COLUMBUS, Ohio — A bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers is urging the state to strengthen its response to domestic and sexual violence, recommending consistent police assessments of survivor risk, expanded access to forensic nurses and changes to deadlines for reporting abuse and assault. The Safer Communities Legislative Working Group released its final report last week after more than a year of work. Its recommendations are intended to guide the next governor and General Assembly, and state Sen. Louis Blessing III, a Republican from Colerain Township, said legislation could be introduced before the end of 2026. The group reported that 2025 was Ohio’s deadliest year in at least a decade for intimate partner violence: 157 people died, including 95 victims and 62 perpetrators. Domestic violence affects an estimated 189,000 Ohioans annually and carries a cumulative yearly cost of more than $1 billion, according to the figures cited by the group. Rep. Rachel Baker, a Cincinnati Democrat and one of the working group’s legislative leaders, said constituents are increasingly raising the issue. She said Ohioans will expect lawmakers to respond. Among the recommendations is a standardized approach for law enforcement to identify survivors at heightened risk of future lethal violence. Maria York of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network said training differs widely among departments and communities, and called for ongoing training and funding so officers can use consistent assessment tools. The report also calls for expanding the number of trauma-informed forensic nurses and improving access to care for sexual-assault survivors regardless of where they live. Dr. Michele Reali, forensic nurse manager for the Cleveland Clinic, urged state funding for forensic-nursing certification, training and continuing education, citing a severe statewide shortage. The group recommends specialized training to recognize strangulation, which advocates identify as a predictor of future lethal violence. Danielle McCarment of the Ohio Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers also called for prevention education for students each year and strangulation-specific training at higher education institutions. On reporting deadlines, Blessing said he wants Ohio to eliminate the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse. He said 44 states have no such limit, while Ohio is among six that do. The working group also urged the Ohio House to take up Senate Bill 421, which has passed the Senate and would extend the civil statute of limitations for reporting sexual assault from one year to five. Emily Gemar of the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Assault said the state should consider removing criminal and civil time limits for sex offenses altogether, arguing survivors should not lose access to legal recourse because disclosure takes time. The proposals are recommendations, not changes in law. Their path forward will depend on whether lawmakers introduce and pass legislation in the months ahead.