As Reported by the House Criminal Justice Committee

125th General Assembly
Regular Session
2003-2004
Sub. H. B. No. 369


REPRESENTATIVES Collier, Calvert, Peterson, Cates, Clancy, T. Patton, Setzer, Hughes, Carano, Skindell, Aslanides, Ujvagi, D. Evans, Harwood, Allen, DeWine, Distel, Perry, Schaffer, Beatty, Barrett, Kearns, Latta, Brown



A BILL
To amend sections 323.151, 955.011, 2913.01, 2913.02, 1
2921.321, 4503.064, and 5117.01 of the Revised 2
Code to expand the offense of "harassing a police 3
dog or horse"; to rename "handicapped assistance 4
dogs" as "service dogs"; to enact the offense of 5
"harassing a service dog"; to require an offender 6
who commits any of the assault or harassment 7
offenses related to police dogs or horses or 8
service dogs to pay resulting veterinary, 9
replacement, and training costs; to make theft of 10
a police dog or horse or a service dog a third 11
degree felony; to include seizure assistance, 12
response, and alert dogs as "service dogs" for the 13
assault, harassment, and theft offenses related to 14
service dogs; to exempt seizure assistance, 15
seizure response, or seizure alert dogs from the 16
fee for registration and provide that the 17
registration is permanent; and to replace the 18
phrase "unfit to work" with "unable to work" in 19
various definitions related to persons with a 20
disability.21


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1. That sections 323.151, 955.011, 2913.01, 2913.02, 22
2921.321, 4503.064, and 5117.01 of the Revised Code be amended to 23
read as follows:24

       Sec. 323.151.  As used in sections 323.151 to 323.159 of the25
Revised Code:26

       (A) "Homestead" means either of the following:27

       (1) A dwelling, including a unit in a multiple-unit dwelling28
and a manufactured home or mobile home taxed as real property29
pursuant to division (B) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code,30
owned and occupied as a home by an individual whose domicile is in31
this state and who has not acquired ownership from a person, other32
than the individual's spouse, related by consanguinity or affinity33
for the purpose of qualifying for the real property tax reduction34
provided in section 323.152 of the Revised Code.35

       (2) A unit in a housing cooperative that is occupied as a36
home, but not owned, by an individual whose domicile is in this37
state.38

       The homestead shall include so much of the land surrounding39
it, not exceeding one acre, as is reasonably necessary for the use40
of the dwelling or unit as a home. An owner includes a holder of41
one of the several estates in fee, a vendee in possession under a42
purchase agreement or a land contract, a mortgagor, a life tenant,43
one or more tenants with a right of survivorship, tenants in44
common, and a settlor of a revocable inter vivos trust holding the45
title to a homestead occupied by the settlor as of right under the46
trust. The tax commissioner shall adopt rules for the uniform47
classification and valuation of real property or portions of real48
property as homesteads.49

       (B) "Sixty-five years of age or older" means a person who has 50
attained age sixty-four prior to the first day of January of the 51
year of application for reduction in real estate taxes.52

       (C) "Total income" means the adjusted gross income of the53
owner and the owner's spouse for the year preceding the year in54
which application for a reduction in taxes is made, as determined55
under the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 2656
U.S.C.A. 1, as amended, adjusted as follows:57

       (1) Subtract the amount of disability benefits included in58
adjusted gross income, but not to exceed fifty-two hundred59
dollars;60

       (2) Add old age and survivors benefits received pursuant to61
the "Social Security Act" that are not included in adjusted gross62
income;63

       (3) Add retirement, pension, annuity, or other retirement64
payments or benefits not included in adjusted gross income;65

       (4) Add tier I and tier II railroad retirement benefits66
received pursuant to the "Railroad Retirement Act," 50 Stat. 307,67
45 U.S.C.A. 228;68

       (5) Add interest on federal, state, and local government69
obligations;70

       (6) For a person who received the homestead exemption for a71
prior year on the basis of being permanently and totally disabled72
and whose current application for the exemption is made on the73
basis of age, subtract the following amount:74

       (a) If the person received disability benefits that were not75
included in adjusted gross income in the year preceding the first76
year in which the person applied for the exemption on the basis of77
age, subtract an amount equal to the disability benefits the78
person received in that preceding year, to the extent included in79
total income in the current year and not subtracted under division80
(C)(1) of this section in the current year;81

       (b) If the person received disability benefits that were82
included in adjusted gross income in the year preceding the first83
year in which the person applied for the exemption on the basis of84
age, subtract an amount equal to the amount of disability benefits85
that were subtracted pursuant to division (C)(1) of this section86
in that preceding year, to the extent included in total income in87
the current year and not subtracted under division (C)(1) of this88
section in the current year.89

       Disability benefits that are paid by the department of90
veterans affairs or a branch of the armed forces of the United91
States on account of an injury or disability shall not be included92
in total income.93

       (D) "Old age and survivors benefits received pursuant to the94
'Social Security Act'" or "tier I railroad retirement benefits95
received pursuant to the 'Railroad Retirement Act'" means:96

       (1) For those persons receiving the homestead exemption for97
the first time for tax years 1976 and earlier, old age benefits98
payable under the social security or railroad retirement laws in99
effect on December 31, 1975, except in those cases where a change100
in social security or railroad retirement benefits would result in101
a reduction in income.102

       (2) For those persons receiving the homestead exemption for103
the first time for tax years 1977 and thereafter, old age benefits104
payable under the social security or railroad retirement laws in105
effect on the last day of the calendar year prior to the year for106
which the homestead exemption is first received, or, if no such107
benefits are payable that year, old age benefits payable the first108
succeeding year in which old age benefits under the social109
security or railroad retirement laws are payable, except in those110
cases where a change in social security or railroad retirement111
benefits results in a reduction in income.112

       (3) The lesser of:113

       (a) Survivors benefits payable under the social security or114
railroad retirement laws in effect on the last day of the calendar115
year prior to the year for which the homestead exemption is first116
received, or, if no such benefits are payable that year, survivors117
benefits payable the first succeeding year in which survivors118
benefits are payable; or119

       (b) Old age benefits of the deceased spouse, as determined120
under division (D)(1) or (2) of this section, upon which the121
surviving spouse's survivors benefits are based under the social122
security or railroad retirement laws, except in those cases where123
a change in benefits would cause a reduction in income.124

       Survivors benefits are those described in division (D)(3)(b)125
of this section only if the deceased spouse received old age126
benefits in the year in which the deceased spouse died. If the127
deceased spouse did not receive old age benefits in the year in128
which the deceased spouse died, then survivors benefits are those129
described in division (D)(3)(a) of this section.130

       (E) "Permanently and totally disabled" means a person who131
has, on the first day of January of the year of application for132
reduction in real estate taxes, some impairment in body or mind133
that makes the person unfitunable to work at any substantially134
remunerative employment that the person is reasonably able to135
perform and that will, with reasonable probability, continue for136
an indefinite period of at least twelve months without any present137
indication of recovery therefrom or has been certified as138
permanently and totally disabled by a state or federal agency139
having the function of so classifying persons.140

       (F) "Housing cooperative" means a housing complex of at least 141
two hundred fifty units that is owned and operated by a nonprofit142
corporation that issues a share of the corporation's stock to an143
individual, entitling the individual to live in a unit of the 144
complex, and collects a monthly maintenance fee from the145
individual to maintain, operate, and pay the taxes of the complex.146

       Sec. 955.011.  (A) When an application is made for147
registration of a dog that is in training to become or serves as a 148
guide or leader for a blind person or as a listener for a deaf149
person or, that is in training to provide or provides support or 150
assistance for a mobility impaired person, or that is in training 151
to become or serves as a seizure assistance, seizure response, or 152
seizure alert dog for a person with a seizure disorder, and the 153
owner can show proof by certificate or other means that the dog is 154
in training or has been trained for that purpose by a nonprofit 155
special agency engaged in such work, the owner of such a guide, 156
leader, hearing, or support, seizure assistance, seizure response, 157
or seizure alert dog shall be exempt from any fee for such 158
registration. Registration for such a dog in training or serving 159
as a guide or leader for a blind person, as a listener for a deaf 160
person, or as a support dog for a mobility impaired person, or as 161
a seizure assistance, seizure response, or seizure alert dog for a 162
person with a seizure disorder shall be permanent and not subject 163
to annual renewal so long as the dog is in training or so serves. 164
Certificates and tags stamped "Ohio Handicapped AssistanceService165
Dog-Permanent Registration," with registration number, shall be 166
issued upon registration of such a dog. Any certificate and tag 167
stamped "Ohio Guide Dog-Permanent Registration" or "Ohio Hearing 168
Dog-Permanent Registration," with registration number, that was 169
issued for a dog in accordance with this section as it existed 170
prior to July 4, 1984, and any certificate and tag stamped "Ohio 171
Handicapped Assistance Dog-Permanent Registration," with 172
registration number, that was issued for a dog in accordance with 173
this section as it existed on and after July 5, 1984, and prior to 174
the effective date of this amendment, shall remain in effect as 175
valid proof of the registration of the dog on and after thatthe 176
effective date of this amendment. Duplicate certificates and tags 177
for a dog registered in accordance with this section, upon proper 178
proof of loss, shall be issued and no fee required. Each duplicate 179
certificate and tag that is issued shall be stamped "Ohio 180
Handicapped AssistanceService Dog-Permanent Registration."181

       (B) As used in this section and in sections 955.16 and 955.43 182
of the Revised Code:183

       (1) "Mobility impaired person" means any person, regardless 184
of age, who is subject to a physiological defect or deficiency 185
regardless of its cause, nature, or extent that renders the person 186
unable to move about without the aid of crutches, a wheelchair, or 187
any other form of support, or that limits the person's functional 188
ability to ambulate, climb, descend, sit, rise, or to perform any 189
related function.190

       (2) "Blind" means either of the following:191

       (a) Vision twenty/two hundred or less in the better eye with 192
proper correction.193

       (b) Field defect in the better eye with proper correction194
which contracts the peripheral field so that the diameter of the195
visual field subtends an angle no greater than twenty degrees.196

       Sec. 2913.01.  As used in this chapter, unless the context197
requires that a term be given a different meaning:198

       (A) "Deception" means knowingly deceiving another or causing199
another to be deceived by any false or misleading representation,200
by withholding information, by preventing another from acquiring201
information, or by any other conduct, act, or omission that202
creates, confirms, or perpetuates a false impression in another,203
including a false impression as to law, value, state of mind, or204
other objective or subjective fact.205

       (B) "Defraud" means to knowingly obtain, by deception, some206
benefit for oneself or another, or to knowingly cause, by207
deception, some detriment to another.208

       (C) "Deprive" means to do any of the following:209

       (1) Withhold property of another permanently, or for a period 210
that appropriates a substantial portion of its value or use, or 211
with purpose to restore it only upon payment of a reward or other 212
consideration;213

       (2) Dispose of property so as to make it unlikely that the214
owner will recover it;215

       (3) Accept, use, or appropriate money, property, or services, 216
with purpose not to give proper consideration in return for the 217
money, property, or services, and without reasonable justification 218
or excuse for not giving proper consideration.219

       (D) "Owner" means, unless the context requires a different220
meaning, any person, other than the actor, who is the owner of,221
who has possession or control of, or who has any license or222
interest in property or services, even though the ownership,223
possession, control, license, or interest is unlawful.224

       (E) "Services" include labor, personal services, professional 225
services, public utility services, common carrier services, and 226
food, drink, transportation, entertainment, and cable television 227
services and, for purposes of section 2913.04 of the Revised Code, 228
include cable services as defined in that section.229

       (F) "Writing" means any computer software, document, letter,230
memorandum, note, paper, plate, data, film, or other thing having231
in or upon it any written, typewritten, or printed matter, and any232
token, stamp, seal, credit card, badge, trademark, label, or other233
symbol of value, right, privilege, license, or identification.234

       (G) "Forge" means to fabricate or create, in whole or in part 235
and by any means, any spurious writing, or to make, execute,236
alter, complete, reproduce, or otherwise purport to authenticate237
any writing, when the writing in fact is not authenticated by that238
conduct.239

       (H) "Utter" means to issue, publish, transfer, use, put or240
send into circulation, deliver, or display.241

       (I) "Coin machine" means any mechanical or electronic device242
designed to do both of the following:243

       (1) Receive a coin, bill, or token made for that purpose;244

       (2) In return for the insertion or deposit of a coin, bill,245
or token, automatically dispense property, provide a service, or246
grant a license.247

       (J) "Slug" means an object that, by virtue of its size,248
shape, composition, or other quality, is capable of being inserted249
or deposited in a coin machine as an improper substitute for a250
genuine coin, bill, or token made for that purpose.251

       (K) "Theft offense" means any of the following:252

       (1) A violation of section 2911.01, 2911.02, 2911.11,253
2911.12, 2911.13, 2911.31, 2911.32, 2913.02, 2913.03, 2913.04,254
2913.041, 2913.05, 2913.06, 2913.11, 2913.21, 2913.31, 2913.32,255
2913.33, 2913.34, 2913.40, 2913.42, 2913.43, 2913.44, 2913.45,256
2913.47, former section 2913.47 or 2913.48, or section 2913.51,257
2915.05, or 2921.41 of the Revised Code;258

       (2) A violation of an existing or former municipal ordinance259
or law of this or any other state, or of the United States,260
substantially equivalent to any section listed in division (K)(1)261
of this section or a violation of section 2913.41, 2913.81, or262
2915.06 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to July 1, 1996;263

       (3) An offense under an existing or former municipal264
ordinance or law of this or any other state, or of the United265
States, involving robbery, burglary, breaking and entering, theft,266
embezzlement, wrongful conversion, forgery, counterfeiting,267
deceit, or fraud;268

       (4) A conspiracy or attempt to commit, or complicity in269
committing, any offense under division (K)(1), (2), or (3) of this270
section.271

       (L) "Computer services" includes, but is not limited to, the272
use of a computer system, computer network, computer program, data273
that is prepared for computer use, or data that is contained274
within a computer system or computer network.275

       (M) "Computer" means an electronic device that performs276
logical, arithmetic, and memory functions by the manipulation of277
electronic or magnetic impulses. "Computer" includes, but is not278
limited to, all input, output, processing, storage, computer279
program, or communication facilities that are connected, or280
related, in a computer system or network to an electronic device281
of that nature.282

       (N) "Computer system" means a computer and related devices,283
whether connected or unconnected, including, but not limited to,284
data input, output, and storage devices, data communications285
links, and computer programs and data that make the system capable286
of performing specified special purpose data processing tasks.287

       (O) "Computer network" means a set of related and remotely288
connected computers and communication facilities that includes289
more than one computer system that has the capability to transmit290
among the connected computers and communication facilities through291
the use of computer facilities.292

       (P) "Computer program" means an ordered set of data293
representing coded instructions or statements that, when executed294
by a computer, cause the computer to process data.295

       (Q) "Computer software" means computer programs, procedures,296
and other documentation associated with the operation of a297
computer system.298

       (R) "Data" means a representation of information, knowledge,299
facts, concepts, or instructions that are being or have been300
prepared in a formalized manner and that are intended for use in a301
computer, computer system, or computer network. For purposes of302
section 2913.47 of the Revised Code, "data" has the additional303
meaning set forth in division (A) of that section.304

       (S) "Cable television service" means any services provided by 305
or through the facilities of any cable television system or other 306
similar closed circuit coaxial cable communications system, or any 307
microwave or similar transmission service used in connection with 308
any cable television system or other similar closed circuit 309
coaxial cable communications system.310

       (T) "Gain access" means to approach, instruct, communicate311
with, store data in, retrieve data from, or otherwise make use of312
any resources of a computer, computer system, or computer network,313
or any cable service or cable system both as defined in section314
2913.04 of the Revised Code.315

       (U) "Credit card" includes, but is not limited to, a card,316
code, device, or other means of access to a customer's account for317
the purpose of obtaining money, property, labor, or services on318
credit, or for initiating an electronic fund transfer at a319
point-of-sale terminal, an automated teller machine, or a cash320
dispensing machine. It also includes a county procurement card 321
issued under section 301.29 of the Revised Code.322

       (V) "Electronic fund transfer" has the same meaning as in 92323
Stat. 3728, 15 U.S.C.A. 1693a, as amended.324

       (W) "Rented property" means personal property in which the325
right of possession and use of the property is for a short and326
possibly indeterminate term in return for consideration; the327
rentee generally controls the duration of possession of the328
property, within any applicable minimum or maximum term; and the329
amount of consideration generally is determined by the duration of330
possession of the property.331

       (X) "Telecommunication" means the origination, emission,332
dissemination, transmission, or reception of data, images,333
signals, sounds, or other intelligence or equivalence of334
intelligence of any nature over any communications system by any335
method, including, but not limited to, a fiber optic, electronic,336
magnetic, optical, digital, or analog method.337

       (Y) "Telecommunications device" means any instrument,338
equipment, machine, or other device that facilitates339
telecommunication, including, but not limited to, a computer,340
computer network, computer chip, computer circuit, scanner,341
telephone, cellular telephone, pager, personal communications342
device, transponder, receiver, radio, modem, or device that343
enables the use of a modem.344

       (Z) "Telecommunications service" means the providing,345
allowing, facilitating, or generating of any form of346
telecommunication through the use of a telecommunications device347
over a telecommunications system.348

       (AA) "Counterfeit telecommunications device" means a349
telecommunications device that, alone or with another350
telecommunications device, has been altered, constructed,351
manufactured, or programmed to acquire, intercept, receive, or352
otherwise facilitate the use of a telecommunications service or353
information service without the authority or consent of the354
provider of the telecommunications service or information service.355
"Counterfeit telecommunications device" includes, but is not356
limited to, a clone telephone, clone microchip, tumbler telephone,357
or tumbler microchip; a wireless scanning device capable of358
acquiring, intercepting, receiving, or otherwise facilitating the359
use of telecommunications service or information service without360
immediate detection; or a device, equipment, hardware, or software361
designed for, or capable of, altering or changing the electronic362
serial number in a wireless telephone.363

       (BB)(1) "Information service" means, subject to division364
(BB)(2) of this section, the offering of a capability for365
generating, acquiring, storing, transforming, processing,366
retrieving, utilizing, or making available information via367
telecommunications, including, but not limited to, electronic368
publishing.369

       (2) "Information service" does not include any use of a370
capability of a type described in division (BB)(1) of this section371
for the management, control, or operation of a telecommunications372
system or the management of a telecommunications service.373

       (CC) "Elderly person" means a person who is sixty-five years374
of age or older.375

       (DD) "Disabled adult" means a person who is eighteen years of 376
age or older and has some impairment of body or mind that makes377
the person unfitunable to work at any substantially remunerative378
employment that the person otherwise would be able to perform and379
that will, with reasonable probability, continue for a period of380
at least twelve months without any present indication of recovery381
from the impairment, or who is eighteen years of age or older and382
has been certified as permanently and totally disabled by an383
agency of this state or the United States that has the function of384
so classifying persons.385

       (EE) "Firearm" and "dangerous ordnance" have the same386
meanings as in section 2923.11 of the Revised Code.387

       (FF) "Motor vehicle" has the same meaning as in section388
4501.01 of the Revised Code.389

       (GG) "Dangerous drug" has the same meaning as in section390
4729.01 of the Revised Code.391

       (HH) "Drug abuse offense" has the same meaning as in section392
2925.01 of the Revised Code.393

       (II) "Police dog or horse" and "service dog" have the same 394
meanings as in section 2921.321 of the Revised Code.395

       Sec. 2913.02.  (A) No person, with purpose to deprive the396
owner of property or services, shall knowingly obtain or exert397
control over either the property or services in any of the398
following ways:399

       (1) Without the consent of the owner or person authorized to400
give consent;401

       (2) Beyond the scope of the express or implied consent of the 402
owner or person authorized to give consent;403

       (3) By deception;404

       (4) By threat;405

       (5) By intimidation.406

       (B)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of theft.407

       (2) Except as otherwise provided in this division or division 408
(B)(3), (4), (5), or (6), or (7) of this section, a violation of409
this section is petty theft, a misdemeanor of the first degree. If 410
the value of the property or services stolen is five hundred411
dollars or more and is less than five thousand dollars or if the412
property stolen is any of the property listed in section 2913.71413
of the Revised Code, a violation of this section is theft, a414
felony of the fifth degree. If the value of the property or415
services stolen is five thousand dollars or more and is less than416
one hundred thousand dollars, a violation of this section is grand417
theft, a felony of the fourth degree. If the value of the property 418
or services stolen is one hundred thousand dollars or more and is 419
less than five hundred thousand dollars, a violation of this 420
section is aggravated theft, a felony of the third degree. If the 421
value of the property or services is five hundred thousand dollars 422
or more and is less than one million dollars, a violation of this 423
section is aggravated theft, a felony of the second degree. If the 424
value of the property or services stolen is one million dollars or 425
more, a violation of this section is aggravated theft of one 426
million dollars or more, a felony of the first degree.427

       (3) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(4), (5), or428
(6), or (7) of this section, if the victim of the offense is an 429
elderly person or disabled adult, a violation of this section is 430
theft from an elderly person or disabled adult, and division 431
(B)(3) of this section applies. Except as otherwise provided in 432
this division, theft from an elderly person or disabled adult is a433
felony of the fifth degree. If the value of the property or434
services stolen is five hundred dollars or more and is less than435
five thousand dollars, theft from an elderly person or disabled436
adult is a felony of the fourth degree. If the value of the437
property or services stolen is five thousand dollars or more and438
is less than twenty-five thousand dollars, theft from an elderly439
person or disabled adult is a felony of the third degree. If the440
value of the property or services stolen is twenty-five thousand441
dollars or more and is less than one hundred thousand dollars,442
theft from an elderly person or disabled adult is a felony of the443
second degree. If the value of the property or services stolen is 444
one hundred thousand dollars or more, theft from an elderly person 445
or disabled adult is a felony of the first degree.446

       (4) If the property stolen is a firearm or dangerous447
ordnance, a violation of this section is grand theft, a felony of448
the third degree, and there is a presumption in favor of the court 449
imposing a prison term for the offense. The offender shall serve 450
the prison term consecutively to any other prison term or 451
mandatory prison term previously or subsequently imposed upon the 452
offender.453

       (5) If the property stolen is a motor vehicle, a violation of 454
this section is grand theft of a motor vehicle, a felony of the455
fourth degree.456

       (6) If the property stolen is any dangerous drug, a violation 457
of this section is theft of drugs, a felony of the fourth degree,458
or, if the offender previously has been convicted of a felony drug 459
abuse offense, a felony of the third degree.460

       (7) If the property stolen is a police dog or horse or a 461
service dog, a violation of this section is theft of a police dog 462
or horse or service dog, a felony of the third degree.463

       (8) In addition to the penalties described in division (B)(2) 464
of this section, if the offender committed the violation by465
causing a motor vehicle to leave the premises of an establishment466
at which gasoline is offered for retail sale without the offender467
making full payment for gasoline that was dispensed into the fuel468
tank of the motor vehicle or into another container, the court may 469
do one of the following:470

        (a) Unless division (B)(7)(8)(b) of this section applies,471
suspend for not more than six months the offender's driver's 472
license, probationary driver's license, commercial driver's 473
license, temporary instruction permit, or nonresident operating 474
privilege;475

        (b) If the offender's driver's license, probationary driver's 476
license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction 477
permit, or nonresident operating privilege has previously been 478
suspended pursuant to division (B)(7)(8)(a) of this section, 479
impose a class seven suspension of the offender's license, permit, 480
or privilege from the range specified in division (A)(7) of 481
section 4510.02 of the Revised Code, provided that the suspension 482
shall be for at least six months.483

       (C) The sentencing court that suspends an offender's license,484
permit, or nonresident operating privilege under division 485
(B)(7)(8) of this section may grant the offender limited driving 486
privileges during the period of the suspension in accordance with 487
Chapter 4510. of the Revised Code.488

       Sec. 2921.321.  (A) No person shall knowingly cause, or489
attempt to cause, physical harm to a police dog or horse in either490
of the following circumstances:491

       (1) The police dog or horse is assisting a law enforcement492
officer in the performance of the officer's official duties at the493
time the physical harm is caused or attempted.494

       (2) The police dog or horse is not assisting a law495
enforcement officer in the performance of the officer's official496
duties at the time the physical harm is caused or attempted, but497
the offender has actual knowledge that the dog or horse is a498
police dog or horse.499

       (B) No person shall recklessly do any of the following:500

       (1) Taunt, torment, or strike a police dog or horse;501

       (2) Throw an object or substance at a police dog or horse;502

       (3) Interfere with or obstruct a police dog or horse, or503
interfere with or obstruct a law enforcement officer who is being504
assisted by a police dog or horse, in a manner that does any of 505
the following:506

       (a) Inhibits or restricts the law enforcement officer's507
control of the police dog or horse;508

       (b) Deprives the law enforcement officer of control of the509
police dog or horse;510

       (c) Releases the police dog or horse from its area of511
control;512

       (d) Enters the area of control of the police dog or horse513
without the consent of the law enforcement officer, including514
placing food or any other object or substance into that area;515

       (e) Inhibits or restricts the ability of the police dog or 516
horse to assist a law enforcement officer.517

       (4) Engage in any conduct that is likely to cause serious518
physical injury or death to a police dog or horse;519

       (5) If the person is the owner, keeper, or harborer of a dog, 520
fail to reasonably restrain the dog from taunting, tormenting, 521
chasing, approaching in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of 522
attack, or attempting to bite or otherwise endanger a police dog 523
or horse that at the time of the conduct is assisting a law 524
enforcement officer in the performance of the officer's duties or 525
that the person knows is a police dog or horse.526

       (C) No person shall knowingly cause, or attempt to cause,527
physical harm to a handicapped assistanceservice dog in either of 528
the following circumstances:529

       (1) The handicapped assistanceservice dog is assisting or 530
serving a blind, deaf, or mobility impaired person or person with 531
a seizure disorder at the time the physical harm is caused or 532
attempted.533

       (2) The handicapped assistanceservice dog is not assisting 534
or serving a blind, deaf, or mobility impaired person or person 535
with a seizure disorder at the time the physical harm is caused or 536
attempted, but the offender has actual knowledge that the dog is a 537
handicapped assistanceservice dog.538

       (D) No person shall recklessly do any of the following:539

       (1) Taunt, torment, or strike a service dog;540

       (2) Throw an object or substance at a service dog;541

       (3) Interfere with or obstruct a service dog, or interfere 542
with or obstruct a blind, deaf, or mobility impaired person or 543
person with a seizure disorder who is being assisted or served by 544
a service dog, in a manner that does any of the following:545

       (a) Inhibits or restricts the assisted or served person's 546
control of the service dog;547

       (b) Deprives the assisted or served person of control of the 548
service dog;549

       (c) Releases the service dog from its area of control;550

       (d) Enters the area of control of the service dog without the 551
consent of the assisted or served person, including placing food 552
or any other object or substance into that area;553

       (e) Inhibits or restricts the ability of the service dog to 554
assist the assisted or served person.555

       (4) Engage in any conduct that is likely to cause serious 556
physical injury or death to a service dog;557

       (5) If the person is the owner, keeper, or harborer of a dog, 558
fail to reasonably restrain the dog from taunting, tormenting, 559
chasing, approaching in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of 560
attack, or attempting to bite or otherwise endanger a service dog 561
that at the time of the conduct is assisting or serving a blind, 562
deaf, or mobility impaired person or person with a seizure 563
disorder or that the person knows is a service dog.564

       (E)(1) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is565
guilty of assaulting a police dog or horse. Except as otherwise566
provided in this division, assaulting a police dog or horse is a567
misdemeanor of the second degree. If the violation results in the568
death of the police dog or horse, assaulting a police dog or horse 569
is a felony of the fourththird degree. If the violation results 570
in serious physical harm to the police dog or horse other than its 571
death, assaulting a police dog or horse is a felony of the fifth572
fourth degree. If the violation results in physical harm to the 573
police dog or horse other than death or serious physical harm, 574
assaulting a police dog or horse is a misdemeanor of the first 575
degree.576

       (2) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty577
of harassing a police dog or horse. Except as otherwise provided578
in this division, harassing a police dog or horse is a misdemeanor579
of the second degree. If the violation results in the death of the 580
police dog or horse, harassing a police dog or horse is a felony 581
of the fourththird degree. If the violation results in serious582
physical harm to the police dog or horse but does not result in583
its death, harassing a police dog or horse is a felony of the584
fifthfourth degree. If the violation results in physical harm to 585
the police dog or horse but does not result in its death or in 586
serious physical harm to it, harassing a police dog or horse is a587
misdemeanor of the first degree.588

       (3) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is589
responsible for the payment of all of the following:590

       (a) Any veterinary bills or bills for medication incurred by591
the police department as a result of the violation;592

       (b) Any damaged equipment that result from the violation;593

       (c) The cost of replacing the police dog or horse and of any594
further training of a new police dog or horse by a law enforcement595
officer that is required because of the death of or serious596
physical harm to the police dog or horse that is the subject of597
the violation.598

       (4) Whoever violates division (C) of this section is guilty599
of assaulting a handicapped assistanceservice dog. Except as 600
otherwise provided in this division, assaulting a handicapped 601
assistanceservice dog is a misdemeanor of the second degree. If 602
the violation results in the death of the service dog, assaulting 603
a handicapped assistanceservice dog is a felony of the fourth604
third degree. If the violation results in serious physical harm to 605
the service dog other than its death, assaulting a handicapped 606
assistanceservice dog is a felony of the fifthfourth degree. If607
the violation results in physical harm to the service dog other 608
than death or serious physical harm, assaulting a handicapped 609
assistanceservice dog is a misdemeanor of the first degree.610

       (4) Whoever violates division (D) of this section is guilty 611
of harassing a service dog. Except as otherwise provided in this 612
division, harassing a service dog is a misdemeanor of the second 613
degree. If the violation results in the death of the service dog, 614
harassing a service dog is a felony of the third degree. If the 615
violation results in serious physical harm to the service dog but 616
does not result in its death, harassing a service dog is a felony 617
of the fourth degree. If the violation results in physical harm to 618
the service dog but does not result in its death or in serious 619
physical harm to it, harassing a service dog is a misdemeanor of 620
the first degree.621

       (5) In addition to any other sanction or penalty imposed for 622
the offense under this section, Chapter 2929., or any other 623
provision of the Revised Code, whoever violates division (A), (B), 624
(C), or (D) of this section is responsible for the payment of all 625
of the following:626

       (a) Any veterinary bill or bill for medication incurred as a 627
result of the violation by the police department regarding a 628
violation of division (A) or (B) of this section or by the blind, 629
deaf, or mobility impaired person or person with a seizure 630
disorder assisted or served by the service dog regarding a 631
violation of division (C) or (D) of this section;632

       (b) The cost of any damaged equipment that results from the 633
violation;634

       (c) If the violation did not result in the death of the 635
police dog or horse or the service dog that was the subject of the 636
violation and if, as a result of that dog or horse being the 637
subject of the violation, the dog or horse needs further training 638
or retraining to be able to continue in the capacity of a police 639
dog or horse or a service dog, the cost of any further training or 640
retraining of that dog or horse by a law enforcement officer or by 641
the blind, deaf, or mobility impaired person or person with a 642
seizure disorder assisted or served by the service dog;643

       (d) If the violation resulted in the death of the police dog 644
or horse or the service dog that was the subject of the violation 645
or resulted in serious physical harm to that dog or horse to the 646
extent that the dog or horse needs to be replaced on either a 647
temporary or a permanent basis, the cost of replacing that dog or 648
horse and of any further training of a new police dog or horse or 649
a new service dog by a law enforcement officer or by the blind, 650
deaf, or mobility impaired person or person with a seizure 651
disorder assisted or served by the service dog, which replacement 652
or training is required because of the death of or the serious 653
physical harm to the dog or horse that was the subject of the 654
violation.655

       (E)(F) This section does not apply to a licensed veterinarian656
whose conduct is in accordance with Chapter 4741. of the Revised657
Code.658

       (F)(G) As used in this section:659

       (1) "Physical harm" means any injury, illness, or other660
physiological impairment, regardless of its gravity or duration.661

       (2) "Police dog or horse" means a dog or horse that has been662
trained, and may be used, to assist law enforcement officers in663
the performance of their official duties.664

       (3) "Serious physical harm" means any of the following:665

       (a) Any physical harm that carries a substantial risk of666
death;667

       (b) Any physical harm that causes permanent maiming or that668
involves some temporary, substantial maiming;669

       (c) Any physical harm that causes acute pain of a duration670
that results in substantial suffering.671

       (4) "Handicapped assistanceService dog" means a dog that 672
serves as a guide or leader for a blind person or, serves as a 673
listener for a deaf person or that, provides support or assistance 674
for a mobility impaired person, or serves as a seizure assistance, 675
seizure response, or seizure alert dog for a person with any 676
seizure disorder.677

       (5) "Blind" and "mobility impaired person" have the same678
meanings as in section 955.011 of the Revised Code.679

       Sec. 4503.064.  As used in sections 4503.064 to 4503.069 of680
the Revised Code:681

       (A) "Sixty-five years of age or older" means a person who682
will be age sixty-five or older in the calendar year following the 683
year of application for reduction in the assessable value of the 684
person's manufactured or mobile home.685

       (B) "Total income" means the adjusted gross income of the686
owner and the owner's spouse for the year preceding the year in 687
which application for a reduction in taxes is made, as determined 688
under the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 26 689
U.S.C.A. 1, as amended, adjusted as follows:690

       (1) Subtract the amount of disability benefits included in691
adjusted gross income but not to exceed five thousand two hundred692
dollars;693

       (2) Add old age and survivors benefits received pursuant to 694
the "Social Security Act" that are not included in adjusted gross 695
income;696

       (3) Add retirement, pension, annuity, or other retirement697
payments or benefits not included in adjusted gross income;698

       (4) Add tier I and II railroad retirement benefits received 699
pursuant to the "Railroad Retirement Act," 50 Stat. 307, 45 U.S.C. 700
228;701

       (5) Add interest on federal, state, and local government702
obligations;703

       (6) For a person who received the homestead exemption for a 704
prior year on the basis of being permanently and totally disabled 705
and whose current application for the exemption is made on the 706
basis of age, subtract the following amount:707

       (a) If the person received disability benefits that were not708
included in adjusted gross income in the year preceding the first 709
year in which the person applied for the exemption on the basis of 710
age, subtract an amount equal to the disability benefits the 711
person received in that preceding year, to the extent included in 712
total income in the current year and not subtracted under division713
(B)(1) of this section in the current year;714

       (b) If the person received disability benefits that were 715
included in adjusted gross income in the year preceding the first 716
year in which the person applied for the exemption on the basis of 717
age, subtract an amount equal to the amount of disability benefits 718
that were subtracted pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section 719
in that preceding year, to the extent included in total income in 720
the current year and not subtracted under division (B)(1) of this721
section in the current year.722

       Disability benefits that are paid by the department of 723
veterans affairs or a branch of the armed forces of the United 724
States on account of an injury or disability shall not be included 725
in total income.726

       (C) "Old age and survivors benefits received pursuant to the 727
'Social Security Act'" or "tier I railroad retirement benefits 728
received pursuant to the 'Railroad Retirement Act'" means:729

       (1) The old age benefits payable under the social security or 730
railroad retirement laws in effect on the last day of the calendar 731
year preceding the year in which the applicant's application for 732
reduction is first successfully made, or, if no such benefits are 733
payable that year, old age benefits payable the first succeeding 734
year in which old age benefits under the social security or 735
railroad retirement laws are payable, except in those cases where 736
a change in social security or railroad retirement benefits 737
results in a reduction in income.738

       (2) The lesser of:739

       (a) Survivors benefits payable under the social security or 740
railroad retirement laws in effect on the last day of the calendar 741
year preceding the year in which the applicant's application for 742
reduction is first successfully made, or, if no such benefits are 743
payable that year, survivors benefits payable the first succeeding 744
year in which survivors benefits are payable; or745

       (b) Old age benefits of the deceased spouse, as determined746
under division (C)(1) of this section, upon which the surviving747
spouse's survivors benefits are based under the social security or 748
railroad retirement laws, except in those cases where a change in 749
benefits would cause a reduction in income.750

       Survivors benefits are those described in division (C)(2)(b) 751
of this section only if the deceased spouse received old age 752
benefits in the year in which the deceased died. If the deceased 753
spouse did not receive old age benefits in the year in which the 754
deceased died, then survivors benefits are those described in 755
division (C)(2)(a) of this section.756

       (D) "Permanently and totally disabled" means a person who, on 757
the first day of January of the year of application, including758
late application, for reduction in the assessable value of a759
manufactured or mobile home, has some impairment in body or mind 760
that makes the person unfitunable to work at any substantially 761
remunerative employment which the person is reasonably able to 762
perform and which will, with reasonable probability, continue for 763
an indefinite period of at least twelve months without any present 764
indication of recovery therefrom or has been certified as 765
permanently and totally disabled by a state or federal agency 766
having the function of so classifying persons.767

       (E) "Homestead exemption" means the reduction in taxes768
allowed under division (A) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code769
for the year in which an application is filed under section770
4503.066 of the Revised Code.771

       (F) "Manufactured home" has the meaning given in division772
(C)(4) of section 3781.06 of the Revised Code, and includes a773
structure consisting of two manufactured homes that were purchased 774
either together or separately and are combined to form a single 775
dwelling, but does not include a manufactured home that is taxed 776
as real property pursuant to division (B) of section 4503.06 of 777
the Revised Code.778

       (G) "Mobile home" has the meaning given in division (O) of 779
section 4501.01 of the Revised Code and includes a structure780
consisting of two mobile homes that were purchased together or781
separately and combined to form a single dwelling, but does not 782
include a mobile home that is taxed as real property pursuant to 783
division (B) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code.784

       (H) "Late application" means an application filed with an785
original application under division (A)(3) of section 4503.066 of786
the Revised Code.787

       Sec. 5117.01.  As used in sections 5117.01 to 5117.12 of the 788
Revised Code:789

       (A) "Credit" means the credit on utility heating bills790
granted under division (A) of section 5117.09 of the Revised Code.791

       (B) "Current monthly bill" means the amount charged for792
energy consumed in the most recent monthly billing period and does 793
not include any past due balance.794

       (C) "Current total income" means the adjusted gross income of 795
the head of household and the person's spouse for the six-month 796
period beginning the first day of January and ending the thirtieth 797
day of June of the year in which an application is made, as798
determined under the "Internal Revenue Code of 1954," 68A Stat. 3, 799
26 U.S.C. 1, as amended, adjusted as follows:800

       (1) Subtract the amount of disability benefits included in 801
adjusted gross income but not to exceed twenty-six hundred 802
dollars;803

       (2) Add old age and survivors benefits received pursuant to 804
the "Social Security Act" that are not included in federal 805
adjusted gross income;806

       (3) Add retirement, pension, annuity, or other retirement 807
payments or benefits not included in federal adjusted gross 808
income;809

       (4) Add payments received pursuant to the "Railroad 810
Retirement Act," 50 Stat. 307, 45 U.S.C. 228;811

       (5) Add interest on federal, state, and local government812
obligations;813

       (6) For an applicant who received a credit or payment for the814
preceding heating season on the basis of being permanently and 815
totally disabled and whose application renewal form for the 816
upcoming heating season is made on the basis of attaining 817
sixty-five years of age or older, subtract the following amount:818

       (a) If the applicant received disability benefits that were 819
not included in federal adjusted gross income in the year 820
preceding a year in which the applicant applies for the credit or 821
payment on the basis of attaining sixty-five years of age or822
older, subtract an amount equal to the disability benefits the 823
applicant received in that preceding year, to the extent included 824
in current total income, as defined in this section, and not 825
subtracted under division (C)(1) of this section in the current 826
year;827

       (b) If the applicant received disability benefits that were828
included in federal adjusted gross income in the year preceding a 829
year in which the applicant applies for the credit or payment on 830
the basis of attaining sixty-five years of age or older, subtract 831
an amount equal to the amount of disability benefits that were832
subtracted pursuant to division (C)(1) of this section in that833
preceding year, to the extent included in current total income, as 834
defined in this section, and not subtracted under division (C)(1) 835
of this section in the current year.836

       Disability benefits paid by the department of veterans' 837
affairs or a branch of the armed forces of the United States on 838
account of an injury or disability are not included in current 839
total income.840

       (D) "Energy company" means every retail propane dealer that 841
distributes propane by pipeline, and every electric light, rural 842
electric, gas, or natural gas company.843

       (E) "Energy dealer" means every retail dealer of fuel oil,844
propane, coal, wood, and kerosene.845

       (F) "Head of household" means a person who occupies a846
household as the person's homestead and who is financially847
responsible for its other occupants, if any, or the spouse of such 848
a person if both occupy the same household. No person is a head of 849
household if the person occupies a household for the taxable year 850
prior to the year in which an application is filed and was claimed 851
as a dependent on the federal income tax return of another 852
occupant of the same household and was not the taxpayer's spouse 853
or if the person could have been claimed if such a return had been 854
filed for such year and was not the other occupant's spouse.855

       (G) "Household" means any dwelling unit, including a unit in 856
a multiple unit dwelling, a manufactured home, or a mobile home,857
to which utility heating services or energy commodities are 858
provided.859

       (H) "Payment" means the one hundred twenty-five-dollar860
payment provided under division (A) of section 5117.10 of the861
Revised Code.862

       (I) "Permanently and totally disabled" refers to a person who 863
has, on the first day of July of the year an application is made, 864
some impairment in body or mind that makes the person unfitunable865
to work at any substantially remunerative employment that the866
person would otherwise be reasonably able to perform and that 867
will, with reasonable probability, continue for an indefinite 868
period of at least twelve months without any present indication of 869
recovery therefrom, or who has been certified as permanently and 870
totally disabled by a state or federal agency having the function 871
of so classifying persons.872

       (J) "Sixty-five years of age or older" refers to a person who 873
has attained age sixty-four prior to the first day of January of 874
the year an application is made.875

       (K) "Total income" means the adjusted gross income of the876
head of household and the person's spouse for the year preceding 877
the year in which an application is made, as determined under the878
"Internal Revenue Code of 1954," 68A Stat. 3, 26 U.S.C. 1, as879
amended, adjusted as follows:880

       (1) Subtract the amount of disability benefits included in881
adjusted gross income but not to exceed fifty-two hundred dollars;882

       (2) Add old age and survivors benefits received pursuant to883
the "Social Security Act" that are not included in federal 884
adjusted gross income;885

       (3) Add retirement, pension, annuity, or other retirement 886
payments or benefits not included in federal adjusted gross 887
income;888

       (4) Add payments received pursuant to the "Railroad889
Retirement Act," 50 Stat. 307, 45 U.S.C. 228;890

       (5) Add interest on federal, state, and local government 891
obligations;892

       (6) For an applicant who received a credit or payment for the893
preceding heating season on the basis of being permanently and 894
totally disabled and whose application renewal form for the 895
upcoming heating season is made on the basis of attaining 896
sixty-five years of age or older, subtract the following amount:897

       (a) If the applicant received disability benefits that were 898
not included in federal adjusted gross income in the year 899
preceding a year in which the applicant applies for the credit or 900
payment on the basis of attaining sixty-five years of age or 901
older, subtract an amount equal to the disability benefits the 902
applicant received in that preceding year, to the extent included 903
in total income, as defined in this section, and not subtracted 904
under division (K)(1) of this section in the current year;905

       (b) If the applicant received disability benefits that were906
included in federal adjusted gross income in the year preceding a907
year in which the applicant applies for the credit or payment on908
the basis of attaining sixty-five years of age or older, subtract909
an amount equal to the amount of disability benefits that were910
subtracted pursuant to division (K)(1) of this section in that911
preceding year, to the extent included in total income, as defined 912
in this section, and not subtracted under division (K)(1) of this 913
section in the current year.914

       Disability benefits paid by the department of veterans'915
affairs or a branch of the armed forces of the United States on 916
account of an injury or disability shall not be included in total 917
income.918

       (L) "Purchased power costs" means charges for the costs of 919
power purchased by an electric light company under Chapters 4905.920
and 4909. of the Revised Code and includes charges resulting from921
the exchange of electric power.922

       Section 2. That existing sections 323.151, 955.011, 2913.01, 923
2913.02, 2921.321, 4503.064, and 5117.01 of the Revised Code are 924
hereby repealed.925

       Section 3.  Section 2913.02 of the Revised Code is presented 926
in this act as a composite of the section as amended by Am. Sub. 927
H.B. 7, Am. Sub. H.B. 12, and Sub. H.B. 179, all of the 125th 928
General Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the principle 929
stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that 930
amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of931
simultaneous operation, finds that the composite is the resulting932
version of the section in effect prior to the effective date of933
the section as presented in this act.934