Bill Text: OH HB85 | 2009-2010 | 128th General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: To prohibit any person under twenty-one years of age from possessing a firearm, subject to specified exceptions for lawful hunting, sporting, or educational purposes and for law enforcement officers; to expand the offense of failure to secure dangerous ordnance so that it also prohibits a failure to secure a firearm and increase the penalty for the offense; and to declare an emergency.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-03-18 - To Public Safety & Homeland Security [HB85 Detail]

Download: Ohio-2009-HB85-Introduced.html
As Introduced

128th General Assembly
Regular Session
2009-2010
H. B. No. 85


Representatives Boyd, Williams, S. 

Cosponsors: Representatives Skindell, DeBose, Harris, Mallory, Foley 



A BILL
To amend sections 2151.022, 2152.02, and 2923.19 and 1
to enact section 2923.212 of the Revised Code to 2
prohibit any person under twenty-one years of age 3
from possessing a firearm, subject to specified 4
exceptions for lawful hunting, sporting, or 5
educational purposes and for law enforcement 6
officers; to expand the offense of failure to 7
secure dangerous ordnance so that it also 8
prohibits a failure to secure a firearm and 9
increase the penalty for the offense; and to 10
declare an emergency.11


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1.  That sections 2151.022, 2152.02, and 2923.19 be 12
amended and section 2923.212 of the Revised Code be enacted to 13
read as follows:14

       Sec. 2151.022.  As used in this chapter, "unruly child"15
includes any of the following:16

       (A) Any child who does not submit to the reasonable control17
of the child's parents, teachers, guardian, or custodian, by18
reason of being wayward or habitually disobedient;19

       (B) Any child who is an habitual truant from school and who 20
previously has not been adjudicated an unruly child for being an 21
habitual truant;22

       (C) Any child who behaves in a manner as to injure or23
endanger the child's own health or morals or the health or morals24
of others;25

       (D) Any child who violates a law, other than division (C) of 26
section 2907.39, division (A) of section 2923.211, division (A) of 27
section 2923.212, division (C)(1) or (D) of section 2925.55, or 28
section 2151.87 of the Revised Code, that is applicable only to a29
child.30

       Sec. 2152.02.  As used in this chapter:31

       (A) "Act charged" means the act that is identified in a32
complaint, indictment, or information alleging that a child is a33
delinquent child.34

       (B) "Admitted to a department of youth services facility"35
includes admission to a facility operated, or contracted for, by36
the department and admission to a comparable facility outside this37
state by another state or the United States.38

       (C)(1) "Child" means a person who is under eighteen years of39
age, except as otherwise provided in divisions (C)(2) to (6) of40
this section.41

       (2) Subject to division (C)(3) of this section, any person42
who violates a federal or state law or a municipal ordinance prior43
to attaining eighteen years of age shall be deemed a "child"44
irrespective of that person's age at the time the complaint with45
respect to that violation is filed or the hearing on the complaint46
is held.47

       (3) Any person who, while under eighteen years of age,48
commits an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult and49
who is not taken into custody or apprehended for that act until50
after the person attains twenty-one years of age is not a child in51
relation to that act.52

       (4) Any person whose case is transferred for criminal53
prosecution pursuant to section 2152.12 of the Revised Code shall54
be deemed after the transfer not to be a child in the transferred55
case.56

       (5) Any person whose case is transferred for criminal57
prosecution pursuant to section 2152.12 of the Revised Code and58
who subsequently is convicted of or pleads guilty to a felony in59
that case, and any person who is adjudicated a delinquent child60
for the commission of an act, who has a serious youthful offender61
dispositional sentence imposed for the act pursuant to section62
2152.13 of the Revised Code, and whose adult portion of the63
dispositional sentence is invoked pursuant to section 2152.14 of64
the Revised Code, shall be deemed after the transfer or invocation65
not to be a child in any case in which a complaint is filed66
against the person.67

       (6) The juvenile court has jurisdiction over a person who is68
adjudicated a delinquent child or juvenile traffic offender prior69
to attaining eighteen years of age until the person attains70
twenty-one years of age, and, for purposes of that jurisdiction71
related to that adjudication, except as otherwise provided in this72
division, a person who is so adjudicated a delinquent child or73
juvenile traffic offender shall be deemed a "child" until the74
person attains twenty-one years of age. If a person is so75
adjudicated a delinquent child or juvenile traffic offender and76
the court makes a disposition of the person under this chapter, at77
any time after the person attains eighteen years of age, the78
places at which the person may be held under that disposition are79
not limited to places authorized under this chapter solely for80
confinement of children, and the person may be confined under that81
disposition, in accordance with division (F)(2) of section 2152.2682
of the Revised Code, in places other than those authorized under83
this chapter solely for confinement of children.84

       (D) "Chronic truant" means any child of compulsory school age 85
who is absent without legitimate excuse for absence from the86
public school the child is supposed to attend for seven or more87
consecutive school days, ten or more school days in one school88
month, or fifteen or more school days in a school year.89

       (E) "Community corrections facility," "public safety beds,"90
"release authority," and "supervised release" have the same91
meanings as in section 5139.01 of the Revised Code.92

       (F) "Delinquent child" includes any of the following:93

       (1) Any child, except a juvenile traffic offender, who94
violates any law of this state or the United States, or any95
ordinance of a political subdivision of the state, that would be96
an offense if committed by an adult;97

       (2) Any child who violates any lawful order of the court made98
under this chapter or under Chapter 2151. of the Revised Code99
other than an order issued under section 2151.87 of the Revised100
Code;101

       (3) Any child who violates division (C) of section 2907.39, 102
division (A) of section 2923.211, division (A) of section 103
2923.212, or division (C)(1) or (D) of section 2925.55 of the 104
Revised Code;105

       (4) Any child who is a habitual truant and who previously has 106
been adjudicated an unruly child for being a habitual truant;107

       (5) Any child who is a chronic truant.108

       (G) "Discretionary serious youthful offender" means a person109
who is eligible for a discretionary SYO and who is not transferred110
to adult court under a mandatory or discretionary transfer.111

       (H) "Discretionary SYO" means a case in which the juvenile112
court, in the juvenile court's discretion, may impose a serious113
youthful offender disposition under section 2152.13 of the Revised114
Code.115

       (I) "Discretionary transfer" means that the juvenile court116
has discretion to transfer a case for criminal prosecution under117
division (B) of section 2152.12 of the Revised Code.118

       (J) "Drug abuse offense," "felony drug abuse offense," and119
"minor drug possession offense" have the same meanings as in120
section 2925.01 of the Revised Code.121

       (K) "Electronic monitoring" and "electronic monitoring 122
device" have the same meanings as in section 2929.01 of the 123
Revised Code.124

       (L) "Economic loss" means any economic detriment suffered by125
a victim of a delinquent act or juvenile traffic offense as a 126
direct and proximate result of the delinquent act or juvenile 127
traffic offense and includes any loss of income due to lost time 128
at work because of any injury caused to the victim and any 129
property loss, medical cost, or funeral expense incurred as a 130
result of the delinquent act or juvenile traffic offense. 131
"Economic loss" does not include non-economic loss or any punitive 132
or exemplary damages.133

       (M) "Firearm" has the same meaning as in section 2923.11 of134
the Revised Code.135

       (N) "Juvenile traffic offender" means any child who violates136
any traffic law, traffic ordinance, or traffic regulation of this137
state, the United States, or any political subdivision of this138
state, other than a resolution, ordinance, or regulation of a139
political subdivision of this state the violation of which is140
required to be handled by a parking violations bureau or a joint141
parking violations bureau pursuant to Chapter 4521. of the Revised142
Code.143

       (O) A "legitimate excuse for absence from the public school144
the child is supposed to attend" has the same meaning as in145
section 2151.011 of the Revised Code.146

       (P) "Mandatory serious youthful offender" means a person who147
is eligible for a mandatory SYO and who is not transferred to148
adult court under a mandatory or discretionary transfer.149

       (Q) "Mandatory SYO" means a case in which the juvenile court150
is required to impose a mandatory serious youthful offender151
disposition under section 2152.13 of the Revised Code.152

       (R) "Mandatory transfer" means that a case is required to be153
transferred for criminal prosecution under division (A) of section154
2152.12 of the Revised Code.155

       (S) "Mental illness" has the same meaning as in section156
5122.01 of the Revised Code.157

       (T) "Mentally retarded person" has the same meaning as in158
section 5123.01 of the Revised Code.159

       (U) "Monitored time" and "repeat violent offender" have the160
same meanings as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.161

       (V) "Of compulsory school age" has the same meaning as in162
section 3321.01 of the Revised Code.163

       (W) "Public record" has the same meaning as in section 149.43 164
of the Revised Code.165

       (X) "Serious youthful offender" means a person who is166
eligible for a mandatory SYO or discretionary SYO but who is not167
transferred to adult court under a mandatory or discretionary168
transfer.169

       (Y) "Sexually oriented offense," "juvenile offender 170
registrant," "child-victim oriented offense," "tier I sex 171
offender/child-victim offender," "tier II sex 172
offender/child-victim offender," "tier III sex 173
offender/child-victim offender," and "public registry-qualified 174
juvenile offender registrant" have the same meanings as in section 175
2950.01 of the Revised Code.176

       (Z) "Traditional juvenile" means a case that is not177
transferred to adult court under a mandatory or discretionary178
transfer, that is eligible for a disposition under sections179
2152.16, 2152.17, 2152.19, and 2152.20 of the Revised Code, and180
that is not eligible for a disposition under section 2152.13 of181
the Revised Code.182

       (AA) "Transfer" means the transfer for criminal prosecution183
of a case involving the alleged commission by a child of an act184
that would be an offense if committed by an adult from the185
juvenile court to the appropriate court that has jurisdiction of186
the offense.187

       (BB) "Category one offense" means any of the following:188

       (1) A violation of section 2903.01 or 2903.02 of the Revised189
Code;190

       (2) A violation of section 2923.02 of the Revised Code191
involving an attempt to commit aggravated murder or murder.192

       (CC) "Category two offense" means any of the following:193

       (1) A violation of section 2903.03, 2905.01, 2907.02,194
2909.02, 2911.01, or 2911.11 of the Revised Code;195

       (2) A violation of section 2903.04 of the Revised Code that196
is a felony of the first degree;197

       (3) A violation of section 2907.12 of the Revised Code as it198
existed prior to September 3, 1996.199

       (DD) "Non-economic loss" means nonpecuniary harm suffered by 200
a victim of a delinquent act or juvenile traffic offense as a 201
result of or related to the delinquent act or juvenile traffic 202
offense, including, but not limited to, pain and suffering; loss 203
of society, consortium, companionship, care, assistance, 204
attention, protection, advice, guidance, counsel, instruction, 205
training, or education; mental anguish; and any other intangible 206
loss.207

       Sec. 2923.19.  (A) No person, in acquiring, possessing, 208
carrying, or using any dangerous ordnance or firearm, shall 209
negligently fail to take proper precautions:210

       (1) To secure the dangerous ordnance or firearm against 211
theft, or against its acquisition or use by any of the following:212

       (a) An unauthorized or incompetent person;213

       (b) A person under eighteen years of age;214

       (c) A person eighteen years of age or older and under 215
twenty-one years of age.216

       (2) To insure the safety of persons and property.217

       (B) It is not a violation of division (A)(1)(b) of this 218
section if the weapon involved is a firearm and it is acquired or 219
used by a person under eighteen years of age in accordance with 220
the lawful circumstances described in division (A)(3) of section 221
2923.21 of the Revised Code or in accordance with division (C) of 222
section 2923.212 of the Revised Code.223

       (C) It is not a violation of division (A)(1)(c) of this 224
section if the weapon involved is a firearm and it is acquired or 225
used by a person eighteen years of age or older and under 226
twenty-one years of age in accordance with the lawful 227
circumstances described in division (A)(3) of section 2923.21 of 228
the Revised Code or in accordance with division (B) of section 229
2923.21, division (B) of section 2923.211 , or division (C) or 230
(D) of section 2923.212 of the Revised Code.231

       (D) Whoever violates this section is guilty of failure to 232
secure dangerous ordnance or a firearm, a misdemeanor of the 233
secondfirst degree.234

       Sec. 2923.212.  (A) No person under eighteen years of age 235
shall knowingly possess a firearm.236

       (B) No person eighteen years of age or older and under 237
twenty-one years of age shall knowingly possess a firearm.238

       (C) Division (A) of this section does not apply to the 239
possession of a firearm by a person under eighteen years of age 240
and division (B) of this section does not apply to the possession 241
of a firearm by a person eighteen years of age or older and under 242
twenty-one years of age if the person under eighteen years of age 243
or the person eighteen years of age or older and under twenty-one 244
years of age, whichever is applicable, possesses the firearm under 245
the supervision or control of a responsible adult who is 246
twenty-one years of age or older for lawful hunting, sporting, or 247
educational purposes, including, but not limited to, instruction 248
in firearms or handgun safety, care, handling, or marksmanship.249

       (D) Division (B) of this section does not apply to a person 250
eighteen years of age or older and under twenty-one years of age 251
if the person is a law enforcement officer who is properly 252
appointed or employed as a law enforcement officer and has 253
received firearms training approved by the Ohio peace officer 254
training council or equivalent firearms training.255

       (E) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty 256
of juvenile possession of a firearm, a delinquent act that would 257
be a misdemeanor of the first degree if it could be committed by 258
an adult. Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty 259
of underage possession of a firearm, a misdemeanor of the first 260
degree.261

       Section 2. That existing sections 2151.022, 2152.02, and 262
2923.19 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.263

       Section 3. Section 2151.022 of the Revised Code is presented 264
in this act as a composite of the section as amended by both Am. 265
Sub. H.B. 23 and Am. Sub. S.B. 53 of the 126th General Assembly. 266
The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division 267
(B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be 268
harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds 269
that the composite is the resulting version of the section in 270
effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in 271
this act.272

       Section 4.  This act is hereby declared to be an emergency 273
measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public 274
peace, health, and safety. The reason for such necessity is that 275
the general prohibition against the possession of a firearm by a 276
person under twenty-one years of age that is enacted in this act 277
is crucially needed to provide increased protection and security 278
for the state's residents in response to a rapid growth in the 279
number of crimes committed by persons under that age that involve 280
the use of firearms. Therefore, this act shall go into immediate 281
effect.282

feedback