(A) As used in this section, "specified geographical notification area" means the geographic area or areas within which the attorney general requires by rule adopted under section3797.08of the Revised Code the notice described in division (B) of this section to be given to the persons identified in divisions (A)(1) to (9) of this section. If a court enters a declaratory judgment against a registrant under section2721.21of the Revised Code, the sheriff with whom the registrant has most recently registered under section3797.02or3797.03of the Revised Code and the sheriff to whom the registrant most recently sent a notice of intent to reside under section3797.03of the Revised Code shall provide within the period of time specified in division (C) of this section a written notice containing the information set forth in division (B) of this section to all of the persons described in divisions (A)(1) to (9) of this section. If the sheriff has sent a notice to the persons described in those divisions as a result of receiving a notice of intent to reside and if the registrant registers a residence address that is the same residence address described in the notice of intent to reside, the sheriff is not required to send an additional notice when the registrant registers. The sheriff shall provide the notice to all of the following persons:
(1)(a) Any occupant of each residential unit that is located within one thousand feet of the registrant's residential premises, that is located within the county served by the sheriff, and that is not located in a multi-unit building. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.
(b) If the registrant resides in a multi-unit building, any occupant of each residential unit that is located in that multi-unit building and that shares a common hallway with the registrant. For purposes of this division, an occupant's unit shares a common hallway with the registrant if the entrance door into the occupant's unit is located on the same floor and opens into the same hallway as the entrance door to the unit the registrant occupies. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.
(c) The building manager, or the person the building owner or condominium unit owners association authorizes to exercise management and control, of each multi-unit building that is located within one thousand feet of the registrant's residential premises, including a multi-unit building in which the registrant resides, and that is located within the county served by the sheriff. In addition to notifying the building manager or the person authorized to exercise management and control in the multi-unit building under this division, the sheriff shall post a copy of the notice prominently in each common entryway in the building and any other location in the building the sheriff determines appropriate. The manager or person exercising management and control of the building shall permit the sheriff to post copies of the notice under this division as the sheriff determines appropriate. In lieu of posting copies of the notice as described in this division, a sheriff may provide notice to all occupants of the multi-unit building by mail or personal contact. If the sheriff so notifies all the occupants, the sheriff is not required to post copies of the notice in the common entryways to the building. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.
(d) All additional persons who are within any category of neighbors of the registrant that the attorney general by rule adopted under section3797.08of the Revised Code requires to be provided the notice and who reside within the county served by the sheriff.
(2) The executive director of the public children services agency that has jurisdiction within the specified geographical notification area and that is located within the county served by the sheriff;
(3) The superintendent of each board of education of a school district that has schools within the specified geographical notification area and that is located within the county served by the sheriff;
(4) The appointing or hiring officer of each nonpublic school located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff or of each other school located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff and that is not operated by a board of education described in division (A)(3) of this section;
(5) The director, head teacher, elementary principal, or site administrator of each preschool program governed by Chapter 3301. of the Revised Code that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff;
(6) The administrator of each child care center or type A family child care home that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff, and each holder of a license to operate a type B family child care home that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff. As used in this division, "child care center," "type A family child care home," and "type B family child care home" have the same meanings as in section5104.01of the Revised Code.
(7) The president or other chief administrative officer of each institution of higher education, as defined in section2907.03of the Revised Code, that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff and the chief law enforcement officer of any state university law enforcement agency or campus police department established under section3345.04or1713.50of the Revised Code that serves that institution;
(8) The sheriff of each county that includes any portion of the specified geographical notification area;
(9) If the registrant resides within the county served by the sheriff, the chief of police, marshal, or other chief law enforcement officer of the municipal corporation in which the registrant resides or, if the registrant resides in an unincorporated area, the constable or chief of the police department or police district police force of the township in which the registrant resides.
(B) The notice required under division (A) of this section shall include the registrant's name, residence or employment address, as applicable, and a statement that the registrant has been found liable for childhood sexual abuse in a civil action and is listed on the civil registry established by the attorney general pursuant to section3797.08of the Revised Code.
(C) If a sheriff with whom a registrant registers under section3797.02or3797.03of the Revised Code or to whom the registrant most recently sent a notice of intent to reside under section3797.03of the Revised Code is required by division (A) of this section to provide notices regarding a registrant and if the sheriff provides a notice pursuant to that requirement the sheriff provides a notice to a sheriff of one or more other counties in accordance with division (A)(8) of this section, the sheriff of each of the other counties who is provided notice under division (A)(8) of this section shall provide the notices described in divisions (A)(1) to (7) and (A)(9) of this section to each person or entity identified within those divisions that is located within the specified geographical notification area and within the county served by the sheriff in question.
(D)(1) A sheriff required by division (A) or (C) of this section to provide notices regarding a registrant shall provide the notice to the neighbors that are described in division (A)(1) of this section and the notices to law enforcement personnel that are described in divisions (A)(8) and (9) of this section as soon as practicable, but not later than five days after the registrant sends the notice of intent to reside to the sheriff, and again not later than five days after the registrant registers with the sheriff or, if the sheriff is required by division (C) to provide the notices, not later than five days after the sheriff is provided the notice described in division (A)(8) of this section.
A sheriff required by division (A) or (C) of this section to provide notices regarding a registrant shall provide the notices to all other specified persons that are described in divisions (A)(2) to (7) of this section as soon as practicable, but not later than seven days after the registrant registers with the sheriff, or, if the sheriff is required by division (C) to provide the notices, not later than five days after the sheriff is provided the notice described in division (A)(8) of this section.
(2) If a registrant in relation to whom division (A) of this section applies verifies the registrant's current residence address with a sheriff pursuant to section3797.04of the Revised Code, the sheriff may provide a written notice containing the information set forth in division (B) of this section to the persons identified in divisions (A)(1) to (9) of this section. If a sheriff provides a notice pursuant to this division to the sheriff of one or more other counties in accordance with division (A)(8) of this section, the sheriff of each of the other counties who is provided the notice under division (A)(8) of this section may provide, but is not required to provide, a written notice containing the information set forth in division (B) of this section to the persons identified in divisions (A)(1) to (7) and (A)(9) of this section.
(3) A sheriff may provide notice under division (A)(1)(a) or (b) of this section, and may provide notice under division (A)(1)(c) of this section to a building manager or person authorized to exercise management and control of a building, by mail, by personal contact, or by leaving the notice at or under the entry door to a residential unit. For purposes of divisions (A)(1)(a) and (b) of this section and of the portion of division (A)(1)(c) of this section relating to the provision of notice to occupants of a multi-unit building by mail or personal contact, the provision of one written notice per unit is deemed providing notice to all occupants of that unit.
(E) All information that a sheriff possesses regarding a registrant that is described in division (B) of this section and that must be provided in a notice required under division (A) or (C) of this section or that may be provided in a notice authorized under division (D)(2) of this section is a public record that is open to inspection under section149.43of the Revised Code.
(F) A sheriff required by division (A) or (C) of this section, or authorized by division (D)(2) of this section, to provide notices regarding a registrant may request the department of job and family services, department of education, or department of higher education, by telephone, in registrant, or by mail, to provide the sheriff with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the appropriate persons and entities to whom the notices described in divisions (A)(2) to (7) of this section are to be provided. Upon receipt of a request, the department shall provide the requesting sheriff with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the appropriate persons and entities to whom those notices are to be provided.
(G)(1) Upon the motion of the registrant or the judge that entered a declaratory judgment pursuant to section2721.21of the Revised Code or that judge's successor in office, the judge may schedule a hearing to determine whether the interests of justice would be served by suspending the community notification requirement under this section in relation to the registrant. The judge may dismiss the motion without a hearing but may not issue an order suspending the community notification requirement without a hearing. At the hearing, all parties are entitled to be heard. If, at the conclusion of the hearing, the judge finds that the registrant has proven by clear and convincing evidence that the registrant is unlikely to commit childhood sexual abuse in the future and that suspending the community notification requirement is in the interests of justice, the judge may issue an order suspending the application of this section in relation to the registrant. The order shall contain both of these findings.
The judge promptly shall serve a copy of the order upon the sheriff with whom the registrant most recently registered a residence address and the sheriff with whom the registrant most recently registered an employment address under section3797.02of the Revised Code.
An order suspending the community notification requirement does not suspend or otherwise alter a registrant's duties to comply with sections3797.02,3797.03, and3797.04of the Revised Code.
(2) A registrant has the right to appeal an order denying a motion made under division (G)(1) of this section.
Last updated August 28, 2023 at 10:35 AM