As Introduced 1
122nd General Assembly 4
Regular Session S. B. No. 22 5
1997-1998 6
SENATORS DRAKE-CUPP-LATTA-SUHADOLNIK-McLIN-DiDONATO 8
10
A B I L L
To amend section 5503.01 of the Revised Code to 12
provide that a person who attains the age of 35 13
years while attending a training school for
prospective state highway patrol troopers cannot 14
be disqualified as over age.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO: 15
Section 1. That section 5503.01 of the Revised Code be 17
amended to read as follows: 18
Sec. 5503.01. There is hereby created in the department of 27
public safety a division of state highway patrol which shall be 28
administered by a superintendent of the state highway patrol. 29
The superintendent shall be appointed by the director of 31
public safety, and shall serve at his THE DIRECTOR'S pleasure. 32
The superintendent shall give bond for the faithful performance 34
of his THE SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICIAL duties in such amount and 35
with such security as the director approves. 37
The superintendent, with the approval of the director, may 39
appoint any number of state highway patrol troopers and radio 40
operators as are necessary to carry out sections 5503.01 to 41
5503.06 of the Revised Code, but the number of troopers shall not 42
be less than eight hundred eighty. The number of radio operators 43
shall not exceed eighty in number. At EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THIS 44
SECTION, AT the time of appointment, troopers shall not be NOT 46
less than twenty-one years of age, nor have reached thirty-five 48
years of age, and. A PERSON WHO IS ATTENDING A TRAINING SCHOOL 49
FOR PROSPECTIVE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL TROOPERS ESTABLISHED UNDER 50
2
SECTION 5503.05 OF THE REVISED CODE AND ATTAINS THE AGE OF 52
THIRTY-FIVE YEARS DURING THE PERSON'S PERIOD OF ATTENDANCE AT 53
THAT TRAINING SCHOOL SHALL NOT BE DISQUALIFIED AS OVER AGE AND 54
SHALL BE PERMITTED TO CONTINUE TO ATTEND THE TRAINING SCHOOL AS 56
LONG AS THE PERSON OTHERWISE IS ELIGIBLE TO DO SO. SUCH A PERSON
ALSO REMAINS ELIGIBLE TO BE APPOINTED A TROOPER. ANY OTHER 59
PERSON WHO ATTAINS OR WILL ATTAIN THE AGE OF THIRTY-FIVE YEARS 60
PRIOR TO THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT SHALL BE DISQUALIFIED AS OVER 62
AGE.
AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT, TROOPERS shall have been legal 64
residents of Ohio for at least one year, except that the THIS 65
residence requirement may be waived by the superintendent. No 66
person can be disqualified as over age prior to the time he 67
reaches thirty-five years of age. 68
If any state highway patrol troopers become disabled 70
through accident or illness, the superintendent, with the 71
approval of the director, shall fill any vacancies through the 72
appointment of other troopers from a qualified list to serve 73
during the period of the disability. 74
The superintendent and state highway patrol troopers shall 76
be vested with the authority of peace officers for the purpose of 77
enforcing the laws of the state that it is the duty of the patrol 78
to enforce and may arrest, without warrant, any person who, in 79
the presence of the superintendent or any trooper, is engaged in 80
the violation of any such laws. The state highway patrol 81
troopers shall never be used as peace officers in connection with 82
any strike or labor dispute. 83
Each state highway patrol trooper and radio operator, upon 85
his appointment and before entering upon his OFFICIAL duties, 87
shall take an oath of office for faithful performance of his THE 88
TROOPER'S OR RADIO OPERATOR'S OFFICIAL duties and execute a bond 90
in the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars, payable to the state 91
and for the use and benefit of any aggrieved party who may have a 92
cause of action against any trooper or radio operator for 93
3
misconduct while in the performance of his OFFICIAL duties. In no 95
event shall the bond include any claim arising out of negligent 96
operation of a motorcycle or motor vehicle used by a trooper or 97
radio operator in the performance of his OFFICIAL duties. 98
The superintendent shall prescribe a distinguishing uniform 100
and badge which shall be worn by each state highway patrol 101
trooper and radio operator while on duty, unless otherwise 102
designated by the superintendent. No person shall wear the 103
distinguishing uniform of the state highway patrol or the badge 104
or any distinctive part of that uniform, except on order of the 105
superintendent. 106
The superintendent, with the approval of the director, may 108
appoint necessary clerks, stenographers, and employees. 109
Section 2. That existing section 5503.01 of the Revised 111
Code is hereby repealed. 112