Ohio lawmakers are pushing forward a hard-line sentencing bill named for fallen Hamilton County deputy Larry Henderson, one that would take parole completely off the table for anyone convicted of killing a police officer, corrections officer, prosecutor, first responder or member of the military.
House Bill 372, dubbed the Larry Henderson Act, would leave juries and judges with only two options when the victim falls into one of those protected roles: death or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Sponsors say they want to protect first responders, deliver certainty to families and pay tribute to Henderson, who was killed while working a security detail at the University of Cincinnati's spring commencement in 2025.
As written, HB 372 reshapes Ohio's aggravated murder statutes so that an adult convicted of aggravated murder against a peace officer, prosecutor, first responder or military member could no longer receive a sentence that includes the chance of parole. Instead, the allowable penalties in those cases would be limited to death or life without parole, tightening existing sentencing guidelines. The proposal updates sections of the Revised Code that govern aggravated murder and sentencing, according to the bill text and analysis available through the Ohio House.
The measure is sponsored by Republican Reps. Cindy Abrams of Harrison Township and Phil Plummer of Dayton, both former law-enforcement officials who brought that background into their sponsor testimony as the bill moved into committee. Abrams has framed the act as a way to protect first responders and their families, while Plummer has cast it as a deterrent to attacks on officers. Their testimony before the House Judiciary Committee is detailed in a news release from the Ohio House.
Law-enforcement groups and prosecutors have lined up behind the proposal. The Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association lists HB 372 as a measure it supports, and both national and local police organizations have praised lawmakers for seeking tougher penalties. The National Police Association has also publicly endorsed the Larry Henderson Act, signaling broader backing among law-enforcement advocacy groups.
Opponents, including the Ohio Public Defender's office and death-penalty critics, have argued in committee that the bill is too punitive and risks creating a hierarchy of victims. Lori Henderson, the deputy's widow, told lawmakers she "cannot imagine reliving Larry's death" at repeated parole hearings, while critics quoted in coverage said the bill "suggests some lives are more valuable than others." Those competing views were detailed in reporting by The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Henderson, a U.S. Marine veteran and longtime Hamilton County Sheriff's deputy, was killed while working security at the University of Cincinnati's commencement on May 2, 2025. His death drew a large public memorial and fresh calls from some lawmakers for stricter penalties in cases where officers and other first responders are targeted. Coverage of his funeral procession and community response was documented by WLWT. Naming HB 372 for Henderson clearly signals sponsors' intent to tie the legislation directly to his service and killing.
Legal and political stakes
Supporters argue HB 372 offers certainty to victims' families and guarantees that people who kill those tasked with protecting the public face the harshest penalties on the books. Critics counter that the bill would lock unequal values into Ohio's sentencing system and further broaden the use of capital punishment. In practical terms, the proposal would narrow judicial discretion in aggravated murder cases involving the protected categories and channel those prosecutions toward the most severe punishments, a shift that backers describe as necessary and opponents call constitutionally and morally fraught. The high-profile nature of the bill has drawn sustained attention from prosecutors, police unions and criminal-justice advocates, as reflected in coverage by The Cincinnati Enquirer.
As of Wednesday, HB 372 remained in the House Judiciary Committee, where it still faces additional hearings and potential changes before any vote by the full House. If it clears that chamber, the bill would move on to the Senate and then the governor's desk. Lawmakers on both sides have acknowledged the political weight of the proposal, and the committee's next moves will show whether the Larry Henderson Act has the momentum to become law. For sponsors' statements and committee materials, see the related release from the Ohio House.
