Ohio § 2919.22

Full text of Ohio Ohio Revised Code § 2919.22, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 2919.22.

(A) No person, who is the parent, guardian, custodian, person having custody or control,

or person in loco parentis of a child under eighteen years of age or a child with

a mental or physical disability under twenty-one years of age, shall create a substantial

risk to the health or safety of the child, by violating a duty of care, protection,

or support.  It is not a violation of a duty of care, protection, or support under this division

when the parent, guardian, custodian, or person having custody or control of a child

treats the physical or mental illness or disability of the child by spiritual means

through prayer alone, in accordance with the tenets of a recognized religious body. (B) No person shall do any of the following to a child under eighteen years of age or

a child with a mental or physical disability under twenty-one years of age: (1) Abuse the child; (2) Torture or cruelly abuse the child; (3) Administer corporal punishment or other physical disciplinary measure, or physically

restrain the child in a cruel manner or for a prolonged period, which punishment,

discipline, or restraint is excessive under the circumstances and creates a substantial

risk of serious physical harm to the child; (4) Repeatedly administer unwarranted disciplinary measures to the child, when there

is a substantial risk that such conduct, if continued, will seriously impair or retard

the child's mental health or development; (5) Entice, coerce, permit, encourage, compel, hire, employ, use, or allow the child

to act, model, or in any other way participate in, or be photographed for, the production,

presentation, dissemination, or advertisement of any material or performance that

the offender knows or reasonably should know is obscene, is sexually oriented matter,

or is nudity-oriented matter; (6) Allow the child to be on the same parcel of real property and within one hundred

feet of, or, in the case of more than one housing unit on the same parcel of real

property, in the same housing unit and within one hundred feet of, any act in violation

of section 2925.04 or 2925.041 of the Revised Code when the person knows that the act is occurring, whether or not any person is prosecuted

for or convicted of the violation of section 2925.04 or 2925.041 of the Revised Code that is the basis of the violation of this division. (C)(1) No person shall operate a vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley within this state

in violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code when one or more children under eighteen years of age are in the vehicle, streetcar,

or trackless trolley.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person may be convicted at the same

trial or proceeding of a violation of this division and a violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code that constitutes the basis of the charge of the violation of this division.  For purposes of sections 4511.191 to 4511.197 of the Revised Code and all related provisions of law, a person arrested for a violation of this division

shall be considered to be under arrest for operating a vehicle while under the influence

of alcohol, a drug of abuse, or a combination of them or for operating a vehicle with

a prohibited concentration of alcohol, a controlled substance, or a metabolite of

a controlled substance in the whole blood, blood serum or plasma, breath, or urine. (2) As used in division (C)(1) of this section: (a) “Controlled substance” has the same meaning as in section 3719.01 of the Revised Code . (b) “Vehicle,” “streetcar,” and “trackless trolley” have the same meanings as in section 4511.01 of the Revised Code . (D)(1) Division (B)(5) of this section does not apply to any material or performance that

is produced, presented, or disseminated for a bona fide medical, scientific, educational,

religious, governmental, judicial, or other proper purpose, by or to a physician,

psychologist, sociologist, scientist, teacher, person pursuing bona fide studies or

research, librarian, member of the clergy, prosecutor, judge, or other person having

a proper interest in the material or performance. (2) Mistake of age is not a defense to a charge under division (B)(5) of this section. (3) In a prosecution under division (B)(5) of this section, the trier of fact may infer

that an actor, model, or participant in the material or performance involved is a

juvenile if the material or performance, through its title, text, visual representation,

or otherwise, represents or depicts the actor, model, or participant as a juvenile. (4) As used in this division and division (B)(5) of this section: (a) “Material,” “performance,” “obscene,” and “sexual activity” have the same meanings

as in section 2907.01 of the Revised Code . (b) “ Nudity-oriented matter ” means any material or performance that shows a minor in a state of nudity and that,

taken as a whole by the average person applying contemporary community standards,

appeals to prurient interest. (c) “ Sexually oriented matter ” means any material or performance that shows a minor participating or engaging in

sexual activity, masturbation, or bestiality. (E)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of endangering children. (2) If the offender violates division (A) or (B)(1) of this section, endangering children

is one of the following, and, in the circumstances described in division (E)(2)(e)

of this section, that division applies: (a) Except as otherwise provided in division (E)(2)(b), (c), or (d) of this section,

a misdemeanor of the first degree; (b) If the offender previously has been convicted of an offense under this section or

of any offense involving neglect, abandonment, contributing to the delinquency of,

or physical abuse of a child, except as otherwise provided in division (E)(2)(c) or

(d) of this section, a felony of the fourth degree; (c) If the violation is a violation of division (A) of this section and results in serious

physical harm to the child involved, a felony of the third degree; (d) If the violation is a violation of division (B)(1) of this section and results in

serious physical harm to the child involved, a felony of the second degree. (e) If the violation is a felony violation of division (B)(1) of this section and the

offender also is convicted of or pleads guilty to a specification as described in section 2941.1422 of the Revised Code that was included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging

the offense, the court shall sentence the offender to a mandatory prison term as provided

in division (B)(7) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code and shall order the offender to make restitution as provided in division (B)(8) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code . (3) If the offender violates division (B)(2), (3), (4), or (6) of this section, except

as otherwise provided in this division, endangering children is a felony of the third

degree.  If the violation results in serious physical harm to the child involved, or if the

offender previously has been convicted of an offense under this section or of any

offense involving neglect, abandonment, contributing to the delinquency of, or physical

abuse of a child, endangering children is a felony of the second degree.  If the offender violates division (B)(2), (3), or (4) of this section and the offender

also is convicted of or pleads guilty to a specification as described in section 2941.1422 of the Revised Code that was included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging

the offense, the court shall sentence the offender to a mandatory prison term as provided

in division (B)(7) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code and shall order the offender to make restitution as provided in division (B)(8) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code .  If the offender violates division (B)(6) of this section and the drug involved is

methamphetamine, the court shall impose a mandatory prison term on the offender as

follows: (a) If the violation is a violation of division (B)(6) of this section that is a felony

of the third degree under division (E)(3) of this section and the drug involved is

methamphetamine, except as otherwise provided in this division, the court shall impose

as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the

third degree that is not less than two years.  If the violation is a violation of division (B)(6) of this section that is a felony

of the third degree under division (E)(3) of this section, if the drug involved is

methamphetamine, and if the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty

to a violation of division (B)(6) of this section, a violation of division (A) of section 2925.04 of the Revised Code , or a violation of division (A) of section 2925.041 of the Revised Code , the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed

for a felony of the third degree that is not less than five years. (b) If the violation is a violation of division (B)(6) of this section that is a felony

of the second degree under division (E)(3) of this section and the drug involved is

methamphetamine, except as otherwise provided in this division, the court shall impose

as a mandatory prison term one of the definite prison terms prescribed for a felony

of the second degree in division (A)(2)(b) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code that is not less than three years, except that if the violation is committed on or

after the effective date of this amendment, the court shall impose as the minimum

prison term for the offense a mandatory prison term that is one of the minimum terms

prescribed for a felony of the second degree in division (A)(2)(a) of that section

that is not less than three years.  If the violation is a violation of division (B)(6) of this section that is a felony

of the second degree under division (E)(3) of this section, if the drug involved is

methamphetamine, and if the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty

to a violation of division (B)(6) of this section, a violation of division (A) of section 2925.04 of the Revised Code , or a violation of division (A) of section 2925.041 of the Revised Code , the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the definite prison terms

prescribed for a felony of the second degree in division (A)(2)(b) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code that is not less than five years, except that if the violation is committed on or

after March 22, 2019, the court shall impose as the minimum prison term for the offense

a mandatory prison term that is one of the terms prescribed for a felony of the second

degree in division (A)(2)(a) of that section that is not less than five years. (4) If the offender violates division (B)(5) of this section, endangering children is

a felony of the second degree.  If the offender also is convicted of or pleads guilty to a specification as described

in section 2941.1422 of the Revised Code that was included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging

the offense, the court shall sentence the offender to a mandatory prison term as provided

in division (B)(7) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code and shall order the offender to make restitution as provided in division (B)(8) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code . (5) If the offender violates division (C) of this section, the offender shall be punished

as follows: (a) Except as otherwise provided in division (E)(5)(b) or (c) of this section, endangering

children in violation of division (C) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first

degree. (b) If the violation results in serious physical harm to the child involved or the offender

previously has been convicted of an offense under this section or any offense involving

neglect, abandonment, contributing to the delinquency of, or physical abuse of a child,

except as otherwise provided in division (E)(5)(c) of this section, endangering children

in violation of division (C) of this section is a felony of the fifth degree. (c) If the violation results in serious physical harm to the child involved and if the

offender previously has been convicted of a violation of division (C) of this section, section 2903.06 or 2903.08 of the Revised Code , section 2903.07 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to March 23, 2000, or section 2903.04 of the Revised Code in a case in which the offender was subject to the sanctions described in division

(D) of that section, endangering children in violation of division (C) of this section

is a felony of the fourth degree. (d) In addition to any term of imprisonment, fine, or other sentence, penalty, or sanction

it imposes upon the offender pursuant to division (E)(5)(a), (b), or (c) of this section

or pursuant to any other provision of law and in addition to any suspension of the

offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit or nonresident operating

privilege under Chapter 4506., 4509., 4510., or 4511. of the Revised Code or under

any other provision of law, the court also may impose upon the offender a class seven

suspension of the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit or

nonresident operating privilege from the range specified in division (A)(7) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code . (e) In addition to any term of imprisonment, fine, or other sentence, penalty, or sanction

imposed upon the offender pursuant to division (E)(5)(a), (b), (c), or (d) of this

section or pursuant to any other provision of law for the violation of division (C)

of this section, if as part of the same trial or proceeding the offender also is convicted

of or pleads guilty to a separate charge charging the violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code that was the basis of the charge of the violation of division (C) of this section,

the offender also shall be sentenced in accordance with section 4511.19 of the Revised Code for that violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code . (F)(1)(a) A court may require an offender to perform not more than two hundred hours of supervised

community service work under the authority of an agency, subdivision, or charitable

organization.  The requirement shall be part of the community control sanction or sentence of the

offender, and the court shall impose the community service in accordance with and

subject to divisions (F)(1)(a) and (b) of this section.  The court may require an offender whom it requires to perform supervised community

service work as part of the offender's community control sanction or sentence to pay

the court a reasonable fee to cover the costs of the offender's participation in the

work, including, but not limited to, the costs of procuring a policy or policies of

liability insurance to cover the period during which the offender will perform the

work.  If the court requires the offender to perform supervised community service work

as part of the offender's community control sanction or sentence, the court shall

do so in accordance with the following limitations and criteria: (i) The court shall require that the community service work be performed after completion

of the term of imprisonment or jail term imposed upon the offender for the violation

of division (C) of this section, if applicable. (ii) The supervised community service work shall be subject to the limitations set forth

in divisions (B)(1), (2), and (3) of section 2951.02 of the Revised Code. (iii) The community service work shall be supervised in the manner described in division (B)(4) of section 2951.02 of the Revised Code by an official or person with the qualifications described in that division.  The official or person periodically shall report in writing to the court concerning

the conduct of the offender in performing the work. (iv) The court shall inform the offender in writing that if the offender does not adequately

perform, as determined by the court, all of the required community service work, the

court may order that the offender be committed to a jail or workhouse for a period

of time that does not exceed the term of imprisonment that the court could have imposed

upon the offender for the violation of division (C) of this section, reduced by the

total amount of time that the offender actually was imprisoned under the sentence

or term that was imposed upon the offender for that violation and by the total amount

of time that the offender was confined for any reason arising out of the offense for

which the offender was convicted and sentenced as described in sections 2949.08 and 2967.191 of the Revised Code , and that, if the court orders that the offender be so committed, the court is authorized,

but not required, to grant the offender credit upon the period of the commitment for

the community service work that the offender adequately performed. (b) If a court, pursuant to division (F)(1)(a) of this section, orders an offender to

perform community service work as part of the offender's community control sanction

or sentence and if the offender does not adequately perform all of the required community

service work, as determined by the court, the court may order that the offender be

committed to a jail or workhouse for a period of time that does not exceed the term

of imprisonment that the court could have imposed upon the offender for the violation

of division (C) of this section, reduced by the total amount of time that the offender

actually was imprisoned under the sentence or term that was imposed upon the offender

for that violation and by the total amount of time that the offender was confined

for any reason arising out of the offense for which the offender was convicted and

sentenced as described in sections 2949.08 and 2967.191 of the Revised Code .  The court may order that a person committed pursuant to this division shall receive

hour-for-hour credit upon the period of the commitment for the community service work

that the offender adequately performed.  No commitment pursuant to this division shall exceed the period of the term of imprisonment

that the sentencing court could have imposed upon the offender for the violation of

division (C) of this section, reduced by the total amount of time that the offender

actually was imprisoned under that sentence or term and by the total amount of time

that the offender was confined for any reason arising out of the offense for which

the offender was convicted and sentenced as described in sections 2949.08 and 2967.191 of the Revised Code . (2) Division (F)(1) of this section does not limit or affect the authority of the court

to suspend the sentence imposed upon a misdemeanor offender and place the offender

under a community control sanction pursuant to section 2929.25 of the Revised Code , to require a misdemeanor or felony offender to perform supervised community service

work in accordance with division (B) of section 2951.02 of the Revised Code , or to place a felony offender under a community control sanction. (G)(1) If a court suspends an offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit

or nonresident operating privilege under division (E)(5)(d) of this section, the period

of the suspension shall be consecutive to, and commence after, the period of suspension

of the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit or nonresident

operating privilege that is imposed under Chapter 4506., 4509., 4510., or 4511. of

the Revised Code or under any other provision of law in relation to the violation

of division (C) of this section that is the basis of the suspension under division

(E)(5)(d) of this section or in relation to the violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code that is the basis for that violation of division (C) of this section. (2) An offender is not entitled to request, and the court shall not grant to the offender,

limited driving privileges if the offender's license, permit, or privilege has been

suspended under division (E)(5)(d) of this section and the offender, within the preceding

six years, has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to three or more violations of

one or more of the following: (a) Division (C) of this section; (b) Any equivalent offense, as defined in section 4511.181 of the Revised Code . (H)(1) If a person violates division (C) of this section and if, at the time of the violation,

there were two or more children under eighteen years of age in the motor vehicle involved

in the violation, the offender may be convicted of a violation of division (C) of

this section for each of the children, but the court may sentence the offender for

only one of the violations. (2)(a) If a person is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (C) of this

section but the person is not also convicted of and does not also plead guilty to

a separate charge charging the violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code that was the basis of the charge of the violation of division (C) of this section,

both of the following apply: (i) For purposes of the provisions of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code that set forth the penalties and sanctions for a violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code , the conviction of or plea of guilty to the violation of division (C) of this section

shall not constitute a violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code ; (ii) For purposes of any provision of law that refers to a conviction of or plea of guilty

to a violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code and that is not described in division (H)(2)(a)(i) of this section, the conviction

of or plea of guilty to the violation of division (C) of this section shall constitute

a conviction of or plea of guilty to a violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code . (b) If a person is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (C) of this

section and the person also is convicted of or pleads guilty to a separate charge

charging the violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code that was the basis of the charge of the violation of division (C) of this section,

the conviction of or plea of guilty to the violation of division (C) of this section

shall not constitute, for purposes of any provision of law that refers to a conviction

of or plea of guilty to a violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code , a conviction of or plea of guilty to a violation of division (A) of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code . (I) As used in this section: (1) “Community control sanction” has the same meaning as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code ; (2) “Limited driving privileges” has the same meaning as in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code ; (3) “Methamphetamine” has the same meaning as in section 2925.01 of the Revised Code .

Frequently Asked Questions About Ohio § 2919.22

What does Ohio Revised Code § 2919.22 cover?

Section 2919.22 is part of the Ohio Revised Code, the codified statutory law of Ohio. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

How do I cite Ohio § 2919.22?

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Is this the official text of Ohio law?

No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the Ohio official source linked on this page or consult a licensed Ohio attorney.

How does Ohio § 2919.22 apply to my situation?

Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in Ohio can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.

Sources & Verification

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