Governor Kasich signs "Sierah's Law"

After a delay that was expected to push the official signing until 2019, Ohio Governor John Kasich has signed off on "Sierah's Law."

That's according to State Senator Randy Gardner (R) of Bowling Green.

The law is designed to create a violent offender registry to help track formerly convicted criminals who are repeat violent offenders. It's meant to help law enforcement quickly track down suspects.

"Our misfortune is hopefully going to give something positive out of this," Sheila Vaculik, Sierah's mom said.

Sierah's Law is named after Sierah Joughin, the 20-year-old University of Toledo student who was abducted and killed near her home in Fulton County during the Summer of 2016.

"She was very vibrant, very enthusiastic about life," Vaculik added.

The bill easily passed the Ohio House and Senate and was signed into law sooner than expected.

"It could be a great help," Lucas County Sheriff John Tharp said. "It could be an investigative tool for officers."

Tharp says plans on how it will be set up and how deputies will monitor people on that list are still being worked out. But he says he's hopeful.

"It's a work in progress and the right thing will be done. I think it can help the community to know more about the community," Tharp said.

It's a small step toward improving safety and for Sierah's family, who miss her everyday, it's a huge victory.

"In the next even where a family is put in our situation, I'm really hoping that law enforcement is able to use this database," Vaculik said. "Sierah's definitely got the last word."

The law will take affect in 90 days. Offender information will not be available online, it will however, be accessible at the sheriff's office.