130th Ohio General Assembly
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Sub. S. B. No. 17  As Reported by the House Judiciary Committee
As Reported by the House Judiciary Committee

126th General Assembly
Regular Session
2005-2006
Sub. S. B. No. 17


Senators Spada, Jacobson, Fedor, Clancy, Dann, Mallory, Zurz, Armbruster, Cates, Gardner, Hagan, Harris, Hottinger, Miller, R., Mumper, Padgett, Prentiss, Roberts 

Representative Willamowski 



A BILL
To amend sections 2151.03, 2151.281, 2151.421, 2151.99, 2305.10, 2305.111, 2305.115, 2317.02, 2901.13, 2907.03, 2950.031, 2950.11, and 5120.173 and to enact sections 2721.21, 3797.01 to 3797.12, and 4799.01 of the Revised Code to require a member of the clergy, rabbi, priest, Christian Science practitioner, minister, or any person or layperson, other than a volunteer, acting as a leader, official, delegate, or other designated function on behalf of any church, religious society, or faith to report the abuse or neglect of a child that is known or reasonably believed to have been committed by any other member of the clergy, rabbi, priest, Christian Science practitioner, minister, or person or layperson, other than a volunteer, so acting on behalf of any church, religious society, or faith; to toll the criminal statute of limitations for violations involving abuse or neglect of a child if certain individuals fail to report the abuse or neglect of the child; to provide a ten-year statute of limitations for civil assault or battery actions brought by victims of childhood sexual abuse based on childhood sexual abuse or civil actions brought by victims of childhood sexual abuse asserting resulting claims; to expand the offense of "sexual battery" to also prohibit a cleric from engaging in sexual conduct with a minor who is a member of, or attends, the church or congregation served by the cleric; to prohibit a person convicted of a sexually oriented offense or child-victim oriented offense who has a duty to register from living within 1,000 feet of a victim of the offense; to require a sheriff to notify the public children services agency of registered sex offenders in the jurisdiction; to create a cause of action for a declaratory judgment in cases in which a victim of childhood sexual abuse is barred from bringing an ordinary civil action by the expiration of the limitations period; to create a registration and community notification program for persons who are found liable in a declaratory judgment action for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse; to require the Attorney General to establish on the internet a civil registry of persons found liable in a declaratory judgment action for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse; to prohibit persons required to register after being found liable in a declaratory judgment action for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse from failing to register and from living within 1,000 feet of any school premises; and to require occupational licensing boards to consider a person's listing on the civil registry in making determinations related to the licensing of the person.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 2151.03, 2151.281, 2151.421, 2151.99, 2305.10, 2305.111, 2305.115, 2317.02, 2901.13, 2907.03, 2950.031, 2950.11, and 5120.173 be amended and sections 2721.21, 3797.01, 3797.02, 3797.03, 3797.04, 3797.05, 3797.06, 3797.07, 3797.08, 3797.09, 3797.10, 3797.11, 3797.12, and 4799.01 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 2151.03.  (A) As used in this chapter, "neglected child" includes any child:
(1) Who is abandoned by the child's parents, guardian, or custodian;
(2) Who lacks adequate parental care because of the faults or habits of the child's parents, guardian, or custodian;
(3) Whose parents, guardian, or custodian neglects the child or refuses to provide proper or necessary subsistence, education, medical or surgical care or treatment, or other care necessary for the child's health, morals, or well being;
(4) Whose parents, guardian, or custodian neglects the child or refuses to provide the special care made necessary by the child's mental condition;
(5) Whose parents, legal guardian, or custodian have placed or attempted to place the child in violation of sections 5103.16 and 5103.17 of the Revised Code;
(6) Who, because of the omission of the child's parents, guardian, or custodian, suffers physical or mental injury that harms or threatens to harm the child's health or welfare;
(7) Who is subjected to out-of-home care child neglect.
(B) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as subjecting a parent, guardian, or custodian of a child to criminal liability when, solely in the practice of religious beliefs, the parent, guardian, or custodian fails to provide adequate medical or surgical care or treatment for the child. This division does not abrogate or limit any person's responsibility under section 2151.421 of the Revised Code to report child abuse that is known or reasonably suspected child abuse or believed to have occurred, child neglect that is known or reasonably suspected child neglect or believed to have occurred, and children who are known to face or are reasonably suspected of or believed to be facing a threat of suffering abuse or neglect and does not preclude any exercise of the authority of the state, any political subdivision, or any court to ensure that medical or surgical care or treatment is provided to a child when the child's health requires the provision of medical or surgical care or treatment.
Sec. 2151.281.  (A) The court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to protect the interest of a child in any proceeding concerning an alleged or adjudicated delinquent child or unruly child when either of the following applies:
(1) The child has no parent, guardian, or legal custodian.
(2) The court finds that there is a conflict of interest between the child and the child's parent, guardian, or legal custodian.
(B)(1) The court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to protect the interest of a child in any proceeding concerning an alleged abused or neglected child and in any proceeding held pursuant to section 2151.414 of the Revised Code. The guardian ad litem so appointed shall not be the attorney responsible for presenting the evidence alleging that the child is an abused or neglected child and shall not be an employee of any party in the proceeding.
(2) The guardian ad litem appointed for an alleged or adjudicated abused or neglected child may bring a civil action against any person, who is required by division (A)(1) or (4) of section 2151.421 of the Revised Code to file a report of known or suspected child abuse or child neglect, that is known or reasonably suspected or believed to have occurred if that person knows, or suspects has reasonable cause to suspect or believe based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in a similar position to suspect or believe, as applicable, that the child for whom the guardian ad litem is appointed is the subject of child abuse or child neglect and does not file the required report and if the child suffers any injury or harm as a result of the known or suspected child abuse or child neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed to have occurred or suffers additional injury or harm after the failure to file the report.
(C) In any proceeding concerning an alleged or adjudicated delinquent, unruly, abused, neglected, or dependent child in which the parent appears to be mentally incompetent or is under eighteen years of age, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to protect the interest of that parent.
(D) The court shall require the guardian ad litem to faithfully discharge the guardian ad litem's duties and, upon the guardian ad litem's failure to faithfully discharge the guardian ad litem's duties, shall discharge the guardian ad litem and appoint another guardian ad litem. The court may fix the compensation for the service of the guardian ad litem, which compensation shall be paid from the treasury of the county.
(E) A parent who is eighteen years of age or older and not mentally incompetent shall be deemed sui juris for the purpose of any proceeding relative to a child of the parent who is alleged or adjudicated to be an abused, neglected, or dependent child.
(F) In any case in which a parent of a child alleged or adjudicated to be an abused, neglected, or dependent child is under eighteen years of age, the parents of that parent shall be summoned to appear at any hearing respecting the child, who is alleged or adjudicated to be an abused, neglected, or dependent child.
(G) In any case involving an alleged or adjudicated abused or neglected child or an agreement for the voluntary surrender of temporary or permanent custody of a child that is made in accordance with section 5103.15 of the Revised Code, the court shall appoint the guardian ad litem in each case as soon as possible after the complaint is filed, the request for an extension of the temporary custody agreement is filed with the court, or the request for court approval of the permanent custody agreement is filed. In any case involving an alleged dependent child in which the parent of the child appears to be mentally incompetent or is under eighteen years of age, there is a conflict of interest between the child and the child's parents, guardian, or custodian, or the court believes that the parent of the child is not capable of representing the best interest of the child, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem for the child. The guardian ad litem or the guardian ad litem's replacement shall continue to serve until any of the following occur:
(1) The complaint is dismissed or the request for an extension of a temporary custody agreement or for court approval of the permanent custody agreement is withdrawn or denied;
(2) All dispositional orders relative to the child have terminated;
(3) The legal custody of the child is granted to a relative of the child, or to another person;
(4) The child is placed in an adoptive home or, at the court's discretion, a final decree of adoption is issued with respect to the child;
(5) The child reaches the age of eighteen if the child is not mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired or the child reaches the age of twenty-one if the child is mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired;
(6) The guardian ad litem resigns or is removed by the court and a replacement is appointed by the court.
If a guardian ad litem ceases to serve a child pursuant to division (G)(4) of this section and the petition for adoption with respect to the child is denied or withdrawn prior to the issuance of a final decree of adoption or prior to the date an interlocutory order of adoption becomes final, the juvenile court shall reappoint a guardian ad litem for that child. The public children services agency or private child placing agency with permanent custody of the child shall notify the juvenile court if the petition for adoption is denied or withdrawn.
(H) If the guardian ad litem for an alleged or adjudicated abused, neglected, or dependent child is an attorney admitted to the practice of law in this state, the guardian ad litem also may serve as counsel to the ward. If a person is serving as guardian ad litem and counsel for a child and either that person or the court finds that a conflict may exist between the person's roles as guardian ad litem and as counsel, the court shall relieve the person of duties as guardian ad litem and appoint someone else as guardian ad litem for the child. If the court appoints a person who is not an attorney admitted to the practice of law in this state to be a guardian ad litem, the court also may appoint an attorney admitted to the practice of law in this state to serve as counsel for the guardian ad litem.
(I) The guardian ad litem for an alleged or adjudicated abused, neglected, or dependent child shall perform whatever functions are necessary to protect the best interest of the child, including, but not limited to, investigation, mediation, monitoring court proceedings, and monitoring the services provided the child by the public children services agency or private child placing agency that has temporary or permanent custody of the child, and shall file any motions and other court papers that are in the best interest of the child.
The guardian ad litem shall be given notice of all hearings, administrative reviews, and other proceedings in the same manner as notice is given to parties to the action.
(J)(1) When the court appoints a guardian ad litem pursuant to this section, it shall appoint a qualified volunteer whenever one is available and the appointment is appropriate.
(2) Upon request, the department of job and family services shall provide for the training of volunteer guardians ad litem.
Sec. 2151.421.  (A)(1)(a) No person described in division (A)(1)(b) of this section who is acting in an official or professional capacity and knows, or suspects has reasonable cause to suspect based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in a similar position to suspect, that a child under eighteen years of age or a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired child under twenty-one years of age has suffered or faces a threat of suffering any physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the child, shall fail to immediately report that knowledge or suspicion reasonable cause to suspect to the entity or persons specified in this division. Except as provided in section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, the person making the report shall make it to the public children services agency or a municipal or county peace officer in the county in which the child resides or in which the abuse or neglect is occurring or has occurred. In the circumstances described in section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, the person making the report shall make it to the entity specified in that section.
(b) Division (A)(1)(a) of this section applies to any person who is an attorney; physician, including a hospital intern or resident; dentist; podiatrist; practitioner of a limited branch of medicine as specified in section 4731.15 of the Revised Code; registered nurse; licensed practical nurse; visiting nurse; other health care professional; licensed psychologist; licensed school psychologist; independent marriage and family therapist or marriage and family therapist; speech pathologist or audiologist; coroner; administrator or employee of a child day-care center; administrator or employee of a residential camp or child day camp; administrator or employee of a certified child care agency or other public or private children services agency; school teacher; school employee; school authority; person engaged in social work or the practice of professional counseling; agent of a county humane society; person, other than a cleric, rendering spiritual treatment through prayer in accordance with the tenets of a well-recognized religion; superintendent, board member, or employee of a county board of mental retardation; investigative agent contracted with by a county board of mental retardation; or employee of the department of mental retardation and developmental disabilities.
(2) An Except as provided in division (A)(3) of this section, an attorney or a physician is not required to make a report pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section concerning any communication the attorney or physician receives from a client or patient in an attorney-client or physician-patient relationship, if, in accordance with division (A) or (B) of section 2317.02 of the Revised Code, the attorney or physician could not testify with respect to that communication in a civil or criminal proceeding, except that the.
(3) The client or patient in an attorney-client or physician-patient relationship described in division (A)(2) of this section is deemed to have waived any testimonial privilege under division (A) or (B) of section 2317.02 of the Revised Code with respect to that any communication the attorney or physician receives from the client or patient in that attorney-client or physician-patient relationship, and the attorney or physician shall make a report pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section with respect to that communication, if all of the following apply:
(a) The client or patient, at the time of the communication, is either a child under eighteen years of age or a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired person under twenty-one years of age.
(b) The attorney or physician knows, or suspects has reasonable cause to suspect based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in similar position to suspect, as a result of the communication or any observations made during that communication, that the client or patient has suffered or faces a threat of suffering any physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the client or patient.
(c) The attorney-client or physician-patient relationship abuse or neglect does not arise out of the client's or patient's attempt to have an abortion without the notification of her parents, guardian, or custodian in accordance with section 2151.85 of the Revised Code.
(4)(a) No cleric and no person, other than a volunteer, designated by any church, religious society, or faith acting as a leader, official, or delegate on behalf of the church, religious society, or faith who is acting in an official or professional capacity, who knows, or has reasonable cause to believe based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in a similar position to believe, that a child under eighteen years of age or a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired child under twenty-one years of age has suffered or faces a threat of suffering any physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the child, and who knows, or has reasonable cause to believe based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in a similar position to believe, that another cleric or another person, other than a volunteer, designated by a church, religious society, or faith acting as a leader, official, or delegate on behalf of the church, religious society, or faith caused, or poses the threat of causing, the wound, injury, disability, or condition that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect shall fail to immediately report that knowledge or reasonable cause to believe to the entity or persons specified in this division. Except as provided in section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, the person making the report shall make it to the public children services agency or a municipal or county peace officer in the county in which the child resides or in which the abuse or neglect is occurring or has occurred. In the circumstances described in section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, the person making the report shall make it to the entity specified in that section.
(b) Except as provided in division (A)(4)(c) of this section, a cleric is not required to make a report pursuant to division (A)(4)(a) of this section concerning any communication the cleric receives from a penitent in a cleric-penitent relationship, if, in accordance with division (C) of section 2317.02 of the Revised Code, the cleric could not testify with respect to that communication in a civil or criminal proceeding.
(c) The penitent in a cleric-penitent relationship described in division (A)(4)(b) of this section is deemed to have waived any testimonial privilege under division (C) of section 2317.02 of the Revised Code with respect to any communication the cleric receives from the penitent in that cleric-penitent relationship, and the cleric shall make a report pursuant to division (A)(4)(a) of this section with respect to that communication, if all of the following apply:
(i) The penitent, at the time of the communication, is either a child under eighteen years of age or a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired person under twenty-one years of age.
(ii) The cleric knows, or has reasonable cause to believe based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in a similar position to believe, as a result of the communication or any observations made during that communication, the penitent has suffered or faces a threat of suffering any physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the penitent.
(iii) The abuse or neglect does not arise out of the penitent's attempt to have an abortion performed upon a child under eighteen years of age or upon a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired person under twenty-one years of age without the notification of her parents, guardian, or custodian in accordance with section 2151.85 of the Revised Code.
(d) Divisions (A)(4)(a) and (c) of this section do not apply in a cleric-penitent relationship when the disclosure of any communication the cleric receives from the penitent is in violation of the sacred trust.
(e) As used in divisions (A)(1) and (4) of this section, "cleric" and "sacred trust" have the same meanings as in section 2317.02 of the Revised Code.
(B) Anyone, who knows, or suspects has reasonable cause to suspect based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in similar circumstances to suspect, that a child under eighteen years of age or a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired person under twenty-one years of age has suffered or faces a threat of suffering any physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or other condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the child may report or cause reports to be made of that knowledge or suspicion reasonable cause to suspect to the entity or persons specified in this division. Except as provided in section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, a person making a report or causing a report to be made under this division shall make it or cause it to be made to the public children services agency or to a municipal or county peace officer. In the circumstances described in section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, a person making a report or causing a report to be made under this division shall make it or cause it to be made to the entity specified in that section.
(C) Any report made pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this section shall be made forthwith either by telephone or in person and shall be followed by a written report, if requested by the receiving agency or officer. The written report shall contain:
(1) The names and addresses of the child and the child's parents or the person or persons having custody of the child, if known;
(2) The child's age and the nature and extent of the child's known or suspected injuries, abuse, or neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed, as applicable, to have occurred or of the known or suspected threat of injury, abuse, or neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed, as applicable, to exist, including any evidence of previous injuries, abuse, or neglect;
(3) Any other information that might be helpful in establishing the cause of the known or suspected injury, abuse, or neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed, as applicable, to have occurred or of the known or suspected threat of injury, abuse, or neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed, as applicable, to exist.
Any person, who is required by division (A) of this section to report known or suspected child abuse or child neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed to have occurred, may take or cause to be taken color photographs of areas of trauma visible on a child and, if medically indicated, cause to be performed radiological examinations of the child.
(D) As used in this division, "children's advocacy center" and "sexual abuse of a child" have the same meanings as in section 2151.425 of the Revised Code.
(1) When a municipal or county peace officer receives a report concerning the possible abuse or neglect of a child or the possible threat of abuse or neglect of a child, upon receipt of the report, the municipal or county peace officer who receives the report shall refer the report to the appropriate public children services agency.
(2) When a public children services agency receives a report pursuant to this division or division (A) or (B) of this section, upon receipt of the report, the public children services agency shall do both of the following:
(a) Comply with section 2151.422 of the Revised Code;
(b) If the county served by the agency is also served by a children's advocacy center and the report alleges sexual abuse of a child or another type of abuse of a child that is specified in the memorandum of understanding that creates the center as being within the center's jurisdiction, comply regarding the report with the protocol and procedures for referrals and investigations, with the coordinating activities, and with the authority or responsibility for performing or providing functions, activities, and services stipulated in the interagency agreement entered into under section 2151.428 of the Revised Code relative to that center.
(E) No township, municipal, or county peace officer shall remove a child about whom a report is made pursuant to this section from the child's parents, stepparents, or guardian or any other persons having custody of the child without consultation with the public children services agency, unless, in the judgment of the officer, and, if the report was made by physician, the physician, immediate removal is considered essential to protect the child from further abuse or neglect. The agency that must be consulted shall be the agency conducting the investigation of the report as determined pursuant to section 2151.422 of the Revised Code.
(F)(1) Except as provided in section 2151.422 of the Revised Code or in an interagency agreement entered into under section 2151.428 of the Revised Code that applies to the particular report, the public children services agency shall investigate, within twenty-four hours, each report of known or suspected child abuse or child neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed to have occurred and of a known or suspected threat of child abuse or child neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed to exist that is referred to it under this section to determine the circumstances surrounding the injuries, abuse, or neglect or the threat of injury, abuse, or neglect, the cause of the injuries, abuse, neglect, or threat, and the person or persons responsible. The investigation shall be made in cooperation with the law enforcement agency and in accordance with the memorandum of understanding prepared under division (J) of this section. A representative of the public children services agency shall, at the time of initial contact with the person subject to the investigation, inform the person of the specific complaints or allegations made against the person. The information shall be given in a manner that is consistent with division (H)(1) of this section and protects the rights of the person making the report under this section.
A failure to make the investigation in accordance with the memorandum is not grounds for, and shall not result in, the dismissal of any charges or complaint arising from the report or the suppression of any evidence obtained as a result of the report and does not give, and shall not be construed as giving, any rights or any grounds for appeal or post-conviction relief to any person. The public children services agency shall report each case to a central registry which the department of job and family services shall maintain in order to determine whether prior reports have been made in other counties concerning the child or other principals in the case. The public children services agency shall submit a report of its investigation, in writing, to the law enforcement agency.
(2) The public children services agency shall make any recommendations to the county prosecuting attorney or city director of law that it considers necessary to protect any children that are brought to its attention.
(G)(1)(a) Except as provided in division (H)(3) of this section, anyone or any hospital, institution, school, health department, or agency participating in the making of reports under division (A) of this section, anyone or any hospital, institution, school, health department, or agency participating in good faith in the making of reports under division (B) of this section, and anyone participating in good faith in a judicial proceeding resulting from the reports, shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability for injury, death, or loss to person or property that otherwise might be incurred or imposed as a result of the making of the reports or the participation in the judicial proceeding.
(b) Notwithstanding section 4731.22 of the Revised Code, the physician-patient privilege shall not be a ground for excluding evidence regarding a child's injuries, abuse, or neglect, or the cause of the injuries, abuse, or neglect in any judicial proceeding resulting from a report submitted pursuant to this section.
(2) In any civil or criminal action or proceeding in which it is alleged and proved that participation in the making of a report under this section was not in good faith or participation in a judicial proceeding resulting from a report made under this section was not in good faith, the court shall award the prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs and, if a civil action or proceeding is voluntarily dismissed, may award reasonable attorney's fees and costs to the party against whom the civil action or proceeding is brought.
(H)(1) Except as provided in divisions (H)(4) and (M) of this section, a report made under this section is confidential. The information provided in a report made pursuant to this section and the name of the person who made the report shall not be released for use, and shall not be used, as evidence in any civil action or proceeding brought against the person who made the report. In a criminal proceeding, the report is admissible in evidence in accordance with the Rules of Evidence and is subject to discovery in accordance with the Rules of Criminal Procedure.
(2) No person shall permit or encourage the unauthorized dissemination of the contents of any report made under this section.
(3) A person who knowingly makes or causes another person to make a false report under division (B) of this section that alleges that any person has committed an act or omission that resulted in a child being an abused child or a neglected child is guilty of a violation of section 2921.14 of the Revised Code.
(4) If a report is made pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this section and the child who is the subject of the report dies for any reason at any time after the report is made, but before the child attains eighteen years of age, the public children services agency or municipal or county peace officer to which the report was made or referred, on the request of the child fatality review board, shall submit a summary sheet of information providing a summary of the report to the review board of the county in which the deceased child resided at the time of death. On the request of the review board, the agency or peace officer may, at its discretion, make the report available to the review board. If the county served by the public children services agency is also served by a children's advocacy center and the report of alleged sexual abuse of a child or another type of abuse of a child is specified in the memorandum of understanding that creates the center as being within the center's jurisdiction, the agency or center shall perform the duties and functions specified in this division in accordance with the interagency agreement entered into under section 2151.428 of the Revised Code relative to that advocacy center.
(5) A public children services agency shall advise a person alleged to have inflicted abuse or neglect on a child who is the subject of a report made pursuant to this section, including a report alleging sexual abuse of a child or another type of abuse of a child referred to a children's advocacy center pursuant to an interagency agreement entered into under section 2151.428 of the Revised Code, in writing of the disposition of the investigation. The agency shall not provide to the person any information that identifies the person who made the report, statements of witnesses, or police or other investigative reports.
(I) Any report that is required by this section, other than a report that is made to the state highway patrol as described in section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, shall result in protective services and emergency supportive services being made available by the public children services agency on behalf of the children about whom the report is made, in an effort to prevent further neglect or abuse, to enhance their welfare, and, whenever possible, to preserve the family unit intact. The agency required to provide the services shall be the agency conducting the investigation of the report pursuant to section 2151.422 of the Revised Code.
(J)(1) Each public children services agency shall prepare a memorandum of understanding that is signed by all of the following:
(a) If there is only one juvenile judge in the county, the juvenile judge of the county or the juvenile judge's representative;
(b) If there is more than one juvenile judge in the county, a juvenile judge or the juvenile judges' representative selected by the juvenile judges or, if they are unable to do so for any reason, the juvenile judge who is senior in point of service or the senior juvenile judge's representative;
(c) The county peace officer;
(d) All chief municipal peace officers within the county;
(e) Other law enforcement officers handling child abuse and neglect cases in the county;
(f) The prosecuting attorney of the county;
(g) If the public children services agency is not the county department of job and family services, the county department of job and family services;
(h) The county humane society;
(i) If the public children services agency participated in the execution of a memorandum of understanding under section 2151.426 of the Revised Code establishing a children's advocacy center, each participating member of the children's advocacy center established by the memorandum.
(2) A memorandum of understanding shall set forth the normal operating procedure to be employed by all concerned officials in the execution of their respective responsibilities under this section and division (C) of section 2919.21, division (B)(1) of section 2919.22, division (B) of section 2919.23, and section 2919.24 of the Revised Code and shall have as two of its primary goals the elimination of all unnecessary interviews of children who are the subject of reports made pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this section and, when feasible, providing for only one interview of a child who is the subject of any report made pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this section. A failure to follow the procedure set forth in the memorandum by the concerned officials is not grounds for, and shall not result in, the dismissal of any charges or complaint arising from any reported case of abuse or neglect or the suppression of any evidence obtained as a result of any reported child abuse or child neglect and does not give, and shall not be construed as giving, any rights or any grounds for appeal or post-conviction relief to any person.
(3) A memorandum of understanding shall include all of the following:
(a) The roles and responsibilities for handling emergency and nonemergency cases of abuse and neglect;
(b) Standards and procedures to be used in handling and coordinating investigations of reported cases of child abuse and reported cases of child neglect, methods to be used in interviewing the child who is the subject of the report and who allegedly was abused or neglected, and standards and procedures addressing the categories of persons who may interview the child who is the subject of the report and who allegedly was abused or neglected.
(4) If a public children services agency participated in the execution of a memorandum of understanding under section 2151.426 of the Revised Code establishing a children's advocacy center, the agency shall incorporate the contents of that memorandum in the memorandum prepared pursuant to this section.
(K)(1) Except as provided in division (K)(4) of this section, a person who is required to make a report pursuant to division (A) of this section may make a reasonable number of requests of the public children services agency that receives or is referred the report, or of the children's advocacy center that is referred the report if the report is referred to a children's advocacy center pursuant to an interagency agreement entered into under section 2151.428 of the Revised Code, to be provided with the following information:
(a) Whether the agency or center has initiated an investigation of the report;
(b) Whether the agency or center is continuing to investigate the report;
(c) Whether the agency or center is otherwise involved with the child who is the subject of the report;
(d) The general status of the health and safety of the child who is the subject of the report;
(e) Whether the report has resulted in the filing of a complaint in juvenile court or of criminal charges in another court.
(2) A person may request the information specified in division (K)(1) of this section only if, at the time the report is made, the person's name, address, and telephone number are provided to the person who receives the report.
When a municipal or county peace officer or employee of a public children services agency receives a report pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this section the recipient of the report shall inform the person of the right to request the information described in division (K)(1) of this section. The recipient of the report shall include in the initial child abuse or child neglect report that the person making the report was so informed and, if provided at the time of the making of the report, shall include the person's name, address, and telephone number in the report.
Each request is subject to verification of the identity of the person making the report. If that person's identity is verified, the agency shall provide the person with the information described in division (K)(1) of this section a reasonable number of times, except that the agency shall not disclose any confidential information regarding the child who is the subject of the report other than the information described in those divisions.
(3) A request made pursuant to division (K)(1) of this section is not a substitute for any report required to be made pursuant to division (A) of this section.
(4) If an agency other than the agency that received or was referred the report is conducting the investigation of the report pursuant to section 2151.422 of the Revised Code, the agency conducting the investigation shall comply with the requirements of division (K) of this section.
(L) The director of job and family services shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to implement this section. The department of job and family services may enter into a plan of cooperation with any other governmental entity to aid in ensuring that children are protected from abuse and neglect. The department shall make recommendations to the attorney general that the department determines are necessary to protect children from child abuse and child neglect.
(M)(1) As used in this division:
(a) "Out-of-home care" includes a nonchartered nonpublic school if the alleged child abuse or child neglect, or alleged threat of child abuse or child neglect, described in a report received by a public children services agency allegedly occurred in or involved the nonchartered nonpublic school and the alleged perpetrator named in the report holds a certificate, permit, or license issued by the state board of education under section 3301.071 or Chapter 3319. of the Revised Code.
(b) "Administrator, director, or other chief administrative officer" means the superintendent of the school district if the out-of-home care entity subject to a report made pursuant to this section is a school operated by the district.
(2) No later than the end of the day following the day on which a public children services agency receives a report of alleged child abuse or child neglect, or a report of an alleged threat of child abuse or child neglect, that allegedly occurred in or involved an out-of-home care entity, the agency shall provide written notice of the allegations contained in and the person named as the alleged perpetrator in the report to the administrator, director, or other chief administrative officer of the out-of-home care entity that is the subject of the report unless the administrator, director, or other chief administrative officer is named as an alleged perpetrator in the report. If the administrator, director, or other chief administrative officer of an out-of-home care entity is named as an alleged perpetrator in a report of alleged child abuse or child neglect, or a report of an alleged threat of child abuse or child neglect, that allegedly occurred in or involved the out-of-home care entity, the agency shall provide the written notice to the owner or governing board of the out-of-home care entity that is the subject of the report. The agency shall not provide witness statements or police or other investigative reports.
(3) No later than three days after the day on which a public children services agency that conducted the investigation as determined pursuant to section 2151.422 of the Revised Code makes a disposition of an investigation involving a report of alleged child abuse or child neglect, or a report of an alleged threat of child abuse or child neglect, that allegedly occurred in or involved an out-of-home care entity, the agency shall send written notice of the disposition of the investigation to the administrator, director, or other chief administrative officer and the owner or governing board of the out-of-home care entity. The agency shall not provide witness statements or police or other investigative reports.
Sec. 2151.99.  (A) Whoever (1) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2) of this section, whoever violates division (D)(2) or (3) of section 2151.313 or division (A)(1), (A)(4), or (H)(2) of section 2151.421 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(2) Whoever violates division (A)(4) of section 2151.421 of the Revised Code knowing that a child has been abused or neglected and knowing that the person who committed the abuse or neglect was a cleric or another person, other than a volunteer, designated by a church, religious society, or faith acting as a leader, official, or delegate on behalf of the church, religious society, or faith, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree if the person who violates division (A)(4) of this section and the person who committed the abuse or neglect belong to the same church, religious society, or faith.
(B) Whoever violates division (D)(1) of section 2151.313 of the Revised Code is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
Sec. 2305.10.  (A) Except as provided in division (C) or (E) of this section, an action based on a product liability claim and an action for bodily injury or injuring personal property shall be brought within two years after the cause of action accrues. Except as provided in divisions (B)(1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) of this section, a cause of action accrues under this division when the injury or loss to person or property occurs.
(B)(1) For purposes of division (A) of this section, a cause of action for bodily injury that is not described in division (B)(2), (3), (4), or (5) of this section and that is caused by exposure to hazardous or toxic chemicals, ethical drugs, or ethical medical devices accrues upon the date on which the plaintiff is informed by competent medical authority that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the plaintiff should have known that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, whichever date occurs first.
(2) For purposes of division (A) of this section, a cause of action for bodily injury caused by exposure to chromium in any of its chemical forms accrues upon the date on which the plaintiff is informed by competent medical authority that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the plaintiff should have known that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, whichever date occurs first.
(3) For purposes of division (A) of this section, a cause of action for bodily injury incurred by a veteran through exposure to chemical defoliants or herbicides or other causative agents, including agent orange, accrues upon the date on which the plaintiff is informed by competent medical authority that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the plaintiff should have known that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, whichever date occurs first.
(4) For purposes of division (A) of this section, a cause of action for bodily injury caused by exposure to diethylstilbestrol or other nonsteroidal synthetic estrogens, including exposure before birth, accrues upon the date on which the plaintiff is informed by competent medical authority that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the plaintiff should have known that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, whichever date occurs first.
(5) For purposes of division (A) of this section, a cause of action for bodily injury caused by exposure to asbestos accrues upon the date on which the plaintiff is informed by competent medical authority that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the plaintiff should have known that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, whichever date occurs first.
(C)(1) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (C)(2), (3), (4), (5), (6), and (7) of this section or in section 2305.19 of the Revised Code, no cause of action based on a product liability claim shall accrue against the manufacturer or supplier of a product later than ten years from the date that the product was delivered to its first purchaser or first lessee who was not engaged in a business in which the product was used as a component in the production, construction, creation, assembly, or rebuilding of another product.
(2) Division (C)(1) of this section does not apply if the manufacturer or supplier of a product engaged in fraud in regard to information about the product and the fraud contributed to the harm that is alleged in a product liability claim involving that product.
(3) Division (C)(1) of this section does not bar an action based on a product liability claim against a manufacturer or supplier of a product who made an express, written warranty as to the safety of the product that was for a period longer than ten years and that, at the time of the accrual of the cause of action, has not expired in accordance with the terms of that warranty.
(4) If the cause of action relative to a product liability claim accrues during the ten-year period described in division (C)(1) of this section but less than two years prior to the expiration of that period, an action based on the product liability claim may be commenced within two years after the cause of action accrues.
(5) If a cause of action relative to a product liability claim accrues during the ten-year period described in division (C)(1) of this section and the claimant cannot commence an action during that period due to a disability described in section 2305.16 of the Revised Code, an action based on the product liability claim may be commenced within two years after the disability is removed.
(6) Division (C)(1) of this section does not bar an action for bodily injury caused by exposure to asbestos if the cause of action that is the basis of the action accrues upon the date on which the plaintiff is informed by competent medical authority that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the plaintiff should have known that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, whichever date occurs first.
(7)(a) Division (C)(1) of this section does not bar an action based on a product liability claim against a manufacturer or supplier of a product if all of the following apply:
(i) The action is for bodily injury.
(ii) The product involved is a substance or device described in division (B)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section.
(iii) The bodily injury results from exposure to the product during the ten-year period described in division (C)(1) of this section.
(b) If division (C)(7)(a) of this section applies regarding an action, the cause of action accrues upon the date on which the claimant is informed by competent medical authority that the bodily injury was related to the exposure to the product, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the claimant should have known that the bodily injury was related to the exposure to the product, whichever date occurs first. The action based on the product liability claim shall be commenced within two years after the cause of action accrues and shall not be commenced more than two years after the cause of action accrues.
(D) This section does not create a new cause of action or substantive legal right against any person involving a product liability claim.
(E) An action brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse asserting any claim resulting from childhood sexual abuse, as defined in section 2305.111 of the Revised Code, shall be brought as provided in division (C) of that section.
(F) As used in this section:
(1) "Agent orange," "causative agent," and "veteran" have the same meanings as in section 5903.21 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Ethical drug," "ethical medical device," "manufacturer," "product," "product liability claim," and "supplier" have the same meanings as in section 2307.71 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Harm" means injury, death, or loss to person or property.
(F)(G) This section shall be considered to be purely remedial in operation and shall be applied in a remedial manner in any civil action commenced on or after the effective date of this amendment April 7, 2005, in which this section is relevant, regardless of when the cause of action accrued and notwithstanding any other section of the Revised Code or prior rule of law of this state, but shall not be construed to apply to any civil action pending prior to the effective date of this amendment April 7, 2005.
Sec. 2305.111. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Childhood sexual abuse" means any conduct that constitutes any of the violations identified in division (A)(1)(a) or (b) of this section and would constitute a criminal offense under the specified section or division of the Revised Code, if the victim of the violation is at the time of the violation a child under eighteen years of age or a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired child under twenty-one years of age. The court need not find that any person has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to the offense under the specified section or division of the Revised Code in order for the conduct that is the violation constituting the offense to be childhood sexual abuse for purposes of this division. This division applies to any of the following violations committed in the following specified circumstances:
(a) A violation of section 2907.02 or of division (A)(1), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), or (12) of section 2907.03 of the Revised Code;
(b) A violation of section 2907.05 or 2907.06 of the Revised Code if, at the time of the violation, any of the following apply:
(i) The actor is the victim's natural parent, adoptive parent, or stepparent or the guardian, custodian, or person in loco parentis of the victim.
(ii) The victim is in custody of law or a patient in a hospital or other institution, and the actor has supervisory or disciplinary authority over the victim.
(iii) The actor is a teacher, administrator, coach, or other person in authority employed by or serving in a school for which the state board of education prescribes minimum standards pursuant to division (D) of section 3301.07 of the Revised Code, the victim is enrolled in or attends that school, and the actor is not enrolled in and does not attend that school.
(iv) The actor is a teacher, administrator, coach, or other person in authority employed by or serving in an institution of higher education, and the victim is enrolled in or attends that institution.
(v) The actor is the victim's athletic or other type of coach, is the victim's instructor, is the leader of a scouting troop of which the victim is a member, or is a person with temporary or occasional disciplinary control over the victim.
(vi) The actor is a mental health professional, the victim is a mental health client or patient of the actor, and the actor induces the victim to submit by falsely representing to the victim that the sexual contact involved in the violation is necessary for mental health treatment purposes.
(vii) The victim is confined in a detention facility, and the actor is an employee of that detention facility.
(viii) The actor is a cleric, and the victim is a member of, or attends, the church or congregation served by the cleric.
(2) "Cleric" has the same meaning as in section 2317.02 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Mental health client or patient" has the same meaning as in section 2305.51 of the Revised Code.
(4) "Mental health professional" has the same meaning as in section 2305.115 of the Revised Code.
(5) "Sexual contact" has the same meaning as in section 2907.01 of the Revised Code.
(6) "Victim" means, except as provided in division (B) of this section, a victim of childhood sexual abuse.
(B) Except as provided in section 2305.115 of the Revised Code and subject to division (C) of this section, an action for assault or battery shall be brought within one year after the cause of the action accrues. For purposes of this section, a cause of action for assault or battery accrues upon the later of the following:
(A)(1) The date on which the alleged assault or battery occurred;
(B)(2) If the plaintiff did not know the identity of the person who allegedly committed the assault or battery on the date on which it allegedly occurred, the earlier of the following dates:
(1)(a) The date on which the plaintiff learns the identity of that person;
(2)(b) The date on which, by the exercise of reasonable diligence, the plaintiff should have learned the identity of that person.
(C) An action for assault or battery brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse based on childhood sexual abuse, or an action brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse asserting any claim resulting from childhood sexual abuse, shall be brought within twelve years after the cause of action accrues. For purposes of this section, a cause of action for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse, or a cause of action for a claim resulting from childhood sexual abuse, accrues upon the date on which the victim reaches the age of majority. If the defendant in an action brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse asserting a claim resulting from childhood sexual abuse that occurs on or after the effective date of this act has fraudulently concealed from the plaintiff facts that form the basis of the claim, the running of the limitations period with regard to that claim is tolled until the time when the plaintiff discovers or in the exercise of due diligence should have discovered those facts.
Sec. 2305.115. (A) An Except as provided in division (C) of this section, an action for assault or battery shall be brought within two years after the cause of action accrues, except as provided in division (B) of this section, if all of the following apply regarding the action, the cause of the action, and the parties to the action:
(1) The action is brought against a mental health professional.
(2) The assault or battery claim asserted in the action is that, while the plaintiff was a mental health client or patient of the mental health professional, the mental health professional engaged in sexual conduct with, had sexual contact with, or caused one or more other persons to have sexual contact with the plaintiff.
(3) At the time of the sexual conduct or sexual contact described in division (A)(2) of this section, the plaintiff was not the spouse of the mental health professional.
(B) If the mental health service relationship between the plaintiff in an action for assault or battery that is described in division (A) of this section and the mental health professional continues after the date on which the cause of action accrues, the two-year period specified in division (A) of this section does not begin to run until the date on which that mental health service relationship is terminated by either or both of the parties.
(C) Unless An action for assault or battery brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse that is based on childhood sexual abuse, as defined in section 2305.111 of the Revised Code, shall be brought as provided in division (C) of that section. In all other cases, unless division (A) or (B) of this section applies, an action for assault or battery shall be brought as provided in division (B) of section 2305.111 of the Revised Code.
(D) As used in this section:
(1) "Mental health client or patient" and "mental health service" have the same meanings as in section 2305.51 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Mental health professional" has the same meaning as in section 2305.51 of the Revised Code and also includes an individual who is not licensed, certified, or registered under the Revised Code, or otherwise authorized in this state, but who regularly provides or purports to provide mental health services for compensation or remuneration at an established place of business.
(3) "Mental health service relationship" means the relationship between a mental health professional and a mental health client or patient of the mental health professional that exists for purposes of the mental health professional's provision of mental health services to the mental health client or patient.
(4) "Sexual conduct" and "sexual contact" have the same meanings as in section 2907.01 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 2317.02.  The following persons shall not testify in certain respects:
(A) An attorney, concerning a communication made to the attorney by a client in that relation or the attorney's advice to a client, except that the attorney may testify by express consent of the client or, if the client is deceased, by the express consent of the surviving spouse or the executor or administrator of the estate of the deceased client and except that, if the client voluntarily testifies or is deemed by section 2151.421 of the Revised Code to have waived any testimonial privilege under this division, the attorney may be compelled to testify on the same subject;
(B)(1) A physician or a dentist concerning a communication made to the physician or dentist by a patient in that relation or the physician's or dentist's advice to a patient, except as otherwise provided in this division, division (B)(2), and division (B)(3) of this section, and except that, if the patient is deemed by section 2151.421 of the Revised Code to have waived any testimonial privilege under this division, the physician may be compelled to testify on the same subject.
The testimonial privilege established under this division does not apply, and a physician or dentist may testify or may be compelled to testify, in any of the following circumstances:
(a) In any civil action, in accordance with the discovery provisions of the Rules of Civil Procedure in connection with a civil action, or in connection with a claim under Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code, under any of the following circumstances:
(i) If the patient or the guardian or other legal representative of the patient gives express consent;
(ii) If the patient is deceased, the spouse of the patient or the executor or administrator of the patient's estate gives express consent;
(iii) If a medical claim, dental claim, chiropractic claim, or optometric claim, as defined in section 2305.113 of the Revised Code, an action for wrongful death, any other type of civil action, or a claim under Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code is filed by the patient, the personal representative of the estate of the patient if deceased, or the patient's guardian or other legal representative.
(b) In any civil action concerning court-ordered treatment or services received by a patient, if the court-ordered treatment or services were ordered as part of a case plan journalized under section 2151.412 of the Revised Code or the court-ordered treatment or services are necessary or relevant to dependency, neglect, or abuse or temporary or permanent custody proceedings under Chapter 2151. of the Revised Code.
(c) In any criminal action concerning any test or the results of any test that determines the presence or concentration of alcohol, a drug of abuse, or alcohol and a drug of abuse in the patient's blood, breath, urine, or other bodily substance at any time relevant to the criminal offense in question.
(d) In any criminal action against a physician or dentist. In such an action, the testimonial privilege established under this division does not prohibit the admission into evidence, in accordance with the Rules of Evidence, of a patient's medical or dental records or other communications between a patient and the physician or dentist that are related to the action and obtained by subpoena, search warrant, or other lawful means. A court that permits or compels a physician or dentist to testify in such an action or permits the introduction into evidence of patient records or other communications in such an action shall require that appropriate measures be taken to ensure that the confidentiality of any patient named or otherwise identified in the records is maintained. Measures to ensure confidentiality that may be taken by the court include sealing its records or deleting specific information from its records.
(e) In any will contest action under sections 2107.71 to 2107.77 of the Revised Code if all of the following apply:
(i) The patient is deceased.
(ii) A party to the will contest action requests the testimony, demonstrates to the court that that party would be an heir of the patient if the patient died without a will, is a beneficiary under the will that is the subject of the will contest action, or is a beneficiary under another testamentary document allegedly executed by the patient, and demonstrates to the court that the testimony is necessary to establish the party's rights as described in this division.
(2)(a) If any law enforcement officer submits a written statement to a health care provider that states that an official criminal investigation has begun regarding a specified person or that a criminal action or proceeding has been commenced against a specified person, that requests the provider to supply to the officer copies of any records the provider possesses that pertain to any test or the results of any test administered to the specified person to determine the presence or concentration of alcohol, a drug of abuse, or alcohol and a drug of abuse in the person's blood, breath, or urine at any time relevant to the criminal offense in question, and that conforms to section 2317.022 of the Revised Code, the provider, except to the extent specifically prohibited by any law of this state or of the United States, shall supply to the officer a copy of any of the requested records the provider possesses. If the health care provider does not possess any of the requested records, the provider shall give the officer a written statement that indicates that the provider does not possess any of the requested records.
(b) If a health care provider possesses any records of the type described in division (B)(2)(a) of this section regarding the person in question at any time relevant to the criminal offense in question, in lieu of personally testifying as to the results of the test in question, the custodian of the records may submit a certified copy of the records, and, upon its submission, the certified copy is qualified as authentic evidence and may be admitted as evidence in accordance with the Rules of Evidence. Division (A) of section 2317.422 of the Revised Code does not apply to any certified copy of records submitted in accordance with this division. Nothing in this division shall be construed to limit the right of any party to call as a witness the person who administered the test to which the records pertain, the person under whose supervision the test was administered, the custodian of the records, the person who made the records, or the person under whose supervision the records were made.
(3)(a) If the testimonial privilege described in division (B)(1) of this section does not apply as provided in division (B)(1)(a)(iii) of this section, a physician or dentist may be compelled to testify or to submit to discovery under the Rules of Civil Procedure only as to a communication made to the physician or dentist by the patient in question in that relation, or the physician's or dentist's advice to the patient in question, that related causally or historically to physical or mental injuries that are relevant to issues in the medical claim, dental claim, chiropractic claim, or optometric claim, action for wrongful death, other civil action, or claim under Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code.
(b) If the testimonial privilege described in division (B)(1) of this section does not apply to a physician or dentist as provided in division (B)(1)(c) of this section, the physician or dentist, in lieu of personally testifying as to the results of the test in question, may submit a certified copy of those results, and, upon its submission, the certified copy is qualified as authentic evidence and may be admitted as evidence in accordance with the Rules of Evidence. Division (A) of section 2317.422 of the Revised Code does not apply to any certified copy of results submitted in accordance with this division. Nothing in this division shall be construed to limit the right of any party to call as a witness the person who administered the test in question, the person under whose supervision the test was administered, the custodian of the results of the test, the person who compiled the results, or the person under whose supervision the results were compiled.
(c) If the testimonial privilege described in division (B)(1) of this section does not apply as provided in division (B)(1)(e) of this section, a physician or dentist may be compelled to testify or to submit to discovery in the will contest action under sections 2107.71 to 2107.77 of the Revised Code only as to the patient in question on issues relevant to the competency of the patient at the time of the execution of the will. Testimony or discovery conducted pursuant to this division shall be conducted in accordance with the Rules of Civil Procedure.
(4) The testimonial privilege described in division (B)(1) of this section is not waived when a communication is made by a physician to a pharmacist or when there is communication between a patient and a pharmacist in furtherance of the physician-patient relation.
(5)(a) As used in divisions (B)(1) to (4) of this section, "communication" means acquiring, recording, or transmitting any information, in any manner, concerning any facts, opinions, or statements necessary to enable a physician or dentist to diagnose, treat, prescribe, or act for a patient. A "communication" may include, but is not limited to, any medical or dental, office, or hospital communication such as a record, chart, letter, memorandum, laboratory test and results, x-ray, photograph, financial statement, diagnosis, or prognosis.
(b) As used in division (B)(2) of this section, "health care provider" means a hospital, ambulatory care facility, long-term care facility, pharmacy, emergency facility, or health care practitioner.
(c) As used in division (B)(5)(b) of this section:
(i) "Ambulatory care facility" means a facility that provides medical, diagnostic, or surgical treatment to patients who do not require hospitalization, including a dialysis center, ambulatory surgical facility, cardiac catheterization facility, diagnostic imaging center, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy center, home health agency, inpatient hospice, birthing center, radiation therapy center, emergency facility, and an urgent care center. "Ambulatory health care facility" does not include the private office of a physician or dentist, whether the office is for an individual or group practice.
(ii) "Emergency facility" means a hospital emergency department or any other facility that provides emergency medical services.
(iii) "Health care practitioner" has the same meaning as in section 4769.01 of the Revised Code.
(iv) "Hospital" has the same meaning as in section 3727.01 of the Revised Code.
(v) "Long-term care facility" means a nursing home, residential care facility, or home for the aging, as those terms are defined in section 3721.01 of the Revised Code; an adult care facility, as defined in section 3722.01 of the Revised Code; a nursing facility or intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded, as those terms are defined in section 5111.20 of the Revised Code; a facility or portion of a facility certified as a skilled nursing facility under Title XVIII of the "Social Security Act," 49 Stat. 286 (1965), 42 U.S.C.A. 1395, as amended.
(vi) "Pharmacy" has the same meaning as in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code.
(6) Divisions (B)(1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) of this section apply to doctors of medicine, doctors of osteopathic medicine, doctors of podiatry, and dentists.
(7) Nothing in divisions (B)(1) to (6) of this section affects, or shall be construed as affecting, the immunity from civil liability conferred by section 307.628 or 2305.33 of the Revised Code upon physicians who report an employee's use of a drug of abuse, or a condition of an employee other than one involving the use of a drug of abuse, to the employer of the employee in accordance with division (B) of that section. As used in division (B)(7) of this section, "employee," "employer," and "physician" have the same meanings as in section 2305.33 of the Revised Code.
(C)(1) A member of the clergy, rabbi, priest, or regularly ordained, accredited, or licensed minister of an established and legally cognizable church, denomination, or sect cleric, when the member of the clergy, rabbi, priest, or minister cleric remains accountable to the authority of that cleric's church, denomination, or sect, concerning a confession made, or any information confidentially communicated, to the member of the clergy, rabbi, priest, or minister cleric for a religious counseling purpose in the member of the clergy's, rabbi's, priest's, or minister's cleric's professional character; however, the member of the clergy, rabbi, priest, or minister. The cleric may testify by express consent of the person making the communication, except when the disclosure of the information is in violation of a sacred trust; and except that, if the person voluntarily testifies or is deemed by division (A)(4)(c) of section 2151.421 of the Revised Code to have waived any testimonial privilege under this division, the cleric may be compelled to testify on the same subject except when disclosure of the information is in violation of a sacred trust.
(2) As used in division (C) of this section:
(a) "Cleric" means a member of the clergy, rabbi, priest, Christian science practitioner, or regularly ordained, accredited, or licensed minister of an established and legally cognizable church, denomination, or sect.
(b) "Sacred trust" means a confession or confidential communication made to a cleric in the cleric's ecclesiastical capacity in the course of discipline enjoined by the church to which the cleric belongs, including, but not limited to, the Catholic Church, if both of the following apply:
(i) The confession or confidential communication was made directly to the cleric.
(ii) The confession or confidential communication was made in the manner and context that places the cleric specifically and strictly under a level of confidentiality that is considered inviolate by canon law or church doctrine.
(D) Husband or wife, concerning any communication made by one to the other, or an act done by either in the presence of the other, during coverture, unless the communication was made, or act done, in the known presence or hearing of a third person competent to be a witness; and such rule is the same if the marital relation has ceased to exist;
(E) A person who assigns a claim or interest, concerning any matter in respect to which the person would not, if a party, be permitted to testify;
(F) A person who, if a party, would be restricted under section 2317.03 of the Revised Code, when the property or thing is sold or transferred by an executor, administrator, guardian, trustee, heir, devisee, or legatee, shall be restricted in the same manner in any action or proceeding concerning the property or thing.
(G)(1) A school guidance counselor who holds a valid educator license from the state board of education as provided for in section 3319.22 of the Revised Code, a person licensed under Chapter 4757. of the Revised Code as a professional clinical counselor, professional counselor, social worker, independent social worker, marriage and family therapist or independent marriage and family therapist, or registered under Chapter 4757. of the Revised Code as a social work assistant concerning a confidential communication received from a client in that relation or the person's advice to a client unless any of the following applies:
(a) The communication or advice indicates clear and present danger to the client or other persons. For the purposes of this division, cases in which there are indications of present or past child abuse or neglect of the client constitute a clear and present danger.
(b) The client gives express consent to the testimony.
(c) If the client is deceased, the surviving spouse or the executor or administrator of the estate of the deceased client gives express consent.
(d) The client voluntarily testifies, in which case the school guidance counselor or person licensed or registered under Chapter 4757. of the Revised Code may be compelled to testify on the same subject.
(e) The court in camera determines that the information communicated by the client is not germane to the counselor-client, marriage and family therapist-client, or social worker-client relationship.
(f) A court, in an action brought against a school, its administration, or any of its personnel by the client, rules after an in-camera inspection that the testimony of the school guidance counselor is relevant to that action.
(g) The testimony is sought in a civil action and concerns court-ordered treatment or services received by a patient as part of a case plan journalized under section 2151.412 of the Revised Code or the court-ordered treatment or services are necessary or relevant to dependency, neglect, or abuse or temporary or permanent custody proceedings under Chapter 2151. of the Revised Code.
(2) Nothing in division (G)(1) of this section shall relieve a school guidance counselor or a person licensed or registered under Chapter 4757. of the Revised Code from the requirement to report information concerning child abuse or neglect under section 2151.421 of the Revised Code.
(H) A mediator acting under a mediation order issued under division (A) of section 3109.052 of the Revised Code or otherwise issued in any proceeding for divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, or the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities for the care of children, in any action or proceeding, other than a criminal, delinquency, child abuse, child neglect, or dependent child action or proceeding, that is brought by or against either parent who takes part in mediation in accordance with the order and that pertains to the mediation process, to any information discussed or presented in the mediation process, to the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities for the care of the parents' children, or to the awarding of parenting time rights in relation to their children;
(I) A communications assistant, acting within the scope of the communication assistant's authority, when providing telecommunications relay service pursuant to section 4931.35 of the Revised Code or Title II of the "Communications Act of 1934," 104 Stat. 366 (1990), 47 U.S.C. 225, concerning a communication made through a telecommunications relay service. Nothing in this section shall limit the obligation of a communications assistant to divulge information or testify when mandated by federal law or regulation or pursuant to subpoena in a criminal proceeding.
Nothing in this section shall limit any immunity or privilege granted under federal law or regulation.
(J)(1) A chiropractor in a civil proceeding concerning a communication made to the chiropractor by a patient in that relation or the chiropractor's advice to a patient, except as otherwise provided in this division. The testimonial privilege established under this division does not apply, and a chiropractor may testify or may be compelled to testify, in any civil action, in accordance with the discovery provisions of the Rules of Civil Procedure in connection with a civil action, or in connection with a claim under Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code, under any of the following circumstances:
(a) If the patient or the guardian or other legal representative of the patient gives express consent.
(b) If the patient is deceased, the spouse of the patient or the executor or administrator of the patient's estate gives express consent.
(c) If a medical claim, dental claim, chiropractic claim, or optometric claim, as defined in section 2305.113 of the Revised Code, an action for wrongful death, any other type of civil action, or a claim under Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code is filed by the patient, the personal representative of the estate of the patient if deceased, or the patient's guardian or other legal representative.
(2) If the testimonial privilege described in division (J)(1) of this section does not apply as provided in division (J)(1)(c) of this section, a chiropractor may be compelled to testify or to submit to discovery under the Rules of Civil Procedure only as to a communication made to the chiropractor by the patient in question in that relation, or the chiropractor's advice to the patient in question, that related causally or historically to physical or mental injuries that are relevant to issues in the medical claim, dental claim, chiropractic claim, or optometric claim, action for wrongful death, other civil action, or claim under Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code.
(3) The testimonial privilege established under this division does not apply, and a chiropractor may testify or be compelled to testify, in any criminal action or administrative proceeding.
(4) As used in this division, "communication" means acquiring, recording, or transmitting any information, in any manner, concerning any facts, opinions, or statements necessary to enable a chiropractor to diagnose, treat, or act for a patient. A communication may include, but is not limited to, any chiropractic, office, or hospital communication such as a record, chart, letter, memorandum, laboratory test and results, x-ray, photograph, financial statement, diagnosis, or prognosis.
(K)(1) Except as provided under division (K)(2) of this section, a critical incident stress management team member concerning a communication received from an individual who receives crisis response services from the team member, or the team member's advice to the individual, during a debriefing session.
(2) The testimonial privilege established under division (K)(1) of this section does not apply if any of the following are true:
(a) The communication or advice indicates clear and present danger to the individual who receives crisis response services or to other persons. For purposes of this division, cases in which there are indications of present or past child abuse or neglect of the individual constitute a clear and present danger.
(b) The individual who received crisis response services gives express consent to the testimony.
(c) If the individual who received crisis response services is deceased, the surviving spouse or the executor or administrator of the estate of the deceased individual gives express consent.
(d) The individual who received crisis response services voluntarily testifies, in which case the team member may be compelled to testify on the same subject.
(e) The court in camera determines that the information communicated by the individual who received crisis response services is not germane to the relationship between the individual and the team member.
(f) The communication or advice pertains or is related to any criminal act.
(3) As used in division (K) of this section:
(a) "Crisis response services" means consultation, risk assessment, referral, and on-site crisis intervention services provided by a critical incident stress management team to individuals affected by crisis or disaster.
(b) "Critical incident stress management team member" or "team member" means an individual specially trained to provide crisis response services as a member of an organized community or local crisis response team that holds membership in the Ohio critical incident stress management network.
(c) "Debriefing session" means a session at which crisis response services are rendered by a critical incident stress management team member during or after a crisis or disaster.
(L)(1) Subject to division (L)(2) of this section and except as provided in division (L)(3) of this section, an employee assistance professional, concerning a communication made to the employee assistance professional by a client in the employee assistance professional's official capacity as an employee assistance professional.
(2) Division (L)(1) of this section applies to an employee assistance professional who meets either or both of the following requirements:
(a) Is certified by the employee assistance certification commission to engage in the employee assistance profession;
(b) Has education, training, and experience in all of the following:
(i) Providing workplace-based services designed to address employer and employee productivity issues;
(ii) Providing assistance to employees and employees' dependents in identifying and finding the means to resolve personal problems that affect the employees or the employees' performance;
(iii) Identifying and resolving productivity problems associated with an employee's concerns about any of the following matters: health, marriage, family, finances, substance abuse or other addiction, workplace, law, and emotional issues;
(iv) Selecting and evaluating available community resources;
(v) Making appropriate referrals;
(vi) Local and national employee assistance agreements;
(vii) Client confidentiality.
(3) Division (L)(1) of this section does not apply to any of the following:
(a) A criminal action or proceeding involving an offense under sections 2903.01 to 2903.06 of the Revised Code if the employee assistance professional's disclosure or testimony relates directly to the facts or immediate circumstances of the offense;
(b) A communication made by a client to an employee assistance professional that reveals the contemplation or commission of a crime or serious, harmful act;
(c) A communication that is made by a client who is an unemancipated minor or an adult adjudicated to be incompetent and indicates that the client was the victim of a crime or abuse;
(d) A civil proceeding to determine an individual's mental competency or a criminal action in which a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity is entered;
(e) A civil or criminal malpractice action brought against the employee assistance professional;
(f) When the employee assistance professional has the express consent of the client or, if the client is deceased or disabled, the client's legal representative;
(g) When the testimonial privilege otherwise provided by division (L)(1) of this section is abrogated under law.
Sec. 2721.21.  (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Defendant" means a person against whom an individual believes that, but for the expiration of the limitation period for the cause of action under section 2305.111 of the Revised Code, the individual would have a cause of action for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse.
(2) "Prosecuting attorney" means the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the defendant resides or, if the defendant does not reside in this state, the prosecuting attorney of Franklin county.
(3) "Reside" has the same meaning as in section 3797.01 of the Revised Code.
(B) In any case in which an individual is precluded from commencing a civil action for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse against a person solely because the limitation period under section 2305.111 of the Revised Code for the action expired on or before the effective date of this section, the attorney general or the prosecuting attorney may bring an action in a court designated in division (C) of this section for a declaratory judgment finding that the person would have been liable for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse but for the expiration of the limitation period under section 2305.111 of the Revised Code. The attorney general or prosecuting attorney may bring an action pursuant to this section only for childhood sexual abuse that allegedly occurred in this state.
(C) If an individual believes that, but for the expiration of the limitation period under section 2305.111 of the Revised Code for an action for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse on or before the effective date of this section, the individual would have a cause of action against a defendant for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse that occurred in this state, the individual may serve written notice of the individual's belief and the basis for the belief simultaneously on the defendant, the attorney general, and the prosecuting attorney. The individual shall serve the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested. The prosecuting attorney within forty-five days after receipt of the notice may commence an action pursuant to division (B) of this section in the court of common pleas of the county in which the prosecuting attorney is elected. If the prosecuting attorney does not commence an action within that forty-five day period, the attorney general within ninety days after receipt of the notice may commence an action pursuant to division (B) of this section in the Franklin county court of common pleas or the court of common pleas of the county in which the defendant resides. If neither the attorney general nor the prosecuting attorney commences an action pursuant to division (B) of this section within the appropriate forty-five-day or ninety-day period after receiving the notice, the individual may commence an action in the court of common pleas of the county in which the individual or the defendant resides or in which the childhood sexual abuse allegedly occurred for a declaratory judgment finding that the defendant would be liable for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse but for the expiration of the limitation period under section 2305.111 of the Revised Code.
(D) If the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence in an action brought pursuant to this section that the defendant would be liable for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse but for the expiration of the limitation period under section 2305.111 of the Revised Code, the court shall enter a judgment with that finding against the defendant and shall order that the defendant be listed on the civil registry maintained by the attorney general pursuant to section 3797.08 of the Revised Code. The court shall notify the defendant of the defendant's obligations under sections 3797.02, 3797.03, and 3797.04 of the Revised Code.
(E) In an action brought by an individual pursuant to division (C) of this section, the court may award reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party.
(F) After the expiration of six years from the date on which a court orders pursuant to this section that an individual be listed on the civil registry maintained by the attorney general pursuant to section 3797.08 of the Revised Code, the registrant may apply to the court that issued the order to be removed from the registry. The court may order that the individual's name be removed from the registry if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that since the individual was first listed on the civil registry the individual has not been found liable in damages in an action for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse, has not been required to register pursuant to section 2950.04 or 2950.041 of the Revised Code or a similar statute of any other state, and is not likely to commit an act in the future that would subject the individual to the requirement to register under section 2950.04, 2950.041, or 3797.02 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 2901.13.  (A)(1) Except as provided in division (A)(2) or (3) of this section or as otherwise provided in this section, a prosecution shall be barred unless it is commenced within the following periods after an offense is committed:
(a) For a felony, six years;
(b) For a misdemeanor other than a minor misdemeanor, two years;
(c) For a minor misdemeanor, six months.
(2) There is no period of limitation for the prosecution of a violation of section 2903.01 or 2903.02 of the Revised Code.
(3) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (B) to (H) of this section, a prosecution of any of the following offenses shall be barred unless it is commenced within twenty years after the offense is committed:
(a) A violation of section 2903.03, 2903.04, 2905.01, 2907.02, 2907.03, 2907.04, 2907.05, 2907.21, 2909.02, 2909.22, 2909.23, 2909.24, 2909.26, 2909.27, 2909.28, 2909.29, 2911.01, 2911.02, 2911.11, 2911.12, or 2917.02 of the Revised Code, a violation of section 2903.11 or 2903.12 of the Revised Code if the victim is a peace officer, a violation of section 2903.13 of the Revised Code that is a felony, or a violation of former section 2907.12 of the Revised Code;
(b) A conspiracy to commit, attempt to commit, or complicity in committing a violation set forth in division (A)(3)(a) of this section.
(B) If the period of limitation provided in division (A)(1) or (3) of this section has expired, prosecution shall be commenced for an offense of which an element is fraud or breach of a fiduciary duty, within one year after discovery of the offense either by an aggrieved person, or by the aggrieved person's legal representative who is not a party to the offense.
(C) If the period of limitation provided in division (A)(1) or (3) of this section has expired, prosecution shall be commenced for an offense involving misconduct in office by a public servant as defined in section 2921.01 of the Revised Code, at any time while the accused remains a public servant, or within two years thereafter.
(D) An offense is committed when every element of the offense occurs. In the case of an offense of which an element is a continuing course of conduct, the period of limitation does not begin to run until such course of conduct or the accused's accountability for it terminates, whichever occurs first.
(E) A prosecution is commenced on the date an indictment is returned or an information filed, or on the date a lawful arrest without a warrant is made, or on the date a warrant, summons, citation, or other process is issued, whichever occurs first. A prosecution is not commenced by the return of an indictment or the filing of an information unless reasonable diligence is exercised to issue and execute process on the same. A prosecution is not commenced upon issuance of a warrant, summons, citation, or other process, unless reasonable diligence is exercised to execute the same.
(F) The period of limitation shall not run during any time when the corpus delicti remains undiscovered.
(G) The period of limitation shall not run during any time when the accused purposely avoids prosecution. Proof that the accused departed this state or concealed the accused's identity or whereabouts is prima-facie evidence of the accused's purpose to avoid prosecution.
(H) The period of limitation shall not run during any time a prosecution against the accused based on the same conduct is pending in this state, even though the indictment, information, or process which commenced the prosecution is quashed or the proceedings thereon are set aside or reversed on appeal.
(I) The period of limitation for a violation of any provision of Title XXIX of the Revised Code that involves a physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of a child under eighteen years of age or of a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired child under twenty-one years of age shall not begin to run until either of the following occurs:
(1) The victim of the offense reaches the age of majority.
(2) A public children services agency, or a municipal or county peace officer that is not the parent or guardian of the child, in the county in which the child resides or in which the abuse or neglect is occurring or has occurred has been notified that abuse or neglect is known, suspected, or believed to have occurred.
(J) As used in this section, "peace officer" has the same meaning as in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 2907.03.  (A) No person shall engage in sexual conduct with another, not the spouse of the offender, when any of the following apply:
(1) The offender knowingly coerces the other person to submit by any means that would prevent resistance by a person of ordinary resolution.
(2) The offender knows that the other person's ability to appraise the nature of or control the other person's own conduct is substantially impaired.
(3) The offender knows that the other person submits because the other person is unaware that the act is being committed.
(4) The offender knows that the other person submits because the other person mistakenly identifies the offender as the other person's spouse.
(5) The offender is the other person's natural or adoptive parent, or a stepparent, or guardian, custodian, or person in loco parentis of the other person.
(6) The other person is in custody of law or a patient in a hospital or other institution, and the offender has supervisory or disciplinary authority over the other person.
(7) The offender is a teacher, administrator, coach, or other person in authority employed by or serving in a school for which the state board of education prescribes minimum standards pursuant to division (D) of section 3301.07 of the Revised Code, the other person is enrolled in or attends that school, and the offender is not enrolled in and does not attend that school.
(8) The other person is a minor, the offender is a teacher, administrator, coach, or other person in authority employed by or serving in an institution of higher education, and the other person is enrolled in or attends that institution.
(9) The other person is a minor, and the offender is the other person's athletic or other type of coach, is the other person's instructor, is the leader of a scouting troop of which the other person is a member, or is a person with temporary or occasional disciplinary control over the other person.
(10) The offender is a mental health professional, the other person is a mental health client or patient of the offender, and the offender induces the other person to submit by falsely representing to the other person that the sexual conduct is necessary for mental health treatment purposes.
(11) The other person is confined in a detention facility, and the offender is an employee of that detention facility.
(12) The other person is a minor, the offender is a cleric, and the other person is a member of, or attends, the church or congregation served by the cleric.
(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of sexual battery, a felony of the third degree.
(C) As used in this section:
(1) "Cleric" has the same meaning as in section 2317.02 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Detention facility" has the same meaning as in section 2921.01 of the Revised Code.
(2)(3) "Institution of higher education" means a state institution of higher education defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, a private nonprofit college or university located in this state that possesses a certificate of authorization issued by the Ohio board of regents pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code, or a school certified under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code.
Sec. 2950.031. (A) No person who has been convicted of, is convicted of, has pleaded guilty to, or pleads guilty to either a sexually oriented offense that is not a registration-exempt sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense shall establish a residence or occupy residential premises within one thousand feet of any school premises or within one thousand feet of any residential premises occupied by the victim of the sexually oriented offense or child-victim oriented offense.
(B) If a person to whom division (A) of this section applies violates division (A) of this section by establishing a residence or occupying residential premises within one thousand feet of any school premises or within one thousand feet of any residential premises occupied by the victim of the sexually oriented offense or child-victim oriented offense, an owner or lessee of real property that is located within one thousand feet of those school premises, or the prosecuting attorney, village solicitor, city or township director of law, similar chief legal officer of a municipal corporation or township, or official designated as a prosecutor in a municipal corporation that has jurisdiction over the place at which the person establishes the residence or occupies the residential premises in question, has a cause of action for injunctive relief against the person. The plaintiff shall not be required to prove irreparable harm in order to obtain the relief.
Sec. 2950.11.  (A) As used in this section, "specified geographical notification area" means the geographic area or areas within which the attorney general, by rule adopted under section 2950.13 of the Revised Code, requires the notice described in division (B) of this section to be given to the persons identified in divisions (A)(2) to (8) of this section. If a person is convicted of or pleads guilty to, or has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to, either a sexually oriented offense that is not a registration-exempt sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense, or a person is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing either a sexually oriented offense that is not a registration-exempt sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense and is classified a juvenile offender registrant or is an out-of-state juvenile offender registrant based on that adjudication, and if the offender or delinquent child is in any category specified in division (F)(1)(a), (b), or (c) of this section, the sheriff with whom the offender or delinquent child has most recently registered under section 2950.04, 2950.041, or 2950.05 of the Revised Code and the sheriff to whom the offender or delinquent child most recently sent a notice of intent to reside under section 2950.04 or 2950.041 of the Revised Code, within the period of time specified in division (C) of this section, shall provide a written notice containing the information set forth in division (B) of this section to all of the persons described in divisions (A)(1) to (9) of this section. If the sheriff has sent a notice to the persons described in those divisions as a result of receiving a notice of intent to reside and if the offender or delinquent child registers a residence address that is the same residence address described in the notice of intent to reside, the sheriff is not required to send an additional notice when the offender or delinquent child registers. The sheriff shall provide the notice to all of the following persons:
(1)(a) Any occupant of each residential unit that is located within one thousand feet of the offender's or delinquent child's residential premises, that is located within the county served by the sheriff, and that is not located in a multi-unit building. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.
(b) If the offender or delinquent child resides in a multi-unit building, any occupant of each residential unit that is located in that multi-unit building and that shares a common hallway with the offender or delinquent child. For purposes of this division, an occupant's unit shares a common hallway with the offender or delinquent child if the entrance door into the occupant's unit is located on the same floor and opens into the same hallway as the entrance door to the unit the offender or delinquent child occupies. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.
(c) The building manager, or the person the building owner or condominium unit owners association authorizes to exercise management and control, of each multi-unit building that is located within one thousand feet of the offender's or delinquent child's residential premises, including a multi-unit building in which the offender or delinquent child resides, and that is located within the county served by the sheriff. In addition to notifying the building manager or the person authorized to exercise management and control in the multi-unit building under this division, the sheriff shall post a copy of the notice prominently in each common entryway in the building and any other location in the building the sheriff determines appropriate. The manager or person exercising management and control of the building shall permit the sheriff to post copies of the notice under this division as the sheriff determines appropriate. In lieu of posting copies of the notice as described in this division, a sheriff may provide notice to all occupants of the multi-unit building by mail or personal contact; if the sheriff so notifies all the occupants, the sheriff is not required to post copies of the notice in the common entryways to the building. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.
(d) All additional persons who are within any category of neighbors of the offender or delinquent child that the attorney general by rule adopted under section 2950.13 of the Revised Code requires to be provided the notice and who reside within the county served by the sheriff;
(2) The executive director of the public children services agency that has jurisdiction within the specified geographical notification area and that is located within the county served by the sheriff;
(3)(a) The superintendent of each board of education of a school district that has schools within the specified geographical notification area and that is located within the county served by the sheriff;
(b) The principal of the school within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff that the delinquent child attends;
(c) If the delinquent child attends a school outside of the specified geographical notification area or outside of the school district where the delinquent child resides, the superintendent of the board of education of a school district that governs the school that the delinquent child attends and the principal of the school that the delinquent child attends.
(4)(a) The appointing or hiring officer of each chartered nonpublic school located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff or of each other school located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff and that is not operated by a board of education described in division (A)(3) of this section;
(b) Regardless of the location of the school, the appointing or hiring officer of a chartered nonpublic school that the delinquent child attends.
(5) The director, head teacher, elementary principal, or site administrator of each preschool program governed by Chapter 3301. of the Revised Code that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff;
(6) The administrator of each child day-care center or type A family day-care home that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff, and the provider of each certified type B family day-care home that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff. As used in this division, "child day-care center," "type A family day-care home," and "certified type B family day-care home" have the same meanings as in section 5104.01 of the Revised Code.
(7) The president or other chief administrative officer of each institution of higher education, as defined in section 2907.03 of the Revised Code, that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff, and the chief law enforcement officer of the state university law enforcement agency or campus police department established under section 3345.04 or 1713.50 of the Revised Code, if any, that serves that institution;
(8) The sheriff of each county that includes any portion of the specified geographical notification area;
(9) If the offender or delinquent child resides within the county served by the sheriff, the chief of police, marshal, or other chief law enforcement officer of the municipal corporation in which the offender or delinquent child resides or, if the offender or delinquent child resides in an unincorporated area, the constable or chief of the police department or police district police force of the township in which the offender or delinquent child resides.
(B) The notice required under division (A) of this section shall include all of the following information regarding the subject offender or delinquent child:
(1) The offender's or delinquent child's name;
(2) The address or addresses of the offender's residence, school, institution of higher education, or place of employment, as applicable, or the delinquent child's residence address or addresses;
(3) The sexually oriented offense or child-victim oriented offense of which the offender was convicted, to which the offender pleaded guilty, or for which the child was adjudicated a delinquent child;
(4) All of the following statements that are applicable:
(a) A statement that the offender has been adjudicated a sexual predator, a statement that the offender has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to an aggravated sexually oriented offense, a statement that the delinquent child has been adjudicated a sexual predator and that, as of the date of the notice, the court has not entered a determination that the delinquent child no longer is a sexual predator, or a statement that the sentencing or reviewing judge has determined that the offender or delinquent child is a habitual sex offender and that, as of the date of the notice, the determination regarding a delinquent child has not been removed pursuant to section 2152.84 or 2152.85 of the Revised Code;
(b) A statement that the offender has been adjudicated a child-victim predator, a statement that the delinquent child has been adjudicated a child-victim predator and that, as of the date of the notice, the court has not entered a determination that the delinquent child no longer is a child-victim predator, or a statement that the sentencing or reviewing judge has determined that the offender or delinquent child is a habitual child-victim offender and that, as of the date of the notice, the determination regarding a delinquent child has not been removed pursuant to section 2152.84 or 2152.85 of the Revised Code;
(5) The offender's or delinquent child's photograph.
(C) If a sheriff with whom an offender or delinquent child registers under section 2950.04, 2950.041, or 2950.05 of the Revised Code or to whom the offender or delinquent child most recently sent a notice of intent to reside under section 2950.04 or 2950.041 of the Revised Code is required by division (A) of this section to provide notices regarding an offender or delinquent child and if, pursuant to that requirement, the sheriff provides a notice to a sheriff of one or more other counties in accordance with division (A)(8) of this section, the sheriff of each of the other counties who is provided notice under division (A)(8) of this section shall provide the notices described in divisions (A)(1) to (7) and (A)(9) of this section to each person or entity identified within those divisions that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff in question.
(D)(1) A sheriff required by division (A) or (C) of this section to provide notices regarding an offender or delinquent child shall provide the notice to the neighbors that are described in division (A)(1) of this section and the notices to law enforcement personnel that are described in divisions (A)(8) and (9) of this section as soon as practicable, but no later than five days after the offender sends the notice of intent to reside to the sheriff and again no later than five days after the offender or delinquent child registers with the sheriff or, if the sheriff is required by division (C) of this section to provide the notices, no later than five days after the sheriff is provided the notice described in division (A)(8) of this section.
A sheriff required by division (A) or (C) of this section to provide notices regarding an offender or delinquent child shall provide the notices to all other specified persons that are described in divisions (A)(2) to (7) of this section as soon as practicable, but not later than seven days after the offender or delinquent child registers with the sheriff or, if the sheriff is required by division (C) of this section to provide the notices, no later than five days after the sheriff is provided the notice described in division (A)(8) of this section.
(2) If an offender or delinquent child in relation to whom division (A) of this section applies verifies the offender's or delinquent child's current residence, school, institution of higher education, or place of employment address, as applicable, with a sheriff pursuant to section 2950.06 of the Revised Code, the sheriff may provide a written notice containing the information set forth in division (B) of this section to the persons identified in divisions (A)(1) to (9) of this section. If a sheriff provides a notice pursuant to this division to the sheriff of one or more other counties in accordance with division (A)(8) of this section, the sheriff of each of the other counties who is provided the notice under division (A)(8) of this section may provide, but is not required to provide, a written notice containing the information set forth in division (B) of this section to the persons identified in divisions (A)(1) to (7) and (A)(9) of this section.
(3) A sheriff may provide notice under division (A)(1)(a) or (b) of this section, and may provide notice under division (A)(1)(c) of this section to a building manager or person authorized to exercise management and control of a building, by mail, by personal contact, or by leaving the notice at or under the entry door to a residential unit. For purposes of divisions (A)(1)(a) and (b) of this section, and the portion of division (A)(1)(c) of this section relating to the provision of notice to occupants of a multi-unit building by mail or personal contact, the provision of one written notice per unit is deemed as providing notice to all occupants of that unit.
(E) All information that a sheriff possesses regarding a sexual predator, a habitual sex offender, a child-victim predator, or a habitual child-victim offender that is described in division (B) of this section and that must be provided in a notice required under division (A) or (C) of this section or that may be provided in a notice authorized under division (D)(2) of this section is a public record that is open to inspection under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.
The sheriff shall not cause to be publicly disseminated by means of the internet any of the information described in this division that is provided by a sexual predator, habitual sex offender, child-victim predator, or habitual child-victim offender who is a juvenile offender registrant, except when the act that is the basis of the child's classification as a juvenile offender registrant is a violation of, or an attempt to commit a violation of, section 2903.01, 2903.02, or 2905.01 of the Revised Code that was committed with a purpose to gratify the sexual needs or desires of the child, a violation of section 2907.02 of the Revised Code, or an attempt to commit a violation of that section.
(F)(1) The duties to provide the notices described in divisions (A) and (C) of this section apply regarding any offender or delinquent child who is in any of the following categories, if the other criteria set forth in division (A) or (C) of this section, whichever is applicable, are satisfied:
(a) The offender or delinquent child has been adjudicated a sexual predator relative to the sexually oriented offense for which the offender or delinquent child has the duty to register under section 2950.04 of the Revised Code or has been adjudicated a child-victim predator relative to the child-victim oriented offense for which the offender or child has the duty to register under section 2950.041 of the Revised Code, and the court has not subsequently determined pursuant to section 2152.84 or 2152.85 of the Revised Code regarding a delinquent child that the delinquent child no longer is a sexual predator or no longer is a child-victim predator, whichever is applicable.
(b) The offender or delinquent child has been determined pursuant to division (C)(2) or (E) of section 2950.09 or 2950.091, division (B) of section 2152.83, section 2152.84, or section 2152.85 of the Revised Code to be a habitual sex offender or a habitual child-victim offender, the court has imposed a requirement under that division or section subjecting the habitual sex offender or habitual child-victim offender to this section, and the determination has not been removed pursuant to section 2152.84 or 2152.85 of the Revised Code regarding a delinquent child.
(c) The sexually oriented offense for which the offender has the duty to register under section 2950.04 of the Revised Code is an aggravated sexually oriented offense, regardless of whether the offender has been adjudicated a sexual predator relative to the offense or has been determined to be a habitual sex offender.
(2) The notification provisions of this section do not apply regarding a person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to, has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to, or is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing, a sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense, who is not in the category specified in either division (F)(1)(a) or (c) of this section, and who is determined pursuant to division (C)(2) or (E) of section 2950.09 or 2950.091, division (B) of section 2152.83, section 2152.84, or section 2152.85 of the Revised Code to be a habitual sex offender or habitual child-victim offender unless the sentencing or reviewing court imposes a requirement in the offender's sentence and in the judgment of conviction that contains the sentence or in the delinquent child's adjudication, or imposes a requirement as described in division (C)(2) of section 2950.09 or 2950.091 of the Revised Code, that subjects the offender or the delinquent child to the provisions of this section.
(G) The department of job and family services shall compile, maintain, and update in January and July of each year, a list of all agencies, centers, or homes of a type described in division (A)(2) or (6) of this section that contains the name of each agency, center, or home of that type, the county in which it is located, its address and telephone number, and the name of an administrative officer or employee of the agency, center, or home. The department of education shall compile, maintain, and update in January and July of each year, a list of all boards of education, schools, or programs of a type described in division (A)(3), (4), or (5) of this section that contains the name of each board of education, school, or program of that type, the county in which it is located, its address and telephone number, the name of the superintendent of the board or of an administrative officer or employee of the school or program, and, in relation to a board of education, the county or counties in which each of its schools is located and the address of each such school. The Ohio board of regents shall compile, maintain, and update in January and July of each year, a list of all institutions of a type described in division (A)(7) of this section that contains the name of each such institution, the county in which it is located, its address and telephone number, and the name of its president or other chief administrative officer. A sheriff required by division (A) or (C) of this section, or authorized by division (D)(2) of this section, to provide notices regarding an offender or delinquent child, or a designee of a sheriff of that type, may request the department of job and family services, department of education, or Ohio board of regents, by telephone, in person, or by mail, to provide the sheriff or designee with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the appropriate persons and entities to whom the notices described in divisions (A)(2) to (7) of this section are to be provided. Upon receipt of a request, the department or board shall provide the requesting sheriff or designee with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the appropriate persons and entities to whom those notices are to be provided.
(H)(1) Upon the motion of the offender or the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the offender was convicted of or pleaded guilty to the sexually oriented offense or child-victim oriented offense for which the offender is subject to community notification under this section, or upon the motion of the sentencing judge or that judge's successor in office, the judge may schedule a hearing to determine whether the interests of justice would be served by suspending the community notification requirement under this section in relation to the offender. The judge may dismiss the motion without a hearing but may not issue an order suspending the community notification requirement without a hearing. At the hearing, all parties are entitled to be heard, and the judge shall consider all of the factors set forth in division (B)(3) of section 2950.09 of the Revised Code. If, at the conclusion of the hearing, the judge finds that the offender has proven by clear and convincing evidence that the offender is unlikely to commit in the future a sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense and if the judge finds that suspending the community notification requirement is in the interests of justice, the judge may suspend the application of this section in relation to the offender. The order shall contain both of these findings.
The judge promptly shall serve a copy of the order upon the sheriff with whom the offender most recently registered under section 2950.04, 2950.041, or 2950.05 of the Revised Code and upon the bureau of criminal identification and investigation.
An order suspending the community notification requirement does not suspend or otherwise alter an offender's duties to comply with sections 2950.04, 2950.041, 2950.05, and 2950.06 of the Revised Code and does not suspend the victim notification requirement under section 2950.10 of the Revised Code.
(2) A prosecuting attorney, a sentencing judge or that judge's successor in office, and an offender who is subject to the community notification requirement under this section may initially make a motion under division (H)(1) of this section upon the expiration of twenty years after the offender's duty to comply with sections 2950.04, 2950.041, 2950.05, and 2950.06 of the Revised Code begins in relation to the offense for which the offender is subject to community notification. After the initial making of a motion under division (H)(1) of this section, thereafter, the prosecutor, judge, and offender may make a subsequent motion under that division upon the expiration of five years after the judge has entered an order denying the initial motion or the most recent motion made under that division.
(3) The offender and the prosecuting attorney have the right to appeal an order approving or denying a motion made under division (H)(1) of this section.
(4) Division (H) of this section does not apply to any of the following types of offender:
(a) A person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violent sex offense or designated homicide, assault, or kidnapping offense and who, in relation to that offense, is adjudicated a sexually violent predator;
(b) A habitual sex offender or habitual child-victim oriented offender who is subject to community notification who, subsequent to being subjected to community notification, has pleaded guilty to or been convicted of a sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense;
(c) A sexual predator or child-victim predator who is not adjudicated a sexually violent predator who, subsequent to being subjected to community notification, has pleaded guilty to or been convicted of a sexually oriented offense or child-victim oriented offense.
(I) If a person is convicted of or pleads guilty to, or has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to, either a sexually oriented offense that is not a registration-exempt sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense, or a person is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing either a sexually oriented offense that is not a registration-exempt sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense and is classified a juvenile offender registrant or is an out-of-state juvenile offender registrant based on that adjudication, and if the offender or delinquent child is not in any category specified in division (F)(1)(a), (b), or (c) of this section, the sheriff with whom the offender or delinquent child has most recently registered under section 2950.04, 2950.041, or 2950.05 of the Revised Code and the sheriff to whom the offender or delinquent child most recently sent a notice of intent to reside under section 2950.04 or 2950.041 of the Revised Code, within the period of time specified in division (D) of this section, shall provide a written notice containing the information set forth in division (B) of this section to the executive director of the public children services agency that has jurisdiction within the specified geographical notification area and that is located within the county served by the sheriff.
Sec. 3797.01.  As used in sections 3797.01 to 3797.12 of the Revised Code:
(A) "Employed" means employed for more than fourteen days or for an aggregate of thirty days in a calendar year.
(B) "Registrant" means a person against whom a court has entered a declaratory judgment under section 2721.21 of the Revised Code and issued an order that the person be listed on the civil registry maintained by the attorney general pursuant to section 3797.08 of the Revised Code.
(C) "Reside" includes temporarily reside.
(D) "Sheriff" includes a person designated by a sheriff to carry out functions that the sheriff is required to perform under sections 3797.02 to 3797.12 of the Revised Code.
(E) "Temporarily reside" means live in a county in this state, other than as a permanent resident, for a period of five or more consecutive days.
Sec. 3797.02.  (A)(1) A registrant shall register personally with the sheriff of the county in which the registrant resides and with the sheriff of any county in which the registrant is employed.
(2) A registrant who is registered in one or more counties and who establishes a new residence or place of employment in a county in which the registrant is not registered shall register personally with the sheriff of the county in which the new residence or place of employment is located immediately upon coming into that county.
(B) A registrant shall obtain from the sheriff a registration form prescribed by the attorney general pursuant to section 3797.07 of the Revised Code, complete and sign the form, and return the form to the sheriff. The sheriff shall sign the form and indicate on the form the date on which it is returned. The registration required under this division is complete when the registrant returns the form, containing the requisite information, signature, and date, to the sheriff.
(C) The duty to register pursuant to division (A) of this section commences on the date a declaratory judgment against the registrant is entered and continues unless and until the registrant is removed pursuant to section 2721.21 of the Revised Code from the civil registry established under section 3797.08 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 3797.03.  (A) A registrant who establishes a new residence or place of employment within a county in which the registrant is registered shall promptly send the sheriff written notice of the address of the new residence or place of employment.
(B) A registrant who intends to reside in a county other than the one in which the registrant has registered a residence address shall send the sheriff of the county in which the registrant intends to reside written notice of the registrant's intent to reside in that county. The registrant shall send the notice at least twenty days before the date the registrant begins to reside in the county. The notice shall include the registrant's name and the address or addresses at which the registrant intends to reside. If the change of address is not to a fixed address, the registrant shall include in the notice a detailed description of the place or places at which the registrant intends to stay and, not later than the end of the first business day immediately following the day on which the registrant obtains a fixed residence address, shall provide the sheriff written notice of the fixed residence address. If a registrant whose residence address change is not to a fixed address describes in a notice under this division the place or places at which the registrant intends to stay, the place or places so described in the notice shall be considered the registrant's residence address until the registrant provides the written notice of a fixed residence address as described in this division.
Sec. 3797.04. (A) A registrant shall verify the registrant's current residence address and employment address on each anniversary of the registrant's initial registration date by personally appearing before the sheriff of the county in which the registrant is registered not earlier than ten days before the anniversary date and not later than the anniversary date and completing and signing a copy of a verification form provided by the sheriff. The sheriff shall sign the completed form and indicate on the form the date on which it is completed. The verification is complete when the registrant personally appears before the sheriff and completes and signs the form.
(B) To facilitate the verification of a registrant's current residence or employment address, the sheriff with whom the registrant most recently registered the address may mail a nonforwardable verification form to the registrant's last reported residence address or employment address, as applicable, with a notice that conspicuously states that the registrant must personally appear before the sheriff to complete the form and the date by which the form must be completed. Regardless of whether a sheriff mails a form to a registrant, each registrant shall personally appear before the sheriff to verify the address.
(C)(1) If a registrant fails to verify a current residence address or employment address by the date required for the verification, the sheriff with whom the registrant is required to verify the current address shall send on the day following that date required for the verification and at the registrant's last known residence or place of employment, as applicable, a written warning to the registrant regarding the registrant's duty to verify the registrant's current address.
The written warning shall do all of the following:
(a) Identify the sheriff who sends it and the date on which it is sent;
(b) State conspicuously that the registrant has failed to verify the registrant's current residence address or employment address, as applicable, by the date required for the verification;
(c) Conspicuously state that the registrant has seven days from the date on which the warning is sent to verify the current residence address or employment address, as applicable, with the sheriff who sent the warning;
(d) Conspicuously state that a failure to timely verify the specified current address or addresses is a felony offense;
(e) Conspicuously state that the registrant will not be prosecuted for a failure to timely verify a current address if the registrant verifies the current address with that sheriff within that seven-day period;
(f) Conspicuously state that the registrant will be arrested or taken into custody, as appropriate, and prosecuted for a failure to timely verify a current address if the registrant does not verify the current address with that sheriff within that seven-day period.
(2) If a registrant fails to verify a current address as required by this section by the date required for the verification, the registrant shall not be prosecuted for a violation of division (A) of section 3797.10 of the Revised Code unless the seven-day period subsequent to that date that the registrant is provided under division (C)(1) of this section to verify the current address has expired and the registrant has not verified the current address prior to the expiration of that seven-day period. Upon the expiration of the seven-day period that the registrant is provided under division (C)(1) of this section to verify the current address, if the registrant has not verified the current address, all of the following apply:
(a) The sheriff with whom the registrant is required to verify the current address promptly shall notify the attorney general of the failure.
(b) The sheriff with whom the registrant is required to verify the current address, the sheriff of the county in which the registrant resides or is employed, or a deputy of the appropriate sheriff shall locate the registrant, promptly shall seek a warrant for the arrest or taking into custody, as appropriate, of the registrant for the violation of division (A) of section 3797.10 of the Revised Code, and shall arrest the registrant.
(c) The registrant is subject to prosecution for a violation of division (A) of section 3797.10 of the Revised Code.
(D) A registrant who is required to verify a current address pursuant to division (A) of this section shall do so unless and until the registrant is removed from the civil registry pursuant to section 2721.21 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 3797.05.  (A) If a registrant registers a residence address, provides notice of a change of any residence address, or verifies a current residence address pursuant to section 3797.02, 3797.03, or 3797.04 of the Revised Code, all of the following apply:
(1) At any time after the registration, provision of the notice, or verification, the sheriff with whom the registrant so registered or to whom the registrant so provided the notice or verified the current address may contact a person who owns, leases, or otherwise has custody, control, or supervision of the premises at the address provided by the registrant in the registration, the notice, or the verification and request that the person confirm or deny that the registrant currently resides at that address.
(2) Upon receipt of a request under division (A)(1) of this section, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the person who owns, leases, or otherwise has custody, control, or supervision of the premises, or an agent of that person, shall comply with the request and inform the sheriff or designee who made the request whether or not the registrant currently resides at that address.
(3) Section 3797.12 of the Revised Code applies to a person who provides information of the type described in division (A)(2) of this section in accordance with that division.
(B) Division (A) of this section applies regarding any public or private residential premises, including, but not limited to, a private residence, a multi-unit residential facility, a halfway house, a homeless shelter, or any other type of residential premises.
(C) A sheriff may attempt to confirm that a registrant who registers a residence address, provides notice of a change of any residence address, or verifies a current residence address as described in division (A) of this section currently resides at the address in question in manners other than the manner provided in this section. A sheriff is not limited in the number of requests that may be made under this section regarding any registration, provision of notice, or verification or in the number of times that the sheriff may attempt to confirm in manners other than the manner provided in this section that a registrant currently resides at the address in question.
Sec. 3797.06.  (A) As used in this section, "specified geographical notification area" means the geographic area or areas within which the attorney general requires by rule adopted under section 3797.08 of the Revised Code the notice described in division (B) of this section to be given to the persons identified in divisions (A)(1) to (9) of this section. If a court enters a declaratory judgment against a registrant under section 2721.21 of the Revised Code, the sheriff with whom the registrant has most recently registered under section 3797.02 or 3797.03 of the Revised Code and the sheriff to whom the registrant most recently sent a notice of intent to reside under section 3797.03 of the Revised Code shall provide within the period of time specified in division (C) of this section a written notice containing the information set forth in division (B) of this section to all of the persons described in divisions (A)(1) to (9) of this section. If the sheriff has sent a notice to the persons described in those divisions as a result of receiving a notice of intent to reside and if the registrant registers a residence address that is the same residence address described in the notice of intent to reside, the sheriff is not required to send an additional notice when the registrant registers. The sheriff shall provide the notice to all of the following persons:
(1)(a) Any occupant of each residential unit that is located within one thousand feet of the registrant's residential premises, that is located within the county served by the sheriff, and that is not located in a multi-unit building. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.
(b) If the registrant resides in a multi-unit building, any occupant of each residential unit that is located in that multi-unit building and that shares a common hallway with the registrant. For purposes of this division, an occupant's unit shares a common hallway with the registrant if the entrance door into the occupant's unit is located on the same floor and opens into the same hallway as the entrance door to the unit the registrant occupies. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.
(c) The building manager, or the person the building owner or condominium unit owners association authorizes to exercise management and control, of each multi-unit building that is located within one thousand feet of the registrant's residential premises, including a multi-unit building in which the registrant resides, and that is located within the county served by the sheriff. In addition to notifying the building manager or the person authorized to exercise management and control in the multi-unit building under this division, the sheriff shall post a copy of the notice prominently in each common entryway in the building and any other location in the building the sheriff determines appropriate. The manager or person exercising management and control of the building shall permit the sheriff to post copies of the notice under this division as the sheriff determines appropriate. In lieu of posting copies of the notice as described in this division, a sheriff may provide notice to all occupants of the multi-unit building by mail or personal contact. If the sheriff so notifies all the occupants, the sheriff is not required to post copies of the notice in the common entryways to the building. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.
(d) All additional persons who are within any category of neighbors of the registrant that the attorney general by rule adopted under section 3797.08 of the Revised Code requires to be provided the notice and who reside within the county served by the sheriff.
(2) The executive director of the public children services agency that has jurisdiction within the specified geographical notification area and that is located within the county served by the sheriff;
(3) The superintendent of each board of education of a school district that has schools within the specified geographical notification area and that is located within the county served by the sheriff;
(4) The appointing or hiring officer of each nonpublic school located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff or of each other school located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff and that is not operated by a board of education described in division (A)(3) of this section;
(5) The director, head teacher, elementary principal, or site administrator of each preschool program governed by Chapter 3301. of the Revised Code that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff;
(6) The administrator of each child day-care center or type A family day-care home that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff, and the provider of each certified type B family day-care home that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff. As used in this division, "child day-care center," "type A family day-care home," and "certified type B family day-care home" have the same meanings as in section 5104.01 of the Revised Code.
(7) The president or other chief administrative officer of each institution of higher education, as defined in section 2907.03 of the Revised Code, that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff and the chief law enforcement officer of any state university law enforcement agency or campus police department established under section 3345.04 or 1713.50 of the Revised Code that serves that institution;
(8) The sheriff of each county that includes any portion of the specified geographical notification area;
(9) If the registrant resides within the county served by the sheriff, the chief of police, marshal, or other chief law enforcement officer of the municipal corporation in which the registrant resides or, if the registrant resides in an unincorporated area, the constable or chief of the police department or police district police force of the township in which the registrant resides.
(B) The notice required under division (A) of this section shall include the registrant's name, residence or employment address, as applicable, and a statement that the registrant has been found liable for childhood sexual abuse in a civil action and is listed on the civil registry established by the attorney general pursuant to section 3797.08 of the Revised Code.
(C) If a sheriff with whom a registrant registers under section 3797.02 or 3797.03 of the Revised Code or to whom the registrant most recently sent a notice of intent to reside under section 3797.03 of the Revised Code is required by division (A) of this section to provide notices regarding a registrant and if the sheriff provides a notice pursuant to that requirement the sheriff provides a notice to a sheriff of one or more other counties in accordance with division (A)(8) of this section, the sheriff of each of the other counties who is provided notice under division (A)(8) of this section shall provide the notices described in divisions (A)(1) to (7) and (A)(9) of this section to each person or entity identified within those divisions that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff in question.
(D)(1) A sheriff required by division (A) or (C) of this section to provide notices regarding a registrant shall provide the notice to the neighbors that are described in division (A)(1) of this section and the notices to law enforcement personnel that are described in divisions (A)(8) and (9) of this section as soon as practicable, but not later than five days after the registrant sends the notice of intent to reside to the sheriff, and again not later than five days after the registrant registers with the sheriff or, if the sheriff is required by division (C) to provide the notices, not later than five days after the sheriff is provided the notice described in division (A)(8) of this section.
A sheriff required by division (A) or (C) of this section to provide notices regarding a registrant shall provide the notices to all other specified persons that are described in divisions (A)(2) to (7) of this section as soon as practicable, but not later than seven days after the registrant registers with the sheriff, or, if the sheriff is required by division (C) to provide the notices, not later than five days after the sheriff is provided the notice described in division (A)(8) of this section.
(2) If a registrant in relation to whom division (A) of this section applies verifies the registrant's current residence address with a sheriff pursuant to section 3797.04 of the Revised Code, the sheriff may provide a written notice containing the information set forth in division (B) of this section to the persons identified in divisions (A)(1) to (9) of this section. If a sheriff provides a notice pursuant to this division to the sheriff of one or more other counties in accordance with division (A)(8) of this section, the sheriff of each of the other counties who is provided the notice under division (A)(8) of this section may provide, but is not required to provide, a written notice containing the information set forth in division (B) of this section to the persons identified in divisions (A)(1) to (7) and (A)(9) of this section.
(3) A sheriff may provide notice under division (A)(1)(a) or (b) of this section, and may provide notice under division (A)(1)(c) of this section to a building manager or person authorized to exercise management and control of a building, by mail, by personal contact, or by leaving the notice at or under the entry door to a residential unit. For purposes of divisions (A)(1)(a) and (b) of this section and of the portion of division (A)(1)(c) of this section relating to the provision of notice to occupants of a multi-unit building by mail or personal contact, the provision of one written notice per unit is deemed providing notice to all occupants of that unit.
(E) All information that a sheriff possesses regarding a registrant that is described in division (B) of this section and that must be provided in a notice required under division (A) or (C) of this section or that may be provided in a notice authorized under division (D)(2) of this section is a public record that is open to inspection under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.
(F) A sheriff required by division (A) or (C) of this section, or authorized by division (D)(2) of this section, to provide notices regarding a registrant may request the department of job and family services, department of education, or Ohio board of regents, by telephone, in registrant, or by mail, to provide the sheriff with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the appropriate persons and entities to whom the notices described in divisions (A)(2) to (7) of this section are to be provided. Upon receipt of a request, the department or board shall provide the requesting sheriff with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the appropriate persons and entities to whom those notices are to be provided.
(G)(1) Upon the motion of the registrant or the judge that entered a declaratory judgment pursuant to section 2721.21 of the Revised Code or that judge's successor in office, the judge may schedule a hearing to determine whether the interests of justice would be served by suspending the community notification requirement under this section in relation to the registrant. The judge may dismiss the motion without a hearing but may not issue an order suspending the community notification requirement without a hearing. At the hearing, all parties are entitled to be heard. If, at the conclusion of the hearing, the judge finds that the registrant has proven by clear and convincing evidence that the registrant is unlikely to commit childhood sexual abuse in the future and that suspending the community notification requirement is in the interests of justice, the judge may issue an order suspending the application of this section in relation to the registrant. The order shall contain both of these findings.
The judge promptly shall serve a copy of the order upon the sheriff with whom the registrant most recently registered a residence address and the sheriff with whom the registrant most recently registered an employment address under section 3797.02 of the Revised Code.
An order suspending the community notification requirement does not suspend or otherwise alter a registrant's duties to comply with sections 3797.02, 3797.03, and 3797.04 of the Revised Code.
(2) A registrant has the right to appeal an order denying a motion made under division (G)(1) of this section.
Sec. 3797.07.  (A) The attorney general shall prescribe forms to be used for registration, notice of intent to reside, and verification of current address under sections 3797.02, 3797.03, and 3797.04 of the Revised Code. The forms shall comply with the following:
(1) The registration form to be used under section 3797.02 of the Revised Code shall include the registrant's name, the registrant's current residence and employment addresses, a photograph of the registrant, the name of the court that rendered a declaratory judgment against the registrant pursuant to section 2721.21 of the Revised Code and the date the judgment was entered, and any other information required by the attorney general.
(2) The notice of intent to reside form to be used under section 3797.03 of the Revised Code shall include the registrant's name, the registrant's current residence and employment addresses, a statement that a court has entered a declaratory judgment against the registrant pursuant to section 2721.21 of the Revised Code, the address of the place where the registrant intends to reside, and any other information required by the attorney general.
(3) The verification form to be used under section 3797.04 of the Revised Code shall contain the registrant's current residence or employment address, as applicable, and any other information required by the attorney general.
(B) Upon completion of a registration, notice of intent to reside, or verification of current address form by a registrant, the sheriff shall promptly forward a copy of the form to the attorney general in accordance with procedures established by the attorney general. Upon receiving from a registrant a notice of a change of the registrant's residence address, if the new address is in another county in this state, the sheriff promptly shall forward the new address to the sheriff of that county.
Sec. 3797.08.  The attorney general shall do all of the following:
(A) In consultation with county sheriffs and not later than July 1, 2006, adopt rules that do all of the following:
(1) Contain guidelines necessary for the implementation of this chapter;
(2) Prescribe the registration, notice of intent to reside, and verification of current address forms to be used by registrants and sheriffs under sections 3797.02, 3797.03, and 3797.04 of the Revised Code;
(3) Establish procedures for the forwarding of forms by the sheriff to the attorney general;
(4) Designate a geographic area or areas within which the notice described in division (B) of section 3797.06 of the Revised Code must be given to the persons identified in divisions (A)(2) to (8) of that section;
(5) At the attorney general's discretion, establish one or more categories of neighbors of a registrant who, in addition to the occupants of residential premises and other persons specified in division (A) of section 3797.06 of the Revised Code, must be given the notice described in division (B) of that section.
(B) Make copies of the forms described in division (A)(2) of this section available to sheriffs and judges;
(C) Not later than January 1, 2007, establish and operate on the internet a civil registry of persons against whom a court has entered a declaratory judgment under section 2721.21 of the Revised Code that contains information for each of those persons who registers in any county in this state pursuant to section 3797.02 of the Revised Code. The attorney general shall determine the information to be provided on the registry for each registrant. The information provided for each registrant shall include at least the name, current residential and employment addresses, and photograph of the registrant, the name of the court that entered a declaratory judgment against the registrant pursuant to section 2721.21 of the Revised Code, and the date on which the judgment was entered. The registry shall be a public record open for inspection under section 149.43 of the Revised Code, and it shall be searchable by registrant name, by county, by zip code, and by school district. The registry shall provide a link to the web site of each sheriff of a county who has established and operates on the internet a database that contains information for registrants who register in that county pursuant to section 3797.02 or 3797.03 of the Revised Code.
(D) Upon the request of any sheriff, provide technical guidance to the requesting sheriff in establishing on the internet a database of registrants for the public dissemination of information that relates to registrants who are registered in the sheriff's county and that is a public record.
Sec. 3797.09. Any statements, information, or photographs that are required to be provided, and that are provided, by a registrant pursuant to section 3797.02, 3797.03, or 3797.04 of the Revised Code and that are in the possession of a county sheriff are public records open to public inspection under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 3797.10.  (A) No registrant who is required to register pursuant to section 3797.02 of the Revised Code, send a sheriff a written notice of a new residence or employment address or of an intent to reside in a county pursuant to section 3797.03 of the Revised Code, or verify a current address pursuant to section 3797.05 of the Revised Code shall fail to register, send the notice, or verify the address as required by those sections.
(B) It is an affirmative defense to a charge of a violation of division (A) of this section by failing to send written notice of a change of residence or employment address or notice of intent to reside in a county as required by section 3797.03 of the Revised Code that both of the following apply:
(1) It was impossible for the registrant to provide the notice to the sheriff because of a lack of knowledge on the date specified for the provision of the notice of an address change or of the new address.
(2) The registrant provided notice of the address change or the new address to the sheriff as soon as possible, but not later than the end of the first business day, after learning of the address change or of the new address by providing notice of the address change or the new address to the sheriff by telephone immediately upon learning of the address change or new address or, if the registrant did not have reasonable access to a telephone at that time, as soon as possible, but not later than the end of the first business day, after learning of the address change and having reasonable access to a telephone.
(3) As soon as possible, but not later than the end of the first business day, after providing notice of the address change to the sheriff by telephone, the registrant provided written notice of the address change to the sheriff.
(C) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
Sec. 3797.11.  (A) No person against whom a court has entered a declaratory judgment under section 2721.21 of the Revised Code and who has not been removed from the civil registry pursuant to that section shall establish a residence or occupy residential premises within one thousand feet of any school premises.
(B) If a person to whom division (A) of this section applies violates division (A) of this section by establishing a residence or occupying residential premises within one thousand feet of any school premises, an owner or lessee of real property that is located within one thousand feet of those school premises, or the prosecuting attorney, village solicitor, city or township director of law, similar chief legal officer of a municipal corporation or township, or official designated as a prosecutor in a municipal corporation that has jurisdiction over the place at which the person establishes the residence or occupies the residential premises in question, has a cause of action for injunctive relief against the person. The plaintiff shall not be required to prove irreparable harm in order to obtain the relief.
Sec. 3797.12.  (A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, any of the following persons shall be immune from liability in a civil action to recover damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property allegedly caused by an act or omission in connection with a power, duty, responsibility, or authorization under sections 3797.01 to 3797.11 of the Revised Code or under rules adopted under authority of those sections:
(1) The attorney general, a deputy, officer, or employee of the office of the attorney general, a sheriff, or a deputy, officer, or employee of the office of the sheriff;
(2) A prosecutor and an officer or employee of the office of a prosecutor;
(3) A person identified in division (A)(2), (3), (4), (5), (6), or (7) of section 3797.06 of the Revised Code or the agent of that person;
(4) A person identified in division (A)(2) of section 3797.05 of the Revised Code, regarding the person's provision of information pursuant to that division to a sheriff.
(B) The immunity described in division (A) of this section does not apply to a person described in divisions (A)(1) to (4) of this section if, in relation to the act or omission in question, any of the following applies:
(1) The act or omission was manifestly outside the scope of the person's employment or official responsibilities.
(2) The act or omission was with malicious purpose, in bad faith, or in a wanton or reckless manner.
(3) Liability for the act or omission is expressly imposed by a section of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4799.01. In a proceeding held under Title XLVII of the Revised Code to grant, renew, modify, suspend, or revoke a license or other authorization to engage in an occupation, if the person who is the subject of the proceeding is listed on the civil registry established by the attorney general pursuant to section 3797.08 of the Revised Code, the board or other body that makes the determination shall take into consideration the fact that the person is listed on the civil registry.
Sec. 5120.173. Any person who is required to report suspected abuse or neglect of a child under eighteen years of age that is reasonably suspected or believed to have occurred or the threat of which is reasonably suspected or believed to exist pursuant to division (A) of section 2151.421 of the Revised Code, any person who is permitted to report or cause a report to be made of reasonably suspected abuse or neglect of a child under eighteen years of age pursuant to division (B) of that section, any person who is required to report suspected abuse or neglect of a person with mental retardation or a developmental disability pursuant to division (C) of section 5123.61 of the Revised Code, and any person who is permitted to report suspected abuse or neglect of a person with mental retardation or a developmental disability pursuant to division (F) of that section and who makes or causes the report to be made, shall direct that report to the state highway patrol if the child or the person with mental retardation or a developmental disability is an inmate in the custody of a state correctional institution. If the state highway patrol determines after receipt of the report that it is probable that abuse or neglect of the inmate occurred, the patrol shall report its findings to the department of rehabilitation and correction, to the court that sentenced the inmate for the offense for which the inmate is in the custody of the department, and to the chairman chairperson and vice-chairman vice-chairperson of the correctional institution inspection committee established by section 103.71 of the Revised Code.
Section 2. That existing sections 2151.03, 2151.281, 2151.421, 2151.99, 2305.10, 2305.111, 2305.115, 2317.02, 2901.13, 2907.03, 2950.031, 2950.11, and 5120.173 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
Section 3. (A) As used in this section, "childhood sexual abuse" has the same meaning as in section 2305.111 of the Revised Code, as amended by this act. The court need not find that any person has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to an offense under Chapter 2907. of the Revised Code that is specified in that definition in order for the conduct that is the violation constituting that offense to be childhood sexual abuse for purposes of this section.
(B) The amendments to section 2305.111 of the Revised Code made in this act shall apply to all civil actions for assault or battery brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse based on childhood sexual abuse that occurs on or after the effective date of this act, to all civil actions brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse for a claim resulting from childhood sexual abuse that occurs on or after the effective date of this act, to all civil actions for assault or battery brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse based on childhood sexual abuse that occurred prior to the effective date of this act in relation to which a civil action for assault or battery has never been filed and for which the period of limitations applicable to such a civil action prior to the effective date of this act has not expired on the effective date of this act, and to all civil actions brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse for a claim resulting from childhood sexual abuse that occurred prior to the effective date of this act in relation to which a civil action for that claim has never been filed and for which the period of limitations applicable to such a civil action prior to the effective date of this act has not expired on the effective date of this act.
Section 4. The enactment of division (C) of section 2305.111 of the Revised Code by this act is not intended to prohibit or affect a court's determination in an action involving childhood sexual abuse that occurs prior to the effective date of this act regarding the proper scope and application of the equitable doctrine of fraudulent concealment.
Section 5. If any provision of a section of the Revised Code as amended or enacted by this act or the application of the provision to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the section or related sections that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions are severable.
Section 6. Section 2151.421 of the Revised Code is presented in this act as a composite of the section as amended by both Sub. S.B. 66 and Sub. S.B. 185 of the 125th General Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds that the composites are the resulting versions of the sections in effect prior to the effective date of the sections as presented in this act.
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