As Introduced

124th General Assembly
Regular Session
2001-2002
H. B. No. 515


REPRESENTATIVES Schmidt, Seitz, Raga, Brinkman, Hagan, Faber, Collier, Carano, Seaver, Schaffer, Lendrum, Fessler, Grendell, Blasdel, Schneider



A BILL
To amend sections 504.09, 504.12, 505.38, 505.49, 1
and 4123.29 of the Revised Code to make changes 2
relating to the keeping of the board of township 3
trustees' journal, the taking of minutes of board 4
meetings, and the publication of board resolutions 5
in a home rule township; to allow civil service 6
townships that are urban townships to appoint any 7
one of the three highest scorers on a police or 8
fire department promotional exam; and to place9
urban township employees in the same occupational10
classifications as municipal employees for workers'11
compensation purposes.12


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

       Section 1. That sections 504.09, 504.12, 505.38, 505.49, 13
and 4123.29 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:14

       Sec. 504.09.  A board of township trustees shall determine15
its own rules and order of business and keep a journal of its16
proceedings. Notwithstanding section 507.04 of the Revised Code17
and anything to the contrary in section 504.04 of the Revised18
Code, the board may designate, by majority vote, any person to19
keep its journal and take the minutes of board meetings. A20
majority of the members of the board constitutes a quorum.21

       Sec. 504.12.  No resolution and no section or numbered or22
lettered division of a section shall be revised or amended unless23
the new resolution contains the entire resolution, section, or24
division as revised or amended, and the resolution, section, or25
division so amended shall be repealed. This requirement does not26
prevent the amendment of a resolution by the addition of a new27
section, or division, and in this case the full text of the former28
resolution need not be set forth, nor does this section prevent29
repeals by implication. Except in the case of a codification or30
recodification of resolutions, a separate vote shall be taken on31
each resolution proposed to be amended. Resolutions that have been32
introduced and have received their first reading or their first33
and second readings, but have not been voted on for passage, may34
be amended or revised by a majority vote of the members of the35
board of township trustees, and the amended or revised resolution36
need not receive additional readings.37

       The board of township trustees of a limited home rule38
township may revise, codify, and publish in book form the39
resolutions of the township in the same manner as provided in40
section 731.23 of the Revised Code for municipal corporations. 41
Resolutions adopted by the board shall be published in the same42
manner as provided by sections 731.21, 731.22, 731.24, 731.25, and43
731.26 of the Revised Code for municipal corporations, except that44
they shall be published in newspapers circulating within the45
township. The clerk of the township shall perform the duties that46
the clerk of the legislative authority of a municipal corporation47
is required to perform under those sections.48

       The procedures provided in this section apply only to49
resolutions adopted pursuant to a township's limited home rule50
powers as authorized by this chapter.51

       Sec. 505.38.  (A) In each township or fire district that has52
a fire department, the head of the department shall be a fire53
chief, appointed by the board of township trustees, except that,54
in a joint fire district, the fire chief shall be appointed by the55
board of fire district trustees. Neither this section nor any56
other section of the Revised Code requires, or shall be construed57
to require, that the fire chief be a resident of the township or58
fire district.59

       The board shall provide for the employment of firefighters60
as it considers best and shall fix their compensation. No person61
shall be appointed as a permanent full-time paid member, whose62
duties include fire fighting, of the fire department of any63
township or fire district unless that person has received a64
certificate issued under former section 3303.07 or section 4765.5565
of the Revised Code evidencing satisfactory completion of a66
firefighter training program. Those appointees shall continue in67
office until removed from office as provided by sections 733.3568
to 733.39 of the Revised Code. To initiate removal proceedings,69
and for that purpose, the board shall designate the fire chief or70
a private citizen to investigate the conduct and prepare the71
necessary charges in conformity with those sections 733.35 to72
733.39 of the Revised Code.73

       In case of the removal of a fire chief or any member of the74
fire department of a township or fire district, an appeal may be75
had from the decision of the board to the court of common pleas of76
the county in which the township or fire district fire department77
is situated to determine the sufficiency of the cause of removal. 78
The appeal from the findings of the board shall be taken within79
ten days.80

       No person who is appointed as a volunteer firefighter of the81
fire department of any township or fire district shall remain in 82
that position unless either of the following applies:83

       (1) Within one year of the appointment, the person has84
received a certificate issued under former section 3303.07 of the85
Revised Code or division (C)(1) or (2) of section 4765.55 of the86
Revised Code evidencing satisfactory completion of a firefighter87
training program.88

       (2) The person began serving as a permanent full-time paid89
firefighter with the fire department of a city or village prior to90
July 2, 1970, or as a volunteer firefighter with the fire91
department of a city, village, or other township or fire district92
prior to July 2, 1979, and receives a certificate issued under93
division (C)(3) of section 4765.55 of the Revised Code.94

       No person shall receive an appointment under this section, in95
the case of a volunteer firefighter, unless the person has, not96
more than sixty days prior to receiving the appointment, passed a97
physical examination, given by a licensed physician, showing that98
the person meets the physical requirements necessary to perform99
the duties of the position to which the person is appointed as100
established by the board of township trustees having jurisdiction101
over the appointment. The appointing authority shall, prior to102
making an appointment, shall file with the Ohio police and fire103
pension fund or the local volunteer fire fighters' dependents fund104
board a copy of the report or findings of that licensed105
physician. The professional fee for the physical examination106
shall be paid for by the board of township trustees.107

       (B) In each township not having a fire department, the board108
of township trustees shall appoint a fire prevention officer who109
shall exercise all of the duties of a fire chief except those110
involving the maintenance and operation of fire apparatus. The111
board of township trustees may appoint one or more deputy fire112
prevention officers who shall exercise the duties assigned by the113
fire prevention officer.114

       The board of township trustees may fix the compensation for115
the fire prevention officer and the fire prevention officer's116
deputies as it considers best. The board of township trustees117
shall appoint each fire prevention officer and deputy for a118
one-year term. An appointee may be reappointed at the end of a119
term to another one-year term. Any appointee may be removed from120
office during a term as provided by sections 733.35 to 733.39 of121
the Revised Code. Section 505.45 of the Revised Code extends to 122
those officers.123

       (C)(1) Division (A) of this section shalldoes not apply to124
any township that has a population of ten thousand or more125
persons residing within the township and outside of any municipal126
corporation, that has its own fire department employing ten or127
more full-time paid employees, and that has a civil service128
commission established under division (B) of section 124.40 of the129
Revised Code. The township shall comply with the procedures for130
the employment, promotion, and discharge of firefighters provided131
by Chapter 124. of the Revised Code, except that theas otherwise132
provided in divisions (C)(2) and (3) of this section.133

       (2) The board of township trustees of the township may134
appoint the fire chief, and any person so appointed shall be in135
the unclassified service under section 124.11 of the Revised Code136
and shall serve at the pleasure of the board. Neither this section137
nor any other section of the Revised Code requires, or shall be138
construed to require, that the fire chief be a resident of the139
township. A person who is appointed fire chief under these140
conditions and who is removed by the board or resigns from the141
position is entitled to return to the classified service in the142
township fire department in the position held just prior to the143
appointment as fire chief. The144

       (3) The appointing authority of an urban township, as145
defined in section 504.01 of the Revised Code, may appoint to a146
vacant position any one of the three highest scorers on the147
eligible list for a promotional examination.148

       (4) The board of township trustees shall determine the149
number of personnel required and establish salary schedules and150
conditions of employment not in conflict with Chapter 124. of the151
Revised Code. No152

       (5) No person shall receive an original appointment as a153
permanent full-time paid member of the fire department of the154
township described in this division unless the person has received155
a certificate issued under former section 3303.07 or section156
4765.55 of the Revised Code evidencing the satisfactory completion157
of a firefighter training program. Persons158

       (6) Persons employed as firefighters in the township159
described in this division on the date a civil service commission160
is appointed pursuant to division (B) of section 124.40 of the161
Revised Code shall, without being required to pass a competitive162
examination or a firefighter training program, shall retain their163
employment and any rank previously granted them by action of the164
board of township trustees or otherwise, but those persons are165
eligible for promotion only by compliance with Chapter 124. of the166
Revised Code.167

       Sec. 505.49.  (A) As used in this section, "felony" has the168
same meaning as in section 109.511 of the Revised Code.169

       (B)(1) The township trustees by a two-thirds vote of the170
board may adopt rules necessary for the operation of the township171
police district, including a determination of the qualifications172
of the chief of police, patrol officers, and others to serve as173
members of the district police force.174

       (2) Except as otherwise provided in division (E) of this175
section and subject to division (D) of this section, the township176
trustees by a two-thirds vote of the board shall appoint a chief177
of police for the district, determine the number of patrol178
officers and other personnel required by the district, and179
establish salary schedules and other conditions of employment for180
the employees of the township police district. The chief of181
police of the district shall serve at the pleasure of the township182
trustees and shall appoint patrol officers and other personnel183
that the district may require, subject to division (D) of this184
section and to the rules and limits as to qualifications, salary185
ranges, and numbers of personnel established by the township board186
of township trustees. The township trustees may include in the187
township police district and under the direction and control of188
the chief of police, any constable appointed pursuant to section189
509.01 of the Revised Code, or may designate the chief of police190
or any patrol officer appointed by the chief of police as a191
constable, as provided for in section 509.01 of the Revised Code,192
for the township police district.193

       (3) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, a194
patrol officer, other police district employee, or police195
constable, who has been awarded a certificate attesting to the196
satisfactory completion of an approved state, county, or municipal197
police basic training program, as required by section 109.77 of198
the Revised Code, may be removed or suspended only under the199
conditions and by the procedures in sections 505.491 to 505.495 of200
the Revised Code. Any other patrol officer, police district201
employee, or police constable shall serve at the pleasure of the202
township trustees. In case of removal or suspension of an203
appointee by the board of township trustees, that appointee may204
appeal the decision of the board to the court of common pleas of205
the county in which the district is situated to determine the206
sufficiency of the cause of removal or suspension. The appointee207
shall take the appeal within ten days of written notice to the208
appointee of the decision of the board.209

       (C)(1) Division (B) of this section does not apply to a210
township that has a population of ten thousand or more persons211
residing within the township and outside of any municipal212
corporation, that has its own police department employing ten or213
more full-time paid employees, and that has a civil service214
commission established under division (B) of section 124.40 of the215
Revised Code. That type ofThe township shall comply with the216
procedures for the employment, promotion, and discharge of police217
personnel provided by Chapter 124. of the Revised Code, except218
that theas otherwise provided in divisions (C)(2) and (3) of this219
section.220

       (2) The board of township trustees of the township may221
appoint the chief of police, and a person so appointed shall be in222
the unclassified service under section 124.11 of the Revised Code223
and shall serve at the pleasure of the board. A person appointed224
chief of police under these conditions who is removed by the board225
or who resigns from the position shall be entitled to return to226
the classified service in the township police department, in the227
position that person held previous to the person's appointment as228
chief of police. The229

       (3) The appointing authority of an urban township, as defined230
in section 504.01 of the Revised Code, may appoint to a vacant231
position any one of the three highest scorers on the eligible list232
for a promotional examination.233

       (4) The board of township trustees shall determine the number234
of personnel required and establish salary schedules and235
conditions of employment not in conflict with Chapter 124. of the236
Revised Code. Persons237

       (5) Persons employed as police personnel in that type ofa238
township described in this division on the date a civil service239
commission is appointed pursuant to division (B) of section 124.40240
of the Revised Code, without being required to pass a competitive241
examination or a police training program, shall retain their242
employment and any rank previously granted them by action of the243
township trustees or otherwise, but those persons are eligible for244
promotion only by compliance with Chapter 124. of the Revised245
Code. This246

       (6) This division does not apply to constables appointed247
pursuant to section 509.01 of the Revised Code. This division is248
subject to division (D) of this section.249

       (D)(1) The board of township trustees shall not appoint or250
employ a person as a chief of police, and the chief of police251
shall not appoint or employ a person as a patrol officer or other252
peace officer of a township police district or a township police253
department, on a permanent basis, on a temporary basis, for a254
probationary term, or on other than a permanent basis if the255
person previously has been convicted of or has pleaded guilty to a256
felony.257

       (2)(a) The board of township trustees shall terminate the258
appointment or employment of a chief of police, patrol officer, or259
other peace officer of a township police district or township260
police department who does either of the following:261

       (i) Pleads guilty to a felony;262

       (ii) Pleads guilty to a misdemeanor pursuant to a negotiated263
plea agreement as provided in division (D) of section 2929.29 of264
the Revised Code in which the chief of police, patrol officer, or265
other peace officer of a township police district or township266
police department agrees to surrender the certificate awarded to267
that chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer under268
section 109.77 of the Revised Code.269

       (b) The board shall suspend the appointment or employment of270
a chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer of a271
township police district or township police department who is272
convicted, after trial, of a felony. If the chief of police,273
patrol officer, or other peace officer of a township police274
district or township police department files an appeal from that275
conviction and the conviction is upheld by the highest court to276
which the appeal is taken or if no timely appeal is filed, the277
board shall terminate the appointment or employment of that chief278
of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer. If the chief279
of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer of a township280
police district or township police department files an appeal that281
results in that chief of police's, patrol officer's, or other282
peace officer's acquittal of the felony or conviction of a283
misdemeanor, or in the dismissal of the felony charge against the284
chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer, the board285
shall reinstate that chief of police, patrol officer, or other286
peace officer. A chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace287
officer of a township police district or township police288
department who is reinstated under division (D)(2)(b) of this289
section shall not receive any back pay unless the conviction of290
that chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace officer of291
the felony was reversed on appeal, or the felony charge was292
dismissed, because the court found insufficient evidence to293
convict the chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace294
officer of the felony.295

       (3) Division (D) of this section does not apply regarding an296
offense that was committed prior to January 1, 1997.297

       (4) The suspension or termination of the appointment or298
employment of a chief of police, patrol officer, or other peace299
officer under division (D)(2) of this section shall be in300
accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.301

       (E) The board of township trustees may enter into a contract302
under section 505.43 or 505.50 of the Revised Code to obtain all303
police protection for the township police district from one or304
more municipal corporations, county sheriffs, or other townships.305
If the board enters into such a contract, subject to division (D)306
of this section, it may, but is not required to, appoint a police307
chief for the district.308

       (F) The members of the police force of a township police309
district of a township that adopts the limited self-government310
form of township government shall serve as peace officers for the311
township territory included in the district.312

       (G) A chief of police or patrol officer of a township police313
district, or of a township police department, may participate, as314
the director of an organized crime task force established under315
section 177.02 of the Revised Code or as a member of the316
investigatory staff of that task force, in an investigation of317
organized criminal activity in any county or counties in this318
state under sections 177.01 to 177.03 of the Revised Code.319

       Sec. 4123.29.  (A) The administrator of workers'320
compensation, subject to the approval of the workers' compensation321
oversight commission, shall do all of the following:322

       (1) Classify occupations or industries with respect to their323
degree of hazard and determine the risks of the different classes324
according to the categories the national council on compensation325
insurance establishes that are applicable to employers in this326
state;. The administrator shall place employees of urban327
townships, as defined in section 504.01 of the Revised Code, in328
the same occupational classifications as employees of municipal329
corporations.330

       (2) Fix the rates of premium of the risks of the classes331
based upon the total payroll in each of the classes of occupation332
or industry sufficiently large to provide a fund for the333
compensation provided for in this chapter and to maintain a state334
insurance fund from year to year. The administrator shall set the335
rates at a level that assures the solvency of the fund. Where the336
payroll cannot be obtained or, in the opinion of the337
administrator, is not an adequate measure for determining the338
premium to be paid for the degree of hazard, the administrator may339
determine the rates of premium upon such other basis, consistent340
with insurance principles, as is equitable in view of the degree341
of hazard, and whenever in this chapter reference is made to342
payroll or expenditure of wages with reference to fixing premiums,343
the reference shall be construed to have been made also to such344
other basis for fixing the rates of premium as the administrator345
may determine under this section.346

       The administrator in setting or revising rates shall furnish347
to employers an adequate explanation of the basis for the rates348
set.349

       (3) Develop and make available to employers who are paying350
premiums to the state insurance fund alternative premium plans.351
Alternative premium plans shall include retrospective rating352
plans. The administrator may make available plans under which an353
advanced deposit may be applied against a specified deductible354
amount per claim.355

       (4) Offer to insure the obligations of employers under this356
chapter under a plan that groups, for rating purposes, employers,357
and pools the risk of the employers within the group provided that358
the employers meet all of the following conditions:359

       (a) All of the employers within the group are members of an360
organization that has been in existence for at least two years361
prior to the date of application for group coverage;.362

       (b) The organization was formed for purposes other than that363
of obtaining group workers' compensation under this division;.364

       (c) The employers' business in the organization is365
substantially similar, such that the risks whichthat are grouped366
are substantially homogeneous;.367

       (d) The group of employers consists of at least one hundred368
members or the aggregate workers' compensation premiums of the369
members, as determined by the administrator, are expected to370
exceed one hundred fifty thousand dollars during the coverage371
period;.372

       (e) The formation and operation of the group program in the373
organization will substantially improve accident prevention and374
claims handling for the employers in the group;.375

       (f) Each employer seeking to enroll in a group for workers'376
compensation coverage has an industrial insurance account in good377
standing with the bureau of workers' compensation, such that, at378
the time the agreement is processed, no outstanding premiums,379
penalties, or assessments are due from any of the employers.380

       In providing employer group plans under division (A)(4) of381
this section, the administrator shall consider an employer group382
as a single employing entity for purposes of retrospective rating.383
No employer may be a member of more than one group for the purpose384
of obtaining workers' compensation coverage under this division.385

       In no event shall division (A)(4) of this section be386
construed as granting to an employer status as a self-insuring387
employer.388

       The administrator shall develop classifications of389
occupations or industries that are sufficiently distinct so as not390
to group employers in classifications that unfairly represent the391
risks of employment with the employer.392

       (5) Generally promote employer participation in the state393
insurance fund through the regular dissemination of information to394
all classes of employers describing the advantages and benefits of395
opting to make premium payments to the fund. To that end, the396
administrator shall regularly make employers aware of the various397
workers' compensation premium packages developed and offered398
pursuant to this section.399

       (6) Make available to every employer who is paying premiums400
to the state insurance fund a program whereby the employer or his401
the employer's agent pays to the claimant or on behalf of the402
claimant the first one thousand dollars of a compensable workers'403
compensation medical-only claim filed by that claimant that is404
related to the same injury or occupational disease. If an405
employer elects to enter the program, the administrator shall not406
reimburse the employer for such amounts paid and shall not charge407
the first one thousand dollars of any medical-only claim paid by408
an employer to the employer's experience or otherwise use it in409
merit rating or determining the risks of any employer for the410
purpose of payment of premiums under this chapter. The411
administrator shall adopt rules to implement and administer412
division (A)(6) of this section.413

       (B) The administrator, with the advice and consent of the414
oversight commission, by rule, may do both of the following:415

       (1) Grant an employer who makes histhe employer's416
semiannual premium payment at least one month prior to the last417
day on which the payment may be made without penalty, a discount418
as the administrator fixes from time to time;419

       (2) Levy a minimum annual administrative charge upon risks420
where semiannual premium reports develop a charge less than hethe421
administrator considers adequate to offset administrative costs of422
processing.423

       Section 2. That existing sections 504.09, 504.12, 505.38,424
505.49, and 4123.29 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.425