COLUMBUS – Governor John Kasich has signed a bill that allows victims of domestic violence and other crimes to hide their addresses from public records while still conducting business with the state, such as registering to vote.
Kasich on Thursday signed Ohio’s “Safe at Home” law, which allows the home addresses of survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, stalking and other crimes to be shielded from public record and stored in a database in the office of Secretary of State Jon Husted, who was a driving force behind the legislation.
“No Ohioan should ever have to choose between their personal liberties, like exercising their right to vote, or their personal safety,” Husted said in a statement released after the signing. “Thanks to the support of Governor Kasich and our legislative leaders that will no longer be an issue.”
Victims’ advocates say victims of violent crimes frequently do not register to vote for fear that their attacker may be able to locate and harm them, he said.
The law allows victims to establish an address in a database within Husted’s office that means they can conduct business, like registering to vote, without their address becoming part of a public record.
Victims worried about attackers tracking them down apply for a confidential address from Husted’s office, which could be used to register to vote or for any business with a government agency such as a city water department, school or public university. Husted’s office would forward mail to the real address daily.