(a) No person shall recklessly do any of the following, under circumstances in which the person’s conduct is likely to be viewed by and affront others who are in the person’s physical proximity and who are not members of the person’s household:
(1) Expose the person’s private parts.
(2) Engage in sexual conduct or masturbation.
(3) Engage in conduct that to an ordinary observer would appear to be sexual conduct or masturbation.
(b) No person shall knowingly do any of the following, under circumstances in which the person’s conduct is likely to be viewed by and affront another person who is in the person’s physical proximity, who is a minor, and who is not the spouse of the offender:
(1) Engage in masturbation.
(2) Engage in sexual conduct.
(3) Engage in conduct that to an ordinary observer would appear to be sexual conduct or masturbation.
(4) Expose the person’s private parts with the purpose of personal sexual arousal or gratification or to lure the minor into sexual activity.
(c) (1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of public indecency and shall be punished as provided in divisions (c)(2), (c)(3), (c)(4), and (c)(5) of this section.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this division (c)(2), a violation of division (a)(1) of this section is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one violation of this section or a substantially equivalent State law or municipal ordinance, a violation of division (a)(1) of this section is a misdemeanor of the third degree or, if any person who was likely to view and be affronted by the offender’s conduct was a minor, a misdemeanor of the second degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two violations of this section or a substantially equivalent State law municipal ordinance, a violation of division (a)(1) of this section is a misdemeanor of the second degree or, if any person who was likely to view and be affronted by the offender’s conduct was a minor, a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to three or more violations of this section or a substantially equivalent State law or municipal ordinance, a violation of division (a)(1) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree or, if any person who was likely to view and be affronted by the offender’s conduct was a minor, a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate State law.
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this division (c)(3), a violation of division (a)(2) or (a)(3) of this section is a misdemeanor of the third degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one violation of this section or a substantially equivalent State law or municipal ordinance, a violation of division (a)(2) or (a)(3) of this section is a misdemeanor of the second degree or, if any person who was likely to view and be affronted by the offender’s conduct was a minor, a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two or more violations of this section or a substantially equivalent State law municipal ordinance, a violation of division (a)(2) or (a)(3) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree or, if any person who was likely to view and be affronted by the offender’s conduct was a minor, a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate State law.
(4) Except as otherwise provided in this division (c)(4), a violation of division (b)(1), (b)(2), or (b)(3) of this section is a misdemeanor of the second degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one violation of this section or a substantially equivalent State law or municipal ordinance, a violation of division (b)(1), (b)(2), or (b)(3) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two or more violations of this section or a substantially equivalent State law municipal ordinance, a violation of division (b)(1), (b)(2), or (b)(3) of this section is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate State law.
(5) Except as otherwise provided in this division (c)(5), a violation of division (b)(4) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any violation of this section or a substantially equivalent State law municipal ordinance, a violation of division (b)(4) of this section is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate State law.
(d) (1) If either of the following applies, the court may determine at the time of sentencing whether to classify the offender as a tier I sex offender/child-victim offender for a violation of division (b)(4) of this section:
A. The offender is less than ten years older than the other person.
B. The offender is ten or more years older than the other person and the offender has not previously been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any violation of this section or any substantially equivalent state law or municipal ordinance.
(2) If the offender is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (b)(4) of this section, is ten or more years older than the other person, and previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any violation of this section or any substantially equivalent state law or municipal ordinance, the court shall issue an order at the time of sentencing that classifies the offender as a tier I sex offender/child-victim offender subject to registration under R.C. §§ 2950.04, 2950.041, 2950.05, and 2950.06.
(ORC 2907.09)
(e) A mother is entitled to breast-feed her baby in any location of a place of public accommodation, as defined in Ohio R.C. 4112.01, wherein the mother otherwise is permitted.
Statutory reference:
Bail considerations for persons charged, see Ohio R.C. 2907.41