Section 5101.28 | Written agreements with law enforcement agencies to exchange, obtain, or share information regarding public assistance recipients.
(A)(1) On request of the department of job and family services or a county agency, a law enforcement agency shall provide information regarding public assistance recipients to enable the department or county agency to determine, for eligibility purposes, whether a recipient or a member of a recipient's assistance group is a fugitive felon or violating a condition of probation, a community control sanction, parole, or a post-release control sanction imposed under state or federal law.
(2) A county agency may enter into a written agreement with a local law enforcement agency establishing procedures concerning access to information and providing for compliance with division (F) of this section.
(B) To the extent permitted by federal law, the department and county agencies shall provide information regarding recipients of public assistance under a program administered by the state department or a county agency pursuant to Chapter 5107., 5108., or 5115. of the Revised Code to law enforcement agencies on request for the purposes of investigations, prosecutions, and criminal and civil proceedings that are within the scope of the law enforcement agencies' official duties.
(C) Information about a public assistance recipient shall be exchanged, obtained, or shared only if the department, county agency, or law enforcement agency requesting the information gives sufficient information to specifically identify the recipient. In addition to the recipient's name, identifying information may include the recipient's current or last known address, social security number, other identifying number, age, gender, physical characteristics, any information specified in an agreement entered into under division (A) of this section, or any information considered appropriate by the department or agency.
(D)(1) The department and its officers and employees are not liable in damages in a civil action for any injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from the release of information in accordance with divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section. This section does not affect any immunity or defense that the department and its officers and employees may be entitled to under another section of the Revised Code or the common law of this state, including section 9.86 of the Revised Code.
(2) The county agencies and their employees are not liable in damages in a civil action for any injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from the release of information in accordance with divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section. "Employee" has the same meaning as in division (B) of section 2744.01 of the Revised Code. This section does not affect any immunity or defense that the county agencies and their employees may be entitled to under another section of the Revised Code or the common law of this state, including section 2744.02 and division (A)(6) of section 2744.03 of the Revised Code.
(E) To the extent permitted by federal law, the department and county agencies shall provide access to information to the auditor of state acting pursuant to Chapter 117. or sections 5101.181 and 5101.182 of the Revised Code and to any other government entity authorized by federal law to conduct an audit of, or similar activity involving, a public assistance program.
(F) The auditor of state shall prepare an annual report on the outcome of the agreements required under division (A) of this section. The report shall include the number of fugitive felons, probation and parole violators, and violators of community control sanctions and post-release control sanctions apprehended during the immediately preceding year as a result of the exchange of information pursuant to that division. The auditor of state shall file the report with the governor, the president and minority leader of the senate, and the speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives. The state department, county agencies, and law enforcement agencies shall cooperate with the auditor of state's office in gathering the information required under this division.
(G) To the extent permitted by federal law, the department of job and family services, county departments of job and family services, and employees of the departments may report to a public children services agency or other appropriate agency information on known or suspected physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, or negligent treatment or maltreatment, of a child receiving public assistance, if circumstances indicate that the child's health or welfare is threatened.
(H) As used in this section:
(1) "Community control sanction" has the same meaning as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Post-release control sanction" has the same meaning as in section 2967.01 of the Revised Code.
Available Versions of this Section
- September 29, 2011 – House Bill 153 - 129th General Assembly [ View September 29, 2011 Version ]
- December 31, 2017 – Amended by House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly [ View December 31, 2017 Version ]
- October 3, 2023 – Amended by House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly [ View October 3, 2023 Version ]