The bill amends sections 2151.354, 2152.19, and 2919.24 of the Revised Code to enhance the legal framework addressing truancy and the factors contributing to a child's unruliness or delinquency. Key provisions include granting the court the authority to impose various dispositions on children adjudicated as unruly, such as community control, suspension of driving privileges, and mandatory participation in counseling programs for drug or alcohol abuse. Notably, the bill introduces new language allowing the court to maintain jurisdiction over a child during the subsequent school year to monitor attendance, thereby aiming to improve accountability for habitual truants.

Additionally, the bill outlines the responsibilities of parents or guardians when a child is adjudicated as unruly for habitual truancy, empowering the court to require their participation in community service or truancy prevention mediation programs. It warns that further violations may lead to criminal charges against the parent or guardian. The bill also mandates that if a child is adjudicated as delinquent for violating a court order related to a previous unruly adjudication, the court must warn the responsible parent or guardian of potential criminal charges for future violations. Furthermore, it clarifies that an adjudication of a child as unruly or delinquent is not necessary for a conviction of contributing to a child's unruliness or delinquency, with violations classified as a first-degree misdemeanor.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 2151.354, 2152.19, 2919.24