As Passed by the Senate

135th General Assembly

Regular Session Am. Sub. H. B. No. 305

2023-2024

Representatives Stewart, Brown

Cosponsors: Representatives Baker, Bird, Brewer, Claggett, Click, Dell'Aquila, Galonski, Grim, Gross, Isaacsohn, Jarrells, John, Kick, Klopfenstein, Lampton, LaRe, Lightbody, Lipps, McNally, Miller, A., Miller, J., Miranda, Mohamed, Plummer, Skindell, Somani, Upchurch, Weinstein, Williams, Willis, Young, T., Hillyer, Mathews, Abrams, Barhorst, Brennan, Brent, Creech, Cross, Cutrona, Dobos, Forhan, Fowler Arthur, Hall, Humphrey, Johnson, Jones, Liston, Lorenz, McClain, Miller, K., Miller, M., Oelslager, Patton, Pavliga, Peterson, Robb Blasdel, Russo, Stein, Thomas, C., White, Wiggam

Senators Manning, Brenner, Cirino, Gavarone, Hackett, Johnson, Lang, McColley, Reineke, Reynolds, Roegner, Romanchuk, Schaffer, Wilkin, Wilson

A BILL

To amend sections 9.03, 120.54, 181.21, 325.33, 345.13, 517.23, 1317.07, 1901.02, 1901.123, 1901.261, 1907.11, 1907.143, 1907.261, 2303.081, 2303.201, 2505.02, 2929.20, 2967.26, 3517.01, 3517.10, 3517.12, 3517.13, 3517.155, 3517.992, 3517.993, 4507.112, 4509.101, and 4517.261; to enact new section 135.032 and sections 181.26, 1901.313, 1907.202, and 3109.055; and to repeal sections 135.032 and 135.321 of the Revised Code to address the laws governing financial and administrative matters of the courts, judgeships and court jurisdiction in Conneaut and Ashtabula County, appeals related to enforcement of state law, conciliation in family law proceedings, the use of financial assistance by legal aid societies, allocation of funds to the Indigent Support Defense Fund, political subdivision soldiers' memorials, maintenance of a mausoleum or columbarium, third-party administration of driving tests, motor vehicle documentary service charges, and public depositories; to establish a standing juvenile committee of the Criminal Sentencing Commission; to prohibit chartered counties and municipal corporations from using public funds for certain purposes; to modify the Campaign Finance Law; and to reiterate the effective date of judicial release and transitional control provisions enacted in S.B. 288 of the 134th General Assembly.

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

Section 1. That sections 9.03, 120.54, 181.21, 325.33, 345.13, 517.23, 1317.07, 1901.02, 1901.123, 1901.261, 1907.11, 1907.143, 1907.261, 2303.081, 2303.201, 2505.02, 2929.20, 2967.26, 3517.01, 3517.10, 3517.12, 3517.13, 3517.155, 3517.992, 3517.993, 4507.112, 4509.101, and 4517.261 be amended and new section 135.032 and sections 181.26, 1901.313, 1907.202, and 3109.055 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 9.03. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Political subdivision" means any body corporate and politic, except a municipal corporation that has adopted a charter under Section 7 of Article XVIII, Ohio Constitution, and except a county that has adopted a charter under Sections 3 and 4 of Article X, Ohio Constitution, to which both of the following apply:

(a) It is responsible for governmental activities only in a geographic area smaller than the state.

(b) It is subject to the sovereign immunity of the state.

(2) "Cigarettes" and "tobacco product" have the same meanings as in section 5743.01 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Transaction" has the same meaning as in section 1315.51 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Campaign committee," "campaign fund," "candidate," "legislative campaign fund," "political action committee," "political committee," "political party," and "separate segregated fund" have the same meanings as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (C) of this section, the governing body of a political subdivision may use public funds to publish and distribute newsletters, or to use any other means, to communicate information about the plans, policies, and operations of the political subdivision to members of the public within the political subdivision and to other persons who may be affected by the political subdivision.

(C) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(7) of section 340.03 of the Revised Code, no governing body of a political subdivision shall use public funds to do any of the following:

(1) Publish, distribute, or otherwise communicate information that does any of the following:

(a) Contains defamatory, libelous, or obscene matter;

(b) Promotes alcoholic beverages, cigarettes or other tobacco products, or any illegal product, service, or activity;

(c) Promotes illegal discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry;

(d) Supports or opposes any labor organization or any action by, on behalf of, or against any labor organization;

(e) Supports or opposes the nomination or election of a candidate for public office, the investigation, prosecution, or recall of a public official, or the passage of a levy or bond issue.

(2) Compensate any employee of the political subdivision for time spent on any activity to influence the outcome of an election for any of the purposes described in division (C)(1)(e) of this section. Division (C)(2) of this section does not prohibit the use of public funds to compensate an employee of a political subdivision for attending a public meeting to present information about the political subdivision's finances, activities, and governmental actions in a manner that is not designed to influence the outcome of an election or the passage of a levy or bond issue, even though the election, levy, or bond issue is discussed or debated at the meeting.

(D) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(7) of section 340.03 of the Revised Code or in division (E) of this section, no person shall knowingly conduct a direct or indirect transaction of public funds to the benefit of any of the following:

(1) A campaign committee;

(2) A political action committee;

(3) A legislative campaign fund;

(4) A political party;

(5) A campaign fund;

(6) A political committee;

(7) A separate segregated fund;

(8) A candidate.

(E) Division (D) of this section does not prohibit the utilization of any person's own time to speak in support of or in opposition to any candidate, recall, referendum, levy, or bond issue unless prohibited by any other section of the Revised Code.

(F) Nothing in this section prohibits or restricts any political subdivision from sponsoring, participating in, or doing any of the following:

(1) Charitable or public service advertising that is not commercial in nature;

(2) Advertising of exhibitions, performances, programs, products, or services that are provided by employees of a political subdivision or are provided at or through premises owned or operated by a political subdivision;

(3) Licensing an interest in a name or mark that is owned or controlled by the political subdivision.

(G) Whoever violates division (D) of this section shall be punished as provided in section 3599.40 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 120.54. (A) A legal aid society that receives financial assistance from the legal aid fund under section 120.53 of the Revised Code shall use the financial assistance for only the following purposes:

(1) To defray the costs of providing legal services to indigents;

(2) To provide legal training and legal technical assistance to other eligible legal aid societies; and

(3) If the legal aid society has entered into an agreement pursuant to division (H) of section 120.53 of the Revised Code and in accordance with the description and list of conditions set forth in its application pursuant to division (B)(9) of that section, to provide funds for the services, programs, training, and legal technical assistance provided to the legal aid society under the contract.

(B) No financial assistance received by a legal aid society from the legal aid fund pursuant to section 120.53 of the Revised Code shall be used for the provision of legal services in ~~relation to~~ any criminal case or proceeding or in ~~relation to~~ the provision of legal assistance in any fee generating case.

Sec. 135.032. (A) For the purposes of this section:

(1) "Institution" means an institution eligible to become a public depository under section 135.03 or 135.32 of the Revised Code or an eligible credit union, as defined in section 135.62 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Prompt corrective action directive" means a directive issued by a regulatory authority of the United States as authorized under 12 U.S.C. 1790d or 1831o.

(B) An institution designated as a public depository under this chapter shall notify each governing board that made such designation if the institution becomes party to an active prompt corrective action directive.

(C) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, an institution is ineligible to become a public depository under this chapter or to have active, interim, or inactive deposits awarded, placed, purchased, made, or designated pursuant to this chapter, if the institution is party to an active prompt corrective action directive.

(D) If a governing board receives notice under division (B) of this section, or otherwise becomes aware that an institution the board designated as a public depository is party to an active prompt corrective action directive, the board may do either or both of the following, if the board determines that it is in the public interest:

(1) Allow the public depository to continue to have active, interim, or inactive deposits awarded, placed, purchased, made, or designated for the remainder of the designation period;

(2) Designate the institution as a public depository for additional succeeding designation periods.

(E) If a governing board determines that one or both of the actions permitted by division (D) of this section are in the public interest, and public moneys are lost due to the failure of the public depository subject to the active prompt correction directive, all of the following are relieved from any liability for that loss:

(1) The governing board's treasurer and deputy treasurer;

(2) An executive director, director, or other person employed by the governing board, its treasurer, or its deputy treasurer;

(3) Bondspersons and surety of any person described in divisions (E)(1) and (2) of this section.

Sec. 181.21. (A) There is hereby created within the supreme court the state criminal sentencing commission, consisting of thirty-one members. One member shall be the chief justice of the supreme court, who shall be the chairperson of the commission. The following ten members of the commission, no more than six of whom shall be members of the same political party, shall be appointed by the chief justice: one judge of a court of appeals, three judges of courts of common pleas who are not juvenile court judges, three judges of juvenile courts, and three judges of municipal courts or county courts. Four members shall be the superintendent of the state highway patrol, the state public defender, the director of youth services, and the director of rehabilitation and correction, or their individual designees. The following twelve members, no more than seven of whom shall be members of the same political party, shall be appointed by the governor after consulting with the appropriate state associations, if any, that are represented by these members: one sheriff; two county prosecuting attorneys, at least one of whom shall be experienced in the prosecution of cases in juvenile court involving alleged delinquent children, unruly children, and juvenile traffic offenders; two peace officers of a municipal corporation or township, at least one of whom shall be experienced in the investigation of cases involving juveniles; one former victim of a violation of Title XXIX of the Revised Code; one attorney whose practice of law primarily involves the representation of criminal defendants; one member of the Ohio state bar association; one attorney whose practice of law primarily involves the representation in juvenile court of alleged delinquent children, unruly children, and juvenile traffic offenders; one full-time city prosecuting attorney; one county commissioner; and one mayor, city manager, or member of a legislative authority of a municipal corporation. Two members shall be members of the senate, one appointed by the president of the senate and one appointed by the minority leader of the senate. Two members shall be members of the house of representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives.

The chief justice shall become a member of the commission on August 22, 1990, and the chief justice's successors in office shall become members of the commission on the day that they assume the office of chief justice. The term of office of the chief justice as a member of the commission shall continue for as long as that person holds the office of chief justice. The term of office of the member who is an attorney whose practice of law primarily involves the representation of criminal defendants, the term of office of the member who is an attorney whose practice of law primarily involves the representation in juvenile court of alleged delinquent children, unruly children, and juvenile traffic offenders, and the term of office of the former victim of a violation of Title XXIX of the Revised Code shall be four years. The term of office of the superintendent of the state highway patrol, the state public defender, the director of youth services, and the director of rehabilitation and correction, or their individual designees, as members of the commission shall continue for as long as they hold the office of superintendent of the state highway patrol, state public defender, director of youth services, or director of rehabilitation and correction. The term of office of a municipal corporation or township peace officer as a member of the commission shall be the lesser of four years or until that person ceases to be a peace officer of a municipal corporation or township. Unless the full-time city prosecuting attorney is an elected official, the term of office of the full-time city prosecuting attorney shall be the lesser of four years or until the full-time city prosecuting attorney ceases to be a full-time city prosecuting attorney. All of the members of the commission who are elected officials shall serve the lesser of four years or until the expiration of their term of office. Any vacancy on the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

When the chief justice and governor make their appointments to the commission, they shall consider adequate representation by race and gender.

(B) The commission shall select a vice-chairperson and any other necessary officers and adopt rules to govern its proceedings. The commission shall meet as necessary at the call of the chairperson or on the written request of eight or more of its members. Sixteen members of the commission constitute a quorum, and the votes of a majority of the quorum present shall be required to validate any action of the commission. All business of the commission shall be conducted in public meetings.

The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but each member shall be reimbursed for the member's actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of the member's official duties on the commission. In the absence of the chairperson, the vice-chairperson shall perform the duties of the chairperson.

(C) The commission shall establish an office and shall appoint and fix the compensation of a project director and any other employees necessary to assist the commission in the execution of its authority under sections 181.21 to 181.25 of the Revised Code. The project director shall have a thorough understanding of the criminal laws of this state and experience in committee-oriented research. The other employees may include a research coordinator with experience and training in policy-oriented research; professional staff employees with backgrounds in criminal law, criminal justice, political science, or related fields of expertise; administrative assistants; and secretaries. The commission also may appoint and fix the compensation of part-time data collectors, clerical employees, and other temporary employees as needed to enable the commission to execute its authority under sections 181.21 to 181.25 of the Revised Code.

(D)(1) The sentencing commission shall establish a standing juvenile committee. The committee may consist of the following commission members:

(a) The chief justice of the supreme court or the chief justice's designee;

(b) The director of youth services, or the director's designee;

(d) One court of common pleas judge who is not a juvenile court judge;

(e) One county prosecuting attorney who is experienced in the prosecution of cases in juvenile court involving alleged delinquent children, unruly children, and juvenile traffic offenders;

(f) The attorney whose practice of law primarily involves the representation in juvenile court of alleged delinquent children, unruly children, and juvenile traffic offenders;

(g) The former victim of a violation of Title XXIX of the Revised Code;

(h) The county commissioner;

(i) One legislator from each political party;

(j) The sheriff;

(k) One municipal corporation or township peace officer who is experienced in the investigation of cases involving juveniles;

(l) Any other persons that the chief justice or the chairperson of the committee designates.

(2) The members may serve on the committee by designation of the chief justice or the chairperson of the committee.

(3) The chief justice shall designate a member to serve as chairperson of the committee. The committee shall select a vice-chairperson and any other necessary officers and adopt rules to govern its proceedings.

(4) The committee shall meet as necessary at the call of the chairperson or on the written request of four or more of the committee's members. A majority of the members of the committee constitutes a quorum, and the votes of a majority of the quorum present are required to validate any action of the committee, including recommendations to the commission.

(5) The committee and the commission shall comply with section 181.26 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 181.26. (A) In addition to its duties set forth in this chapter, the state criminal sentencing commission shall do all of the following:

(1) Review all statutes governing delinquent child, unruly child, and juvenile traffic offender dispositions in this state;

(2) Review state and local resources, including facilities and programs, used for delinquent child, unruly child, and juvenile traffic offender dispositions and the populations of youthful offenders in the facilities and programs;

(3) Develop a juvenile justice policy for the state. The policy shall be designed to:

(a) Assist in the managing of the number of persons in, operation of, and costs of the facilities, the programs, and other resources used in delinquent child, unruly child, and juvenile traffic offender dispositions;

(b) Further the purposes for disposition under section 2152.01 of the Revised Code;

(c) Provide greater certainty, proportionality, uniformity, fairness, and simplicity in delinquent child, unruly child, and juvenile traffic offender dispositions while retaining reasonable judicial discretion.

(B) The commission shall do all of the following:

(1) Assist in the implementation of statutes governing delinquent child, unruly child, and juvenile traffic offender dispositions in this state;

(2) Monitor the operation of statutes governing delinquent child, unruly child, and juvenile traffic offender dispositions in this state, periodically report to the general assembly on the statutes' operation and the statutes' impact on resources used in delinquent child, unruly child, and juvenile traffic offender dispositions, and recommend necessary changes in the statutes to the general assembly in the biennial monitoring report described in section 181.25 of the Revised Code;

(3) Review all bills that are introduced in the general assembly related to delinquent child, unruly child, and juvenile traffic offender dispositions, determine if those bills are consistent with the juvenile justice policy adopted under division (A)(3) of this section, recommend to the general assembly amendments to those bills if necessary, and assist the general assembly in making legislation consistent with the juvenile justice policy adopted under division (A)(3) of this section.

Sec. 325.33. (A) Notwithstanding sections 325.27 and 325.31 of the Revised Code, all fees retained by the clerk of courts under Chapters 1548., 4505., and 4519. of the Revised Code, all fees the clerk of courts receives as a third-party administrator of the motor vehicle skills test under section 4507.112 of the Revised Code, and all fees the clerk of courts receives in the capacity of deputy registrar under section 4503.03 of the Revised Code shall be paid into the county treasury to the credit of the certificate of title administration fund, which is hereby created. Fees credited to the fund shall be used as follows:

(1) To pay the costs incurred by the clerk of courts in processing titles under Chapters 1548., 4505., and 4519. of the Revised Code;

(2) To pay the clerk of courts an eight thousand dollar annual pay supplement for performing the duties of a deputy registrar if the clerk is not a limited authority deputy registrar, as described in section 4501:1-6-04 of the Ohio Administrative Code.

(B) If the board of county commissioners and the clerk of courts agree that the money in the fund exceeds what is needed to pay the costs specified in division (A) of this section, the excess may be transferred to the county general fund and used for other county purposes. If the board of county commissioners and the clerk of courts are unable to agree on the amount of any such excess, the county budget commission shall determine the amount that will be transferred to the county general fund.

Sec. 345.13. A soldiers' memorial, provided for by section 345.01 of the Revised Code, shall be maintained so as to commemorate the services of all members and veterans of the armed forces of the United States. The board of trustees shall make rules and regulations for the use, administration, and maintenance of such memorial as is fitting and necessary to carry out the purposes thereof. The board of trustees may make rules and regulations for entertainment, retail, educational, sporting, social, cultural, or arts opportunities at the memorial.

When such memorial is a building, it shall provide suitable apartments of sufficient dimensions to commemorate the soldiers, sailors, marines, and all members of the armed forces of the United States, so designated by congress, ~~both men and women of the county,~~ who have lost their lives while in the service of the country. Suitable tablets shall be maintained with the names of such soldiers, sailors, and marines inscribed thereon. The building may include a public auditorium, music hall, and recreational facilities.

The board may establish rental fees and other charges for the use of the memorial, and it may waive any portion of such charges.

With the approval of the board of county commissioners, the board of trustees may enter into contracts with political subdivisions or nonprofit organizations for the use of other facilities separate and apart from the memorial, and to provide other services. Such use shall adhere to the rules and regulations established by the board of trustees to carry out the purposes of the memorial.

Sec. 517.23. (A) Subject to divisions (B), (D), ~~and~~ (E), and (F) of this section, the board of township trustees, the trustees or directors of a cemetery association, or the other officers having control and management of a cemetery or the officer of a municipal corporation who has control and management of a municipal cemetery shall disinter or grant permission to disinter any remains ~~buried~~ interred in the cemetery in either of the following circumstances:

(1) Within thirty days after an application for disinterment is filed with the cemetery in accordance with division (A) of section 517.24 of the Revised Code and payment of the reasonable costs and expense of disinterment is made by the following applicants:

(a) A designated representative, or successor, to whom the decedent had assigned the right of disposition in a written declaration pursuant to section 2108.70 of the Revised Code and who had exercised such right at the time of the declarant's death;

(b) If no designated representative exercised the right of disposition pursuant to section 2108.70 of the Revised Code, the surviving spouse of the decedent who is eighteen years of age or older.

(2) On order of a probate court issued under division (B) of section 517.24 of the Revised Code and payment by the person who applied for the order under that division of the reasonable costs and expense of disinterment.

(B) No disinterment shall be made pursuant to this section and section 517.24 of the Revised Code if the decedent died of a contagious or infectious disease until a permit has been issued by the board of health of a general health district or of a city health district. This division does not apply to cremated remains.

(C) Upon disinterment of remains under division (A)(1) or (2) of this section, the involved board, trustees, directors, other officers, or officer of the municipal corporation shall deliver or cause to be delivered the disinterred remains to the applicant under division (A)(1) of this section or, if the disinterment was pursuant to court order issued under division (B) of section 517.24 of the Revised Code, to the person who applied for the order under that division.

(D) The board of township trustees, the trustees or directors of a cemetery association, or the other officers having control and management of a cemetery or the officer of a municipal corporation who has control and management of a municipal cemetery may disinter or grant permission to disinter and, if appropriate, may reinter or grant permission to reinter any remains ~~buried~~ interred in the cemetery to correct an interment error in the cemetery if the board, trustees, directors, other officers, or officer of the municipal corporation comply with the internal rules of the cemetery pertaining to disinterments and if the board, trustees, directors, other officers, or officer of the municipal corporation provide notice of the disinterment to the person who has been assigned or reassigned the rights of disposition for the deceased person under the provisions of section 2108.70 or 2108.81 of the Revised Code. The board, trustees, directors, other officers, or officer of the municipal corporation may correct an interment error under this division without a court order or an application by a person.

(E)(1) A person who is an interested party and who is eighteen years of age or older and of sound mind may apply to the probate court of the county in which the decedent is ~~buried~~ interred for an order to prevent the applicant under division (A)(1) of this section from having the remains of the decedent disinterred. An application to prevent the disinterment of the remains of the decedent shall be in writing, subscribed and verified by oath, and include all of the following:

(a) If applicable, a statement that the applicant assumed financial responsibility for the funeral and ~~burial~~ interment expenses of the decedent;

(b) If division (E)(1)(a) of this section is inapplicable relative to the applicant, a statement that the applicant did not assume financial responsibility for the funeral and ~~burial~~ interment expenses of the decedent;

(d) The relationship of the applicant to the decedent;

(e) A statement of the applicant's reasons to oppose the disinterment of the remains of the decedent.

(2) An applicant for an order to prevent the disinterment of the remains of the decedent under division (E) of this section promptly shall give notice of the filing of the application by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the applicant under division (A)(1) of this section. The notice shall indicate that the applicant has filed an application for an order to prevent the disinterment of the remains of the decedent.

~~(F)~~ (F)(1) If the repair or replacement of a mausoleum or columbarium necessitates the disinterment of one or more sets of remains, the board, trustees, directors, other officers, or officer of the municipal corporation, shall file a single application with the probate court in the county where the mausoleum or columbarium is situated for a disinterment order that authorizes the disinterment and reinterment of those affected remains in the mausoleum or columbarium. Upon the filing of the application, the probate court shall schedule a hearing.

(2) The board, trustees, directors, other officers, or officer of the municipal corporation promptly shall provide notice to the surviving spouses of the affected decedents and to the persons who have been assigned or reassigned the rights of disposition for the affected remains under the provisions of sections 2108.70 to 2108.90 of the Revised Code. The notice shall state that an application for disinterment has been filed and shall provide the time, date, and location of the hearing. The notice shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, or, if the names or addresses of such persons are unknown and cannot with reasonable diligence be ascertained, the notice shall be made by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the probate court is located and as otherwise required by the probate court.

(3) Upon conducting the hearing, the court shall issue an order of disinterment if all of the following are satisfied:

(a) The affected remains shall be held in a permanent or temporary structure on cemetery property that allows for access for visitation during the times that the cemetery's other grounds and facilities are open for visitation, shall be properly identified and held in a secure manner without any commingling of cremated remains, and shall not be held for a period exceeding eighteen months unless an extension of time is granted by the probate court for good cause;

(b) If a mausoleum or columbarium is being replaced, the replacement mausoleum or columbarium shall be built on property that is owned by the cemetery and that is either the same property upon which the original mausoleum or columbarium was located or property that is contiguous thereto;

(d) Upon considering all of the following, the court finds there are one or more compelling reasons to issue the requested order of disinterment:

(i) The cost, feasibility, and timetable for the repairs or replacement;

(ii) The current condition of the structure to be repaired or replaced;

(iii) The location, design, features, and overall quality of the proposed replacement structure;

(iv) The input of the persons receiving notice under division (F)(2) of this section.

(4) A cemetery is not liable in damages in a civil action if the cemetery changes the specific location of entombment rights or columbarium rights due to the repair or replacement of a mausoleum or columbarium made in accordance with an order issued by the probate court under division (F)(3) of this section.

(G) As used in this section and in section 517.24 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Cemetery" and "interment" have the same meanings as in section 1721.21 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Disinterment" means the recovery of human remains by exhumation, disentombment, or disinurnment. "Disinterment" does not include the raising and lowering of remains to accommodate two interments within a single grave and does not include the repositioning of an outside burial container that encroaches an adjoining burial space.

Sec. 1317.07. No retail installment contract authorized by section 1317.03 of the Revised Code that is executed in connection with any retail installment sale shall evidence any indebtedness in excess of the time balance fixed in the written instrument in compliance with section 1317.04 of the Revised Code, but it may evidence in addition any agreements of the parties for the payment of delinquent charges, as provided for in section 1317.06 of the Revised Code, taxes, and any lawful fee actually paid out, or to be paid out, by the retail seller to any public officer for filing, recording, or releasing any instrument securing the payment of the obligation owed on any retail installment contract. No retail seller, directly or indirectly, shall charge, contract for, or receive from any retail buyer, any further or other amount for examination, service, brokerage, commission, expense, fee, or other thing of value, unless the retail seller is otherwise authorized by law to do so. A documentary service charge customarily and presently being paid on May 9, 1949, in a particular business and area may be charged if the charge does not exceed two hundred fifty dollars per sale, except as otherwise authorized by section 4517.261 of the Revised Code.

No retail seller shall use multiple agreements with respect to a single item or related items purchased at the same time, with intent to obtain a higher charge than would otherwise be permitted by Chapter 1317. of the Revised Code or to avoid disclosure of an annual percentage rate, nor by use of such agreements make any charge greater than that which would be permitted by Chapter 1317. of the Revised Code had a single agreement been used.

Sec. 1901.02. (A) The municipal courts established by section 1901.01 of the Revised Code have jurisdiction within the corporate limits of their respective municipal corporations, or, for the Clermont county municipal court, and, effective January 1, 2008, the Erie county municipal court, within the municipal corporation or unincorporated territory in which they are established, and are courts of record. Each of the courts shall be styled "__________________________________ municipal court," inserting the name of the municipal corporation, except the following courts, which shall be styled as set forth below:

(1) The municipal court established in Chesapeake that shall be styled and known as the "Lawrence county municipal court";

(2) The municipal court established in Cincinnati that shall be styled and known as the "Hamilton county municipal court";

(3) The municipal court established in Ravenna that shall be styled and known as the "Portage county municipal court";

(4) The municipal court established in Athens that shall be styled and known as the "Athens county municipal court";

(5) The municipal court established in Columbus that shall be styled and known as the "Franklin county municipal court";

(6) The municipal court established in London that shall be styled and known as the "Madison county municipal court";

(7) The municipal court established in Newark that shall be styled and known as the "Licking county municipal court";

(8) The municipal court established in Wooster that shall be styled and known as the "Wayne county municipal court";

(9) The municipal court established in Wapakoneta that shall be styled and known as the "Auglaize county municipal court";

(10) The municipal court established in Troy that shall be styled and known as the "Miami county municipal court";

(11) The municipal court established in Bucyrus that shall be styled and known as the "Crawford county municipal court";

(12) The municipal court established in Logan that shall be styled and known as the "Hocking county municipal court";

(13) The municipal court established in Urbana that shall be styled and known as the "Champaign county municipal court";

(14) The municipal court established in Jackson that shall be styled and known as the "Jackson county municipal court";

(15) The municipal court established in Springfield that shall be styled and known as the "Clark county municipal court";

(16) The municipal court established in Kenton that shall be styled and known as the "Hardin county municipal court";

(17) The municipal court established within Clermont county in Batavia or in any other municipal corporation or unincorporated territory within Clermont county that is selected by the legislative authority of that court that shall be styled and known as the "Clermont county municipal court";

(18) The municipal court established in Wilmington that, beginning July 1, 1992, shall be styled and known as the "Clinton county municipal court";

(19) The municipal court established in Port Clinton that shall be styled and known as the "Ottawa county municipal court";

(20) The municipal court established in Lancaster that, beginning January 2, 2000, shall be styled and known as the "Fairfield county municipal court";

(21) The municipal court established within Columbiana county in Lisbon or in any other municipal corporation or unincorporated territory selected pursuant to division (I) of section 1901.021 of the Revised Code, that shall be styled and known as the "Columbiana county municipal court";

(22) The municipal court established in Georgetown that, beginning February 9, 2003, shall be styled and known as the "Brown county municipal court";

(23) The municipal court established in Mount Gilead that, beginning January 1, 2003, shall be styled and known as the "Morrow county municipal court";

(24) The municipal court established in Greenville that, beginning January 1, 2005, shall be styled and known as the "Darke county municipal court";

(25) The municipal court established in Millersburg that, beginning January 1, 2007, shall be styled and known as the "Holmes county municipal court";

(26) The municipal court established in Carrollton that, beginning January 1, 2007, shall be styled and known as the "Carroll county municipal court";

(27) The municipal court established within Erie county in Milan or established in any other municipal corporation or unincorporated territory that is within Erie county, is within the territorial jurisdiction of that court, and is selected by the legislative authority of that court that, beginning January 1, 2008, shall be styled and known as the "Erie county municipal court";

(28) The municipal court established in Ottawa that, beginning January 1, 2011, shall be styled and known as the "Putnam county municipal court";

(29) The municipal court established within Montgomery county in any municipal corporation or unincorporated territory within Montgomery county, except the municipal corporations of Centerville, Clayton, Dayton, Englewood, Germantown, Kettering, Miamisburg, Moraine, Oakwood, Union, Vandalia, and West Carrollton and Butler, German, Harrison, Miami, and Washington townships, that is selected by the legislative authority of that court and that, beginning July 1, 2010, shall be styled and known as the "Montgomery county municipal court";

(30) The municipal court established in Tiffin that, beginning January 1, 2014, shall be styled and known as the "Tiffin-Fostoria municipal court";

(31) The municipal court established in New Lexington that, beginning January 1, 2018, shall be styled and known as the "Perry county municipal court";

(32) The municipal court established in Paulding that, beginning January 1, 2020, shall be styled and known as the "Paulding county municipal court";

(33) The municipal court established in Wauseon that, beginning January 1, 2024, shall be styled and known as the "Fulton county municipal court."

(B) In addition to the jurisdiction set forth in division (A) of this section, the municipal courts established by section 1901.01 of the Revised Code have jurisdiction as follows:

The Akron municipal court has jurisdiction within Bath, Richfield, and Springfield townships, and within the municipal corporations of Fairlawn, Lakemore, and Mogadore, in Summit county.

The Alliance municipal court has jurisdiction within Lexington, Marlboro, Paris, and Washington townships in Stark county.

The Ashland municipal court has jurisdiction within Ashland county.

The Ashtabula municipal court has jurisdiction within Ashtabula, Plymouth, and Saybrook townships in Ashtabula county.

The Athens county municipal court has jurisdiction within Athens county.

The Auglaize county municipal court has jurisdiction within Auglaize county.

The Avon Lake municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Avon and Sheffield in Lorain county.

The Barberton municipal court has jurisdiction within Coventry, Franklin, and Green townships, within all of Copley township except within the municipal corporation of Fairlawn, and within the municipal corporations of Clinton and Norton, in Summit county.

The Bedford municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Bedford Heights, Oakwood, Glenwillow, Solon, Bentleyville, Chagrin Falls, Moreland Hills, Orange, Warrensville Heights, North Randall, and Woodmere, and within Warrensville and Chagrin Falls townships, in Cuyahoga county.

The Bellefontaine municipal court has jurisdiction within Logan county.

The Bellevue municipal court has jurisdiction within Lyme and Sherman townships in Huron county and within York township in Sandusky county.

The Berea municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Strongsville, Middleburgh Heights, Brook Park, Westview, and Olmsted Falls, and within Olmsted township, in Cuyahoga county.

The Bowling Green municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Bairdstown, Bloomdale, Bradner, Custar, Cygnet, Grand Rapids, Haskins, Hoytville, Jerry City, Milton Center, North Baltimore, Pemberville, Portage, Rising Sun, Tontogany, Wayne, West Millgrove, and Weston; within Bloom, Center, Freedom, Grand Rapids, Henry, Jackson, Liberty, Middleton, Milton, Montgomery, Plain, Portage, Washington, Webster, and Weston townships in Wood county; and on and after January 2, 2024, within Perry township in Wood county.

Beginning February 9, 2003, the Brown county municipal court has jurisdiction within Brown county.

The Bryan municipal court has jurisdiction within Williams county.

The Cambridge municipal court has jurisdiction within Guernsey county.

The Campbell municipal court has jurisdiction within Coitsville township in Mahoning county.

The Canton municipal court has jurisdiction within Canton, Lake, Nimishillen, Osnaburg, Pike, Plain, and Sandy townships in Stark county.

The Carroll county municipal court has jurisdiction within Carroll county.

The Celina municipal court has jurisdiction within Mercer county.

The Champaign county municipal court has jurisdiction within Champaign county.

The Chardon municipal court has jurisdiction within Geauga county.

The Chillicothe municipal court has jurisdiction within Ross county.

The Circleville municipal court has jurisdiction within Pickaway county.

The Clark county municipal court has jurisdiction within Clark county.

The Clermont county municipal court has jurisdiction within Clermont county.

The Cleveland municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporation of Bratenahl in Cuyahoga county.

Beginning July 1, 1992, the Clinton county municipal court has jurisdiction within Clinton county.

The Columbiana county municipal court has jurisdiction within Columbiana county.

Beginning January 1, 2025, the Conneaut municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporation of North Kingsville, and within Kingsville, Monroe, and Sheffield townships, in Ashtabula county.

The Coshocton municipal court has jurisdiction within Coshocton county.

The Crawford county municipal court has jurisdiction within Crawford county.

Until December 31, 2008, the Cuyahoga Falls municipal court has jurisdiction within Boston, Hudson, Northfield Center, Sagamore Hills, and Twinsburg townships, and within the municipal corporations of Boston Heights, Hudson, Munroe Falls, Northfield, Peninsula, Reminderville, Silver Lake, Stow, Tallmadge, Twinsburg, and Macedonia, in Summit county.

Beginning January 1, 2005, the Darke county municipal court has jurisdiction within Darke county except within the municipal corporation of Bradford.

The Defiance municipal court has jurisdiction within Defiance county.

The Delaware municipal court has jurisdiction within Delaware county.

The Eaton municipal court has jurisdiction within Preble county.

The Elyria municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Grafton, LaGrange, and North Ridgeville, and within Elyria, Carlisle, Eaton, Columbia, Grafton, and LaGrange townships, in Lorain county.

Beginning January 1, 2008, the Erie county municipal court has jurisdiction within Erie county except within the townships of Florence, Huron, Perkins, and Vermilion and the municipal corporations of Bay View, Castalia, Huron, Sandusky, and Vermilion.

The Fairborn municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporation of Beavercreek and within Bath and Beavercreek townships in Greene county.

Beginning January 2, 2000, the Fairfield county municipal court has jurisdiction within Fairfield county.

The Findlay municipal court has jurisdiction, until January 2, 2024, within all of Hancock county except within Washington township, and on and after January 2, 2024, within all of Hancock county.

The Franklin municipal court has jurisdiction within Franklin township in Warren county.

The Franklin county municipal court has jurisdiction within Franklin county.

The Fremont municipal court has jurisdiction within Ballville and Sandusky townships in Sandusky county.

Beginning January 1, 2024, the Fulton county municipal court has jurisdiction within Fulton county.

The Gallipolis municipal court has jurisdiction within Gallia county.

The Garfield Heights municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Maple Heights, Walton Hills, Valley View, Cuyahoga Heights, Newburgh Heights, Independence, and Brecksville in Cuyahoga county.

The Girard municipal court has jurisdiction within Liberty, Vienna, and Hubbard townships in Trumbull county.

The Hamilton municipal court has jurisdiction within Ross and St. Clair townships in Butler county.

The Hamilton county municipal court has jurisdiction within Hamilton county.

The Hardin county municipal court has jurisdiction within Hardin county.

The Hillsboro municipal court has jurisdiction within all of Highland county except within Madison township.

The Hocking county municipal court has jurisdiction within Hocking county.

The Holmes county municipal court has jurisdiction within Holmes county.

The Huron municipal court has jurisdiction within all of Huron township in Erie county except within the municipal corporation of Sandusky.

The Ironton municipal court has jurisdiction within Aid, Decatur, Elizabeth, Hamilton, Lawrence, Upper, and Washington townships in Lawrence county.

The Jackson county municipal court has jurisdiction within Jackson county.

The Kettering municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Centerville and Moraine, and within Washington township, in Montgomery county.

Until January 2, 2000, the Lancaster municipal court has jurisdiction within Fairfield county.

The Lawrence county municipal court has jurisdiction within the townships of Fayette, Mason, Perry, Rome, Symmes, Union, and Windsor in Lawrence county.

The Lebanon municipal court has jurisdiction within Turtlecreek township in Warren county.

The Licking county municipal court has jurisdiction within Licking county.

The Lima municipal court has jurisdiction within Allen county.

The Lorain municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporation of Sheffield Lake, and within Sheffield township, in Lorain county.

The Lyndhurst municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Mayfield Heights, Gates Mills, Mayfield, Highland Heights, and Richmond Heights in Cuyahoga county.

The Madison county municipal court has jurisdiction within Madison county.

The Mansfield municipal court has jurisdiction within Madison, Springfield, Sandusky, Franklin, Weller, Mifflin, Troy, Washington, Monroe, Perry, Jefferson, and Worthington townships, and within sections 35-36-31 and 32 of Butler township, in Richland county.

The Marietta municipal court has jurisdiction within Washington county.

The Marion municipal court has jurisdiction within Marion county.

The Marysville municipal court has jurisdiction within Union county.

The Mason municipal court has jurisdiction within Deerfield township in Warren county.

The Massillon municipal court has jurisdiction within Bethlehem, Perry, Sugar Creek, Tuscarawas, Lawrence, and Jackson townships in Stark county.

The Maumee municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Waterville and Whitehouse, within Waterville and Providence townships, and within those portions of Springfield, Monclova, and Swanton townships lying south of the northerly boundary line of the Ohio turnpike, in Lucas county.

The Medina municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Briarwood Beach, Brunswick, Chippewa-on-the-Lake, and Spencer and within the townships of Brunswick Hills, Chatham, Granger, Hinckley, Lafayette, Litchfield, Liverpool, Medina, Montville, Spencer, and York townships, in Medina county.

The Mentor municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporation of Mentor-on-the-Lake in Lake county.

The Miami county municipal court has jurisdiction within Miami county and within the part of the municipal corporation of Bradford that is located in Darke county.

The Miamisburg municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Germantown and West Carrollton, and within German and Miami townships in Montgomery county.

The Middletown municipal court has jurisdiction within Madison township, and within all of Lemon township, except within the municipal corporation of Monroe, in Butler county.

Beginning July 1, 2010, the Montgomery county municipal court has jurisdiction within all of Montgomery county except for the municipal corporations of Centerville, Clayton, Dayton, Englewood, Germantown, Kettering, Miamisburg, Moraine, Oakwood, Union, Vandalia, and West Carrollton and Butler, German, Harrison, Miami, and Washington townships.

Beginning January 1, 2003, the Morrow county municipal court has jurisdiction within Morrow county.

The Mount Vernon municipal court has jurisdiction within Knox county.

The Napoleon municipal court has jurisdiction within Henry county.

The New Philadelphia municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporation of Dover, and within Auburn, Bucks, Fairfield, Goshen, Jefferson, Warren, York, Dover, Franklin, Lawrence, Sandy, Sugarcreek, and Wayne townships in Tuscarawas county.

The Newton Falls municipal court has jurisdiction within Bristol, Bloomfield, Lordstown, Newton, Braceville, Southington, Farmington, and Mesopotamia townships in Trumbull county.

The Niles municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporation of McDonald, and within Weathersfield township in Trumbull county.

The Norwalk municipal court has jurisdiction within all of Huron county except within the municipal corporation of Bellevue and except within Lyme and Sherman townships.

The Oberlin municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Amherst, Kipton, Rochester, South Amherst, and Wellington, and within Henrietta, Russia, Camden, Pittsfield, Brighton, Wellington, Penfield, Rochester, and Huntington townships, and within all of Amherst township except within the municipal corporation of Lorain, in Lorain county.

The Oregon municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporation of Harbor View, and within Jerusalem township, in Lucas county, and north within Maumee Bay and Lake Erie to the boundary line between Ohio and Michigan between the easterly boundary of the court and the easterly boundary of the Toledo municipal court.

The Ottawa county municipal court has jurisdiction within Ottawa county.

The Painesville municipal court has jurisdiction within Painesville, Perry, Leroy, Concord, and Madison townships in Lake county.

The Parma municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Parma Heights, Brooklyn, Linndale, North Royalton, Broadview Heights, Seven Hills, and Brooklyn Heights in Cuyahoga county.

Beginning January 1, 2018, the Perry county municipal court has jurisdiction within Perry county.

Beginning January 1, 2020, the Paulding county municipal court has jurisdiction within Paulding county.

The Perrysburg municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Luckey, Millbury, Northwood, Rossford, and Walbridge, and within Perrysburg, Lake, and Troy townships, in Wood county.

The Portage county municipal court has jurisdiction within Portage county.

The Portsmouth municipal court has jurisdiction within Scioto county.

The Putnam county municipal court has jurisdiction within Putnam county.

The Rocky River municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Bay Village, Westlake, Fairview Park, and North Olmsted, and within Riveredge township, in Cuyahoga county.

The Sandusky municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Castalia and Bay View, and within Perkins township, in Erie county.

The Shaker Heights municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of University Heights, Beachwood, Pepper Pike, and Hunting Valley in Cuyahoga county.

The Shelby municipal court has jurisdiction within Sharon, Jackson, Cass, Plymouth, and Blooming Grove townships, and within all of Butler township except sections 35-36-31 and 32, in Richland county.

The Sidney municipal court has jurisdiction within Shelby county.

Beginning January 1, 2009, the Stow municipal court has jurisdiction within Boston, Hudson, Northfield Center, Sagamore Hills, and Twinsburg townships, and within the municipal corporations of Boston Heights, Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, Munroe Falls, Northfield, Peninsula, Reminderville, Silver Lake, Stow, Tallmadge, Twinsburg, and Macedonia, in Summit county.

The Struthers municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Lowellville, New Middleton, and Poland, and within Poland and Springfield townships in Mahoning county.

The Sylvania municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Berkey and Holland, and within Sylvania, Richfield, Spencer, and Harding townships, and within those portions of Swanton, Monclova, and Springfield townships lying north of the northerly boundary line of the Ohio turnpike, in Lucas county.

Beginning January 1, 2014, the Tiffin-Fostoria municipal court has jurisdiction within Adams, Big Spring, Bloom, Clinton, Eden, Hopewell, Jackson, Liberty, Loudon, Pleasant, Reed, Scipio, Seneca, Thompson, and Venice townships in Seneca county, and beginning on January 1, 2014, and until January 2, 2024, has jurisdiction within Washington township in Hancock county, and within Perry township, except within the municipal corporation of West Millgrove, in Wood county.

The Toledo municipal court has jurisdiction within Washington township, and within the municipal corporation of Ottawa Hills, in Lucas county.

The Upper Sandusky municipal court has jurisdiction within Wyandot county.

The Vandalia municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Clayton, Englewood, and Union, and within Butler, Harrison, and Randolph townships, in Montgomery county.

The Van Wert municipal court has jurisdiction within Van Wert county.

The Vermilion municipal court has jurisdiction within the townships of Vermilion and Florence in Erie county and within all of Brownhelm township except within the municipal corporation of Lorain, in Lorain county.

The Wadsworth municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Gloria Glens Park, Lodi, Seville, and Westfield Center, and within Guilford, Harrisville, Homer, Sharon, Wadsworth, and Westfield townships in Medina county.

The Warren municipal court has jurisdiction within Warren and Champion townships, and within all of Howland township except within the municipal corporation of Niles, in Trumbull county.

The Washington Court House municipal court has jurisdiction within Fayette county.

The Wayne county municipal court has jurisdiction within Wayne county.

The Willoughby municipal court has jurisdiction within the municipal corporations of Eastlake, Wickliffe, Willowick, Willoughby Hills, Kirtland, Kirtland Hills, Waite Hill, Timberlake, and Lakeline, and within Kirtland township, in Lake county.

Through June 30, 1992, the Wilmington municipal court has jurisdiction within Clinton county.

The Xenia municipal court has jurisdiction within Caesarcreek, Cedarville, Jefferson, Miami, New Jasper, Ross, Silvercreek, Spring Valley, Sugarcreek, and Xenia townships in Greene county.

(1) "Within a township" includes all land, including, but not limited to, any part of any municipal corporation, that is physically located within the territorial boundaries of that township, whether or not that land or municipal corporation is governmentally a part of the township.

(2) "Within a municipal corporation" includes all land within the territorial boundaries of the municipal corporation and any townships that are coextensive with the municipal corporation.

Sec. 1901.123. (A)(1) Subject to reimbursement under division (B) of this section, the treasurer of the county in which a county-operated municipal court or other municipal court is located shall pay the per diem compensation to which an acting judge appointed pursuant to division (A)(2)(a), (B)(1), or (C)(1) of section 1901.121 of the Revised Code is entitled pursuant to division (A)(1) of section 1901.122 of the Revised Code.

(2) The treasurer of the county in which a county-operated municipal court or other municipal court is located shall pay the per diem compensation to which an assigned judge assigned pursuant to division (A)(1), (A)(2)(b), (B)(2), (C)(2), or (D) of section 1901.121 of the Revised Code is entitled pursuant to division (B)(1) or (4) of section 1901.122 of the Revised Code.

(3) Subject to reimbursement under division (B) of this section, the treasurer of the county in which a county-operated municipal court or other municipal court is located shall pay the per diem compensation to which an assigned judge assigned pursuant to division (A)(1), (A)(2)(b), (B)(2), (C)(2), or (D) of section 1901.121 of the Revised Code is entitled pursuant to division (B)(2) of section 1901.122 of the Revised Code.

(4) Subject to reimbursement under division (C) of this section, the supreme court shall pay the per diem compensation to which an assigned judge assigned pursuant to division (A)(1), (A)(2)(b), (B)(2), (C)(2), or (D) of section 1901.121 of the Revised Code is entitled pursuant to division (B)(3) of section 1901.122 of the Revised Code.

(B) ~~The treasurer of a~~ A county that, pursuant to division (A)(1) or (3) of this section, is required to pay the per diem compensation to which an acting judge or assigned judge is entitled, shall submit to the administrative director of the supreme court quarterly requests for reimbursements of the state portion of the per diem amounts so paid. The requests shall include verifications of the payment of those amounts and an affidavit from the acting judge or assigned judge stating the days and hours worked. The administrative director shall cause reimbursements of the state portion of the per diem amounts paid to be issued to the county if the administrative director verifies that those amounts were, in fact, so paid. If the county fails to submit a request within one year after the per diem compensation was paid, the administrative director shall refuse to cause reimbursement to be issued.

(C) If the supreme court, pursuant to division (A)(4) of this section, is required to pay the per diem compensation to which an assigned judge is entitled, annually, on the first day of August, the administrative director of the supreme court shall issue a billing to the county treasurer of any county to which such a judge was assigned to a municipal court for reimbursement of the county or local portion of the per diem compensation previously paid by the supreme court for the twelve-month period preceding the last day of June. The county or local portion of the per diem compensation shall be that part of each per diem paid by the state which is proportional to the county or local shares of the total compensation of a resident judge of such court. The county treasurer shall forward the payment within thirty days. After forwarding the payment, the county treasurer shall seek reimbursement from the applicable local municipalities as appropriate.

Sec. 1901.261. (A)(1) A municipal court may determine that for the efficient operation of the court additional funds are required to computerize the court, to make available computerized legal research services, or to do both. Upon making a determination that additional funds are required for either or both of those purposes, the court shall include in its schedule of fees and costs under section 1901.26 of the Revised Code one additional fee not to exceed three dollars on the filing of each cause of action or appeal equivalent to one described in division (A), (Q), or (U) of section 2303.20 of the Revised Code and shall direct the clerk of the court to charge the fee.

(2) All fees collected under this section shall be paid on or before the twentieth day of the month following the month in which they are collected to the county treasurer if the court is a county-operated municipal court or to the city treasurer if the court is not a county-operated municipal court. The treasurer shall place the funds from the fees in a separate fund to be disbursed upon an order of the court, subject to an appropriation by the board of county commissioners if the court is a county-operated municipal court or by the legislative authority of the municipal corporation if the court is not a county-operated municipal court, or upon an order of the court, subject to the court making an annual report available to the public listing the use of all such funds, in an amount not greater than the actual cost to the court of computerizing the court, procuring and maintaining computerized legal research services, or both.

(3) If the court determines that the funds in the fund described in division (A)(2) of this section are more than sufficient to satisfy the purpose for which the additional fee described in division (A)(1) of this section was imposed, the court may declare a surplus in the fund and, subject to an appropriation by the board of county commissioners if the court is a county-operated municipal court or by the legislative authority of the municipal corporation if the court is not a county-operated municipal court, expend those surplus funds, or upon an order of the court, subject to the court making an annual report available to the public listing the use of all such funds, expend those surplus funds, for other appropriate technological expenses of the court.

~~(B)(1) A~~(B)(1)(a) Except as provided in division (B)(1)(b) of this section, the clerk of a municipal court may determine that, for the efficient operation of the office of the clerk of the municipal court, additional funds are required to computerize the office of the clerk of the court and, upon that determination, may ~~include in its schedule of fees and costs under section 1901.26 of the Revised Code an additional~~ authorize and direct that a computerization fee not to exceed ~~ten~~ twenty dollars be charged on the filing of each cause of action or appeal, on the filing, docketing, and endorsing of each certificate of judgment, or on the docketing and indexing of each aid in execution or petition to vacate, revive, or modify a judgment that is equivalent to one described in division (A), (P), (Q), (T), or (U) of section 2303.20 of the Revised Code.

(b) In a county in which the clerk of the municipal court is appointed, the municipal court may make the determination described in division (B)(1)(a) of this section and, upon that determination, may include such a computerization fee in its schedule of fees and costs under section 1901.26 of the Revised Code.

(2) Subject to division ~~(B)(2)~~(B)(3) of this section, all moneys collected under division ~~(B)(1)~~(B)(1)(a) of this section shall be paid on or before the twentieth day of the month following the month in which they are collected to the county treasurer if the court is a county-operated municipal court or to the city treasurer if the court is not a county-operated municipal court. The treasurer shall place the funds from the fees in a separate fund to be disbursed, ~~upon an order of the municipal court and~~ subject to an appropriation made by the board of county commissioners if the court is a county-operated municipal court or by the legislative authority of the municipal corporation if the court is not a county-operated municipal court, in an amount no greater than the actual cost to the court of procuring and maintaining computer systems for the office of the clerk of the municipal court.

~~(2)~~(3) If a municipal court or the clerk of a municipal court makes the determination described in division ~~(B)(1)~~(B)(1)(a) of this section, the board of county commissioners of the county if the court is a county-operated municipal court or the legislative authority of the municipal corporation if the court is not a county-operated municipal court, may issue one or more general obligation bonds for the purpose of procuring and maintaining the computer systems for the office of the clerk of the municipal court. In addition to the purposes stated in division ~~(B)(1)~~(B)(1)(a) of this section for which the moneys collected under that division may be expended, the moneys additionally may be expended to pay debt charges and financing costs related to any general obligation bonds issued pursuant to division ~~(B)(2)~~(B)(3) of this section as they become due. General obligation bonds issued pursuant to division ~~(B)(2)~~(B)(3) of this section are Chapter 133. securities.

Sec. 1901.313. (A) Beginning not later than two hundred seventy days after the effective date of this section, pleadings or documents may be filed with the clerk of court either in paper format or in electronic format.

(B)(1) The clerk shall determine whether the filing of pleadings or documents in electronic format may be accomplished either by electronic mail or through the use of an online platform.

(2) The fee for filing pleadings or documents in electronic format may be paid after the filing. The clerk shall not require that any fee for the filing of pleadings or documents in electronic format be paid before the filing, unless the clerk has provided for an electronic payment system for such filing.

(3) The clerk shall not require a fee for the filing of pleadings or documents in electronic format that is greater than the applicable fee for the filing of pleadings or documents in paper format.

(C) Pleadings and documents filed in paper format may be converted to an electronic format. Documents created by the clerk of court in the exercise of the clerk's duties may be created in an electronic format.

(D) When pleadings or documents are received or created in, or converted to, an electronic format as provided in this section, the pleadings or documents in that format shall be considered the official version of the record.

Sec. 1907.11. (A) Each county court district shall have the following county court judges, to be elected as follows:

In the Adams county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982.

In Until December 31, 2030, in the Ashtabula county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1980, and one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of division (C) of section 1907.13 of the Revised Code, the part-time judge to be elected in 2028 shall be elected for a term of two years commencing on January 1, 2029, and ending on December 31, 2030. The Ashtabula county county court part-time judgeships cease to exist on January 1, 2031. One full-time judge shall be elected in 2030, for a six-year term to commence on January 1, 2031. Effective January 1, 2031, notwithstanding division (A)(6) of section 141.04 of the Revised Code and division (A) of section 1907.16 of the Revised Code, the full-time judge of the Ashtabula county county court under this section shall receive the compensation set forth in division (A)(5) of section 141.04 of the Revised Code.

In the Belmont county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1992, term to commence on January 1, 1993, and two part-time judges shall be elected in 1994, terms to commence on January 1, 1995, and January 2, 1995, respectively.

In the Butler county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1992, term to commence on January 1, 1993, and two part-time judges shall be elected in 1994, terms to commence on January 1, 1995, and January 2, 1995, respectively.

Until December 31, 2007, in the Erie county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982. Effective January 1, 2008, the Erie county county court shall cease to exist.

In the Harrison county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982.

In the Highland county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982.

In the Jefferson county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1992, term to commence on January 1, 1993, and two part-time judges shall be elected in 1994, terms to commence on January 1, 1995, and January 2, 1995, respectively.

In the Mahoning county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1992, term to commence on January 1, 1993, and three part-time judges shall be elected in 1994, terms to commence on January 1, 1995, January 2, 1995, and January 3, 1995, respectively.

In the Meigs county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982.

In the Monroe county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982.

In the Morgan county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982.

In the Muskingum county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1980, and one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982.

In the Noble county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982.

In the Pike county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982.

In the Sandusky county county court, one full-time judge shall be elected in 2024, term to commence on January 2, 2025. Effective January 2, 2025, notwithstanding division (A)(6) of section 141.04 of the Revised Code and division (A) of section 1907.16 of the Revised Code, the full-time judge of the Sandusky county county court under this section shall receive the compensation set forth in division (A)(5) of section 141.04 of the Revised Code.

In the Trumbull county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1992, and one part-time judge shall be elected in 1994.

In the Tuscarawas county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982.

In the Vinton county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982.

In the Warren county county court, one part-time judge shall be elected in 1980, and one part-time judge shall be elected in 1982.

(B)(1) Additional judges shall be elected at the next regular election for a county court judge as provided in section 1907.13 of the Revised Code.

(2) Vacancies caused by the death or the resignation from, forfeiture of, or removal from office of a judge shall be filled in accordance with section 107.08 of the Revised Code, except as provided in section 1907.15 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 1907.143. (A)(1) Subject to reimbursement under division (B) of this section, the treasurer of the county in which a county court is located shall pay the per diem compensation to which an acting judge appointed pursuant to division (A)(2)(a), (B)(1), or (C)(1) of section 1907.141 of the Revised Code is entitled pursuant to division (A) of section 1907.142 of the Revised Code.

(2) The treasurer of the county in which a county court is located shall pay the per diem compensation to which an assigned judge assigned pursuant to division (A)(1), (A)(2)(b), (B)(2), or (C)(2) of section 1907.141 of the Revised Code is entitled pursuant to division (B)(1) or (4) of section 1907.142 of the Revised Code.

(3) Subject to reimbursement under division (B) of this section, the treasurer of the county in which a county court is located shall pay the per diem compensation to which an assigned judge assigned pursuant to division (A)(1), (A)(2)(b), (B)(2), or (C)(2) of section 1907.141 of the Revised Code is entitled pursuant to division (B)(2) of section 1907.142 of the Revised Code.

(4) Subject to reimbursement under division (C) of this section, the supreme court shall pay the per diem compensation to which an assigned judge assigned pursuant to division (A)(1), (A)(2)(b), (B)(2), or (C)(2) of section 1907.141 of the Revised Code is entitled pursuant to division (B)(3) of section 1907.142 of the Revised Code.

(C) If the supreme court, pursuant to division (A)(4) of this section, is required to pay the per diem compensation to which an assigned judge is entitled, annually, on the first day of August, the administrative director of the supreme court shall issue a billing to the county treasurer of any county to which such a judge was assigned to a county court for reimbursement of the county portion of the per diem compensation previously paid by the supreme court for the twelve-month period preceding the last day of June. The county portion of the per diem compensation shall be that part of each per diem paid by the state which is proportional to the county shares of the total compensation of a resident judge of such court. The county treasurer shall forward the payment within thirty days. After forwarding the payment, the county treasurer shall seek reimbursement from the applicable local municipalities as appropriate.

Sec. 1907.202. (A) Beginning not later than two hundred seventy days after the effective date of this section, pleadings or documents may be filed with the clerk of the county court either in paper format or in electronic format.

(B)(1) The clerk shall determine whether the filing of pleadings or documents in electronic format may be accomplished either by electronic mail or through the use of an online platform.

(3) The clerk shall not require a fee for the filing of pleadings or documents in electronic format that is greater than the applicable fee for the filing of pleadings or documents in paper format.

(C) Pleadings and documents filed in paper format may be converted to an electronic format. Documents created by the clerk of the county court in the exercise of the clerk's duties may be created in an electronic format.

Sec. 1907.261. (A)(1) A county court may determine that for the efficient operation of the court additional funds are required to computerize the court, to make available computerized legal research services, or to do both. Upon making a determination that additional funds are required for either or both of those purposes, the court shall include in its schedule of fees and costs under section 1907.24 of the Revised Code one additional fee not to exceed three dollars on the filing of each cause of action or appeal equivalent to one described in division (A), (Q), or (U) of section 2303.20 of the Revised Code and shall direct the clerk of the court to charge the fee.

(2) All fees collected under this section shall be paid on or before the twentieth day of the month following the month in which they are collected to the county treasurer. The treasurer shall place the funds from the fees in a separate fund to be disbursed either upon an order of the court, subject to an appropriation by the board of county commissioners, or upon an order of the court, subject to the court making an annual report available to the public listing the use of all such funds, in an amount not greater than the actual cost to the court of computerizing the court, procuring and maintaining computerized legal research services, or both.

(3) If the court determines that the funds in the fund described in division (A)(2) of this section are more than sufficient to satisfy the purpose for which the additional fee described in division (A)(1) of this section was imposed, the court may declare a surplus in the fund and, subject to an appropriation by the board of county commissioners, expend those surplus funds, or upon an order of the court, subject to the court making an annual report available to the public listing the use of all such funds, expend those surplus funds, for other appropriate technological expenses of the court.

~~(B)(1) A~~(B)(1)(a) Except as provided in division (B)(1)(b) of this section, the clerk of a county court may determine that, for the efficient operation of the office of the clerk of the court, additional funds are required to computerize the office of the clerk of the court and, upon that determination, may ~~include in its schedule of fees and costs under section 1907.24 of the Revised Code an additional~~authorize and direct that a computerization fee not to exceed ~~ten~~ twenty dollars be charged on the filing of each cause of action or appeal, on the filing, docketing, and endorsing of each certificate of judgment, or on the docketing and indexing of each aid in execution or petition to vacate, revive, or modify a judgment that is equivalent to one described in division (A), (P), (Q), (T), or (U) of section 2303.20 of the Revised Code.

(b) In a county in which the clerk of the county court is appointed, the county court may make the determination described in division (B)(1)(a) of this section and, upon that determination, may include such a computerization fee in its schedule of fees and costs under section 1907.24 of the Revised Code.

~~(2)~~(3) If a county court or the clerk of a county court makes the determination described in division ~~(B)(1)~~(B)(1)(a) of this section, the board of county commissioners of that county may issue one or more general obligation bonds for the purpose of procuring and maintaining the computer systems for the office of the clerk of the county court. In addition to the purposes stated in division ~~(B)(1)~~(B)(1)(a) of this section for which the moneys collected under that division may be expended, the moneys additionally may be expended to pay debt charges and financing costs related to any general obligation bonds issued pursuant to division ~~(B)(2)~~(B)(3) of this section as they become due. General obligation bonds issued pursuant to division ~~(B)(2)~~(B)(3) of this section are Chapter 133. securities.

Sec. 2303.081. (A) Pleadings or documents may be filed with the clerk of court either in paper format or in electronic format.

(B)(1) The clerk shall determine whether the filing of pleadings or documents in electronic format may be accomplished either by electronic mail or through the use of an online platform.

(3) The clerk shall not require a fee for the filing of pleadings or documents in electronic format that is greater than the applicable fee for the filing of pleadings or documents in paper format.

(4) Divisions (B)(1), (2), and (3) of this section do not apply to the filing of pleadings or documents in a probate court or juvenile court.

~~(B)~~ (D) When pleadings or documents are received or created in, or converted to, an electronic format as provided in ~~division (A) of~~ this section, the pleadings or documents in that format shall be considered the official version of the record.

Sec. 2303.201. (A)(1) The court of common pleas of any county may determine that for the efficient operation of the court additional funds are required to computerize the court, to make available computerized legal research services, or to do both. Upon making a determination that additional funds are required for either or both of those purposes, the court shall authorize and direct the clerk of the court of common pleas to charge one additional fee, not to exceed six dollars, on the filing of each cause of action or appeal under divisions (A), (Q), and (U) of section 2303.20 of the Revised Code.

(2) All fees collected under division (A)(1) of this section shall be paid to the county treasurer. The treasurer shall place the funds from the fees in a separate fund to be disbursed either upon an order of the court, subject to an appropriation by the board of county commissioners, or upon an order of the court, subject to the court making an annual report available to the public listing the use of all such funds, in an amount not greater than the actual cost to the court of procuring and maintaining computerization of the court, computerized legal research services, or both.

(3) If the court determines that the funds in the fund described in division (A)(2) of this section are more than sufficient to satisfy the purpose for which the additional fee described in division (A)(1) of this section was imposed, the court may declare a surplus in the fund and, subject to an appropriation by the board of county commissioners, expend those surplus funds, or upon an order of the court, subject to the court making an annual report available to the public listing the use of all such funds, expend those surplus funds, for other appropriate technological expenses of the court.

~~(B)(1) The~~(B)(1)(a) Except as provided in division (B)(1)(b) of this section, the clerk of the court of common pleas of any county may determine that, for the efficient operation of the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas, additional funds are required to make technological advances in or to computerize the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas and, upon that determination, authorize and direct ~~the clerk of the court of common pleas to charge~~ that an additional fee, not to exceed twenty dollars, on the filing of each cause of action or appeal, on the filing, docketing, and endorsing of each certificate of judgment, or on the docketing and indexing of each aid in execution or petition to vacate, revive, or modify a judgment under divisions (A), (P), (Q), (T), and (U) of section 2303.20 of the Revised Code and not to exceed one dollar each for the services described in divisions (B), (C), (D), (F), (H), and (L) of section 2303.20 of the Revised Code, be charged.

(b) In a county in which the clerk of the court of common pleas is appointed, the court may make the determination described in division (B)(1)(a) of this section and, upon that determination, may include such a computerization fee in its schedule of fees and costs.

(2) Subject to division ~~(B)(2)~~(B)(3) of this section, all moneys collected under division ~~(B)(1)~~(B)(1)(a) of this section shall be paid to the county treasurer to be disbursed, ~~upon an order of the court of common pleas and~~ subject to an appropriation made by the board of county commissioners, in an amount no greater than the actual cost to the court of procuring and maintaining technology and computer systems for the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas.

~~(2)~~(3) If the court of common pleas or the clerk of the court of common pleas of a county makes the determination described in division ~~(B)(1)~~(B)(1)(a) of this section, the board of county commissioners of that county may issue one or more general obligation bonds for the purpose of procuring and maintaining the technology and computer systems for the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas. In addition to the purposes stated in division ~~(B)(1)~~(B)(1)(a) of this section for which the moneys collected under that division may be expended, the moneys additionally may be expended to pay debt charges on and financing costs related to any general obligation bonds issued pursuant to division ~~(B)(2)~~(B)(3) of this section as they become due. General obligation bonds issued pursuant to division ~~(B)(2)~~(B)(3) of this section are Chapter 133. securities.

(C) The court of common pleas shall collect the sum of twenty-six dollars as additional filing fees in each new civil action or proceeding for the charitable public purpose of providing financial assistance to legal aid societies that operate within the state and to support the office of the state public defender. This division does not apply to a juvenile division of a court of common pleas, except that an additional filing fee of fifteen dollars shall apply to custody, visitation, and parentage actions; to a probate division of a court of common pleas, except that the additional filing fees shall apply to name change, guardianship, adoption, and decedents' estate proceedings; or to an execution on a judgment, proceeding in aid of execution, or other post-judgment proceeding arising out of a civil action. The filing fees required to be collected under this division shall be in addition to any other filing fees imposed in the action or proceeding and shall be collected at the time of the filing of the action or proceeding. The court shall not waive the payment of the additional filing fees in a new civil action or proceeding unless the court waives the advanced payment of all filing fees in the action or proceeding. All such moneys collected during a month except for an amount equal to up to one per cent of those moneys retained to cover administrative costs shall be transmitted on or before the twentieth day of the following month by the clerk of the court to the treasurer of state in a manner prescribed by the treasurer of state or by the Ohio access to justice foundation. The treasurer of state shall deposit four per cent of the funds collected under this division to the credit of the civil case filing fee fund established under section 120.07 of the Revised Code and ninety-six per cent of the funds collected under this division to the credit of the legal aid fund established under section 120.52 of the Revised Code.

The court may retain up to one per cent of the moneys it collects under this division to cover administrative costs, including the hiring of any additional personnel necessary to implement this division. If the court fails to transmit to the treasurer of state the moneys the court collects under this division in a manner prescribed by the treasurer of state or by the Ohio access to justice foundation, the court shall forfeit the moneys the court retains under this division to cover administrative costs, including the hiring of any additional personnel necessary to implement this division, and shall transmit to the treasurer of state all moneys collected under this division, including the forfeited amount retained for administrative costs, for deposit in the legal aid fund.

(D) On and after the thirtieth day after December 9, 1994, the court of common pleas shall collect the sum of thirty-two dollars as additional filing fees in each new action or proceeding for annulment, divorce, or dissolution of marriage for the purpose of funding shelters for victims of domestic violence pursuant to sections 3113.35 to 3113.39 of the Revised Code. The filing fees required to be collected under this division shall be in addition to any other filing fees imposed in the action or proceeding and shall be collected at the time of the filing of the action or proceeding. The court shall not waive the payment of the additional filing fees in a new action or proceeding for annulment, divorce, or dissolution of marriage unless the court waives the advanced payment of all filing fees in the action or proceeding. On or before the twentieth day of each month, all moneys collected during the immediately preceding month pursuant to this division shall be deposited by the clerk of the court into the county treasury in the special fund used for deposit of additional marriage license fees as described in section 3113.34 of the Revised Code. Upon their deposit into the fund, the moneys shall be retained in the fund and expended only as described in section 3113.34 of the Revised Code.

(E)(1) The court of common pleas may determine that, for the efficient operation of the court, additional funds are necessary to acquire and pay for special projects of the court, including, but not limited to, the acquisition of additional facilities or the rehabilitation of existing facilities, the acquisition of equipment, the hiring and training of staff, community service programs, mediation or dispute resolution services, the employment of magistrates, the training and education of judges, acting judges, and magistrates, and other related services. Upon that determination, the court by rule may charge a fee, in addition to all other court costs, on the filing of each criminal cause, civil action or proceeding, or judgment by confession.

If the court of common pleas offers or requires a special program or additional services in cases of a specific type, the court by rule may assess an additional charge in a case of that type, over and above court costs, to cover the special program or service. The court shall adjust the special assessment periodically, but not retroactively, so that the amount assessed in those cases does not exceed the actual cost of providing the service or program.

All moneys collected under division (E) of this section shall be paid to the county treasurer for deposit into either a general special projects fund or a fund established for a specific special project. Moneys from a fund of that nature shall be disbursed upon an order of the court, subject to an appropriation by the board of county commissioners, in an amount no greater than the actual cost to the court of a project. If a specific fund is terminated because of the discontinuance of a program or service established under division (E) of this section, the court may order, subject to an appropriation by the board of county commissioners, that moneys remaining in the fund be transferred to an account established under this division for a similar purpose.

(2) As used in division (E) of this section:

(a) "Criminal cause" means a charge alleging the violation of a statute or ordinance, or subsection of a statute or ordinance, that requires a separate finding of fact or a separate plea before disposition and of which the defendant may be found guilty, whether filed as part of a multiple charge on a single summons, citation, or complaint or as a separate charge on a single summons, citation, or complaint. "Criminal cause" does not include separate violations of the same statute or ordinance, or subsection of the same statute or ordinance, unless each charge is filed on a separate summons, citation, or complaint.

(b) "Civil action or proceeding" means any civil litigation that must be determined by judgment entry.

Sec. 2505.02. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Substantial right" means a right that the United States Constitution, the Ohio Constitution, a statute, the common law, or a rule of procedure entitles a person to enforce or protect.

(2) "Special proceeding" means an action or proceeding that is specially created by statute and that prior to 1853 was not denoted as an action at law or a suit in equity.

(3) "Provisional remedy" means a proceeding ancillary to an action, including, but not limited to, a proceeding for a preliminary injunction, attachment, discovery of privileged matter, suppression of evidence, a prima-facie showing pursuant to section 2307.85 or 2307.86 of the Revised Code, a prima-facie showing pursuant to section 2307.92 of the Revised Code, or a finding made pursuant to division (A)(3) of section 2307.93 of the Revised Code.

(B) An order is a final order that may be reviewed, affirmed, modified, or reversed, with or without retrial, when it is one of the following:

(1) An order that affects a substantial right in an action that in effect determines the action and prevents a judgment;

(2) An order that affects a substantial right made in a special proceeding or upon a summary application in an action after judgment;

(3) An order that vacates or sets aside a judgment or grants a new trial;

(4) An order that grants or denies a provisional remedy and to which both of the following apply:

(a) The order in effect determines the action with respect to the provisional remedy and prevents a judgment in the action in favor of the appealing party with respect to the provisional remedy.

(b) The appealing party would not be afforded a meaningful or effective remedy by an appeal following final judgment as to all proceedings, issues, claims, and parties in the action.

(5) An order that determines that an action may or may not be maintained as a class action;

(6) An order determining the constitutionality of any changes to the Revised Code made by Am. Sub. S.B. 281 of the 124th general assembly, including the amendment of sections 1751.67, 2117.06, 2305.11, 2305.15, 2305.234, 2317.02, 2317.54, 2323.56, 2711.21, 2711.22, 2711.23, 2711.24, 2743.02, 2743.43, 2919.16, 3923.63, 3923.64, 4705.15, and 5111.018 (renumbered as 5164.07 by H.B. 59 of the 130th general assembly), and the enactment of sections 2305.113, 2323.41, 2323.43, and 2323.55 of the Revised Code or any changes made by Sub. S.B. 80 of the 125th general assembly, including the amendment of sections 2125.02, 2305.10, 2305.131, 2315.18, 2315.19, and 2315.21 of the Revised Code;

(7) An order in an appropriation proceeding that may be appealed pursuant to division (B)(3) of section 163.09 of the Revised Code;

(8) An order restraining or restricting enforcement, in whole or in part, facially or as applied, of any state statute or regulation, including, but not limited, to orders in the form of injunctions, declaratory judgments, or writs.

(C) When a court issues an order that vacates or sets aside a judgment or grants a new trial, the court, upon the request of either party, shall state in the order the grounds upon which the new trial is granted or the judgment vacated or set aside.

(D) This section applies to and governs any action, including an appeal, that is pending in any court on July 22, 1998, and all claims filed or actions commenced on or after July 22, 1998, notwithstanding any provision of any prior statute or rule of law of this state.

Sec. 2929.20. (A) As used in this section:

(1)(a) Except as provided in division (A)(1)(b) of this section, "eligible offender" means any person who, on or after April 7, 2009, is serving a stated prison term that includes one or more nonmandatory prison terms. A person may be an eligible offender and also may be an eighty per cent-qualifying offender or, during a declared state of emergency, a state of emergency-qualifying offender.

(b) "Eligible offender" does not include any person who, on or after April 7, 2009, is serving a stated prison term for any of the following criminal offenses that was a felony and was committed while the person held a public office in this state:

(i) A violation of section 2921.02, 2921.03, 2921.05, 2921.31, 2921.32, 2921.41, 2921.42, or 2923.32 of the Revised Code;

(ii) A violation of section 2913.42, 2921.04, 2921.11, or 2921.12 of the Revised Code, when the conduct constituting the violation was related to the duties of the offender's public office or to the offender's actions as a public official holding that public office;

(iii) A violation of an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state or the United States that is substantially equivalent to any violation listed in division (A)(1)(b)(i) of this section;

(iv) A violation of an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state or the United States that is substantially equivalent to any violation listed in division (A)(1)(b)(ii) of this section, when the conduct constituting the violation was related to the duties of the offender's public office or to the offender's actions as a public official holding that public office;

(v) A conspiracy to commit, attempt to commit, or complicity in committing any offense listed in division (A)(1)(b)(i) or described in division (A)(1)(b)(iii) of this section;

(vi) A conspiracy to commit, attempt to commit, or complicity in committing any offense listed in division (A)(1)(b)(ii) or described in division (A)(1)(b)(iv) of this section, if the conduct constituting the offense that was the subject of the conspiracy, that would have constituted the offense attempted, or constituting the offense in which the offender was complicit was or would have been related to the duties of the offender's public office or to the offender's actions as a public official holding that public office.

(2) "State of emergency-qualifying offender" means any inmate to whom all of the following apply:

(a) The inmate is serving a stated prison term during a state of emergency that is declared by the governor as a direct response to a pandemic or public health emergency.

(b) The geographical area covered by the declared state of emergency includes the location at which the inmate is serving the stated prison term described in division (A)(2)(a) of this section.

(c) There is a direct nexus between the emergency that is the basis of the governor's declaration of the state of emergency and the circumstances of, and need for release of, the inmate.

(3)(a) "Eighty per cent-qualifying offender" means an offender who is serving a stated prison term of one year or more, on or after April 4, 2023, who has commenced service of that stated prison term, who is not serving a stated prison term that includes a disqualifying prison term or a stated prison term that consists solely of one or more restricting prison terms, and to whom either of the following applies:

(i) If the offender is serving a stated prison term of one year or more that includes one or more restricting prison terms and one or more eligible prison terms, the offender has fully served all restricting prison terms and has served eighty per cent of that stated prison term that remains to be served after all restricting prison terms have been fully served.

(ii) If the offender is serving a stated prison term of one year or more that consists solely of one or more eligible prison terms, the offender has served eighty per cent of that stated prison term.

(b) For purposes of determining whether an offender is an eighty per cent-qualifying offender under division (A)(3)(a) of this section:

(i) If the offender's stated prison term includes consecutive prison terms, any restricting prison terms shall be deemed served prior to any eligible prison terms that run consecutively to the restricting prison terms, and the eligible prison terms are deemed to commence after all of the restricting prison terms have been fully served.

(ii) An offender serving a stated prison term of one year or more that includes a mandatory prison term that is not a disqualifying prison term and is not a restricting prison term is not automatically disqualified from being an eighty per cent-qualifying offender as a result of the offender's service of that mandatory term for release from prison under this section, and the offender may be eligible for release from prison in accordance with this division and division (O) of this section.

(4) "Nonmandatory prison term" means a prison term that is not a mandatory prison term.

(5) "Public office" means any elected federal, state, or local government office in this state.

(6) "Victim's representative" has the same meaning as in section 2930.01 of the Revised Code.

(7) "Imminent danger of death," "medically incapacitated," and "terminal illness" have the same meanings as in section 2967.05 of the Revised Code.

(8) "Aggregated nonmandatory prison term or terms" means the aggregate of the following:

(a) All nonmandatory definite prison terms;

(b) With respect to any non-life felony indefinite prison term, all nonmandatory minimum prison terms imposed as part of the non-life felony indefinite prison term or terms.

(9) "Deadly weapon" and "dangerous ordnance" have the same meanings as in section 2923.11 of the Revised Code.

(10) "Disqualifying prison term" means any of the following:

(a) A prison term imposed for aggravated murder, murder, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, felonious assault, kidnapping, rape, aggravated arson, aggravated burglary, or aggravated robbery;

(b) A prison term imposed for complicity in, an attempt to commit, or conspiracy to commit any offense listed in division (A)(10)(a) of this section;

(d) A prison term imposed for any felony other than carrying a concealed weapon an essential element of which is any conduct or failure to act expressly involving any deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance;

(e) A prison term imposed for any violation of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code that is a felony of the first or second degree;

(f) A prison term imposed for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity in violation of section 2923.32 of the Revised Code;

(g) A prison term imposed pursuant to section 2971.03 of the Revised Code;

(h) A prison term imposed for any sexually oriented offense.

(11) "Eligible prison term" means any prison term that is not a disqualifying prison term and is not a restricting prison term.

(12) "Restricting prison term" means any of the following:

(a) A mandatory prison term imposed under division (B)(1)(a), (B)(1)(c), (B)(1)(f), (B)(1)(g), (B)(2), or (B)(7) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code for a specification of the type described in that division;

(b) In the case of an offender who has been sentenced to a mandatory prison term for a specification of the type described in division (A)(12)(a) of this section, the prison term imposed for the felony offense for which the specification was stated at the end of the body of the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging the offense;

(d) A prison term imposed for any offense that is described in division (A)(12)(d)(i) of this section if division (A)(12)(d)(ii) of this section applies to the offender:

(i) The offense is a felony of the first or second degree that is an offense of violence and that is not described in division (A)(10)(a) or (b) of this section, an attempt to commit a felony of the first or second degree that is an offense of violence and that is not described in division (A)(10)(a) or (b) of this section if the attempt is a felony of the first or second degree, or an offense under an existing or former law of this state, another state, or the United States that is or was substantially equivalent to any other offense described in this division.

(ii) The offender previously was convicted of or pleaded guilty to any offense listed in division (A)(10) or (A)(12)(d)(i) of this section.

(13) "Sexually oriented offense" has the same meaning as in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code.

(14) "Stated prison term of one year or more" means a definite prison term of one year or more imposed as a stated prison term, or a minimum prison term of one year or more imposed as part of a stated prison term that is a non-life felony indefinite prison term.

(B) On the motion of an eligible offender, on the motion of a state of emergency-qualifying offender made during the declared state of emergency, or on its own motion with respect to an eligible offender or with respect to a state of emergency-qualifying offender during the declared state of emergency, the sentencing court may reduce the offender's aggregated nonmandatory prison term or terms through a judicial release under this section.

(C)(1) Subject to division (C)(2) of this section, an eligible offender may file a motion for judicial release with the sentencing court, or a state of emergency-qualifying offender may file a motion for judicial release with the sentencing court during the declared state of emergency, within the following applicable periods:

(a) If the aggregated nonmandatory prison term or terms is less than two years, the eligible offender or state of emergency-qualifying offender may file the motion at any time after the offender is delivered to a state correctional institution or, if the prison term includes a mandatory prison term or terms, at any time after the expiration of all mandatory prison terms.

(b) If the aggregated nonmandatory prison term or terms is at least two years but less than five years, the eligible offender or state of emergency-qualifying offender may file the motion not earlier than one hundred eighty days after the offender is delivered to a state correctional institution or, if the prison term includes a mandatory prison term or terms, not earlier than one hundred eighty days after the expiration of all mandatory prison terms.

(c) If the aggregated nonmandatory prison term or terms is five years, the eligible offender or state of emergency-qualifying offender may file the motion not earlier than the date on which the offender has served four years of the offender's stated prison term or, if the prison term includes a mandatory prison term or terms, not earlier than four years after the expiration of all mandatory prison terms.

(d) If the aggregated nonmandatory prison term or terms is more than five years but not more than ten years, the eligible offender or state of emergency-qualifying offender may file the motion not earlier than the date on which the offender has served five years of the offender's stated prison term or, if the prison term includes a mandatory prison term or terms, not earlier than five years after the expiration of all mandatory prison terms.

(e) If the aggregated nonmandatory prison term or terms is more than ten years, the eligible offender or state of emergency-qualifying offender may file the motion not earlier than the later of the date on which the offender has served one-half of the offender's stated prison term or the date specified in division (C)(1)(d) of this section.

(f) With respect to a state of emergency-qualifying offender, if the offender's prison term does not include a mandatory prison term or terms, or if the offender's prison term includes one or more mandatory prison terms and the offender has completed the mandatory prison term or terms, the state of emergency-qualifying offender may file the motion at any time during the offender's aggregated nonmandatory prison term or terms, provided that time also is during the declared state of emergency.

(2) During any single declared state of emergency, a state of emergency-qualifying offender may only file a motion for judicial release as a state of emergency-qualifying offender with the sentencing court during that declared state of emergency once every six months.

(D)(1)(a) Upon receipt of a timely motion for judicial release filed by an eligible offender or a state of emergency-qualifying offender under division (C) of this section, or upon the sentencing court's own motion made within the appropriate time specified in that division, the court may deny the motion without a hearing or schedule a hearing on the motion. The court may grant the motion without a hearing for an offender under consideration for judicial release as a state of emergency-qualifying offender, but the court shall not grant the motion without a hearing for an offender under consideration as an eligible offender. If a court denies a motion without a hearing, the court later may consider judicial release for that eligible offender or that state of emergency-qualifying offender on a subsequent motion. For an offender under consideration for judicial release as an eligible offender, but not for one under consideration as a state of emergency-qualifying offender, the court may deny the motion with prejudice. If a court denies a motion with prejudice, the court may later consider judicial release on its own motion. For an offender under consideration for judicial release as a state of emergency-qualifying offender, the court shall not deny a motion with prejudice. For an offender under consideration for judicial release as an eligible offender, but not for one under consideration as a state of emergency-qualifying offender, if a court denies a motion after a hearing, the court shall not consider a subsequent motion for that offender based on the offender's classification as an eligible offender. The court may hold multiple hearings for any offender under consideration for judicial release as a state of emergency-qualifying offender, but shall hold only one hearing for any offender under consideration as an eligible offender.

(b) If an offender is under consideration for judicial release as an eligible offender and the motion is denied, and if the offender at that time also is or subsequently becomes a state of emergency-qualifying offender, the denial does not limit or affect any right of the offender to file a motion under this section for consideration for judicial release as a state of emergency-qualifying offender or for the court on its own motion to consider the offender for judicial release as a state of emergency-qualifying offender.

If an offender is under consideration for judicial release as a state of emergency-qualifying offender and the motion is denied, and if the offender at that time also is or subsequently becomes an eligible offender, the denial does not limit or affect any right of the offender to file a motion under this section for consideration for judicial release as an eligible offender or for the court on its own motion to consider the offender for judicial release as an eligible offender.

(2)(a) With respect to a motion for judicial release filed by an offender as an eligible offender or made by the court on its own motion for an offender as an eligible offender, a hearing under this section shall be conducted in open court not less than thirty or more than sixty days after the motion is filed, provided that the court may delay the hearing for one hundred eighty additional days. If the court holds a hearing, the court shall enter a ruling on the motion within ten days after the hearing. If the court denies the motion without a hearing, the court shall enter its ruling on the motion within sixty days after the motion is filed.

(b) With respect to a motion for judicial release filed by an offender as a state of emergency-qualifying offender or made by the court on its own motion for an offender as a state of emergency-qualifying offender, the court shall notify the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the offender was indicted and may order the prosecuting attorney to respond to the motion in writing within ten days. The prosecuting attorney shall notify the victim pursuant to the Ohio Constitution. The prosecuting attorney shall include in the response any statement that the victim wants to be represented to the court. The court shall consider any response from the prosecuting attorney and any statement from the victim in its ruling on the motion. After receiving the response from the prosecuting attorney, the court either shall order a hearing consistent with divisions (E) to (I) of this section as soon as possible, or shall enter its ruling on the motion for judicial release as soon as possible. If the court conducts a hearing, the hearing shall be conducted in open court or by a virtual, telephonic, or other form of remote hearing. If the court holds a hearing, the court shall enter a ruling on the motion within ten days after the hearing. If the court denies the motion without a hearing, the court shall enter its ruling on the motion within ten days after the motion is filed or after it receives the response from the prosecuting attorney.

(E) If a court schedules a hearing under divisions (D)(1) and (2)(a) of this section or under divisions (D)(1) and (2)(b) of this section, the court shall notify the subject eligible offender or state of emergency-qualifying offender and the head of the state correctional institution in which that subject offender is confined prior to the hearing. The head of the state correctional institution immediately shall notify the appropriate person at the department of rehabilitation and correction of the hearing, and the department within twenty-four hours after receipt of the notice, shall post on the database it maintains pursuant to section 5120.66 of the Revised Code the subject offender's name and all of the information specified in division (A)(1)(c)(i) of that section. If the court schedules a hearing for judicial release, the court promptly shall give notice of the hearing to the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the subject eligible offender or state of emergency-qualifying offender was indicted. Upon receipt of the notice from the court, the prosecuting attorney shall do whichever of the following is applicable:

(1) Subject to division (E)(2) of this section, notify the victim of the offense and the victim's representative, if applicable, pursuant to the Ohio Constitution and division (B) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code;

(2) If the offense was an offense of violence that is a felony of the first, second, or third degree, except as otherwise provided in this division, pursuant to the Ohio Constitution, notify the victim and the victim's representative, if applicable, of the hearing regardless of whether the victim or victim's representative has requested the notification. Except when notice to the victim is required under the Ohio Constitution, the notice of the hearing shall not be given under this division to a victim or victim's representative if the victim or victim's representative has requested pursuant to division (B)(2) of section 2930.03 of the Revised Code that the victim or the victim's representative not be provided the notice. If notice is to be provided to a victim or victim's representative under this division, the prosecuting attorney may give the notice by any reasonable means, including regular mail, telephone, and electronic mail, in accordance with division (D)(1) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code. If the notice is based on an offense committed prior to March 22, 2013, the notice also shall include the opt-out information described in division (D)(1) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code. The prosecuting attorney, in accordance with division (D)(2) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code, shall keep a record of all attempts to provide the notice, and of all notices provided, under this division. Division (E)(2) of this section, and the notice-related provisions of division (K) of this section, division (D)(1) of section 2930.16, division (H) of section 2967.12, division (E)(1)(b) of section 2967.19 as it existed prior to April 4, 2023, division (A)(3)(b) of section 2967.26, division (D)(1) of section 2967.28, and division (A)(2) of section 5149.101 of the Revised Code enacted in the act in which division (E)(2) of this section was enacted, shall be known as "Roberta's Law."

(F) Upon an offender's successful completion of rehabilitative activities, the head of the state correctional institution may notify the sentencing court of the successful completion of the activities.

(G) Prior to the date of the hearing on a motion for judicial release made by an eligible offender, by a state of emergency-qualifying offender, or by a court on its own under this section, the head of the state correctional institution in which the subject offender is confined shall send to the court an institutional summary report on the offender's conduct in the institution and in any institution from which the offender may have been transferred. Upon the request of the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the subject offender was indicted or of any law enforcement agency, the head of the state correctional institution, at the same time the person sends the institutional summary report to the court, also shall send a copy of the report to the requesting prosecuting attorney and law enforcement agencies. The institutional summary report shall cover the subject offender's participation in school, vocational training, work, treatment, and other rehabilitative activities and any disciplinary action taken against the subject offender. The report shall be made part of the record of the hearing. A presentence investigation report is not required for judicial release.

(H) If the court grants a hearing on a motion for judicial release made by an eligible offender, by a state of emergency-qualifying offender, or by a court on its own under this section, the subject offender shall attend the hearing if ordered to do so by the court. Upon receipt of a copy of the journal entry containing the order, the head of the state correctional institution in which the subject offender is incarcerated shall deliver the subject offender to the sheriff of the county in which the hearing is to be held. The sheriff shall convey the subject offender to and from the hearing.

(I) At the hearing on a motion for judicial release under this section made by an eligible offender, by a state of emergency-qualifying offender, or by a court on its own, the court shall afford the subject offender and the offender's attorney an opportunity to present written and, if present, oral information relevant to the motion. The court shall afford a similar opportunity to the prosecuting attorney, the victim, the victim's representative, the victim's attorney, if applicable, and any other person the court determines is likely to present additional relevant information. The court shall consider any oral or written statement of a victim, victim's representative, and victim's attorney, if applicable, made pursuant to section 2930.14 or 2930.17 of the Revised Code, any victim impact statement prepared pursuant to section 2947.051 of the Revised Code, and any report made under division (G) of this section. The court may consider any written statement of any person submitted to the court pursuant to division (L) of this section.

If the motion alleges that the offender who is the subject of the motion is an eligible offender and the court makes an initial determination that the offender satisfies the criteria for being an eligible offender, or if the motion alleges that the offender who is the subject of the motion is a state of emergency-qualifying offender and the court makes an initial determination that the offender satisfies the criteria for being a state of emergency-qualifying offender, the court shall determine whether to grant the motion. After ruling on the motion, the court shall notify the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the eligible offender or state of emergency-qualifying offender was indicted of the ruling, and the prosecuting attorney shall notify the victim and the victim's representative of the ruling in accordance with sections 2930.03 and 2930.16 of the Revised Code or, if the court granted the motion, in accordance with division (K) of this section.

(J)(1) A court shall not grant a judicial release under this section to an offender who is imprisoned for a felony of the first or second degree and who is under consideration as an eligible offender, or to an offender who committed an offense under Chapter 2925. or 3719. of the Revised Code, who is under consideration as an eligible offender, and for whom there was a presumption under section 2929.13 of the Revised Code in favor of a prison term, unless the court, with reference to factors under section 2929.12 of the Revised Code, finds both of the following:

(a) That a sanction other than a prison term would adequately punish the offender and protect the public from future criminal violations by the offender because the applicable factors indicating a lesser likelihood of recidivism outweigh the applicable factors indicating a greater likelihood of recidivism;

(b) That a sanction other than a prison term would not demean the seriousness of the offense because factors indicating that the offender's conduct in committing the offense was less serious than conduct normally constituting the offense outweigh factors indicating that the eligible offender's conduct was more serious than conduct normally constituting the offense.

(2) A court that grants a judicial release under division (J)(1) of this section to an offender who is under consideration as an eligible offender shall specify on the record both findings required in that division and also shall list all the factors described in that division that were presented at the hearing.

(3)(a) Subject to division (J)(3)(b) of this section, a court shall grant a judicial release under this section to an offender who is under consideration as a state of emergency-qualifying offender if the court determines that the risks posed by incarceration to the health and safety of the offender, because of the nature of the declared state of emergency, outweigh the risk to public safety if the offender were to be released from incarceration.

(b) A court shall not grant a judicial release under this section to an offender who is imprisoned for a felony of the first or second degree and is under consideration for judicial release as a state of emergency-qualifying offender unless the court, with reference to the factors specified under section 2929.12 of the Revised Code, finds both of the criteria set forth in divisions (J)(1)(a) and (b) of this section.

(K) If the court grants a motion for judicial release under this section, the court shall order the release of the eligible offender or state of emergency-qualifying offender, shall place the offender under an appropriate community control sanction, under appropriate conditions, and under the supervision of the department of probation serving the court and shall reserve the right to reimpose the sentence that it reduced if the offender violates the sanction. If the court reimposes the reduced sentence, it may do so either concurrently with, or consecutive to, any new sentence imposed on the eligible offender or state of emergency-qualifying offender as a result of the violation that is a new offense. Except as provided in division (N)(5)(b) of this section, the period of community control shall be no longer than five years. The court, in its discretion, may reduce the period of community control by the amount of time the offender spent in jail or prison for the offense and in prison. If the court made any findings pursuant to division (J)(1) of this section, the court shall serve a copy of the findings upon counsel for the parties within fifteen days after the date on which the court grants the motion for judicial release.

If the court grants a motion for judicial release, the court shall notify the appropriate person at the department of rehabilitation and correction, and the department shall post notice of the release on the database it maintains pursuant to section 5120.66 of the Revised Code. The court also shall notify the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the eligible offender or state of emergency-qualifying offender was indicted that the motion has been granted. When notice to the victim is required under the Ohio Constitution, the prosecuting attorney shall notify the victim and the victim's representative, if applicable, of the judicial release. In all other cases, unless the victim or the victim's representative has requested pursuant to division (B)(2) of section 2930.03 of the Revised Code that the victim or victim's representative not be provided the notice, the prosecuting attorney shall notify the victim and the victim's representative, if applicable, of the judicial release in any manner, and in accordance with the same procedures, pursuant to which the prosecuting attorney is authorized to provide notice of the hearing pursuant to division (E)(2) of this section. If the notice is based on an offense committed prior to March 22, 2013, the notice to the victim or victim's representative also shall include the opt-out information described in division (D)(1) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code.

(L) In addition to and independent of the right of a victim to make a statement pursuant to section 2930.14, 2930.17, or 2946.051 of the Revised Code and any right of a person to present written information or make a statement pursuant to division (I) of this section, any person may submit to the court, at any time prior to the hearing on the motion for judicial release of the eligible offender or state of emergency-qualifying offender, a written statement concerning the effects of the offender's criminal offense, the circumstances surrounding the criminal offense, the manner in which the criminal offense was perpetrated, and the person's opinion as to whether the offender should be released.

(M)(1) The changes to this section that are made on September 30, 2011, apply to any judicial release decision made on or after September 30, 2011, for any eligible offender, subject to division (M)(2) of this section.

(2) The changes to this section that are made on April 4, 2023, apply to any judicial release application, and any judicial release decision, made on or after April 4, 2023, for any eligible offender or state of emergency-qualifying offender.

(N)(1) Notwithstanding the eligibility requirements specified in divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this section and the filing time frames specified in division (C) of this section and notwithstanding the findings required under division (J)(1) and the eligibility criteria specified in division (J)(3) of this section, the sentencing court, upon the court's own motion and after considering whether the release of the offender into society would create undue risk to public safety, may grant a judicial release to an offender who is not serving a life sentence at any time during the offender's imposed sentence when the director of rehabilitation and correction certifies to the sentencing court through the chief medical officer for the department of rehabilitation and correction that the offender is in imminent danger of death, is medically incapacitated, or has a terminal illness.

(2) The director of rehabilitation and correction shall not certify any offender under division (N)(1) of this section who is serving a death sentence.

(3) A motion made by the court under division (N)(1) of this section is subject to the notice, hearing, and other procedural requirements specified in divisions (D), (E), (G), (H), (I), (K), and (L) of this section with respect to motions for a grant of judicial release to eligible offenders, including notice to the victim, except for the following:

(a) The court may waive the offender's appearance at any hearing scheduled by the court if the offender's condition makes it impossible for the offender to participate meaningfully in the proceeding.

(b) The court may grant the motion without a hearing, provided that the prosecuting attorney, victim, and victim's representative, if applicable, to whom notice of the hearing was provided under division (E) of this section indicate that they do not wish to participate in the hearing or present information relevant to the motion.

(4) The court may request health care records from the department of rehabilitation and correction to verify the certification made under division (N)(1) of this section.

(5)(a) If the court grants judicial release under division (N)(1) of this section, the court shall do all of the following:

(i) Order the release of the offender;

(ii) Place the offender under an appropriate community control sanction, under appropriate conditions;

(iii) Place the offender under the supervision of the department of probation serving the court or under the supervision of the adult parole authority.

(b) The court, in its discretion, may revoke the judicial release if the offender violates the community control sanction described in division (N)(5)(a) of this section. The period of that community control is not subject to the five-year limitation described in division (K) of this section and shall not expire earlier than the date on which all of the offender's mandatory prison terms expire.

(6) If the health of an offender who is released under division (N)(1) of this section improves so that the offender is no longer terminally ill, medically incapacitated, or in imminent danger of death, the court shall, upon the court's own motion, revoke the judicial release. The court shall not grant the motion without a hearing unless the offender waives a hearing. If a hearing is held, the court shall afford the offender and the offender's attorney an opportunity to present written and, if the offender or the offender's attorney is present, oral information relevant to the motion. The court shall afford a similar opportunity to the prosecuting attorney, the victim, the victim's representative, the victim's attorney, if applicable, and any other person the court determines is likely to present additional relevant information. If a hearing is held, the prosecuting attorney shall notify the victim and the victim's representative, if applicable, pursuant to the Ohio Constitution. A court that grants a motion under this division shall specify its findings on the record.

(O)(1) Separate from and independent of the provisions of divisions (A) to (N) of this section, the director of the department of rehabilitation and correction may recommend in writing to the sentencing court that the court consider releasing from prison, through a judicial release, any offender who is confined in a state correctional institution and who is an eighty per cent-qualifying offender. The director may file such a recommendation for judicial release by submitting to the sentencing court a notice, in writing, of the recommendation within the applicable period specified in division (A)(3) of this section for qualifying as an eighty per cent-qualifying offender.

The director shall include with any notice submitted to the sentencing court under this division an institutional summary report that covers the offender's participation while confined in a state correctional institution in school, training, work, treatment, and other rehabilitative activities and any disciplinary action taken against the offender while so confined. The director shall include with the notice any other documentation requested by the court, if available.

If the director submits a notice under this division recommending judicial release, the department promptly shall provide to the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the offender was indicted a copy of the written notice and recommendation, a copy of the institutional summary report, and any other information provided to the court, and shall provide a copy of the institutional summary report to any law enforcement agency that requests the report. The department also shall provide written notice of the submission of the director's notice to any victim of the offender or victim's representative, if applicable, in the same manner as is specified in divisions (E)(1) and (2) of this section with respect to notices of hearings.

(2) A recommendation for judicial release in a notice submitted by the director under division (O)(1) of this section is subject to the notice, hearing, and other procedural requirements specified in divisions (E), (H), (I), and (L) of this section, including notice to the victim pursuant to the Ohio Constitution, except as otherwise specified in divisions (O)(3) to (5) of this section, provided that references in divisions (E), (H), (I), (K), and (L) of this section to "the motion" shall be construed for purposes of division (O) of this section as being references to the notice and recommendation specified in division (O)(1) of this section.

(3) The director's submission of a notice under division (O)(1) of this section constitutes a recommendation by the director that the court strongly consider a judicial release of the offender consistent with the purposes and principles of sentencing set forth in sections 2929.11 and 2929.13 of the Revised Code and establishes a rebuttable presumption that the offender shall be released through a judicial release in accordance with the recommendation. The presumption of release may be rebutted only as described in division (O)(6) of this section. Only an offender recommended by the director under division (O)(1) of this section may be considered for a judicial release under division (O) of this section.

(4) Upon receipt of a notice recommending judicial release submitted by the director under division (O)(1) of this section, the court shall schedule a hearing to consider the recommendation for the judicial release of the offender who is the subject of the notice. The hearing shall be conducted in open court not less than thirty or more than sixty days after the notice is submitted. The court shall inform the department and the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the offender who is the subject of the notice was indicted of the date, time, and location of the hearing. Upon receipt of the notice from the court, the prosecuting attorney shall comply with division (E) of this section, including providing notice to the victim and the victim's representative, if applicable, pursuant to the Ohio Constitution, and the department shall post the information specified in that division.

(5) When a court schedules a hearing under division (O)(4) of this section, at the hearing, the court shall consider all of the following in determining whether to grant the offender judicial release under division (O) of this section:

(a) The institutional summary report submitted under division (O)(1) of this section;

(b) The inmate's academic, vocational education programs, or alcohol or drug treatment programs; or involvement in meaningful activity;

(c) The inmate's assignments and whether the inmate consistently performed each work assignment to the satisfaction of the department staff responsible for supervising the inmate's work;

(d) The inmate transferred to and actively participated in core curriculum programming at a reintegration center prison;

(e) The inmate's disciplinary history;

(f) The inmate's security level;

(g) All other information, statements, reports, and documentation described in division (I) of this section.

(6) If the court that receives a notice recommending judicial release submitted by the director under division (O)(1) of this section makes an initial determination that the offender satisfies the criteria for being an eighty per cent-qualifying offender, the court then shall determine whether to grant the offender judicial release. In making the second determination, the court shall grant the offender judicial release unless the prosecuting attorney proves to the court, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the legitimate interests of the government in maintaining the offender's confinement outweigh the interests of the offender in being released from that confinement. If the court grants a judicial release under this division, division (K) of this section applies regarding the judicial release, including notice to the victim and the victim's representative, if applicable, pursuant to the Ohio Constitution, provided that references in division (K) of this section to "the motion" shall be construed for purposes of the judicial release granted under this division as being references to the notice and recommendation specified in division (O)(1) of this section.

The court shall enter its ruling on the notice recommending judicial release submitted by the director under division (O)(1) of this section within ten days after the hearing is conducted. After ruling on whether to grant the offender judicial release under division (O) of this section, the court shall notify the offender, the prosecuting attorney, and the department of rehabilitation and correction of its decision, and shall notify the victim of its decision in accordance with the Ohio Constitution and sections 2930.03 and 2930.16 of the Revised Code. If the court does not enter a ruling on the notice within ten days after the hearing is conducted as required under this division, the division of parole and community services of the department of rehabilitation and correction may release the offender.

(P) All notices to a victim of an offense provided under division (D), (E), (K), (N), or (O) of this section shall be provided in accordance with the Ohio Constitution.

Sec. 2967.26. (A)(1) The department of rehabilitation and correction, by rule, may establish a transitional control program for the purpose of closely monitoring a prisoner's adjustment to community supervision during the final one hundred eighty days of the prisoner's confinement. If the department establishes a transitional control program under this division, the division of parole and community services of the department of rehabilitation and correction may transfer eligible prisoners to transitional control status under the program during the final one hundred eighty days of their confinement and under the terms and conditions established by the department, shall provide for the confinement as provided in this division of each eligible prisoner so transferred, and shall supervise each eligible prisoner so transferred in one or more community control sanctions. Each eligible prisoner who is transferred to transitional control status under the program shall be confined in a suitable facility that is licensed pursuant to division (C) of section 2967.14 of the Revised Code, or shall be confined in a residence the department has approved for this purpose and be monitored pursuant to an electronic monitoring device, as defined in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code. If the department establishes a transitional control program under this division, the rules establishing the program shall include criteria that define which prisoners are eligible for the program, criteria that must be satisfied to be approved as a residence that may be used for confinement under the program of a prisoner that is transferred to it and procedures for the department to approve residences that satisfy those criteria, and provisions of the type described in division (C) of this section. At a minimum, the criteria that define which prisoners are eligible for the program shall provide all of the following:

(a) That a prisoner is eligible for the program if the prisoner is serving a prison term or term of imprisonment for an offense committed prior to March 17, 1998, and if, at the time at which eligibility is being determined, the prisoner would have been eligible for a furlough under this section as it existed immediately prior to March 17, 1998, or would have been eligible for conditional release under former section 2967.23 of the Revised Code as that section existed immediately prior to March 17, 1998;

(b) That no prisoner who is serving a mandatory prison term is eligible for the program until after expiration of the mandatory term;

(c) That no prisoner who is serving a prison term or term of life imprisonment without parole imposed pursuant to section 2971.03 of the Revised Code is eligible for the program.

(2) At least sixty days prior to transferring to transitional control under this section a prisoner who is serving a definite term of imprisonment or definite prison term of less than one year for an offense committed on or after July 1, 1996, or who is serving a minimum term of less than one year under a non-life felony indefinite prison term, on or after April 4, 2023, the division of parole and community services of the department of rehabilitation and correction shall give notice of the pendency of the transfer to transitional control to the court of common pleas of the county in which the indictment against the prisoner was found and of the fact that the court may disapprove the transfer of the prisoner to transitional control and shall include the institutional summary report prepared by the head of the state correctional institution in which the prisoner is confined. The head of the state correctional institution in which the prisoner is confined, upon the request of the division of parole and community services, shall provide to the division for inclusion in the notice sent to the court under this division an institutional summary report on the prisoner's conduct in the institution and in any institution from which the prisoner may have been transferred. The institutional summary report shall cover the prisoner's participation in school, vocational training, work, treatment, and other rehabilitative activities and any disciplinary action taken against the prisoner. If the court disapproves of the transfer of the prisoner to transitional control, the court shall notify the division of the disapproval within thirty days after receipt of the notice. If the court timely disapproves the transfer of the prisoner to transitional control, the division shall not proceed with the transfer. If the court does not timely disapprove the transfer of the prisoner to transitional control, the division may transfer the prisoner to transitional control.

(3)(a) If the victim of an offense for which a prisoner was sentenced to a prison term or term of imprisonment has requested notification under section 2930.16 of the Revised Code and has provided the department of rehabilitation and correction with the victim's name and address or if division (A)(3)(b) of this section applies, the division of parole and community services, at least sixty days prior to transferring the prisoner to transitional control pursuant to this section, shall notify the victim and the victim's representative, if applicable, of the pendency of the transfer and of the victim's and victim's representative's right to submit a statement to the division regarding the impact of the transfer of the prisoner to transitional control. If the victim or victim's representative's subsequently submits a statement of that nature to the division, the division shall consider the statement in deciding whether to transfer the prisoner to transitional control.

(b) If a prisoner is incarcerated for the commission of aggravated murder, murder, or an offense of violence that is a felony of the first, second, or third degree or under a sentence of life imprisonment, except as otherwise provided in this division, the notice described in division (A)(3)(a) of this section shall be given regardless of whether the victim has requested the notification. The notice described in division (A)(3)(a) of this section shall not be given under this division to a victim if the victim has requested pursuant to division (B)(2) of section 2930.03 of the Revised Code that the victim not be provided the notice. If notice is to be provided to a victim under this division, the authority may give the notice by any reasonable means, including regular mail, telephone, and electronic mail, in accordance with division (D)(1) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code. If the notice is based on an offense committed prior to March 22, 2013, the notice also shall include the opt-out information described in division (D)(1) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code. The authority, in accordance with division (D)(2) of section 2930.16 of the Revised Code, shall keep a record of all attempts to provide the notice, and of all notices provided, under this division.

Division (A)(3)(b) of this section, and the notice-related provisions of divisions (E)(2) and (K) of section 2929.20, division (D)(1) of section 2930.16, division (H) of section 2967.12, division (E)(1)(b) of section 2967.19 as it existed prior to April 4, 2023, division (D)(1) of section 2967.28, and division (A)(2) of section 5149.101 of the Revised Code enacted in the act in which division (A)(3)(b) of this section was enacted, shall be known as "Roberta's Law."

(4) The department of rehabilitation and correction, at least sixty days prior to transferring a prisoner to transitional control pursuant to this section, shall post on the database it maintains pursuant to section 5120.66 of the Revised Code the prisoner's name and all of the information specified in division (A)(1)(c)(iv) of that section. In addition to and independent of the right of a victim to submit a statement as described in division (A)(3) of this section or to otherwise make a statement and in addition to and independent of any other right or duty of a person to present information or make a statement, any person may send to the division of parole and community services at any time prior to the division's transfer of the prisoner to transitional control a written statement regarding the transfer of the prisoner to transitional control. In addition to the information, reports, and statements it considers under divisions (A)(2) and (3) of this section or that it otherwise considers, the division shall consider each statement submitted in accordance with this division in deciding whether to transfer the prisoner to transitional control.

(B) Each prisoner transferred to transitional control under this section shall be confined in the manner described in division (A) of this section during any period of time that the prisoner is not actually working at the prisoner's approved employment, engaged in a vocational training or another educational program, engaged in another program designated by the director, or engaged in other activities approved by the department.

(C) The department of rehabilitation and correction shall adopt rules for transferring eligible prisoners to transitional control, supervising and confining prisoners so transferred, administering the transitional control program in accordance with this section, and using the moneys deposited into the transitional control fund established under division (E) of this section.

(D) The department of rehabilitation and correction may adopt rules for the issuance of passes for the limited purposes described in this division to prisoners who are transferred to transitional control under this section. If the department adopts rules of that nature, the rules shall govern the granting of the passes and shall provide for the supervision of prisoners who are temporarily released pursuant to one of those passes. Upon the adoption of rules under this division, the department may issue passes to prisoners who are transferred to transitional control status under this section in accordance with the rules and the provisions of this division. All passes issued under this division shall be for a maximum of forty-eight hours and may be issued only for the following purposes:

(1) To visit a relative in imminent danger of death;

(2) To have a private viewing of the body of a deceased relative;

(3) To visit with family;

(4) To otherwise aid in the rehabilitation of the prisoner.

(E) The division of parole and community services may require a prisoner who is transferred to transitional control to pay to the division the reasonable expenses incurred by the division in supervising or confining the prisoner while under transitional control. Inability to pay those reasonable expenses shall not be grounds for refusing to transfer an otherwise eligible prisoner to transitional control. Amounts received by the division of parole and community services under this division shall be deposited into the transitional control fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury and which hereby replaces and succeeds the furlough services fund that formerly existed in the state treasury. All moneys that remain in the furlough services fund on March 17, 1998, shall be transferred on that date to the transitional control fund. The transitional control fund shall be used solely to pay costs related to the operation of the transitional control program established under this section. The director of rehabilitation and correction shall adopt rules in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code for the use of the fund.

(F) A prisoner who violates any rule established by the department of rehabilitation and correction under division (A), (C), or (D) of this section may be transferred to a state correctional institution pursuant to rules adopted under division (A), (C), or (D) of this section, but the prisoner shall receive credit towards completing the prisoner's sentence for the time spent under transitional control.

If a prisoner is transferred to transitional control under this section, upon successful completion of the period of transitional control, the prisoner may be released on parole or under post-release control pursuant to section 2967.13 or 2967.28 of the Revised Code and rules adopted by the department of rehabilitation and correction. If the prisoner is released under post-release control, the duration of the post-release control, the type of post-release control sanctions that may be imposed, the enforcement of the sanctions, and the treatment of prisoners who violate any sanction applicable to the prisoner are governed by section 2967.28 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 3109.055. (A) If a child is born to an unmarried woman and the father of the child has acknowledged the child and that acknowledgment has become final pursuant to section 2151.232, 3111.25, or 3111.821 of the Revised Code or has been determined in an action under Chapter 3111. of the Revised Code to be the father of the child, the court, upon its own motion or the motion of one of the parties, may order the parents to undergo conciliation with a magistrate in order to resolve any disputes regarding the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities between the parents in a case pending before the court. An order requiring conciliation shall set forth the the name of the magistrate who will serve as the conciliator and the manner in which the costs of any conciliation procedures are to be paid.

(B) A magistrate who serves as a conciliator shall use conciliation procedures to resolve a dispute regarding the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities and, upon resolution of the dispute, issue an order regarding the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities, parenting time, or companionship or visitation pursuant to section 2151.23, 3109.04, or 3109.12 of the Revised Code. The conciliation procedures may include without limitation the use of family counselors and service agencies, community health services, physicians, licensed psychologists, or clergy. If the magistrate orders the parties to undergo family counseling, the magistrate shall name the counselor and set forth the required type of counseling, the length of time for the counseling, and any other specific conditions. No order regarding the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities, parenting time, or companionship or visitation shall be issued until the conciliation has concluded and been reported to the magistrate.

Sec. 3517.01. (A)(1) A political party within the meaning of Title XXXV of the Revised Code is any group of voters that meets either of the following requirements:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this division, at the most recent regular state election, the group polled for its candidate for governor in the state or nominees for presidential electors at least three per cent of the entire vote cast for that office. A group that meets the requirements of this division remains a political party for a period of four years after meeting those requirements.

(b) The group filed with the secretary of state, subsequent to its failure to meet the requirements of division (A)(1)(a) of this section, a party formation petition that meets all of the following requirements:

(i) The petition is signed by qualified electors equal in number to at least one per cent of the total vote for governor or nominees for presidential electors at the most recent election for such office.

(ii) The petition is signed by not fewer than five hundred qualified electors from each of at least a minimum of one-half of the congressional districts in this state. If an odd number of congressional districts exists in this state, the number of districts that results from dividing the number of congressional districts by two shall be rounded up to the next whole number.

(iii) The petition declares the petitioners' intention of organizing a political party, the name of which shall be stated in the declaration, and of participating in the succeeding general election, held in even-numbered years, that occurs more than one hundred twenty-five days after the date of filing.

(iv) The petition designates a committee of not less than three nor more than five individuals of the petitioners, who shall represent the petitioners in all matters relating to the petition. Notice of all matters or proceedings pertaining to the petition may be served on the committee, or any of them, either personally or by registered mail, or by leaving such notice at the usual place of residence of each of them.

(2) No such group of electors shall assume a name or designation that is similar, in the opinion of the secretary of state, to that of an existing political party as to confuse or mislead the voters at an election.

(B) A campaign committee shall be legally liable for any debts, contracts, or expenditures incurred or executed in its name.

(C) Notwithstanding the definitions found in section 3501.01 of the Revised Code, as used in this section and sections 3517.08 to 3517.14, 3517.99, and 3517.992 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Campaign committee" means a candidate or a combination of two or more persons authorized by a candidate under section 3517.081 of the Revised Code to receive contributions and make expenditures.

(2) "Campaign treasurer" means an individual appointed by a candidate under section 3517.081 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in division (H) of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code and also includes any person who, at any time before or after an election, receives contributions or makes expenditures or other use of contributions, has given consent for another to receive contributions or make expenditures or other use of contributions, or appoints a campaign treasurer, for the purpose of bringing about the person's nomination or election to public office. When two persons jointly seek the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, "candidate" means the pair of candidates jointly. "Candidate" does not include candidates for election to the offices of member of a county or state central committee, presidential elector, and delegate to a national convention or conference of a political party.

(4) "Continuing association" means an association, other than a campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, political contributing entity, or labor organization, that is intended to be a permanent organization that has a primary purpose other than supporting or opposing specific candidates, political parties, or ballot issues, and that functions on a regular basis throughout the year. "Continuing association" includes organizations that are determined to be not organized for profit under subsection 501 and that are described in subsection 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(5) "Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds or 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, which contribution is made, received, or used for the purpose of influencing the results of an election. 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 campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, political contributing entity, or person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, that is made, received, or used by a state or county political party, other than the moneys an entity may receive under sections 3517.101, 3517.1012, and 3517.1013 of the Revised Code, shall be considered to be a "contribution" for the purpose of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and shall be included on a statement of contributions filed under that section.

"Contribution" does not include any of the following:

(a) Services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a person;

(b) Ordinary home hospitality;

(d) Any gift given to an entity pursuant to section 3517.101 of the Revised Code;

(e) Any contribution as defined in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code that is made, received, or used to pay the direct costs of producing or airing an electioneering communication;

(f) Any gift given to a state or county political party for the party's restricted fund under division (A)(2) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code;

(g) Any gift given to a state political party for deposit in a Levin account pursuant to section 3517.1013 of the Revised Code. As used in this division, "Levin account" has the same meaning as in that section.

(h) Any donation given to a transition fund under section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code.

(6) "Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a contribution or other funds for the purpose of influencing the results of an election or of making a charitable donation under division (G) of section 3517.08 of the Revised Code. Any disbursement or use of a contribution by a state or county political party is an expenditure and shall be considered either to be made for the purpose of influencing the results of an election or to be made as a charitable donation under division (G) of section 3517.08 of the Revised Code and shall be reported on a statement of expenditures filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. During the thirty days preceding a primary or general election, any disbursement to pay the direct costs of producing or airing a broadcast, cable, or satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified candidate shall be considered to be made for the purpose of influencing the results of that election and shall be reported as an expenditure or as an independent expenditure under section 3517.10 or 3517.105 of the Revised Code, as applicable, except that the information required to be reported regarding contributors for those expenditures or independent expenditures shall be the same as the information required to be reported under divisions (D)(1) and (2) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.

As used in this division, "broadcast, cable, or satellite communication" and "refers to a clearly identified candidate" have the same meanings as in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.

(7) "Personal expenses" includes, but is not limited to, ordinary expenses for accommodations, clothing, food, personal motor vehicle or airplane, and home telephone.

(8) "Political action committee" means a combination of two or more persons, the primary or major purpose of which is to support or oppose any candidate, political party, or issue, or to influence the result of any election through express advocacy, and that is not a political party, a campaign committee, a political contributing entity, or a legislative campaign fund. "Political action committee" does not include either of the following:

(a) A continuing association that makes disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications and that does not engage in express advocacy;

(b) A political club that is formed primarily for social purposes and that consists of one hundred members or less, has officers and periodic meetings, has less than two thousand five hundred dollars in its treasury at all times, and makes an aggregate total contribution of one thousand dollars or less per calendar year.

(9) "Public office" means any state, county, municipal, township, or district office, except an office of a political party, that is filled by an election and the offices of United States senator and representative.

(10) "Anything of value" has the same meaning as in section 1.03 of the Revised Code.

(11) "Beneficiary of a campaign fund" means a candidate, a public official or employee for whose benefit a campaign fund exists, and any other person who has ever been a candidate or public official or employee and for whose benefit a campaign fund exists.

(12) "Campaign fund" means money or other property, including contributions.

(13) "Public official or employee" has the same meaning as in section 102.01 of the Revised Code.

(14) "Caucus" means all of the members of the house of representatives or all of the members of the senate of the general assembly who are members of the same political party.

(15) "Legislative campaign fund" means a fund that is established as an auxiliary of a state political party and associated with one of the houses of the general assembly.

(16) "In-kind contribution" means anything of value other than money that is used to influence the results of an election or is transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, political action committee, or political contributing entity and that is made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of the benefited candidate, committee, fund, party, or entity. The financing of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or part, of any broadcast or of any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials prepared by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or their authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to the candidate and an expenditure by the candidate.

~~(17)~~(17)(a) "Independent expenditure" means an either of the following:

(i) An expenditure by a person advocating the election or defeat of an identified candidate or candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of any candidate or candidates or of the campaign committee or agent of the candidate or candidates;

(ii) An expenditure by a person advocating support of or opposition to an identified ballot issue or question or to achieve the successful circulation of an initiative or referendum petition in order to place such an issue or question on the ballot, regardless of whether the ballot issue or question has yet been certified to appear on the ballot. As

(b) As used in division ~~(C)(17)~~ (C)(17)(a) of this section:

~~(a)~~ (i) "Person" means an individual, partnership, unincorporated business organization or association, political action committee, political contributing entity, separate segregated fund, association, or other organization or group of persons, but not a labor organization or a corporation unless the labor organization or corporation is a political contributing entity.

~~(b)~~ (ii) "Advocating" means any communication containing a message advocating election or defeat.

~~(c)~~ (iii) "Identified candidate" means that the name of the candidate appears, a photograph or drawing of the candidate appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by unambiguous reference.

~~(d)~~ (iv) "Made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or the campaign committee or agent of the candidate" means made pursuant to any arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or the candidate's agent prior to the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of the communication. An expenditure is presumed to be so made when it is any of the following:

~~(i)~~ (I) Based on information about the candidate's plans, projects, or needs provided to the person making the expenditure by the candidate, or by the candidate's campaign committee or agent, with a view toward having an expenditure made;

~~(ii)~~ (II) Made by or through any person who is, or has been, authorized to raise or expend funds, who is, or has been, an officer 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 agent;

~~(iii)~~ (III) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code, made by a political party in support of a candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a political party to conduct voter registration or voter education efforts.

~~(e)~~ (v) "Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate, or means any person who has been placed in a position with the candidate's campaign committee or organization such that it would reasonably appear that in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities the person may authorize expenditures.

(18) "Labor organization" means a labor union; an employee organization; a federation of labor unions, groups, locals, or other employee organizations; an auxiliary of a labor union, employee organization, or federation of labor unions, groups, locals, or other employee organizations; or any other bona fide organization in which employees participate and that exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.

(19) "Separate segregated fund" means a separate segregated fund established pursuant to the Federal Election Campaign Act.

(20) "Federal Election Campaign Act" means the "Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971," 86 Stat. 11, 2 U.S.C.A. 431, et seq., as amended.

(21) "Restricted fund" means the fund a state or county political party must establish under division (A)(1) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code.

(22) "Electioneering communication" has the same meaning as in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.

(23) "Express advocacy" means a communication that contains express words advocating the nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate or that contains express words advocating the adoption or defeat of a question or issue, as determined by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(24) "Political committee" has the same meaning as in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.

(25) "Political contributing entity" means any entity, including a corporation or labor organization, that may lawfully make contributions and expenditures and that is not an individual or a political action committee, continuing association, campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, designated state campaign committee, or state candidate fund. For purposes of this division, "lawfully" means not prohibited by any section of the Revised Code, or authorized by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(26) "Internet identifier of record" has the same meaning as in section 9.312 of the Revised Code.

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 (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.

(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;

(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 (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 both of the following:

(a) A list of each anonymous contribution, the circumstances under which it was received, and the reason it cannot be attributed to a specific donor;

(b) A certification that the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity, as applicable, has not knowingly accepted any contribution that is prohibited under this chapter or section 3599.03 or 3599.031 of the Revised Code, including under division (W) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, during the period covered by the statement.

(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, division (E) 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, division (E) 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)(a) 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.

(b) The form of the designation of treasurer shall require the filer to certify, under penalty of election falsification, that the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity, as applicable, has not knowingly accepted, and will not knowingly accept, any contribution that is prohibited under this chapter or section 3599.03 or 3599.031 of the Revised Code, including under division (W) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code.

(c) The secretary of state shall not accept for filing a designation of treasurer of a political action committee or political contributing entity if, in the opinion of the secretary of state, the name of the political action committee or political contributing entity would lead a reasonable person to believe that the political action committee or political contributing entity acts on behalf of or represents a county political party, unless the designation is accompanied by a written statement, signed by the chairperson of the county political party's executive committee, granting the political action committee or political contributing entity permission to act on behalf of or represent the county political party.

(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 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.

(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 (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.

(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. 3517.12. (A) ~~Prior to receiving a contribution or making an expenditure, the circulator or~~ If the committee in charge of an initiative or referendum petition, or supplementary petition for additional signatures, for the submission to the electors of a constitutional amendment, proposed law, section, or item of any law wishes to receive any contribution or make any expenditure for the purpose of achieving the successful circulation of the petition, the committee shall appoint a treasurer and shall file with the secretary of state, 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 circulator or committeefile a designation of treasurer under division (D) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code as a political action committee before receiving a contribution or making an expenditure and thereafter shall comply with all applicable requirements of this chapter concerning political action committees.

(B) ~~The circulator or~~ If the committee in charge of an initiative or referendum petition, or supplementary petition for additional signatures, for the submission to the electors of a constitutional amendment, proposed law, section, or item of any law receives no contributions and makes no expenditures for the purpose of achieving the successful circulation of the petition, and is not otherwise considered a campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or political contributing entity, then the committee shall, within thirty days after ~~those~~ the petition ~~papers are~~ is filed, file with the secretary of state, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, ~~an itemized~~ a statement, made under penalty of election falsification~~, showing in detail the following:~~

~~(1) All money or things of value paid, given, promised, or received for circulating the petitions;~~

(2) All appointments, promotions, or increases in salary, in positions which were given, promised, or received, or to obtain which assistance was given, promised, or received as a consideration for work done in circulating petitions;

~~(3) Full names and addresses, including street, city, and state, of all persons to whom such payments or promises were made and of all persons from whom such payments or promises were received;~~

~~(4) Full names and addresses, including street, city, and state, of all persons who contributed anything of value to be used in circulating the petitions, and the amounts of those contributions;~~

(5) Time spent and salaries earned while soliciting signatures to petitions by persons who were regular salaried employees of some person or whom that employer authorized to solicit as part of their regular duties.

If that the committee received no ~~money or things of value were paid or received or if no promises were made or received as a consideration for work done in circulating a petition, the statement shall contain words to that effect~~ contributions and made no expenditures for the purpose of achieving the successful circulation of the petition.

(C) The treasurer designated under division (A) of this section shall file statements of contributions and expenditures in accordance with section 3517.10 of the Revised Code regarding all contributions made or received and all expenditures made by that treasurer or the circulator or committee in connection with the initiative or referendum petition, or supplementary petition for additional signatures, for the submission of a constitutional amendment, proposed law, section, or item of any law.

Sec. 3517.13. (A)(1) No campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall fail to file a complete and accurate statement required under division (A)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

(2) No campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall fail to file a complete and accurate monthly statement, and no campaign committee of a statewide candidate or a candidate for the office of chief justice or justice of the supreme court shall fail to file a complete and accurate two-business-day statement, as required under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

As used in this division, "statewide candidate" has the same meaning as in division (F)(2) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

(B) No campaign committee shall fail to file a complete and accurate statement required under division (A)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

(C) No campaign committee shall fail to file a complete and accurate statement required under division (A)(2) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

(D) No campaign committee shall fail to file a complete and accurate statement required under division (A)(3) or (4) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

(E) No person other than a campaign committee shall knowingly fail to file a statement required under section 3517.10 or 3517.107 of the Revised Code.

(F) No person shall make cash contributions to any person totaling more than one hundred dollars in each primary, special, or general election.

(G)(1) No person shall knowingly conceal or misrepresent contributions given or received, expenditures made, or any other information required to be reported by a provision in sections 3517.08 to 3517.13 of the Revised Code.

(2)(a) No person shall make a contribution to a campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, political party, or person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications in the name of another person.

(b) A person does not make a contribution in the name of another when either of the following applies:

(i) An individual makes a contribution from a partnership or other unincorporated business account, if the contribution is reported by listing both the name of the partnership or other unincorporated business and the name of the partner or owner making the contribution as required under division (I) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

(ii) A person makes a contribution in that person's spouse's name or in both of their names.

(H) No person within this state, publishing a newspaper or other periodical, shall charge a campaign committee for political advertising a rate in excess of the rate such person would charge if the campaign committee were a general rate advertiser whose advertising was directed to promoting its business within the same area as that encompassed by the particular office that the candidate of the campaign committee is seeking. The rate shall take into account the amount of space used, as well as the type of advertising copy submitted by or on behalf of the campaign committee. All discount privileges otherwise offered by a newspaper or periodical to general rate advertisers shall be available upon equal terms to all campaign committees.

No person within this state, operating a radio or television station or network of stations in this state, shall charge a campaign committee for political broadcasts a rate that exceeds:

(1) During the forty-five days preceding the date of a primary election and during the sixty days preceding the date of a general or special election in which the candidate of the campaign committee is seeking office, the lowest unit charge of the station for the same class and amount of time for the same period;

(2) At any other time, the charges made for comparable use of that station by its other users.

(I) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this section, no agency or department of this state or any political subdivision shall award any contract, other than one let by competitive bidding or a contract incidental to such contract or which is by force account, for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any individual, partnership, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust if the individual has made or the individual's spouse has made, or any partner, shareholder, administrator, executor, or trustee or the spouse of any of them has made, as an individual, within the two previous calendar years, one or more contributions totaling in excess of one thousand dollars to the holder of the public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract or to the public officer's campaign committee.

(J) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this section, no agency or department of this state or any political subdivision shall award any contract, other than one let by competitive bidding or a contract incidental to such contract or which is by force account, for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to a corporation or business trust, except a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, if an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust or the spouse of that person has made, as an individual, within the two previous calendar years, taking into consideration only owners for all of that period, one or more contributions totaling in excess of one thousand dollars to the holder of a public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract or to the public officer's campaign committee.

(K) For purposes of divisions (I) and (J) of this section, if a public officer who is responsible for the award of a contract is appointed by the governor, whether or not the appointment is subject to the advice and consent of the senate, excluding members of boards, commissions, committees, authorities, councils, boards of trustees, task forces, and other such entities appointed by the governor, the office of the governor is considered to have ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract.

(L) For purposes of divisions (I) and (J) of this section, if a public officer who is responsible for the award of a contract is appointed by the elected chief executive officer of a municipal corporation, or appointed by the elected chief executive officer of a county operating under an alternative form of county government or county charter, excluding members of boards, commissions, committees, authorities, councils, boards of trustees, task forces, and other such entities appointed by the chief executive officer, the office of the chief executive officer is considered to have ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract.

(M)(1) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to contracts awarded by the board of commissioners of the sinking fund, municipal legislative authorities, boards of education, boards of county commissioners, boards of township trustees, or other boards, commissions, committees, authorities, councils, boards of trustees, task forces, and other such entities created by law, by the supreme court or courts of appeals, by county courts consisting of more than one judge, courts of common pleas consisting of more than one judge, or municipal courts consisting of more than one judge, or by a division of any court if the division consists of more than one judge. This division shall apply to the specified entity only if the members of the entity act collectively in the award of a contract for goods or services.

(2) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to actions of the controlling board.

(N)(1) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section apply to contributions made to the holder of a public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of a contract, or to the public officer's campaign committee, during the time the person holds the office and during any time such person was a candidate for the office. Those divisions do not apply to contributions made to, or to the campaign committee of, a candidate for or holder of the office other than the holder of the office at the time of the award of the contract.

(2) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to contributions of a partner, shareholder, administrator, executor, trustee, or owner of more than twenty per cent of a corporation or business trust made before the person held any of those positions or after the person ceased to hold any of those positions in the partnership, association, estate, trust, corporation, or business trust whose eligibility to be awarded a contract is being determined, nor to contributions of the person's spouse made before the person held any of those positions, after the person ceased to hold any of those positions, before the two were married, after the granting of a decree of divorce, dissolution of marriage, or annulment, or after the granting of an order in an action brought solely for legal separation. Those divisions do not apply to contributions of the spouse of an individual whose eligibility to be awarded a contract is being determined made before the two were married, after the granting of a decree of divorce, dissolution of marriage, or annulment, or after the granting of an order in an action brought solely for legal separation.

(O) No beneficiary of a campaign fund or other person shall convert for personal use, and no person shall knowingly give to a beneficiary of a campaign fund or any other person, for the beneficiary's or any other person's personal use, anything of value from the beneficiary's campaign fund, including, without limitation, payments to a beneficiary for services the beneficiary personally performs, except as reimbursement for any of the following:

(1) Legitimate and verifiable prior campaign expenses incurred by the beneficiary;

(2) Legitimate and verifiable ordinary and necessary prior expenses incurred by the beneficiary in connection with duties as the holder of a public office, including, without limitation, expenses incurred through participation in nonpartisan or bipartisan events if the participation of the holder of a public office would normally be expected;

(3) Legitimate and verifiable ordinary and necessary prior expenses incurred by the beneficiary while doing any of the following:

(a) Engaging in activities in support of or opposition to a candidate other than the beneficiary, political party, or ballot issue;

(b) Raising funds for a political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, campaign committee, or other candidate;

(c) Participating in the activities of a political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee;

(d) Attending a political party convention or other political meeting.

For purposes of this division, an expense is incurred whenever a beneficiary has either made payment or is obligated to make payment, as by the use of a credit card or other credit procedure or by the use of goods or services received on account.

(P) No beneficiary of a campaign fund shall knowingly accept, and no person shall knowingly give to the beneficiary of a campaign fund, reimbursement for an expense under division (O) of this section to the extent that the expense previously was reimbursed or paid from another source of funds. If an expense is reimbursed under division (O) of this section and is later paid or reimbursed, wholly or in part, from another source of funds, the beneficiary shall repay the reimbursement received under division (O) of this section to the extent of the payment made or reimbursement received from the other source.

(Q) No candidate or public official or employee shall accept for personal or business use anything of value from a political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee other than the candidate's or public official's or employee's own campaign committee, and no person shall knowingly give to a candidate or public official or employee anything of value from a political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or such a campaign committee, except for the following:

(1) Reimbursement for legitimate and verifiable ordinary and necessary prior expenses not otherwise prohibited by law incurred by the candidate or public official or employee while engaged in any legitimate activity of the political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee. Without limitation, reimbursable expenses under this division include those incurred while doing any of the following:

(a) Engaging in activities in support of or opposition to another candidate, political party, or ballot issue;

(b) Raising funds for a political party, legislative campaign fund, campaign committee, or another candidate;

(2) Compensation not otherwise prohibited by law for actual and valuable personal services rendered under a written contract to the political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee for any legitimate activity of the political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee.

Reimbursable expenses under this division do not include, and it is a violation of this division for a candidate or public official or employee to accept, or for any person to knowingly give to a candidate or public official or employee from a political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee other than the candidate's or public official's or employee's own campaign committee, anything of value for activities primarily related to the candidate's or public official's or employee's own campaign for election, except for contributions to the candidate's or public official's or employee's campaign committee.

For purposes of this division, an expense is incurred whenever a candidate or public official or employee has either made payment or is obligated to make payment, as by the use of a credit card or other credit procedure, or by the use of goods or services on account.

(R)(1) Division (O) or (P) of this section does not prohibit a campaign committee from making direct advance or post payment from contributions to vendors for goods and services for which reimbursement is permitted under division (O) of this section, except that no campaign committee shall pay its candidate or other beneficiary for services personally performed by the candidate or other beneficiary.

(2) If any expense that may be reimbursed under division (O), (P), or (Q) of this section is part of other expenses that may not be paid or reimbursed, the separation of the two types of expenses for the purpose of allocating for payment or reimbursement those expenses that may be paid or reimbursed may be by any reasonable accounting method, considering all of the surrounding circumstances.

(3) For purposes of divisions (O), (P), and (Q) of this section, mileage allowance at a rate not greater than that allowed by the internal revenue service at the time the travel occurs may be paid instead of reimbursement for actual travel expenses allowable.

(S)(1) As used in division (S) of this section:

(a) "State elective office" has the same meaning as in section 3517.092 of the Revised Code.

(b) "Federal office" means a federal office as defined in the Federal Election Campaign Act.

(c) "Federal campaign committee" means a principal campaign committee or authorized committee as defined in the Federal Election Campaign Act.

(2) No person who is a candidate for state elective office and who previously sought nomination or election to a federal office shall transfer any funds or assets from that person's federal campaign committee for nomination or election to the federal office to that person's campaign committee as a candidate for state elective office.

(3) No campaign committee of a person who is a candidate for state elective office and who previously sought nomination or election to a federal office shall accept any funds or assets from that person's federal campaign committee for that person's nomination or election to the federal office.

(T)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(6)(c) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, a state or county political party shall not disburse moneys from any account other than a state candidate fund to make contributions to any of the following:

(a) A state candidate fund;

(b) A legislative campaign fund;

(c) A campaign committee of a candidate for the office of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state board of education, or member of the general assembly.

(2) No state candidate fund, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee of a candidate for any office described in division (T)(1)(c) of this section shall knowingly accept a contribution in violation of division (T)(1) of this section.

(U) No person shall fail to file a statement required under section 3517.12 of the Revised Code.

(V) No campaign committee shall fail to file a statement required under division (K)(3) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

(W)(1) No foreign national shall, directly or indirectly through any other person or entity, ~~make~~ knowingly do any of the following:

(a) Make a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure or promise, either expressly or implicitly, to make a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure ~~in support of or opposition to a candidate for any elective office in this state, including an office of a political party~~;

(b) Solicit another person to make a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure;

(c) Make a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds to another person with a designation, instruction, or encumbrance that the foreign national knows will result in any part of the loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds being used to make a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure. As used in this division, "designation, instruction, or encumbrance" includes any designation, instruction, or encumbrance that is direct or indirect, express or implied, oral or written, or involving an intermediary or conduit.

(2) No candidate, campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, state candidate fund, political party, or separate segregated fund, or continuing association shall do either of the following:

(a) Knowingly transfer funds, or accept a transfer of funds, directly or indirectly into an account from which the person makes contributions or expenditures from an account that is controlled by the person or by the person's affiliate and that the person, at any time, knew to contain funds described in division (W)(1) of this section that are received directly or indirectly through another person or entity from a foreign national. For purposes of this division, a person is affiliated with another person if they are both established, financed, maintained, or controlled by, or if they are, the same person, including any parent, subsidiary, division, or department of that person.

(b) Otherwise knowingly solicit or accept a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure, directly or indirectly through another person or entity, from a foreign national. The secretary of state may direct any candidate, committee, entity, fund, or party that accepts a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure in violation of this division to return the contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure or, if it is not possible to return the contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure, then to return instead the value of it, to the contributor.

(3) No person shall knowingly aid or facilitate a violation of division (W)(1) or (2) of this section.

(4) As used in division (W) of this section, "foreign national" ~~has the same meaning as in section 441e(b) of the Federal Election Campaign Act~~ means any of the following, as applicable:

(a) In the case of an individual, an individual who is not a United States citizen or national;

(b) A government of a foreign country or of a political subdivision of a foreign country;

(d) A person, other than an individual, that is organized under the laws of, or has its principal place of business in, a foreign country.

(X)(1) No state or county political party shall transfer any moneys from its restricted fund to any account of the political party into which contributions may be made or from which contributions or expenditures may be made.

(2)(a) No state or county political party shall deposit a contribution or contributions that it receives into its restricted fund.

(b) No state or county political party shall make a contribution or an expenditure from its restricted fund.

(3)(a) No corporation or labor organization shall make a gift or gifts from the corporation's or labor organization's money or property aggregating more than ten thousand dollars to any one state or county political party for the party's restricted fund in a calendar year.

(b) No state or county political party shall accept a gift or gifts for the party's restricted fund aggregating more than ten thousand dollars from any one corporation or labor organization in a calendar year.

(4) No state or county political party shall transfer any moneys in the party's restricted fund to any other state or county political party.

(5) No state or county political party shall knowingly fail to file a statement required under section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code.

(Y) The administrator of workers' compensation and the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation shall not conduct any business with or award any contract, other than one awarded by competitive bidding, for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any individual, partnership, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust, if the individual has made, or the individual's spouse has made, or any partner, shareholder, administrator, executor, or trustee, or the spouses of any of those individuals has made, as an individual, within the two previous calendar years, one or more contributions totaling in excess of one thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor.

(Z) The administrator of workers' compensation and the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation shall not conduct business with or award any contract, other than one awarded by competitive bidding, for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to a corporation or business trust, except a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, if an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust, or the spouse of the owner, has made, as an individual, within the two previous calendar years, taking into consideration only owners for all of such period, one or more contributions totaling in excess of one thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor.

Sec. 3517.155. (A)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, the Ohio elections commission shall hold its first hearing on a complaint filed with it, other than a complaint that receives an expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised Code, not later than ninety business days after the complaint is filed unless the commission has good cause to hold the hearing after that time, in which case it shall hold the hearing not later than one hundred eighty business days after the complaint is filed. At the hearing, the commission shall determine whether or not the failure to act or the violation alleged in the complaint has occurred and shall do only one of the following, except as otherwise provided in ~~division (B) of~~ this section or in division (B) of section 3517.151 of the Revised Code:

(a) Enter a finding that good cause has been shown not to impose a fine or not to refer the matter to the appropriate prosecutor;

(b) Impose a fine under section 3517.993 of the Revised Code;

(2) As used in division (A) of this section, "appropriate prosecutor" means ~~a prosecutor as defined in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code and~~ either of the following:

(a) In the case of a failure to comply with or a violation of law involving a campaign committee or the committee's candidate, a political party, a legislative campaign fund, a political action committee, or a political contributing entity, that is required to file a statement of contributions and expenditures with the secretary of state under division (A) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the ~~prosecutor of Franklin county~~ attorney general, except that if the attorney general is a victim or witness or otherwise involved in the matter, "appropriate prosecutor" means a county prosecutor whom the commission deems appropriate to prosecute the matter;

(b) In the case of a failure to comply with or a violation of law involving any other campaign committee or committee's candidate, or any other political party, political action committee, or political contributing entity, either of the following as determined by the commission:

(i) The ~~prosecutor of Franklin county~~ attorney general, except that if the attorney general is a victim or witness or otherwise involved in the matter, the commission shall refer the matter to the prosecutor described in division (A)(2)(b)(ii) of this section;

(ii) The prosecutor of the county in which the candidacy or ballot question or issue is submitted to the electors or, if it is submitted in more than one county, the most populous of those counties, except that if that prosecutor is a victim or witness or otherwise involved in the matter, the commission shall refer the matter to the attorney general.

(3) When the commission refers a matter to the attorney general under this section, or when the attorney general assumes responsibility for the prosecution of a matter under division (D)(3)(b) of this section, the attorney general may prosecute the matter with all the rights, privileges, and powers conferred by law on prosecuting attorneys, including the power to appear before grand juries and to interrogate witnesses before such grand juries. These powers of the attorney general are in addition to any other applicable powers of the attorney general.

(B) If the commission decides that the evidence is insufficient for it to determine whether or not the failure to act or the violation alleged in the complaint has occurred, the commission, by the affirmative vote of five members, may request that an investigatory attorney investigate the complaint. Upon that request, an investigatory attorney shall make an investigation in order to produce sufficient evidence for the commission to decide the matter. If the commission requests an investigation under this division, for good cause shown by the investigatory attorney, the commission may extend by sixty days the deadline for holding its first hearing on the complaint as required in division (A) of this section.

(C) The commission shall take one of the actions required under division (A) of this section not later than thirty days after the close of all the evidence presented.

(D)(1) The commission shall make any finding of a failure to comply with or a violation of law in regard to a complaint that alleges a violation of division (A) or (B) of section 3517.21, or division (A) or (B) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code by clear and convincing evidence. The commission shall make any finding of a failure to comply with or a violation of law in regard to any other complaint by a preponderance of the evidence.

(2) If the commission finds a violation of division (B) of section 3517.21 or division (B) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code, it shall refer the matter to the appropriate prosecutor under division (A)(1)(c) of this section and shall not impose a fine under division (A)(1)(b) of this section or section 3517.993 of the Revised Code.

(3)(a) If the commission finds a violation of division (W) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, it shall do one of the following:

(i) Impose a fine under section 3517.993 of the Revised Code in an amount equal to three times the amount involved in the violation or ten thousand dollars, whichever amount is greater, with none of the fine suspended and, in the case of a violation of division (W)(2) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, order the violator to return an amount equal to any amount accepted in violation of that division to the foreign national from whom it was accepted;

(ii) Refer the matter to the appropriate prosecutor.

(b)(i) Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(3)(b)(ii) of this section, if the commission finds a violation of division (W) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code and refers the matter to a county prosecutor under division (A)(2)(b)(ii) of this section, upon the request of the prosecutor to whom the commission refers the matter or upon the attorney general's own initiative, the attorney general may assume responsibility for the prosecution of the matter.

(ii) Division (D)(3)(b)(i) of this section does not apply to any matter in which the attorney general is a victim or witness or is otherwise involved.

(E) In an action before the commission or a panel of the commission, if the allegations of the complainant are not proved, and the commission takes the action described in division (A)(1)(a) of this section or a panel of the commission takes the action described in division (C)(1) of section 3517.156 of the Revised Code, the commission or a panel of the commission may find that the complaint is frivolous, and, if the commission or panel so finds, the commission shall order the complainant to pay reasonable attorney's fees and to pay the costs of the commission or panel as determined by a majority of the members of the commission. The costs paid to the commission or panel under this division shall be deposited into the Ohio elections commission fund.

Sec. 3517.992. This section establishes penalties only with respect to acts or failures to act that occur on and after August 24, 1995.

(A)(1) A candidate whose campaign committee violates division (A), (B), (C), (D), or (V) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, or a treasurer of a campaign committee who violates any of those divisions, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.

(2) Whoever violates division (E) or (X)(5) of section 3517.13 or division (E)(1) of section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.

(B) An entity that violates division (G)(1) of section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.

(C) Whoever violates division (G)(2) of section 3517.101, division (G) of section 3517.13, or division (E)(2) or (3) of section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars or, if the offender is a person who was nominated or elected to public office, shall forfeit the nomination or the office to which the offender was elected, or both.

(D) Whoever violates division (F) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than three times the amount contributed.

(E) Whoever violates division (H) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.

(F) Whoever violates division (O), (P), or (Q) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(G) A state or county committee of a political party that violates division (B)(1) of section 3517.18 of the Revised Code as that section existed before its repeal by H.B. 166 of the 133rd general assembly shall be fined not more than twice the amount of the improper expenditure.

(H) An entity that violates division (H) of section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than twice the amount of the improper expenditure or use.

(I)(1) Any individual who violates division (B)(1) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code and knows that the contribution the individual makes violates that division shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(2) Any political action committee that violates division (B)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(3) Any campaign committee that violates division (B)(3) or (5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(4)(a) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (B)(6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division, as applicable.

(b) Any state political party, county political party, or state candidate fund of a state political party or county political party that violates division (B)(6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division, as applicable.

(c) Any political contributing entity that violates division (B)(7) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(5) Any political party that violates division (B)(4) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(6) Notwithstanding divisions (I)(1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) of this section, no violation of division (B) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not refer parties to the Ohio elections commission, if the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division meets either of the following conditions:

(a) It is completely refunded within five business days after it is accepted.

(b) It is completely refunded on or before the tenth business day after notification to the recipient of the excess transfer or contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state that a transfer or contribution in excess of the permitted amount has been received.

(J)(1) Any campaign committee that violates division (C)(1), (2), (3), or (6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(2)(a) Any county political party that violates division (C)(4)(a)(ii) or (iii) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted.

(b) Any county political party that violates division (C)(4)(a)(i) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(c) Any state political party that violates division (C)(4)(b) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(3) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (C)(5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(4) Any political action committee or political contributing entity that violates division (C)(7) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(5) Notwithstanding divisions (J)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, no violation of division (C) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not refer parties to the Ohio elections commission, if the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted to be accepted by that division meets either of the following conditions:

(a) It is completely refunded within five business days after its acceptance.

(K)(1) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (F)(1) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined twenty-five dollars for each day of violation.

(2) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (F)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall give to the treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio elections commission fund all excess contributions not disposed of as required by division (E) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code.

(L) Whoever violates section 3517.105 of the Revised Code shall be fined one thousand dollars.

(M)(1) Whoever solicits a contribution in violation of section 3517.092 or violates division (B) of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(2) Whoever knowingly accepts a contribution in violation of division (B) or (C) of section 3517.092 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in violation of either of those divisions and shall return to the contributor any amount so accepted. Whoever unknowingly accepts a contribution in violation of division (B) or (C) of section 3517.092 of the Revised Code shall return to the contributor any amount so accepted.

(N) Whoever violates division (S) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount of funds transferred or three times the value of the assets transferred in violation of that division.

(O) Any campaign committee that accepts a contribution or contributions in violation of section 3517.108 of the Revised Code, uses a contribution in violation of that section, or fails to dispose of excess contributions in violation of that section shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted, used, or kept in violation of that section.

(P) Any political party, state candidate fund, legislative candidate fund, or campaign committee that violates division (T) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed or accepted in violation of that section.

(Q) A treasurer of a committee or another person who violates division (U) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than two hundred fifty dollars.

(R) Whoever violates division (I) or (J) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars. Whenever a person is found guilty of violating division (I) or (J) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, the contract awarded in violation of either of those divisions shall be rescinded if its terms have not yet been performed.

(S) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a campaign committee who violates section 3517.081 of the Revised Code, and a candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a campaign committee or another person who violates division (C) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.

(T) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a committee who violates division (B) of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code, or a candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a campaign committee or another person who violates division (C) of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.

(U) Whoever violates section 3517.20 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.

(V) Whoever violates section 3517.21 or 3517.22 of the Revised Code shall be imprisoned for not more than six months or fined not more than five thousand dollars, or both.

(W) A campaign committee that is required to file a declaration of no limits under division (D)(2) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code that, before filing that declaration, accepts a contribution or contributions that exceed the limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, shall return that contribution or those contributions to the contributor.

(X) Any campaign committee that fails to file the declaration of filing-day finances required by division (F) of section 3517.109 of the Revised Code shall be fined twenty-five dollars for each day of violation.

(Y)(1) Any campaign committee that fails to dispose of excess funds or excess aggregate contributions under division (B) of section 3517.109 of the Revised Code in the manner required by division (C) of that section shall give to the treasurer of state for deposit into the Ohio elections commission fund created under division (I) of section 3517.152 of the Revised Code all funds not disposed of pursuant to that division.

(2) Any treasurer of a transition fund that fails to dispose of assets remaining in the transition fund as required under division (H)(1) or (2) of section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code shall give to the treasurer of state for deposit into the Ohio elections commission fund all assets not disposed of pursuant to that division.

(Z) Any individual, campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, political party, treasurer of a transition fund, or other entity that violates any provision of sections 3517.09 to 3517.12 of the Revised Code for which no penalty is provided for under any other division of this section shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.

(AA)(1) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(1) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed, expended, or promised in violation of that division or ten thousand dollars, whichever amount is greater.

(2) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(2) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount solicited or accepted in violation of that division or ten thousand dollars, whichever amount is greater, and shall be required to return an amount equal to any amount accepted in violation of that division to the foreign national from whom it was accepted.

(3) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(3) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount involved in the violation or ten thousand dollars, whichever amount is greater.

(BB) Whoever knowingly violates division (C) or (D) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars plus not more than one thousand dollars for each day of violation.

(CC)(1) Subject to division (CC)(2) of this section, whoever violates division (H) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount up to three times the amount disbursed for the direct costs of airing the communication made in violation of that division.

(2) Whoever has been ordered by the Ohio elections commission or by a court of competent jurisdiction to cease making communications in violation of division (H) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code who again violates that division shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount disbursed for the direct costs of airing the communication made in violation of that division.

(DD)(1) Any corporation or labor organization that violates division (X)(3)(a) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount given in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(2) Any state or county political party that violates division (X)(3)(b) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(EE)(1) Any campaign committee or person who violates division (C)(1)(b) or (c) of section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount donated in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(2) Any officeholder or treasurer of a transition fund who violates division (C)(3)(a) or (b) of section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

Sec. 3517.993. This section authorizes the establishment of fines that may be imposed only with respect to acts or failures to act that occur on and after August 24, 1995.

(A) Except as otherwise provided in ~~division~~ divisions (D)(2) and (3) of section 3517.155 of the Revised Code, the Ohio elections commission may impose administrative fines under division (A)(1)(b) of section 3517.155 of the Revised Code in accordance with the amounts set forth under sections 3517.992, 3599.03, and 3599.031 of the Revised Code.

(B) ~~The~~ Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(3) of section 3517.155 of the Revised Code, the commission may suspend all or part of a fine it imposes under this section upon whatever terms and conditions the commission considers just.

(C)(1) The commission shall consider any of the following circumstances in determining whether to impose a maximum fine under this section:

(a) Whether the violator has been found guilty of any other violation of Title XXXV of the Revised Code;

(b) Whether the violation was made knowingly or purposely;

(d) Whether the violator has any outstanding fines imposed for a violation of Title XXXV of the Revised Code;

(e) Whether the violation occurred during the course of a campaign.

(2) The commission shall consider any of the following circumstances in determining whether to impose a minimal fine or no fine under this section:

(a) Whether the violator previously has not been found guilty of any other violation of Title XXXV of the Revised Code;

(b) Whether the violator has promptly corrected the violator's violation;

(d) Whether there are substantial grounds tending to excuse or justify the violation, although failing to establish a defense to the violation;

(e) Whether the violation was not purposely committed.

(3) The circumstances set forth in divisions (C)(1) and (2) of this section shall be considered by, but shall not control the decision of, the commission in imposing a fine.

(D) Fines imposed by the commission under this section shall be paid into the Ohio elections commission fund.

Sec. 4507.112. (A) The director of public safety may authorize a third party to administer the motor vehicle skills test specified in division (A)(2) of section 4507.11 of the Revised Code. A third-party administrator may be any person, any agency of this state, or any agency, department, or instrumentality of local government, including a clerk of the court of common pleas. The third party shall administer the same skills test as otherwise would be administered by the bureau of motor vehicles.

(B) For purposes of authorizing a third party to administer the motor vehicle skills test, the director and the third party shall enter into an agreement that does all of the following:

(1) Allows the director or the director's representative to conduct random examinations, inspections, and audits of the third party, whether covert or overt, without prior notice;

(2) Requires all examiners of the third party to meet the same qualification and training standards as examiners of the department of public safety;

(3) Requires the third party to use designated road test routes that have been approved by the director;

(4) If the third party also is a driver training school, prohibits a skills test examiner employed by the school from administering a skills test to an applicant that the examiner personally trained;

(5) Establishes appropriate documentation and communication between the third party and the department indicating who has attempted the skills test with the third party and whether the person completed the test successfully;

(6) Reserves to the department the right to take prompt and appropriate remedial action against the third party and its skills test examiners if the third party or its skills test examiners fail to comply with state standards for the testing program or with any other terms of the agreement.

(C)(1) The director may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code establishing reasonable fees that a third party authorized to administer the motor vehicle skills test under this section may charge for the skills test.

(2) If the director does not adopt the rules authorized under division (C)(1) of this section, a third party may charge a fee to an applicant who attempts the skills test with that third party. However, a third party shall not charge a fee greater than the cost of administering the skills test to that applicant.

Sec. 4509.101. (A)(1) No person shall operate, or permit the operation of, a motor vehicle in this state, unless proof of financial responsibility is maintained continuously throughout the registration period with respect to that vehicle, or, in the case of a driver who is not the owner, with respect to that driver's operation of that vehicle.

(2) Whoever violates division (A)(1) of this section shall be subject to the following civil penalties:

(a) Subject to divisions (A)(2)(b) and (c) of this section, a class (F) suspension of the person's driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege for the period of time specified in division (B)(6) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code and impoundment of the person's license. The court may grant limited driving privileges to the person, but only if the person presents proof of financial responsibility and is enrolled in a reinstatement fee payment plan pursuant to section 4510.10 of the Revised Code.

(b) If, within five years of the violation, the person's operating privileges are again suspended and the person's license again is impounded for a violation of division (A)(1) of this section, a class C suspension of the person's driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege for the period of time specified in division (B)(3) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code. The court may grant limited driving privileges to the person only if the person presents proof of financial responsibility and has complied with division (A)(5) of this section, and no court may grant limited driving privileges for the first fifteen days of the suspension.

(c) If, within five years of the violation, the person's operating privileges are suspended and the person's license is impounded two or more times for a violation of division (A)(1) of this section, a class B suspension of the person's driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege for the period of time specified in division (B)(2) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code. The court may grant limited driving privileges to the person only if the person presents proof of financial responsibility and has complied with division (A)(5) of this section, except that no court may grant limited driving privileges for the first thirty days of the suspension.

(d) In addition to the suspension of an owner's license under division (A)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this section, the suspension of the rights of the owner to register the motor vehicle and the impoundment of the owner's certificate of registration and license plates until the owner complies with division (A)(5) of this section.

The clerk of court shall waive the cost of filing a petition for limited driving privileges if, pursuant to section 2323.311 of the Revised Code, the petitioner applies to be qualified as an indigent litigant and the court approves the application.

(3) A person to whom this state has issued a certificate of registration for a motor vehicle or a license to operate a motor vehicle or who is determined to have operated any motor vehicle or permitted the operation in this state of a motor vehicle owned by the person shall be required to verify the existence of proof of financial responsibility covering the operation of the motor vehicle or the person's operation of the motor vehicle under either of the following circumstances:

(a) The person or a motor vehicle owned by the person is involved in a traffic accident that requires the filing of an accident report under section 4509.06 of the Revised Code.

(b) The person receives a traffic ticket indicating that proof of the maintenance of financial responsibility was not produced upon the request of a peace officer or state highway patrol trooper made in accordance with division (D)(2) of this section.

(4) An order of the registrar that suspends and impounds a license or registration, or both, shall state the date on or before which the person is required to surrender the person's license or certificate of registration and license plates. The person is deemed to have surrendered the license or certificate of registration and license plates, in compliance with the order, if the person does either of the following:

(a) On or before the date specified in the order, delivers the license or certificate of registration and license plates to the registrar;

(b) Mails the license or certificate of registration and license plates to the registrar in an envelope or container bearing a postmark showing a date no later than the date specified in the order.

(5) Except as provided in division (L) of this section, the registrar shall not restore any operating privileges or registration rights suspended under this section, return any license, certificate of registration, or license plates impounded under this section, or reissue license plates under section 4503.232 of the Revised Code, if the registrar destroyed the impounded license plates under that section, or reissue a license under section 4510.52 of the Revised Code, if the registrar destroyed the suspended license under that section, unless the rights are not subject to suspension or revocation under any other law and unless the person, in addition to complying with all other conditions required by law for reinstatement of the operating privileges or registration rights, complies with all of the following:

(a) Pays to the registrar or an eligible deputy registrar a financial responsibility reinstatement fee of forty dollars for the first violation of division (A)(1) of this section, three hundred dollars for a second violation of that division, and six hundred dollars for a third or subsequent violation of that division;

(b) If the person has not voluntarily surrendered the license, certificate, or license plates in compliance with the order, pays to the registrar or an eligible deputy registrar a financial responsibility nonvoluntary compliance fee in an amount, not to exceed fifty dollars, determined by the registrar;

(c) Files and continuously maintains proof of financial responsibility under sections 4509.44 to 4509.65 of the Revised Code;

(d) Pays a deputy registrar a service fee of ten dollars to compensate the deputy registrar for services performed under this section. The deputy registrar shall retain eight dollars of the service fee and shall transmit the reinstatement fee, any nonvoluntary compliance fee, and two dollars of the service fee to the registrar in the manner the registrar shall determine.

(B)(1) Every party required to file an accident report under section 4509.06 of the Revised Code also shall include with the report a document described in division (G)(1)(a) of this section or shall present proof of financial responsibility through use of an electronic wireless communications device as permitted by division (G)(1)(b) of this section.

If the registrar determines, within forty-five days after the report is filed, that an operator or owner has violated division (A)(1) of this section, the registrar shall do all of the following:

(a) Order the impoundment, with respect to the motor vehicle involved, required under division (A)(2)(d) of this section, of the certificate of registration and license plates of any owner who has violated division (A)(1) of this section;

(b) Order the suspension required under division (A)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this section of the license of any operator or owner who has violated division (A)(1) of this section;

(c) Record the name and address of the person whose certificate of registration and license plates have been impounded or are under an order of impoundment, or whose license has been suspended or is under an order of suspension; the serial number of the person's license; the serial numbers of the person's certificate of registration and license plates; and the person's social security account number, if assigned, or, where the motor vehicle is used for hire or principally in connection with any established business, the person's federal taxpayer identification number. The information shall be recorded in such a manner that it becomes a part of the person's permanent record, and assists the registrar in monitoring compliance with the orders of suspension or impoundment.

(d) Send written notification to every person to whom the order pertains, at the person's last known address as shown on the records of the bureau. The person, within ten days after the date of the mailing of the notification, shall surrender to the registrar, in a manner set forth in division (A)(4) of this section, any certificate of registration and registration plates under an order of impoundment, or any license under an order of suspension.

(2) The registrar shall issue any order under division (B)(1) of this section without a hearing. Any person adversely affected by the order, within ten days after the issuance of the order, may request an administrative hearing before the registrar, who shall provide the person with an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with this paragraph. A request for a hearing does not operate as a suspension of the order. The scope of the hearing shall be limited to whether the person in fact demonstrated to the registrar proof of financial responsibility in accordance with this section. The registrar shall determine the date, time, and place of any hearing, provided that the hearing shall be held, and an order issued or findings made, within thirty days after the registrar receives a request for a hearing. If requested by the person in writing, the registrar may designate as the place of hearing the county seat of the county in which the person resides or a place within fifty miles of the person's residence. The person shall pay the cost of the hearing before the registrar, if the registrar's order of suspension or impoundment is upheld.

(C) Any order of suspension or impoundment issued under this section or division (B) of section 4509.37 of the Revised Code may be terminated at any time if the registrar determines upon a showing of proof of financial responsibility that the operator or owner of the motor vehicle was in compliance with division (A)(1) of this section at the time of the traffic offense, motor vehicle inspection, or accident that resulted in the order against the person. A determination may be made without a hearing. This division does not apply unless the person shows good cause for the person's failure to present satisfactory proof of financial responsibility to the registrar prior to the issuance of the order.

(D)(1)(a) For the purpose of enforcing this section, every peace officer is deemed an agent of the registrar.

(b) Any peace officer who, in the performance of the peace officer's duties as authorized by law, becomes aware of a person whose license is under an order of suspension, or whose certificate of registration and license plates are under an order of impoundment, pursuant to this section, may confiscate the license, certificate of registration, and license plates, and return them to the registrar.

(2) A peace officer shall request the owner or operator of a motor vehicle to produce proof of financial responsibility in a manner described in division (G) of this section at the time the peace officer acts to enforce the traffic laws of this state and during motor vehicle inspections conducted pursuant to section 4513.02 of the Revised Code.

(3) A peace officer shall indicate on every traffic ticket whether the person receiving the traffic ticket produced proof of the maintenance of financial responsibility in response to the officer's request under division (D)(2) of this section. The peace officer shall inform every person who receives a traffic ticket and who has failed to produce proof of the maintenance of financial responsibility that the person must submit proof to the traffic violations bureau with any payment of a fine and costs for the ticketed violation or, if the person is to appear in court for the violation, the person must submit proof to the court.

(4)(a) If a person who has failed to produce proof of the maintenance of financial responsibility appears in court for a ticketed violation, the court may permit the defendant to present evidence of proof of financial responsibility to the court at such time and in such manner as the court determines to be necessary or appropriate. In a manner prescribed by the registrar, the clerk of courts shall provide the registrar with the identity of any person who fails to submit proof of the maintenance of financial responsibility pursuant to division (D)(3) of this section.

(b) If a person who has failed to produce proof of the maintenance of financial responsibility also fails to submit that proof to the traffic violations bureau with payment of a fine and costs for the ticketed violation, the traffic violations bureau, in a manner prescribed by the registrar, shall notify the registrar of the identity of that person.

(5)(a) Upon receiving notice from a clerk of courts or traffic violations bureau pursuant to division (D)(4) of this section, the registrar shall order the suspension of the license of the person required under division (A)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this section and the impoundment of the person's certificate of registration and license plates required under division (A)(2)(d) of this section, effective thirty days after the date of the mailing of notification. The registrar also shall notify the person that the person must present the registrar with proof of financial responsibility in accordance with this section, surrender to the registrar the person's certificate of registration, license plates, and license, or submit a statement subject to section 2921.13 of the Revised Code that the person did not operate or permit the operation of the motor vehicle at the time of the offense. Notification shall be in writing and shall be sent to the person at the person's last known address as shown on the records of the bureau of motor vehicles. The person, within fifteen days after the date of the mailing of notification, shall present proof of financial responsibility, surrender the certificate of registration, license plates, and license to the registrar in a manner set forth in division (A)(4) of this section, or submit the statement required under this section together with other information the person considers appropriate.

If the registrar does not receive proof or the person does not surrender the certificate of registration, license plates, and license, in accordance with this division, the registrar shall permit the order for the suspension of the license of the person and the impoundment of the person's certificate of registration and license plates to take effect.

(b) In the case of a person who presents, within the fifteen-day period, proof of financial responsibility, the registrar shall terminate the order of suspension and the impoundment of the registration and license plates required under division (A)(2)(d) of this section and shall send written notification to the person, at the person's last known address as shown on the records of the bureau.

(c) Any person adversely affected by the order of the registrar under division (D)(5)(a) or (b) of this section, within ten days after the issuance of the order, may request an administrative hearing before the registrar, who shall provide the person with an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with this paragraph. A request for a hearing does not operate as a suspension of the order. The scope of the hearing shall be limited to whether, at the time of the hearing, the person presents proof of financial responsibility covering the vehicle and whether the person is eligible for an exemption in accordance with this section or any rule adopted under it. The registrar shall determine the date, time, and place of any hearing; provided, that the hearing shall be held, and an order issued or findings made, within thirty days after the registrar receives a request for a hearing. If requested by the person, the hearing may be held remotely by electronic means. If requested by the person in writing, the registrar may designate as the place of hearing the county seat of the county in which the person resides or a place within fifty miles of the person's residence. Such person shall pay the cost of the hearing before the registrar, if the registrar's order of suspension or impoundment under division (D)(5)(a) or (b) of this section is upheld.

(6) A peace officer may charge an owner or operator of a motor vehicle with a violation of section 4510.16 of the Revised Code when the owner or operator fails to show proof of the maintenance of financial responsibility pursuant to a peace officer's request under division (D)(2) of this section, if a check of the owner or operator's driving record indicates that the owner or operator, at the time of the operation of the motor vehicle, is required to file and maintain proof of financial responsibility under section 4509.45 of the Revised Code for a previous violation of this chapter.

(7) Any forms used by law enforcement agencies in administering this section shall be prescribed, supplied, and paid for by the registrar.

(8) No peace officer, law enforcement agency employing a peace officer, or political subdivision or governmental agency that employs a peace officer shall be liable in a civil action for damages or loss to persons arising out of the performance of any duty required or authorized by this section.

(9) As used in this section, "peace officer" has the meaning set forth in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code.

(E) All fees, except court costs, fees paid to a deputy registrar, and those portions of the financial responsibility reinstatement fees as otherwise specified in this division, collected under this section shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the public safety - highway purposes fund established in section 4501.06 of the Revised Code and used to cover costs incurred by the bureau in the administration of this section and sections 4503.20, 4507.212, and 4509.81 of the Revised Code, and by any law enforcement agency employing any peace officer who returns any license, certificate of registration, and license plates to the registrar pursuant to division (C) of this section.

Of each financial responsibility reinstatement fee the registrar collects pursuant to division (A)(5)(a) of this section or receives from a deputy registrar under division (A)(5)(d) of this section, the registrar shall deposit ten dollars of each forty-dollar reinstatement fee, fifty dollars of each three-hundred-dollar reinstatement fee, and one hundred dollars of each six-hundred-dollar reinstatement fee into the state treasury to the credit of the indigent defense support fund created by section 120.08 of the Revised Code.

(F) Chapter 119. of the Revised Code applies to this section only to the extent that any provision in that chapter is not clearly inconsistent with this section.

(G)(1)(a) The registrar, court, traffic violations bureau, or peace officer may require proof of financial responsibility to be demonstrated by use of a standard form prescribed by the registrar. If the use of a standard form is not required, a person may demonstrate proof of financial responsibility under this section by presenting to the traffic violations bureau, court, registrar, or peace officer any of the following documents or a copy of the documents:

(i) A financial responsibility identification card as provided in section 4509.103 of the Revised Code;

(ii) A certificate of proof of financial responsibility on a form provided and approved by the registrar for the filing of an accident report required to be filed under section 4509.06 of the Revised Code;

(iii) A policy of liability insurance, a declaration page of a policy of liability insurance, or liability bond, if the policy or bond complies with section 4509.20 or sections 4509.49 to 4509.61 of the Revised Code;

(iv) A bond or certification of the issuance of a bond as provided in section 4509.59 of the Revised Code;

(v) A certificate of deposit of money or securities as provided in section 4509.62 of the Revised Code;

(vi) A certificate of self-insurance as provided in section 4509.72 of the Revised Code.

(b) A person also may present proof of financial responsibility under this section to the traffic violations bureau, court, registrar, or peace officer through use of an electronic wireless communications device as specified under section 4509.103 of the Revised Code.

(2) If a person fails to demonstrate proof of financial responsibility in a manner described in division (G)(1) of this section, the person may demonstrate proof of financial responsibility under this section by any other method that the court or the bureau, by reason of circumstances in a particular case, may consider appropriate.

(3) A motor carrier certificated by the interstate commerce commission or by the public utilities commission may demonstrate proof of financial responsibility by providing a statement designating the motor carrier's operating authority and averring that the insurance coverage required by the certificating authority is in full force and effect.

(4)(a) A finding by the registrar or court that a person is covered by proof of financial responsibility in the form of an insurance policy or surety bond is not binding upon the named insurer or surety or any of its officers, employees, agents, or representatives and has no legal effect except for the purpose of administering this section.

(b) The preparation and delivery of a financial responsibility identification card or any other document authorized to be used as proof of financial responsibility and the generation and delivery of proof of financial responsibility to an electronic wireless communications device that is displayed on the device as text or images does not do any of the following:

(i) Create any liability or estoppel against an insurer or surety, or any of its officers, employees, agents, or representatives;

(ii) Constitute an admission of the existence of, or of any liability or coverage under, any policy or bond;

(iii) Waive any defenses or counterclaims available to an insurer, surety, agent, employee, or representative in an action commenced by an insured or third-party claimant upon a cause of action alleged to have arisen under an insurance policy or surety bond or by reason of the preparation and delivery of a document for use as proof of financial responsibility or the generation and delivery of proof of financial responsibility to an electronic wireless communications device.

(c) Whenever it is determined by a final judgment in a judicial proceeding that an insurer or surety, which has been named on a document or displayed on an electronic wireless communications device accepted by a court or the registrar as proof of financial responsibility covering the operation of a motor vehicle at the time of an accident or offense, is not liable to pay a judgment for injuries or damages resulting from such operation, the registrar, notwithstanding any previous contrary finding, shall forthwith suspend the operating privileges and registration rights of the person against whom the judgment was rendered as provided in division (A)(2) of this section.

(H) In order for any document or display of text or images on an electronic wireless communications device described in division (G)(1) of this section to be used for the demonstration of proof of financial responsibility under this section, the document or words or images shall state the name of the insured or obligor, the name of the insurer or surety company, and the effective and expiration dates of the financial responsibility, and designate by explicit description or by appropriate reference all motor vehicles covered which may include a reference to fleet insurance coverage.

(I) For purposes of this section, "owner" does not include a licensed motor vehicle leasing dealer as defined in section 4517.01 of the Revised Code, but does include a motor vehicle renting dealer as defined in section 4549.65 of the Revised Code. Nothing in this section or in section 4509.51 of the Revised Code shall be construed to prohibit a motor vehicle renting dealer from entering into a contractual agreement with a person whereby the person renting the motor vehicle agrees to be solely responsible for maintaining proof of financial responsibility, in accordance with this section, with respect to the operation, maintenance, or use of the motor vehicle during the period of the motor vehicle's rental.

(J) The purpose of this section is to require the maintenance of proof of financial responsibility with respect to the operation of motor vehicles on the highways of this state, so as to minimize those situations in which persons are not compensated for injuries and damages sustained in motor vehicle accidents. The general assembly finds that this section contains reasonable civil penalties and procedures for achieving this purpose.

(K) Nothing in this section shall be construed to be subject to section 4509.78 of the Revised Code.

(L)(1) The registrar may terminate any suspension imposed under this section and not require the owner to comply with divisions (A)(5)(a), (b), and (c) of this section if the registrar with or without a hearing determines that the owner of the vehicle has established by clear and convincing evidence that all of the following apply:

(a) The owner customarily maintains proof of financial responsibility.

(b) Proof of financial responsibility was not in effect for the vehicle on the date in question for one of the following reasons:

(i) The vehicle was inoperable.

(ii) The vehicle is operated only seasonally, and the date in question was outside the season of operation.

(iii) A person other than the vehicle owner or driver was at fault for the lapse of proof of financial responsibility through no fault of the owner or driver.

(iv) The lapse of proof of financial responsibility was caused by excusable neglect under circumstances that are not likely to recur and do not suggest a purpose to evade the requirements of this chapter.

(2) The registrar may grant an owner or driver relief for a reason specified in division (L)(1)(b)(iii) or (iv) of this section only if the owner or driver has not previously been granted relief under division (L)(1)(b)(iii) or (iv) of this section.

(M) The registrar shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that are necessary to administer and enforce this section. The rules shall include procedures for the surrender of license plates upon failure to maintain proof of financial responsibility and provisions relating to reinstatement of registration rights, acceptable forms of proof of financial responsibility, the use of an electronic wireless communications device to present proof of financial responsibility, and verification of the existence of financial responsibility during the period of registration.

(N)(1) When a person utilizes an electronic wireless communications device to present proof of financial responsibility, only the evidence of financial responsibility displayed on the device shall be viewed by the registrar, peace officer, employee or official of the traffic violations bureau, or the court. No other content of the device shall be viewed for purposes of obtaining proof of financial responsibility.

(2) When a person provides an electronic wireless communications device to the registrar, a peace officer, an employee or official of a traffic violations bureau, or the court, the person assumes the risk of any resulting damage to the device unless the registrar, peace officer, employee, or official, or court personnel purposely, knowingly, or recklessly commits an action that results in damage to the device.

Sec. 4517.261. (A) For the purposes of this section, "consumer price index" means the index, as prepared by the United States bureau of labor statistics (U.S. city average for urban wage earners and clerical workers: all items) or, if that index is no longer published, a generally available comparable index as determined by the registrar of motor vehicles.

(B) A motor vehicle dealer may contract for and receive a documentary service charge for a retail or wholesale sale or lease of a motor vehicle. A documentary service charge shall be specified in writing without itemization of the individual services provided. A documentary service charge shall be not more than the lesser of the following:

~~(A)~~ (1) The amount allowed in a retail installment sale, adjusted as required by division (C) of this section;

~~(B)~~ (2) Ten per cent of the amount the buyer or lessee is required to pay pursuant to the contract, excluding tax, title, and registration fees, and any negative equity adjustment.

(C)(1) On the effective date of this amendment, and on the last day of each September that begins thereafter, the registrar of motor vehicles shall adjust the documentary service charge allowed under division (B)(1) of this section in connection with the sale or lease of a motor vehicle by adding two hundred fifty dollars to the product of two hundred fifty dollars times the cumulative percentage change in the consumer price index since July 1, 2006, based on the most recently published data, and rounding to the nearest one-dollar increment.

(2) Subject to division (C)(3) of this section, the adjusted documentary service charge computed under division (C)(1) of this section applies as follows:

(a) For the first adjustment required by division (C)(1) of this section, from the effective date of this amendment until the last day of December following the second adjustment required by that division;

(b) For the second and all subsequent adjustments required by division (C)(1) of this section, for the full calendar year following the date of the adjustment.

(3) If the adjustment required by division (C)(1) of this section results in an amount less than the documentary service charge allowed at the time the adjustment is made, then the maximum documentary service charge per sale at the time the adjustment is made applies for the following calendar year.

(4) The registrar shall publish the adjusted documentary service charge amount and the dates to which it applies on a web site maintained by the department of public safety.

(5) The adjusted documentary service charge determined under division (C) of this section applies only with respect to the sale or lease of a motor vehicle by a motor vehicle dealer, and only if the adjusted documentary service charge does not exceed the amount described in division (B)(2) of this section.

Section 2. That existing sections 9.03, 120.54, 181.21, 325.33, 345.13, 517.23, 1317.07, 1901.02, 1901.123, 1901.261, 1907.11, 1907.143, 1907.261, 2303.081, 2303.201, 2505.02, 2929.20, 2967.26, 3517.01, 3517.10, 3517.12, 3517.13, 3517.155, 3517.992, 3517.993, 4507.112, 4509.101, and 4517.261 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

Section 3. That sections 135.032 and 135.321 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

Section 4. (A) All cases arising in the municipal corporation of North Kingsville in Ashtabula County that are pending in the Eastern County Court in Ashtabula County on January 1, 2025, shall be adjudicated by the Ashtabula County County Court. All cases arising in the municipal corporation of North Kingsville in Ashtabula County on or after January 1, 2025, shall be brought before the Conneaut Municipal Court.

(B) All cases arising in Kingsville, Monroe, and Sheffield Townships in Ashtabula County that are pending in the Eastern County Court in Ashtabula County on January 1, 2025, shall be adjudicated by the Ashtabula County County Court. All cases arising in Kingsville, Monroe, and Sheffield Townships in Ashtabula County on or after January 1, 2025, shall be brought before the Conneaut Municipal Court.

Section 5. Any fees that were collected by a clerk of court serving as a third-party administrator of a motor vehicle skills test under section 4507.112 of the Revised Code beginning on April 12, 2021, until the effective date of this section shall be paid into the county treasury to the credit of the certificate of title administration fund, as established in section 325.33 of the Revised Code.