After a string of creepy hidden-camera busts in Greater Cincinnati, Ohio lawmakers are moving to crank up the punishment for people who secretly record others. House Bill 345 would raise the stakes for several voyeurism offenses and hit repeat offenders harder, with supporters arguing that the law needs to catch up with the real damage done by covert recordings.
What the bill would change
House Bill 345, sponsored by Rep. Jeff LaRe, would amend Ohio Revised Code section 2907.08 to increase penalties for secretly photographing or recording someone in a place where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy, according to the Ohio Legislature. The measure spells out that it is illegal to film "under or through" another person’s clothing and would bump many current misdemeanor offenses up to felony-level charges while imposing steeper penalties for repeat convictions. The specific changes are detailed in the bill text filed with the House Judiciary Committee.
How local cases pushed the measure
The push in Columbus follows multiple cases in the Cincinnati area where investigators say suspects used cellphones or tiny cameras to secretly record women and teenage girls in stores and dressing rooms. In one incident at the Voice of America shopping center in West Chester, a store employee dialed 911 and reported, "I have a peeping tom in the store right now," according to WLWT. That reporting notes that when police dig into suspects' phones, they sometimes uncover dozens of clandestine recordings.
Serial cases show a pattern
Court records and local coverage point to repeat offenders turning up in suburban courts. In 2023, a West Chester man pleaded guilty after allegedly photographing teens and women inside area stores, including a Target at the Voice of America center, according to FOX19. Prosecutors say cases like that show how easy it has become to build up large caches of illicit images with everyday devices most people carry in their pockets.
Advocates back tougher penalties
Victim-service advocates argue that the legal penalties should better match the emotional fallout. Emily Gemar, director of public policy for the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, told Public News Service that "This crime, like many sex crimes, can cause really deep feelings of violation and powerlessness and the trauma can be long-lasting." Advocates also point out that voyeurism is believed to be widely underreported in Ohio, which they say makes the known cases only part of the picture.
Legal impact if the bill passes
If enacted, HB345 would give prosecutors the option to pursue felony charges that carry longer prison terms and higher fines than the current misdemeanor penalties, according to the bill text. The proposal raises the stakes for repeat violators and specifically targets covert recording in places where people reasonably expect privacy, while expanding the statute to explicitly cover recordings made under a person’s clothing.
What happens next
The bill has been sent to the House Judiciary Committee and has already cleared an initial step there, with lawmakers scheduling a second hearing for Wednesday in Columbus, per reporting from WLWT. That hearing will give prosecutors, advocates and members of the public a chance to weigh in as legislators debate whether to upgrade penalties under R.C. 2907.08.
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