COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Ohio state lawmaker wants to increase the penalties for school employees who engage in sexual conduct with students, such as janitors, cafeteria workers or bus drivers.

“Under current law, a person employed by a school who is a ‘person in authority’ is not permitted to engage in sexual conduct with a student enrolled in that school,” according to a statement by Rep. Christina Hagen, sponsor of HB 92. “Unfortunately this leaves out a large group of employees that are considered ‘non-authority’ and therefore are not legally restrained from engaging in sexual activity with students.”

The legislation would make it illegal for anyone employed by a school to engage in sexual conduct with students who are at least four years younger. It would also bar college employees from engaging in sexual conduct with a student if the student is a minor and at least four years younger. The bill makes exceptions for married couples.

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“It is of upmost importance that the people receiving our tax dollars are focused on the job they are hired to do, our students and parents should rest assured that we intend to heighten the criminal penalty for non authority employees with such perverse intentions and actions who choose to engage in sexual battery against students,” Hagen said.

“Our schools should be a safe place for students to learn and it should matter not whether you are in a position of authority or working a non authoritative roll, there should be a zero tolerance policy to keep these scenarios from occurring and hindering the students during their developmental years in our great state,” she added.

The Associated Press reports that Hagan’s bill unanimously passed the state House last Wednesday and is currently under consideration in the Senate.

Hagan previously introduced the bill last legislative session, when it also passed the House unanimously before languishing in the Senate with no action. The Canton Repository called then Senate Criminal Justice Committee chairman John Eklund out for ignoring the bill, which failed to even get a hearing in committee.

“At the very least, (Eklund) owes the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Christina Hagan, an explanation,” according to the January editorial. “The committee may have a perfectly reasonable explanation why the bill – proposed in 2012 and reintroduced in 2013 – has stalled. Whatever that reason, we hope it’s not as Hagan speculated: ‘It must not have been a high priority for them.’”

The Repository reports Hagan’s bill stems from a 2012 case involving a cafeteria worker at Washington High School in Massillon who police allege had sex with multiple students. Because the woman was not in a position of authority and all of the students were at least 16 years old, the age of consent in Ohio, she was not charged with sexual battery.

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The woman served only six months of a 22-month prison sentence for sending nude images of herself to the teens.

Only two Democrats, Greta Johnson and Emilia Strong Sykes, voted against HB 92 when it was approved by the House Judiciary Committee in May.

The AP reports “several House Democrats expressed misgivings about the bill,” in the full House vote Sept. 30, “saying it could have unintended consequences,” though none have publicly condemned the bill.