Sub. H.B. No. 322 Summary

• Creates new offense of "grooming" (Section 2907.071) making it illegal for adults 18+ to engage in patterns of conduct with minors under 16 (or in positions of authority) to entice, coerce, solicit, or prepare them for sexual activity, with penalties ranging from misdemeanor second degree to felony third degree depending on victim age and prior convictions.

• Converts failure to register with the childhood sexual abuse civil registry from a criminal penalty to a civil penalty of up to $2,500, eliminating the residence restriction previously required for registrants.

• Extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting violations of child abuse and neglect reporting requirements to four years from the date of violation.

• Removes criminal penalties for violations of registry requirements and replaces them with civil penalties; allows prosecuting attorneys or aggrieved persons to file civil actions for failures to verify address information.

• Repeals Section 3797.11 of the Revised Code and amends Sections 2901.13, 3797.01, 3797.04, 3797.10, and 3797.12 to implement these changes to the civil registry system.