House BillIntroduced
HB 544: Expand the offense of obstructing justice
What HB 544 does, verified September 24, 2026
This bill amends Ohio's law to expand the offense of obstructing justice. It makes it a crime to assist someone in committing a crime or to help a child avoid being caught for a crime. The law includes various scenarios where obstructing justice can occur, such as providing a person with money, transportation, or a disguise, or warning them of impending discovery or arrest. The bill also provides that a person can be prosecuted for obstructing justice even if the person or child they aided is not ultimately caught. The law defines obstructing justice as a crime that can range from a misdemeanor to a felony, depending on the severity of the crime the person aided committed. The penalties for obstructing justice increase if the crime was aggravated murder, murder, or a serious felony. The bill also includes specific penalties for obstructing an arrest or detention of a person by a federal…
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: Referred to committee: Judiciary (2025-10-29)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions2 total · showing 2
| Oct. 29, 2025 | Referred to committee: Judiciary |
| Oct. 22, 2025 | Introduced |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, October 28, 2025 · 1,030 words
As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session
H. B. No. 544
2025-2026
Representatives Williams, Swearingen
Cosponsors: Representatives Hall, T., Lear, Miller, K., Johnson
To amend section 2921.32 of the Revised Code to expand the offense of obstructing justice.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1.
That section 2921.32 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:
Sec. 2921.32.
3 (A) No person, with purpose to hinder the discovery, apprehension, arrest, prosecution, conviction, or
5 punishment of another for crime or to assist another to benefit from the commission of a crime, and no person, with purpose to
6 hinder the discovery, apprehension, arrest, prosecution, adjudication as a delinquent child, or disposition of a child
7 for an act that if committed by an adult would be a crime or to assist a child to benefit from the commission of an act that if
8 committed by an adult would be a crime, shall do any of the following:
9 (1) Harbor or conceal the other person or child;
10 (2) Provide the other person or child with money, transportation, a weapon, a disguise, or other means of avoiding
11 discovery or apprehension;
12 (3) Warn the other person or child of impending discovery-
13 or, arrest, or apprehension;
14 (4) Destroy or conceal physical evidence of the crime or act, or induce any person to withhold testimony or information or to elude legal process summoning the person to testify or supply evidence;
15 (5) Communicate false information to any person;
16 (6) Prevent or obstruct any person, by means of force, intimidation, or deception, from performing any act to aid in the discovery, apprehension, arrest, or prosecution of the other person or child.
17 (B) A person may be prosecuted for, and may be convicted of or adjudicated a delinquent child for committing, a violation of division (A) of this section regardless of whether the person or child aided ultimately is apprehended for, is arrested for, is charged with, is convicted of, pleads guilty to, or is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing the crime or act the person or child aided committed. The crime or act the person or child aided committed shall be used under division (C) of this section in determining the penalty for the violation of division (A) of this section, regardless of whether the person or child aided ultimately is apprehended for, is arrested for, is charged with, is convicted of, pleads guilty to, or is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing the crime or act the person or child aided committed.
18 (C) (1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of obstructing justice.
19 (2) If Except as provided in division (C) (7) of this section, if the crime committed by the person aided is a misdemeanor or if the act committed by the child aided would be
20 a misdemeanor if committed by an adult, obstructing justice is a misdemeanor of the same degree as the crime committed by the person aided or a misdemeanor of the same degree that the act committed by the child aided would be if committed by an adult.
21 (3) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (C)(4), (5), and (6), and (7) of this section, if the crime committed by the person aided is a felony or if the act committed by the child aided would be a felony if committed by an adult, obstructing justice is a felony of the fifth degree.
22 (4) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(6) of this section, if the crime committed by the person aided is aggravated murder, murder, or a felony of the first or second degree or if the act committed by the child aided would be one of those offenses if committed by an adult and if the offender knows or has reason to believe that the crime committed by the person aided is one of those offenses or that the act committed by the child aided would be one of those offenses if committed by an adult, obstructing justice is a felony of the third degree.
23 (5) If the crime or act committed by the person or child aided is an act of terrorism, obstructing justice is one of the following:
24 (a) Except as provided in division (C)(5)(b) of this section, a felony of the second degree;
25 (b) If the act of terrorism resulted in the death of a person who was not a participant in the act of terrorism, a felony of the first degree.
26 (6) If the crime committed by the person is trafficking in persons or if the act committed by the child aided would be
27 trafficking in persons if committed by an adult, obstructing justice is a felony of the second degree.
28 (7) If the violation of this section was an act that prevented or obstructed an arrest of any person by any local,
29 state, or federal law enforcement agency, other than a federal law enforcement agency engaged in immigration enforcement,
30 obstructing justice is a felony of the fifth degree. If the violation of this section was an act that prevented or
31 obstructed an arrest or detention of any person by a federal law enforcement agency engaged in immigration enforcement,
32 obstructing justice is a felony of the third degree.
33 (D) As used in this section:
34 (1) "Adult" and "child" have the same meanings as in section 2151.011 of the Revised Code.
35 (2) "Delinquent child" has the same meaning as in section 2152.02 of the Revised Code.
36 (3) "Act of terrorism" has the same meaning as in section 2909.21 of the Revised Code.
Section 2.
That existing section 2921.32 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.
Text of HB 544 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions