As Reported by the Senate Criminal Justice Committee

130th General Assembly
Regular Session
2013-2014
Sub. H. B. No. 74


Representative Anielski 

Cosponsors: Representatives Hackett, Ruhl, Fedor, Driehaus, Sprague, Gonzales, Buchy, Antonio, Grossman, Pillich, Butler, Baker, Barborak, Barnes, Beck, Blair, Blessing, Boose, Brown, Burkley, Cera, Clyde, Conditt, Green, Hagan, C., Hall, Hill, Landis, McClain, McGregor, Milkovich, Patmon, Perales, Rogers, Sheehy, Smith, Terhar Speaker Batchelder 



A BILL
To amend sections 2903.13, 2903.211, 2913.02, and 1
2917.21 of the Revised Code to expand the offenses 2
of menacing by stalking and telecommunications 3
harassment, to prohibit a person from knowingly 4
causing another person to believe that the 5
offender will cause physical harm or mental 6
distress to a family or household member of the 7
other person, to increase the penalty for assault 8
when the victim is a volunteer firefighter, and to 9
correct a cross reference in the theft statute to 10
special purchase articles.11


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

       Section 1. That sections 2903.13, 2903.211, 2913.02, and 12
2917.21 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:13

       Sec. 2903.13.  (A) No person shall knowingly cause or attempt 14
to cause physical harm to another or to another's unborn.15

       (B) No person shall recklessly cause serious physical harm to 16
another or to another's unborn.17

       (C)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of assault, 18
and the court shall sentence the offender as provided in this 19
division and divisions (C)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), 20
(9), and (10) of this section. Except as otherwise provided in 21
division (C)(2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), or (9) of this 22
section, assault is a misdemeanor of the first degree.23

       (2) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the 24
offense is committed by a caretaker against a functionally 25
impaired person under the caretaker's care, assault is a felony of 26
the fourth degree. If the offense is committed by a caretaker 27
against a functionally impaired person under the caretaker's care, 28
if the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty 29
to a violation of this section or section 2903.11 or 2903.16 of 30
the Revised Code, and if in relation to the previous conviction 31
the offender was a caretaker and the victim was a functionally 32
impaired person under the offender's care, assault is a felony of 33
the third degree.34

       (3) If the offense occurs in or on the grounds of a state 35
correctional institution or an institution of the department of 36
youth services, the victim of the offense is an employee of the 37
department of rehabilitation and correction or the department of 38
youth services, and the offense is committed by a person 39
incarcerated in the state correctional institution or by a person 40
institutionalized in the department of youth services institution 41
pursuant to a commitment to the department of youth services, 42
assault is a felony of the third degree.43

       (4) If the offense is committed in any of the following 44
circumstances, assault is a felony of the fifth degree:45

       (a) The offense occurs in or on the grounds of a local 46
correctional facility, the victim of the offense is an employee of 47
the local correctional facility or a probation department or is on 48
the premises of the facility for business purposes or as a 49
visitor, and the offense is committed by a person who is under 50
custody in the facility subsequent to the person's arrest for any 51
crime or delinquent act, subsequent to the person's being charged 52
with or convicted of any crime, or subsequent to the person's 53
being alleged to be or adjudicated a delinquent child.54

       (b) The offense occurs off the grounds of a state 55
correctional institution and off the grounds of an institution of 56
the department of youth services, the victim of the offense is an 57
employee of the department of rehabilitation and correction, the 58
department of youth services, or a probation department, the 59
offense occurs during the employee's official work hours and while 60
the employee is engaged in official work responsibilities, and the 61
offense is committed by a person incarcerated in a state 62
correctional institution or institutionalized in the department of 63
youth services who temporarily is outside of the institution for 64
any purpose, by a parolee, by an offender under transitional 65
control, under a community control sanction, or on an escorted 66
visit, by a person under post-release control, or by an offender 67
under any other type of supervision by a government agency.68

       (c) The offense occurs off the grounds of a local 69
correctional facility, the victim of the offense is an employee of 70
the local correctional facility or a probation department, the 71
offense occurs during the employee's official work hours and while 72
the employee is engaged in official work responsibilities, and the 73
offense is committed by a person who is under custody in the 74
facility subsequent to the person's arrest for any crime or 75
delinquent act, subsequent to the person being charged with or 76
convicted of any crime, or subsequent to the person being alleged 77
to be or adjudicated a delinquent child and who temporarily is 78
outside of the facility for any purpose or by a parolee, by an 79
offender under transitional control, under a community control 80
sanction, or on an escorted visit, by a person under post-release 81
control, or by an offender under any other type of supervision by 82
a government agency.83

       (d) The victim of the offense is a school teacher or 84
administrator or a school bus operator, and the offense occurs in 85
a school, on school premises, in a school building, on a school 86
bus, or while the victim is outside of school premises or a school 87
bus and is engaged in duties or official responsibilities 88
associated with the victim's employment or position as a school 89
teacher or administrator or a school bus operator, including, but 90
not limited to, driving, accompanying, or chaperoning students at 91
or on class or field trips, athletic events, or other school 92
extracurricular activities or functions outside of school 93
premises.94

       (5)(a) If the victim of the offense is a peace officer or an 95
investigator of the bureau of criminal identification and 96
investigation, a firefighter, or a person performing emergency 97
medical service, while in the performance of their official 98
duties, assault is a felony of the fourth degree.99

       (b) If the victim of the offense is a volunteer firefighter 100
who the offender knew or should have known was either a 101
firefighter or a volunteer firefighter while in the performance of 102
their official duties, assault is a felony of the fourth degree.103

       (6) If the victim of the offense is a peace officer or an 104
investigator of the bureau of criminal identification and 105
investigation and if the victim suffered serious physical harm as 106
a result of the commission of the offense, assault is a felony of 107
the fourth degree, and the court, pursuant to division (F) of 108
section 2929.13 of the Revised Code, shall impose as a mandatory 109
prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the 110
fourth degree that is at least twelve months in duration.111

       (7) If the victim of the offense is an officer or employee of 112
a public children services agency or a private child placing 113
agency and the offense relates to the officer's or employee's 114
performance or anticipated performance of official 115
responsibilities or duties, assault is either a felony of the 116
fifth degree or, if the offender previously has been convicted of 117
or pleaded guilty to an offense of violence, the victim of that 118
prior offense was an officer or employee of a public children 119
services agency or private child placing agency, and that prior 120
offense related to the officer's or employee's performance or 121
anticipated performance of official responsibilities or duties, a 122
felony of the fourth degree. 123

       (8) If the victim of the offense is a health care 124
professional of a hospital, a health care worker of a hospital, or 125
a security officer of a hospital whom the offender knows or has 126
reasonable cause to know is a health care professional of a 127
hospital, a health care worker of a hospital, or a security 128
officer of a hospital, if the victim is engaged in the performance 129
of the victim's duties, and if the hospital offers de-escalation 130
or crisis intervention training for such professionals, workers, 131
or officers, assault is one of the following:132

        (a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(8)(b) of 133
this section, assault committed in the specified circumstances is 134
a misdemeanor of the first degree. Notwithstanding the fine 135
specified in division (A)(2)(b) of section 2929.28 of the Revised 136
Code for a misdemeanor of the first degree, in sentencing the 137
offender under this division and if the court decides to impose a 138
fine, the court may impose upon the offender a fine of not more 139
than five thousand dollars.140

        (b) If the offender previously has been convicted of or 141
pleaded guilty to one or more assault or homicide offenses 142
committed against hospital personnel, assault committed in the 143
specified circumstances is a felony of the fifth degree.144

       (9) If the victim of the offense is a judge, magistrate, 145
prosecutor, or court official or employee whom the offender knows 146
or has reasonable cause to know is a judge, magistrate, 147
prosecutor, or court official or employee, and if the victim is 148
engaged in the performance of the victim's duties, assault is one 149
of the following:150

        (a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(8)(b) of 151
this section, assault committed in the specified circumstances is 152
a misdemeanor of the first degree. In sentencing the offender 153
under this division, if the court decides to impose a fine, 154
notwithstanding the fine specified in division (A)(2)(b) of 155
section 2929.28 of the Revised Code for a misdemeanor of the first 156
degree, the court may impose upon the offender a fine of not more 157
than five thousand dollars.158

        (b) If the offender previously has been convicted of or 159
pleaded guilty to one or more assault or homicide offenses 160
committed against justice system personnel, assault committed in 161
the specified circumstances is a felony of the fifth degree.162

       (10) If an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to 163
assault when it is a misdemeanor also is convicted of or pleads 164
guilty to a specification as described in section 2941.1423 of the 165
Revised Code that was included in the indictment, count in the 166
indictment, or information charging the offense, the court shall 167
sentence the offender to a mandatory jail term as provided in 168
division (G) of section 2929.24 of the Revised Code.169

       If an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to 170
assault when it is a felony also is convicted of or pleads guilty 171
to a specification as described in section 2941.1423 of the 172
Revised Code that was included in the indictment, count in the 173
indictment, or information charging the offense, except as 174
otherwise provided in division (C)(6) of this section, the court 175
shall sentence the offender to a mandatory prison term as provided 176
in division (B)(8) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code.177

       (D) As used in this section:178

       (1) "Peace officer" has the same meaning as in section 179
2935.01 of the Revised Code.180

       (2) "Firefighter" has the same meaning as in section 3937.41 181
of the Revised Code.182

       (3) "Emergency medical service" has the same meaning as in 183
section 4765.01 of the Revised Code.184

       (4) "Local correctional facility" means a county, 185
multicounty, municipal, municipal-county, or multicounty-municipal 186
jail or workhouse, a minimum security jail established under 187
section 341.23 or 753.21 of the Revised Code, or another county, 188
multicounty, municipal, municipal-county, or multicounty-municipal 189
facility used for the custody of persons arrested for any crime or 190
delinquent act, persons charged with or convicted of any crime, or 191
persons alleged to be or adjudicated a delinquent child.192

       (5) "Employee of a local correctional facility" means a 193
person who is an employee of the political subdivision or of one 194
or more of the affiliated political subdivisions that operates the 195
local correctional facility and who operates or assists in the 196
operation of the facility.197

       (6) "School teacher or administrator" means either of the 198
following:199

       (a) A person who is employed in the public schools of the 200
state under a contract described in section 3311.77 or 3319.08 of 201
the Revised Code in a position in which the person is required to 202
have a certificate issued pursuant to sections 3319.22 to 3319.311 203
of the Revised Code.204

       (b) A person who is employed by a nonpublic school for which 205
the state board of education prescribes minimum standards under 206
section 3301.07 of the Revised Code and who is certificated in 207
accordance with section 3301.071 of the Revised Code.208

       (7) "Community control sanction" has the same meaning as in 209
section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.210

       (8) "Escorted visit" means an escorted visit granted under 211
section 2967.27 of the Revised Code.212

       (9) "Post-release control" and "transitional control" have 213
the same meanings as in section 2967.01 of the Revised Code.214

       (10) "Investigator of the bureau of criminal identification 215
and investigation" has the same meaning as in section 2903.11 of 216
the Revised Code.217

       (11) "Health care professional" and "health care worker" have 218
the same meanings as in section 2305.234 of the Revised Code.219

       (12) "Assault or homicide offense committed against hospital 220
personnel" means a violation of this section or of section 221
2903.01, 2903.02, 2903.03, 2903.04, 2903.041, 2903.11, 2903.12, or 222
2903.14 of the Revised Code committed in circumstances in which 223
all of the following apply:224

        (a) The victim of the offense was a health care professional 225
of a hospital, a health care worker of a hospital, or a security 226
officer of a hospital.227

        (b) The offender knew or had reasonable cause to know that 228
the victim was a health care professional of a hospital, a health 229
care worker of a hospital, or a security officer of a hospital.230

        (c) The victim was engaged in the performance of the victim's 231
duties.232

        (d) The hospital offered de-escalation or crisis intervention 233
training for such professionals, workers, or officers.234

        (13) "De-escalation or crisis intervention training" means 235
de-escalation or crisis intervention training for health care 236
professionals of a hospital, health care workers of a hospital, 237
and security officers of a hospital to facilitate interaction with 238
patients, members of a patient's family, and visitors, including 239
those with mental impairments. 240

       (14) "Assault or homicide offense committed against justice 241
system personnel" means a violation of this section or of section 242
2903.01, 2903.02, 2903.03, 2903.04, 2903.041, 2903.11, 2903.12, or 243
2903.14 of the Revised Code committed in circumstances in which 244
the victim of the offense was a judge, magistrate, prosecutor, or 245
court official or employee whom the offender knew or had 246
reasonable cause to know was a judge, magistrate, prosecutor, or 247
court official or employee, and the victim was engaged in the 248
performance of the victim's duties.249

        (15) "Court official or employee" means any official or 250
employee of a court created under the constitution or statutes of 251
this state or of a United States court located in this state.252

        (16) "Judge" means a judge of a court created under the 253
constitution or statutes of this state or of a United States court 254
located in this state.255

        (17) "Magistrate" means an individual who is appointed by a 256
court of record of this state and who has the powers and may 257
perform the functions specified in Civil Rule 53, Criminal Rule 258
19, or Juvenile Rule 40, or an individual who is appointed by a 259
United States court located in this state who has similar powers 260
and functions.261

        (18) "Prosecutor" has the same meaning as in section 2935.01 262
of the Revised Code. 263

       (19)(a) "Hospital" means, subject to division (D)(19)(b) of 264
this section, an institution classified as a hospital under 265
section 3701.01 of the Revised Code in which are provided to 266
patients diagnostic, medical, surgical, obstetrical, psychiatric, 267
or rehabilitation care or a hospital operated by a health 268
maintenance organization.269

        (b) "Hospital" does not include any of the following:270

        (i) A facility licensed under Chapter 3721. of the Revised 271
Code, a health care facility operated by the department of mental 272
health or the department of developmental disabilities, a health 273
maintenance organization that does not operate a hospital, or the 274
office of any private, licensed health care professional, whether 275
organized for individual or group practice;276

        (ii) An institution for the sick that is operated exclusively 277
for patients who use spiritual means for healing and for whom the 278
acceptance of medical care is inconsistent with their religious 279
beliefs, accredited by a national accrediting organization, exempt 280
from federal income taxation under section 501 of the "Internal 281
Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C. 1, as amended, 282
and providing twenty-four-hour nursing care pursuant to the 283
exemption in division (E) of section 4723.32 of the Revised Code 284
from the licensing requirements of Chapter 4723. of the Revised 285
Code.286

        (20) "Health maintenance organization" has the same meaning 287
as in section 3727.01 of the Revised Code. 288

       (21) "Volunteer firefighter" has the same meaning as in 289
section 146.01 of the Revised Code.290

       Sec. 2903.211.  (A)(1) No person by engaging in a pattern of 291
conduct shall knowingly cause another person to believe that the 292
offender will cause physical harm to the other person or a family 293
or household member of the other person or cause mental distress 294
to the other person or a family or household member of the other 295
person. In addition to any other basis for the other person's 296
belief that the offender will cause physical harm to the other 297
person or the other person's mental distress, the other person's 298
belief or mental distress may be based on words or conduct of the 299
offender that are directed at or identify a corporation, 300
association, or other organization that employs the other person 301
or to which the other person belongs.302

        (2) No person, through the use of any form of written 303
communication or any electronic method of remotely transferring 304
information, including, but not limited to, any computer, computer 305
network, computer program, or computer system or 306
telecommunications device, shall post a message or use any 307
intentionally written or verbal graphic gesture with purpose to 308
urgedo either of the following:309

       (a) Violate division (A)(1) of this section;310

       (b) Urge or incite another to commit a violation of division 311
(A)(1) of this section.312

       (3) No person, with a sexual motivation, shall violate 313
division (A)(1) or (2) of this section.314

       (B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of menacing by 315
stalking.316

       (1) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (B)(2) and (3) 317
of this section, menacing by stalking is a misdemeanor of the 318
first degree.319

       (2) Menacing by stalking is a felony of the fourth degree if 320
any of the following applies:321

       (a) The offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded 322
guilty to a violation of this section or a violation of section 323
2911.211 of the Revised Code.324

       (b) In committing the offense under division (A)(1), (2), or 325
(3) of this section, the offender made a threat of physical harm 326
to or against the victim, or as a result of an offense committed 327
under division (A)(2) or (3) of this section, a third person 328
induced by the offender's posted message made a threat of physical 329
harm to or against the victim.330

       (c) In committing the offense under division (A)(1), (2), or 331
(3) of this section, the offender trespassed on the land or 332
premises where the victim lives, is employed, or attends school, 333
or as a result of an offense committed under division (A)(2) or 334
(3) of this section, a third person induced by the offender's 335
posted message trespassed on the land or premises where the victim 336
lives, is employed, or attends school.337

       (d) The victim of the offense is a minor.338

       (e) The offender has a history of violence toward the victim 339
or any other person or a history of other violent acts toward the 340
victim or any other person.341

       (f) While committing the offense under division (A)(1) of 342
this section or a violation of division (A)(3) of this section 343
based on conduct in violation of division (A)(1) of this section, 344
the offender had a deadly weapon on or about the offender's person 345
or under the offender's control. Division (B)(2)(f) of this 346
section does not apply in determining the penalty for a violation 347
of division (A)(2) of this section or a violation of division 348
(A)(3) of this section based on conduct in violation of division 349
(A)(2) of this section.350

       (g) At the time of the commission of the offense, the 351
offender was the subject of a protection order issued under 352
section 2903.213 or 2903.214 of the Revised Code, regardless of 353
whether the person to be protected under the order is the victim 354
of the offense or another person.355

       (h) In committing the offense under division (A)(1), (2), or 356
(3) of this section, the offender caused serious physical harm to 357
the premises at which the victim resides, to the real property on 358
which that premises is located, or to any personal property 359
located on that premises, or, as a result of an offense committed 360
under division (A)(2) of this section or an offense committed 361
under division (A)(3) of this section based on a violation of 362
division (A)(2) of this section, a third person induced by the 363
offender's posted message caused serious physical harm to that 364
premises, that real property, or any personal property on that 365
premises.366

       (i) Prior to committing the offense, the offender had been 367
determined to represent a substantial risk of physical harm to 368
others as manifested by evidence of then-recent homicidal or other 369
violent behavior, evidence of then-recent threats that placed 370
another in reasonable fear of violent behavior and serious 371
physical harm, or other evidence of then-present dangerousness.372

       (3) If the victim of the offense is an officer or employee of 373
a public children services agency or a private child placing 374
agency and the offense relates to the officer's or employee's 375
performance or anticipated performance of official 376
responsibilities or duties, menacing by stalking is either a 377
felony of the fifth degree or, if the offender previously has been 378
convicted of or pleaded guilty to an offense of violence, the 379
victim of that prior offense was an officer or employee of a 380
public children services agency or private child placing agency, 381
and that prior offense related to the officer's or employee's 382
performance or anticipated performance of official 383
responsibilities or duties, a felony of the fourth degree.384

       (C) Section 2919.271 of the Revised Code applies in relation 385
to a defendant charged with a violation of this section.386

       (D) As used in this section:387

       (1) "Pattern of conduct" means two or more actions or 388
incidents closely related in time, whether or not there has been a 389
prior conviction based on any of those actions or incidents, or 390
two or more actions or incidents closely related in time, whether 391
or not there has been a prior conviction based on any of those 392
actions or incidents, directed at one or more persons employed by 393
or belonging to the same corporation, association, or other 394
organization. Actions or incidents that prevent, obstruct, or 395
delay the performance by a public official, firefighter, rescuer, 396
emergency medical services person, or emergency facility person of 397
any authorized act within the public official's, firefighter's, 398
rescuer's, emergency medical services person's, or emergency 399
facility person's official capacity, or the posting of messages, 400
use of intentionally written or verbal graphic gestures, or 401
receipt of information or data through the use of any form of 402
written communication or an electronic method of remotely 403
transferring information, including, but not limited to, a 404
computer, computer network, computer program, computer system, or 405
telecommunications device, may constitute a "pattern of conduct."406

       (2) "Mental distress" means any of the following:407

       (a) Any mental illness or condition that involves some 408
temporary substantial incapacity;409

       (b) Any mental illness or condition that would normally 410
require psychiatric treatment, psychological treatment, or other 411
mental health services, whether or not any person requested or 412
received psychiatric treatment, psychological treatment, or other 413
mental health services.414

       (3) "Emergency medical services person" is the singular of 415
"emergency medical services personnel" as defined in section 416
2133.21 of the Revised Code.417

       (4) "Emergency facility person" is the singular of "emergency 418
facility personnel" as defined in section 2909.04 of the Revised 419
Code.420

       (5) "Public official" has the same meaning as in section 421
2921.01 of the Revised Code.422

       (6) "Computer," "computer network," "computer program," 423
"computer system," and "telecommunications device" have the same 424
meanings as in section 2913.01 of the Revised Code.425

        (7) "Post a message" means transferring, sending, posting, 426
publishing, disseminating, or otherwise communicating, or 427
attempting to transfer, send, post, publish, disseminate, or 428
otherwise communicate, any message or information, whether 429
truthful or untruthful, about an individual, and whether done 430
under one's own name, under the name of another, or while 431
impersonating another.432

       (8) "Third person" means, in relation to conduct as described 433
in division (A)(2) of this section, an individual who is neither 434
the offender nor the victim of the conduct.435

       (9) "Sexual motivation" has the same meaning as in section 436
2971.01 of the Revised Code.437

       (10) "Organization" includes an entity that is a governmental 438
employer.439

       (11) "Family or household member" means any of the following:440

        (a) Any of the following who is residing or has resided with 441
the person against whom the act prohibited in division (A)(1) of 442
this section is committed:443

        (i) A spouse, a person living as a spouse, or a former spouse 444
of the person;445

        (ii) A parent, a foster parent, or a child of the person, or 446
another person related by consanguinity or affinity to the person;447

       (iii) A parent or a child of a spouse, person living as a 448
spouse, or former spouse of the person, or another person related 449
by consanguinity or affinity to a spouse, person living as a 450
spouse, or former spouse of the person.451

        (b) The natural parent of any child of whom the person 452
against whom the act prohibited in division (A)(1) of this section 453
is committed is the other natural parent or is the putative other 454
natural parent.455

        (12) "Person living as a spouse" means a person who is living 456
or has lived with the person against whom the act prohibited in 457
division (A)(1) of this section is committed in a common law 458
marital relationship, who otherwise is cohabiting with that 459
person, or who otherwise has cohabited with the person within five 460
years prior to the date of the alleged commission of the act in 461
question.462

       (E) The state does not need to prove in a prosecution under 463
this section that a person requested or received psychiatric 464
treatment, psychological treatment, or other mental health 465
services in order to show that the person was caused mental 466
distress as described in division (D)(2)(b) of this section.467

       (F)(1) This section does not apply to a person solely because 468
the person provided access or connection to or from an electronic 469
method of remotely transferring information not under that 470
person's control, including having provided capabilities that are 471
incidental to providing access or connection to or from the 472
electronic method of remotely transferring the information, and 473
that do not include the creation of the content of the material 474
that is the subject of the access or connection. In addition, any 475
person providing access or connection to or from an electronic 476
method of remotely transferring information not under that 477
person's control shall not be liable for any action voluntarily 478
taken in good faith to block the receipt or transmission through 479
its service of any information that it believes is, or will be 480
sent, in violation of this section.481

       (2) Division (F)(1) of this section does not create an 482
affirmative duty for any person providing access or connection to 483
or from an electronic method of remotely transferring information 484
not under that person's control to block the receipt or 485
transmission through its service of any information that it 486
believes is, or will be sent, in violation of this section except 487
as otherwise provided by law.488

       (3) Division (F)(1) of this section does not apply to a 489
person who conspires with a person actively involved in the 490
creation or knowing distribution of material in violation of this 491
section or who knowingly advertises the availability of material 492
of that nature.493

       Sec. 2913.02.  (A) No person, with purpose to deprive the 494
owner of property or services, shall knowingly obtain or exert 495
control over either the property or services in any of the 496
following ways:497

       (1) Without the consent of the owner or person authorized to 498
give consent;499

       (2) Beyond the scope of the express or implied consent of the 500
owner or person authorized to give consent;501

       (3) By deception;502

       (4) By threat;503

       (5) By intimidation.504

       (B)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of theft.505

       (2) Except as otherwise provided in this division or division 506
(B)(3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), or (9) of this section, a 507
violation of this section is petty theft, a misdemeanor of the 508
first degree. If the value of the property or services stolen is 509
one thousand dollars or more and is less than seven thousand five 510
hundred dollars or if the property stolen is any of the property 511
listed in section 2913.71 of the Revised Code, a violation of this 512
section is theft, a felony of the fifth degree. If the value of 513
the property or services stolen is seven thousand five hundred 514
dollars or more and is less than one hundred fifty thousand 515
dollars, a violation of this section is grand theft, a felony of 516
the fourth degree. If the value of the property or services stolen 517
is one hundred fifty thousand dollars or more and is less than 518
seven hundred fifty thousand dollars, a violation of this section 519
is aggravated theft, a felony of the third degree. If the value of 520
the property or services is seven hundred fifty thousand dollars 521
or more and is less than one million five hundred thousand 522
dollars, a violation of this section is aggravated theft, a felony 523
of the second degree. If the value of the property or services 524
stolen is one million five hundred thousand dollars or more, a 525
violation of this section is aggravated theft of one million five 526
hundred thousand dollars or more, a felony of the first degree.527

       (3) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(4), (5), 528
(6), (7), (8), or (9) of this section, if the victim of the 529
offense is an elderly person, disabled adult, active duty service 530
member, or spouse of an active duty service member, a violation of 531
this section is theft from a person in a protected class, and 532
division (B)(3) of this section applies. Except as otherwise 533
provided in this division, theft from a person in a protected 534
class is a felony of the fifth degree. If the value of the 535
property or services stolen is one thousand dollars or more and is 536
less than seven thousand five hundred dollars, theft from a person 537
in a protected class is a felony of the fourth degree. If the 538
value of the property or services stolen is seven thousand five 539
hundred dollars or more and is less than thirty-seven thousand 540
five hundred dollars, theft from a person in a protected class is 541
a felony of the third degree. If the value of the property or 542
services stolen is thirty-seven thousand five hundred dollars or 543
more and is less than one hundred fifty thousand dollars, theft 544
from a person in a protected class is a felony of the second 545
degree. If the value of the property or services stolen is one 546
hundred fifty thousand dollars or more, theft from a person in a 547
protected class is a felony of the first degree.548

       (4) If the property stolen is a firearm or dangerous 549
ordnance, a violation of this section is grand theft. Except as 550
otherwise provided in this division, grand theft when the property 551
stolen is a firearm or dangerous ordnance is a felony of the third 552
degree, and there is a presumption in favor of the court imposing 553
a prison term for the offense. If the firearm or dangerous 554
ordnance was stolen from a federally licensed firearms dealer, 555
grand theft when the property stolen is a firearm or dangerous 556
ordnance is a felony of the first degree. The offender shall serve 557
a prison term imposed for grand theft when the property stolen is 558
a firearm or dangerous ordnance consecutively to any other prison 559
term or mandatory prison term previously or subsequently imposed 560
upon the offender.561

       (5) If the property stolen is a motor vehicle, a violation of 562
this section is grand theft of a motor vehicle, a felony of the 563
fourth degree.564

       (6) If the property stolen is any dangerous drug, a violation 565
of this section is theft of drugs, a felony of the fourth degree, 566
or, if the offender previously has been convicted of a felony drug 567
abuse offense, a felony of the third degree.568

       (7) If the property stolen is a police dog or horse or an 569
assistance dog and the offender knows or should know that the 570
property stolen is a police dog or horse or an assistance dog, a 571
violation of this section is theft of a police dog or horse or an 572
assistance dog, a felony of the third degree.573

       (8) If the property stolen is anhydrous ammonia, a violation 574
of this section is theft of anhydrous ammonia, a felony of the 575
third degree.576

       (9) Except as provided in division (B)(2) of this section 577
with respect to property with a value of seven thousand five 578
hundred dollars or more and division (B)(3) of this section with 579
respect to property with a value of one thousand dollars or more, 580
if the property stolen is a special purposepurchase article as 581
defined in section 4737.04 of the Revised Code or is a bulk 582
merchandise container as defined in section 4737.012 of the 583
Revised Code, a violation of this section is theft of a special 584
purposepurchase article or articles or theft of a bulk 585
merchandise container or containers, a felony of the fifth degree.586

        (10) In addition to the penalties described in division 587
(B)(2) of this section, if the offender committed the violation by 588
causing a motor vehicle to leave the premises of an establishment 589
at which gasoline is offered for retail sale without the offender 590
making full payment for gasoline that was dispensed into the fuel 591
tank of the motor vehicle or into another container, the court may 592
do one of the following:593

        (a) Unless division (B)(10)(b) of this section applies, 594
suspend for not more than six months the offender's driver's 595
license, probationary driver's license, commercial driver's 596
license, temporary instruction permit, or nonresident operating 597
privilege;598

        (b) If the offender's driver's license, probationary driver's 599
license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction 600
permit, or nonresident operating privilege has previously been 601
suspended pursuant to division (B)(10)(a) of this section, impose 602
a class seven suspension of the offender's license, permit, or 603
privilege from the range specified in division (A)(7) of section 604
4510.02 of the Revised Code, provided that the suspension shall be 605
for at least six months.606

       (c) The court, in lieu of suspending the offender's driver's 607
or commercial driver's license, probationary driver's license, 608
temporary instruction permit, or nonresident operating privilege 609
pursuant to division (B)(10)(a) or (b) of this section, instead 610
may require the offender to perform community service for a number 611
of hours determined by the court.612

       (11) In addition to the penalties described in division 613
(B)(2) of this section, if the offender committed the violation by 614
stealing rented property or rental services, the court may order 615
that the offender make restitution pursuant to section 2929.18 or 616
2929.28 of the Revised Code. Restitution may include, but is not 617
limited to, the cost of repairing or replacing the stolen 618
property, or the cost of repairing the stolen property and any 619
loss of revenue resulting from deprivation of the property due to 620
theft of rental services that is less than or equal to the actual 621
value of the property at the time it was rented. Evidence of 622
intent to commit theft of rented property or rental services shall 623
be determined pursuant to the provisions of section 2913.72 of the 624
Revised Code.625

       (C) The sentencing court that suspends an offender's license, 626
permit, or nonresident operating privilege under division (B)(10) 627
of this section may grant the offender limited driving privileges 628
during the period of the suspension in accordance with Chapter 629
4510. of the Revised Code.630

       Sec. 2917.21.  (A) No person shall knowingly make or cause to 631
be made a telecommunication, or knowingly permit a 632
telecommunication to be made from a telecommunications device 633
under the person's control, to another, if the caller does any of 634
the following:635

       (1) Fails to identify the caller to the recipient of the 636
telecommunication and makesMakes the telecommunication with 637
purpose to harass, intimidate, or abuse any person at the premises 638
to which the telecommunication is made, whether or not actual 639
communication takes place between the caller and a recipient;640

       (2) Describes, suggests, requests, or proposes that the 641
caller, the recipient of the telecommunication, or any other 642
person engage in sexual activity, and the recipient or another 643
person at the premises to which the telecommunication is made has 644
requested, in a previous telecommunication or in the immediate 645
telecommunication, that the caller not make a telecommunication to 646
the recipient or to the premises to which the telecommunication is 647
made;648

       (3) During the telecommunication, violates section 2903.21 of 649
the Revised Code;650

       (4) Knowingly states to the recipient of the 651
telecommunication that the caller intends to cause damage to or 652
destroy public or private property, and the recipient, any member 653
of the recipient's family, or any other person who resides at the 654
premises to which the telecommunication is made owns, leases, 655
resides, or works in, will at the time of the destruction or 656
damaging be near or in, has the responsibility of protecting, or 657
insures the property that will be destroyed or damaged;658

       (5) Knowingly makes the telecommunication to the recipient of 659
the telecommunication, to another person at the premises to which 660
the telecommunication is made, or to those premises, and the 661
recipient or another person at those premises previously has told 662
the caller not to make a telecommunication to those premises or to 663
any persons at those premises;664

       (6) Knowingly makes any comment, request, suggestion, or 665
proposal to the recipient of the telecommunication that is 666
threatening, intimidating, menacing, coercive, or obscene with the 667
intent to abuse, threaten, or harass the recipient;668

       (7) Without a lawful business purpose, knowingly interrupts 669
the telecommunication service of any person;670

       (8) Without a lawful business purpose, knowingly transmits to 671
any person, regardless of whether the telecommunication is heard 672
in its entirety, any file, document, or other communication that 673
prevents that person from using the person's telephone service or 674
electronic communication device;675

       (9) Knowingly makes any false statement concerning the death, 676
injury, illness, disfigurement, reputation, indecent conduct, or 677
criminal conduct of the recipient of the telecommunication or 678
family or household member of the recipient with purpose to abuse, 679
threaten, intimidate, or harass the recipient;680

       (10) Incites another person through a telecommunication or 681
other means to harass or participate in the harassment of a 682
person;683

       (11) Knowingly alarms the recipient by making a 684
telecommunication without a lawful purpose at an hour or hours 685
known to be inconvenient to the recipient and in an offensively or 686
repetitive manner.687

       (B)(1) No person shall make or cause to be made a 688
telecommunication, or permit a telecommunication to be made from a 689
telecommunications device under the person's control, with purpose 690
to abuse, threaten, or harass another person.691

       (2) No person shall knowingly post a text or audio statement 692
or an image on an internet web site or web page for the purpose of 693
abusing, threatening, or harassing another person.694

       (C)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of 695
telecommunications harassment.696

       (2) A violation of division (A)(1), (2), (3), or (5), (6), 697
(7), (8), (9), (10), or (11) or (B) of this section is a 698
misdemeanor of the first degree on a first offense and a felony of 699
the fifth degree on each subsequent offense.700

       (3) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(3) of this 701
section, a violation of division (A)(4) of this section is a 702
misdemeanor of the first degree on a first offense and a felony of 703
the fifth degree on each subsequent offense. If a violation of 704
division (A)(4) of this section results in economic harm of one 705
thousand dollars or more but less than seven thousand five hundred 706
dollars, telecommunications harassment is a felony of the fifth 707
degree. If a violation of division (A)(4) of this section results 708
in economic harm of seven thousand five hundred dollars or more 709
but less than one hundred fifty thousand dollars, 710
telecommunications harassment is a felony of the fourth degree. If 711
a violation of division (A)(4) of this section results in economic 712
harm of one hundred fifty thousand dollars or more, 713
telecommunications harassment is a felony of the third degree.714

       (D) No cause of action may be asserted in any court of this 715
state against any provider of a telecommunications service, 716
interactive computer service as defined in section 230 of Title 47 717
of the United States Code, or information service, or against any 718
officer, employee, or agent of a telecommunication service, 719
interactive computer service as defined in section 230 of Title 47 720
of the United States Code, or information service, for any injury, 721
death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises out of 722
the provider's, officer's, employee's, or agent's provision of 723
information, facilities, or assistance in accordance with the 724
terms of a court order that is issued in relation to the 725
investigation or prosecution of an alleged violation of this 726
section. A provider of a telecommunications service, interactive 727
computer service as defined in section 230 of Title 47 of the 728
United States Code, or information service, or an officer, 729
employee, or agent of a telecommunications service, interactive 730
computer service as defined in section 230 of Title 47 of the 731
United States Code, or information service, is immune from any 732
civil or criminal liability for injury, death, or loss to person 733
or property that allegedly arises out of the provider's, 734
officer's, employee's, or agent's provision of information, 735
facilities, or assistance in accordance with the terms of a court 736
order that is issued in relation to the investigation or 737
prosecution of an alleged violation of this section.738

       (E)(1) This section does not apply to a person solely because 739
the person provided access or connection to or from an electronic 740
method of remotely transferring information not under that 741
person's control, including having provided capabilities that are 742
incidental to providing access or connection to or from the 743
electronic method of remotely transferring the information, and 744
that do not include the creation of the content of the material 745
that is the subject of the access or connection. In addition, any 746
person providing access or connection to or from an electronic 747
method of remotely transferring information not under that 748
person's control shall not be liable for any action voluntarily 749
taken in good faith to block the receipt or transmission through 750
its service of any information that the person believes is, or 751
will be sent, in violation of this section.752

        (2) Division (E)(1) of this section does not create an 753
affirmative duty for any person providing access or connection to 754
or from an electronic method of remotely transferring information 755
not under that person's control to block the receipt or 756
transmission through its service of any information that it 757
believes is, or will be sent, in violation of this section except 758
as otherwise provided by law.759

        (3) Division (E)(1) of this section does not apply to a 760
person who conspires with a person actively involved in the 761
creation or knowing distribution of material in violation of this 762
section or who knowingly advertises the availability of material 763
of that nature.764

       (4) A provider or user of an interactive computer service, as 765
defined in section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code, 766
shall neither be treated as the publisher or speaker of any 767
information provided by another information content provider, as 768
defined in section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code, nor 769
held civilly or criminally liable for the creation or development 770
of information provided by another information content provider, 771
as defined in section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code. 772
Nothing in this division shall be construed to protect a person 773
from liability to the extent that the person developed or created 774
any content in violation of this section.775

        (F) Divisions (A)(5) to (11) and (B)(2) of this section do 776
not apply to a person who, while employed or contracted by a 777
newspaper, magazine, press association, news agency, news wire 778
service, cable channel or cable operator, or radio or television 779
station, is gathering, processing, transmitting, compiling, 780
editing, or disseminating information for the general public 781
within the scope of the person's employment in that capacity or 782
the person's contractual authority in that capacity.783

       (G) As used in this section:784

       (1) "Economic harm" means all direct, incidental, and 785
consequential pecuniary harm suffered by a victim as a result of 786
criminal conduct. "Economic harm" includes, but is not limited to, 787
all of the following:788

       (a) All wages, salaries, or other compensation lost as a 789
result of the criminal conduct;790

       (b) The cost of all wages, salaries, or other compensation 791
paid to employees for time those employees are prevented from 792
working as a result of the criminal conduct;793

       (c) The overhead costs incurred for the time that a business 794
is shut down as a result of the criminal conduct;795

       (d) The loss of value to tangible or intangible property that 796
was damaged as a result of the criminal conduct.797

       (2) "Caller" means the person described in division (A) of 798
this section who makes or causes to be made a telecommunication or 799
who permits a telecommunication to be made from a 800
telecommunications device under that person's control.801

       (3) "Telecommunication" and "telecommunications device" have 802
the same meanings as in section 2913.01 of the Revised Code.803

       (4) "Sexual activity" has the same meaning as in section 804
2907.01 of the Revised Code.805

       (F)(5) "Family or household member" means any of the 806
following:807

        (a) Any of the following who is residing or has resided with 808
the recipient of the telecommunication against whom the act 809
prohibited in division (A)(9) of this section is committed:810

       (i) A spouse, a person living as a spouse, or a former spouse 811
of the recipient;812

       (ii) A parent, a foster parent, or a child of the recipient, 813
or another person related by consanguinity or affinity to the 814
recipient;815

        (iii) A parent or a child of a spouse, person living as a 816
spouse, or former spouse of the recipient, or another person 817
related by consanguinity or affinity to a spouse, person living as 818
a spouse, or former spouse of the recipient.819

       (b) The natural parent of any child of whom the recipient of 820
the telecommunication against whom the act prohibited in division 821
(A)(9) of this section is committed is the other natural parent or 822
is the putative other natural parent.823

        (6) "Person living as a spouse" means a person who is living 824
or has lived with the recipient of the telecommunication against 825
whom the act prohibited in division (A)(9) of this section is 826
committed in a common law marital relationship, who otherwise is 827
cohabiting with the recipient, or who otherwise has cohabited with 828
the recipient within five years prior to the date of the alleged 829
commission of the act in question.830

       (7) "Cable operator" has the same meaning as in section 831
1332.21 of the Revised Code.832

        (G) Nothing in this section prohibits a person from making a 833
telecommunication to a debtor that is in compliance with the "Fair 834
Debt Collection Practices Act," 91 Stat. 874 (1977), 15 U.S.C. 835
1692, as amended, or the "Telephone Consumer Protection Act," 105 836
Stat. 2395 (1991), 47 U.S.C. 227, as amended.837

       Section 2.  That existing sections 2903.13, 2903.211, 838
2913.02, and 2917.21 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.839