04/20/2026
This is opposition testimony for Ohio Senate Bill 154 from the Ohio Health Care Association and this group Senior Services that came out of the woodwork after four years Esther's Law has been in effect.
They both cry the same old same old that they do in every state. I believe they go to opposition school to learn how not to protect our most vulnerable loved ones.
This same law is in about 18 other states for the past 25 years and the language is all the same, but they still try to tell you the PRIVACY rights of everyone else is violated and offer nothing to the residents. They don't want you to have a camera that has two way communication, like they don't carry one in their pocket everyday. We are in the year 2026 not 1980 when we had video cameras that had none of these features. Todays cameras are almost unlimited, and technology is still advancing to who knows what.
They don't want you to use the facilities WiFi, they think this would stop families from having a camera in the facility don't provide the WiFi. We do not recommend that you use the facilities WiFi. There are many options to get your own and when you have your own you control it, not the facility. This amendment makes WiFi an option if facilities offer it and you are OK with it, then use it. Just understand the risk of them shutting it off.
As for bandwidth, If you are uploading your videos to a cloud service it takes a lot of bandwidth. We recommend you use an SD card and swap it out with another one every couple of days or so often and download it on your laptop or computer. Today a phone does not replace the need for a computer.
We have a law that must be followed, just like nursing home and Doctors have laws they must follow, and one of them that they must follow is the HIPAA law. We are not responsible for any law that Doctors and long term care facilities must follow. They must make sure that they don't break any laws that pertain to them. The camera law does not apply to HIPAA or privacy rights of anyone but the residents.
These organizations are lying to you and I will again destroy their testimony in hearings.
You must help by asking Senator Stephen Huffman chairman of the Senate Health Committee to testify by email on Ohio Senate Bill 154. Just tell them you fully support SB154, and oppose any changes made by the Health Care Association, Leading Age, Senior Services and all opposing parties. Tell him you fully support Senator Ingram and Steve Piskor, and pass this amendment to Esther's Law.
You must do this now. IT only takes a minute and he will send you the information on how to testify.
Senator Huffman's email:
shuffman@ohiosenate.gov
Sign the petition to make Esther’s Law a Federal Law for all states in every long term care facility.
https://www.change.org/camerasinlongtermcarefacilities
Steve Piskor