(a) (1) Except as provided in subsection (a)(2) hereof, no person, knowing that a felony has been or is being committed, shall knowingly fail to report such information to law enforcement authorities.
(2) No person, knowing that a violation of division (B) of Ohio R.C. 2913.04 has been, or is being committed or that the person has received information derived from such a violation, shall knowingly fail to report the violation to law enforcement authorities.
(b) Except for conditions that are within the scope of subsection (e) of this section, no person giving aid to a sick or injured person shall negligently fail to report to law enforcement authorities any gunshot or stab wound treated or observed by the person, or any serious physical harm to persons that the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe resulted from an offense of violence.
(c) No person who discovers the body or acquires the first knowledge of the death of a person shall fail to report the death immediately to a physician or advanced practice registered nurse whom the person knows to be treating the deceased for a condition from which death at such time would not be unexpected, or to a law enforcement officer, an ambulance service, an emergency squad, or the coroner in a political subdivision in which the body is discovered, the death is believed to have occurred, or knowledge concerning the death is obtained. For purposes of this subsection (c), “advanced practice registered nurse” does not include a certified registered nurse anesthetist.
(d) No person shall fail to provide upon request of the person to whom a report required by subsection (c) of this section was made, or to any law enforcement officer who has reasonable cause to assert the authority to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death, any facts within the person’s knowledge that may have a bearing on the investigation of the death.
(e) (1) As used in this subsection, “burn injury” means any of the following:
A. Second or third degree burns;
B. Any burns to the upper respiratory tract or laryngeal edema due to the inhalation of superheated air;
C. Any burn injury or wound that may result in death;
D. Any physical harm to persons caused by or as the result of the use of fireworks, novelties and trick noisemakers, and wire sparklers, as each is defined by Ohio R.C. 3743.01.
(2) No physician, nurse, physician assistant, or limited practitioner who, outside a hospital, sanitarium, or other medical facility, attends or treats a person who has sustained a burn injury that is inflicted by an explosion or other incendiary device, or that shows evidence of having been inflicted in a violent, malicious, or criminal manner, shall fail to report the burn injury immediately to the local arson, or fire and explosion investigation, bureau, if there is a bureau of this type in the jurisdiction in which the person is attended or treated, or otherwise to local law enforcement authorities.
(3) No manager, superintendent or other person in charge of a hospital, sanitarium or other medical facility in which a person is attended or treated for any burn injury that is inflicted by an explosion or other incendiary device, or that shows evidence of having been inflicted in a violent, malicious, or criminal manner, shall fail to report the burn injury immediately to the local arson, or fire and explosion investigation, bureau, if there is a bureau of this type in the jurisdiction in which the person is attended or treated, or otherwise to local law enforcement authorities.
(4) No person who is required to report any burn injury under subsection (e)(2) or (3) of this section shall fail to file, within three working days after attending or treating the victim, a written report of the burn injury with the office of the State Fire Marshal. The report shall comply with the uniform standard developed by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Ohio R.C. 3737.22(A)(15).
(5) Anyone participating in the making of reports under subsection (e) of this section or anyone participating in a judicial proceeding resulting from the reports is immune from any civil or criminal liability that otherwise might be incurred or imposed as a result of such actions. Notwithstanding Ohio R.C. 4731.22, the physician-patient relationship or advanced practice registered nurse-patient relationship is not a ground for excluding evidence regarding a person’s burn injury or the cause of the burn injury in any judicial proceeding resulting from a report submitted under subsection (e) of this section.
(f) (1) Any doctor of medicine or osteopathic medicine, hospital intern or resident, nurse, psychologist, social worker, independent social worker, social work assistant, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed professional counselor, independent marriage and family therapist or marriage and family therapist who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a patient or client has been the victim of domestic violence, as defined in Ohio R.C. 3113.31, shall note that knowledge or belief and the basis for it in the patient’s or client’s records.
(2) Notwithstanding Ohio R.C. 4731.22, the physician-patient privilege or advanced practice registered nurse-patient privilege shall not be a ground for excluding any information regarding the report containing the
knowledge or belief noted under subsection (f)(1) of this section, and the information may be admitted as evidence in accordance with the Rules of Evidence.
(g) Subsections (a) and (d) of this section do not require disclosure of information, when any of the following applies:
(1) The information is privileged by reason of the relationship between attorney and client; physician and patient; advanced practice registered nurse and patient; licensed psychologist or licensed school psychologist and client; licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed professional counselor, independent social worker, social worker, independent marriage and family therapist, or marriage and family therapist and client; member of the clergy, rabbi, minister, or priest and any person communicating information confidentially to the member of the clergy, rabbi, minister, or priest for a religious counseling purpose of a professional character; husband and wife; or a communications assistant and those who are a party to a telecommunications relay service call.
(2) The information would tend to incriminate a member of the actor’s immediate family.
(3) Disclosure of the information would amount to revealing a news source, privileged under Ohio R.C. 2739.04 or 2739.12.
(4) Disclosure of the information would amount to disclosure by a member of the ordained clergy of an organized religious body of a confidential communication made to that member of the clergy in that member’s capacity as a member of the clergy by a person seeking the aid or counsel of that member of the clergy.
(5) Disclosure would amount to revealing information acquired by the actor in the course of the actor’s duties in connection with a bona fide program of treatment or services for persons with drug dependencies or persons in danger of drug dependence, which program is maintained or conducted by a hospital, clinic, person, agency, or community addiction services provider whose alcohol and drug addiction services are certified pursuant to Ohio R.C. 5119.36.
(6) Disclosure would amount to revealing information acquired by the actor in the course of the actor’s duties in connection with a bona fide program for providing counseling services to victims of crimes that are violations of Ohio R.C. 2907.02 or 2907.05 or to victims of felonious sexual penetration in violation of former Ohio R.C. 2907.12. As used in this subsection, “counseling services” include services provided in an informal setting by a person who, by education or experience, is competent to provide those services.
(h) No disclosure of information pursuant to this section gives rise to any liability or recrimination for a breach of privilege or confidence.
(i) Whoever violates subsection (a) or (b) of this section is guilty of failure to report a crime. Violation of subsection (a)(1) of this section is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Violation of subsection (a)(2) or (b) of this section is a misdemeanor of the second degree.
(j) Whoever violates subsection (c) or (d) of this section is guilty of failure to report knowledge of a death, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(k) (1) Whoever negligently violates subsection (e) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(2) Whoever knowingly violates subsection (e) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree.
(l) As used in this section, “nurse” includes an advanced practice registered nurse, registered nurse, and licensed practical nurse. (ORC 2921.22)