December 14, 2020

Governor Mike DeWine Speaker Robert R. Cupp

77 South High Street 77 South High Street
30th Floor 13th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6117 Columbus, OH 43215

Senator Larry Obhof Senator Kenny Yuko

Statehouse Statehouse
1 Capitol Square 1 Capitol Square
2nd Floor 3rd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215 Columbus, OH 43215

Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes

77 South High Street
14th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

RE: Support for Ohio Sentencing Reform Bills

Dear Governor DeWine and Legislative Leaders,

As leaders of faith-based organizations in the great state of Ohio, we are writing to ask you to
take a decisive and bold step in addressing the drug overdose epidemic ravaging our community
by voting for SB3 to reform the state’s outdated and excessive drug sentencing laws. Each of our
faith traditions teaches us to practice kindness, compassion, and forgiveness with each other -
regardless of our circumstances or the color of our skin. We believe that every human being is
created in the image of God and should be treated accordingly. As you consider the current
sentencing reform legislation before you, it’s important to remember those teachings.

Behind every overdose death is a family and an entire community that grieves while hoping for
something better. We have relied on over-incarceration to address substance abuse and drug
addiction for too long, especially in poor and Black and brown communities. This has done
nothing to address the overdose epidemic. It is time that we focus on adequate treatment,
recovery, and community-based safety programs that keep people out of prison while supporting
those returning to society after completing their sentences.
The time has come for all of our communities to join together across our differences and allow
the values of compassion and forgiveness to guide our governing policies. We need to recognize
the pain of countless people suffering from substance abuse. By passing this important
sentencing reform, we can help our fellow Ohioans struggling with drug addiction by:
● Reclassifying some low-level, nonviolent drug possession crimes from felonies to
misdemeanors.
● Ensuring that people struggling with drug addiction receive adequate medical treatment
and support rather than jail time.

Additionally, sentencing reform would expand the use of treatment rather than resort to an
automatic criminal conviction for people struggling with drug or alcohol addiction. It would also
help our fellow Ohioans move on from their past and create a better life for themselves by
sealing old records of non-violent crimes, through the following:
● Requiring the courts to hold a hearing to consider whether they should receive treatment
(and/or assistance) instead of a conviction.
● Requiring courts to find and document a specific reason why drug/alcohol treatment
would not help the person.
● Increasing the likelihood that courts will choose treatment over conviction in each case.

Ohio has an opportunity to let our diverse faith traditions and teachings guide how we treat each
other – with true compassion and love. As you look to your own faith and moral values for
guidance, we hope you will join us in support of Ohio’s efforts to reform our sentencing laws.

Sincerely,

1. Aaron Slovin, Bend the Arc, Jewish Action, Cincinnati

2. Rabbi Abie Ingber, Rabbi-In-Residence, Christ Church Cathedral, Cincinnati
3. Pastor Adam Banks, First Baptist Church of Springfield, Springfield
4. Reverend Adam Sornchai, St. John Lutheran Church, Cardington
5. Pastor Alfred Chris Attaway, Pentecostal Church of Christ, Cleveland
6. Allison Reynolds-Berry, Executive Director, Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center,
Cincinnati
7. Rabbi Allison Vann, Suburban Temple-Kol Ami, Beachwood
8. Reverend Dr. Andrew W. Smith, College Hill Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati
9. Bill Tonnis, Pastoral Associate for Outreach, Our Lady of the Visitation Parish,
Cincinnati
10. Minister Blyth Barnow, Faith in Public Life, Newark
11. Pastor Brian Cash, East Mount Zion Baptist Church, Cleveland
12. Chris Combs, Executive Director, Coalition of Care, Cincinnati
13. Chuck Peckham, Pastor, Compassionate Justice, Cincinnati
14. Pastor Curtis Johnson, New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church, Sandusky
15. Pastor Damon Lynch III, Pastor, New Prospect Baptist Church, Cincinnati
16. Reverend Dan Clark, St. John’s United Church of Christ, Columbus
17. Pastor Darrel Gant, Eagles Nest Church, Sandusky
18. Debra Seltzer, Social Action Chair, Kehilat Sukkat Shalom, Columbus
19. Reverend Deniray Mueller, Legislative Liaison for the Episcopal Diocese of Southern
Ohio, Cincinnati
20. Reverend Doug Slagle, Minister, The Gathering at Northern Hills, A Unitarian
Universalist Community, Cincinnati
21. Rabbi Edward J. Sukol, The Shul, Pepper Pike
22. Reverend Elizabeth Gedert, Zion United Church of Christ, Delaware
23. Reverend Emily Krause Corzine, First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ,
Columbus
24. Pastor Erwin F. Goedicke, NorthChurch, Cincinnati
25. Reverend Evan Regis Bunch, Cleveland
26. Rabbi Gary P. Zola, Ph.D., Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion,
Cincinnati
27. Geneva Blackmer, Program Director, The Interfaith Center at Miami University, Oxford
28. Pastor Gerald Cameron, Celebration United Methodist Church, Euclid
29. Pastor Greg Henneman, United Methodist Church for All People, Columbus
30. Reverend Gregory Kendrick Jr., Cory UMC, Cleveland
31. Pastor Jacqui Buschor, The Church on Oakland Park, Columbus
32. Jaipal Singh, West Chester
33. James R. Newby, Minister and Public Friend, Cincinnati Friends Meeting, Cincinnati
34. Pastor Jennifer Stephens, Cincinnati
35. Reverend Jim Schutte, St. Leo Church, Cincinnati
36. Reverend Joan VanBecelaere, Unitarian Universalist Justice Ohio, Columbus
37. Reverend Joel Miller, Columbus Mennonite Church, Columbus
38. Reverend Dr. John B. Ivey, Pastor Beulah Baptist Church, Cincinnati
39. Rabbi Jonathan Perlman, Cincinnati
40. Pastor Joseph Strong, Providence Missionary Baptist Church, Sandusky
41. Julie Webb, Lead Organizer, Ohio Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism,
(RAC-OH)
42. Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz, Temple Israel, Dayton
43. The Reverend Karl Stevens, Saint Stephen’s, Columbus
44. Reverend Laura J. Young, Westerville
45. Sister Leslie Keener, CDP, God Space, Cincinnati
46. Rabbi Lewis H. Kamrass, Isaac M. Wise Temple, Cincinnati
47. Rabbi Lindsey Danziger, National Director of Organizing, Zioness, Cincinnati
48. Rabbi Matthew Kraus, Cincinnati
 49. Reverend Meg Mathieson, SouthWest Unitarian Universalist Church, North Royalton
50. Rabbi Melinda Mersack, Solon
51. Rabbi Meredith Kahan, Rockdale Temple, Cincinnati
52. Rabbi Miriam Terlinchamp, Temple Sholom, Cincinnati
53. Rabbi Noah S. Ferro, Northern Hills Synagogue, Cincinnati
54. Reverend Raymond Greene Jr, Executive Director, The Freedom BLOC, Akron
55. Rabbi Rick Kellner, Congregation Beth Tikvah, Columbus
56. Robert C. "Chip" Harrod, Executive Director, EquaSion, Cincinnati
57. Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk, Senior Rabbi, Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple, Beachwood
58. Reverend Sally Padgett, Pastor, First English Lutheran Church, Columbus
59. Pastor Sheena Cameron, Mt Pleasant United Methodist Church, Cleveland
60. Shirley Dunham, Preacher of the Gospel, Tryed Stone New Beginning Church,
Cincinnati
61. Rabbi Simon Stratford, Temple Sholom, Cincinnati
62. Reverend Terry Williams, Orchard Hill United Church of Christ, Chillicothe
63. Reverend Dr. Tim Ahrens, First Congregational UCC, Columbus
64. Reverend Valerie Bridgeman, Ph.D., Dean & Vice President of Academic Affairs,
Methodist Theological School in Ohio, Delaware
65. Reverend Dr. Vincent E. Stokes, II, Associate Pastor, New Sardis Primitive Baptist
Church, Cleveland
66. Rabbi Michael Danziger; Isaac M. Wise Temple, Cincinnati
67. Marvin Frank Thomas Sr., Presiding Bishop, Second Episcopal District, CME Church
68. Bakhtavar Desai, President, Zoroastrian Association of KY, OH, & IN
69. Ervad Faredoon Desai, Chief Priest, Zoroastrian Association of KY, OH, & IN
70. Margaret A. Fox, Executive Director, Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition, Cincinnati
71. Pastor Joshua Lawson, Regional Clergy Coordinator with Faith in Public Life,
Portsmouth
72. Pastor Henry Zorn, Cincinnati
73. The Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Cincinnati
74. Rabbi Shena Potter Jaffee, Rabbi in Residence, Rockdale Temple, Cincinnati
75. Brian Cromer, Lead Pastor, Queen City Church, Cincinnati
76. Pastor Daniel Hughes, Cincinnati

NB:​ Thi​s letter​ reflects the views of the individuals who signed, and not necessarily that of their
congregation or organization.