As Reported by the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee

133rd General Assembly

Regular Session Am. S. B. No. 107

2019-2020

Senator Rulli

Cosponsors: Senators Brenner, Eklund, Antonio, Sykes, Fedor, Roegner, Coley, Hoagland, Huffman, M.

A BILL

To amend sections 3517.10, 3517.105, 3517.106, 3517.1011, and 3517.11 of the Revised Code to allow certain entities to file campaign finance statements electronically and to require the Secretary of State to make the information in those electronic statements available online.

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

Section 1. That sections 3517.10, 3517.105, 3517.106, 3517.1011, and 3517.11 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 3517.10. (A) Except as otherwise provided in this division, every campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, and political contributing entity that made or received a contribution or made an expenditure in connection with the nomination or election of any candidate or in connection with any ballot issue or question at any election held or to be held in this state shall file, on a form prescribed under this section or by electronic means of transmission as provided in this section and section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, a full, true, and itemized statement, made under penalty of election falsification, setting forth in detail the contributions and expenditures, not later than four p.m. of the following dates:

(1) The twelfth day before the election to reflect contributions received and expenditures made from the close of business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed statement, if any, to the close of business on the twentieth day before the election;

(2) The thirty-eighth day after the election to reflect the contributions received and expenditures made from the close of business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed statement, if any, to the close of business on the seventh day before the filing of the statement;

(3) The last business day of January of every year to reflect the contributions received and expenditures made from the close of business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed statement, if any, to the close of business on the last day of December of the previous year;

(4) The last business day of July of every year to reflect the contributions received and expenditures made from the close of business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed statement, if any, to the close of business on the last day of June of that year.

A campaign committee shall only be required to file the statements prescribed under divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this section in connection with the nomination or election of the committee's candidate.

The statement required under division (A)(1) of this section shall not be required of any campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity that has received contributions of less than one thousand dollars and has made expenditures of less than one thousand dollars at the close of business on the twentieth day before the election. Those contributions and expenditures shall be reported in the statement required under division (A)(2) of this section.

If an election to select candidates to appear on the general election ballot is held within sixty days before a general election, the campaign committee of a successful candidate in the earlier election may file the statement required by division (A)(1) of this section for the general election instead of the statement required by division (A)(2) of this section for the earlier election if the pregeneral election statement reflects the status of contributions and expenditures for the period twenty days before the earlier election to twenty days before the general election.

If a person becomes a candidate less than twenty days before an election, the candidate's campaign committee is not required to file the statement required by division (A)(1) of this section.

No statement under division (A)(3) of this section shall be required for any year in which a campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity is required to file a postgeneral election statement under division (A)(2) of this section. However, a statement under division (A)(3) of this section may be filed, at the option of the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity.

No campaign committee of a candidate for the office of chief justice or justice of the supreme court, and no campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of any court in this state, shall be required to file a statement under division (A)(4) of this section.

Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph and in the next paragraph of this section, the only campaign committees required to file a statement under division (A)(4) of this section are the campaign committee of a statewide candidate and the campaign committee of a candidate for county office. The campaign committee of a candidate for any other nonjudicial office is required to file a statement under division (A)(4) of this section if that campaign committee receives, during that period, contributions exceeding ten thousand dollars.

No statement under division (A)(4) of this section shall be required of a campaign committee, a political action committee, a legislative campaign fund, a political party, or a political contributing entity for any year in which the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity is required to file a postprimary election statement under division (A)(2) of this section. However, a statement under division (A)(4) of this section may be filed at the option of the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity.

No statement under division (A)(3) or (4) of this section shall be required if the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity has no contributions that it has received and no expenditures that it has made since the last date reflected in its last previously filed statement. However, the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity shall file a statement to that effect, on a form prescribed under this section and made under penalty of election falsification, on the date required in division (A)(3) or (4) of this section, as applicable.

The campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall file a monthly statement of contributions received during each of the months of July, August, and September in the year of the general election in which the candidate seeks office. The campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall file the monthly statement not later than three business days after the last day of the month covered by the statement. During the period beginning on the nineteenth day before the general election in which a statewide candidate seeks election to office and extending through the day of that general election, each time the campaign committee of the joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor or of a candidate for the office of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, or attorney general receives a contribution from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount of contributions received from that contributor during that period to equal or exceed ten thousand dollars and each time the campaign committee of a candidate for the office of chief justice or justice of the supreme court receives a contribution from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount of contributions received from that contributor during that period to exceed ten thousand dollars, the campaign committee shall file a two-business-day statement reflecting that contribution. Contributions reported on a two-business-day statement required to be filed by a campaign committee of a statewide candidate in a primary election shall also be included in the postprimary election statement required to be filed by that campaign committee under division (A)(2) of this section. A two-business-day statement required by this paragraph shall be filed not later than two business days after receipt of the contribution. The statements required by this paragraph shall be filed in addition to any other statements required by this section.

Subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the secretary of state prescribes pursuant to divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of this section and division (H)(F)(1) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission, a campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall file a two-business-day statement under the preceding paragraph by electronic means of transmission if the campaign committee is required to file a pre-election, postelection, or monthly statement of contributions and expenditures by electronic means of transmission under this section or section 3517.106 of the Revised Code.

If a campaign committee or political action committee has no balance on hand and no outstanding obligations and desires to terminate itself, it shall file a statement to that effect, on a form prescribed under this section and made under penalty of election falsification, with the official with whom it files a statement under division (A) of this section after filing a final statement of contributions and a final statement of expenditures, if contributions have been received or expenditures made since the period reflected in its last previously filed statement.

(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(7) of this section, each statement required by division (A) of this section shall contain the following information:

(1) The full name and address of each campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity, including any treasurer of the committee, fund, party, or entity, filing a contribution and expenditure statement;

(2)(a) In the case of a campaign committee, the candidate's full name and address;

(b) In the case of a political action committee, the registration number assigned to the committee under division (D)(1) of this section.

(3) The date of the election and whether it was or will be a general, primary, or special election;

(4) A statement of contributions received, which shall include the following information:

(a) The month, day, and year of the contribution;

(b)(i) The full name and address of each person, political party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or political contributing entity from whom contributions are received and the registration number assigned to the political action committee under division (D)(1) of this section. The requirement of filing the full address does not apply to any statement filed by a state or local committee of a political party, to a finance committee of such committee, or to a committee recognized by a state or local committee as its fund-raising auxiliary. Notwithstanding division (F) of this section, the requirement of filing the full address shall be considered as being met if the address filed is the same address the contributor provided under division (E)(1) of this section.

(ii) If a political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party that is required to file campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission under section 3517.106 of the Revised Code or a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or candidate for the office of member of the general assembly receives a contribution from an individual that exceeds one hundred dollars, the name of the individual's current employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the individual's occupation and the name of the individual's business, if any;

(iii) If a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or candidate for the office of member of the general assembly receives a contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and salaries of two or more employees that exceeds in the aggregate one hundred dollars during any one filing period under division (A)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section, the full name of the employees' employer and the full name of the labor organization of which the employees are members, if any.

(c) A description of the contribution received, if other than money;

(d) The value in dollars and cents of the contribution;

(e) A separately itemized account of all contributions and expenditures regardless of the amount, except a receipt of a contribution from a person in the sum of twenty-five dollars or less at one social or fund-raising activity and a receipt of a contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and salaries of employees if the contribution from the amount deducted from the wages and salary of any one employee is twenty-five dollars or less aggregated in a calendar year. An account of the total contributions from each social or fund-raising activity shall include a description of and the value of each in-kind contribution received at that activity from any person who made one or more such contributions whose aggregate value exceeded two hundred fifty dollars and shall be listed separately, together with the expenses incurred and paid in connection with that activity. A campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity shall keep records of contributions from each person in the amount of twenty-five dollars or less at one social or fund-raising activity and contributions from amounts deducted under section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from the wages and salary of each employee in the amount of twenty-five dollars or less aggregated in a calendar year. No continuing association that is recognized by a state or local committee of a political party as an auxiliary of the party and that makes a contribution from funds derived solely from regular dues paid by members of the auxiliary shall be required to list the name or address of any members who paid those dues.

Contributions that are other income shall be itemized separately from all other contributions. The information required under division (B)(4) of this section shall be provided for all other income itemized. As used in this paragraph, "other income" means a loan, investment income, or interest income.

(f) In the case of a campaign committee of a state elected officer, if a person doing business with the state elected officer in the officer's official capacity makes a contribution to the campaign committee of that officer, the information required under division (B)(4) of this section in regard to that contribution, which shall be filed together with and considered a part of the committee's statement of contributions as required under division (A) of this section but shall be filed on a separate form provided by the secretary of state. As used in this division:

(i) "State elected officer" has the same meaning as in section 3517.092 of the Revised Code.

(ii) "Person doing business" means a person or an officer of an entity who enters into one or more contracts with a state elected officer or anyone authorized to enter into contracts on behalf of that officer to receive payments for goods or services, if the payments total, in the aggregate, more than five thousand dollars during a calendar year.

(5) A statement of expenditures which shall include the following information:

(a) The month, day, and year of the expenditure;

(b) The full name and address of each person, political party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or political contributing entity to whom the expenditure was made and the registration number assigned to the political action committee under division (D)(1) of this section;

(c) The object or purpose for which the expenditure was made;

(d) The amount of each expenditure.

(C)(1) The statement of contributions and expenditures shall be signed by the person completing the form. If a statement of contributions and expenditures is filed by electronic means of transmission pursuant to this section or section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, the electronic signature of the person who executes the statement and transmits the statement by electronic means of transmission, as provided in division (H) (F) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, shall be attached to or associated with the statement and shall be binding on all persons and for all purposes under the campaign finance reporting law as if the signature had been handwritten in ink on a printed form.

(2) The person filing the statement, under penalty of election falsification, shall include with it a list of each anonymous contribution, the circumstances under which it was received, and the reason it cannot be attributed to a specific donor.

(3) Each statement of a campaign committee of a candidate who holds public office shall contain a designation of each contributor who is an employee in any unit or department under the candidate's direct supervision and control. In a space provided in the statement, the person filing the statement shall affirm that each such contribution was voluntarily made.

(4) A campaign committee that did not receive contributions or make expenditures in connection with the nomination or election of its candidate shall file a statement to that effect, on a form prescribed under this section and made under penalty of election falsification, on the date required in division (A)(2) of this section.

(5) The campaign committee of any person who attempts to become a candidate and who, for any reason, does not become certified in accordance with Title XXXV of the Revised Code for placement on the official ballot of a primary, general, or special election to be held in this state, and who, at any time prior to or after an election, receives contributions or makes expenditures, or has given consent for another to receive contributions or make expenditures, for the purpose of bringing about the person's nomination or election to public office, shall file the statement or statements prescribed by this section and a termination statement, if applicable. Division (C)(5) of this section does not apply to any person with respect to an election to the offices of member of a county or state central committee, presidential elector, or delegate to a national convention or conference of a political party.

(6)(a) The statements required to be filed under this section shall specify the balance in the hands of the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity and the disposition intended to be made of that balance.

(b) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form for all statements required to be filed under this section and shall furnish the forms to the boards of elections in the several counties. The boards of elections shall supply printed copies of those forms without charge. The secretary of state shall prescribe the appropriate methodology, protocol, and data file structure for statements required or permitted to be filed by electronic means of transmission to the secretary of state or a board of elections under division (A) of this section, divisions division (E), (F), and (G) of section 3517.106, division (D) of section 3517.1011, division (B) of section 3517.1012, division (C) of section 3517.1013, and divisions (D) and (I) of section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code. Subject to division (A) of this section, divisions division (E), (F), and (G) of section 3517.106, division (D) of section 3517.1011, division (B) of section 3517.1012, division (C) of section 3517.1013, and divisions (D) and (I) of section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code, the statements required to be stored on computer by the secretary of state under division (B) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code shall be filed in whatever format the secretary of state considers necessary to enable the secretary of state to store the information contained in the statements on computer. Any such format shall be of a type and nature that is readily available to whoever is required to file the statements in that format.

(c) The secretary of state shall assess the need for training regarding the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission and regarding associated technologies for candidates, campaign committees, political action committees, legislative campaign funds, political parties, or political contributing entities, for individuals, partnerships, or other entities, for persons making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, or for treasurers of transition funds, required or permitted to file statements by electronic means of transmission under this section or section 3517.105, 3517.106, 3517.1011, 3517.1012, 3517.1013, or 3517.1014 of the Revised Code. If, in the opinion of the secretary of state, training in these areas is necessary, the secretary of state shall arrange for the provision of voluntary training programs for candidates, campaign committees, political action committees, legislative campaign funds, political parties, or political contributing entities, for individuals, partnerships, and other entities, for persons making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, or for treasurers of transition funds, as appropriate.

(7) Each monthly statement and each two-business-day statement required by division (A) of this section shall contain the information required by divisions (B)(1) to (4), (C)(2), and, if appropriate, (C)(3) of this section. Each statement shall be signed as required by division (C)(1) of this section.

(D)(1) Prior to receiving a contribution or making an expenditure, every campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity shall appoint a treasurer and shall file, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, a designation of that appointment, including the full name and address of the treasurer and of the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity. That designation shall be filed with the official with whom the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity is required to file statements under section 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The name of a campaign committee shall include at least the last name of the campaign committee's candidate. If two or more candidates are the beneficiaries of a single campaign committee under division (B) of section 3517.081 of the Revised Code, the name of the campaign committee shall include at least the last name of each candidate who is a beneficiary of that campaign committee. The secretary of state shall assign a registration number to each political action committee that files a designation of the appointment of a treasurer under this division if the political action committee is required by division (A)(1) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code to file the statements prescribed by this section with the secretary of state.

(2) The treasurer appointed under division (D)(1) of this section shall keep a strict account of all contributions, from whom received and the purpose for which they were disbursed.

(3)(a) Except as otherwise provided in section 3517.108 of the Revised Code, a campaign committee shall deposit all monetary contributions received by the committee into an account separate from a personal or business account of the candidate or campaign committee.

(b) A political action committee shall deposit all monetary contributions received by the committee into an account separate from all other funds.

(c) A state or county political party may establish a state candidate fund that is separate from an account that contains the public moneys received from the Ohio political party fund under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code and from all other funds. A state or county political party may deposit into its state candidate fund any amounts of monetary contributions that are made to or accepted by the political party subject to the applicable limitations, if any, prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code. A state or county political party shall deposit all other monetary contributions received by the party into one or more accounts that are separate from its state candidate fund and from its account that contains the public moneys received from the Ohio political party fund under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code.

(d) Each state political party shall have only one legislative campaign fund for each house of the general assembly. Each such fund shall be separate from any other funds or accounts of that state party. A legislative campaign fund is authorized to receive contributions and make expenditures for the primary purpose of furthering the election of candidates who are members of that political party to the house of the general assembly with which that legislative campaign fund is associated. Each legislative campaign fund shall be administered and controlled in a manner designated by the caucus. As used in this division, "caucus" has the same meaning as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code and includes, as an ex officio member, the chairperson of the state political party with which the caucus is associated or that chairperson's designee.

(4) Every expenditure in excess of twenty-five dollars shall be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the expenditure, that shall be filed with the statement of expenditures. A canceled check with a notation of the purpose of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of division (D)(4) of this section.

(5) The secretary of state or the board of elections, as the case may be, shall issue a receipt for each statement filed under this section and shall preserve a copy of the receipt for a period of at least six years. All statements filed under this section shall be open to public inspection in the office where they are filed and shall be carefully preserved for a period of at least six years after the year in which they are filed.

(6) The secretary of state, by rule adopted pursuant to section 3517.23 of the Revised Code, shall prescribe both of the following:

(a) The manner of immediately acknowledging, with date and time received, and preserving the receipt of statements that are transmitted by electronic means of transmission to the secretary of state or a board of elections pursuant to this section or section 3517.106, 3517.1011, 3517.1012, 3517.1013, or 3517.1014 of the Revised Code;

(b) The manner of preserving the contribution and expenditure, contribution and disbursement, deposit and disbursement, gift and disbursement, or donation and disbursement information in the statements described in division (D)(6)(a) of this section. The secretary of state shall preserve the contribution and expenditure, contribution and disbursement, deposit and disbursement, gift and disbursement, or donation and disbursement information in those statements for at least ten years after the year in which they are filed by electronic means of transmission.

(7)(a) The secretary of state, pursuant to division (I) (G) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, shall make available online to the public through the internet the contribution and expenditure, contribution and disbursement, deposit and disbursement, gift and disbursement, or donation and disbursement information in all of the following documents:

(i) All statements, all addenda, amendments, or other corrections to statements, and all amended statements filed with the secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission under this section, division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105, or section 3517.106, 3517.1011, 3517.1012, 3517.1013, 3517.1014, or 3517.11 of the Revised Code;

(ii) All statements filed with a board of elections by electronic means of transmission, and all addenda, amendments, corrections, and amended versions of those statements, filed with the board under this section, division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105, or section 3517.106, 3517.1012, or 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The

(b) The secretary of state may remove the information from the internet after a reasonable period of time.

(E)(1) Any person, political party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or political contributing entity that makes a contribution in connection with the nomination or election of any candidate or in connection with any ballot issue or question at any election held or to be held in this state shall provide its full name and address to the recipient of the contribution at the time the contribution is made. The political action committee also shall provide the registration number assigned to the committee under division (D)(1) of this section to the recipient of the contribution at the time the contribution is made.

(2) Any individual who makes a contribution that exceeds one hundred dollars to a political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party or to a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or candidate for the office of member of the general assembly shall provide the name of the individual's current employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the individual's occupation and the name of the individual's business, if any, to the recipient of the contribution at the time the contribution is made. Sections 3599.39 and 3599.40 of the Revised Code do not apply to division (E)(2) of this section.

(3) If a campaign committee shows that it has exercised its best efforts to obtain, maintain, and submit the information required under divisions (B)(4)(b)(ii) and (iii) of this section, that committee is considered to have met the requirements of those divisions. A campaign committee shall not be considered to have exercised its best efforts unless, in connection with written solicitations, it regularly includes a written request for the information required under division (B)(4)(b)(ii) of this section from the contributor or the information required under division (B)(4)(b)(iii) of this section from whoever transmits the contribution.

(4) Any check that a political action committee uses to make a contribution or an expenditure shall contain the full name and address of the committee and the registration number assigned to the committee under division (D)(1) of this section.

(F) As used in this section:

(1)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (F)(1) of this section, "address" means all of the following if they exist: apartment number, street, road, or highway name and number, rural delivery route number, city or village, state, and zip code as used in a person's post-office address, but not post-office box.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in division (F)(1) of this section, if an address is required in this section, a post-office box and office, room, or suite number may be included in addition to, but not in lieu of, an apartment, street, road, or highway name and number.

(c) If an address is required in this section, a campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity may use the business or residence address of its treasurer or deputy treasurer. The post-office box number of the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity may be used in addition to that address.

(d) For the sole purpose of a campaign committee's reporting of contributions on a statement of contributions received under division (B)(4) of this section, "address" has one of the following meanings at the option of the campaign committee:

(i) The same meaning as in division (F)(1)(a) of this section;

(ii) All of the following, if they exist: the contributor's post-office box number and city or village, state, and zip code as used in the contributor's post-office address.

(e) As used with regard to the reporting under this section of any expenditure, "address" means all of the following if they exist: apartment number, street, road, or highway name and number, rural delivery route number, city or village, state, and zip code as used in a person's post-office address, or post-office box. If an address concerning any expenditure is required in this section, a campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity may use the business or residence address of its treasurer or deputy treasurer or its post-office box number.

(2) "Statewide candidate" means the joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor or a candidate for the office of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state board of education, chief justice of the supreme court, or justice of the supreme court.

(3) "Candidate for county office" means a candidate for the office of county auditor, county treasurer, clerk of the court of common pleas, judge of the court of common pleas, sheriff, county recorder, county engineer, county commissioner, prosecuting attorney, or coroner.

(G) An independent expenditure shall be reported whenever and in the same manner that an expenditure is required to be reported under this section and shall be reported pursuant to division (B)(2)(a) or (C)(2)(a) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code.

(H)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(2) of this section, if, during the combined pre-election and postelection reporting periods for an election, a campaign committee has received contributions of five hundred dollars or less and has made expenditures in the total amount of five hundred dollars or less, it may file a statement to that effect, under penalty of election falsification, in lieu of the statement required by division (A)(2) of this section. The statement shall indicate the total amount of contributions received and the total amount of expenditures made during those combined reporting periods.

(2) In the case of a successful candidate at a primary election, if either the total contributions received by or the total expenditures made by the candidate's campaign committee during the preprimary, postprimary, pregeneral, and postgeneral election periods combined equal more than five hundred dollars, the campaign committee may file the statement under division (H)(1) of this section only for the primary election. The first statement that the campaign committee files in regard to the general election shall reflect all contributions received and all expenditures made during the preprimary and postprimary election periods.

(3) Divisions (H)(1) and (2) of this section do not apply if a campaign committee receives contributions or makes expenditures prior to the first day of January of the year of the election at which the candidate seeks nomination or election to office or if the campaign committee does not file a termination statement with its postprimary election statement in the case of an unsuccessful primary election candidate or with its postgeneral election statement in the case of other candidates.

(I) In the case of a contribution made by a partner of a partnership or an owner or a member of another unincorporated business from any funds of the partnership or other unincorporated business, all of the following apply:

(1) The recipient of the contribution shall report the contribution by listing both the partnership or other unincorporated business and the name of the partner, owner, or member making the contribution.

(2) In reporting the contribution, the recipient of the contribution shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon the information provided by the partnership or other unincorporated business, provided that the information includes one of the following:

(a) The name of each partner, owner, or member as of the date of the contribution or contributions, and a statement that the total contributions are to be allocated equally among all of the partners, owners, or members; or

(b) The name of each partner, owner, or member as of the date of the contribution or contributions who is participating in the contribution or contributions, and a statement that the contribution or contributions are to be allocated to those individuals in accordance with the information provided by the partnership or other unincorporated business to the recipient of the contribution.

(3) For purposes of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, the contribution shall be considered to have been made by the partner, owner, or member reported under division (I)(1) of this section.

(4) No contribution from a partner of a partnership or an owner or a member of another unincorporated business shall be accepted from any funds of the partnership or other unincorporated business unless the recipient reports the contribution under division (I)(1) of this section together with the information provided under division (I)(2) of this section.

(5) No partnership or other unincorporated business shall make a contribution or contributions solely in the name of the partnership or other unincorporated business.

(6) As used in division (I) of this section, "partnership or other unincorporated business" includes, but is not limited to, a cooperative, a sole proprietorship, a general partnership, a limited partnership, a limited partnership association, a limited liability partnership, and a limited liability company.

(J) A candidate shall have only one campaign committee at any given time for all of the offices for which the person is a candidate or holds office.

(K)(1) In addition to filing a designation of appointment of a treasurer under division (D)(1) of this section, the campaign committee of any candidate for an elected municipal office that pays an annual amount of compensation of five thousand dollars or less, the campaign committee of any candidate for member of a board of education except member of the state board of education, or the campaign committee of any candidate for township trustee or township fiscal officer may sign, under penalty of election falsification, a certificate attesting that the committee will not accept contributions during an election period that exceed in the aggregate two thousand dollars from all contributors and one hundred dollars from any one individual, and that the campaign committee will not make expenditures during an election period that exceed in the aggregate two thousand dollars.

The certificate shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and shall be filed not later than ten days after the candidate files a declaration of candidacy and petition, a nominating petition, or a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (K)(3) of this section, a campaign committee that files a certificate under division (K)(1) of this section is not required to file the statements required by division (A) of this section.

(3) If, after filing a certificate under division (K)(1) of this section, a campaign committee exceeds any of the limitations described in that division during an election period, the certificate is void and thereafter the campaign committee shall file the statements required by division (A) of this section. If the campaign committee has not previously filed a statement, then on the first statement the campaign committee is required to file under division (A) of this section after the committee's certificate is void, the committee shall report all contributions received and expenditures made from the time the candidate filed the candidate's declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate.

(4) As used in division (K) of this section, "election period" means the period of time beginning on the day a person files a declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate through the day of the election at which the person seeks nomination to office if the person is not elected to office, or, if the candidate was nominated in a primary election, the day of the election at which the candidate seeks office.

(L) A political contributing entity that receives contributions from the dues, membership fees, or other assessments of its members or from its officers, shareholders, and employees may report the aggregate amount of contributions received from those contributors and the number of individuals making those contributions, for each filing period under divisions (A)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, rather than reporting information as required under division (B)(4) of this section, including, when applicable, the name of the current employer, if any, of a contributor whose contribution exceeds one hundred dollars or, if such a contributor is self-employed, the contributor's occupation and the name of the contributor's business, if any. Division (B)(4) of this section applies to a political contributing entity with regard to contributions it receives from all other contributors.

Sec. 3517.105. (A)(1) As used in this section, "public political advertising" means advertising to the general public through a broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, poster, yard sign, or outdoor advertising facility, by direct mail, or by any other means of advertising to the general public.

(2) For purposes of this section and section 3517.20 of the Revised Code, a person is a member of a political action committee if the person makes one or more contributions to that political action committee, and a person is a member of a political contributing entity if the person makes one or more contributions to, or pays dues, membership fees, or other assessments to, that political contributing entity.

(B)(1) Whenever a candidate, a campaign committee, a political action committee or political contributing entity with ten or more members, or a legislative campaign fund makes an independent expenditure, or whenever a political action committee or political contributing entity with fewer than ten members makes an independent expenditure in excess of one hundred dollars for a local candidate, in excess of two hundred fifty dollars for a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly, or in excess of five hundred dollars for a statewide candidate, for the purpose of financing communications advocating the election or defeat of an identified candidate or solicits without the candidate's express consent a contribution for or against an identified candidate through public political advertising, a statement shall appear or be presented in a clear and conspicuous manner in the advertising that does both of the following:

(a) Clearly indicates that the communication or public political advertising is not authorized by the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee;

(b) Clearly identifies the candidate, campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, or legislative campaign fund that has paid for the communication or public political advertising in accordance with section 3517.20 of the Revised Code.

(2)(a) Whenever any campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, political contributing entity, or political party makes an independent expenditure in support of or opposition to any candidate, the committee, entity, fund, or party shall report the independent expenditure and identify the candidate on a statement prescribed by the secretary of state and filed by the committee, entity, fund, or party as part of its statement of contributions and expenditures pursuant to division (A) of section 3517.10 and division (A) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code.

(b) Whenever any individual, partnership, or other entity, except a corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, political contributing entity, or political party, makes one or more independent expenditures in support of or opposition to any candidate, the individual, partnership, or other entity shall file with the secretary of state in the case of a statewide candidate, or with the board of elections in the county in which the candidate files the candidate's petitions for nomination or election for district or local office, not later than the dates specified in divisions (A)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, and, except as otherwise provided in that section, a statement itemizing all independent expenditures made during the period since the close of business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed such statement, if any. The statement shall be made on a form prescribed by the secretary of state or shall be filed by electronic means of transmission pursuant to division (G) (E) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code as authorized or required by that division. The statement shall indicate the date and the amount of each independent expenditure and the candidate on whose behalf it was made and shall be made under penalty of election falsification.

(C)(1) Whenever a corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, political action committee with ten or more members, or legislative campaign fund makes an independent expenditure, or whenever a political action committee with fewer than ten members makes an independent expenditure in excess of one hundred dollars for a local ballot issue or question, or in excess of five hundred dollars for a statewide ballot issue or question, for the purpose of financing communications advocating support of or opposition to an identified ballot issue or question or solicits without the express consent of the ballot issue committee a contribution for or against an identified ballot issue or question through public political advertising, a statement shall appear or be presented in a clear and conspicuous manner in the advertising that does both of the following:

(a) Clearly indicates that the communication or public political advertising is not authorized by the identified ballot issue committee;

(b) Clearly identifies the corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political action committee that has paid for the communication or public political advertising in accordance with section 3517.20 of the Revised Code.

(2)(a) Whenever any corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political action committee makes an independent expenditure in support of or opposition to any ballot issue or question, the corporation or labor organization shall report the independent expenditure in accordance with division (C) of section 3599.03 of the Revised Code, and the campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political action committee shall report the independent expenditure and identify the ballot issue or question on a statement prescribed by the secretary of state and filed by the committee, fund, or party as part of its statement of contributions and expenditures pursuant to division (A) of section 3517.10 and division (A) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code.

(b) Whenever any individual, partnership, or other entity, except a corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or political party, makes one or more independent expenditures in excess of one hundred dollars in support of or opposition to any ballot issue or question, the individual, partnership, or other entity shall file with the secretary of state in the case of a statewide ballot issue or question, or with the board of elections in the county that certifies the issue or question for placement on the ballot in the case of a district or local issue or question, not later than the dates specified in divisions (A)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, and, except as otherwise provided in that section, a statement itemizing all independent expenditures made during the period since the close of business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed such statement, if any. The statement shall be made on a form prescribed by the secretary of state or shall be filed by electronic means of transmission pursuant to division (G) (E) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code as authorized or required by that division. The statement shall indicate the date and the amount of each independent expenditure and the ballot issue or question in support of or opposition to which it was made and shall be made under penalty of election falsification.

(3) No person, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, corporation, labor organization, or other organization or association shall use or cause to be used a false or fictitious name in making an independent expenditure in support of or opposition to any candidate or any ballot issue or question. A name is false or fictitious if the person, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, corporation, labor organization, or other organization or association does not actually exist or operate, if the corporation, labor organization, or other organization or association has failed to file a fictitious name or other registration with the secretary of state, if it is required to do so, or if the person, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political action committee has failed to file a designation of the appointment of a treasurer, if it is required to do so by division (D)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

(D) Any expenditure by a political party for the purpose of financing communications advocating the election or defeat of a candidate for judicial office shall be deemed to be an independent expenditure subject to the provisions of this section.

Sec. 3517.106. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Statewide office" means any of the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, attorney general, chief justice of the supreme court, and justice of the supreme court.

(2) "Addendum to a statement" includes an amendment or other correction to that statement.

(B)(1) The secretary of state shall store all of the following information on computer the :

(1) The information contained in statements of contributions and expenditures and monthly statements required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and in statements of independent expenditures required to be filed under section 3517.105 of the Revised Code by any of the following:

(a) The campaign committees of candidates for statewide office;

(b) The political action committees and political contributing entities described in division (A)(1) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code;

(c) Legislative campaign funds;

(d) State political parties;

(e) Individuals, partnerships, corporations, labor organizations, or other entities that make independent expenditures in support of or opposition to a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot issue or question;

(f) The campaign committees of candidates for the office of member of the general assembly;

(g) County political parties, with respect to their state candidate funds. with the secretary of state and the information transmitted to the secretary of state by boards of elections under division (E)(2) of this section;

(2) The secretary of state shall store on computer the information contained in disclosure of electioneering communications statements required to be filed under section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.;

(3) The secretary of state shall store on computer the information contained in deposit and disbursement statements required to be filed with the office of the secretary of state under section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code.;

(4) The secretary of state shall store on computer the gift and disbursement information contained in statements required to be filed with the office of the secretary of state under section 3517.1013 of the Revised Code.;

(5) The secretary of state shall store on computer the information contained in donation and disbursement statements required to be filed with the office of the secretary of state under section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1) The secretary of state shall make available to the campaign committees, political action committees, political contributing entities, legislative campaign funds, political parties, individuals, partnerships, corporations, labor organizations, treasurers of transition funds, and other entities described in division (B) of this section that are permitted or required to file statements by electronic means of transmission, and to members of the news media and other interested persons, for a reasonable fee, computer programs that are compatible with the secretary of state's method of storing the information contained in the statements.

(2) The secretary of state shall make the information required to be stored under division (B) of this section available on computer at the secretary of state's office so that, to the maximum extent feasible, individuals may obtain at the secretary of state's office any part or all of that information for any given year, subject to the limitation expressed in division (D) of this section.

(D) The secretary of state shall keep the information stored on computer under division (B) of this section for at least six years.

(E)(1) Subject to division (L) (J) of this section and subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(F)(1) of this section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission, the each of the following entities shall be permitted or required to file statements by electronic means of transmission, as applicable:

(a) The campaign committee of each candidate for statewide office may file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission or, if the total amount of the contributions received or the total amount of the expenditures made by the campaign committee for the applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars, shall file those statements by electronic means of transmission.

(b) A campaign committee of a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or a campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals may file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code in accordance with division (A)(2) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code or by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state or, if the total amount of the contributions received by the campaign committee for the applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars, shall file those statements by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state.

(c) A campaign committee of a candidate for an office other than a statewide office, the office of member of the general assembly, or the office of judge of a court of appeals may file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission to the secretary of state or the board of elections, as applicable.

(d) A political action committee and a political contributing entity described in division (A)(1) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, a legislative campaign fund, and a state political party may file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state or, if the total amount of the contributions received or the total amount of the expenditures made by the political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or state political party for the applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars, shall file those statements by electronic means of transmission.

(e) A county political party shall file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with respect to its state candidate fund by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state.

(f) A county political party may file all other statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission to the board of elections.

(g) A political action committee or political contributing entity described in division (A)(3) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code may file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission to the board of elections.

(h) Any individual, partnership, or other entity that makes independent expenditures in support of or opposition to a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot issue or question as provided in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code may file the statement specified in that division by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state or, if the total amount of independent expenditures made during the reporting period under that division exceeds ten thousand dollars, shall file the statement specified in that division by electronic means of transmission.

(i) Any individual, partnership, or other entity that makes independent expenditures in support of or opposition to a candidate or ballot issue other than a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot issue as provided in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code may file the statement specified in that division by electronic means of transmission to the board of elections.

(2) A board of elections that receives a statement by electronic means of transmission shall transmit that statement to the secretary of state within five business days after receiving the statement. If the board receives an addendum or an amended statement from an entity that filed a statement with the board by electronic means of transmission, the board shall transmit the addendum or amended statement to the secretary of state not later than the close of business on the day the board received the addendum or amended statement.

(3)(a) Except as otherwise provided in this division (E)(3)(b) of this section, within five business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a candidate for statewide office under division (E)(1) of this section is received by the secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary of state shall make available online to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) (G) of this section, the contribution and expenditure information in that statement. The

(b) The secretary of state shall not make available online to the public through the internet any contribution or expenditure information contained in a statement for any candidate until the secretary of state is able to make available online to the public through the internet the contribution and expenditure information for all candidates for a particular office, or until the applicable filing deadline for that statement has passed, whichever is sooner. As soon as the secretary of state has available all of the contribution and expenditure information for all candidates for a particular office, or as soon as the applicable filing deadline for a statement has passed, whichever is sooner, the secretary of state shall simultaneously make available online to the public through the internet the information for all candidates for that office.

(4)(a) If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the campaign committee entity that filed the statement shall file by electronic means of transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.

(b) Within five business days after the secretary of state receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for statewide office an addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic or other means of transmission under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in the addendum or amended statement available online to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) (G) of this section.

(2) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission, a political action committee and a political contributing entity described in division (B)(1)(b) of this section, a legislative campaign fund, and a state political party may file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission or, if the total amount of the contributions received or the total amount of the expenditures made by the political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or state political party for the applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars, shall file those statements by electronic means of transmission.

Within five business days after a statement filed by a political action committee or a political contributing entity described in division (B)(1)(b) of this section, a legislative campaign fund, or a state political party is received by the secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary of state shall make available online to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section, the contribution and expenditure information in that statement.

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or state political party shall file by electronic means of transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.

Within five business days after the secretary of state receives from a political action committee or a political contributing entity described in division (B)(1)(b) of this section, a legislative campaign fund, or a state political party an addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic or other means of transmission under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in the addendum or amended statement available online to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.

(3) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission, a county political party shall file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with respect to its state candidate fund by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state.

Within five business days after a statement filed by a county political party with respect to its state candidate fund is received by the secretary of state by electronic means of transmission, the secretary of state shall make available online to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section, the contribution and expenditure information in that statement.

If a statement is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, a county political party shall file by electronic means of transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.

Within five business days after the secretary of state receives from a county political party an addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic means of transmission under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in the addendum or amended statement available online to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.

(F)(1) Subject to division (L) of this section and subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission, a campaign committee of a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or a campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals may file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code in accordance with division (A)(2) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code or by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state or, if the total amount of the contributions received by the campaign committee for the applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars, shall file those statements by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state.

Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or a campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals is received by the secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary of state shall make available online to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section, the contribution and expenditure information in that statement. The secretary of state shall not make available online to the public through the internet any contribution or expenditure information contained in a statement for any candidate until the secretary of state is able to make available online to the public through the internet the contribution and expenditure information for all candidates for a particular office, or until the applicable filing deadline for that statement has passed, whichever is sooner. As soon as the secretary of state has available all of the contribution and expenditure information for all candidates for a particular office, or as soon as the applicable filing deadline for a statement has passed, whichever is sooner, the secretary of state shall simultaneously make available online to the public through the internet the information for all candidates for that office.

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the campaign committee shall file by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state any addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.

Within five business days after the secretary of state receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or a campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals an addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic or other means of transmission under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in the addendum or amended statement available online to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.

(2) (5) If a campaign committee for the office of member of the general assembly or a campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals files a statement, addendum, or amended statement is not filed by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state but is filed by printed version only under division (A)(2) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code with the appropriate board of elections, the campaign committee of a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or a campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals shall file two copies of the printed version of the statement, addendum, or amended statement with the board of elections. The board of elections shall send one of those copies by certified mail or an electronic copy to the secretary of state before the close of business on the day the board of elections receives the statement, addendum, or amended statement.

(G) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission, any individual, partnership, or other entity that makes independent expenditures in support of or opposition to a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot issue or question as provided in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code may file the statement specified in that division by electronic means of transmission or, if the total amount of independent expenditures made during the reporting period under that division exceeds ten thousand dollars, shall file the statement specified in that division by electronic means of transmission.

Within five business days after a statement filed by an individual, partnership, or other entity is received by the secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary of state shall make available online to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section, the expenditure information in that statement.

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the individual, partnership, or other entity shall file by electronic means of transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.

Within five business days after the secretary of state receives from an individual, partnership, or other entity described in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code an addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic or other means of transmission under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the expenditure information in the addendum or amended statement available online to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.

(H)(F)(1) The secretary of state, by rule adopted pursuant to section 3517.23 of the Revised Code, shall prescribe one or more techniques by which a person who executes and transmits to the secretary of state or a board of elections by electronic means a statement of contributions and expenditures, a statement of independent expenditures, a disclosure of electioneering communications statement, a deposit and disbursement statement, a gift and disbursement statement, or a donation and disbursement statement, an addendum to any of those statements, an amended statement of contributions and expenditures, an amended statement of independent expenditures, an amended disclosure of electioneering communications statement, an amended deposit and disbursement statement, an amended gift and disbursement statement, or an amended donation and disbursement statement, under this section or section 3517.10, 3517.105, 3517.1011, 3517.1012, 3517.1013, or 3517.1014 of the Revised Code shall electronically sign the statement, addendum, or amended statement. Any technique prescribed by the secretary of state pursuant to this division shall create an electronic signature that satisfies all of the following:

(a) It is unique to the signer.

(b) It objectively identifies the signer.

(c) It involves the use of a signature device or other means or method that is under the sole control of the signer and that cannot be readily duplicated or compromised.

(d) It is created and linked to the electronic record to which it relates in a manner that, if the record or signature is intentionally or unintentionally changed after signing, the electronic signature is invalidated.

(2) An electronic signature prescribed by the secretary of state under division (H)(F)(1) of this section shall be attached to or associated with the statement of contributions and expenditures, the statement of independent expenditures, the disclosure of electioneering communications statement, the deposit and disbursement statement, the gift and disbursement statement, or the donation and disbursement statement, the addendum to any of those statements, the amended statement of contributions and expenditures, the amended statement of independent expenditures, the amended disclosure of electioneering communications statement, the amended deposit and disbursement statement, the amended gift and disbursement statement, or the amended donation and disbursement statement that is executed and transmitted by electronic means by the person to whom the electronic signature is attributed. The electronic signature that is attached to or associated with the statement, addendum, or amended statement under this division shall be binding on all persons and for all purposes under the campaign finance reporting law as if the signature had been handwritten in ink on a printed form.

(I) (G) The secretary of state shall make all of the following information available online to the public by any means that are searchable, viewable, and accessible through the internet:

(1) The contribution and expenditure, the contribution and disbursement, the deposit and disbursement, the gift and disbursement, or the donation and disbursement information in all statements, all addenda to the statements, and all amended statements that are filed with the secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission under this section or section 3517.10, 3517.105, 3517.1011, 3517.1012, 3517.1013, 3517.1014, or 3517.11 of the Revised Code available online to the public by any means that are searchable, viewable, and accessible through the internet;

(2) The contribution and expenditure or the deposit and disbursement information in all statements that are filed with a board of elections by electronic means of transmission, and in all addenda to those statements and all amended versions of those statements, under this section or section 3517.10, 3517.105, 3517.1012, or 3517.11 of the Revised Code.

(J)(H)(1) As used in this division, "library" means a library that is open to the public and that is one of the following:

(a) A library that is maintained and regulated under section 715.13 of the Revised Code;

(b) A library that is created, maintained, and regulated under Chapter 3375. of the Revised Code.

(2) The secretary of state shall notify all libraries of the location on the internet at which the contribution and expenditure, contribution and disbursement, deposit and disbursement, gift and disbursement, or donation and disbursement information in campaign finance statements required to be made available online to the public through the internet pursuant to division (I) (G) of this section may be accessed.

If that location is part of the world wide web and if the secretary of state has notified a library of that world wide web location as required by this division, the library shall include a link to that world wide web location on each internet-connected computer it maintains that is accessible to the public.

(3) If the system the secretary of state prescribes for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission pursuant to division (H)(F)(1) of this section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code includes filing those statements through the internet via the world wide web, the secretary of state shall notify all libraries of the world wide web location at which those statements may be filed.

If those statements may be filed through the internet via the world wide web and if the secretary of state has notified a library of that world wide web location as required by this division, the library shall include a link to that world wide web location on each internet-connected computer it maintains that is accessible to the public.

(K) (I) It is an affirmative defense to a complaint or charge brought against any campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party, any individual, partnership, or other entity, any person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, or any treasurer of a transition fund, for the failure to file by electronic means of transmission a campaign finance statement as required by this section or section 3517.10, 3517.105, 3517.1011, 3517.1012, 3517.1013, or 3517.1014 of the Revised Code that all of the following apply to the campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party, the individual, partnership, or other entity, the person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, or the treasurer of a transition fund that failed to so file:

(1) The campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party, the individual, partnership, or other entity, the person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, or the treasurer of a transition fund attempted to file by electronic means of transmission the required statement prior to the deadline set forth in the applicable section.

(2) The campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party, the individual, partnership, or other entity, the person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, or the treasurer of a transition fund was unable to file by electronic means of transmission due to an expected or unexpected shutdown of the whole or part of the electronic campaign finance statement-filing system, such as for maintenance or because of hardware, software, or network connection failure.

(3) The campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party, the individual, partnership, or other entity, the person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, or the treasurer of a transition fund filed by electronic means of transmission the required statement within a reasonable period of time after being unable to so file it under the circumstance described in division (K)(I)(2) of this section.

(L)(J)(1) The secretary of state shall adopt rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to permit a campaign committee of a candidate for statewide office that makes expenditures of less than twenty-five thousand dollars during the filing period or a campaign committee for the office of member of the general assembly or the office of judge of a court of appeals that would otherwise be required to file campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission under division (E) or (F) of this section to file those statements by paper with the office of the secretary of state. Those rules shall provide for all of the following:

(a) An eligible campaign committee that wishes to file a campaign finance statement by paper instead of by electronic means of transmission shall file the statement on paper with the office of the secretary of state not sooner than twenty-four hours after the end of the filing period set forth in section 3517.10 of the Revised Code that is covered by the applicable statement.

(b) The statement shall be accompanied by a fee, the amount of which the secretary of state shall determine by rule. The amount of the fee established under this division shall not exceed the data entry and data verification costs the secretary of state will incur to convert the information on the statement to an electronic format as required under division (I) (G) of this section.

(c) The secretary of state shall arrange for the information in campaign finance statements filed pursuant to division (L) (J) of this section to be made available online to the public through the internet in the same manner, and at the same times, as information is made available under divisions (E), (F), and (I) (G) of this section for candidates whose campaign committees file those statements by electronic means of transmission.

(d) The candidate of an eligible campaign committee that intends to file a campaign finance statement pursuant to division (L) (J) of this section shall file a notice indicating that the candidate's campaign committee intends to so file and stating that filing the statement by electronic means of transmission would constitute a hardship for the candidate or for the eligible campaign committee.

(e) An eligible campaign committee that files a campaign finance statement on paper pursuant to division (L) (J) of this section shall review the contribution and information made available online by the secretary of state with respect to that paper filing and shall notify the secretary of state of any errors with respect to that filing that appear in the data made available on that web site.

(f) If an eligible campaign committee whose candidate has filed a notice in accordance with rules adopted under division (L)(J)(1)(d) of this section subsequently fails to file that statement on paper by the applicable deadline established in rules adopted under division (L)(J)(1)(a) of this section, penalties for the late filing of the campaign finance statement shall apply to that campaign committee for each day after that paper filing deadline, as if the campaign committee had filed the statement after the applicable deadline set forth in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

(2) The process for permitting campaign committees that would otherwise be required to file campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission to file those statements on paper with the office of the secretary of state that is required to be developed under division (L)(J)(1) of this section shall be in effect and available for use by eligible campaign committees for all campaign finance statements that are required to be filed on or after June 30, 2005. Notwithstanding any provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, if the process the secretary of state is required to develop under division (L)(1) of this section is not in effect and available for use on and after June 30, 2005, all penalties for the failure of campaign committees to file campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission shall be suspended until such time as that process is in effect and available for use.

(3) Notwithstanding any provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, any eligible campaign committee that files campaign finance statements on paper with the office of the secretary of state pursuant to division (L)(J)(1) of this section shall be deemed to have filed those campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state.

Sec. 3517.1011. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Address" has the same meaning as in section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Broadcast, cable, or satellite communication" means a communication that is publicly distributed by a television station, radio station, cable television system, or satellite system.

(3) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in section 3501.01 of the Revised Code;.

(4) "Contribution" means any loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds or of anything of value, including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, that is made, received, or used to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications.

(5)(a) "Coordinated electioneering communication" means any electioneering communication that is made pursuant to any arrangement, coordination, or direction by a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee, by an officer, agent, employee, or consultant of a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee, or by a former officer, former agent, former employee, or former consultant of a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee prior to the airing, broadcasting, or cablecasting of the communication. An electioneering communication is presumed to be a "coordinated electioneering communication" when it is either of the following:

(i) Based on information about a candidate's plans, projects, or needs provided to the person making the disbursement by the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, by an officer, agent, employee, or consultant of the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, or by a former officer, former agent, former employee, or former consultant of the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, with a view toward having the communication made;

(ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been, authorized to raise or expend funds on behalf of a candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, who is, or has been, an officer, agent, employee, or consultant of the candidate or of the candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has been, receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement from the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee or from an officer, agent, employee, or consultant of the candidate or of the candidate's campaign committee.

(b) An electioneering communication shall not be presumed to be a "coordinated electioneering communication" under division (A)(5)(a)(ii) of this section if the communication is made through any person who provides a service that does not affect the content of the communication, such as communications placed through the efforts of a media buyer, unless that person also affects the content of the communication.

(6) "Disclosure date" means both of the following:

(a) The first date during any calendar year by which a person makes disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications aggregating in excess of ten thousand dollars;

(b) The same day of the week of each remaining week in the same calendar year as the day of the week of the initial disclosure date established under division (A)(6)(a) of this section, if, during that remaining week, the person makes disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications aggregating in excess of one dollar.

(7)(a) "Electioneering communication" means any broadcast, cable, or satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified candidate and that is made during either of the following periods of time:

(i) If the person becomes a candidate before the day of the primary election at which candidates will be nominated for election to that office, between the date that the person becomes a candidate and the thirtieth day prior to that primary election, and between the date of the primary election and the thirtieth day prior to the general election at which a candidate will be elected to that office;

(ii) If the person becomes a candidate after the day of the primary election at which candidates were nominated for election to that office, between the date of the primary election and the thirtieth day prior to the general election at which a candidate will be elected to that office.

(b) "Electioneering communication" does not include any of the following:

(i) A communication that is publicly disseminated through a means of communication other than a broadcast, cable, or satellite television or radio station. For example, "electioneering communication" does not include communications appearing in print media, including a newspaper or magazine, handbill, brochure, bumper sticker, yard sign, poster, billboard, and other written materials, including mailings; communications over the internet, including electronic mail; or telephone communications.

(ii) A communication that appears in a news story, commentary, public service announcement, bona fide news programming, or editorial distributed through the facilities of any broadcast, cable, or satellite television or radio station, unless those facilities are owned or controlled by any political party, political committee, or candidate;

(iii) A communication that constitutes an expenditure or an independent expenditure under section 3517.01 of the Revised Code;

(iv) A communication that constitutes a candidate debate or forum or that solely promotes a candidate debate or forum and is made by or on behalf of the person sponsoring the debate or forum.

(8) "Filing date" has the same meaning as in section 3517.109 of the Revised Code.

(9) "Immigration and Nationality Act" means the Immigration and Nationality Act, 110 Stat. 309 (1996), 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq., as amended.

(10) "Person" has the same meaning as in section 1.59 of the Revised Code and includes any political organization considered exempt from income taxation under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(11) "Political committee" means any of the following:

(a) Any committee, club, association, or other group of persons that receives contributions aggregating in excess of one thousand dollars during a calendar year or that makes expenditures aggregating in excess of one thousand dollars during a calendar year;

(b) Any separate segregated fund;

(c) Any state, county, or local committee of a political party that does any of the following:

(i) Receives contributions aggregating in excess of five thousand dollars during a calendar year;

(ii) Makes payments that do not constitute contributions or expenditures aggregating in excess of five thousand dollars during a calendar year;

(iii) Makes contributions or expenditures aggregating in excess of one thousand dollars during a calendar year.

(12) "Publicly distributed" means aired, broadcast, cablecast, or otherwise disseminated for a fee.

(13) "Refers to a clearly identified candidate" means that the candidate's name, nickname, photograph, or drawing appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent through an unambiguous reference to the person such as "the chief justice," "the governor," "member of the Ohio senate," "member of the Ohio house of representatives," "county auditor," "mayor," or "township trustee" or through an unambiguous reference to the person's status as a candidate.

(B) For the purposes of this section, a person shall be considered to have made a disbursement if the person has entered into a contract to make the disbursement.

(C) Any person intending to make a disbursement or disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, prior to making the first disbursement for the direct costs of producing or airing an electioneering communication, shall file a notice with the office of the secretary of state that the person is intending to make such disbursements.

(D)(1) Every person that makes a disbursement or disbursements for the direct costs of producing and airing electioneering communications aggregating in excess of ten thousand dollars during any calendar year shall file, within twenty-four hours of each disclosure date, a disclosure of electioneering communications statement containing the following information:

(a) The full name and address of the person making the disbursement, of any person sharing or exercising direction or control over the activities of the person making the disbursement, and of the custodian of the books and accounts of the person making the disbursement;

(b) The principal place of business of the person making the disbursement, if not an individual;

(c) The amount of each disbursement of more than one dollar during the period covered by the statement and the identity of the person to whom the disbursement was made;

(d) The nominations or elections to which the electioneering communications pertain and the names, if known, of the candidates identified or to be identified;

(e) If the disbursements were paid out of a segregated bank account that consists of funds contributed solely by individuals who are United States citizens or nationals or lawfully admitted for permanent residence as defined in section 101(a)(20) of the Immigration and Nationality Act directly to the account for electioneering communications, the information specified in division (D)(2) of this section for all contributors who contributed an aggregate amount of two hundred dollars or more to the segregated bank account and whose contributions were used for making the disbursement or disbursements required to be reported under division (D) of this section during the period covered by the statement. Nothing in this division prohibits or shall be construed to prohibit the use of funds in such a segregated bank account for a purpose other than electioneering communications.

(f) If the disbursements were paid out of funds not described in division (D)(1)(e) of this section, the information specified in division (D)(2) of this section for all contributors who contributed an aggregate amount of two hundred dollars or more to the person making the disbursement and whose contributions were used for making the disbursement or disbursements required to be reported under division (D) of this section during the period covered by the statement.

(2) For each contributor for which information is required to be reported under division (D)(1)(e) or (f) of this section, all of the following shall be reported:

(a) The month, day, and year that the contributor made the contribution or contributions aggregating two hundred dollars or more;

(b)(i) The full name and address of the contributor, and, if the contributor is a political action committee, the registration number assigned to the political action committee under division (D)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code;

(ii) If the contributor is an individual, the name of the individual's current employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the individual's occupation and the name of the individual's business, if any;

(iii) If the contribution is transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and salaries of two or more employees that exceed in the aggregate one hundred dollars during the period specified in division (D)(1)(e) or (f) of this section, as applicable, the full name of the employees' employer and the full name of the labor organization of which the employees are members, if any.

(c) A description of the contribution, if other than money;

(d) The value in dollars and cents of the contribution.

(3) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the secretary of state prescribes pursuant to divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 and division (H)(F)(1) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission, a person shall file the disclosure of electioneering communications statement prescribed under divisions (D)(1) and (2) of this section by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state.

Within five business days after the secretary of state receives a disclosure of electioneering communications statement under this division, the secretary of state shall make available online to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) (G) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, the contribution and disbursement information in that statement.

If a filed disclosure of electioneering communications statement is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after its examination for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the person shall file by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state any addendum, amendment, or other correction to the statement that provides the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.

Within five business days after the secretary of state receives an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a disclosure of electioneering communications statement or an amended statement by electronic means of transmission under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the contribution and disbursement information in the addendum, amendment, or other correction to the statement or amended statement available online to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) (G) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code.

(E)(1) Any person who makes a contribution for the purpose of funding the direct costs of producing or airing an electioneering communication under this section shall provide the person's full name and address to the recipient of the contribution at the time the contribution is made.

(2) Any individual who makes a contribution or contributions aggregating two hundred dollars or more for the purpose of funding the direct costs of producing or airing an electioneering communication under this section shall provide the name of the individual's current employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the individual's occupation and the name of the individual's business, if any, to the recipient of the contribution at the time the contribution is made.

(F) In each electioneering communication, a statement shall appear or be presented in a clear and conspicuous manner that does both of the following:

(1) Clearly indicates that the electioneering communication is not authorized by the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee;

(2) Clearly identifies the person making the disbursement for the electioneering communication in accordance with section 3517.20 of the Revised Code.

(G) Any coordinated electioneering communication is an in-kind contribution, subject to the applicable contribution limits prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, to the candidate by the person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing the communication.

(H) No person shall make, during the thirty days preceding a primary election or during the thirty days preceding a general election, any broadcast, cable, or satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified candidate using any contributions received from a corporation or labor organization.

Sec. 3517.11. (A)(1) Campaign committees of candidates for statewide office or the state board of education, political action committees or political contributing entities that make contributions to campaign committees of candidates that are required to file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the secretary of state, political action committees or political contributing entities that make contributions to campaign committees of candidates for member of the general assembly, political action committees or political contributing entities that make contributions to state and national political parties and to legislative campaign funds, political action committees or political contributing entities that receive contributions or make expenditures in connection with a statewide ballot issue, political action committees or political contributing entities that make contributions to other political action committees or political contributing entities, political parties, and campaign committees, except as set forth in division (A)(3) of this section, legislative campaign funds, and state and national political parties shall file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the secretary of state.

(2)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (F) (E) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, campaign committees of candidates for all other offices shall file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the board of elections where their candidates are required to file their petitions or other papers for nomination or election.

(b) A campaign committee of a candidate for office of member of the general assembly or a campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals shall file two copies of the printed version of any statement, addendum, or amended statement if the committee does not file pursuant to division (F)(1) (E) or (L) (J) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code but files by printed version only with the appropriate board of elections. The board of elections shall send one of those copies by certified mail or an electronic copy to the secretary of state before the close of business on the day the board of elections receives the statement, addendum, or amended statement.

(3) Political action committees or political contributing entities that only contribute to a county political party, contribute to campaign committees of candidates whose nomination or election is to be submitted only to electors within a county, subdivision, or district, excluding candidates for member of the general assembly, and receive contributions or make expenditures in connection with ballot questions or issues to be submitted only to electors within a county, subdivision, or district shall file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the board of elections in that county or in the county contained in whole or part within the subdivision or district having a population greater than that of any other county contained in whole or part within that subdivision or district, as the case may be.

(4) Except as otherwise provided in division (E)(3) (1)(e) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code with respect to state candidate funds, county political parties shall file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the board of elections of their respective counties.

(B)(1) The official with whom petitions and other papers for nomination or election to public office are filed shall furnish each candidate at the time of that filing a copy of sections 3517.01, 3517.08 to 3517.11, 3517.13 to 3517.993, 3599.03, and 3599.031 of the Revised Code and any other materials that the secretary of state may require. Each candidate receiving the materials shall acknowledge their receipt in writing.

(2) On or before the tenth day before the dates on which statements are required to be filed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall notify every candidate subject to the provisions of this section and sections 3517.10 and 3517.106 of the Revised Code of the requirements and applicable penalties of those sections. The secretary of state shall notify all candidates required to file those statements with the secretary of state's office either by certified mail, or, if the secretary of state has record of an internet identifier of record associated with the candidate, by ordinary mail and by that internet identifier of record. The board of elections of every county shall notify by first class mail any candidate who has personally appeared at the office of the board on or before the tenth day before the statements are required to be filed and signed a form, to be provided by the secretary of state, attesting that the candidate has been notified of the candidate's obligations under the campaign finance law. The board shall forward the completed form to the secretary of state. The board shall notify all other candidates required to file those statements with it either by certified mail, or, if the secretary of state has record of an internet identifier of record associated with the candidate, by ordinary mail and by that internet identifier of record.

(3)(a) Any statement required to be filed under sections 3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code that is found to be incomplete or inaccurate by the officer to whom it is submitted shall be accepted on a conditional basis, and the person who filed it shall be notified by certified mail as to the incomplete or inaccurate nature of the statement. The secretary of state may examine statements filed for candidates for the office of member of the general assembly and candidates for the office of judge of a court of appeals for completeness and accuracy. The secretary of state shall examine for completeness and accuracy statements that campaign committees of candidates for the office of member of the general assembly and campaign committees of candidates for the office of judge of a court of appeals file pursuant to division (F) (E) or (L) (J) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code. If an officer at the board of elections where a statement filed for a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or for a candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals was submitted finds the statement to be incomplete or inaccurate, the officer shall immediately notify the secretary of state of its incomplete or inaccurate nature. If either an officer at the board of elections or the secretary of state finds a statement filed for a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or for a candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals to be incomplete or inaccurate, only the secretary of state shall send the notification as to the incomplete or inaccurate nature of the statement.

Within twenty-one days after receipt of the notice, in the case of a pre-election statement, a postelection statement, a monthly statement, an annual statement, or a semiannual statement prescribed by section 3517.10, an annual statement prescribed by section 3517.101, or a statement prescribed by division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105 or section 3517.107 of the Revised Code, the recipient shall file an addendum, amendment, or other correction to the statement providing the information necessary to complete or correct the statement. The secretary of state may require that, in lieu of filing an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement that is filed by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state or a board of elections pursuant to section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, the recipient of the notice described in this division file by electronic means of transmission an amended statement that incorporates the information necessary to complete or correct the statement.

The secretary of state shall determine by rule when an addendum, amendment, or other correction to any of the following or when an amended statement of any of the following shall be filed:

(i) A two-business-day statement prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code;

(ii) A disclosure of electioneering communications statement prescribed by division (D) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code;

(iii) A deposit and disbursement statement prescribed under division (B) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code;

(iv) A gift and disbursement statement prescribed under section 3517.1013 of the Revised Code;

(v) A donation and disbursement statement prescribed under section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code.

An addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement that is filed by electronic means of transmission pursuant to section 3517.106 of the Revised Code shall be filed in the same manner as the statement.

The provisions of sections 3517.10, 3517.106, 3517.1011, 3517.1012, 3517.1013, and 3517.1014 of the Revised Code pertaining to the filing of statements of contributions and expenditures, statements of independent expenditures, disclosure of electioneering communications statements, deposit and disbursement statements, gift and disbursement statements, and donation and disbursement statements by electronic means of transmission apply to the filing of addenda, amendments, or other corrections to those statements by electronic means of transmission and the filing of amended statements by electronic means of transmission.

(b) Within five business days after the secretary of state receives, by electronic or other means of transmission, an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement or an amended statement under division (B)(3)(a) of this section, the secretary of state, pursuant to divisions (E), (F), and (G), and (I) of section 3517.106 or division (D) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code, shall make the contribution and expenditure, contribution and disbursement, deposit and disbursement, gift and disbursement, or donation and disbursement information in that addendum, amendment, correction, or amended statement available online to the public through the internet.

(4)(a) The secretary of state or the board of elections shall examine all statements for compliance with sections 3517.08 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code.

(b) The secretary of state may contract with an individual or entity not associated with the secretary of state and experienced in interpreting the campaign finance law of this state to conduct examinations of statements filed by any statewide candidate, as defined in section 3517.103 of the Revised Code.

(c) The examination shall be conducted by a person or entity qualified to conduct it. The results of the examination shall be available to the public, and, when the examination is conducted by an individual or entity not associated with the secretary of state, the results of the examination shall be reported to the secretary of state.

(C)(1) In the event of a failure to file or a late filing of a statement required to be filed under sections 3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code, or if a filed statement or any addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement or any amended statement, if an addendum, amendment, or other correction or an amended statement is required to be filed, is incomplete or inaccurate or appears to disclose a failure to comply with or a violation of law, the official whose duty it is to examine the statement shall promptly file a complaint with the Ohio elections commission under section 3517.153 of the Revised Code if the law is one over which the commission has jurisdiction to hear complaints, or the official shall promptly report the failure or violation to the board of elections and the board shall promptly report it to the prosecuting attorney in accordance with division (J) of section 3501.11 of the Revised Code. If the official files a complaint with the commission, the commission shall proceed in accordance with sections 3517.154 to 3517.157 of the Revised Code.

(2) For purposes of division (C)(1) of this section, a statement or an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement or an amended statement required to be filed under sections 3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code is incomplete or inaccurate under this section if the statement, addendum, amendment, other correction, or amended statement fails to disclose substantially all contributions, gifts, or donations that are received or deposits that are made that are required to be reported under sections 3517.10, 3517.107, 3517.108, 3517.1011, 3517.1012, 3517.1013, and 3517.1014 of the Revised Code or if the statement, addendum, amendment, other correction, or amended statement fails to disclose at least ninety per cent of the total contributions, gifts, or donations received or deposits made or of the total expenditures or disbursements made during the reporting period.

(D) No certificate of nomination or election shall be issued to a person, and no person elected to an office shall enter upon the performance of the duties of that office, until that person or that person's campaign committee, as appropriate, has fully complied with this section and sections 3517.08, 3517.081, 3517.10, and 3517.13 of the Revised Code.

Section 2. That existing sections 3517.10, 3517.105, 3517.106, 3517.1011, and 3517.11 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

Section 3. This act shall take effect one year after the first day of January that occurs after the act is filed with the Secretary of State.