 23 will become effective March 3, 2026.