The bill amends section 2909.05 of the Revised Code to enhance protections for memorial structures by explicitly prohibiting the unlawful removal of items or adornments from tombs, monuments, gravestones, or similar structures used as memorials for the deceased. The new language inserted into the law states that no person, without privilege, shall purposely remove any item or adornment from these memorials, and clarifies that any items left at or placed on these structures shall not be considered abandoned property.

Additionally, the bill maintains existing prohibitions against causing serious physical harm to these memorial structures and related properties, while categorizing violations as vandalism with varying degrees of felony charges based on the value of the property harmed. The bill aims to strengthen the legal framework surrounding the protection of burial sites and memorials, ensuring respect for the deceased and their commemorative spaces.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 2909.05