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(a) No person shall cause the evacuation of any public place, or otherwise cause serious public inconvenience or alarm, by doing any of the following:
(1) Initiating or circulating a report or warning of an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime, or other catastrophe, knowing that the report or warning is false.
(2) Threatening to commit any offense of violence.
(3) Committing any offense, with reckless disregard of the likelihood that its commission will cause serious public inconvenience or alarm.
(b) Division (a)(1) of this section does not apply to any person conducting an authorized fire or emergency drill.
(c) (1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of inducing panic.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (c)(3), inducing panic is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(3) If a violation of this section results in physical harm to any person, inducing panic is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law. If a violation of this section results in economic harm of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more, inducing panic is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law. If the public place involved in a violation of division (a)(1) is a school or an institution of higher education, inducing panic is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law. If a violation of this section pertains to a purported, threatened or actual use of a weapon of mass destruction, inducing panic is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law.
(d) (1) It is not a defense to a charge under this section that pertains to a purported or threatened use of a weapon of mass destruction that the offender did not possess or have the ability to use a weapon of mass destruction or that what was represented to be a weapon of mass destruction was not a weapon of mass destruction.
(2) Any act that is a violation of this section and any other section of the Ohio Revised Code or these Codified Ordinances may be prosecuted under this section, the other section, or both sections.
(e) As used in this section:
(1) “Biological agent” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2917.33.
(2) “Economic harm” means any of the following:
A. All direct, incidental and consequential pecuniary harm suffered by a victim as a result of the criminal conduct. “Economic harm” as described in this division includes but is not limited to all of the following:
1. All wages, salaries or other compensation lost as a result of the criminal conduct;
2. The cost of all wages, salaries or other compensation paid to employees for time those employees are prevented from working as a result of the criminal conduct;
3. The overhead costs incurred from the time that a business is shut down as a result of the criminal conduct;
4. The loss of value to tangible or intangible property that was damaged as a result of the criminal conduct.
B. All costs incurred by the state or any political subdivision as a result of, or in making any response to, the criminal conduct that constituted the violation of this section or Ohio R.C. 2917.32, or any substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, including but not limited to all costs so incurred by any law enforcement officers, firefighters, rescue personnel, or emergency medical services personnel of the state or the political subdivision.
(3) “Emergency medical services personnel” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2133.21.
(4) “Institution of higher education” means any of the following:
A. A state university or college as defined in Ohio R.C. 3345.12(A)(1), community college, state community college, university branch, or technical college;
B. A private, nonprofit college, university or other post-secondary institution located in this state that possesses a certificate of authorization issued by the Ohio Board of Regents pursuant to Ohio R.C. Chapter 1713;
C. A post-secondary institution with a certificate of registration issued by the State Board of Career Colleges and Schools pursuant to Ohio R.C. Chapter 3332.
(5) “School” means any school operated by a board of education or any school for which the State Board of Education prescribes minimum standards under Ohio R.C. 3301.07, whether or not any instruction, extracurricular activities, or training provided by the school is being conducted at the time a violation of this section is committed.
(6) “Weapon of mass destruction” means any of the following:
A. Any weapon that is designed or intended to cause death or serious physical harm through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals, or other precursors;
B. Any weapon involving a disease organism or biological agent;
C. Any weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life;
D. Any of the following, except to the extent that the item or device in question is expressly excepted from the definition of “destructive device” pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(4) and regulations issued under that section:
1. Any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas bomb, grenade, rocket having a propellant charge of more than four ounces, missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter ounce, mine, or similar device;
2. Any combination of parts either designed or intended for use in converting any item or device into any item or device described in division D.1. of this definition and from which an item or device described in that division may be readily assembled.
(ORC 2917.31)
(a) No person shall do any of the following:
(1) Initiate or circulate a report or warning of an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime, or other catastrophe, knowing that the report or warning is false and likely to cause public inconvenience or alarm.
(2) Knowingly cause a false alarm of fire or other emergency to be transmitted to or within any organization, public or private, for dealing with emergencies involving a risk of physical harm to persons or property.
(3) Report to any law enforcement agency an alleged offense or other incident within its concern, knowing that the offense did not occur.
(4) Initiate or circulate a report or warning of an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime, or other catastrophe, knowing that the report or warning is false and likely to impede the operation of a critical infrastructure facility.
(b) This section does not apply to any person conducting an authorized fire or emergency drill.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of making false alarms. Except as otherwise provided in this division, making false alarms is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If a violation of this section results in economic harm of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more, making false alarms is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law. If a violation of this section pertains to a purported, threatened, or actual use of a weapon of mass destruction, making false alarms is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law.
(d) (1) It is not a defense to a charge under this section that pertains to a purported or threatened use of a weapon of mass destruction that the offender did not possess or have the ability to use a weapon of mass destruction or that what was represented to be a weapon of mass destruction was not a weapon of mass destruction.
(2) Any act that is a violation of this section and any other section of the Ohio Revised Code or these Codified Ordinances may be prosecuted under this section, the other section, or both sections.
(e) As used in this section:
(1) “Critical infrastructure facility.” Has the same meaning as in R.C. § 2911.21.
(2) “Economic harm” and “weapon of mass destruction.” Have the same meaning as in R.C. § 2917.31.
(R.C. § 2917.32)
(a) No person shall knowingly engage in conduct designed to urge or incite another to commit any offense of violence when either of the following apply:
(1) The conduct takes place under circumstances that create a clear and present danger that any offense of violence will be committed.
(2) The conduct proximately results in the commission of any offense of violence.
(b) Whoever violates this section is guilty of inciting to violence. If the offense of violence that the other person is being urged or incited to commit is a misdemeanor, inciting to violence is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offense of violence that the other person is being urged or incited to commit is a felony, inciting to violence is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law.
(ORC 2917.01)
(a) No person shall loiter or prowl in any public or private place at a time, in a manner or under circumstances which warrant alarm for the safety of persons or security of property in the surrounding area.
(b) Without limitation, the following circumstances may be considered in determining whether such alarm is warranted:
(1) The flight of a person upon the appearance of a police officer;
(2) Attempted concealment by a person upon the appearance of a police officer;
(3) The systematic checking by a person of doors, windows or other means of access to buildings, houses or vehicles.
(c) Unless flight by the actor or other circumstances make it impracticable, a police officer shall, prior to any arrest for an offense under this section, afford the actor an opportunity to dispel any alarm which would otherwise be warranted, by requesting him or her to identify himself or herself and explain his or her presence and conduct. No person shall be convicted of an offense under this section if the police officer did not comply with the preceding sentence, or if it appears at trial that the explanation given by the actor was true, and if believed by the police officer at the time, would have dispelled the alarm.
(d) For the purposes of this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them:
(1) “Loitering” includes the following activities: lingering, hanging around, delaying, sauntering and moving slowly about, where such conduct is not due to physical defects or conditions.
(2) “Private place” means places privately owned but open to the public generally, such as shopping centers, retail stores, transportation terminals, movie theaters, office buildings, restaurants, and all distinctly private places such as homes or private residences and apartment houses.
(3) “Public place” means public streets and alleyways, public restrooms, public sidewalks, public parks, public buildings and municipal airports.
(4) “Surrounding area” means that area easily and immediately accessible to the person under observation.
(e) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor and shall be subject to the penalty provided in § 698.02.
(1974 Code, § 509.08)
(a) No child under the age of sixteen years shall congregate, loaf, loiter or be upon any of the public streets, alleys or highways of the municipality after the hour of 10:00 p.m. on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays, or after 11:00 p.m. on Fridays or Saturdays of any weekend, to 6:00 a.m. of the following day. No child who has attained his or her sixteenth birthday but has not passed his or her eighteenth birthday shall be upon any of the public streets, alleys or highways of the municipality after the hour of 11:00 p.m. on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays or after 12:00 p.m. on Fridays or Saturdays to 6:00 a.m. of the following day. The provisions of this section shall not apply when the child is accompanied by his or her parents or parent, guardian or person in loco parentis or some other person over 21 years of age who has been given permission by the parent or parents, guardian or person in loco parentis to accompany the child, nor shall they apply under the conditions stipulated in divisions (b) and (c) hereof. This section does not apply to a minor who is:
(1) Accompanied by a parent, guardian, or custodian;
(2) Accompanied by an adult specified by a parent, guardian, or custodian;
(3) Carrying out an errand or other lawful activity as directed by a parent, guardian, or custodian; or
(4) Occupying the sidewalk of the place where the minor resides, or the sidewalk of a place where the minor has permission from his or her parent or guardian to be, or the sidewalk of a next-door neighbor not communicating an objection to a police officer.
(5) Participating in, going to, or returning from:
(a) Lawful employment; or
(b) A lawful athletic, educational, entertainment, religious, or social event.
(c) Interstate travel.
(b) Any school, church, lodge or other organization which desires to keep or hold any entertainment for children under the age of 18 years, which entertainment shall require children to be out at a later hour than that called for in division (a) hereof shall make application to the Chief of Police for permission to have such children stay out to this later hour. Such application shall state the time the entertainment will end and the children who attend such function shall be required to be off the public streets, alleys or highways one-half hour after such function is ended.
(c) Any child who has passed the age of 16 years and who has a working certificate and whose work may require him or her to be out at hours later than those specified in this section may make application to the Chief of Police for written permission to do so. The Chief of Police may grant permission, but such child shall not be out later than one-half hour beyond the time that the work of such child terminates.
(d) (1) Any child found in violation of this section shall be taken to the Municipal Building, and the parents, guardians or persons in loco parentis shall be notified to come to the Municipal Building and take personal charge of such child. Such child shall be released only to such parents, guardians or persons in loco parentis or to the county juvenile authorities.
(2) Any child found in violation of this section who has been once before held by the authorities for violation of this section shall be held for the juvenile authorities for proper disposition.
(3) Any parent who knowingly permits such child to violate any of the provisions of this section shall, upon the first offense, be warned; upon the second or subsequent offense is guilty of a minor misdemeanor and shall be subject to the penalty provided in § 698.02.
(1974 Code, § 509.09)
(a) No person, without privilege to do so, shall recklessly obstruct any highway, street, sidewalk, or any other public passage in such a manner as to render the highway, street, sidewalk, or passage impassable without unreasonable inconvenience or hazard if both of the following apply:
(1) The obstruction prevents an emergency vehicle from accessing a highway or street, prevents an emergency service responder from responding to an emergency, or prevents an emergency vehicle or an emergency service responder from having access to an exit from an emergency.
(2) Upon receipt of a request or order from an emergency service responder to remove or cease the obstruction, the person refuses to remove or cease the obstruction.
(b) Division (a) of this section does not limit or affect the application of R.C. § 2921.31 or any other section of the Ohio Revised Code. Any conduct that is a violation of division (a) of this section and that also is a violation of R.C. § 2921.31 or any other section of the Ohio Revised Code may be prosecuted under this section, the other section of the Ohio Revised Code, or both sections.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of unlawfully impeding public passage of an emergency service responder, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(d) As used in this section, "emergency service responder" has the same meaning as in R.C. § 2903.13.
(R.C. § 2917.14)