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HB662 • 2026

Increase penalty for disturbing a lawful meeting in certain cases

Increase penalty for disturbing a lawful meeting in certain cases

Crime
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Tex Fischer
Last action
Official status
As Introduced
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Increase penalty for disturbing a lawful meeting in certain cases

To amend section 2917.12 of the Revised Code to increase the penalty for disturbing a lawful meeting under certain circumstances.

What This Bill Does

  • To amend section 2917.12 of the Revised Code to increase the penalty for disturbing a lawful meeting under certain circumstances.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. Ohio Legislature

    As Introduced

Official Summary Text

To amend section 2917.12 of the Revised Code to increase the penalty for disturbing a lawful meeting under certain circumstances.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
As Introduced

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
H. B. No. 662

2025-2026

Representatives Fischer, Newman

Cosponsors: Representatives Dean,
Dovilla, Barhorst, Ritter, Santucci, Click, Salvo, Swearingen, King,
Johnson, Lear, Creech, Mathews, T., Williams, Gross, Klopfenstein,
Hall, T., Hiner, John, Robb Blasdel, Workman

To
amend section 2917.12 of the Revised Code
to
increase the penalty for disturbing a lawful meeting under certain
circumstances.

BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section
1.
That
section 2917.12 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec.
2917.12.
(A)
No person, with purpose to prevent or disrupt a lawful meeting,
procession, or gathering, shall do either of the following:

(1)
Do any act which obstructs or interferes with the due conduct of such
meeting, procession, or gathering;

(2)
Make any utterance, gesture, or display which outrages the
sensibilities of the group.

(B)
Whoever violates this section is guilty of disturbing a lawful
meeting. Except as otherwise provided in this division, disturbing a
lawful meeting is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Disturbing a
lawful meeting is a
misdemeanor

felony

of
the
first

fifth

degree
if either of the following applies:

(1)
The violation is committed with the intent to disturb or disquiet any
assemblage of people met for religious worship at a tax-exempt place
of worship, regardless of whether the conduct is within the place at
which the assemblage is held or is on the property on which that
place is located and disturbs the order and solemnity of the
assemblage.

(2)
The violation is committed with the intent to prevent, disrupt, or
interfere with a virtual meeting or gathering of people for religious
worship, through use of a computer, computer system,
telecommunications device, or other electronic device or system, or
in any other manner.

(C)
As used in this section:

(1)
"Computer," "computer system," and
"telecommunications device" have the same meanings as in
section 2913.01 of the Revised Code.

(2)
"Virtual meeting or gathering" means a meeting or gathering
by interactive video conference or teleconference, or by a
combination thereof.

Section
2.
That
existing section 2917.12 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.