Fiscal Note & Local Impact Statement

124 th General Assembly of Ohio

Ohio Legislative Service Commission

77 South High Street, 9th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215-6136 ² Phone: (614) 466-3615

² Internet Web Site: http://www.lsc.state.oh.us/

BILL:

Sub. S.B. 218

DATE:

May 6, 2002

STATUS:

As Passed by the Senate

SPONSOR:

Sen. Jordan

LOCAL IMPACT STATEMENT REQUIRED:

No

No local cost

 

CONTENTS:

Modifies the oath administered to members of a grand jury

 

State Fiscal Highlights

 

·        No direct fiscal effect on the state.

Local Fiscal Highlights

 

·        No direct fiscal effect on political subdivisions.

 

 

Detailed Fiscal Analysis

 

The bill modifies the oath administered to the members of a grand jury. The modification of the oath should not affect the functions or deliberations of a grand jury, the number of matters or the substance of those matters heard by a grand jury, or the timeframe in which those matters are heard by a grand jury.

 

The Judicial Conference of Ohio has surveyed judges from around the state on the issue of the proposed modification of the oath and did not record any evidence suggesting that the modification of the oath would produce any negative effects on court operations. In fact, if court operations experience any fiscal effect at all as a result of the change in the oath, it might be in the modicum of time saved by the more simplified language. It appears that judges feel this change in the oath would lead to fewer questions from grand jurors relative to the meaning of the oath as it is currently worded.

 

 

 

LSC fiscal staff: Joseph Rogers, Budget Analyst

 

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