As Introduced

136th General Assembly

Regular Session S. B. No. 303

2025-2026

Senator Johnson

Cosponsors: Senators Cutrona, Timken

To amend sections 2151.022, 2152.02, 2152.16, 2923.21, 2923.211, and 2930.01 of the Revised Code to allow a person who is between eighteen and twenty-one years old to receive or purchase a handgun from a federally licensed firearms dealer.

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

Section 1. That sections 2151.022, 2152.02, 2152.16, 2923.21, 2923.211, and 2930.01 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 2151.022. As used in this chapter, "unruly child" includes any of the following:

(A) Any child who does not submit to the reasonable control of the child's parents, teachers, guardian, or custodian, by reason of being wayward or habitually disobedient;

(B) Any child who is an habitual truant from school;

(C) Any child who behaves in a manner as to injure or endanger the child's own health or morals or the health or morals of others;

(D) Any child who violates a law, other than division (C) of section 2907.39, division (A)(B) of section 2923.211, division (C)(1) or (D) of section 2925.55, or section 2151.87 of the Revised Code, that is applicable only to a child.

Sec. 2152.02. As used in this chapter:

(A) "Act charged" means the act that is identified in a complaint, indictment, or information alleging that a child is a delinquent child.

(B) "Admitted to a department of youth services facility" includes admission to a facility operated, or contracted for, by the department and admission to a comparable facility outside this state by another state or the United States.

(C)(1) "Child" means a person who is under eighteen years of age, except as otherwise provided in divisions (C)(2) to (8) of this section.

(2) Subject to division (C)(3) of this section, any person who violates a federal or state law or a municipal ordinance prior to attaining eighteen years of age shall be deemed a "child" irrespective of that person's age at the time the complaint with respect to that violation is filed or the hearing on the complaint is held.

(3) Any person who, while under eighteen years of age, commits an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult and who is not taken into custody or apprehended for that act until after the person attains twenty-one years of age is not a child in relation to that act.

(4) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (C)(5) and (7) of this section, any person whose case is transferred for criminal prosecution pursuant to section 2152.12 of the Revised Code shall be deemed after the transfer not to be a child in the transferred case.

(5) Any person whose case is transferred for criminal prosecution pursuant to section 2152.12 of the Revised Code and who subsequently is convicted of or pleads guilty to a felony in that case, unless a serious youthful offender dispositional sentence is imposed on the child for that offense under division (B)(2) or (3) of section 2152.121 of the Revised Code and the adult portion of that sentence is not invoked pursuant to section 2152.14 of the Revised Code, and any person who is adjudicated a delinquent child for the commission of an act, who has a serious youthful offender dispositional sentence imposed for the act pursuant to section 2152.13 of the Revised Code, and whose adult portion of the dispositional sentence is invoked pursuant to section 2152.14 of the Revised Code, shall be deemed after the conviction, plea, or invocation not to be a child in any case in which a complaint is filed against the person.

(6) The juvenile court has jurisdiction over a person who is adjudicated a delinquent child or juvenile traffic offender prior to attaining eighteen years of age until the person attains twenty-one years of age, and, for purposes of that jurisdiction related to that adjudication, except as otherwise provided in this division, a person who is so adjudicated a delinquent child or juvenile traffic offender shall be deemed a "child" until the person attains twenty-one years of age. If a person is so adjudicated a delinquent child or juvenile traffic offender and the court makes a disposition of the person under this chapter, at any time after the person attains twenty-one years of age, the places at which the person may be held under that disposition are not limited to places authorized under this chapter solely for confinement of children, and the person may be confined under that disposition, in accordance with division (F)(2) of section 2152.26 of the Revised Code, in places other than those authorized under this chapter solely for confinement of children.

(7) The juvenile court has jurisdiction over any person whose case is transferred for criminal prosecution solely for the purpose of detaining the person as authorized in division (F)(1) or (4) of section 2152.26 of the Revised Code unless the person is convicted of or pleads guilty to a felony in the adult court.

(8) Any person who, while eighteen years of age, violates division (A)(1) or (2) of section 2919.27 of the Revised Code by violating a protection order issued or consent agreement approved under section 2151.34 or 3113.31 of the Revised Code shall be considered a child for the purposes of that violation of section 2919.27 of the Revised Code.

(D) "Community corrections facility," "public safety beds," "release authority," and "supervised release" have the same meanings as in section 5139.01 of the Revised Code.

(E) "Delinquent child" includes any of the following:

(1) Any child, except a juvenile traffic offender, who violates any law of this state or the United States, or any ordinance of a political subdivision of the state, that would be an offense if committed by an adult;

(2) Any child who violates any lawful order of the court made under this chapter, including a child who violates a court order regarding the child's prior adjudication as an unruly child for being an habitual truant;

(3) Any child who violates any lawful order of the court made under Chapter 2151. of the Revised Code other than an order issued under section 2151.87 of the Revised Code;

(4) Any child who violates division (C) of section 2907.39, division (A)(B) of section 2923.211, or division (C)(1) or (D) of section 2925.55 of the Revised Code.

(F) "Discretionary serious youthful offender" means a person who is eligible for a discretionary SYO and who is not transferred to adult court under a mandatory or discretionary transfer.

(G) "Discretionary SYO" means a case in which the juvenile court, in the juvenile court's discretion, may impose a serious youthful offender disposition under section 2152.13 of the Revised Code.

(H) "Discretionary transfer" means that the juvenile court has discretion to transfer a case for criminal prosecution under division (B) of section 2152.12 of the Revised Code.

(I) "Drug abuse offense," "felony drug abuse offense," and "minor drug possession offense" have the same meanings as in section 2925.01 of the Revised Code.

(J) "Electronic monitoring" and "electronic monitoring device" have the same meanings as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.

(K) "Economic loss" means any economic detriment suffered by a victim of a delinquent act or juvenile traffic offense as a direct and proximate result of the delinquent act or juvenile traffic offense and includes any loss of income due to lost time at work because of any injury caused to the victim and any property loss, medical cost, or funeral expense incurred as a result of the delinquent act or juvenile traffic offense. "Economic loss" does not include non-economic loss or any punitive or exemplary damages.

(L) "Firearm" has the same meaning as in section 2923.11 of the Revised Code.

(M) "Intellectual disability" has the same meaning as in section 5123.01 of the Revised Code.

(N) "Juvenile traffic offender" means any child who violates any traffic law, traffic ordinance, or traffic regulation of this state, the United States, or any political subdivision of this state, other than a resolution, ordinance, or regulation of a political subdivision of this state the violation of which is required to be handled by a parking violations bureau or a joint parking violations bureau pursuant to Chapter 4521. of the Revised Code.

(O) A "legitimate excuse for absence from the public school the child is supposed to attend" has the same meaning as in section 2151.011 of the Revised Code.

(P) "Mandatory serious youthful offender" means a person who is eligible for a mandatory SYO and who is not transferred to adult court under a mandatory or discretionary transfer and also includes, for purposes of imposition of a mandatory serious youthful dispositional sentence under section 2152.13 of the Revised Code, a person upon whom a juvenile court is required to impose such a sentence under division (B)(3) of section 2152.121 of the Revised Code.

(Q) "Mandatory SYO" means a case in which the juvenile court is required to impose a mandatory serious youthful offender disposition under section 2152.13 of the Revised Code.

(R) "Mandatory transfer" means that a case is required to be transferred for criminal prosecution under division (A) of section 2152.12 of the Revised Code.

(S) "Mental illness" has the same meaning as in section 5122.01 of the Revised Code.

(T) "Monitored time" and "repeat violent offender" have the same meanings as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.

(U) "Of compulsory school age" has the same meaning as in section 3321.01 of the Revised Code.

(V) "Public record" has the same meaning as in section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(W) "Serious youthful offender" means a person who is eligible for a mandatory SYO or discretionary SYO but who is not transferred to adult court under a mandatory or discretionary transfer and also includes, for purposes of imposition of a mandatory serious youthful dispositional sentence under section 2152.13 of the Revised Code, a person upon whom a juvenile court is required to impose such a sentence under division (B)(3) of section 2152.121 of the Revised Code.

(X) "Sexually oriented offense," "juvenile offender registrant," "child-victim oriented offense," "tier I sex offender/child-victim offender," "tier II sex offender/child-victim offender," "tier III sex offender/child-victim offender," and "public registry-qualified juvenile offender registrant" have the same meanings as in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code.

(Y) "Traditional juvenile" means a case that is not transferred to adult court under a mandatory or discretionary transfer, that is eligible for a disposition under sections 2152.16, 2152.17, 2152.19, and 2152.20 of the Revised Code, and that is not eligible for a disposition under section 2152.13 of the Revised Code.

(Z) "Transfer" means, except with respect to a transfer from a criminal court to a juvenile court under section 2152.03 or 2152.121 of the Revised Code, the transfer for criminal prosecution of a case that includes a charge alleging that a child is a delinquent child for committing an act that would be an offense if committed by an adult from the juvenile court to the appropriate court that has jurisdiction of the offense.

(AA) "Category one offense" means any of the following:

(1) A violation of section 2903.01 or 2903.02 of the Revised Code;

(2) A violation of section 2923.02 of the Revised Code involving an attempt to commit aggravated murder or murder.

(BB) "Category two offense" means any of the following:

(1) A violation of section 2903.03, 2905.01, 2907.02, 2909.02, 2911.01, or 2911.11 of the Revised Code;

(2) A violation of section 2903.04 of the Revised Code that is a felony of the first degree;

(3) A violation of section 2907.12 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to September 3, 1996.

(CC) "Non-economic loss" means nonpecuniary harm suffered by a victim of a delinquent act or juvenile traffic offense as a result of or related to the delinquent act or juvenile traffic offense, including, but not limited to, pain and suffering; loss of society, consortium, companionship, care, assistance, attention, protection, advice, guidance, counsel, instruction, training, or education; mental anguish; and any other intangible loss.

Sec. 2152.16. (A)(1) If a child is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult, the juvenile court may commit the child to the legal custody of the department of youth services for secure confinement as follows:

(a) For an act that would be aggravated murder or murder if committed by an adult, until the offender attains twenty-one years of age;

(b) For a violation of section 2923.02 of the Revised Code that involves an attempt to commit an act that would be aggravated murder or murder if committed by an adult, a minimum period of six to seven years as prescribed by the court and a maximum period not to exceed the child's attainment of twenty-one years of age;

(c) For a violation of section 2903.03, 2905.01, 2909.02, or 2911.01 or division (A) of section 2903.04 of the Revised Code or for a violation of any provision of section 2907.02 of the Revised Code other than division (A)(1)(b) of that section when the sexual conduct or insertion involved was consensual and when the victim of the violation of division (A)(1)(b) of that section was older than the delinquent child, was the same age as the delinquent child, or was less than three years younger than the delinquent child, for an indefinite term consisting of a minimum period of one to three years, as prescribed by the court, and a maximum period not to exceed the child's attainment of twenty-one years of age;

(d) If the child is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing an act that is not described in division (A)(1)(b) or (c) of this section and that would be a felony of the first or second degree if committed by an adult, for an indefinite term consisting of a minimum period of one year and a maximum period not to exceed the child's attainment of twenty-one years of age.

(e) For committing an act that would be a felony of the third, fourth, or fifth degree if committed by an adult or for a violation of division (A)(B) of section 2923.211 of the Revised Code, for an indefinite term consisting of a minimum period of six months and a maximum period not to exceed the child's attainment of twenty-one years of age.

(2) In each case in which a court makes a disposition under this section, the court retains control over the commitment for the minimum period specified by the court in divisions (A)(1)(a) to (e) of this section. During the minimum period, the department of youth services shall not move the child to a nonsecure setting without the permission of the court that imposed the disposition.

(B)(1) Subject to division (B)(2) of this section, if a delinquent child is committed to the department of youth services under this section, the department may release the child at any time after the minimum period specified by the court in division (A)(1) of this section ends.

(2) A commitment under this section is subject to a supervised release or to a discharge of the child from the custody of the department for medical reasons pursuant to section 5139.54 of the Revised Code, but, during the minimum period specified by the court in division (A)(1) of this section, the department shall obtain court approval of a supervised release or discharge under that section.

(C) If a child is adjudicated a delinquent child, at the dispositional hearing and prior to making any disposition pursuant to this section, the court shall determine whether the delinquent child previously has been adjudicated a delinquent child for a violation of a law or ordinance. If the delinquent child previously has been adjudicated a delinquent child for a violation of a law or ordinance, the court, for purposes of entering an order of disposition of the delinquent child under this section, shall consider the previous delinquent child adjudication as a conviction of a violation of the law or ordinance in determining the degree of the offense the current act would be had it been committed by an adult. This division also shall apply in relation to the imposition of any financial sanction under section 2152.19 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 2923.21. (A) As used in this section, "federally licensed firearms dealer" has the same meaning as in section 5502.63 of the Revised Code.

(B) No person shall do any of the following:

(1) Sell any firearm to a person who is under eighteen years of age;

(2) Subject to division (B)(C) of this section, sell any handgun to a person who is under twenty-one years of age;

(3) Furnish any firearm to a person who is under eighteen years of age or, subject to division (B)(C) of this section, furnish any handgun to a person who is under twenty-one years of age, except for lawful hunting, sporting, or educational purposes, including, but not limited to, instruction in firearms or handgun safety, care, handling, or marksmanship under the supervision or control of a responsible adult;

(4) Sell or furnish a firearm to a person who is eighteen years of age or older if the seller or furnisher knows, or has reason to know, that the person is purchasing or receiving the firearm for the purpose of selling the firearm in violation of division (A)(1)(B)(1) of this section to a person who is under eighteen years of age or for the purpose of furnishing the firearm in violation of division (A)(3)(B)(3) of this section to a person who is under eighteen years of age;

(5) Sell or furnish a handgun to a person who is twenty-one years of age or older if the seller or furnisher knows, or has reason to know, that the person is purchasing or receiving the handgun for the purpose of selling the handgun in violation of division (A)(2)(B)(2) of this section to a person who is under twenty-one years of age or for the purpose of furnishing the handgun in violation of division (A)(3)(B)(3) of this section to a person who is under twenty-one years of age;

(6) Purchase or attempt to purchase any firearm with the intent to sell the firearm in violation of division (A)(1)(B)(1) of this section to a person who is under eighteen years of age or with the intent to furnish the firearm in violation of division (A)(3)(B)(3) of this section to a person who is under eighteen years of age;

(7) Purchase or attempt to purchase any handgun with the intent to sell the handgun in violation of division (A)(2)(B)(2) of this section to a person who is under twenty-one years of age or with the intent to furnish the handgun in violation of division (A)(3)(B)(3) of this section to a person who is under twenty-one years of age.

(B)(C)(1) Divisions (A)(1)(B)(2) and (2)(3) of this section do not apply to the sale or furnishing of a handgun to a person eighteen years of age or older and under twenty-one years of age if the person eighteen years of age or older and under twenty-one years of age is a law enforcement officer who is properly appointed or employed as a law enforcement officer and has received firearms training approved by the Ohio peace officer training council commission or equivalent firearms training.

(2) Divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section do not apply to the sale and furnishing of a handgun to a person eighteen years of age or older and under twenty-one years of age if the person selling or furnishing the handgun to the person eighteen years of age or older and under twenty-one years of age is a federally licensed firearms dealer.

(3) Divisions (A)(1)(B)(1) and (2) of this section do not apply to the sale or furnishing of a handgun to an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States who has received firearms training that meets or exceeds the training requirements described in division (G)(1) of section 2923.125 of the Revised Code.

(C)(D) Whoever violates this section is guilty of improperly furnishing firearms to a minor, a felony of the fifth degree.

Sec. 2923.211. (A) As used in this section, "federally licensed firearms dealer" has the same meaning as in section 5502.63 of the Revised Code.

(B) No person under eighteen years of age shall purchase or attempt to purchase a firearm.

(B)(C) No person under twenty-one years of age shall purchase or attempt to purchase a handgun, provided that this division does not apply to the purchase or attempted purchase of a handgun by a person eighteen years of age or older and under twenty-one years of age if either any of the following apply:

(1) The person is a law enforcement officer who is properly appointed or employed as a law enforcement officer and has received firearms training approved by the Ohio peace officer training council commission or equivalent firearms training.

(2) The person purchases or attempts to purchase a handgun from a federally licensed firearms dealer.

(3) The person is an active or reserve member of the armed services of the United States or the Ohio national guard, or was honorably discharged from military service in the active or reserve armed services of the United States or the Ohio national guard, and the person has received firearms training from the armed services or the national guard or equivalent firearms training.

(C)(D) Whoever violates division (A)(B) of this section is guilty of underage purchase of a firearm, a delinquent act that would be a felony of the fourth degree if it could be committed by an adult. Whoever violates division (B)(C) of this section is guilty of underage purchase of a handgun, a misdemeanor of the second degree.

Sec. 2930.01. As used in this chapter, unless otherwise defined in any section in this chapter:

(A) "Criminal offense" means an alleged act or omission committed by a person that is punishable by incarceration and is not eligible to be disposed of by the traffic violations bureau.

(B) "Custodial agency" means one of the following:

(1) The entity that has custody of a defendant or an alleged juvenile offender who is incarcerated for a criminal offense, is under detention for the commission of a delinquent act, or who is detained after a finding of incompetence to stand trial or not guilty by reason of insanity relative to a criminal offense, including any of the following:

(a) The department of rehabilitation and correction or the adult parole authority;

(b) A county sheriff;

(c) The entity that administers a jail, as defined in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code;

(d) The entity that administers a community-based correctional facility and program or a district community-based correctional facility and program;

(e) The department of mental health and addiction services or other entity to which a defendant found incompetent to stand trial or not guilty by reason of insanity is committed.

(2) The entity that has custody of an alleged juvenile offender pursuant to an order of disposition of a juvenile court, including the department of youth services or a school, camp, institution, or other facility operated for the care of delinquent children.

(C) "Defendant" means a person who is alleged to be the perpetrator of a criminal offense in a complaint, indictment, or information that charges the commission of a criminal offense and that provides the basis for the criminal prosecution and subsequent proceedings to which this chapter makes reference.

(D) "Member of the victim's family" means a spouse, child, stepchild, sibling, parent, stepparent, grandparent, or other relative of a victim but does not include a person who is charged with, convicted of, or adjudicated to be a delinquent child for the criminal offense or delinquent act against the victim or another criminal offense or delinquent act arising from the same conduct, criminal episode, or plan.

(E) "Prosecutor" means one of the following:

(1) With respect to a criminal case, it has the same meaning as in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code and also includes the attorney general and, when appropriate, the employees of any person listed in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code or of the attorney general.

(2) With respect to a delinquency proceeding, it includes any person listed in division (C) of section 2935.01 of the Revised Code or an employee of a person listed in that division who prosecutes a delinquency proceeding.

(F) "Public agency" means an office, agency, department, bureau, or other governmental entity of the state or of a political subdivision of the state.

(G) "Public official" has the same meaning as in section 2921.01 of the Revised Code.

(H) "Victim" has the same meaning as in Section 10a of Article I of the Ohio Constitution.

(I) "Victim's representative" means a member of the victim's family or another person who pursuant to the authority of section 2930.02 of the Revised Code exercises the rights of a victim under this chapter.

(J) "Court" means a court of common pleas, juvenile court, municipal court, or county court.

(K) "Delinquency proceeding" means all proceedings in a juvenile court that are related to a case in which a complaint has been filed alleging that a child is a delinquent child.

(L) "Case" means a delinquency proceeding and all related activity or a criminal prosecution and all related activity.

(M) The "defense" means the defense against criminal charges in a criminal prosecution or the defense against a delinquent child complaint in a delinquency proceeding.

(N) The "prosecution" means the prosecution of criminal charges in a criminal prosecution or the prosecution of a delinquent child complaint in a delinquency proceeding.

(O) "Delinquent act" means an alleged act committed by a child, regardless of whether the child is competent, that does any of the following and is not disposed of by the juvenile traffic violations bureau serving the court under Traffic Rule 13.1 or is not a minor misdemeanor juvenile traffic offense:

(1) Violates any law of this state or the United States, or any ordinance of a political subdivision of the state, that would be an offense if committed by an adult;

(2) Violates any lawful order of the court made under this chapter, including a child who violates a court order regarding the child's prior adjudication as an unruly child for being an habitual truant;

(3) Violates any lawful order of the court made under Chapter 2151. of the Revised Code other than an order issued under section 2151.87 of the Revised Code;

(4) Violates division (C) of section 2907.39, division (A)(B) of section 2923.211, or division (C)(1) or (D) of section 2925.55 of the Revised Code.

(P)(1) "Alleged juvenile offender" means a child who is alleged to have committed a delinquent act in a police report or in a complaint in juvenile court that charges the commission of a delinquent act and that provides the basis for the delinquency proceeding and all subsequent proceedings to which this chapter makes reference.

(2) As used in divisions (O) and (P)(1) of this section, "child" has the same meaning as in section 2151.011 of the Revised Code.

(Q) "Motor vehicle accident" means any accident involving a motor vehicle.

(R) "Motor vehicle" has the same meaning as in section 4509.01 of the Revised Code.

(S) "Aircraft" has the same meaning as in section 4561.01 of the Revised Code.

(T) "Aquatic device" means any vessel, or any water skis, aquaplane, or similar device.

(U) "Vehicle," "streetcar," and "trackless trolley" have the same meanings as in section 4511.01 of the Revised Code.

(V) "Vehicle, streetcar, trackless trolley, aquatic device, or aircraft accident" means any accident involving a vehicle, streetcar, trackless trolley, aquatic device, or aircraft.

(W) "Vessel" has the same meaning as in section 1546.01 of the Revised Code.

(X) "Victim advocate" means a person employed or authorized by a public or private entity who provides support and assistance for a victim of a criminal offense or delinquent act in relation to criminal, civil, administrative, and delinquency cases or proceedings and recovery efforts related to the criminal offense or delinquent act.

(Y) "Victim's attorney" means an attorney retained by the victim for the purpose of asserting the victim's constitutional and statutory rights.

(Z) "Prosecutor's designee" means any person or entity designated by the prosecuting attorney but does not include a court or court employee.

(AA) "Suspect" means a person who is alleged to be the perpetrator of a criminal offense.

Section 2. That existing sections 2151.022, 2152.02, 2152.16, 2923.21, 2923.211, and 2930.01 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.