HB 544

As Introduced
136th General Assembly
   Regular Session  H. B. No. 544
       2025-2026
  Representatives Williams, Swearingen
        Cosponsors: Representatives Hall, T., Lear, Miller, K., Johnson
  To amend section 2921.32 of the Revised Code to  1
  expand the offense of obstructing justice.  2
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
     Section 1. That section 2921.32 of the Revised Code be  3
amended to read as follows:  4
     Sec. 2921.32. (A) No person, with purpose to hinder the  5
discovery, apprehension, arrest, prosecution, conviction, or  6
punishment of another for crime or to assist another to benefit  7
from the commission of a crime, and no person, with purpose to  8
hinder the discovery, apprehension, arrest, prosecution,  9
adjudication as a delinquent child, or disposition of a child  10
for an act that if committed by an adult would be a crime or to  11
assist a child to benefit from the commission of an act that if  12
committed by an adult would be a crime, shall do any of the  13
following:  14
     (1) Harbor or conceal the other person or child;  15
     (2) Provide the other person or child with money,  16
transportation, a weapon, a disguise, or other means of avoiding  17
discovery or apprehension;  18
     (3) Warn the other person or child of impending discovery  19
H. B. No. 544  Page 2
As Introduced
or , arrest, or apprehension;  20
       (4) Destroy or conceal physical evidence of the crime or  21
act, or induce any person to withhold testimony or information  22
or to elude legal process summoning the person to testify or  23
supply evidence;  24
       (5) Communicate false information to any person;  25
       (6) Prevent or obstruct any person, by means of force,  26
intimidation, or deception, from performing any act to aid in  27
the discovery, apprehension, arrest, or prosecution of the other  28
person or child.  29
       (B) A person may be prosecuted for, and may be convicted  30
of or adjudicated a delinquent child for committing, a violation  31
of division (A) of this section regardless of whether the person  32
or child aided ultimately is apprehended for, is arrested for,  33
is charged with, is convicted of, pleads guilty to, or is  34
adjudicated a delinquent child for committing the crime or act  35
the person or child aided committed. The crime or act the person  36
or child aided committed shall be used under division (C) of  37
this section in determining the penalty for the violation of  38
division (A) of this section, regardless of whether the person  39
or child aided ultimately is apprehended for, is arrested for,  40
is charged with, is convicted of, pleads guilty to, or is  41
adjudicated a delinquent child for committing the crime or act  42
the person or child aided committed.  43
       (C)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of  44
obstructing justice.  45
       (2) If Except as provided in division (C)(7) of this  46
section, if the crime committed by the person aided is a  47
misdemeanor or if the act committed by the child aided would be  48
H. B. No. 544  Page 3
As Introduced
a misdemeanor if committed by an adult, obstructing justice is a  49
misdemeanor of the same degree as the crime committed by the  50
person aided or a misdemeanor of the same degree that the act  51
committed by the child aided would be if committed by an adult.  52
       (3) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (C)(4), (5),  53
and (6), and (7) of this section, if the crime committed by the  54
person aided is a felony or if the act committed by the child  55
aided would be a felony if committed by an adult, obstructing  56
justice is a felony of the fifth degree.  57
       (4) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(6) of  58
this section, if the crime committed by the person aided is  59
aggravated murder, murder, or a felony of the first or second  60
degree or if the act committed by the child aided would be one  61
of those offenses if committed by an adult and if the offender  62
knows or has reason to believe that the crime committed by the  63
person aided is one of those offenses or that the act committed  64
by the child aided would be one of those offenses if committed  65
by an adult, obstructing justice is a felony of the third  66
degree.  67
       (5) If the crime or act committed by the person or child  68
aided is an act of terrorism, obstructing justice is one of the  69
following:  70
       (a) Except as provided in division (C)(5)(b) of this  71
section, a felony of the second degree;  72
       (b) If the act of terrorism resulted in the death of a  73
person who was not a participant in the act of terrorism, a  74
felony of the first degree.  75
       (6) If the crime committed by the person is trafficking in  76
persons or if the act committed by the child aided would be  77
H. B. No. 544  Page 4
As Introduced
trafficking in persons if committed by an adult, obstructing  78
justice is a felony of the second degree.  79
       (7) If the violation of this section was an act that  80
prevented or obstructed an arrest of any person by any local,  81
state, or federal law enforcement agency, other than a federal  82
law enforcement agency engaged in immigration enforcement,  83
obstructing justice is a felony of the fifth degree. If the  84
violation of this section was an act that prevented or  85
obstructed an arrest or detention of any person by a federal law  86
enforcement agency engaged in immigration enforcement,  87
obstructing justice is a felony of the third degree.  88
       (D) As used in this section:  89
       (1) "Adult" and "child" have the same meanings as in  90
section 2151.011 of the Revised Code.  91
       (2) "Delinquent child" has the same meaning as in section  92
2152.02 of the Revised Code.  93
       (3) "Act of terrorism" has the same meaning as in section  94
2909.21 of the Revised Code.  95
       Section 2. That existing section 2921.32 of the Revised  96
Code is hereby repealed.  97