Ohio Rev. Code » Chapter 2909
Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.21 (2026)

Terrorism definitions

✓ current as of May 2026
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Effective:
September 10, 2012
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly
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As used in sections 2909.21 to 2909.31 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Act of terrorism" means an act that is committed within or outside the territorial jurisdiction of this state or the United States, that constitutes a specified offense if committed in this state or constitutes an offense in any jurisdiction within or outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States containing all of the essential elements of a specified offense, and that is intended to do one or more of the following:

(1) Intimidate or coerce a civilian population;

(2) Influence the policy of any government by intimidation or coercion;

(3) Affect the conduct of any government by the act that constitutes the offense.

(B) "Biological agent," "delivery system," "toxin," and "vector" have the same meanings as in section 2917.33 of the Revised Code.

(C) "Biological weapon" means any biological agent, toxin, vector, or delivery system or combination of any biological agent or agents, any toxin or toxins, any vector or vectors, and any delivery system or systems.

(D) "Chemical weapon" means any one or more of the following:

(1) Any toxic chemical or precursor of a toxic chemical that is listed in Schedule 1, Schedule 2, or Schedule 3 of the international "Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (CWC)," as entered into force on April 29, 1997;

(2) A device specifically designed to cause death or other harm through the toxic properties of a toxic chemical or precursor identified in division (D)(1) of this section that would be created or released as a result of the employment of that device;

(3) Any equipment specifically designed for use directly in connection with the employment of devices identified in division (D)(2) of this section.

(E) "Radiological or nuclear weapon" means any device that is designed to create or release radiation or radioactivity at a level that is dangerous to human life or in order to cause serious physical harm to persons as a result of the radiation or radioactivity created or released.

(F) "Explosive device" has the same meaning as in section 2923.11 of the Revised Code.

(G) "Key component of a binary or multicomponent chemical system" means the precursor that plays the most important role in determining the toxic properties of the final product and reacts rapidly with other chemicals in the binary or multicomponent chemical system.

(H) "Material support or resources" means currency, payment instruments, other financial securities, funds, transfer of funds, financial services, communications, lodging, training, safe houses, false documentation or identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances, explosives, personnel, transportation, and other physical assets, except medicine or religious materials.

(I) "Payment instrument" means a check, draft, money order, traveler's check, cashier's check, teller's check, or other instrument or order for the transmission or payment of money, regardless of whether the item in question is negotiable.

(J) "Peace officer" and "prosecutor" have the same meanings as in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code.

(K) "Precursor" means any chemical reactant that takes part at any stage in the production by whatever method of a toxic chemical, including any key component of a binary or multicomponent chemical system.

(L) "Response costs" means all costs a political subdivision incurs as a result of, or in making any response to, a threat of a specified offense made as described in section 2909.23 of the Revised Code or a specified offense committed as described in section 2909.24 of the Revised Code, including, but not limited to, all costs so incurred by any law enforcement officers, firefighters, rescue personnel, or emergency medical services personnel of the political subdivision and all costs so incurred by the political subdivision that relate to laboratory testing or hazardous material cleanup.

(M) "Specified offense" means any of the following:

(1) A felony offense of violence, a violation of section 2909.04, 2909.081, 2909.22, 2909.23, 2909.24, 2909.26, 2909.27, 2909.28, 2909.29, or 2927.24 of the Revised Code, a felony of the first degree that is not a violation of any provision in Chapter 2925. or 3719. of the Revised Code;

(2) An attempt to commit, complicity in committing, or a conspiracy to commit an offense listed in division (M)(1) of this section.

(N) "Toxic chemical" means any chemical that through its chemical action on life processes can cause death or serious physical harm to persons or animals, regardless of its origin or of its method of production and regardless of whether it is produced in facilities, in munitions, or elsewhere.

(O) "Hazardous radioactive substance" means any substance or item that releases or is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1955–2024 · leading case: Godwin v. Facebook, Inc., 2020 Ohio 4834 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020).
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Godwin v. Facebook, Inc., 2020 Ohio 4834 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 2× “R.C. 2909.21(M). Godwin’s allegations with respect to the statutory claim are limited to the conclusions that (1) the “Facebook Defendants were aware of statements made by Mr.”
State v. Carriker, 214 N.E.2d 809 (Ohio Ct. App. 1964). · cites it 4× “However, it is clear from the defendant’s brief that his view of the evidence is obscured by an unduly limited construction of Section 2909.21, Revised Code. Section 2909.”
State ex rel. Triplett v. Ross, 855 N.E.2d 1174 (Ohio 2006). “Conclusion {¶ 57} Triplett presents a sometimes perplexing and internally inconsistent argument in support of his claim for extraordinary relief in prohibition. He first challenged the constitutionality of the Ohio Patriot Act but later abandoned that argument.”
City of Athens v. Bromall, 252 N.E.2d 298 (Ohio Ct. App. 1969). · cites it 2× “Section 2909.21, Bevised Code, states: “No person shall enter without lawful authority upon the land or premises of (mother, or being upon the land or premises of another, upon being notified to depart therefrom by the owner or occupant, or the agent or servant of either,…”
State v. Pirani, 2024 Ohio 3060 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024). “{¶24} A “specified offense” is defined in R.C. 2909.21(M) as including “[a] felony offense of violence * * *.”
City of Hamilton v. Petty, 293 N.E.2d 881 (Ohio Ct. App. 1972). · cites it 6× “This is an appeal from a judgment of the Hamilton Municipal Court of Hamilton, Ohio, wherein that court found the defendant, appellant herein, guilty of “trespassing in violation of Section 2909.21, Ohio Revised Code,” on a complaint or affidavit in which the defendant was…”
City of Cincinnati v. Weaver, 245 F. Supp. 529 (S.D. Ohio 1965). · cites it 2× “In each of the sixteen instances, the petition for removal alleges the charge to have been a violation of Sections 901-A5, 901-D4 and 901-R2 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Cincinnati and Section 2909.21, Revised Code of Ohio. These sections prohibit trespassing upon…”
State v. Ferguson, 135 N.E.2d 884 (Ohio Ct. App. 1955). · cites it 2× “The other charge was for trespass in violation of Section 2909.21, Revised Code. To these charges the defendant entered pleas of not guilty.”
City of Cleveland v. Gunn, 221 N.E.2d 714 (Ohio Ct. App. 1966). · cites it 2× “The defendant, appellant herein, was arrested and charged with the violation of Section 2909.21, Revised Code, that is, “trespassing upon lands or premises of another.”
State v. Roach, 845 N.E.2d 537 (Ohio Ct. App. 2005). “” {¶ 14} R.C. 2909.21 defines “specified offense” as: {¶ 15} “(E) ‘Specified offense’ means any of the following: {¶ 16} “(1) A felony offense of violence, a violation of section 2909.”
State v. Barron, 170 Ohio St. (N.S.) 267 (Ohio 1960). · cites it 2× “Section 2909.21 of the Revised Code of Ohio provides as follows: ‘No person shall enter without lawful authority upon the land or premises of another, or being upon the land or premises of another, upon being notified to depart therefrom by the owner or occupant, or the guest or…”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.21(1) — 1 case
State ex rel. Triplett v. Ross, 855 N.E.2d 1174 (Ohio 2006). “Conclusion {¶ 57} Triplett presents a sometimes perplexing and internally inconsistent argument in support of his claim for extraordinary relief in prohibition. He first challenged the constitutionality of the Ohio Patriot Act but later abandoned that argument.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.21(M) — 2 cases
Godwin v. Facebook, Inc., 2020 Ohio 4834 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020). “R.C. 2909.21(M). Godwin’s allegations with respect to the statutory claim are limited to the conclusions that (1) the “Facebook Defendants were aware of statements made by Mr.”
State v. Pirani, 2024 Ohio 3060 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024). “{¶24} A “specified offense” is defined in R.C. 2909.21(M) as including “[a] felony offense of violence * * *.”
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