As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session H. B. No. 20
2025-2026
Representatives Hall, T., Plummer
A B I LL
To amend section 2903.22 and to enact section
2927.31 of the Revised Code to prohibit a person
from knowingly harassing or impeding an
emergency service responder who is engaged in
the lawful performance of a legal duty and to
clarify that heightened penalties apply for
menacing a probation officer.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That section 2903.22 be amended and section
2927.31 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 2903.22. (A)(1) No person shall knowingly cause
another to believe that the offender will cause physical harm to
the person or property of the other person, the other person's
unborn, or a member of the other person's immediate family. In
addition to any other basis for the other person's belief that
the offender will cause physical harm to the person or property
of the other person, the other person's unborn, or a member of
the other person's immediate family, the other person's belief
may be based on words or conduct of the offender that are
directed at or identify a corporation, association, or other
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As Introduced
organization that employs the other person or to which the other
person belongs.
(2) No person shall knowingly place or attempt to place
another in reasonable fear of physical harm or death by
displaying a deadly weapon, regardless of whether the deadly
weapon displayed is operable or inoperable, if either of the
following applies:
(a) The other person is an emergency service responder,
the person knows or reasonably should know that the other person
is an emergency service responder, and it is the person's
specific purpose to engage in the specified conduct against an
emergency service responder.
(b) The other person is a family or household member or
co-worker of an emergency service responder, the person knows or
reasonably should know that the other person is a family or
household member or co-worker of an emergency service responder,
and it is the person's specific purpose to engage in the
specified conduct against a family or household member or co-
worker of an emergency service responder.
(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of menacing.
Except as otherwise provided in this division, menacing is
a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If the victim of the offense
is an officer or employee of a public children services agency
or a private child placing agency and the offense relates to the
officer's or employee's performance or anticipated performance
of official responsibilities or duties or if the victim of the
offense is an emergency service responder in the performance of
the responder's official duties, menacing is one of the
following:
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(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of
this section, a misdemeanor of the first degree;
(2) If the offender previously has been convicted of or
pleaded guilty to an offense of violence, the victim of that
prior offense was an officer or employee of a public children
services agency or private child placing agency or an emergency
service responder, and that prior offense related to the
officer's or employee's performance or anticipated performance
of official responsibilities or duties or to the responder's
performance of the responder's official duties, a felony of the
fourth degree.
(C) A prosecution for a violation of this section does not
preclude a prosecution of a violation of any other section of
the Revised Code. One or more acts, a series of acts, or a
course of behavior that can be prosecuted under this section or
any other section of the Revised Code may be prosecuted under
this section, the other section of the Revised Code, or both
sections. However, if an offender is convicted of or pleads
guilty to a violation of this section and also is convicted of
or pleads guilty to a violation of section 2903.13 of the
Revised Code based on the same conduct involving the same victim
that was the basis of the violation of this section, the two
offenses are allied offenses of similar import under section
2941.25 of the Revised Code.
(D) As used in this section:
(1) "Emergency service responder ," "family has the same
meaning as in section 2903.13 of the Revised Code and also
includes a probation officer.
(2) "Family or household member," and "co-worker" have the
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same meanings as in section 2903.13 of the Revised Code.
(2)(3) "Organization" includes an entity that is a
governmental employer.
(4) "Probation officer" means a probation officer
appointed by a municipal court under section 1901.33 of the
Revised Code, a probation officer appointed by a county court
under section 1907.201 of the Revised Code, and a probation
officer appointed by a court of common pleas under section
2301.27 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 2927.31. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Emergency service responder" has the same meaning as
in section 2903.22 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Harass" means either of the following:
(a) To engage in a course of conduct to which all of the
following apply:
(i) It is directed at an emergency service responder.
(ii) It causes substantial emotional distress to the
emergency service responder.
(iii) It interferes with the emergency service responder
lawfully performing a legal duty.
(b) To interrupt, disrupt, hinder, impede, or interfere
with an emergency service responder's ability to lawfully
perform a legal duty.
(B) No person shall knowingly harass an emergency service
responder who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal
duty when both of the following circumstances apply:
(1) The person received a warning from the emergency
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service responder not to approach.
(2) The person approached or remained within fourteen feet
of the emergency service responder after receipt of the warning
under division (B)(1) of this section.
(C) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is
guilty of harassing an emergency service responder. Harassing an
emergency service responder is a misdemeanor of the first
degree.
Section 2. That existing section 2903.22 of the Revised
Code is hereby repealed.
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