Current Version
| Region | Ohio |
| Issue | Homosexual activity |
| Status | Legal |
| Start Date | Jan 1, 1974 |
| End Date | (none) |
| Description | In 1974, Ohio repealed its sodomy and solicitation laws. However, the sex offender registration law was not repealed, and a new solicitation law was adopted that said "no person shall solicit a person of the same sex for sexual activity with the offender, when the offender knows such solicitation is offensive to the other person, or is reckless in that regard." The penalty was up to 6 months imprisonment and/or a fine of $1,000. However, the solicitation law required that the solicited person be offended by the solicitor and if they were not, regardless of if it was between two people of the same sex, it was not to be considered a crime. In 2002, in the case of State v. Thompson, the Supreme Court of Ohio found that the solicitation law was unconstitutional. The decision also removed the provision of the sex offender registration law that required registration by people convicted two or more times under the offensive solicitation law. |
| Sources | https://www.glapn.org/sodomylaws/sensibilities/ohio.htm |
Revision History (1)
created by Unknownmiles
Helpful?
0 | Original entry | |
|---|---|
| Status | Legal |
| Start Date | Jan 1, 1974 |
| End Date | (none) |
| Description | In 1974, Ohio repealed its sodomy and solicitation laws. However, the sex offender registration law was not repealed, and a new solicitation law was adopted that said "no person shall solicit a person of the same sex for sexual activity with the offender, when the offender knows such solicitation is offensive to the other person, or is reckless in that regard." The penalty was up to 6 months imprisonment and/or a fine of $1,000. However, the solicitation law required that the solicited person be offended by the solicitor and if they were not, regardless of if it was between two people of the same sex, it was not to be considered a crime. In 2002, in the case of State v. Thompson, the Supreme Court of Ohio found that the solicitation law was unconstitutional. The decision also removed the provision of the sex offender registration law that required registration by people convicted two or more times under the offensive solicitation law. |
| Sources | https://www.glapn.org/sodomylaws/sensibilities/ohio.htm |