Ohio House Passes HB 249, Sending Indecent Exposure Bill to Senate

The Ohio House has passed House Bill 249, known as the Indecent Exposure Modernization Act, and the measure now heads to the Ohio Senate. The bill was introduced April 29, 2025, by State Reps. Angie King of Celina and Josh Williams, and would amend sections of Ohio law dealing with public indecency, obscene or harmful performances involving minors, and liquor permit regulations.

According to the bill text, one of the main changes would update Ohio’s public indecency law by replacing the term “private parts” with the more specific legal term “private area,” which is already defined elsewhere in state law. The bill also keeps an exception for breastfeeding women when the exposed area is the breast.

HB 249 would also revise Ohio law dealing with performances considered obscene or harmful to juveniles. Supporters say the bill is meant to modernize outdated wording and prevent sexually explicit performances from taking place in settings where minors could be present. The bill’s official title is listed in the legislation as the Indecent Exposure Modernization Act.

Supporters of the legislation, including bill sponsor Josh Williams, have argued the measure is focused on explicit sexual conduct in front of minors and not a blanket ban on adult entertainment. Opponents disagree. In opponent testimony filed with the House Judiciary Committee, the ACLU of Ohio said the bill is overly broad and raises First Amendment concerns, arguing it could be used against drag performances and other forms of protected expression.

The Ohio Legislature’s official bill page shows HB 249 has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee and identifies King and Williams as the primary sponsors. As of Thursday, the bill was being described by sponsors and advocacy groups as having passed the House and moving on to the Senate, although some official legislative tracking pages appeared to lag behind those updates.