As Reported by the House Development Committee

136th General Assembly

Regular Session Sub. H. B. No. 291

2025-2026

Representatives Mathews, T., Santucci

Cosponsors: Representatives Williams, Newman, Hoops, Claggett, Thomas, D.

To enact sections 122.67 and 122.671 of the Revised Code to create the Ohio International Trade Commission.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That sections 122.67 and 122.671 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 122.67. (A)(1) The Ohio international trade commission is created. The commission shall, as between Ohio and up to eight regions designated by the commission, advance all of the following:

(a) Multilateral trade and investment;

(b) Joint research agreements on issues of mutual interest, particularly regarding electronic and cyber warfare capabilities;

(c) Business and academic exchanges;

(d) Creation of an international trade center to facilitate collaboration between all regions represented in the commission;

(e) Creation of technology centers to promote collaboration between academic and business interests;

(f) Mutual economic support;

(g) Mutual investment in infrastructure;

(h) Other issues as determined by the commission.

(2) The commission shall designate regions by the following process:

(a) The nonvoting members specified in divisions (B)(4) to (6) of this section shall propose regions to be designated.

(b) The commission shall vote upon each region proposed under division (A)(2)(a) of this section. A region that receives a majority affirmative vote at a meeting of the commission at which a quorum is present is designated.

(3) The commission shall designate up to eight initial regions not later than ninety days after the effective date of this section. The commission may designate new regions every four years subsequent to the initial designations, provided that the total number of different designated regions represented on the commission is not more than eight.

(B) The commission shall consist of the following members:

(1) One member of the senate who is a member of the majority party, appointed by the president of the senate, and one member of the senate who is a member of the minority party, appointed by the president of the senate in consultation with the minority leader of the senate, who have knowledge of, or current or past involvement in, organizations that promote international affairs or have interest in the well-being of trade relations between this state and the regions designated pursuant to division (A) of this section;

(2) One member of the house of representatives who is a member of the majority party, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and one member of the house of representatives who is a member of the minority party, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives in consultation with the minority leader of the house of representatives, who have knowledge of, or current or past involvement in, organizations that promote international affairs or have interest in the well-being of trade relations between this state and the regions designated pursuant to division (A) of this section;

(3) Up to eight members appointed by and with the mutual consent of the nonvoting members specified in divisions (B)(4) to (6) of this section, with the advice and consent of the senate, who shall consist of one member for each region designated by the commission pursuant to division (A) of this section who represents the region-American communities or interests in this state of the member's respective region;

(4) One nonvoting member appointed by the chief executive of the Ohio chamber of commerce who represents the Ohio chamber of commerce, if such individual is available;

(5) One nonvoting member who represents each administrative department, as defined in section 121.01 of the Revised Code, that has a division or office dedicated to international trade issues, including the department of agriculture, appointed by the director of each respective department.

(C) Initial members of the commission shall be appointed not later than ninety days after the effective date of this section. Members of the commission appointed under divisions (B)(1) and (2) of this section shall serve terms of two years or for the remainder of the member's legislative term, whichever is less. Members of the commission appointed under division (B)(3) of this section shall serve terms of four years. Any vacancy on the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

(D) Members of the commission shall serve without compensation.

(E)(1) The commission shall meet and hold hearings at the places it designates throughout the state.

(2) The voting members of the commission shall select a chairperson from among the members of the commission by majority vote. The chairperson may appoint from the commission members of subcommittees and subcommittee chairpersons at the chairperson's discretion.

(3) A majority of the members of the commission, excluding nonvoting members, constitutes a quorum for the transaction of the business of the commission.

(F) The commission shall issue both of the following reports:

(1) Not later than fifteen months after the effective date of this section, and annually thereafter, a report of its activities during the preceding year, and any associated findings and recommendations. The commission shall issue this report to the governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives.

(2) On February 1, 2026, and annually on the first day of February thereafter, a report describing each gift, grant, bequest, or other funding it received in the preceding year, including the source and amount of the funds received. The commission shall issue this report to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the minority leader of the senate, and the minority leader of the house of representatives.

(G) The commission may raise funds through direct solicitation or other fundraising events alone, or with other groups, and accept gifts, grants, and bequests from individuals, corporations, foundations, governmental agencies, and public and private organizations and institutions. The funds, gifts, grants, or bequests received pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the Ohio international trade commission fund, which is created in the state treasury. The commission shall use the fund to defray the commission's administrative expenses and to carry out its purposes set forth in this section and section 122.671 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 122.671. (A)(1) The treasurer of state may, on behalf of the Ohio international trade commission, negotiate the purchase of bonds from regions designated by the commission pursuant to section 122.67 of the Revised Code using funds from the international trade commission fund.

(2) The treasurer of state may purchase a bond pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section if the bond meets both of the following:

(a) The bond is rated in one of the three highest categories by two nationally recognized statistical rating organizations.

(b) The bond is issued by a foreign nation diplomatically recognized by the United States government.

(B) All interest earned from a bond purchased under this section shall be deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the international trade commission fund to be used to advance the issues described in division (A) of section 122.67 of the Revised Code, including by financing trade trips, grants, loans, and other such activities the commission deems appropriate to further the goals of the commission.

(C) The treasurer of state may negotiate to purchase bonds pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section at below-market interest rates if the purpose of the bonds is to fund a megaproject in this state.

(D) As used in this section, "megaproject" has the same meaning as in section 122.17 of the Revised Code.