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The Legislative Service Commission staff updates the Revised Code on an ongoing basis, as it completes its act review of enacted legislation. Updates may be slower during some times of the year, depending on the volume of enacted legislation.

Chapter 2927 | Miscellaneous Offenses

 
 
 
Section
Section 2927.01 | Abuse of a corpse.
 

(A) No person, except as authorized by law, shall treat a human corpse in a way that the person knows would outrage reasonable family sensibilities.

(B) No person, except as authorized by law, shall treat a human corpse in a way that would outrage reasonable community sensibilities.

(C) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of abuse of a corpse, a misdemeanor of the second degree. Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of gross abuse of a corpse, a felony of the fifth degree.

Section 2927.02 | Illegal distribution of or permitting children to use cigarettes or other tobacco or alternative nicotine products.
 

(A) As used in this section and sections 2927.021 to 2927.024 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Age verification" means a service provided by an independent third party (other than a manufacturer, producer, distributor, wholesaler, or retailer of cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or papers used to roll cigarettes) that compares information available from a commercially available database, or aggregate of databases, that regularly are used by government and businesses for the purpose of age and identity verification to personal information provided during an internet sale or other remote method of sale to establish that the purchaser is twenty-one years of age or older.

(2)(a) "Alternative nicotine product" means, subject to division (A)(2)(b) of this section, an electronic smoking device, vapor product, or any other product or device that consists of or contains nicotine that can be ingested into the body by any means, including, but not limited to, chewing, smoking, absorbing, dissolving, or inhaling.

(b) "Alternative nicotine product" does not include any of the following:

(i) Any cigarette or other tobacco product;

(ii) Any product that is a "drug" as that term is defined in 21 U.S.C. 321(g)(1);

(iii) Any product that is a "device" as that term is defined in 21 U.S.C. 321(h);

(iv) Any product that is a "combination product" as described in 21 U.S.C. 353(g).

(3) "Cigarette" includes clove cigarettes and hand-rolled cigarettes.

(4) "Distribute" means to furnish, give, or provide cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or papers used to roll cigarettes to the ultimate consumer of the cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or papers used to roll cigarettes.

(5) "Electronic smoking device" means any device that can be used to deliver aerosolized or vaporized nicotine or any other substance to the person inhaling from the device including an electronic cigarette, electronic cigar, electronic hookah, vaping pen, or electronic pipe. "Electronic smoking device" includes any component, part, or accessory of such a device, whether or not sold separately, and includes any substance intended to be aerosolized or vaporized during the use of the device. "Electronic smoking device" does not include any product that is a drug, device, or combination product, as those terms are defined or described in 21 U.S.C. 321 and 353(g).

(6) "Proof of age" means a driver's license, a commercial driver's license, a military identification card, a passport, or an identification card issued under sections 4507.50 to 4507.52 of the Revised Code that shows that a person is twenty-one years of age or older.

(7) "Tobacco product" means any product that is made or derived from tobacco or that contains any form of nicotine, if it is intended for human consumption or is likely to be consumed, whether smoked, heated, chewed, absorbed, dissolved, inhaled, or ingested by any other means, including, but not limited to, a cigarette, an electronic smoking device, a cigar, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, or snus. "Tobacco product" also means any component or accessory used in the consumption of a tobacco product, such as filters, rolling papers, pipes, blunt or hemp wraps, and liquids used in electronic smoking devices, whether or not they contain nicotine. "Tobacco product" does not include any product that is a drug, device, or combination product, as those terms are defined or described in 21 U.S.C. 321 and 353(g).

(8) "Vapor product" means a product, other than a cigarette or other tobacco product as defined in Chapter 5743. of the Revised Code, that contains or is made or derived from nicotine and that is intended and marketed for human consumption, including by smoking, inhaling, snorting, or sniffing. "Vapor product" includes any component, part, or additive that is intended for use in an electronic smoking device, a mechanical heating element, battery, or electronic circuit and is used to deliver the product. "Vapor product" does not include any product that is a drug, device, or combination product, as those terms are defined or described in 21 U.S.C. 321 and 353(g). "Vapor product" includes any product containing nicotine, regardless of concentration.

(9) "Vending machine" has the same meaning as "coin machine" in section 2913.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) No manufacturer, producer, distributor, wholesaler, or retailer of cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or papers used to roll cigarettes, no agent, employee, or representative of a manufacturer, producer, distributor, wholesaler, or retailer of cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or papers used to roll cigarettes, and no other person shall do any of the following:

(1) Give, sell, or otherwise distribute cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or papers used to roll cigarettes:

(a) To any person under twenty-one years of age; or

(b) Without first verifying proof of age.

(2) Give away, sell, or distribute cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or papers used to roll cigarettes in any place that does not have posted in a conspicuous place a legibly printed sign in letters at least one-half inch high stating that giving, selling, or otherwise distributing cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or papers used to roll cigarettes to a person under twenty-one years of age is prohibited by law;

(3) Knowingly furnish any false information regarding the name, age, or other identification of any person under twenty-one years of age with purpose to obtain cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or papers used to roll cigarettes for that person;

(4) Manufacture, sell, or distribute in this state any pack or other container of cigarettes containing fewer than twenty cigarettes or any package of roll-your-own tobacco containing less than six-tenths of one ounce of tobacco;

(5) Sell cigarettes or alternative nicotine products in a smaller quantity than that placed in the pack or other container by the manufacturer;

(6) Give, sell, or otherwise distribute alternative nicotine products, papers used to roll cigarettes, or tobacco products other than cigarettes over the internet or through another remote method without age verification;

(7) Allow an employee under eighteen years of age to sell any tobacco product;

(8) Give away or otherwise distribute free samples of cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or coupons redeemable for cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products.

(C) No person shall sell or offer to sell cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products by or from a vending machine, except in the following locations:

(1) An area within a factory, business, office, or other place not open to the general public;

(2) An area to which persons under twenty-one years of age are not generally permitted access;

(3) Any other place not identified in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section, upon all of the following conditions:

(a) The vending machine is located within the immediate vicinity, plain view, and control of the person who owns or operates the place, or an employee of that person, so that all cigarettes, other tobacco product, and alternative nicotine product purchases from the vending machine will be readily observed by the person who owns or operates the place or an employee of that person. For the purpose of this section, a vending machine located in any unmonitored area, including an unmonitored coatroom, restroom, hallway, or outer waiting area, shall not be considered located within the immediate vicinity, plain view, and control of the person who owns or operates the place, or an employee of that person.

(b) The vending machine is inaccessible to the public when the place is closed.

(c) A clearly visible notice is posted in the area where the vending machine is located that states the following in letters that are legibly printed and at least one-half inch high:

"It is illegal for any person under the age of 21 to purchase tobacco or alternative nicotine products."

(D) The following are affirmative defenses to a charge under division (B)(1) of this section:

(1) The person under twenty-one years of age was accompanied by a parent, spouse who is twenty-one years of age or older, or legal guardian of the person under twenty-one years of age.

(2) The person who gave, sold, or distributed cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or papers used to roll cigarettes to a person under twenty-one years of age under division (B)(1) of this section is a parent, spouse who is twenty-one years of age or older, or legal guardian of the person under twenty-one years of age.

(E)(1) It is not a violation of division (B)(1) or (2) of this section for a person to give or otherwise distribute to a person under twenty-one years of age cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or papers used to roll cigarettes while the person under twenty-one years of age is participating in a research protocol if all of the following apply:

(a) The parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the person under twenty-one years of age has consented in writing to the person under twenty-one years of age participating in the research protocol.

(b) An institutional human subjects protection review board, or an equivalent entity, has approved the research protocol.

(c) The person under twenty-one years of age is participating in the research protocol at the facility or location specified in the research protocol.

(2) It is not a violation of division (B)(1) or (2) of this section for an employer to permit an employee eighteen, nineteen, or twenty years of age to sell a tobacco product.

(F)(1) No delivery service shall accept from, transport or deliver to, or allow pick-up by, a person under twenty-one years of age with respect to any of the following:

(a) Alternative nicotine products;

(b) Papers used to roll cigarettes;

(c) Tobacco products other than cigarettes.

(2) A delivery service shall require proof of age as a condition of accepting, transporting, delivering, or allowing pickup of the items described in divisions (F)(1)(a) to (c) of this section.

(G) Whoever violates division (B)(1), (2), (4), (5), (6), (7), or (8), (C), or (F) of this section is guilty of illegal distribution of cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products. Except as otherwise provided in this division, illegal distribution of cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to illegal distribution of cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products is a misdemeanor of the third degree.

(H) Whoever violates division (B)(3) of this section is guilty of permitting a person under twenty-one years of age to use cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products. Except as otherwise provided in this division, permitting a person under twenty-one years of age to use cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of a violation of division (B)(3) of this section, permitting a person under twenty-one years of age to use cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products is a misdemeanor of the third degree.

(I) Any cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or papers used to roll cigarettes that are given, sold, or otherwise distributed to a person under twenty-one years of age in violation of this section and that are used, possessed, purchased, or received by a person under twenty-one years of age in violation of section 2151.87 of the Revised Code are subject to seizure and forfeiture as contraband under Chapter 2981. of the Revised Code.

Last updated February 7, 2024 at 9:06 AM

Section 2927.021 | Engaging in illegal tobacco or alternative nicotine product transaction scan.
 

(A) As used in this section and section 2927.022 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Card holder" means any person who presents a driver's or commercial driver's license or an identification card to a seller, or an agent or employee of a seller, to purchase or receive cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products from the seller, agent, or employee.

(2) "Identification card" means an identification card issued under sections 4507.50 to 4507.52 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Seller" means a seller of cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products and includes any person whose gift of or other distribution of cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products is subject to the prohibitions of section 2927.02 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Transaction scan" means the process by which a seller or an agent or employee of a seller checks, by means of a transaction scan device, the validity of a driver's or commercial driver's license or an identification card that is presented as a condition for purchasing or receiving cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products.

(5) "Transaction scan device" means any commercial device or combination of devices used at a point of sale that is capable of deciphering in an electronically readable format the information encoded on the magnetic strip or bar code of a driver's or commercial driver's license or an identification card.

(B)(1) A seller or an agent or employee of a seller may perform a transaction scan by means of a transaction scan device to check the validity of a driver's or commercial driver's license or identification card presented by a card holder as a condition for selling, giving away, or otherwise distributing to the card holder cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products.

(2) If the information deciphered by the transaction scan performed under division (B)(1) of this section fails to match the information printed on the driver's or commercial driver's license or identification card presented by the card holder, or if the transaction scan indicates that the information so printed is false or fraudulent, neither the seller nor any agent or employee of the seller shall sell, give away, or otherwise distribute any cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products to the card holder.

(3) Division (B)(1) of this section does not preclude a seller or an agent or employee of a seller from using a transaction scan device to check the validity of a document other than a driver's or commercial driver's license or an identification card, if the document includes a bar code or magnetic strip that may be scanned by the device, as a condition for selling, giving away, or otherwise distributing cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products to the person presenting the document.

(C) Rules adopted by the registrar of motor vehicles under division (C) of section 4301.61 of the Revised Code apply to the use of transaction scan devices for purposes of this section and section 2927.022 of the Revised Code.

(D)(1) No seller or agent or employee of a seller shall electronically or mechanically record or maintain any information derived from a transaction scan, except the following:

(a) The name and date of birth of the person listed on the driver's or commercial driver's license or identification card presented by a card holder;

(b) The expiration date and identification number of the driver's or commercial driver's license or identification card presented by a card holder.

(2) No seller or agent or employee of a seller shall use the information that is derived from a transaction scan or that is permitted to be recorded and maintained under division (D)(1) of this section, except for purposes of section 2927.022 of the Revised Code.

(3) No seller or agent or employee of a seller shall use a transaction scan device for a purpose other than the purpose specified in division (B)(1) of this section.

(4) No seller or agent or employee of a seller shall sell or otherwise disseminate the information derived from a transaction scan to any third party, including, but not limited to, selling or otherwise disseminating that information for any marketing, advertising, or promotional activities, but a seller or agent or employee of a seller may release that information pursuant to a court order or as specifically authorized by section 2927.022 or another section of the Revised Code.

(E) Nothing in this section or section 2927.022 of the Revised Code relieves a seller or an agent or employee of a seller of any responsibility to comply with any other applicable state or federal laws or rules governing the sale, giving away, or other distribution of cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products.

(F) Whoever violates division (B)(2) or (D) of this section is guilty of engaging in an illegal tobacco product or alternative nicotine product transaction scan, and the court may impose upon the offender a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars for each violation. The clerk of the court shall pay each collected civil penalty to the county treasurer for deposit into the county treasury.

Section 2927.022 | Affirmative defense to cigarette, tobacco or alternative nicotine product charge.
 

(A) A seller or an agent or employee of a seller may not be found guilty of a charge of a violation of section 2927.02 of the Revised Code in which the age of the purchaser or other recipient of cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products is an element of the alleged violation, if the seller, agent, or employee raises and proves as an affirmative defense that all of the following occurred:

(1) A card holder attempting to purchase or receive cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products presented a driver's or commercial driver's license or an identification card.

(2) A transaction scan of the driver's or commercial driver's license or identification card that the card holder presented indicated that the license or card was valid.

(3) The cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products were sold, given away, or otherwise distributed to the card holder in reasonable reliance upon the identification presented and the completed transaction scan.

(B) In determining whether a seller or an agent or employee of a seller has proven the affirmative defense provided by division (A) of this section, the trier of fact in the action for the alleged violation of section 2927.02 of the Revised Code shall consider any written policy that the seller has adopted and implemented and that is intended to prevent violations of section 2927.02 of the Revised Code. For purposes of division (A)(3) of this section, the trier of fact shall consider that reasonable reliance upon the identification presented and the completed transaction scan may require a seller or an agent or employee of a seller to exercise reasonable diligence to determine, and that the use of a transaction scan device does not excuse a seller or an agent or employee of a seller from exercising reasonable diligence to determine, the following:

(1) Whether a person to whom the seller or agent or employee of a seller sells, gives away, or otherwise distributes cigarettes, other tobacco products, or alternative nicotine products is twenty-one years of age or older;

(2) Whether the description and picture appearing on the driver's or commercial driver's license or identification card presented by a card holder is that of the card holder.

(C) In any criminal action in which the affirmative defense provided by division (A) of this section is raised, the registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar who issued an identification card under sections 4507.50 to 4507.52 of the Revised Code shall be permitted to submit certified copies of the records of that issuance in lieu of the testimony of the personnel of or contractors with the bureau of motor vehicles in the action.

Section 2927.023 | Unlawful transportation of tobacco products.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Authorized recipient of tobacco products" means:

(a) In the case of cigarettes, a person who is:

(i) Licensed as a cigarette wholesale dealer under section 5743.15 of the Revised Code;

(ii) Licensed as a retail dealer as long as the person purchases cigarettes with the appropriate tax stamp affixed;

(iii) An export warehouse proprietor as defined in section 5702 of the Internal Revenue Code;

(iv) An operator of a customs bonded warehouse under 19 U.S.C. 1311 or 19 U.S.C. 1555;

(v) An officer, employee, or agent of the federal government or of this state acting in the person's official capacity;

(vi) A department, agency, instrumentality, or political subdivision of the federal government or of this state;

(vii) A person having a consent for consumer shipment issued by the tax commissioner under section 5743.71 of the Revised Code.

(b) In the case of electronic smoking devices or vapor products, a person who is:

(i) Licensed as a distributor of tobacco or vapor products under section 5743.61 of the Revised Code;

(ii) A retail dealer of vapor products, as defined in division (C)(3) of section 5743.01 of the Revised Code, that is not licensed as a vapor distributor, as long as the tax levied by section 5743.51, 5743.62, or 5743.63 of the Revised Code, as applicable, has been paid;

(iii) An operator of a customs bonded warehouse under 19 U.S.C. 1311 or 19 U.S.C. 1555;

(iv) An officer, employee, or agent of the federal government or of this state acting in the person's official capacity;

(v) A department, agency, instrumentality, or political subdivision of the federal government or of this state.

(2) "Motor carrier" has the same meaning as in section 4923.01 of the Revised Code.

The purpose of this section is to prevent the sale of cigarettes, electronic smoking devices, and vapor products to minors and to ensure compliance with the Master Settlement Agreement, as defined in section 1346.01 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1) No person shall cause to be shipped any cigarettes, electronic smoking devices, and vapor products to any person in this state other than an authorized recipient of tobacco products.

(2) No motor carrier, or other person shall knowingly transport cigarettes, electronic smoking devices, and vapor products to any person in this state that the carrier or other person reasonably believes is not an authorized recipient of tobacco products. If cigarettes, electronic smoking devices, and vapor products are transported to a home or residence, it shall be presumed that the motor carrier, or other person knew that the person to whom the cigarettes, electronic smoking devices, and vapor products were delivered was not an authorized recipient of tobacco products.

(C) No person engaged in the business of selling cigarettes, electronic smoking devices, and vapor products who ships or causes to be shipped cigarettes, electronic smoking devices, and vapor products to any person in this state in any container or wrapping other than the original container or wrapping shall fail to plainly and visibly mark the exterior of the container or wrapping in which the cigarettes, electronic smoking devices, and vapor products are shipped with the words "cigarettes," "electronic smoking devices," or "vapor products," as applicable.

(D) A court shall impose a fine of up to one thousand dollars for each violation of division (B)(1), (B)(2), or (C) of this section.

Last updated August 4, 2023 at 11:28 AM

Section 2927.024 | Furnishing false information; penalty.
 

(A) No person who is eighteen years of age or older but younger than twenty-one years of age shall knowingly furnish false information concerning that person's name, age, or other identification for the purpose of obtaining tobacco products.

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of furnishing false information to obtain tobacco products. Except as otherwise provided in this division, furnishing false information to obtain tobacco products is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of division (A) of this section, furnishing false information to obtain tobacco products is a misdemeanor of the third degree.

Section 2927.03 | Injure, intimidate, or interfere with fair housing rights.
 

(A) No person, whether or not acting under color of law, shall by force or threat of force willfully injure, intimidate, or interfere with, or attempt to injure, intimidate, or interfere with, any of the following:

(1) Any person because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status as defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, national origin, military status as defined in that section, disability as defined in that section, or ancestry and because that person is or has been selling, purchasing, renting, financing, occupying, contracting, or negotiating for the sale, purchase, rental, financing, or occupation of any housing accommodations, or applying for or participating in any service, organization, or facility relating to the business of selling or renting housing accommodations;

(2) Any person because that person is or has been doing, or in order to intimidate that person or any other person or any class of persons from doing, either of the following:

(a) Participating, without discrimination on account of race, color, religion, sex, familial status as defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, national origin, military status as defined in that section, disability as defined in that section, or ancestry, in any of the activities, services, organizations, or facilities described in division (A)(1) of this section;

(b) Affording another person or class of persons opportunity or protection so to participate.

(3) Any person because that person is or has been, or in order to discourage that person or any other person from, lawfully aiding or encouraging other persons to participate, without discrimination on account of race, color, religion, sex, familial status as defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, national origin, military status as defined in that section, disability as defined in that section, or ancestry, in any of the activities, services, organizations, or facilities described in division (A)(1) of this section, or participating lawfully in speech or peaceful assembly opposing any denial of the opportunity to so participate.

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Section 2927.11 | Desecration.
 

(A) No person, without privilege to do so, shall purposely deface, damage, pollute, or otherwise physically mistreat any of the following:

(1) The flag of the United States or of this state;

(2) Any public monument;

(3) Any historical or commemorative marker, or any structure, Indian mound or earthwork, cemetery, thing, or site of great historical or archaeological interest;

(4) A place of worship, its furnishings, or religious artifacts or sacred texts within the place of worship or within the grounds upon which the place of worship is located;

(5) A work of art or museum piece;

(6) Any other object of reverence or sacred devotion.

(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of desecration. A violation of division (A)(1), (2), (3), (5), or (6) of this section is a misdemeanor of the second degree. Except as otherwise provided in this division, a violation of division (A)(4) of this section is a felony of the fifth degree that is punishable by a fine of up to two thousand five hundred dollars in addition to the penalties specified for a felony of the fifth degree in sections 2929.13 to 2929.18 of the Revised Code. If the value of the property or the amount of physical harm involved in a violation of division (A)(4) of this section is five thousand dollars or more but less than one hundred thousand dollars, a violation of that division is a felony of the fourth degree. If the value of the property or the amount of physical harm involved in a violation of division (A)(4) of this section is one hundred thousand dollars or more, a violation of that division is a felony of the third degree.

(C) As used in this section, "cemetery" means any place of burial and includes burial sites that contain American Indian burial objects placed with or containing American Indian human remains.

Section 2927.12 | Ethnic intimidation.
 

(A) No person shall violate section 2903.21, 2903.22, 2909.06, or 2909.07, or division (A)(3), (4), or (5) of section 2917.21 of the Revised Code by reason of the race, color, religion, or national origin of another person or group of persons.

(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of ethnic intimidation. Ethnic intimidation is an offense of the next higher degree than the offense the commission of which is a necessary element of ethnic intimidation.

Section 2927.13 | Selling or donating contaminated blood.
 

(A) No person, with knowledge that the person is a carrier of a virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome, shall sell or donate the person's blood, plasma, or a product of the person's blood, if the person knows or should know the blood, plasma, or product of the person's blood is being accepted for the purpose of transfusion to another individual.

(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of selling or donating contaminated blood, a felony of the fourth degree.

Section 2927.15 | Privilege or consent to collect bodily substance.
 

(A) No person shall knowingly collect any blood, urine, tissue, or other bodily substance of another person without privilege or consent to do so.

(B)(1) Division (A) of this section does not apply to any of the following:

(a) The collection of any bodily substance of a person by a law enforcement officer, or by another person pursuant to the direction or advice of a law enforcement officer, for purposes of a chemical test or tests of the substance under division (A)(1) of section 1547.111 or division (A)(2) of section 4511.191 of the Revised Code to determine the alcohol, drug, controlled substance, metabolite of a controlled substance, or combination content of the bodily substance;

(b) The collection of any bodily substance of a person by a peace officer, or by another person pursuant to the direction or advice of a peace officer, for purposes of a test or tests of the substance as provided in division (A) of section 4506.17 of the Revised Code to determine the person's alcohol concentration or the presence of any controlled substance or metabolite of a controlled substance.

(2) Division (B)(1) of this section shall not be construed as implying that the persons identified in divisions (B)(1)(a) and (b) of this section do not have privilege to collect the bodily substance of another person as described in those divisions or as limiting the definition of "privilege" set forth in section 2901.01 of the Revised Code.

(C) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of unlawful collection of a bodily substance. Except as otherwise provided in this division, unlawful collection of a bodily substance is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of division (A) of this section, unlawful collection of a bodily substance is a felony of the fifth degree.

Section 2927.17 | Advertising of massage services.
 

(A) No person, by means of a statement, solicitation, or offer in a print or electronic publication, sign, placard, storefront display, or other medium, shall advertise massage, relaxation massage, any other massage technique or method, or any related service, with the suggestion or promise of sexual activity.

(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of unlawful advertising of massage, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(C) Nothing in this section prevents the legislative authority of a municipal corporation or township from enacting any regulation of the advertising of massage further than and in addition to the provisions of divisions (A) and (B) of this section.

(D) As used in this section, "sexual activity" has the same meaning as in section 2907.01 of the Revised Code.

Section 2927.21 | Receiving proceeds of an offense subject to forfeiture proceedings.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) " Offense subject to forfeiture proceedings" means any of the following:

(a) A violation of section 2903.01, 2903.02, 2903.03, 2903.04, 2903.041, 2903.05, 2903.06, 2903.08, 2903.09, 2903.11, 2903.12, 2903.13, 2903.14, 2903.15, 2903.16, 2903.21, or 2903.211 of the Revised Code;

(b) A violation of section 2905.01, 2905.02, 2905.03, 2905.05, 2905.11, 2905.32, or 2905.33 of the Revised Code;

(c) A violation of section 2907.02, 2907.03, 2907.04, 2907.05, 2907.06, 2907.07, 2907.19, 2907.21, 2907.22, 2907.321, 2907.322, or 2907.323 of the Revised Code;

(d) A violation of section 2909.02, 2909.03, 2909.22, 2909.23, 2909.24, 2909.26, 2909.27, 2909.28, or 2909.29 of the Revised Code;

(e) A violation of section 2911.01, 2911.02, 2911.11, 2911.12, or 2911.13 of the Revised Code;

(f) A violation of section 2915.02, 2915.03, 2915.04, or 2915.05 of the Revised Code;

(g) A violation of section 2921.02, 2921.03, 2921.04, 2921.05, 2921.11, 2921.12, or 2921.41 of the Revised Code;

(h) A violation of section 2925.02, 2925.03, 2925.04, 2925.041, 2925.05, 2925.06, 2925.09, or 2925.11 of the Revised Code;

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

( 2) "Proceeds" has the same meaning as in section 2981.01 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Vehicle" has the same meaning as in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) No person shall receive, retain, possess, or dispose of proceeds knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the proceeds were derived from the commission of an offense subject to forfeiture proceedings.

(C) It is not a defense to a charge of receiving proceeds of an offense subject to forfeiture proceedings in violation of this section that the proceeds were derived by means other than the commission of an offense subject to forfeiture proceedings if the property was explicitly represented to the accused person as having been derived from the commission of an offense subject to forfeiture proceedings.

(D) A person shall be considered to have received, retained, possessed, or disposed of proceeds if the proceeds are found anywhere in a vehicle and the person was the last person who operated the vehicle immediately prior to the search of the vehicle by the law enforcement officer who found the proceeds.

(E) Whoever violates this section is guilty of receiving proceeds of an offense subject to forfeiture proceedings. If the value of the proceeds involved is less than one thousand dollars, receiving proceeds of an offense subject to forfeiture proceedings is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the value of the proceeds involved is one thousand dollars or more and is less than twenty-five thousand dollars, receiving proceeds of an offense subject to forfeiture proceedings is a felony of the fifth degree. If the value of the proceeds involved is twenty-five thousand dollars or more and is less than one hundred fifty thousand dollars, receiving proceeds of an offense subject to forfeiture proceedings is a felony of the fourth degree. If the value of the proceeds involved is one hundred fifty thousand dollars or more, receiving proceeds of an offense subject to forfeiture proceedings is a felony of the third degree.

Section 2927.22 | Soliciting or accepting a fee to remove, correct, modify, or refrain from publishing criminal record information; violation.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Booking photograph" means a photograph of a subject individual that was taken in this state by an arresting law enforcement agency.

(2) "Criminal record information" means a booking photograph or the name, address, charges filed, or description of a subject individual who is asserted or implied to have engaged in illegal conduct.

(3) "Law enforcement agency" has the same meaning as in section 109.573 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Subject individual" means an individual who was arrested and had the individual's photograph taken by a law enforcement agency during the processing of the arrest.

(B) No person engaged in publishing or otherwise disseminating criminal record information through a print or electronic medium shall negligently solicit or accept from a subject individual the payment of a fee or other consideration to remove, correct, modify, or refrain from publishing or otherwise disseminating criminal record information.

(C) A violation of division (B) of this section is misuse of criminal record information, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(D) Each payment solicited or accepted in violation of this section constitutes a separate violation.

(E) In a civil action brought pursuant to section 2307.60 of the Revised Code for a violation of this section, a subject individual who suffers a loss or harm as a result of the violation may be awarded an amount equal to ten thousand dollars or actual and punitive damages, whichever is greater, and in addition may be awarded reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, and any other remedies provided by law. Humiliation or embarrassment shall be adequate to show that the plaintiff has incurred damages. No physical manifestation of either humiliation or embarrassment is necessary for damages to be shown.

Section 2927.24 | Contaminating substance for human consumption or use or contamination with hazardous chemical, biological, or radioactive substance - spreading false report of contamination.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Poison" has the same meaning as in section 3719.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Drug" has the same meaning as in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Hazardous chemical, biological, or radioactive substance" means any of the following:

(a) Any toxic or poisonous chemical, the precursor of any toxic or poisonous chemical, or any toxin;

(b) Any disease organism or biological agent;

(c) Any substance or item that releases or is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life.

(4) "Biological agent" means any microorganism, virus, infectious substance, or biological product that may be engineered through biotechnology, or any naturally occurring or bioengineered component of any microorganism, virus, infectious substance, or biological product that may be engineered through biotechnology, capable of causing death, disease, or other biological malfunction in a human, an animal, a plant, or another living organism, deterioration of food, water, equipment, supplies, or material of any kind, or deleterious alteration of the environment.

(5) "Toxin" means the toxic material of plants, animals, microorganisms, viruses, fungi, or infectious substances, or a recombinant molecule, whatever its origin or method of reproduction, including, but not limited to, any poisonous substance or biological product that may be engineered through biotechnology or produced by a living organism and any poisonous isomer or biological product, homolog, or derivative of any substance or product of that nature.

(B) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, no person shall do any of the following:

(1) Knowingly mingle a poison, hazardous chemical, biological, or radioactive substance, or other harmful substance with a food, drink, nonprescription drug, prescription drug, or pharmaceutical product, or knowingly place a poison, hazardous chemical, biological, or radioactive substance, or other harmful substance in a spring, well, reservoir, or public water supply, if the person knows or has reason to know that the food, drink, nonprescription drug, prescription drug, pharmaceutical product, or water may be ingested or used by another person. For purposes of this division, a person does not know or have reason to know that water may be ingested or used by another person if it is disposed of as waste into a household drain including the drain of a toilet, sink, tub, or floor.

(2) Knowingly release into the air, knowingly leave in any public place, or knowingly expose one or more persons to any hazardous chemical, biological, or radioactive substance with the intent to cause, or create a risk of, death or serious physical harm to any person.

(C) No person shall do any of the following:

(1) Inform another person that a poison, hazardous chemical, biological, or radioactive substance, or other harmful substance has been or will be placed in a food, drink, nonprescription drug, prescription drug, or other pharmaceutical product, spring, well, reservoir, or public water supply, if the placement of the poison or substance would be a violation of division (B)(1) of this section, and the person knows both that the information is false and that the information likely will be disseminated to the public.

(2) Inform another person that a hazardous chemical, biological, or radioactive substance has been or will be released into the air or left in a public place, or that one or more persons has been or will be exposed to a hazardous chemical, biological, or radioactive substance, if the release, leaving, or exposure of the hazardous chemical, biological, or radioactive substance would be a violation of division (B)(2) of this section, and the person knows both that the information is false and that the information likely will be disseminated to the general public.

(D)(1) A person may mingle a drug with a food or drink for the purpose of causing the drug to be ingested or used in the quantity described by its labeling or prescription.

(2) A person may place a poison or other harmful substance in a spring, well, reservoir, or public water supply in such quantity as is necessary to treat the spring, well, reservoir, or water supply to make it safe for human consumption and use.

(3) The provisions of division (B) of this section shall not be applied in a manner that conflicts with any other state or federal law or rule relating to substances permitted to be applied to or present in any food, raw or processed, any milk or milk product, any meat or meat product, any type of crop, water, or alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverage.

(E)(1) Whoever violates division (B)(1) or (2) of this section is guilty of contaminating a substance for human consumption or use or contamination with a hazardous chemical, biological, or radioactive substance. Except as otherwise provided in this division, contaminating a substance for human consumption or use or contamination with a hazardous chemical, biological, or radioactive substance is a felony of the first degree. If the offense involved an amount of poison, the hazardous chemical, biological, or radioactive substance, or the other harmful substance sufficient to cause death if ingested or used by a person regarding a violation of division (B)(1) of this section or sufficient to cause death to persons who are exposed to it regarding a violation of division (B)(2) of this section or if the offense resulted in serious physical harm to another person, whoever violates division (B)(1) or (2) of this section shall be imprisoned for life with parole eligibility after serving fifteen years of imprisonment.

(2) Whoever violates division (C)(1) or (2) of this section is guilty of spreading a false report of contamination, a felony of the fourth degree.

(F) Divisions (C)(1) and (2) of this section do not limit or affect the application of sections 2917.31 or 2917.32 of the Revised Code. Any act that is a violation of both division (C)(1) or (2) of this section and of section 2917.31 or 2917.32 of the Revised Code may be prosecuted under this section, section 2917.31 or 2917.32 of the Revised Code, or both this section and section 2917.31 or 2917.32 of the Revised Code.

Section 2927.27 | Illegal bail bond agent practices.
 

(A) No person, other than a law enforcement officer, shall apprehend, detain, or arrest a principal on bond, wherever issued, unless that person meets all of the following criteria:

(1) The person is any of the following:

(a) Qualified, licensed, and appointed as a surety bail bond agent under sections 3905.83 to 3905.95 of the Revised Code;

(b) Licensed as a surety bail bond agent by the state where the bond was written;

(c) Licensed as a private investigator under chapter 4749. of the Revised Code;

(d) Licensed as a private investigator by the state where the bond was written;

(e) An off-duty peace officer, as defined in section 2921.51 of the Revised Code.

(2) The person, prior to apprehending, detaining, or arresting the principal, has entered into a written contract with the surety or with a licensed surety bail bond agent appointed by the surety, which contract sets forth the name of the principal who is to be apprehended, detained, or arrested.

For purposes of division (A)(2) of this section, "surety" has the same meaning as in section 3905.83 of the Revised Code.

(3) The person, prior to apprehending, detaining, or arresting the principal, has notified the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the area in which such activities will be performed and has provided any form of identification or other information requested by the law enforcement agency.

(B) No person shall represent the person's self to be a bail enforcement agent or bounty hunter, or claim any similar title, in this state.

(C)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of illegal bail bond agent practices.

(2) A violation of division (A) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree or, if the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two or more violations of division (A) of this section, a felony of the third degree.

(3) A violation of division (B) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree or, if the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two or more violations of division (B) of this section, a felony of the third degree.