How Do I - Update an Ohio Statute?
Updating a Current Ohio Statute
Current Awareness Services for Legislation
Finding the Current Version of an old General Code or Statutes of Ohio citation
Updating a Current Ohio Statute
"Current" Ohio Revised Codes in print are only as current as the latest volume or pocket part. Electronic versions are only as current as the last time the database was updated, although Lexis and Westlaw appear to update their online ORCs quickly.
How can you tell how up to date a pocket part or online code is? Click on the “i” next to the database name in Westlaw or Lexis, or click on “currentness” when you are in a code section. Look at the cover of the pocket part.
Updating for newly passed legislation:
- To see if an Ohio Revised Code Section has been amended, repealed or added since the last update of the Code, you must look at the Session Laws for the current General Assembly.
- You can search the following Session laws electronically for the Ohio Revised Code Section number or for keywords: Ohio Capitol Connection (click on "Search" in the top right hand corner); Lexis -Ohio Advanced Legislative Service; Westlaw -Ohio Legislative Service; LexisNexis Academic (Sources>United States>Region=Ohio>Legislation,Statutes & Codes>Advance Legislative Services)
- You can also try an electronic search in the Legislative Information Search on the Ohio General Assembly's webpage, but note that this database includes bills that did not pass, as well as bills that passed.
- The following print resources contain tables of Ohio Revised Code Sections affected by new session laws, as well as subject indexes: Pages Ohio Revised Code Annotated Bulletin KFO 30 1953 .P3 [Ohio Room 1989; Reference, Reserve ] Baldwin's Ohio Legislative Service Annotated KFO 30 1953 .A4 [Ohio Room, Reference, Reserve].
- In the Ohio Revised Code on Westlaw, Keycite flags indicate whether legislation is pending
Updating for court cases holding a statute unconstitutional:
- Keycite the statute on Westlaw, or shepardize on Lexis. If the keycite or shepards yields a case holding the statute unconstitutional, read the case to determine whether the entire statute, or just a part was held unconstitutional.
Current Awareness Services for Legislation:
- Lexis or Westlaw Alerts in the OH Bill Tracking and Full-Text Bills or OH-BILLS databases, respectively.
Prior General Code or Revised Statutes Section
Say you come across an old case that references an old General Code or Revised Statutes section. How do you find the corresponding section in the current Ohio Revised Code?
General Code to Ohio Revised Code Comparison Table: Baldwin's Ohio Revised Code, Volume labeled "Ohio Constitution, Tables and General Provisions" at page 693. Compares 2003 Ohio Revised Code to the General Code. Prior editions of Baldwin's or Page's may have charts comparing an earlier version of the Ohio Revised Code to the General Code.
Revised Statutes to General Statutes Comparison Table: Editions of the General Code, located in the Ohio Room may have these comparison tables. For example, Anderson's General Code of Ohio, 1910, Pt. 3/4, KFO30 1910.A22 has a comparison table at page 2983.
Links checked, 5/1/2009, SA