As Introduced

136th General Assembly

Regular Session H. B. No. 656

2025-2026

A BILL

To amend sections 2903.14 and 2927.15 of the Revised Code to create the offense of negligent assault of a peace officer.

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

Section 1. That sections 2903.14 and 2927.15 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 2903.14. (A) No person shall negligently, by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance as defined in section 2923.11 of the Revised Code, cause physical harm to another or to another's unborn.

(B) No person shall negligently cause physical harm to a peace officer as a result of possessing a controlled substance or a controlled substance analog or drug paraphernalia.

(C)(1) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of negligent assault, a misdemeanor of the third degree.

(2)(a) Except as provided in division (C)(2)(b) of this section, whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of negligent assault of a peace officer, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(b) If the physical harm also results in a substantial risk of exposure to an infectious disease, negligent assault of a peace officer is a felony of the fifth degree. The presence of an infectious disease shall be determined by collection of blood, urine, tissue, or other relevant bodily substance from the defendant by a peace officer or other person ordered to do so by the court.

Sec. 2927.15. (A) No person shall knowingly collect any blood, urine, tissue, or other bodily substance of another person without privilege or consent to do so.

(B)(1) Division (A) of this section does not apply to any of the following:

(a) The collection of any bodily substance of a person by a law enforcement officer, or by another person pursuant to the direction or advice of a law enforcement officer, for purposes of a chemical test or tests of the substance under division (A)(1) of section 1547.111 or division (A)(2) of section 4511.191 of the Revised Code to determine the alcohol, drug, controlled substance, metabolite of a controlled substance, or combination content of the bodily substance;

(b) The collection of any bodily substance of a person by a peace officer, or by another person pursuant to the direction or advice of a peace officer, for purposes of a test or tests of the substance as provided in division (A) of section 4506.17 of the Revised Code to determine the person's alcohol concentration or the presence of any controlled substance or metabolite of a controlled substance;

(c) The collection of any bodily substance of a person by a peace officer, or by another person pursuant to a court order, for purposes of a test or tests of the substance to determine the presence of an infectious disease in relation to a charge under division (B) of section 2903.14 of the Revised Code.

(2) Division (B)(1) of this section shall not be construed as implying that the persons identified in divisions (B)(1)(a) and (b) of this section do not have privilege to collect the bodily substance of another person as described in those divisions or as limiting the definition of "privilege" set forth in section 2901.01 of the Revised Code.

(C) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of unlawful collection of a bodily substance. Except as otherwise provided in this division, unlawful collection of a bodily substance is a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of division (A) of this section, unlawful collection of a bodily substance is a felony of the fifth degree.

Section 2. That existing sections 2903.14 and 2927.15 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.