COLUMBUS, OHIO — The Ohio House passed House Bill 372 in March 2026, a measure that would eliminate parole-eligible sentencing options for individuals convicted of intentionally killing law enforcement officers. The legislation also would expand existing sentencing law to cover corrections officers, and it is now pending action in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Bill 372 is also known as the Larry Henderson Act. Rep. Cindy Abrams of Harrison and Rep. Phil Plummer of Dayton sponsored the bill. The bill unanimously cleared the House Judiciary Committee after four hearings before reaching the full chamber. The Senate Judiciary Committee has held two hearings on Bill 372 but has not yet voted on whether to advance it.

The legislation is named for Henderson, a deputy with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office for 33 years before retiring. Henderson continued working special-duty assignments for the agency after his retirement. He was directing traffic when Rodney Hinton Jr. drove onto a sidewalk and fatally struck him. Hinton pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder by reason of insanity in the death of Henderson.

"One man made the decision to hit and kill Deputy Henderson because of the uniform he was wearing," Abrams said. "Ohio’s law enforcement, first responders and military members risk their lives daily for our safety. It is our turn to prove to them that we have their backs." Plummer added: "When someone murders a peace officer, they are not only taking an innocent life but rather they are attempting to intimidate our entire system of justice and public safety. That demands the strongest possible penalty."

Lori Henderson, the widow of Henderson, supported the measure. "The thought of the person responsible for Larry’s death being given another chance to walk free and fighting to prevent that is cruel and unfair to the families of the victims who are forced to endure this process over and over again," she said. Henderson had five children, who stated: "As young children, the five of us understood that our father’s job was dangerous and put him at risk while protecting our community. It was our worst nightmare that came true the day when we each received the call that our father was fatally struck and to get to the hospital as soon as we could if we wanted to say our last goodbyes."

Jay McDonald, representing the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, supported the bill. He stated that four officers in Ohio had been killed in the line of duty in the previous year. McDonald also noted that at least 14 other officers in the state had been shot during that same period.

Opponents of the bill raised concerns about judicial discretion and equity. Zachary Miller, a legislative officer for the Ohio Public Defender’s Office, testified against the proposal. "The proposal creates a two-tiered standard for justice by making punishment contingent upon a victim’s occupation," Miller said.

He argued that limiting sentences to death or life without parole would strip judges and juries of important discretion while expanding the number of costly capital cases. "There isn’t any evidence of harsher penalties discouraging would-be offenders," he added.

The Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association generally opposes creating enhanced penalties for specific categories of victims but considers law enforcement officers an exception because attacks against them undermine the justice system. Proponent testimonies were also submitted on behalf of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, National Police Association, Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters, and Northern Ohio Fire Fighters.

Rep. Josh Williams of Sylvania previously suggested expanding Bill 372 to cover all elected officials. Plummer expressed support for amending the bill to include all elected officials, but the expansion has not yet been made. Ohio law currently permits the death penalty as well as life imprisonment with or without parole for the aggravated murder of a police officer, prosecutor, first responder, or military member.