Ohio HB 457: Regards charitable solicitations

Bill Text

As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session H. B. No. 457
2025-2026
Representatives Daniels, Williams
Cosponsors: Representatives Barhorst, Bird, Claggett, Demetriou, Hall, T., John,
Lear, Miller, K., Workman
To amend sections 2903.01, 2929.01, 2929.12,
2929.14, and 2929.22 and to enact section
2941.1428 of the Revised Code to create new
aggravated murder offenses for political
motivation and political victims, to create a
mandatory prison term for politically motivated
offenses of violence, and to add political
motivation to sentencing factors for felonies
and misdemeanors.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 2903.01, 2929.01, 2929.12,
2929.14, and 2929.22 be amended and section 2941.1428 of the
Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 2903.01. (A) No person shall purposely, and with
prior calculation and design, cause the death of another or the
unlawful termination of another's pregnancy.
(B) No person shall purposely cause the death of another
or the unlawful termination of another's pregnancy while
committing or attempting to commit, or while fleeing immediately
after committing or attempting to commit, kidnapping, rape,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

H. B. No. 457 Page 2
As Introduced
aggravated arson, arson, aggravated robbery, robbery, aggravated
burglary, burglary, trespass in a habitation when a person is
present or likely to be present, terrorism, or escape.
(C) No person shall purposely cause the death of another
who is under thirteen years of age at the time of the commission
of the offense.
(D) No person who is under detention as a result of having
been found guilty of or having pleaded guilty to a felony or who
breaks that detention shall purposely cause the death of
another.
(E) No person shall purposely cause the death of a law
enforcement officer whom the offender knows or has reasonable
cause to know is a law enforcement officer when either of the
following applies:
(1) The victim, at the time of the commission of the
offense, is engaged in the victim's duties.
(2) It is the offender's specific purpose to kill a law
enforcement officer.
(F) No person shall purposely cause the death of a first
responder or military member whom the offender knows or has
reasonable cause to know is a first responder or military member
when it is the offender's specific purpose to kill a first
responder or military member.
(G) No person shall purposely cause the death of an
elected official.
(H) No person shall purposely cause the death of a another
person if the offender's motivation for the killing is based on
political affiliation, association, belief, or ideology, whether
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47

H. B. No. 457 Page 3
As Introduced
or not the offender was mistaken as to that motivation.
(I) Whoever violates this section is guilty of aggravated
murder, and shall be punished as provided in section 2929.02 of
the Revised Code.
(H)(J) As used in this section:
(1) "Detention" has the same meaning as in section 2921.01
of the Revised Code.
(2) "Law enforcement officer" has the same meaning as in
section 2911.01 of the Revised Code and also includes any
federal law enforcement officer as defined in section 2921.51 of
the Revised Code and anyone who has previously served as a law
enforcement officer or federal law enforcement officer.
(3) "First responder" means an emergency medical service
provider, a firefighter, or any other emergency response
personnel, or anyone who has previously served as a first
responder.
(4) "Military member" means a member of the armed forces
of the United States, reserves, or Ohio national guard, a
participant in ROTC, JROTC, or any similar military training
program, or anyone who has previously served in the military.
(5) "Elected official" means an official elected to a
local or statewide office.
Sec. 2929.01. As used in this chapter:
(A)(1) "Alternative residential facility" means, subject
to divisions (A)(2) and (3) of this section, any facility other
than an offender's home or residence in which an offender is
assigned to live and that satisfies all of the following
criteria:
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75

H. B. No. 457 Page 4
As Introduced
(a) It provides programs through which the offender may
seek or maintain employment or may receive education, training,
treatment, or habilitation.
(b) It has received the appropriate license or certificate
for any specialized education, training, treatment,
habilitation, or other service that it provides from the
government agency that is responsible for licensing or
certifying that type of education, training, treatment,
habilitation, or service.
(2) "Alternative residential facility" does not include a
community-based correctional facility, jail, halfway house, or
prison.
(3) "Alternative residential facility" includes a
community alternative sent