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Statutes: Ohio

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Updated: 
October 1, 2024

2950.01 Definitions

As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(A) “Sexually oriented offense” means any of the following violations or offenses committed by a person, regardless of the person’s age:

(1) A violation of section 2907.02, 2907.03, 2907.05, 2907.06, 2907.07, 2907.08, 2907.21, 2907.22, 2907.32, 2907.321, 2907.322, or 2907.323 of the Revised Code;

(2) A violation of section 2907.04 of the Revised Code when the offender is less than four years older than the other person with whom the offender engaged in sexual conduct, the other person did not consent to the sexual conduct, and the offender previously has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of section 2907.02, 2907.03, or 2907.04 of the Revised Code or a violation of former section 2907.12 of the Revised Code;

(3) A violation of section 2907.04 of the Revised Code when the offender is at least four years older than the other person with whom the offender engaged in sexual conduct or when the offender is less than four years older than the other person with whom the offender engaged in sexual conduct and the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of section 2907.02, 2907.03, or 2907.04 of the Revised Code or a violation of former section 2907.12 of the Revised Code;

(4) A violation of section 2903.01, 2903.02, or 2903.11 of the Revised Code when the violation was committed with a sexual motivation;

(5) A violation of division (A) of section 2903.04 of the Revised Code when the offender committed or attempted to commit the felony that is the basis of the violation with a sexual motivation;

(6) A violation of division (A)(3) of section 2903.211 of the Revised Code;

(7) A violation of division (A)(1), (2), (3), or (5) of section 2905.01 of the Revised Code when the offense is committed with a sexual motivation;

(8) A violation of division (A)(4) of section 2905.01 of the Revised Code;

(9) A violation of division (B) of section 2905.01 of the Revised Code when the victim of the offense is under eighteen years of age and the offender is not a parent of the victim of the offense;

(10) A violation of division (B) of section 2903.03, of division (B) of section 2905.02, of division (B) of section 2905.03, of division (B) of section 2905.05, or of division (B)(5) of section 2919.22 of the Revised Code;

(11) A violation of section 2905.32 of the Revised Code when either of the following applies:

(a) The violation is a violation of division (A)(1) of that section and the offender knowingly recruited, lured, enticed, isolated, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, or maintained, or knowingly attempted to recruit, lure, entice, isolate, harbor, transport, provide, obtain, or maintain, another person knowing that the person would be compelled to engage in sexual activity for hire, engage in a performance that was obscene, sexually oriented, or nudity oriented, or be a model or participant in the production of material that was obscene, sexually oriented, or nudity oriented.

(b) The violation is a violation of division (A)(2) of that section and the offender knowingly recruited, lured, enticed, isolated, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, or maintained, or knowingly attempted to recruit, lure, entice, isolate, harbor, transport, provide, obtain, or maintain a person who is less than eighteen years of age or is a person with a developmental disability whom the offender knows or has reasonable cause to believe is a person with a developmental disability for any purpose listed in divisions (A)(2)(a) to (c) of that section.

(12) A violation of division (B)(4) of section 2907.09 of the Revised Code if the sentencing court classifies the offender as a tier I sex offender/child-victim offender relative to that offense pursuant to division (D) of that section;

(13) A violation of any former law of this state, any existing or former municipal ordinance or law of another state or the United States, any existing or former law applicable in a military court or in an Indian tribal court, or any existing or former law of any nation other than the United States that is or was substantially equivalent to any offense listed in division (A)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), or (12) of this section;

(14) Any attempt to commit, conspiracy to commit, or complicity in committing any offense listed in division (A)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), or (13) of this section.

(B)(1) “Sex offender” means, subject to division (B)(2) of this section, a person who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, has been convicted of, has pleaded guilty to, is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing, or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing any sexually oriented offense.

(2) “Sex offender” does not include a person who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, has been convicted of, has pleaded guilty to, is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing, or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing a sexually oriented offense if the offense involves consensual sexual conduct or consensual sexual contact and either of the following applies:

(a) The victim of the sexually oriented offense was eighteen years of age or older and at the time of the sexually oriented offense was not under the custodial authority of the person who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, has been convicted of, has pleaded guilty to, is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing, or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing the sexually oriented offense.

(b) The victim of the offense was thirteen years of age or older, and the person who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, has been convicted of, has pleaded guilty to, is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing, or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing the sexually oriented offense is not more than four years older than the victim.

(C) “Child-victim oriented offense” means any of the following violations or offenses committed by a person, regardless of the person’s age, when the victim is under eighteen years of age and is not a child of the person who commits the violation:

(1) A violation of division (A)(1), (2), (3), or (5) of section 2905.01 of the Revised Code when the violation is not included in division (A)(7) of this section;

(2) A violation of division (A) of section 2905.02, division (A) of section 2905.03, or division (A) of section 2905.05 of the Revised Code;

(3) A violation of any former law of this state, any existing or former municipal ordinance or law of another state or the United States, any existing or former law applicable in a military court or in an Indian tribal court, or any existing or former law of any nation other than the United States that is or was substantially equivalent to any offense listed in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section;

(4) Any attempt to commit, conspiracy to commit, or complicity in committing any offense listed in division (C)(1), (2), or (3) of this section.

(D) “Child-victim offender” means a person who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, has been convicted of, has pleaded guilty to, is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing, or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing any child-victim oriented offense.

(E) “Tier I sex offender/child-victim offender” means any of the following:

(1) A sex offender who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, has been convicted of, or has pleaded guilty to any of the following sexually oriented offenses:

(a) A violation of section 2907.06, 2907.07, 2907.08, 2907.22, or 2907.32 of the Revised Code;

(b) A violation of section 2907.04 of the Revised Code when the offender is less than four years older than the other person with whom the offender engaged in sexual conduct, the other person did not consent to the sexual conduct, and the offender previously has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of section 2907.02, 2907.03, or 2907.04 of the Revised Code or a violation of former section 2907.12 of the Revised Code;

(c) A violation of division (A)(1), (2), (3), or (5) of section 2907.05 of the Revised Code;

(d) A violation of division (A)(3) of section 2907.323 of the Revised Code;

(e) A violation of division (A)(3) of section 2903.211, of division (B) of section 2905.03, or of division (B) of section 2905.05 of the Revised Code;

(f) A violation of division (B)(4) of section 2907.09 of the Revised Code if the sentencing court classifies the offender as a tier I sex offender/child-victim offender relative to that offense pursuant to division (D) of that section;

(g) A violation of any former law of this state, any existing or former municipal ordinance or law of another state or the United States, any existing or former law applicable in a military court or in an Indian tribal court, or any existing or former law of any nation other than the United States, that is or was substantially equivalent to any offense listed in division (E)(1)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) of this section;

(h) Any attempt to commit, conspiracy to commit, or complicity in committing any offense listed in division (E)(1)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this section.

(2) A child-victim offender who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, has been convicted of, or has pleaded guilty to a child-victim oriented offense and who is not within either category of child-victim offender described in division (F)(2) or (G)(2) of this section.

(3) A sex offender who is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing any sexually oriented offense and who a juvenile court, pursuant to section 2152.82, 2152.83, 2152.84, or 2152.85 of the Revised Code, classifies a tier I sex offender/child-victim offender relative to the offense.

(4) A child-victim offender who is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing any child-victim oriented offense and who a juvenile court, pursuant to section 2152.82, 2152.83, 2152.84, or 2152.85 of the Revised Code, classifies a tier I sex offender/child-victim offender relative to the offense.

(F) “Tier II sex offender/child-victim offender” means any of the following:

(1) A sex offender who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, has been convicted of, or has pleaded guilty to any of the following sexually oriented offenses:

(a) A violation of section 2907.21, 2907.321, or 2907.322 of the Revised Code;

(b) A violation of section 2907.04 of the Revised Code when the offender is at least four years older than the other person with whom the offender engaged in sexual conduct, or when the offender is less than four years older than the other person with whom the offender engaged in sexual conduct and the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of section 2907.02, 2907.03, or 2907.04 of the Revised Code or former section 2907.12 of the Revised Code;

(c) A violation of division (A)(4) of section 2907.05 or of division (A)(1) or (2) of section 2907.323 of the Revised Code;

(d) A violation of division (A)(1), (2), (3), or (5) of section 2905.01 of the Revised Code when the offense is committed with a sexual motivation;

(e) A violation of division (A)(4) of section 2905.01 of the Revised Code when the victim of the offense is eighteen years of age or older;

(f) A violation of division (B) of section 2905.02 or of division (B)(5) of section 2919.22 of the Revised Code;

(g) A violation of section 2905.32 of the Revised Code that is described in division (A)(11)(a) or (b) of this section;

(h) A violation of any former law of this state, any existing or former municipal ordinance or law of another state or the United States, any existing or former law applicable in a military court or in an Indian tribal court, or any existing or former law of any nation other than the United States that is or was substantially equivalent to any offense listed in division (F)(1)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this section;

(i) Any attempt to commit, conspiracy to commit, or complicity in committing any offense listed in division (F)(1)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), or (h) of this section;

(j) Any sexually oriented offense that is committed after the sex offender previously has been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing any sexually oriented offense or child-victim oriented offense for which the offender was classified a tier I sex offender/child-victim offender.

(2) A child-victim offender who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, has been convicted of, or has pleaded guilty to any child-victim oriented offense when the child-victim oriented offense is committed after the child-victim offender previously has been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing any sexually oriented offense or child-victim oriented offense for which the offender was classified a tier I sex offender/child-victim offender.

(3) A sex offender who is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing any sexually oriented offense and who a juvenile court, pursuant to section 2152.82, 2152.83, 2152.84, or 2152.85 of the Revised Code, classifies a tier II sex offender/child-victim offender relative to the offense.

(4) A child-victim offender who is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing any child-victim oriented offense and whom a juvenile court, pursuant to section 2152.82, 2152.83, 2152.84, or 2152.85 of the Revised Code, classifies a tier II sex offender/child-victim offender relative to the current offense.

(5) A sex offender or child-victim offender who is not in any category of tier II sex offender/child-victim offender set forth in division (F)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section, who prior to January 1, 2008, was adjudicated a delinquent child for committing a sexually oriented offense or child-victim oriented offense, and who prior to that date was determined to be a habitual sex offender or determined to be a habitual child-victim offender, unless either of the following applies:

(a) The sex offender or child-victim offender is reclassified pursuant to section 2950.031 or 2950.032 of the Revised Code as a tier I sex offender/child-victim offender or a tier III sex offender/child-victim offender relative to the offense.

(b) A juvenile court, pursuant to section 2152.82, 2152.83, 2152.84, or 2152.85 of the Revised Code, classifies the child a tier I sex offender/child-victim offender or a tier III sex offender/child-victim offender relative to the offense.

(G) “Tier III sex offender/child-victim offender” means any of the following:

(1) A sex offender who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, has been convicted of, or has pleaded guilty to any of the following sexually oriented offenses:

(a) A violation of section 2907.02 or 2907.03 of the Revised Code;

(b) A violation of division (B) of section 2907.05 of the Revised Code;

(c) A violation of section 2903.01, 2903.02, or 2903.11 of the Revised Code when the violation was committed with a sexual motivation;

(d) A violation of division (A) of section 2903.04 of the Revised Code when the offender committed or attempted to commit the felony that is the basis of the violation with a sexual motivation;

(e) A violation of division (A)(4) of section 2905.01 of the Revised Code when the victim of the offense is under eighteen years of age;

(f) A violation of division (B) of section 2905.01 of the Revised Code when the victim of the offense is under eighteen years of age and the offender is not a parent of the victim of the offense;

(g) A violation of division (B) of section 2903.03 of the Revised Code;

(h) A violation of any former law of this state, any existing or former municipal ordinance or law of another state or the United States, any existing or former law applicable in a military court or in an Indian tribal court, or any existing or former law of any nation other than the United States that is or was substantially equivalent to any offense listed in division (G)(1)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this section;

(i) Any attempt to commit, conspiracy to commit, or complicity in committing any offense listed in division (G)(1)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), or (h) of this section;

(j) Any sexually oriented offense that is committed after the sex offender previously has been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing any sexually oriented offense or child-victim oriented offense for which the offender was classified a tier II sex offender/child-victim offender or a tier III sex offender/child-victim offender.

(2) A child-victim offender who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, has been convicted of, or has pleaded guilty to any child-victim oriented offense when the child-victim oriented offense is committed after the child-victim offender previously has been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing any sexually oriented offense or child-victim oriented offense for which the offender was classified a tier II sex offender/child-victim offender or a tier III sex offender/child-victim offender.

(3) A sex offender who is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing any sexually oriented offense and who a juvenile court, pursuant to section 2152.82, 2152.83, 2152.84, or 2152.85 of the Revised Code, classifies a tier III sex offender/child-victim offender relative to the offense.

(4) A child-victim offender who is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing any child-victim oriented offense and whom a juvenile court, pursuant to section 2152.82, 2152.83, 2152.84, or 2152.85 of the Revised Code, classifies a tier III sex offender/child-victim offender relative to the current offense.

(5) A sex offender or child-victim offender who is not in any category of tier III sex offender/child-victim offender set forth in division (G)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section, who prior to January 1, 2008, was convicted of or pleaded guilty to a sexually oriented offense or child-victim oriented offense or was adjudicated a delinquent child for committing a sexually oriented offense or child-victim oriented offense and classified a juvenile offender registrant, and who prior to that date was adjudicated a sexual predator or adjudicated a child-victim predator, unless either of the following applies:

(a) The sex offender or child-victim offender is reclassified pursuant to section 2950.031 or 2950.032 of the Revised Code as a tier I sex offender/child-victim offender or a tier II sex offender/child-victim offender relative to the offense.

(b) The sex offender or child-victim offender is a delinquent child, and a juvenile court, pursuant to section 2152.82, 2152.83, 2152.84, or 2152.85 of the Revised Code, classifies the child a tier I sex offender/child-victim offender or a tier II sex offender/child-victim offender relative to the offense.

(6) A sex offender who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, was convicted of, or pleaded guilty to a sexually oriented offense, if the sexually oriented offense and the circumstances in which it was committed are such that division (F) of section 2971.03 of the Revised Code automatically classifies the offender as a tier III sex offender/child-victim offender;

(7) A sex offender or child-victim offender who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, was convicted of, pleaded guilty to, is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing, or was adjudicated a delinquent child for committing a sexually oriented offense or child-victim offense in another state, in a federal court, military court, or Indian tribal court, or in a court in any nation other than the United States if both of the following apply:

(a) Under the law of the jurisdiction in which the offender was convicted or pleaded guilty or the delinquent child was adjudicated, the offender or delinquent child is in a category substantially equivalent to a category of tier III sex offender/child-victim offender described in division (G)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), or (6) of this section.

(b) Subsequent to the conviction, plea of guilty, or adjudication in the other jurisdiction, the offender or delinquent child resides, has temporary domicile, attends school or an institution of higher education, is employed, or intends to reside in this state in any manner and for any period of time that subjects the offender or delinquent child to a duty to register or provide notice of intent to reside under section 2950.04 or 2950.041 of the Revised Code.

(H) “Confinement” includes, but is not limited to, a community residential sanction imposed pursuant to section 2929.16 or 2929.26 of the Revised Code.

(I) “Prosecutor” has the same meaning as in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code.

(J) “Supervised release” means a release of an offender from a prison term, a term of imprisonment, or another type of confinement that satisfies either of the following conditions:

(1) The release is on parole, a conditional pardon, under a community control sanction, under transitional control, or under a post-release control sanction, and it requires the person to report to or be supervised by a parole officer, probation officer, field officer, or another type of supervising officer.

(2) The release is any type of release that is not described in division (J)(1) of this section and that requires the person to report to or be supervised by a probation officer, a parole officer, a field officer, or another type of supervising officer.

(K) “Sexually violent predator specification,” “sexually violent predator,” “sexually violent offense,” “sexual motivation specification,” “designated homicide, assault, or kidnapping offense,” and “violent sex offense” have the same meanings as in section 2971.01 of the Revised Code.

(L) “Post-release control sanction” and “transitional control” have the same meanings as in section 2967.01 of the Revised Code.

(M) “Juvenile offender registrant” means a person who is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing on or after January 1, 2002, a sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense, who is fourteen years of age or older at the time of committing the offense, and who a juvenile court judge, pursuant to an order issued under section 2152.82, 2152.83, 2152.84, 2152.85, or 2152.86 of the Revised Code, classifies a juvenile offender registrant and specifies has a duty to comply with sections 2950.04, 2950.041, 2950.05, and 2950.06 of the Revised Code. “Juvenile offender registrant” includes a person who prior to January 1, 2008, was a “juvenile offender registrant” under the definition of the term in existence prior to January 1, 2008, and a person who prior to July 31, 2003, was a “juvenile sex offender registrant” under the former definition of that former term.

(N) “Public registry-qualified juvenile offender registrant” means a person who is adjudicated a delinquent child and on whom a juvenile court has imposed a serious youthful offender dispositional sentence under section 2152.13 of the Revised Code before, on, or after January 1, 2008, and to whom all of the following apply:

(1) The person is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing, attempting to commit, conspiring to commit, or complicity in committing one of the following acts:

(a) A violation of section 2907.02 of the Revised Code, division (B) of section 2907.05 of the Revised Code, or section 2907.03 of the Revised Code if the victim of the violation was less than twelve years of age;

(b) 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;

(c) A violation of division (B) of section 2903.03 of the Revised Code.

(2) The person was fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, or seventeen years of age at the time of committing the act.

(3) A juvenile court judge, pursuant to an order issued under section 2152.86 of the Revised Code, classifies the person a juvenile offender registrant, specifies the person has a duty to comply with sections 2950.04, 2950.05, and 2950.06 of the Revised Code, and classifies the person a public registry-qualified juvenile offender registrant, and the classification of the person as a public registry-qualified juvenile offender registrant has not been terminated pursuant to division (D) of section 2152.86 of the Revised Code.

(O) “Secure facility” means any facility that is designed and operated to ensure that all of its entrances and exits are locked and under the exclusive control of its staff and to ensure that, because of that exclusive control, no person who is institutionalized or confined in the facility may leave the facility without permission or supervision.

(P) “Out-of-state juvenile offender registrant” means a person who is adjudicated a delinquent child in a court in another state, in a federal court, military court, or Indian tribal court, or in a court in any nation other than the United States for committing a sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense, who on or after January 1, 2002, moves to and resides in this state or temporarily is domiciled in this state for more than five days, and who has a duty under section 2950.04 or 2950.041 of the Revised Code to register in this state and the duty to otherwise comply with that applicable section and sections 2950.05 and 2950.06 of the Revised Code. “Out-of-state juvenile offender registrant” includes a person who prior to January 1, 2008, was an “out-of-state juvenile offender registrant” under the definition of the term in existence prior to January 1, 2008, and a person who prior to July 31, 2003, was an “out-of-state juvenile sex offender registrant” under the former definition of that former term.

(Q) “Juvenile court judge” includes a magistrate to whom the juvenile court judge confers duties pursuant to division (A)(15) of section 2151.23 of the Revised Code.

(R) “Adjudicated a delinquent child for committing a sexually oriented offense” includes a child who receives a serious youthful offender dispositional sentence under section 2152.13 of the Revised Code for committing a sexually oriented offense.

(S) “School” and “school premises” have the same meanings as in section 2925.01 of the Revised Code.

(T) “Residential premises” means the building in which a residential unit is located and the grounds upon which that building stands, extending to the perimeter of the property. “Residential premises” includes any type of structure in which a residential unit is located, including, but not limited to, multi-unit buildings and mobile and manufactured homes.

(U) “Residential unit” means a dwelling unit for residential use and occupancy, and includes the structure or part of a structure that is used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by one person who maintains a household or two or more persons who maintain a common household. “Residential unit” does not include a halfway house or a community-based correctional facility.

(V) “Multi-unit building” means a building in which is located more than twelve residential units that have entry doors that open directly into the unit from a hallway that is shared with one or more other units. A residential unit is not considered located in a multi-unit building if the unit does not have an entry door that opens directly into the unit from a hallway that is shared with one or more other units or if the unit is in a building that is not a multi-unit building as described in this division.

(W) “Community control sanction” has the same meaning as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.

(X) “Halfway house” and “community-based correctional facility” have the same meanings as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.

(Y) A person is in a “restricted offender category” if both of the following apply with respect to the person:

(1) The person has been convicted of, is convicted of, has pleaded guilty to, or pleads guilty to a sexually oriented offense where the victim was under the age of eighteen or a child-victim oriented offense.

(2) With respect to the offense described in division (Y)(1) of this section, one of the following applies:

(a) With respect to that offense, the person is a tier II sex offender/child-victim offender or is a tier III sex offender/child-victim offender who is subject to the duties imposed by sections 2950.04, 2950.041, 2950.05, and 2950.06 of the Revised Code.

(b) With respect to that offense if it was committed prior to January 1, 2008, under the version of Chapter 2950. of the Revised Code in effect prior to January 1, 2008, the person was adjudicated a sexual predator, was adjudicated a child-victim predator, was classified a habitual sex offender, or was classified a habitual child-victim sex offender.

(Z) “Adjudicated a sexual predator,” “adjudicated a child-victim predator,” “habitual sex offender,” and “habitual child-victim offender” have the meanings of those terms that applied to them under Chapter 2950. of the Revised Code prior to January 1, 2008.