REPRESENTATIVES Schuring, Hollister, Hartnett, Jerse, Britton, Collier, Boccieri, Schaffer, Flowers, Seitz, S. Smith, Damschroder, Manning, Reidelbach, Lendrum, Flannery, Clancy, Jolivette, Cates, Widowfield, Olman, Schneider, Otterman

To enact section 4501.025 of the Revised Code to

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create the Citizens Advisory Committee within the

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Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

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

Section 1.  That section 4501.025 of the Revised Code be	4
enacted to read as follows:	5

Sec. 4501.025.  (A) There is hereby created within the	6
bureau of motor vehicles the citizens advisory committee	7
consisting of nine appointed members and the registrar of motor	8
vehicles, who shall serve as an ex officio nonvoting member. The	9
governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the	10
house of representatives each shall appoint three members to the	11
committee. The president of the senate and the speaker of the	12
house of representatives each shall appoint one member from their	13
respective houses. Of the three members that the governor, the	14
president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of	15
representatives each appoint to the committee, no more than two	16
shall be members of the same political party.	17

Of the initial appointments to the committee, the governor,	18
the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of	19
representatives each shall appoint one member for one year, one	20
member for two years, and one member for three years. Thereafter,	21
terms of office shall be for three years, each term ending on the	22
same day of the same month as did the term that it succeeds. Each	23
member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the	24
end of the term for which the member was appointed. Members may	25
be reappointed. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as	26
the original appointment. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy	27
occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the	28
member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the	29
remainder of that term. A member shall continue in office	30
subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until the	31
member's successor takes office, or until a period of sixty days	32
has elapsed, whichever occurs first.	33

The committee shall select from among its members a	34
chairperson and a vice-chairperson. The committee shall meet at	35
least twice each calendar year and at other times upon the call of	36
the chair.	37

Voting members of the committee shall serve without	38
compensation, but shall be reimbursed for travel and other	39
necessary expenses incurred in the conduct of their official	40
duties.	41

(B) The committee shall review and evaluate the client	42
service practices of the bureau and advise the bureau on ways to	43
improve its interaction with the public. The procedures that the	44
committee shall review include, but are not limited to, the	45
following:	46

(1) The form and processing of required applications and	47
other documents;	48

(2) The administration of tests;

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(3) The accessibility of bureau staff and the speed and	50
accuracy with which questions are answered;	51

(4) Methods of notification for the suspension or revocation	52
of a driver's license;	53

(5) Rules regarding proof of financial responsibility;

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(6) The efficiency of service at the offices of deputy	55
registrars.	56

The committee shall adopt recommendations by a majority vote	57
of its members and shall present recommendations to the bureau for	58
consideration. The committee shall provide copies of its	59
recommendations to the governor, the president of the senate, the	60
speaker of the house of representatives, and the director of	61
public safety.	62

(C) The bureau shall establish a toll-free telephone number	63
for the committee that citizens may call to register complaints,	64
suggestions, or other comments about their interactions with the	65
bureau. The bureau also shall establish an address at which	66
citizens may contact the committee electronically via the	67
internet. The committee periodically shall review all electronic	68
communications and all calls placed to the toll-free number. The	69
bureau shall cooperate with the committee in the committee's	70
performance of its duties.	71

(D) The citizens advisory committee shall expire three years	72
after the date of its creation unless the general assembly renews	73
it pursuant to division (D) of section 101.83 of the Revised Code.	74
A renewal of the committee shall be for a period of three years.	75

Section 2.  Within sixty days after the effective date of	76
this act, the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the	77
Speaker of the House of Representatives each shall appoint three	78
members to the Citizens Advisory Committee pursuant to section	79
4501.025 of the Revised Code as enacted in this act.	80