As Reported by the House State Government Committee

125th General Assembly
Special Session
2003-2004
Sub. H. B. No. 1


Representative DeWine 



A BILL
To amend sections 102.03, 2921.01, 2921.43, 3501.38, 1
3503.14, 3513.07, 3513.10, 3513.261, 3517.01, 2
3517.08, 3517.082, 3517.09, 3517.092, 3517.10, 3
3517.102, 3517.103, 3517.104, 3517.105, 3517.106, 4
3517.108, 3517.109, 3517.11, 3517.13, 3517.151, 5
3517.152, 3517.154, 3517.155, 3517.16, 3517.17, 6
3517.20, 3517.23, 3517.992, and 3599.031, to enact 7
new section 3599.03 and sections 3501.381, 8
3517.1011, 3517.1012, and 3599.111, and to repeal 9
section 3599.03 of the Revised Code to revise the 10
Campaign Finance Law.11


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

       Section 1. That sections 102.03, 2921.01, 2921.43, 3501.38, 12
3503.14, 3513.07, 3513.10, 3513.261, 3517.01, 3517.08, 3517.082, 13
3517.09, 3517.092, 3517.10, 3517.102, 3517.103, 3517.104, 14
3517.105, 3517.106, 3517.108, 3517.109, 3517.11, 3517.13, 15
3517.151, 3517.152, 3517.154, 3517.155, 3517.16, 3517.17, 3517.20, 16
3517.23, 3517.992, and 3599.031 be amended and new section 3599.03 17
and sections 3501.381, 3517.1011, 3517.1012, and 3599.111 of the 18
Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:19

       Sec. 102.03.  (A)(1) No present or former public official or20
employee shall, during public employment or service or for twelve21
months thereafter, represent a client or act in a representative22
capacity for any person on any matter in which the public official23
or employee personally participated as a public official or24
employee through decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation,25
the rendering of advice, investigation, or other substantial26
exercise of administrative discretion.27

       (2) For twenty-four months after the conclusion of service,28
no former commissioner or attorney examiner of the public29
utilities commission shall represent a public utility, as defined30
in section 4905.02 of the Revised Code, or act in a representative31
capacity on behalf of such a utility before any state board,32
commission, or agency.33

       (3) For twenty-four months after the conclusion of employment 34
or service, no former public official or employee who personally 35
participated as a public official or employee through decision, 36
approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, 37
the development or adoption of solid waste management plans, 38
investigation, inspection, or other substantial exercise of39
administrative discretion under Chapter 343. or 3734. of the40
Revised Code shall represent a person who is the owner or operator41
of a facility, as defined in section 3734.01 of the Revised Code,42
or who is an applicant for a permit or license for a facility43
under that chapter, on any matter in which the public official or44
employee personally participated as a public official or employee.45

       (4) For a period of one year after the conclusion of46
employment or service as a member or employee of the general47
assembly, no former member or employee of the general assembly48
shall represent, or act in a representative capacity for, any49
person on any matter before the general assembly, any committee of50
the general assembly, or the controlling board. Division (A)(4) of 51
this section does not apply to or affect a person who separates52
from service with the general assembly on or before December 31,53
1995. As used in division (A)(4) of this section "person" does not 54
include any state agency or political subdivision of the state.55

       (5) As used in divisions (A)(1), (2), and (3) of this56
section, "matter" includes any case, proceeding, application,57
determination, issue, or question, but does not include the58
proposal, consideration, or enactment of statutes, rules,59
ordinances, resolutions, or charter or constitutional amendments.60
As used in division (A)(4) of this section, "matter" includes the61
proposal, consideration, or enactment of statutes, resolutions, or62
constitutional amendments. As used in division (A) of this63
section, "represent" includes any formal or informal appearance64
before, or any written or oral communication with, any public65
agency on behalf of any person.66

       (6) Nothing contained in division (A) of this section shall67
prohibit, during such period, a former public official or employee68
from being retained or employed to represent, assist, or act in a69
representative capacity for the public agency by which the public70
official or employee was employed or on which the public official71
or employee served.72

       (7) Division (A) of this section shall not be construed to73
prohibit the performance of ministerial functions, including, but74
not limited to, the filing or amendment of tax returns,75
applications for permits and licenses, incorporation papers, and76
other similar documents.77

       (B) No present or former public official or employee shall78
disclose or use, without appropriate authorization, any79
information acquired by the public official or employee in the80
course of the public official's or employee's official duties that81
is confidential because of statutory provisions, or that has been82
clearly designated to the public official or employee as83
confidential when that confidential designation is warranted84
because of the status of the proceedings or the circumstances85
under which the information was received and preserving its86
confidentiality is necessary to the proper conduct of government87
business.88

       (C) No public official or employee shall participate within89
the scope of duties as a public official or employee, except90
through ministerial functions as defined in division (A) of this91
section, in any license or rate-making proceeding that directly92
affects the license or rates of any person, partnership, trust,93
business trust, corporation, or association in which the public94
official or employee or immediate family owns or controls more95
than five per cent. No public official or employee shall96
participate within the scope of duties as a public official or97
employee, except through ministerial functions as defined in98
division (A) of this section, in any license or rate-making99
proceeding that directly affects the license or rates of any100
person to whom the public official or employee or immediate101
family, or a partnership, trust, business trust, corporation, or102
association of which the public official or employee or the public103
official's or employee's immediate family owns or controls more104
than five per cent, has sold goods or services totaling more than105
one thousand dollars during the preceding year, unless the public106
official or employee has filed a written statement acknowledging107
that sale with the clerk or secretary of the public agency and the108
statement is entered in any public record of the agency's109
proceedings. This division shall not be construed to require the110
disclosure of clients of attorneys or persons licensed under111
section 4732.12 or 4732.15 of the Revised Code, or patients of112
persons certified under section 4731.14 of the Revised Code.113

       (D) No public official or employee shall use or authorize the 114
use of the authority or influence of office or employment to115
secure anything of value or the promise or offer of anything of116
value that is of such a character as to manifest a substantial and117
improper influence upon the public official or employee with118
respect to that person's duties.119

       (E) No public official or employee shall solicit or accept120
anything of value that is of such a character as to manifest a121
substantial and improper influence upon the public official or122
employee with respect to that person's duties.123

       (F) No person shall promise or give to a public official or124
employee anything of value that is of such a character as to125
manifest a substantial and improper influence upon the public126
official or employee with respect to that person's duties.127

       (G) In the absence of bribery or another offense under the128
Revised Code or a purpose to defraud, contributions made to a129
campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, or130
political action committee, or political contributing entity on131
behalf of an elected public officer or other public official or132
employee who seeks elective office shall be considered to accrue133
ordinarily to the public official or employee for the purposes of134
divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this section.135

       As used in this division, "contributions," "campaign136
committee," "political party," "legislative campaign fund," and137
"political action committee," and "political contributing entity"138
have the same meanings as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.139

       (H)(1) No public official or employee, except for the140
president or other chief administrative officer of or a member of141
a board of trustees of a state institution of higher education as142
defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, who is required143
to file a financial disclosure statement under section 102.02 of144
the Revised Code shall solicit or accept, and no person shall give 145
to that public official or employee, an honorarium. Except as 146
provided in division (H)(2) of this section, this division and147
divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this section do not prohibit a148
public official or employee who is required to file a financial149
disclosure statement under section 102.02 of the Revised Code from150
accepting and do not prohibit a person from giving to that public151
official or employee the payment of actual travel expenses,152
including any expenses incurred in connection with the travel for153
lodging, and meals, food, and beverages provided to the public154
official or employee at a meeting at which the public official or155
employee participates in a panel, seminar, or speaking engagement156
or provided to the public official or employee at a meeting or157
convention of a national organization to which any state agency,158
including, but not limited to, any state legislative agency or159
state institution of higher education as defined in section160
3345.011 of the Revised Code, pays membership dues. Except as 161
provided in division (H)(2) of this section, this division and 162
divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this section do not prohibit a163
public official or employee who is not required to file a164
financial disclosure statement under section 102.02 of the Revised165
Code from accepting and do not prohibit a person from promising or166
giving to that public official or employee an honorarium or the167
payment of travel, meal, and lodging expenses if the honorarium,168
expenses, or both were paid in recognition of demonstrable169
business, professional, or esthetic interests of the public170
official or employee that exist apart from public office or171
employment, including, but not limited to, such a demonstrable172
interest in public speaking and were not paid by any person or173
other entity, or by any representative or association of those174
persons or entities, that is regulated by, doing business with, or175
seeking to do business with the department, division, institution,176
board, commission, authority, bureau, or other instrumentality of177
the governmental entity with which the public official or employee178
serves.179

       (2) No person who is a member of the board of a state 180
retirement system, a state retirement system investment officer, 181
or an employee of a state retirement system whose position 182
involves substantial and material exercise of discretion in the 183
investment of retirement system funds shall solicit or accept, and 184
no person shall give to that board member, officer, or employee, 185
payment of actual travel expenses, including expenses incurred 186
with the travel for lodging, meals, food, and beverages.187

       (I) A public official or employee may accept travel, meals,188
and lodging or expenses or reimbursement of expenses for travel,189
meals, and lodging in connection with conferences, seminars, and190
similar events related to official duties if the travel, meals,191
and lodging, expenses, or reimbursement is not of such a character192
as to manifest a substantial and improper influence upon the193
public official or employee with respect to that person's duties.194
The house of representatives and senate, in their code of ethics,195
and the Ohio ethics commission, under section 111.15 of the196
Revised Code, may adopt rules setting standards and conditions for197
the furnishing and acceptance of such travel, meals, and lodging,198
expenses, or reimbursement.199

       A person who acts in compliance with this division and any200
applicable rules adopted under it, or any applicable, similar201
rules adopted by the supreme court governing judicial officers and202
employees, does not violate division (D), (E), or (F) of this203
section. This division does not preclude any person from seeking204
an advisory opinion from the appropriate ethics commission under205
section 102.08 of the Revised Code.206

       (J) For purposes of divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this207
section, the membership of a public official or employee in an208
organization shall not be considered, in and of itself, to be of209
such a character as to manifest a substantial and improper210
influence on the public official or employee with respect to that211
person's duties. As used in this division, "organization" means a212
church or a religious, benevolent, fraternal, or professional213
organization that is tax exempt under subsection 501(a) and214
described in subsection 501(c)(3), (4), (8), (10), or (19) of the215
"Internal Revenue Code of 1986." This division does not apply to a 216
public official or employee who is an employee of an organization, 217
serves as a trustee, director, or officer of an organization, or 218
otherwise holds a fiduciary relationship with an organization. 219
This division does not allow a public official or employee who is 220
a member of an organization to participate, formally or 221
informally, in deliberations, discussions, or voting on a matter 222
or to use his official position with regard to the interests of 223
the organization on the matter if the public official or employee 224
has assumed a particular responsibility in the organization with 225
respect to the matter or if the matter would affect that person's 226
personal, pecuniary interests.227

       (K) It is not a violation of this section for a prosecuting228
attorney to appoint assistants and employees in accordance with229
division (B) of section 309.06 and section 2921.421 of the Revised230
Code, for a chief legal officer of a municipal corporation or an231
official designated as prosecutor in a municipal corporation to232
appoint assistants and employees in accordance with sections233
733.621 and 2921.421 of the Revised Code, for a township law234
director appointed under section 504.15 of the Revised Code to235
appoint assistants and employees in accordance with sections236
504.151 and 2921.421 of the Revised Code, or for a coroner to237
appoint assistants and employees in accordance with division (B)238
of section 313.05 of the Revised Code.239

       As used in this division, "chief legal officer" has the same240
meaning as in section 733.621 of the Revised Code.241

       Sec. 2921.01.  As used in sections 2921.01 to 2921.45 of the 242
Revised Code:243

       (A) "Public official" means any elected or appointed officer, 244
or employee, or agent of the state or any political subdivision, 245
whether in a temporary or permanent capacity, and includes, but is 246
not limited to, legislators, judges, and law enforcement officers.247

       (B) "Public servant" means any of the following:248

       (1) Any public official;249

       (2) Any person performing ad hoc a governmental function, 250
including, but not limited to, a juror, member of a temporary 251
commission, master, arbitrator, advisor, or consultant;252

       (3) A person who is a candidate for public office, whether or 253
not the person is elected or appointed to the office for which the 254
person is a candidate. A person is a candidate for purposes of 255
this division if the person has been nominated according to law 256
for election or appointment to public office, or if the person has 257
filed a petition or petitions as required by law to have the 258
person's name placed on the ballot in a primary, general, or 259
special election, or if the person campaigns as a write-in 260
candidate in any primary, general, or special election.261

       (C) "Party official" means any person who holds an elective 262
or appointive post in a political party in the United States or 263
this state, by virtue of which the person directs, conducts, or 264
participates in directing or conducting party affairs at any level 265
of responsibility.266

       (D) "Official proceeding" means any proceeding before a 267
legislative, judicial, administrative, or other governmental 268
agency or official authorized to take evidence under oath, and 269
includes any proceeding before a referee, hearing examiner, 270
commissioner, notary, or other person taking testimony or a 271
deposition in connection with an official proceeding.272

       (E) "Detention" means arrest; confinement in any vehicle 273
subsequent to an arrest; confinement in any public or private 274
facility for custody of persons charged with or convicted of crime 275
in this state or another state or under the laws of the United 276
States or alleged or found to be a delinquent child or unruly 277
child in this state or another state or under the laws of the 278
United States; hospitalization, institutionalization, or 279
confinement in any public or private facility that is ordered 280
pursuant to or under the authority of section 2945.37, 2945.371, 281
2945.38, 2945.39, 2945.40, 2945.401, or 2945.402 of the Revised 282
Code; confinement in any vehicle for transportation to or from any 283
facility of any of those natures; detention for extradition or 284
deportation; except as provided in this division, supervision by 285
any employee of any facility of any of those natures that is 286
incidental to hospitalization, institutionalization, or 287
confinement in the facility but that occurs outside the facility; 288
supervision by an employee of the department of rehabilitation and 289
correction of a person on any type of release from a state 290
correctional institution; or confinement in any vehicle, airplane, 291
or place while being returned from outside of this state into this 292
state by a private person or entity pursuant to a contract entered 293
into under division (E) of section 311.29 of the Revised Code or 294
division (B) of section 5149.03 of the Revised Code. For a person 295
confined in a county jail who participates in a county jail 296
industry program pursuant to section 5147.30 of the Revised Code, 297
"detention" includes time spent at an assigned work site and going 298
to and from the work site.299

       (F) "Detention facility" means any public or private place 300
used for the confinement of a person charged with or convicted of 301
any crime in this state or another state or under the laws of the 302
United States or alleged or found to be a delinquent child or 303
unruly child in this state or another state or under the laws of 304
the United States.305

       (G) "Valuable thing or valuable benefit" includes, but is not 306
limited to, a contribution. This inclusion does not indicate or 307
imply that a contribution was not included in those terms before 308
September 17, 1986.309

       (H) "Campaign committee," "contribution," "political action 310
committee," "legislative campaign fund," and "political party," 311
and "political contributing entity" have the same meanings as in 312
section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.313

       (I) "Provider agreement" and "medical assistance program" 314
have the same meanings as in section 2913.40 of the Revised Code.315

       Sec. 2921.43.  (A) No public servant shall knowingly solicit 316
or accept, and no person shall knowingly promise or give to a 317
public servant, either of the following:318

       (1) Any compensation, other than as allowed by divisions (G), 319
(H), and (I) of section 102.03 of the Revised Code or other320
provisions of law, to perform the public servant's official321
duties, to perform any other act or service in the public 322
servant's public capacity, for the general performance of the 323
duties of the public servant's public office or public employment, 324
or as a supplement to the public servant's public compensation;325

       (2) Additional or greater fees or costs than are allowed by 326
law to perform the public servant's official duties.327

       (B) No public servant for the public servant's own personal328
or business use, and no person for the person's own personal or 329
business use or for the personal or business use of a public 330
servant or party official, shall solicit or accept anything of 331
value in consideration of either of the following:332

       (1) Appointing or securing, maintaining, or renewing the333
appointment of any person to any public office, employment, or334
agency;335

       (2) Preferring, or maintaining the status of, any public336
employee with respect to compensation, duties, placement,337
location, promotion, or other material aspects of employment.338

       (C) No person for the benefit of a political party, campaign 339
committee, legislative campaign fund, or political action 340
committee, or political contributing entity shall coerce any 341
contribution in consideration of either of the following:342

       (1) Appointing or securing, maintaining, or renewing the343
appointment of any person to any public office, employment, or344
agency;345

       (2) Preferring, or maintaining the status of, any public346
employee with respect to compensation, duties, placement,347
location, promotion, or other material aspects of employment.348

       (D) Whoever violates this section is guilty of soliciting349
improper compensation, a misdemeanor of the first degree.350

       (E) A public servant who is convicted of a violation of this 351
section is disqualified from holding any public office,352
employment, or position of trust in this state for a period of353
seven years from the date of conviction.354

       (F) Divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section do not355
prohibit a person from making voluntary contributions to a356
political party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or357
political action committee, or political contributing entity or 358
prohibit a political party, campaign committee, legislative 359
campaign fund, or political action committee, or political 360
contributing entity from accepting voluntary contributions.361

       Sec. 3501.38.  All declarations of candidacy, nominating362
petitions, or other petitions presented to or filed with the363
secretary of state or a board of elections or with any other364
public office for the purpose of becoming a candidate for any365
nomination or office or for the holding of an election on any366
issue shall, in addition to meeting the other specific367
requirements prescribed in the sections of the Revised Code368
relating to them, be governed by the following rules:369

       (A) Only electors qualified to vote on the candidacy or issue 370
which is the subject of the petition shall sign a petition. Each 371
signer shall be a registered elector pursuant to section 3503.11 372
of the Revised Code. The facts of qualification shall be373
determined as of the date when the petition is filed.374

       (B) Signatures shall be affixed in ink. Each signer may also 375
print the signer's name, so as to clearly identify the signer's 376
signature.377

       (C) Each signer shall place on the petition after the378
signer's name the date of signing and the location of the signer's 379
voting residence, including the street and number if in a380
municipal corporation or the rural route number, post office381
address, or township if outside a municipal corporation. The382
voting address given on the petition shall be the address383
appearing in the registration records at the board of elections.384

       (D) No person shall write any name other than the person's385
own on any petition. No person may authorize another to sign for 386
the person. WhereIf a petition contains the signature of an 387
elector two or more times, only the first signature shall be 388
counted.389

       (E)(1) On each petition paper, the circulator shall indicate390
the number of signatures contained on it, and shall sign a391
statement made under penalty of election falsification that the392
circulator witnessed the affixing of every signature, that all393
signers were to the best of the circulator's knowledge and belief394
qualified to sign, and that every signature is to the best of the395
circulator's knowledge and belief the signature of the person396
whose signature it purports to be. On the circulator's statement 397
for a declaration of candidacy, nominating petition, or 398
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate for a person 399
seeking to become a statewide candidate or for a statewide 400
initiative or a statewide referendum petition, the circulator 401
shall identify the name and address of the person employing the 402
circulator to circulate the petition, if any.403

       (2) As used in division (E) of this section, "statewide 404
candidate" means the joint candidates for the offices of governor 405
and lieutenant governor or a candidate for the office of secretary 406
of state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, or attorney 407
general.408

       (F) If a circulator knowingly permits an unqualified person409
to sign a petition paper or permits a person to write a name other410
than the person's own on a petition paper, that petition paper is411
invalid; otherwise, the signature of a person not qualified to412
sign shall be rejected but shall not invalidate the other valid413
signatures on the paper.414

       (G) The circulator of a petition may, before filing it in a415
public office, strike from it any signature the circulator does416
not wish to present as a part of the petition.417

       (H) Any signer of a petition may remove the signer's418
signature from that petition at any time before the petition is419
filed in a public office by striking the signer's name from the420
petition; no signature may be removed after the petition is filed421
in any public office.422

       (I)(1) No alterations, corrections, or additions may be made423
to a petition after it is filed in a public office.424

       (2) No petition may be withdrawn after it is filed in a425
public office. Nothing in this division prohibits a person from426
withdrawing as a candidate as otherwise provided by law.427

       (J) All declarations of candidacy, nominating petitions, or428
other petitions under this section shall be accompanied by the429
following statement in boldface capital letters: WHOEVER COMMITS430
ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE.431

       (K) All separate petition papers shall be filed at the same432
time, as one instrument.433

       (L) If a board of elections distributes for use a petition 434
form for a declaration of candidacy, nominating petition, 435
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or any type of 436
question or issue petition that does not satisfy the requirements 437
of law as of the date of that distribution, the board shall not 438
invalidate the petition on the basis that the petition form does 439
not satisfy the requirements of law, if the petition otherwise is 440
valid. Division (L) of this section applies only if the candidate 441
received the petition from the board within ninety days of when 442
the petition is required to be filed.443

       Sec. 3501.381. (A)(1) Any person who will receive 444
compensation for supervising, managing, or otherwise organizing 445
any effort to obtain signatures for a declaration of candidacy, 446
nominating petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in 447
candidate for a person seeking to become a statewide candidate or 448
for a statewide initiative petition or a statewide referendum 449
petition shall file a statement to that effect with the office of 450
the secretary of state before any signatures are obtained for the 451
petition or before the person is engaged to supervise, manage, or 452
otherwise organize the effort to obtain signatures for the 453
petition, whichever is later.454

       (2) Any person who will compensate a person for supervising, 455
managing, or otherwise organizing any effort to obtain signatures 456
for a declaration of candidacy, nominating petition, or 457
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate for a person 458
seeking to become a statewide candidate or for a statewide 459
initiative or a statewide referendum petition shall file a 460
statement to that effect with the office of the secretary of state 461
before any signatures are obtained for the petition or before the 462
person engages a person to supervise, manage, or otherwise 463
organize the effort to obtain signatures for the petition, 464
whichever is later.465

       (B) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form and 466
content of the statements required under division (A) of this 467
section.468

       (C) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty 469
of a misdemeanor of the first degree, and the petition for which a 470
person was compensated for supervising, managing, or otherwise 471
organizing the effort to obtain signatures shall be deemed 472
invalid.473

       (D) As used in this section, "statewide candidate" means the 474
joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant 475
governor or a candidate for the office of secretary of state, 476
auditor of state, treasurer of state, or attorney general.477

       Sec. 3503.14. (A) The secretary of state shall prescribe the478
form and content of the registration and change of residence and479
change of name form used in this state. The form shall set forth480
the eligibility requirements needed to qualify as an elector and481
meet the requirements of the National Voter Registration Act of482
1993. The form shall include a space on which the person 483
registering an applicant shall sign the person's name and a space 484
on which the person registering an applicant shall name the 485
employer who is employing that person to register the applicant. 486
No election official or employee of a designated agency who is 487
registering an applicant shall be required to sign the election 488
official's or employee's name or to name the employer who is 489
employing the election official or employee to register an 490
applicant on a form prepared under this section.491

       (B) Any applicant who is unable to sign histhe applicant's 492
own name shall make an "X," if possible, which shall be certified 493
by the signing of the name of the applicant by the person filling 494
out the registration form, who shall add histhe person's own 495
signature. If an applicant is unable to make an "X," hethe 496
applicant shall indicate in some manner that hethe applicant497
desires to register to vote or to change histhe applicant's name 498
or residence. The person registering such anthe applicant shall 499
sign the form and attest that the applicant indicated that hethe 500
applicant desired to register to vote or to change histhe 501
applicant's name or residence.502

       (C) No registration and change of residence and change of 503
name form shall be rejected solely on the basis that a person 504
registering an applicant failed to sign the person's name or 505
failed to name the employer who is employing that person to 506
register the applicant as required under division (A) of this 507
section.508

       (D) As used in this section, "registering an applicant" 509
includes any effort, for compensation, to provide voter 510
registration forms or to assist persons in completing those forms 511
or returning them to the board of elections, the office of the 512
secretary of state, or another appropriate public office.513

       Sec. 3513.07.  The form of declaration of candidacy and514
petition of a person desiring to be a candidate for a party515
nomination or a candidate for election to an office or position to516
be voted for at a primary election shall be substantially as517
follows:518

"DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY PARTY PRIMARY ELECTION
519

       I, ........................... (Name of Candidate), the520
undersigned, hereby declare under penalty of election521
falsification that my voting residence is in ...............522
precinct of the ............................. (Township) or (Ward523
and City or Village) in the county of ................, Ohio; that524
my voting residence is ............... (Street and Number, if any,525
or Rural Route and Number) of the .............................526
(City or Village) of ................., Ohio; and that I am a527
qualified elector in the precinct in which my voting residence is528
located. I am a member of the ........ Party. I hereby declare529
that I desire to be .................... (a candidate for530
nomination as a candidate of the Party for election to the office531
of .............) (a candidate for election to the office or532
position of ..............) for the ............ in the state,533
district, (Full term or unexpired term ending ...............)534
county, city, or village of ..................., at the primary535
election to be held on the ............. day of ........., ....,536
and I hereby request that my name be printed upon the official537
primary election ballot of the said .......... Party as a538
candidate for ......... (such nomination) or (such election) as539
provided by law.540

       I further declare that, if elected to said office or541
position, I will qualify therefor, and that I will support and542
abide by the principles enunciated by the ............ Party.543

       Dated this .......... day of ................., .........544

............................. 545
(Signature of candidate) 546

       WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY547
OF THE FIFTH DEGREE.548

PETITION OF CANDIDATE
549

       We, the undersigned, qualified electors of the state of Ohio,550
whose voting residence is in the county, city, village, ward,551
township, or school district, and precinct set opposite our names,552
and members of the ....................................... Party,553
hereby certify that ............................ (Name of554
candidate) whose declaration of candidacy is filed herewith, is a555
member of the ............ Party, and is, in our opinion, well556
qualified to perform the duties of the office or position to which557
that candidate desires to be elected.558

Street City, 559
and Village or 560
Signature Number Township Ward Precinct County Date 561

(Must use address on file with the board of elections)
562

....................................................................563

....................................................................564

....................................................................565

       ....................................... (Name of circulator566
of petition), declares under penalty of election falsification567
that the circulator of the petition is a qualified elector of the568
state of Ohio and resides at the address appearing below the569
signature of that circulator; that the circulator is a member of570
the ........... Party; that the circulator is the circulator of571
the foregoing petition paper containing ............. (Number)572
signatures; that the circulator witnessed the affixing of every573
signature; that all signers were to the best of the circulator's574
knowledge and belief qualified to sign; and that every signature575
is to the best of the circulator's knowledge and belief the576
signature of the person whose signature it purports to be.577

578
(Signature of circulator) 579
580
(Address of circulator) 581
582
(If petition is for a statewide 583
candidate, the name and address 584
of person employing 585
circulator to circulate 586
petition, if any) 587

       WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY588
OF THE FIFTH DEGREE."589

       The secretary of state shall prescribe a form of declaration590
of candidacy and petition, and the form shall be substantially591
similar to the declaration of candidacy and petition set forth in592
this section, that will be suitable for joint candidates for the593
offices of governor and lieutenant governor.594

       The petition provided for in this section shall be circulated595
only by a member of the same political party as the candidate.596

       Sec. 3513.10.  (A) At the time of filing a declaration of597
candidacy for nomination for any office, or a declaration of598
intent to be a write-in candidate, each candidate, except joint599
candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, shall pay a fee600
as follows:601

For statewide office $100 602
For court of appeals judge $ 50 603
For court of common pleas judge $ 50 604
For county court judge $ 50 605
For municipal court judge $ 50 606
For district office, including member 607
of the United States house of 608
representatives and member of the 609
general assembly $ 50 610
For county office $ 50 611
For city office $ 20 612
For village office $ 10 613
For township office $ 10 614
For member of state board of education $ 20 615
For member of local, city, or 616
exempted village board of education 617
or educational service center 618
governing board $ 10 619

       At the time of filing a declaration of candidacy or a620
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate for the offices621
of governor and lieutenant governor, the joint candidates shall622
jointly pay to the secretary of state a fee of one hundred623
dollars.624

       (B)(1) At the same time the fee required under division (A)625
of this section is paid, each candidate shall pay an additional626
fee as follows:627

For the joint candidates for governor 628
and lieutenant governor $ 50 629
For statewide office $ 50 630
For district office, including member 631
of the United States house of 632
representatives and member of the 633
general assembly $ 35 634
For member of state board of education $ 35 635
For court of appeals judge $ 30 636
For court of common pleas judge $ 30 637
For county court judge $ 30 638
For municipal court judge $ 30 639
For county office $ 30 640
For city office $ 25 641
For village office $ 20 642
For township office $ 20 643
For member of local, city, county, 644
or exempted village board of education 645
or educational service center 646
governing board $ 20 647

       (2) Whoever seeks to propose a ballot question or issue to be 648
submitted to the electors shall pay the following fee at the time 649
the petition proposing the question or issue is filed:650

       (a) If the question or issue is to be submitted to the651
electors throughout the entire state, twenty-five dollars;652

       (b) If the question or issue is to be submitted to the653
electors of a county or of a district that consists of all or part654
of two or more counties but less than the entire state, fifteen655
dollars;656

       (c) If the question or issue is to be submitted to the657
electors of a city, twelve dollars and fifty cents;658

       (d) If the question or issue is to be submitted to the659
electors of a village, a township, a local, city, county, or660
exempted village school district, a precinct, or another district661
consisting of less than an entire county, ten dollars.662

       (C) No fee shall be required of candidates filing for the663
office of delegate or alternate to the national convention of664
political parties, member of the state central committee of a 665
political party, or member of the county central committee of a 666
political party.667

       (D) All fees required under division (A) of this section668
immediately shall be paid by the officer receiving them into the669
state treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund, in the670
case of fees received by the secretary of state, and into the671
county treasury to the credit of the county general fund, in the672
case of fees received by a board of elections.673

       (E) The officer who receives a fee required under division674
(B) of this section immediately shall pay the fee to the credit of675
the Ohio elections commission fund, which is hereby created in the676
state treasury. All moneys credited to the fund shall be used677
solely for the purpose of paying expenses related to the operation678
of the Ohio elections commissionby division (I) of section 679
3517.152 of the Revised Code.680

       (F)(1) In no case shall a fee paid under this section be681
returned to a candidate.682

       (2) Whenever a section of law refers to a filing fee to be683
paid by a candidate or by a committee proposing a ballot question684
or issue to be submitted to the electors, that fee includes the685
fees required under divisions (A) and (B) of this section.686

       (G) As used in divisions (A) and (B) of this section,687
"statewide office" means the office of secretary of state, auditor688
of state, treasurer of state, attorney general, justice and chief689
justice of the supreme court, and member of the United States690
senate.691

       Sec. 3513.261.  A nominating petition may consist of one or692
more separate petition papers, each of which shall be693
substantially in the form prescribed in this section. If the694
petition consists of more than one separate petition paper, the695
statement of candidacy of the candidate or joint candidates named696
need be signed by the candidate or joint candidates on only one of697
such separate petition papers, but the statement of candidacy so698
signed shall be copied on each other separate petition paper699
before the signatures of electors are placed on it. Each700
nominating petition containing signatures of electors of more than701
one county shall consist of separate petition papers each of which702
shall contain signatures of electors of only one county; provided703
that petitions containing signatures of electors of more than one704
county shall not thereby be declared invalid. In case petitions705
containing signatures of electors of more than one county are706
filed, the board of elections shall determine the county from707
which the majority of the signatures came, and only signatures708
from this county shall be counted. Signatures from any other709
county shall be invalid.710

       All signatures on nominating petitions shall be written in711
ink or indelible pencil.712

       At the time of filing a nominating petition, the candidate713
designated in the nominating petition, and joint candidates for714
governor and lieutenant governor, shall pay to the election715
officials with whom it is filed the fees specified for the office716
under divisions (A) and (B) of section 3513.10 of the Revised717
Code. The fees shall be disposed of by those election officials in 718
the manner that is provided in section 3513.10 of the Revised Code 719
for the disposition of other fees, and in no case shall a fee720
required under that section be returned to a candidate.721

       Candidates or joint candidates whose names are written on the722
ballot, and who are elected, shall pay the same fees under section723
3513.10 of the Revised Code that candidates who file nominating724
petitions pay. Payment of these fees shall be a condition725
precedent to the granting of their certificates of election.726

       Each nominating petition shall contain a statement of727
candidacy that shall be signed by the candidate or joint728
candidates named in it. Such statement of candidacy shall contain 729
a declaration made under penalty of election falsification that 730
the candidate desires to be a candidate for the office named in 731
it, and that the candidate is an elector qualified to vote for the 732
office the candidate seeks.733

       The form of the nominating petition and statement of734
candidacy shall be substantially as follows:735

"STATEMENT OF CANDIDACY
736

       I, ................................... (Name of candidate),737
the undersigned, hereby declare under penalty of election738
falsification that my voting residence is in ................739
.......... Precinct of the ......................... (Township) or740
(Ward and City, or Village) in the county of ............... Ohio;741
that my post-office address is ............................742
(Street and Number, if any, or Rural Route and Number) of the743
............................... (City, Village, or post office) of744
...................., Ohio; and that I am a qualified elector in745
the precinct in which my voting residence is located. I hereby746
declare that I desire to be a candidate for election to the office747
of .............. in the ........................ (State,748
District, County, City, Village, Township, or School District) for749
the ...................................... (Full term or unexpired750
term ending ................) at the General Election to be held751
on the ........... day of ..............., ....752

       I further declare that I am an elector qualified to vote for753
the office I seek. Dated this ....... day of .............., ....754

755
(Signature of candidate) 756

       WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY757
OF THE FIFTH DEGREE.758

       I, ................................., hereby constitute the759
persons named below a committee to represent me:760

Name Residence 761
762
763
764
765
766

NOMINATING PETITION
767

       We, the undersigned, qualified electors of the state of Ohio,768
whose voting residence is in the County, City, Village, Ward,769
Township or Precinct set opposite our names, hereby nominate770
.................... as a candidate for election to the office of771
........................... in the ............................772
(State, District, County, City, Village, Township, or School773
District) for the ................. (Full term or unexpired term774
ending ...................) to be voted for at the general775
election next hereafter to be held, and certify that this person776
is, in our opinion, well qualified to perform the duties of the777
office or position to which the person desires to be elected.778



779
Street 780
Address 781
or R.F.D. 782
(Must use 783
address on City, 784
file with Village 785
the board of or Date of 786
Signature elections) Township Ward Precinct County Signing 787
788
789
790
791

..........................., declares under penalty of election792
falsification that such person is a qualified elector of the state793
of Ohio and resides at the address appearing below such person's794
signature hereto; that such person is the circulator of the795
foregoing petition paper containing ................ signatures;796
that such person witnessed the affixing of every signature; that797
all signers were to the best of such person's knowledge and belief798
qualified to sign; and that every signature is to the best of such799
person's knowledge and belief the signature of the person whose800
signature it purports to be.801

802
(Signature of circulator) 803
804
(Address) 805
806
(If petition is for a statewide 807
candidate, the name and address 808
of person employing circulator 809
to circulate petition, if any) 810

       WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY811
OF THE FIFTH DEGREE."812

       The secretary of state shall prescribe a form of nominating813
petition for a group of candidates for the office of member of a814
board of education, township office, and offices of municipal815
corporations of under two thousand population.816

       The secretary of state shall prescribe a form of statement of817
candidacy and nominating petition, which shall be substantially818
similar to the form of statement of candidacy and nominating819
petition set forth in this section, that will be suitable for820
joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant821
governor.822

       If such petition nominates a candidate whose election is to823
be determined by the electors of a county or a district or824
subdivision within the county, it shall be filed with the board of825
such county. If the petition nominates a candidate whose election826
is to be determined by the voters of a subdivision located in more827
than one county, it shall be filed with the board of the county in828
which the major portion of the population of such subdivision is829
located.830

       If the petition nominates a candidate whose election is to be831
determined by the electors of a district comprised of more than832
one county but less than all of the counties of the state, it833
shall be filed with the board of elections of the most populous834
county in such district. If the petition nominates a candidate835
whose election is to be determined by the electors of the state at836
large, it shall be filed with the secretary of state.837

       The secretary of state or a board of elections shall not838
accept for filing a nominating petition of a person seeking to839
become a candidate if that person, for the same election, has840
already filed a declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent841
to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating petition, or has842
become a candidate through party nomination at a primary election843
or by the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of844
the Revised Code for any state or county office, if the nominating845
petition is for a state or county office, or for any municipal or846
township office, for member of a city, local, or exempted village847
board of education, or for member of a governing board of an848
educational service center, if the nominating petition is for a849
municipal or township office, or for member of a city, local, or850
exempted village board of education, or for member of a governing851
board of an educational service center.852

       Sec. 3517.01.  (A)(1) A political party within the meaning of853
Title XXXV of the Revised Code is any group of voters that, at the854
most recent regular state election, polled for its candidate for855
governor in the state or nominees for presidential electors at856
least five per cent of the entire vote cast for that office or857
that filed with the secretary of state, subsequent to any election858
in which it received less than five per cent of that vote, a859
petition signed by qualified electors equal in number to at least860
one per cent of the total vote for governor or nominees for861
presidential electors at the most recent election, declaring their862
intention of organizing a political party, the name of which shall863
be stated in the declaration, and of participating in the864
succeeding primary election, held in even-numbered years, that865
occurs more than one hundred twenty days after the date of filing.866
No such group of electors shall assume a name or designation that867
is similar, in the opinion of the secretary of state, to that of868
an existing political party as to confuse or mislead the voters at869
an election. If any political party fails to cast five per cent of 870
the total vote cast at an election for the office of governor or871
president, it shall cease to be a political party.872

       (2) A campaign committee shall be legally liable for any 873
debts, contracts, or expenditures incurred or executed in its 874
name.875

       (B) Notwithstanding the definitions found in section 3501.01876
of the Revised Code, as used in this section,and sections 3517.08877
to 3517.14, and section 3517.99, and 3517.992 of the Revised Code:878

       (1) "Campaign committee" means an entity that is formed by a 879
candidate or a combination of two or more persons authorized by a 880
candidate under section 3517.081 of the Revised Code to receive881
contributions and make expenditures and that is legally liable for 882
any debts, contracts, or expenditures incurred or executed in its 883
name.884

       (2) "Campaign treasurer" means an individual appointed by a885
candidate under section 3517.081 of the Revised Code.886

       (3) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in division (H) of887
section 3501.01 of the Revised Code and also includes any person888
who, at any time before or after an election, receives889
contributions or makes expenditures or other use of contributions,890
has given consent for another to receive contributions or make891
expenditures or other use of contributions, or appoints a campaign892
treasurer, for the purpose of bringing about the person's893
nomination or election to public office. When two persons jointly894
seek the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, "candidate"895
means the pair of candidates jointly. "Candidate" does not include 896
candidates for election to the offices of member of a county or 897
state central committee, presidential elector, and delegate to a 898
national convention or conference of a political party.899

       (4) "Continuing association" means an association, other than 900
a campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, 901
political contributing entity, or labor organization, that is 902
intended to be a permanent organization that has a primary purpose 903
other than supporting or opposing specific candidates, political 904
parties, or ballot issues, and that functions on a regular basis905
throughout the year. "Continuing association" includes 906
organizations that are determined to be not organized for profit 907
under subsection 501 and that are described in subsection 908
501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.909

       (5) "Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness910
of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds 911
or transfer of anything of value, including a transfer of funds912
from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, 913
and the payment by any person other than the person to whom the 914
services are rendered for the personal services of another person, 915
which contribution is made, received, or used for the purpose of916
influencing the results of an election. "Contribution"Any loan, 917
gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, 918
payment, or transfer of funds or of anything of value, including a 919
transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or 920
decedent's estate, and the payment by any campaign committee, 921
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political 922
party, or person other than the person to whom the services are 923
rendered for the personal services of another person, that is 924
made, received, or used by a state or county political party, 925
other than moneys a state or county political party receives from 926
the Ohio political party fund pursuant to section 3517.17 of the 927
Revised Code and the moneys a state or county political party may 928
receive under sections 3517.101 and 3517.1012 of the Revised Code, 929
shall be considered to be a "contribution" for the purpose of 930
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and shall be included on a 931
statement of contributions filed under that section.932

       "Contribution" does not include any of the following:933

       (a) Services provided without compensation by individuals934
volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a person;935

       (b) Ordinary home hospitality;936

       (c) The personal expenses of a volunteer paid for by that937
volunteer campaign worker;938

       (d) Any gift given to a state or county political party939
pursuant to section 3517.101 of the Revised Code. As used in940
division (B)(5)(d) of this section, "political party" means only a941
major political party;942

       (e) Any contribution as defined in section 3517.1011 of the 943
Revised Code that is made, received, or used to pay the direct 944
costs of producing or airing an electioneering communication as 945
defined in that section;946

       (f) Any gift given to a state or county political party for 947
the party's restricted fund under division (A)(2) of section 948
3517.1012 of the Revised Code.949

       (6) "Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a950
contribution for the purpose of influencing the results of an951
election or of making a charitable donation under division (G) of952
section 3517.08 of the Revised Code. Any disbursement or use of a 953
contribution by a state or county political party is an 954
expenditure and shall be considered either to be made for the 955
purpose of influencing the results of an election or to be made as 956
a charitable donation under division (G) of section 3517.08 of the 957
Revised Code and shall be reported on a statement of expenditures 958
filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. During the thirty 959
days preceding a primary or general election, any disbursement to 960
pay the direct costs of producing or airing a broadcast, cable, or 961
satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified 962
candidate shall be considered to be made for the purpose of 963
influencing the results of that election.964

       As used in this division, "broadcast, cable, or satellite 965
communication" and "refers to a clearly identified candidate" have 966
the same meanings as in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.967

       (7) "Personal expenses" includes, but is not limited to,968
ordinary expenses for accommodations, clothing, food, personal969
motor vehicle or airplane, and home telephone.970

       (8) "Political action committee" means a combination of two971
or more persons, the primary or incidentalmajor purpose of which 972
is to support or oppose any candidate, political party, or issue, 973
or to influence the result of any election through express 974
advocacy, and that is not a political party, a campaign committee,975
a political contributing entity, or a legislative campaign fund. 976
"Political action committee" does not include a continuing 977
association that makes disbursements for the direct costs of 978
producing or airing electioneering communications as defined in 979
section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code and that does not engage in 980
express advocacy.981

       (9) "Public office" means any state, county, municipal,982
township, andor district office, except an office of a political983
party, that is filled by an election and the offices of United984
States senator and congressmanrepresentative.985

       (10) "Anything of value" has the same meaning as in section986
1.03 of the Revised Code.987

       (11) "Beneficiary of a campaign fund" means a candidate, a988
public official or employee for whose benefit a campaign fund989
exists, and any other person who has ever been a candidate or990
public official or employee and for whose benefit a campaign fund991
exists.992

       (12) "Campaign fund" means money or other property, including 993
contributions.994

       (13) "Public official or employee" has the same meaning as in 995
section 102.01 of the Revised Code.996

       (14) "Caucus" means all of the members of the house of997
representatives or all of the members of the senate of the general998
assembly who are members of the same political party.999

       (15) "Legislative campaign fund" means a fund that is1000
established as an auxiliary of a state political party and1001
associated with one of the houses of the general assembly.1002

       (16) "In-kind contribution" means anything of value other1003
than money that is used to influence the results of an election or1004
is transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a1005
candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund,1006
political party, or political action committee, or political1007
contributing entity and that is made with the consent of, in1008
coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request1009
or suggestion of the benefited candidate, committee, fund, or1010
party, or entity. The financing of the dissemination, 1011
distribution, or republication, in whole or part, of any broadcast 1012
or of any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials 1013
prepared by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or 1014
their authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to the 1015
candidate and an expenditure by the candidate.1016

       (17) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by a1017
person advocating the election or defeat of an identified1018
candidate or candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in1019
coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request1020
or suggestion of any candidate or candidates or of the campaign1021
committee or agent of the candidate or candidates. As used in1022
division (B)(17) of this section:1023

       (a) "Person" means an individual, partnership, unincorporated 1024
business organization or association, political action committee, 1025
political contributing entity, separate segregated fund, 1026
association, or any other organization or group of persons, but 1027
not a labor organization or a corporation unless the labor 1028
organization or corporation is a political contributing entity.1029

       (b) "Advocating" means any communication containing a message 1030
advocating election or defeat.1031

       (c) "Identified candidate" means that the name of the1032
candidate appears, a photograph or drawing of the candidate1033
appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by1034
unambiguous reference.1035

       (d) "Made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, 1036
or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or the campaign 1037
committee or agent of the candidate" means made pursuant to any 1038
arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the 1039
candidate's campaign committee, or the candidate's agent prior to 1040
the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of the1041
communication. An expenditure is presumed to be so made when it is 1042
any of the following:1043

       (i) Based on information about the candidate's plans,1044
projects, or needs provided to the person making the expenditure1045
by the candidate, or by the candidate's campaign committee or1046
agent, with a view toward having an expenditure made;1047

       (ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been,1048
authorized to raise or expend funds, who is, or has been, an1049
officer of the candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has1050
been, receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement from the1051
candidate or the candidate's campaign committee or agent;1052

       (iii) MadeExcept as otherwise provided in division (D) of 1053
section 3517.105 of the Revised Code, made by a political party in 1054
support of a candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a 1055
political party to conduct voter registration or voter education 1056
efforts.1057

       (e) "Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written1058
authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the1059
making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate, or means any1060
person who has been placed in a position with the candidate's1061
campaign committee or organization such that it would reasonably1062
appear that in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities1063
the person may authorize expenditures.1064

       (18) "Labor organization" means a labor union; an employee1065
organization; a federation of labor unions, groups, locals, or1066
other employee organizations; an auxiliary of a labor union,1067
employee organization, or federation of labor unions, groups,1068
locals, or other employee organizations; or any other bona fide1069
organization in which employees participate and that exists for1070
the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers1071
concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, hours, and other1072
terms and conditions of employment.1073

       (19) "Separate segregated fund" means a separate segregated1074
fund established pursuant to the Federal Election Campaign Act.1075

       (20) "Federal Election Campaign Act" means the "Federal1076
Election Campaign Act of 1971," 86 Stat. 11, 2 U.S.C.A. 431, et1077
seq., as amended.1078

       (21) "Political contributing entity" means any entity,1079
including a corporation or labor organization, that may lawfully1080
make contributions and expenditures and that is not an individual1081
or a political action committee, continuing association, campaign1082
committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, designated1083
state campaign committee, or state candidate fund. For purposes of 1084
division (B)(21) of this section, "lawfully" means not prohibited 1085
by any section of the Revised Code, or authorized by a final 1086
judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction."Restricted fund" 1087
means the fund a state or county political party must establish 1088
under division (A)(1) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code.1089

       (22) "Electioneering communication committee" means a 1090
committee established under division (C) of section 3517.1011 of 1091
the Revised Code.1092

       (23) "Express advocacy" means a communication that contains 1093
express words advocating the nomination, election, or defeat of a 1094
candidate or that contains express words advocating the adoption 1095
or defeat of a question or issue, as determined by a final 1096
judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.1097

       Sec. 3517.08.  (A) The personal expenses of a candidate paid 1098
for by the candidate, from the candidate's personal funds, shall 1099
not be considered as a contribution by or an expenditure by the1100
candidate and shall not be reported under section 3517.10 of the 1101
Revised Code.1102

       (B)(1) An expenditure by a political action committee or a 1103
political contributing entity shall not be considered a1104
contribution by the political action committee or the political 1105
contributing entity or an expenditure by or on behalf of the 1106
candidate if the purpose of the expenditure is to inform only its 1107
members by means of mailed publications of its activities or1108
endorsements.1109

       (2) An expenditure by a political party shall not be 1110
considered a contribution by the political party or an expenditure 1111
by or on behalf of the candidate if the purpose of the expenditure 1112
is to inform predominantly the party's members by means of mailed1113
publications or other direct communication of its activities or1114
endorsements, or for voter contact such as sample ballots, absent 1115
voter's ballots application mailings, voter registration, or 1116
get-out-the-vote activities.1117

       (C) An expenditure by a continuing association, political1118
contributing entity, or political party shall not be considered a 1119
contribution to any campaign committee or an expenditure by or on 1120
behalf of any campaign committee if the purpose of the expenditure 1121
is for the staff and maintenance of the continuing association's, 1122
political contributing entity's, or political party's 1123
headquarters, or for a political poll, survey, index, or other 1124
type of measurement not on behalf of a specific candidate.1125

       (D) The expenses of maintaining a constituent office paid1126
for, from the candidate's personal funds, by a candidate who is a 1127
member of the general assembly at the time of the election shall 1128
not be considered a contribution by or an expenditure by or on 1129
behalf of the candidate, and shall not be reported, if the 1130
constituent office is not used for any candidate's campaign 1131
activities.1132

       (E) The net contribution of each social or fund-raising 1133
activity shall be calculated by totaling all contributions to the 1134
activity minus the expenditures made for the activity.1135

       (F) An expenditure that purchases goods or services shall be 1136
attributed to an election when the disbursement of funds is made, 1137
rather than at the time the goods or services are used. The 1138
secretary of state, under the procedures of Chapter 119. of the 1139
Revised Code, shall establish rules for the attribution of1140
expenditures to a candidate when the candidate is a candidate for 1141
more than one office during a reporting period and for 1142
expenditures made in a year in which no election is held. The 1143
secretary of state shall further define by rule those expenditures 1144
that are or are not by or on behalf of a candidate.1145

       (G) An expenditure for the purpose of a charitable donation 1146
may be made if it is made to an organization that is exempt from 1147
federal income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in 1148
subsection 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(8), 501(c)(10), or 1149
501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code or is approved by advisory 1150
opinion of the Ohio elections commission as a legitimate 1151
charitable organization. Each expenditure under this division 1152
shall be separately itemized on statements made pursuant to1153
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.1154

       Sec. 3517.082.  (A) Any corporation, any nonprofit 1155
corporation, or any labor organization may establish, administer, 1156
and solicit contributions from the persons listed in division (B) 1157
of this section, to either or both of the following:1158

       (1) A political action committee of the corporation or labor1159
organization with respect to state and local elections;1160

       (2) A separate segregated fund pursuant to the Federal1161
Election Campaign Act.1162

       (B)(1) A corporation and a nonprofit corporation may solicit 1163
contributions from its stockholders, officers, directors, trustees 1164
that are not corporations or labor organizations, and employees.1165

       (2) A nonprofit corporation also may solicit contributions1166
from:1167

       (a) Its members that are not corporations or labor 1168
organizations;1169

       (b) Officers, directors, trustees that are not corporations 1170
or labor organizations, and employees of any members of the 1171
nonprofit corporation.1172

       (3) A labor organization may solicit contributions from its1173
members, officers, and employees.1174

       (C) A corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor 1175
organization shall report to a political action committee, or to a 1176
separate segregated fund with respect to state and local 1177
elections, the following costs expended by the corporation, 1178
nonprofit corporation, or labor organization that are associated 1179
with establishing, administering, and soliciting contributions to 1180
the political action committee or separate segregated fund 1181
pursuant to division (A) of this section:1182

       (1) Mailing and printing expenses for direct solicitation of 1183
contributions pursuant to division (D) of this section;1184

       (2) The portion of an employee's salary or wages attributable 1185
to time hethe employee spends in activities related to 1186
establishing, administering, and soliciting contributions to a1187
political action committee or separate segregated fund, if that 1188
time exceeds during a reporting period fifty per cent of the time1189
for which the employee is compensated by the corporation, 1190
nonprofit corporation, or labor organization;1191

       (3) The cost associated with the purchase, lease, operation, 1192
and use of equipment for activities related to establishing, 1193
administering, and soliciting contributions to a political action 1194
committee or separate segregated fund if during a reporting period 1195
more than fifty per cent of the use of the equipment is for those 1196
activities;1197

       (4) Professional fees paid by the corporation, nonprofit 1198
corporation, or labor organization for establishing, 1199
administering, and soliciting contributions to a political action 1200
committee or separate segregated fund.1201

       The political action committee shall itemize the amounts and 1202
purposes of those costs expended by the corporation, nonprofit 1203
corporation, or labor organization and file them as part of the 1204
statement required of political action committees under division 1205
(A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code on a form prescribed by 1206
the secretary of state. The separate segregated fund with respect 1207
to state and local elections shall file with the secretary of 1208
state a copy of the portion of each report and statement required 1209
under the Federal Election Campaign Act that applies to state and 1210
local elections at the same time that the entire original report 1211
is filed in accordance with that act.1212

       (D) Solicitations of contributions pursuant to division (B) 1213
of this section from employees of a corporation or members and1214
employees of a labor organization other than executive and1215
administrative employees of a corporation or officers and 1216
executive and administrative employees of a labor organization 1217
shall be in writing and shall not be made more than four times 1218
during each calendar year. Any person who solicits any employee of 1219
a corporation or member or employee of a labor organization for a1220
contribution to a political action committee established or 1221
administered by the corporation or labor organization under 1222
division (A)(1) of this section shall inform the employee or 1223
member at the time of the solicitation that he may refuse to make 1224
a contribution without suffering any reprisal.1225

       (E) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of section 1226
4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting1227
agreements between employee organizations and public employers,1228
this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of 1229
agreements between labor organizations and public employers 1230
pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code(1) Contributions 1231
shall not be obtained for a political action committee or a 1232
separate segregated fund under this section by use of coercion or 1233
physical force, by making a contribution a condition of employment 1234
or membership, or by using or threatening to use job 1235
discrimination or financial reprisals. Except as specified in this 1236
division, a corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor 1237
organization shall not solicit or obtain contributions from an 1238
individual described in division (B) of this section on an 1239
automatic or passive basis, including, but not limited to, a 1240
payroll deduction or reverse checkoff method. A corporation, 1241
nonprofit corporation, or labor organization may solicit and 1242
obtain contributions for a political action committee or a 1243
separate segregated fund under this section from an individual 1244
described in division (B) of this section on an automatic basis, 1245
including, but not limited to, a payroll deduction plan, only if 1246
the individual who is contributing to the political action 1247
committee or separate segregated fund affirmatively consents to 1248
the contribution at least once in every calendar year.1249

       (2)(a) Any individual who knowingly violates division (D)(1) 1250
of this section is guilty of a felony punishable by a fine of not 1251
more than five thousand dollars, imprisonment for not more than 1252
three years, or both.1253

       (b) Anyone other than an individual who knowingly violates 1254
division (D)(1) of this section is guilty of a felony punishable 1255
by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars.1256

       (3) If a corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor 1257
organization that obtains contributions from individuals described 1258
in division (B) of this section pays to one or more of those 1259
individuals a bonus or other remuneration for the purpose of 1260
reimbursing those contributions, that corporation, nonprofit 1261
corporation, or labor organization shall be fined twice the total 1262
contributions obtained from all individuals for the political 1263
action committee or separate segregated fund, as applicable, 1264
during that calendar year.1265

       (E) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of section 1266
4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting 1267
agreements between employee organizations and public employers, 1268
this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of 1269
agreements between labor organizations and public employers that 1270
are entered into on or after the effective date of this amendment 1271
pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code.1272

       Sec. 3517.09.  (A) No person or committee shall solicit, ask,1273
invite, or demand, directly or indirectly, orally or in writing, a 1274
contribution, subscription, or payment from a candidate for1275
nomination or election or from the campaign committee of that1276
candidate, and no person shall solicit, ask, invite, or demand 1277
that a candidate for nomination or election or the campaign1278
committee of that candidate subscribe to the support of a club or 1279
organization, buy tickets to an entertainment, ball, supper, or 1280
other meeting, or pay for space in a book, program, or 1281
publication. This division does not apply to any of the following:1282

       (1) Regular advertisements in periodicals having an 1283
established circulation;1284

       (2) Regular payments to civic, political, fraternal, social, 1285
charitable, or religious organizations of which the candidate was 1286
a member or contributor six months before the candidate's 1287
candidacy;1288

       (3) Regular party assessments made by a party against its own1289
candidates.1290

       (B) No person shall coerce, intimidate, or cause harm to 1291
another person by an act or failure to act, or shall threaten to 1292
coerce, intimidate, or cause harm to another person, because that 1293
other person makes or does not make a contribution to a candidate, 1294
campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, 1295
political action committee, or political contributing entity1296
electioneering communication committee.1297

       (C) An employer or labor organization that, directly or 1298
through another person, solicits an employee of the employer or a 1299
member of the labor organization(1) Contributions shall not be 1300
obtained by an employer or labor organization for a contribution 1301
to a candidate, campaign committee, political action committee, 1302
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political 1303
contributing entity shall inform the employee or member at the 1304
time of the solicitation that making a contribution is voluntary 1305
and that a decision of the employee or member to make a 1306
contribution or not to make a contribution will not benefit the 1307
employee or member or place the employee or member at a 1308
disadvantage with respect to employment by the employer or 1309
membership in the labor organizationelectioneering communication 1310
committee by use of coercion or physical force, by making a 1311
contribution a condition of employment or membership, or by using 1312
or threatening to use job discrimination or financial reprisals. 1313
Except as specified in this division, an employer or labor 1314
organization, directly or through another person, shall not 1315
solicit or obtain contributions from an employee or member on an 1316
automatic or passive basis, including, but not limited to, a 1317
payroll deduction or reverse checkoff method. An employer or labor 1318
organization, directly or through another person, may solicit and 1319
obtain contributions for a candidate, campaign committee, 1320
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political 1321
party, or electioneering communication committee from an employee 1322
or member on an automatic basis, including, but not limited to, a 1323
payroll deduction plan, only if the employee or member who is 1324
contributing to the candidate, campaign committee, political 1325
action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or 1326
electioneering communication committee affirmatively consents to 1327
the contribution at least once in every calendar year.1328

       (2)(a) Any individual who knowingly violates division (C)(1) 1329
of this section is guilty of a felony punishable by a fine of not 1330
more than five thousand dollars, imprisonment for not more than 1331
three years, or both.1332

       (b) Anyone other than an individual who knowingly violates 1333
division (C)(1) of this section is guilty of a felony punishable 1334
by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars.1335

       (3) If an employer or labor organization that obtains 1336
contributions from employees or members pays to one or more of 1337
those employees or members a bonus or other remuneration for the 1338
purpose of reimbursing those contributions, that employer or labor 1339
organization shall be fined twice the total contributions obtained 1340
from all individuals for the candidate, campaign committee, 1341
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political 1342
party, or electioneering communication committee, as applicable, 1343
during that calendar year.1344

       (D) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of section 1345
4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting 1346
agreements between employee organizations and public employers, 1347
this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of 1348
agreements between labor organizations and public employers that 1349
are entered into on or after the effective date of this amendment 1350
pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code.1351

       Sec. 3517.092.  (A) As used in this section:1352

       (1) "Appointing authority" has the same meaning as in section 1353
124.01 of the Revised Code.1354

       (2) "State elected officer" means any person appointed or 1355
elected to a state elective office.1356

       (3) "State elective office" means any of the offices of 1357
governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of 1358
state, treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state1359
board of education, member of the general assembly, and justice 1360
and chief justice of the supreme court.1361

       (4) "County elected officer" means any person appointed or 1362
elected to a county elective office.1363

       (5) "County elective office" means any of the offices of 1364
county auditor, county treasurer, clerk of the court of common 1365
pleas, sheriff, county recorder, county engineer, county 1366
commissioner, prosecuting attorney, and coroner.1367

       (6) "Contribution" includes a contribution to any political 1368
party, campaign committee, political action committee, political 1369
contributing entity, or legislative campaign fund.1370

       (B) No state elected officer, no campaign committee of such 1371
an officer, and no other person or entity shall knowingly solicit 1372
or accept a contribution on behalf of that officer or that 1373
officer's campaign committee from any of the following:1374

       (1) A state employee whose appointing authority is the state 1375
elected officer;1376

       (2) A state employee whose appointing authority is authorized 1377
or required by law to be appointed by the state elected officer;1378

       (3) A state employee who functions in or is employed in or by 1379
the same public agency, department, division, or office as the 1380
state elected officer.1381

       (C) No candidate for a state elective office, no campaign1382
committee of such a candidate, and no other person or entity shall 1383
knowingly solicit or accept a contribution on behalf of that 1384
candidate or that candidate's campaign committee from any of the 1385
following:1386

       (1) A state employee at the time of the solicitation, whose 1387
appointing authority will be the candidate, if elected;1388

       (2) A state employee at the time of the solicitation, whose 1389
appointing authority will be appointed by the candidate, if1390
elected, as authorized or required by law;1391

       (3) A state employee at the time of the solicitation, who 1392
will function in or be employed in or by the same public agency, 1393
department, division, or office as the candidate, if elected.1394

       (D) No county elected officer, no campaign committee of such 1395
an officer, and no other person or entity shall knowingly solicit 1396
a contribution on behalf of that officer or that officer's 1397
campaign committee from any of the following:1398

       (1) A county employee whose appointing authority is the1399
county elected officer;1400

       (2) A county employee whose appointing authority is1401
authorized or required by law to be appointed by the county1402
elected officer;1403

       (3) A county employee who functions in or is employed in or 1404
by the same public agency, department, division, or office as the 1405
county elected officer.1406

       (E) No candidate for a county elective office, no campaign 1407
committee of such a candidate, and no other person or entity shall 1408
knowingly solicit a contribution on behalf of that candidate or 1409
that candidate's campaign committee from any of the following:1410

       (1) A county employee at the time of the solicitation, whose 1411
appointing authority will be the candidate, if elected;1412

       (2) A county employee at the time of the solicitation, whose 1413
appointing authority will be appointed by the candidate, if1414
elected, as authorized or required by law;1415

       (3) A county employee at the time of the solicitation, who 1416
will function in or be employed in or by the same public agency, 1417
department, division, or office as the candidate, if elected.1418

       (F)(1) No public employee shall solicit a contribution from 1419
any person while the public employee is performing the public 1420
employee's official duties or in those areas of a public building 1421
where official business is transacted or conducted.1422

       (2) No person shall solicit a contribution from any public 1423
employee while the public employee is performing the public 1424
employee's official duties or is in those areas of a public 1425
building where official business is transacted or conducted.1426

       (3) As used in division (F) of this section, "public 1427
employee" does not include any person holding an elective office.1428

       (G) The prohibitions in divisions (B), (C), (D), (E), and (F) 1429
of this section are in addition to the prohibitions in sections 1430
124.57, 3304.22, and 4503.032 of the Revised Code.1431

       Sec. 3517.10.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in this1432
division, every campaign committee, political action committee,1433
legislative campaign fund, and political party, and political1434
contributing entity that made or received a contribution or made1435
an expenditure in connection with the nomination or election of1436
any candidate or in connection with any ballot issue or question1437
at any election held or to be held in this state shall file, on a1438
form prescribed under this section,or by electronic means of1439
transmission as provided in this section and section 3517.106 of1440
the Revised Code, or, until March 1, 2004, on computer disk as1441
provided in section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, a full, true,1442
and itemized statement, made under penalty of election1443
falsification, setting forth in detail the contributions and1444
expenditures, nonot later than four p.m. of the following dates:1445

       (1) The twelfth day before the election to reflect1446
contributions received and expenditures made from the close of1447
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed1448
statement, if any, to the close of business on the twentieth day1449
before the election;1450

       (2) The thirty-eighth day after the election to reflect the1451
contributions received and expenditures made from the close of1452
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed1453
statement, if any, to the close of business on the seventh day1454
before the filing of the statement;1455

       (3) The last business day of January of every year to reflect 1456
the contributions received and expenditures made from the close of 1457
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed 1458
statement, if any, to the close of business on the last day of 1459
December of the previous year;1460

       (4) The last business day of July of every year to reflect 1461
the contributions received and expenditures made from the close of 1462
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed 1463
statement, if any, to the close of business on the last day of 1464
June of that year.1465

       A campaign committee shall only be required to file the1466
statements prescribed under divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this1467
section in connection with the nomination or election of the1468
committee's candidate.1469

       The statement required under division (A)(1) of this section1470
shall not be required of any campaign committee, political action1471
committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party, or1472
political contributing entity that has received contributions of1473
less than one thousand dollars and has made expenditures of less1474
than one thousand dollars at the close of business on the1475
twentieth day before the election. Those contributions and1476
expenditures shall be reported in the statement required under1477
division (A)(2) of this section.1478

       If an election to select candidates to appear on the general1479
election ballot is held within sixty days before a general1480
election, the campaign committee of a successful candidate in the1481
earlier election may file the statement required by division1482
(A)(1) of this section for the general election instead of the1483
statement required by division (A)(2) of this section for the1484
earlier election if the pregeneral election statement reflects the1485
status of contributions and expenditures for the period twenty1486
days before the earlier election to twenty days before the general1487
election.1488

       If a person becomes a candidate less than twenty days before1489
an election, the candidate's campaign committee is not required to1490
file the statement required by division (A)(1) of this section.1491

       No statement under division (A)(3) or (4) of this section 1492
shall be required for any year in which a campaign committee, 1493
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or1494
political party, or political contributing entity is required to1495
file a postgeneral election statement under division (A)(2) of 1496
this section. However, such a statement may be filed, at the 1497
option of the campaign committee, political action committee,1498
legislative campaign fund, or political party, or political1499
contributing entity.1500

       No statement under division (A)(3) or (4) of this section 1501
shall be required if the campaign committee, political action 1502
committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party, or 1503
political contributing entity has no contributions that it has 1504
received and no expenditures that it has made since the last date 1505
reflected in its last previously filed statement. However, the 1506
campaign committee, political action committee, legislative 1507
campaign fund, or political party, or political contributing 1508
entity shall file a statement to that effect, on a form prescribed 1509
under this section and made under penalty of election 1510
falsification, on the date required in division (A)(3) or (4) of 1511
this section, as applicable.1512

       The campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall file a1513
monthly statement of contributions received during each of the1514
months of July, August, and September in the year of the general1515
election in which the candidate seeks office. The campaign1516
committee of a statewide candidate shall file the monthly1517
statement not later than three business days after the last day of1518
the month covered by the statement. During the period beginning on 1519
the nineteenth day before the general election in which a1520
statewide candidate seeks election to office and extending through1521
the day of that general election, each time the campaign committee1522
of the joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant1523
governor or of a candidate for the office of secretary of state,1524
auditor of state, treasurer of state, or attorney general receives1525
a contribution from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount1526
of contributions received from that contributor during that period1527
to equal or exceed twoten thousand five hundred dollars and each 1528
time the campaign committee of a candidate for the office of chief1529
justice or justice of the supreme court receives a contribution1530
from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount of1531
contributions received from that contributor during that period to1532
exceed five hundredten thousand dollars, the campaign committee1533
shall file a two-business-day statement reflecting that1534
contribution. During the period beginning on the nineteenth day 1535
before a primary election in which a candidate for statewide1536
office seeks nomination to office and extending through the day of 1537
that primary election, each time either the campaign committee of 1538
a statewide candidate in that primary election that files a notice 1539
under division (C)(1) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code or 1540
the campaign committee of a statewide candidate in that primary1541
election to which, in accordance with division (D) of section1542
3517.103 of the Revised Code, the contribution limitations1543
prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code no longer apply1544
receives a contribution from a contributor that causes the1545
aggregate amount of contributions received from that contributor1546
during that period to exceed twoten thousand five hundred1547
dollars, the campaign committee shall file a two-business-day 1548
statement reflecting that contribution. Contributions reported on 1549
a two-business-day statement required to be filed by a campaign1550
committee of a statewide candidate in a primary election shall1551
also be included in the postprimary election statement required to1552
be filed by that campaign committee under division (A)(2) of this1553
section. A two-business-day statement required by this paragraph1554
shall be filed not later than two business days after receipt of1555
the contribution. The statements required by this paragraph shall1556
be filed in addition to any other statements required by this1557
section.1558

       Subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, 1559
and verified the successful operation of any system the secretary 1560
of state prescribes pursuant to divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of 1561
this section and division (H)(1) of section 3517.106 of the 1562
Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by 1563
electronic means of transmission, a campaign committee of a 1564
statewide candidate shall file a two-business-day statement under 1565
the preceding paragraph by electronic means of transmission if the1566
campaign committee is required to file a preelectionpre-election,1567
postelection, or monthly statement of contributions and1568
expenditures by electronic means of transmission under this1569
section or section 3517.106 of the Revised Code.1570

       If a campaign committee or political action committee has no1571
balance on hand and no outstanding obligations and desires to1572
terminate itself, it shall file a statement to that effect, on a1573
form prescribed under this section and made under penalty of1574
election falsification, with the official with whom it files a1575
statement under division (A) of this section after filing a final1576
statement of contributions and a final statement of expenditures,1577
if contributions have been received or expenditures made since the1578
period reflected in its last previously filed statement.1579

       (B) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(7) of this1580
section, each statement required by division (A) of this section1581
shall contain the following information:1582

       (1) The full name and address of each campaign committee,1583
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or1584
political party, or political contributing entity, including any1585
treasurer of the committee, fund, or party, or entity, filing a 1586
contribution and expenditure statement;1587

       (2)(a) In the case of a campaign committee, the candidate's1588
full name and address;1589

       (b) In the case of a political action committee, the1590
registration number assigned to the committee under division1591
(D)(1) of this section.1592

       (3) The date of the election and whether it was or will be a1593
general, primary, or special election;1594

       (4) A statement of contributions received, which shall1595
include the following information:1596

       (a) The month, day, and year of the contribution;1597

       (b)(i) The full name and address of each person, political1598
party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political1599
action committee, or political contributing entity from whom1600
contributions are received and the registration number assigned to1601
the political action committee under division (D)(1) of this1602
section. The requirement of filing the full address does not apply 1603
to any statement filed by a state or local committee of a1604
political party, to a finance committee of such committee, or to a1605
committee recognized by a state or local committee as its1606
fund-raising auxiliary. Notwithstanding division (F)(1) of this1607
section, the requirement of filing the full address shall be1608
considered as being met if the address filed is the same address1609
the contributor provided under division (E)(1) of this section.1610

       (ii) If a political action committee, legislative campaign 1611
fund, or political party that is required to file campaign finance 1612
statements by electronic means of transmission under section 1613
3517.106 of the Revised Code or a campaign committee of a 1614
statewide candidate or candidate for the office of member of the 1615
general assembly receives a contribution from an individual that 1616
exceeds one hundred dollars, the name of the individual's current 1617
employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the1618
individual's occupation and the name of the individual's business, 1619
if any;1620

       (iii) If a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or1621
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly1622
receives a contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.0311623
of the Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and1624
salaries of two or more employees that exceeds in the aggregate1625
one hundred dollars during any one filing period under division1626
(A)(1), (2), or (3), or (4) of this section, the full name of the1627
employees' employer and the full name of the labor organization of1628
which the employees are members, if any.1629

       (c) A description of the contribution received, if other than 1630
money;1631

       (d) The value in dollars and cents of the contribution;1632

       (e) A separately itemized account of all contributions and1633
expenditures regardless of the amount, except a receipt of a1634
contribution from a person in the sum of twenty-five dollars or1635
less at one social or fund-raising activity and a receipt of a1636
contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031 of the1637
Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and salaries of1638
employees if the contribution from the amount deducted from the1639
wages and salary of any one employee is twenty-five dollars or1640
less aggregated in a calendar year. An account of the total1641
contributions from each social or fund-raising activity shall1642
include a description of and the value of each in-kind1643
contribution received at that activity from any person who made1644
one or more such contributions whose aggregate value exceeded two1645
hundred fifty dollars and shall be listed separately, together1646
with the expenses incurred and paid in connection with that1647
activity. A campaign committee, political action committee,1648
legislative campaign fund, or political party, or political1649
contributing entity shall keep records of contributions from each1650
person in the amount of twenty-five dollars or less at one social1651
or fund-raising activity and contributions from amounts deducted1652
under section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from the wages and1653
salary of each employee in the amount of twenty-five dollars or1654
less aggregated in a calendar year. No continuing association that1655
is recognized by a state or local committee of a political party 1656
as an auxiliary of the party and that makes a contribution from 1657
funds derived solely from regular dues paid by members of the1658
auxiliary shall be required to list the name or address of any1659
members who paid those dues.1660

       Contributions that are other income shall be itemized1661
separately from all other contributions. The information required1662
under division (B)(4) of this section shall be provided for all1663
other income itemized. As used in this paragraph, "other income"1664
means a loan, investment income, or interest income.1665

       (f) In the case of a campaign committee of a state elected1666
officer, if a person doing business with the state elected officer1667
in the officer's official capacity makes a contribution to the1668
campaign committee of that officer, the information required under1669
division (B)(4) of this section in regard to that contribution,1670
which shall be filed together with and considered a part of the1671
committee's statement of contributions as required under division1672
(A) of this section but shall be filed on a separate form provided1673
by the secretary of state. As used in this division (B)(4)(f) of 1674
this section:1675

       (i) "State elected officer" has the same meaning as in1676
section 3517.092 of the Revised Code.1677

       (ii) "Person doing business" means a person or an officer of1678
an entity who enters into one or more contracts with a state1679
elected officer or anyone authorized to enter into contracts on1680
behalf of that officer to receive payments for goods or services,1681
if the payments total, in the aggregate, more than five thousand1682
dollars during a calendar year.1683

       (g) In the case of a contributor who is an individual, the 1684
age of the contributor.1685

       (5) A statement of expenditures which shall include the1686
following information:1687

       (a) The month, day, and year of the expenditure;1688

       (b) The full name and address of each person, political1689
party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political1690
action committee, or political contributing entity to whom the1691
expenditure was made and the registration number assigned to the1692
political action committee under division (D)(1) of this section;1693

       (c) The object or purpose for which the expenditure was made;1694

       (d) The amount of each expenditure.1695

       (C)(1) The statement of contributions and expenditures shall1696
be signed by the person completing the form. If a statement of1697
contributions and expenditures is filed by electronic means of1698
transmission pursuant to this section or section 3517.106 of the1699
Revised Code, the electronic signature of the person who executes1700
the statement and transmits the statement by electronic means of1701
transmission, as provided in division (H) of section 3517.106 of1702
the Revised Code, shall be attached to or associated with the1703
statement and shall be binding on all persons and for all purposes1704
under the campaign finance reporting law as if the signature had1705
been handwritten in ink on a printed form.1706

       (2) The person filing the statement, under penalty of1707
election falsification, shall include with it a list of each1708
anonymous contribution, the circumstances under which it was1709
received, and the reason it cannot be attributed to a specific1710
donor.1711

       (3) Each statement of a campaign committee of a candidate who1712
holds public office shall contain a designation of each1713
contributor who is an employee in any unit or department under the1714
candidate's direct supervision and control. In a space provided in 1715
the statement, the person filing the statement shall affirm that 1716
each such contribution was voluntarily made.1717

       (4) A campaign committee that did not receive contributions1718
or make expenditures in connection with the nomination or election1719
of its candidate shall file a statement to that effect, on a form1720
prescribed under this section and made under penalty of election1721
falsification, on the date required in division (A)(2) of this1722
section.1723

       (5) The campaign committee of any person who attempts to1724
become a candidate and who, for any reason, does not become1725
certified in accordance with Title XXXV of the Revised Code for1726
placement on the official ballot of a primary, general, or special1727
election to be held in this state, and who, at any time prior to1728
or after an election, receives contributions or makes1729
expenditures, or has given consent for another to receive1730
contributions or make expenditures, for the purpose of bringing1731
about the person's nomination or election to public office, shall1732
file the statement or statements prescribed by this section and a1733
termination statement, if applicable. This paragraphDivision 1734
(C)(5) of this section does not apply to any person with respect 1735
to an election to the offices of member of a county or state 1736
central committee, presidential elector, or delegate to a national 1737
convention or conference of a political party.1738

       (6)(a) The statements required to be filed under this section1739
shall specify the balance in the hands of the campaign committee, 1740
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or1741
political party, or political contributing entity and the1742
disposition intended to be made of that balance.1743

       (b) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form for all1744
statements required to be filed under this section and shall1745
furnish the forms to the boards of elections in the several1746
counties. The boards of elections shall supply printed copies of1747
those forms without charge. The secretary of state shall prescribe 1748
the appropriate methodology, protocol, and data file structure for1749
statements required or permitted to be filed by electronic means 1750
of transmission under division (A) of this section and, divisions 1751
(E), (F), and (G) of section 3517.106, division (D) of section 1752
3517.1011, and division (B) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised 1753
Code and for statements permitted to be filed on computer disk 1754
under division (F) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code.1755
Subject to division (A) of this section and, divisions (E), (F),1756
and (G) of section 3517.106, division (D) of section 3517.1011, 1757
and division (B) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code, the 1758
statements required to be stored on computer by the secretary of 1759
state under division (B) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code1760
shall be filed in whatever format the secretary of state considers1761
necessary to enable the secretary of state to store the1762
information contained in the statements on computer. Any such1763
format shall be of a type and nature that is readily available to1764
whoever is required to file the statements in that format.1765

       (c) The secretary of state shall assess the need for training1766
regarding the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic 1767
means of transmission and regarding associated technologies for 1768
candidates, campaign committees, political action committees,1769
legislative campaign funds, or political parties, political 1770
contributing entities, orfor individuals, partnerships, or other 1771
entities, or for electioneering communication committees, required 1772
or permitted to file statements by electronic means of 1773
transmission under this section or section 3517.105 or, 3517.106, 1774
3517.1011, or 3517.1012 of the Revised Code. If, in the opinion of1775
the secretary of state, training in these areas is necessary, the1776
secretary of state shall arrange for the provision of voluntary1777
training programs for candidates, campaign committees, political1778
action committees, legislative campaign funds, or political1779
parties, political contributing entities, andfor individuals, 1780
partnerships, and other entities, or for electioneering 1781
communication committees, as appropriate.1782

       (7) Each monthly statement and each two-business-day1783
statement required by division (A) of this section shall contain1784
the information required by divisions (B)(1) to (4), (C)(2), and,1785
if appropriate, (C)(3) of this section. Each statement shall be1786
signed as required by division (C)(1) of this section.1787

       (D)(1) Prior to receiving a contribution or making an1788
expenditure, every campaign committee, political action committee,1789
legislative campaign fund, or political party, or political1790
contributing entity shall appoint a treasurer and shall file, on a1791
form prescribed by the secretary of state, a designation of that1792
appointment, including the full name and address of the treasurer1793
and of the campaign committee, political action committee,1794
legislative campaign fund, or political party, or political1795
contributing entity. That designation shall be filed with the1796
official with whom the campaign committee, political action1797
committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party, or1798
political contributing entity is required to file statements under1799
section 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The name of a campaign1800
committee shall include at least the last name of the campaign1801
committee's candidate. The secretary of state shall assign a1802
registration number to each political action committee that files1803
a designation of the appointment of a treasurer under this1804
division (D)(1) of this section if the political action committee 1805
is required by division (A)(1) of section 3517.11 of the Revised 1806
Code to file the statements prescribed by this section with the1807
secretary of state.1808

       (2) The treasurer appointed under division (D)(1) of this1809
section shall keep a strict account of all contributions, from1810
whom received and the purpose for which they were disbursed.1811

       (3)(a) Except as otherwise provided in section 3517.108 of1812
the Revised Code, a campaign committee shall deposit all monetary1813
contributions received by the committee into an account separate1814
from a personal or business account of the candidate or campaign1815
committee.1816

       (b) A political action committee shall deposit all monetary1817
contributions received by the committee into an account separate1818
from all other funds.1819

       (c) A state or county political party may establish a state1820
candidate fund that is separate from an account that contains the1821
public moneys received from the Ohio political party fund under1822
section 3517.17 of the Revised Code and from all other funds. A1823
state or county political party may deposit into its state1824
candidate fund any amounts of monetary contributions that are made1825
to or accepted by the political party subject to the applicable1826
limitations, if any, prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised1827
Code. A state or county political party shall deposit all other1828
monetary contributions received by the party into one or more1829
accounts that are separate from its state candidate fund and from1830
its account that contains the public moneys received from the Ohio1831
political party fund under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code.1832

       (d) Each state political party shall have only one1833
legislative campaign fund for each house of the general assembly.1834
Each such fund shall be separate from any other funds or accounts1835
of that state party. A legislative campaign fund is authorized to1836
receive contributions and make expenditures for the primary1837
purpose of furthering the election of candidates who are members1838
of that political party to the house of the general assembly with1839
which that legislative campaign fund is associated. Each1840
legislative campaign fund shall be administered and controlled in1841
a manner designated by the caucus. As used in this division 1842
(D)(3)(d) of this section, "caucus" has the same meaning as in1843
section 3517.01 of the Revised Code and includes, as an ex officio 1844
member, the chairperson of the state political party with which 1845
the caucus is associated or that chairperson's designee.1846

       (4) Every expenditure in excess of twenty-five dollars shall1847
be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the1848
expendituresexpenditure, that shall be filed with the statement 1849
of expenditures. A canceled check with a notation of the purpose 1850
of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of division1851
(D)(4) of this section.1852

       (5) The secretary of state or the board of elections, as the1853
case may be, shall issue a receipt for each statement filed under1854
this section and shall preserve a copy of the receipt for a period1855
of at least six years. All statements filed under this section1856
shall be open to public inspection in the office where they are1857
filed and shall be carefully preserved for a period of at least1858
six years after the year in which they are filed.1859

       (6) The secretary of state, by rule adopted pursuant to1860
section 3517.23 of the Revised Code, shall prescribe theboth of 1861
the following:1862

       (a) The manner of immediately acknowledging, with date and 1863
time received, and preserving the receipt of statements that are 1864
transmitted by electronic means of transmission to the secretary 1865
of state pursuant to this section or section 3517.106, 3517.1011, 1866
or 3517.1012 of the Revised Code and the;1867

       (b) The manner of preserving the contribution and 1868
expenditure, contribution and disbursement, or deposit and 1869
disbursement information in thosethe statements described in 1870
division (D)(6)(a) of this section. The secretary of state shall1871
preserve the contribution and expenditure, contribution and 1872
disbursement, or deposit and disbursement information in those1873
statements for at least ten years after the year in which they are1874
filed by electronic means of transmission.1875

       (7) The secretary of state, pursuant to division (I) of1876
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, shall make available online1877
to the public through the internet the contribution and1878
expenditure, contribution and disbursement, or deposit and 1879
disbursement information in all statements, all addenda,1880
amendments, or other corrections to statements, and all amended1881
statements filed with the secretary of state by electronic or1882
other means of transmission under this section, division (B)(2)(b)1883
or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105, or section 3517.106, 3517.1011, 1884
3517.1012, or 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The secretary of state1885
may remove the information from the internet after a reasonable 1886
period of time.1887

       (E)(1) Any person, political party, campaign committee,1888
legislative campaign fund, or political action committee, or1889
political contributing entity that makes a contribution in1890
connection with the nomination or election of any candidate or in1891
connection with any ballot issue or question at any election held1892
or to be held in this state shall provide its full name and1893
address to the recipient of the contribution at the time the1894
contribution is made. The political action committee also shall1895
provide the registration number assigned to the committee under1896
division (D)(1) of this section to the recipient of the1897
contribution at the time the contribution is made.1898

       (2) Any individual who makes a contribution that exceeds one1899
hundred dollars to a political action committee, legislative 1900
campaign fund, or political party or to a campaign committee of a 1901
statewide candidate or candidate for the office of member of the 1902
general assembly shall provide the name of the individual's 1903
current employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, 1904
the individual's occupation and the name of the individual's 1905
business, if any, to the recipient of the contribution at the time 1906
the contribution is made. Sections 3599.39 and 3599.40 of the 1907
Revised Code do not apply to division (E)(2) of this section.1908

       (3) If a campaign committee shows that it has exercised its1909
best efforts to obtain, maintain, and submit the information1910
required under divisions (B)(4)(b)(ii) and (iii) of this section,1911
that committee is considered to have met the requirements of those1912
divisions. A campaign committee shall not be considered to have1913
exercised its best efforts unless, in connection with written1914
solicitations, it regularly includes a written request for the1915
information required under division (B)(4)(b)(ii) of this section1916
from the contributor or the information required under division1917
(B)(4)(b)(iii) of this section from whoever transmits the1918
contribution.1919

       (4) Any check that a political action committee uses to make1920
a contribution or an expenditure shall contain the full name and1921
address of the committee and the registration number assigned to1922
the committee under division (D)(1) of this section.1923

       (F) As used in this section:1924

       (1) "Address" means all of the following if they exist:1925
apartment number, street, road, or highway name and number, rural1926
delivery route number, city or village, state, and zip code as1927
used in a person's post-office address, but not post-office box. 1928
If an address is required in this section, a post-office box and1929
office, room, or suite number may be included in addition to but1930
not in lieu of an apartment, street, road, or highway name and1931
number. If an address is required in this section, a campaign1932
committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, 1933
or political party, or political contributing entity may use the1934
business or residence address of its treasurer or deputy1935
treasurer. The post-office box number of the campaign committee,1936
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or1937
political party, or political contributing entity may be used in1938
addition to that address.1939

       (2) "Statewide candidate" means the joint candidates for the1940
offices of governor and lieutenant governor or a candidate for the1941
office of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of1942
state, attorney general, member of the state board of education,1943
chief justice of the supreme court, or justice of the supreme1944
court.1945

       (G) An independent expenditure shall be reported whenever and 1946
in the same manner that an expenditure is required to be reported1947
under this section and shall be reported pursuant to division1948
(B)(2)(a) or (C)(2)(a) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code.1949

       (H)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(2) of1950
this section, if, during the combined preelectionpre-election and 1951
postelection reporting periods for an election, a campaign 1952
committee has received contributions of five hundred dollars or 1953
less and has made expenditures in the total amount of five hundred 1954
dollars or less, it may file a statement to that effect, under 1955
penalty of election falsification, in lieu of the statement 1956
required by division (A)(2) of this section. The statement shall 1957
indicate the total amount of contributions received and the total 1958
amount of expenditures made during those combined reporting 1959
periods.1960

       (2) In the case of a successful candidate at a primary1961
election, if either the total contributions received by or the1962
total expenditures made by the candidate's campaign committee1963
during the preprimary, postprimary, pregeneral, and postgeneral1964
election periods combined equal more than five hundred dollars,1965
the campaign committee may file the statement under division1966
(H)(1) of this section only for the primary election. The first1967
statement that the campaign committee files in regard to the1968
general election shall reflect all contributions received and all1969
expenditures made during the preprimary and postprimary election1970
periods.1971

       (3) Divisions (H)(1) and (2) of this section do not apply if1972
a campaign committee receives contributions or makes expenditures1973
prior to the first day of January of the year of the election at1974
which the candidate seeks nomination or election to office or if1975
the campaign committee does not file a termination statement with1976
its postprimary election statement in the case of an unsuccessful1977
primary election candidate or with its postgeneral election1978
statement in the case of other candidates.1979

       (I) In the case of a contribution made by a partner of a1980
partnership or an owner or a member of another unincorporated 1981
business from any funds of the partnership or other unincorporated 1982
business, all of the following apply:1983

       (1) The recipient of the contribution shall report the1984
contribution by listing both the partnership or other1985
unincorporated business and the name of the partner or, owner, or 1986
member making the contribution.1987

       (2) For purposes of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, the 1988
contribution shall be considered to have been made by the partner 1989
or, owner, or member reported under division (I)(1) of this 1990
section.1991

       (3) No contribution from a partner of a partnership or an 1992
owner or a member of another unincorporated business shall be1993
accepted from any funds of the partnership or other unincorporated 1994
business unless the recipient reports the contribution under 1995
division (I)(1) of this section.1996

       (4) No partnership or other unincorporated business shall 1997
make a contribution or contributions solely in the name of the 1998
partnership or other unincorporated business.1999

       (5) As used in division (I) of this section, "partnership or 2000
other unincorporated business" includes, but is not limited to, a 2001
cooperative, a sole proprietorship, a general partnership, a 2002
limited partnership, a limited partnership association, a limited 2003
liability partnership, and a limited liability company.2004

       (J) A candidate shall have only one campaign committee at any2005
given time for all of the offices for which the person is a2006
candidate or holds office.2007

       (K)(1) In addition to filing a designation of appointment of2008
a treasurer under division (D)(1) of this section, the campaign2009
committee of any candidate for an elected municipal office that2010
pays an annual amount of compensation of five thousand dollars or2011
less, the campaign committee of any candidate for member of a2012
board of education except member of the state board of education,2013
or the campaign committee of any candidate for township trustee or2014
township clerk may sign, under penalty of election falsification,2015
a certificate attesting that the committee will not accept2016
contributions during an election period that exceed in the2017
aggregate two thousand dollars from all contributors and one2018
hundred dollars from any one individual, and that the campaign2019
committee will not make expenditures during an election period2020
that exceed in the aggregate two thousand dollars.2021

       The certificate shall be on a form prescribed by the2022
secretary of state and shall be filed not later than ten days2023
after the candidate files a declaration of candidacy and petition,2024
a nominating petition, or a declaration of intent to be a write-in2025
candidate.2026

       (2) Except as otherwise provided in division (K)(3) of this2027
section, a campaign committee that files a certificate under2028
division (K)(1) of this section is not required to file the2029
statements required by division (A) of this section.2030

       (3) If, after filing a certificate under division (K)(1) of2031
this section, a campaign committee exceeds any of the limitations2032
described in that division during an election period, the2033
certificate is void and thereafter the campaign committee shall2034
file the statements required by division (A) of this section. If 2035
the campaign committee has not previously filed a statement, then 2036
on the first statement the campaign committee is required to file2037
under division (A) of this section after the committee's 2038
certificate is void, the committee shall report all contributions 2039
received and expenditures made from the time the candidate filed 2040
the candidate's declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating2041
petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate.2042

       (4) As used in division (K) of this section, "election2043
period" means the period of time beginning on the day a person2044
files a declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating2045
petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate2046
through the day of the election at which the person seeks2047
nomination to office if the person is not elected to office, or,2048
if the candidate was nominated in a primary election, the day of2049
the election at which the candidate seeks office.2050

       (L) Notwithstanding division (B)(4) of this section, a2051
political contributing entity that receives contributions from the2052
dues, membership fees, or other assessments of its members or from2053
its officers, shareholders, and employees may report the aggregate2054
amount of contributions received from those contributors and the2055
number of individuals making those contributions, for each filing2056
period identified under divisions (A)(1), (2), and (3) of this2057
section. Division (B)(4) of this section applies to a political2058
contributing entity with regard to contributions it receives from2059
all other contributors.2060

       Sec. 3517.102.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in section2061
3517.103 of the Revised Code, as used in this section and sections2062
3517.103 and 3517.104 of the Revised Code:2063

       (1) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in section 3517.01 of 2064
the Revised Code but includes only candidates for the offices of 2065
governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of2066
state, treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state2067
board of education, member of the general assembly, chief justice2068
of the supreme court, and justice of the supreme court.2069

       (2) "Statewide candidate" or "any one statewide candidate" 2070
means the joint candidates for the offices of governor and2071
lieutenant governor or a candidate for the office of secretary of2072
state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, attorney general,2073
member of the state board of education, chief justice of the2074
supreme court, or justice of the supreme court.2075

       (3) "Senate candidate" means a candidate for the office of2076
state senator.2077

       (4) "House candidate" means a candidate for the office of2078
state representative.2079

       (5)(a) "Primary election period" for a candidate begins on2080
the beginning date of the candidate's pre-filing period specified2081
in division (A)(9) of section 3517.109 of the Revised Code and2082
ends on the day of the primary election.2083

       (b) In regard to any candidate, the "general election period"2084
begins on the day after the primary election immediately preceding 2085
the general election at which the candidate seeks an office 2086
specified in division (A)(1) of this section and ends on the2087
thirty-first day of December following that general election.2088

       (6) "State candidate fund" means the state candidate fund2089
established by a state or county political party under division2090
(D)(3)(c) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.2091

       (7) "Postgeneral election statement" means the statement2092
filed under division (A)(2) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code2093
by the campaign committee of a candidate after the general2094
election in which the candidate ran for office or filed by2095
legislative campaign fund after the general election in an2096
even-numbered year.2097

       (8) "Contribution" means any contribution that is required to 2098
be reported in the statement of contributions under section2099
3517.10 of the Revised Code.2100

       (9)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(9)(b) of 2101
this section and in division (F) of section 3517.103 and division2102
(B)(3)(b) of section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code, "designated2103
state campaign committee" means:2104

       (a)(i) In the case of contributions to or from a state2105
political party, a campaign committee of a statewide candidate,2106
statewide officeholder, senate candidate, house candidate, or2107
member of the general assembly.2108

       (b)(ii) In the case of contributions to or from a county2109
political party, a campaign committee of a statewide candidate,2110
statewide officeholder, senate candidate or house candidate whose2111
candidacy is to be submitted to some or all of the electors in2112
that county, or member of the general assembly whose district2113
contains all or part of that county.2114

       (c)(iii) In the case of contributions to or from a 2115
legislative campaign fund, a campaign committee of any of the 2116
following:2117

       (i)(I) A senate or house candidate who, if elected, will be a2118
member of the same party that established the legislative campaign2119
fund and the same house with which the legislative campaign fund2120
is associated;2121

       (ii)(II) A state senator or state representative who is a 2122
member of the same party that established the legislative campaign 2123
fund and the same house with which the legislative campaign fund 2124
is associated.2125

       (b) A campaign committee is no longer a "designated state 2126
campaign committee" after the campaign committee's candidate 2127
changes the designation of treasurer required to be filed under 2128
division (D)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code to indicate 2129
that the person intends to be a candidate for, or becomes a 2130
candidate for nomination or election to, any office that, if 2131
elected, would not qualify that candidate's campaign committee as 2132
a "designated state campaign committee" under division (A)(9)(a) 2133
of this section.2134

       (B)(1)(a) No individual who is seven years of age or older2135
shall make a contribution or contributions aggregating more than:2136

       (a) Two(i) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2137
committee of any one statewide candidate in a primary election2138
period or in a general election period;2139

       (b) Two(ii) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the 2140
campaign committee of any one senate candidate in a primary 2141
election period or in a general election period;2142

       (c) Two(iii) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the 2143
campaign committee of any one house candidate in a primary 2144
election period or in a general election period;2145

       (d) Five(iv) Ten thousand dollars to any onea county 2146
political party of the county in which the individual resides for 2147
the 1party'sparty's state candidate fund orin a calendar year;2148

       (v) Fifteen thousand dollars to any one legislative campaign2149
fund in a calendar year;2150

       (e) Fifteen(vi) Thirty thousand dollars to any one state 2151
political party for the party's state candidate fund in a calendar 2152
year;2153

       (f) Five(vii) Ten thousand dollars to any one political 2154
action committee in a calendar year;2155

       (g) Five thousand dollars to any one political contributing2156
entity in a calendar year.2157

       (b) No individual shall make a contribution or contributions 2158
to the state candidate fund of a county political party of any 2159
county other than the county in which the individual resides.2160

       (c) No individual who is under seven years of age shall make 2161
any contribution.2162

       (2)(a) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no2163
political action committee shall make a contribution or2164
contributions aggregating more than:2165

       (a) Two(i) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2166
committee of any one statewide candidate in a primary election2167
period or in a general election period;2168

       (b) Two(ii) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the 2169
campaign committee of any one senate candidate in a primary 2170
election period or in a general election period;2171

       (c) Two(iii) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the 2172
campaign committee of any one house candidate in a primary 2173
election period or in a general election period;2174

       (d) Five(iv) Fifteen thousand dollars to any one county 2175
political party for the party's state candidate fund or to any one 2176
legislative campaign fund in a calendar year;2177

       (e) Fifteen(v) Thirty thousand dollars to any one state 2178
political party for the party's state candidate fund in a calendar 2179
year;2180

       (f) Two(vi) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to another 2181
political action committee or to a political contributing entity2182
in a calendar year. This division does not apply to a political 2183
action committee that makes a contribution to a political action2184
committee or to a political contributing entity affiliated with2185
it. For purposes of this division, a political action committee is 2186
affiliated with another political action committee or with a2187
political contributing entity if they are both established,2188
financed, maintained, or controlled by, or if they are, the same2189
corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing2190
association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary,2191
division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor2192
organization, continuing association, or other person.2193

       (b) No political action committee shall make a contribution 2194
or contributions to a county political party for the party's state 2195
candidate fund.2196

       (3) No campaign committee shall make a contribution or2197
contributions aggregating more than:2198

       (a) TwoTen thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2199
committee of any one statewide candidate in a primary election2200
period or in a general election period;2201

       (b) TwoTen thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2202
committee of any one senate candidate in a primary election period2203
or in a general election period;2204

       (c) TwoTen thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2205
committee of any one house candidate in a primary election period2206
or in a general election period;2207

       (d) TwoTen thousand five hundred dollars to any one2208
political action committee in a calendar year;2209

       (e) Two thousand five hundred dollars to any one political2210
contributing entity in a calendar year.2211

       (4)(a) Subject to division (D)(3) of this section, no2212
political party shall make a contribution or contributions2213
aggregating more than twoten thousand five hundred dollars to any 2214
one political action committee or to any one political 2215
contributing entity in a calendar year.2216

       (b) No county political party shall make a contribution or 2217
contributions to another county political party.2218

       (5) No(a) Subject to division (B)(5)(b) of this section, no2219
campaign committee, other than a designated state campaign 2220
committee, shall make a contribution or contributions aggregating 2221
in a calendar year more than:2222

       (a) Fifteen(i) Thirty thousand dollars to any one state 2223
political party for the party's state candidate fund;2224

       (b) Five(ii) Fifteen thousand dollars to any one legislative 2225
campaign fund;2226

       (c) Five(iii) Ten thousand dollars to any one county 2227
political party for the party's state candidate fund.2228

       (b) No campaign committee shall make a contribution or 2229
contributions to a county political party for the party's state 2230
candidate fund unless one of the following applies:2231

       (i) The campaign committee's candidate will appear on a 2232
ballot in that county.2233

       (ii) The campaign committee's candidate is the holder of an 2234
elected public office that represents all or part of the 2235
population of that county at the time the contribution is made.2236

       (6)(a) No state candidate fund of a county political party2237
shall make a contribution or contributions, except a contribution2238
or contributions to a designated state campaign committee, in a2239
primary election period or a general election period, aggregating2240
more than:2241

       (i) TwoTen thousand dollars to the campaign committee of any 2242
one statewide candidate;2243

       (ii) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2244
committee of any one senate candidate;2245

       (ii) Two(iii) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the 2246
campaign committee of any one house candidate.2247

       (b)(i) No state candidate fund of a state or county political 2248
party shall make a transfer or a contribution or transfers or2249
contributions of cash or cash equivalents to a designated state 2250
campaign committee in a primary election period or in a general 2251
election period aggregating more than:2252

       (I) Five hundred thousand dollars to the campaign committee2253
of any one statewide candidate;2254

       (II) One hundred thousand dollars to the campaign committee2255
of any one senate candidate;2256

       (III) Fifty thousand dollars to the campaign committee of any 2257
one house candidate.2258

       (ii) No legislative campaign fund shall make a transfer or a2259
contribution or transfers or contributions of cash or cash2260
equivalents to a designated state campaign committee aggregating2261
more than:2262

       (I) Fifty thousand dollars in a primary election period or2263
one hundred thousand dollars in a general election period to the2264
campaign committee orof any one senate candidate;2265

       (II) Twenty-five thousand dollars in a primary election2266
period or fifty thousand dollars in a general election period to2267
the campaign committee of any one house candidate.2268

       (iii) As used in divisions (B)(6)(b) and (C)(6)(a) and (b) of 2269
this section, "transfer or contribution of cash or cash2270
equivalents" does not include any in-kind contributions.2271

       (c) A county political party that has no state candidate fund 2272
and that is located in a county having a population of less than 2273
one hundred fifty thousand may make one or more contributions from 2274
other accounts to any one statewide candidate or to any one2275
designated state campaign committee that do not exceed, in the2276
aggregate, two thousand five hundred dollars in any primary 2277
election period or general election period. As used in this 2278
division, "other accounts" does not include either an account that2279
contains the public moneys received from the Ohio political party 2280
fund under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code or the county 2281
political party's operating account.2282

       (d) No legislative campaign fund shall make a contribution,2283
other than to a designated state campaign committee or to the2284
state candidate fund of a political party.2285

       (7) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no political2286
contributing entity shall make a contribution or contributions2287
aggregating more than:2288

       (a) Two thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2289
committee of any one statewide candidate in a primary election2290
period or in a general election period;2291

       (b) Two thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2292
committee of any one senate candidate in a primary election period2293
or in a general election period;2294

       (c) Two thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2295
committee of any one house candidate in a primary election period2296
or in a general election period;2297

       (d) Five thousand dollars to any one county political party2298
for the party's state candidate fund or to any one legislative2299
campaign fund in a calendar year;2300

       (e) Fifteen thousand dollars to any one state political party 2301
for the party's state candidate fund in a calendar year;2302

       (f) Two thousand five hundred dollars to another political2303
contributing entity or to a political action committee in a2304
calendar year. This division does not apply to a political2305
contributing entity that makes a contribution to a political2306
contributing entity or to a political action committee affiliated2307
with it. For purposes of this division, a political contributing2308
entity is affiliated with another political contributing entity or2309
with a political action committee if they are both established,2310
financed, maintained, or controlled by, or if they are, the same2311
corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing2312
association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary,2313
division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor2314
organization, continuing association, or other person.2315

       (C)(1)(a) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no2316
campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall accept aeither 2317
of the following:2318

       (i) A contribution or contributions from any individual who 2319
is under seven years of age;2320

       (ii) A contribution or contributions aggregating more than 2321
twoten thousand five hundred dollars from any one individual who 2322
is seven years of age or older, from any one political action 2323
committee, from any one state candidate fund of a county political 2324
contributing entityparty, or from any one other campaign2325
committee in a primary election period or in a general election 2326
period.2327

       (b) No campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall 2328
accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two 2329
thousand five hundred dollars in a primary election period or in a 2330
general election period from a county political party that has no 2331
state candidate fund and that is located in a county having a 2332
population of less than one hundred fifty thousand.2333

       (c) No campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall 2334
accept contributions aggregating more than five hundred thousand 2335
dollars in a primary election period or in a general election 2336
period from any combination of county political party state 2337
candidate funds.2338

       (2)(a) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section and except2339
for a designated state campaign committee, no campaign committee2340
of a senate candidate shall accept aeither of the following:2341

       (i) A contribution or contributions from any individual who 2342
is under seven years of age;2343

       (ii) A contribution or contributions aggregating more than2344
twoten thousand five hundred dollars from any one individual who 2345
is seven years of age or older, from any one political action 2346
committee, from any one political contributing entity, from any 2347
one state candidate fund of a county political party, or from any 2348
one other campaign committee in a primary election period or in a 2349
general election period.2350

       (b) No campaign committee of a senate candidate shall accept 2351
a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand 2352
five hundred dollars in a primary election period or in a general 2353
election period from a county political party that has no state 2354
candidate fund and that is located in a county having a population 2355
of less than one hundred fifty thousand.2356

       (3)(a) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section and except2357
for a designated state campaign committee, no campaign committee2358
of a house candidate shall accept aeither of the following:2359

       (i) A contribution or contributions from any individual who 2360
is under seven years of age;2361

       (ii) A contribution or contributions aggregating more than 2362
twoten thousand five hundred dollars from any one individual who 2363
is seven years of age or older, from any one political action 2364
committee, from any one political contributing entity, from any 2365
one state candidate fund of a county political party, or from any 2366
one other campaign committee in a primary election period or in a 2367
general election period.2368

       (b) No campaign committee of a house candidate shall accept a 2369
contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand 2370
five hundred dollars in a primary election period or in a general 2371
election period from a county political party that has no state 2372
candidate fund and that is located in a county having a population 2373
of less than one hundred fifty thousand.2374

       (4)(a)(i) Subject to division (D)(1)(C)(4)(a)(ii) of this 2375
section and except for a designated state campaign committee, no2376
county political party shall accept a contribution or 2377
contributions from any individual who is under seven years of age, 2378
or a contribution or contributions for the party's state candidate2379
fund aggregating more than fiveten thousand dollars from any one2380
individual,who resides within that county and who is seven years 2381
of age or older or from any one political action committee, from 2382
any one political contributing entity, or from any one campaign 2383
committee, other than a designated state campaign committee, in a 2384
calendar year.2385

       (ii) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no county 2386
political party shall accept a contribution or contributions for 2387
the party's state candidate fund from any individual who resides 2388
outside of that county and who is seven years of age or older, 2389
from any campaign committee unless the campaign committee's 2390
candidate will appear on a ballot in that county or unless the 2391
campaign committee's candidate is the holder of an elected public 2392
office that represents all or part of the population of that 2393
county at the time the contribution is accepted, or from any 2394
political action committee.2395

       (iii) No county political party shall accept a contribution 2396
or contributions from any other county political party.2397

       (b) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no state2398
political party shall accept aeither of the following:2399

       (i) A contribution or contributions from any individual who 2400
is under seven years of age;2401

       (ii) A contribution or contributions for the party's state 2402
candidate fund aggregating more than fifteenthirty thousand 2403
dollars from any one individual who is seven years of age or 2404
older, from any one political action committee, from any one 2405
political contributing entity, or from any one campaign committee,2406
other than a designated state campaign committee, in a calendar 2407
year.2408

       (5) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no2409
legislative campaign fund shall accept aeither of the following:2410

       (a) A contribution or contributions from any individual who 2411
is under seven years of age;2412

       (b) A contribution or contributions aggregating more than 2413
fivefifteen thousand dollars from any one individual who is seven 2414
years of age or older, from any one political action committee, 2415
from any one political contributing entity, or from any one 2416
campaign committee, other than a designated state campaign 2417
committee, in a calendar year.2418

       (6)(a) No designated state campaign committee shall accept a2419
transfer or contribution of cash or cash equivalents from a state2420
candidate fund of a state or county political party aggregating in2421
a primary election period or a general election period more than:2422

       (i) Five hundred thousand dollars, in the case of a campaign2423
committee of a statewide candidate;2424

       (ii) One hundred thousand dollars, in the case of a campaign2425
committee of a senate candidate;2426

       (iii) Fifty thousand dollars, in the case of a campaign2427
committee of a house candidate.2428

       (b) No designated state campaign committee shall accept a2429
transfer or contribution of cash or cash equivalents from a2430
legislative candidatecampaign fund aggregating more than:2431

       (i) Fifty thousand dollars in a primary election period or2432
one hundred thousand dollars in a general election period, in the2433
case of a campaign committee of a senate candidate;2434

       (ii) Twenty-five thousand dollars in a primary election2435
period or fifty thousand dollars in a general election period, in2436
the case of a campaign committee of a house candidate.2437

       (c) No campaign committee of a candidate for the office of 2438
member of the general assembly, including a designated state 2439
campaign committee, shall accept a transfer or contribution of 2440
cash or cash equivalents from any one or combination of state 2441
candidate funds of county political parties aggregating in a 2442
primary election period or a general election period more than:2443

       (i) One hundred thousand dollars, in the case of a campaign 2444
committee of a senate candidate;2445

       (ii) Fifty thousand dollars, in the case of a campaign 2446
committee of a house candidate.2447

       (7)(a) Subject to division (D)(3) of this section, no2448
political action committee and no political contributing entity2449
shall accept aeither of the following:2450

       (i) A contribution or contributions from any individual who 2451
is under seven years of age;2452

       (ii) A contribution or contributions aggregating more than2453
fiveten thousand dollars from any one individual who is seven 2454
years of age or older, or more than two thousand five hundred 2455
dollars from any one campaign committee, or from any one political 2456
party in a calendar year.2457

       (b) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no political2458
action committee shall accept a contribution or contributions2459
aggregating more than twoten thousand five hundred dollars from2460
another political action committee or from a political2461
contributing entity in a calendar year. Subject to division (D)(1) 2462
of this section, no political contributing entity shall accept a 2463
contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand 2464
five hundred dollars from another political contributing entity or 2465
from a political action committee in a calendar year. This 2466
division does not apply to a political action committee or2467
political contributing entity that accepts a contribution from a2468
political action committee or political contributing entity2469
affiliated with it. For purposes of this division, a political2470
action committee is affiliated with another political action2471
committee or political contributing entity if they are2472
established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same2473
corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing2474
association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary,2475
division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor2476
organization, continuing association, or other person.2477

       (D)(1)(a) For purposes of the limitations prescribed in2478
division (B)(2) of this section and the limitations prescribed in2479
divisions (C)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (7)(b) of this section,2480
whichever is applicable, all contributions made by and all2481
contributions accepted from political action committees that are2482
established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same2483
corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing2484
association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary,2485
division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor2486
organization, continuing association, or other person, are2487
considered to have been made by or accepted from a single2488
political action committee.2489

       (b) For purposes of the limitations prescribed in division2490
(B)(7) of this section and the limitations prescribed in divisions2491
(C)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (7)(b) of this section, whichever2492
is applicable, all contributions made by and all contributions2493
accepted from political contributing entities that are2494
established, financed, maintained, or controlled by, or that are,2495
the same corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing2496
association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary,2497
division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor2498
organization, continuing association, or other person, are2499
considered to have been made by or accepted from a single2500
political contributing entity.2501

       (2) As used in divisions (B)(1)(f)(a)(vii), (B)(3)(d), 2502
(B)(4), and (C)(7) of this section, "political action committee" 2503
does not include a political action committee that is organized to 2504
support or oppose a ballot issue or question and that makes no2505
contributions to or expenditures on behalf of a political party,2506
campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political action2507
committee, or political contributing entity. As used in divisions2508
(B)(1)(g), (B)(3)(e), (B)(4), and (C)(7) of this section,2509
"political contributing entity" does not include a political2510
contributing entity that is organized to support or oppose a2511
ballot issue or question and that makes no contributions to or2512
expenditures on behalf of a political party, campaign committee,2513
legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or2514
political contributing entity.2515

       (3) For purposes of the limitations prescribed in divisions2516
(B)(4) and (C)(7)(a) of this section, all contributions made by2517
and all contributions accepted from a national political party, a2518
state political party, and a county political party are considered2519
to have been made by or accepted from a single political party and2520
shall be combined with each other to determine whether the2521
limitations have been exceeded.2522

       (E)(1) If a legislative campaign fund has kept a total amount 2523
of contributions exceeding one hundred fifty thousand dollars at 2524
the close of business on the seventh day before the postgeneral 2525
election statement is required to be filed under section 3517.102526
of the Revised Code, the legislative campaign fund shall comply 2527
with division (E)(2) of this section.2528

       (2)(a) Any legislative campaign fund that has kept a total2529
amount of contributions in excess of the amount specified in2530
division (E)(1) of this section at the close of business on the2531
seventh day before the postgeneral election statement is required2532
to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code shall2533
dispose of the excess amount in the manner prescribed in division2534
(E)(2)(c)(b)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this section not later than 2535
ninety days after the day the postgeneral election statement is 2536
required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. 2537
Any legislative campaign fund that is required to dispose of an 2538
excess amount of contributions under this division shall file a 2539
statement on the ninetieth day after the postgeneral election 2540
statement is required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the 2541
Revised Code indicating the total amount of contributions the fund 2542
has at the close of business on the seventh day before the 2543
postgeneral election statement is required to be filed under 2544
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and that the excess2545
contributions were disposed of pursuant to this division and 2546
divisionsdivision (E)(2)(b) and (c) of this section. The2547
statement shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state 2548
and shall contain any additional information the secretary of 2549
state considers necessary.2550

       (b) There is hereby created in the state treasury the Ohio2551
elections commission fund. All moneys credited to the fund shall2552
be used solely for the purpose of paying expenses related to the2553
operation of the Ohio elections commission.2554

       (c) Any legislative campaign fund that is required to dispose 2555
of an excess amount of contributions under division (E)(2) of this2556
section shall dispose of that excess amount by doing any of the 2557
following:2558

       (i) Giving the amount to the treasurer of state for deposit2559
into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio elections2560
commission fund created by division (I) of section 3517.152 of the 2561
Revised Code;2562

       (ii) Giving the amount to individuals who made contributions2563
to that legislative campaign fund as a refund of all or part of2564
their contributions;2565

       (iii) Giving the amount to a corporation that is exempt from2566
federal income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in2567
subsection 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.2568

       (F)(1) No legislative campaign fund shall fail to file a2569
statement required by division (E) of this section.2570

       (2) No legislative campaign fund shall fail to dispose of2571
excess contributions as required by division (E) of this section.2572

       (G) Nothing in this section shall affect, be used in2573
determining, or supersede a limitation on campaign contributions2574
as provided for in the Federal Election Campaign Act.2575

       Sec. 3517.103.  (A)(1) For purposes of this section:2576

       (1)(a) "Statewide candidate" means the joint candidates for 2577
the offices of governor and lieutenant governor or a candidate for 2578
the office of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of 2579
state, attorney general, or member of the state board of 2580
education.2581

       (2)(b)(i) "Personal funds" means contributions to the 2582
campaign committee of a candidate by the candidate or by the 2583
candidate's spouse, parents, children, sons-in-law, 2584
daughters-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandparents, mother-in-law, 2585
father-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, or grandparents by 2586
marriage.2587

       (3)(ii) A loan obtained by, guaranteed by, or for the benefit 2588
of a statewide candidate, senate candidate, or house candidate 2589
shall be considered "personal funds" subject to the provisions of 2590
this section and section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code to the 2591
extent that the loan is obtained or guaranteed by the candidate or 2592
is for the benefit of the candidate and is obtained or guaranteed 2593
by the candidate's spouse, parents, children, sons-in-law, 2594
daughters-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandparents, mother-in-law, 2595
father-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, or grandparents by 2596
marriage. A loan that is obtained or guaranteed and that is for 2597
the benefit of a statewide candidate, senate candidate, or house 2598
candidate shall not be considered "personal funds" for the 2599
purposes of this section and section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code 2600
but shall be considered to be a "contribution" for the purposes of 2601
this chapter if the loan is obtained or guaranteed by anyone other 2602
than the candidate or the candidate's spouse, parents, children, 2603
sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandparents, 2604
mother-in-law, father-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, or 2605
grandparents by marriage.2606

       (iii) When a debt or other obligation incurred by a committee 2607
or by a candidate on behalf of the candidate's committee described 2608
in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section is to be paid from 2609
"personal funds," those funds are considered to be expended when 2610
the debt or other obligation is incurred, regardless of when it is 2611
paid.2612

       (4)(2) For purposes of Chapter 3517. of the Revised Codethis 2613
chapter, a candidate is an "opponent" when the candidate has2614
indicated on the candidate's most recently filed designation of2615
treasurer that the candidate seeks the same office at the same2616
primary or general election as another candidate whose campaign2617
committee has filed a personal funds notice required by division2618
(C)(1) or (2) of this section.2619

       (B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of 2620
this section, no statewide candidate or candidate for the office 2621
of member of the general assembly shall make an expenditure of2622
personal funds to influence the results of an election for that 2623
candidate's nomination or election to office unless the personal 2624
funds are first deposited into the campaign fund of that 2625
candidate's campaign committee.2626

       (2) A statewide candidate or candidate for the office of 2627
member of the general assembly may make an expenditure of personal 2628
funds without first depositing those funds into the campaign2629
committee's funds as long as the aggregate total of those2630
expenditures does not exceed five hundred dollars at any time 2631
during an election period. After the candidate's campaign 2632
committee reimburses the candidate for any direct expenditure of 2633
personal funds, the amount that was reimbursed is no longer 2634
included in the aggregate total of expenditures of personal funds 2635
subject to the five-hundred-dollar limit.2636

       (C)(1) If the campaign committee of any statewide candidate 2637
has received or expended or expects to expend more than one 2638
hundred thousand dollars of personal funds during a primary2639
election period or one hundred fifty thousand dollars of personal 2640
funds during a general election period, the campaign committee 2641
shall file a personal funds notice in the manner provided in2642
division (C)(3) of this section indicating that the committee has 2643
received or expended or expects to expend more than that amount. 2644
For the purpose of this division, a joint team of candidates for 2645
governor and lieutenant governor shall be considered a single 2646
candidate and their personal funds shall be combined.2647

       (2) If the campaign committee of any senate candidate or 2648
house candidate has received or expended or expects to expend more 2649
than twenty-five thousand dollars of personal funds during a 2650
primary election period or twenty-five thousand dollars of 2651
personal funds during a general election period, the campaign 2652
committee shall file a personal funds notice in the manner 2653
provided in division (C)(3) of this section indicating that the2654
committee has received or expended or expects to expend more than 2655
that amount.2656

       (3) The personal funds notice required in divisions (C)(1)2657
and (2) of this section and the declaration of no limits required 2658
under division (D)(2) of this section shall be on a form2659
prescribed by the secretary of state. The personal funds notice 2660
required in divisions (C)(1) and (2) of this section shall be 2661
filed not later than the earlier of the following times:2662

       (a) One hundred twenty days before a primary election, in the 2663
case of personal funds received, expended, or expected to be 2664
expended during a primary election period, or not later than one 2665
hundred twenty days before a general election, in the case of 2666
personal funds received, expended, or expected to be expended 2667
during a general election period;2668

       (b) Two business days after the candidate's campaign 2669
committee receives or makes an expenditure of personal funds or 2670
the candidate makes an expenditure of personal funds on behalf of 2671
the candidate's campaign committee during that election period 2672
that exceed, in the aggregate, the amount specified in division 2673
(C)(1) or (2) of this section.2674

       The personal funds notice required under divisions (C)(1) and 2675
(2) of this section and the declaration of no limits required 2676
under division (D)(2) of this section shall be filed wherever the 2677
campaign committee files statements of contributions and 2678
expenditures under section 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The board 2679
of elections shall send to the secretary of state a copy of any 2680
personal funds notice or declaration of no limits filed by the 2681
campaign committee of a senate candidate or house candidate under 2682
division (C)(3) or (D)(2) of this section.2683

       (D)(1) Whenever a campaign committee files a notice under 2684
division (C)(1) or (2) of this section, and the campaign committee 2685
of an opponent files a declaration of no limits pursuant to 2686
division (D)(2) of this section within thirty days of the filing 2687
of the personal funds notice under division (C)(1) or (2) of this 2688
section, the contribution limitations prescribed in section 2689
3517.102 of the Revised Code no longer apply to the campaign 2690
committee of the candidate's opponent.2691

       (2) No campaign committee of a candidate described in 2692
division (D)(1) of this section shall accept any contribution or 2693
contributions from a contributor that exceed the limitations 2694
prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code until the 2695
committee files a declaration that the committee will accept 2696
contributions that exceed those limitations. This declaration 2697
shall be filed not later than thirty days after a candidate's 2698
opponent has filed a personal funds notice pursuant to division 2699
(C)(1) or (2) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code, shall be 2700
referred to as the "declaration of no limits," and shall list all 2701
of the following:2702

       (a) The amount of cash on hand in the candidate's campaign 2703
fund at the end of the day immediately preceding the day on which 2704
the candidate's campaign committee files the declaration of no 2705
limits;2706

       (b) The value and description of all campaign assets worth 2707
five hundred dollars or more available to the candidate at the end 2708
of the day immediately preceding the day on which the candidate's 2709
campaign committee files the declaration of no limits.2710

       (3) A candidate who was not an opponent of a candidate who 2711
filed the personal funds notice required under division (C)(3) of 2712
this section on the date the personal funds notice was filed may 2713
file the declaration of no limits pursuant to division (D)(2) of 2714
this section within thirty days after becoming an opponent of the 2715
candidate who filed the personal funds notice.2716

       (4) If the candidate whose campaign committee filed a 2717
personal funds notice under division (C)(1) or (2) of this section2718
fails to file a declaration of candidacy for the office listed on 2719
the designation of treasurer filed under division (D) of section 2720
3517.10 of the Revised Code or files a declaration of candidacy or 2721
nominating petition for that office and dies or withdraws, both of 2722
the following apply to the campaign committee of that candidate's 2723
opponent if the opponent has filed a declaration of no limits 2724
pursuant to division (D) of this section:2725

       (a) No contribution from a contributor may thereafter be 2726
accepted that, when added to the aggregate total of all2727
contributions received by that committee from that contributor2728
during the primary election period or general election period, 2729
whichever is applicable, would cause that committee to exceed the2730
contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 of the2731
Revised Code for the applicable election period.2732

       (b) The statement of primary-day finances or the year-end 2733
statement required to be filed under division (E) of section 2734
3517.1010 of the Revised Code shall be filed not later than2735
fourteen days after the date the candidate's opponent fails to2736
file a declaration of candidacy or nominating petition by the 2737
appropriate filing deadline, or dies or withdraws. For purposes of 2738
calculating permitted funds under division (A)(7)(4) of section 2739
3517.1010 of the Revised Code, the primary or general election2740
period, whichever is applicable, shall be considered to have ended 2741
on the filing deadline, in the case of an opponent who fails to 2742
file a declaration of candidacy or nominating petition, or on the 2743
date of the opponent's death or withdrawal. In such an event, the 2744
filing of a statement of primary-day finances or year-end finances 2745
and the disposing of any excess funds as required under division 2746
(B) of section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code satisfies the2747
candidate's obligation to file such a statement for that election 2748
period.2749

       (E)(1) No campaign committee shall fail to file a personal 2750
funds notice as required under division (C)(1) or (2) of this 2751
section.2752

       (2) No campaign committee shall accept any contribution in 2753
excess of the contribution limitations prescribed in section 2754
3517.102 of the Revised Code:2755

       (a) Unless a declaration of no limits has been filed under2756
division (D)(2) of this section;2757

       (b) In violation of division (D)(4) of this section once the 2758
candidate who filed a personal funds notice under division (C)(3)2759
of this section fails to file a declaration of candidacy or 2760
nominating petition or that candidate dies or withdraws.2761

       (3) No campaign committee that violates division (E)(1) of 2762
this section shall expend any personal funds in excess of the 2763
amount specified in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section, 2764
whichever is appropriate to the committee.2765

       (4) The candidate of any campaign committee that violates 2766
division (E) of this section shall forfeit the candidate's 2767
nomination, if the candidate was nominated, or the office to which2768
the candidate was elected, if the candidate was elected to office.2769

       (F)(1) Whenever a campaign committee files a notice under2770
division (C)(1) or (2) of this section or whenever the 2771
contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 of the 2772
Revised Code do not apply to a campaign committee under division 2773
(D)(1) of this section, that committee is not a designated state 2774
campaign committee for the purpose of the limitations prescribed 2775
in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code with regard to2776
contributions made by that campaign committee to a legislative 2777
campaign fund or to a state candidate fund of a state or county 2778
political party.2779

       (2) Division (F)(1) of this section no longer applies to a 2780
campaign committee after both of the following occur:2781

       (a) The primary or general election period during which the 2782
contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 of the 2783
Revised Code did not apply after being removed pursuant to 2784
division (D) of this section has expired;2785

       (b) When the campaign committee has disposed of all excess 2786
funds and excess aggregate contributions as required under section2787
3517.1010 of the Revised Code.2788

       Sec. 3517.104.  (A) In January of each odd-numbered year, the 2789
secretary of state, in accordance with this division and division 2790
(B) of this section, shall adjust each amount specified in section 2791
3517.102 and in division (B)(4)(e) of section 3517.10 of the 2792
Revised Code. The adjustment shall be based on the yearly average 2793
of the previous two years of the Consumer Price Index for All2794
Urban Consumers or its successive equivalent, as determined by the 2795
United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, or 2796
its successor in responsibility, for all items, Series A. Using2797
the 1996 yearly average as the base year, the secretary of state2798
shall compare the most current average consumer price index with2799
that determined in the preceding odd-numbered year, and shall2800
determine the percentage increase or decrease. The percentage2801
increase or decrease shall be multiplied by the actual dollar2802
figure for each office or entity specified in section 3517.102 of 2803
the Revised Code and by each actual dollar figure specified in 2804
division (B)(4)(e) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code as 2805
determined in the previous odd-numbered year, and the product 2806
shall be added to or subtracted from its corresponding actual 2807
dollar figure, as necessary, for that previous odd-numbered year. 2808
The2809

       The resulting amount shall be rounded to the nearest five 2810
hundred dollars if the calculations are made regarding the amounts 2811
specified in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code or to the2812
nearest twenty-five dollars if the calculations are made regarding 2813
the amounts specified in division (B)(4)(e) of section 3517.10 of 2814
the Revised Code.2815

       If the calculations are made regarding the amounts specified 2816
in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, the resulting amount 2817
shall not be rounded. If that resulting amount is less than one 2818
hundred dollars, the secretary of state shall retain a record of 2819
the resulting amount and the manner in which it was calculated, 2820
but shall not make an adjustment unless the resulting amount, when 2821
added to the resulting amount calculated in each prior 2822
odd-numbered year since the last adjustment was made, equals or 2823
exceeds one hundred dollars.2824

       (B)(1) The secretary of state shall calculate the adjustment 2825
under division (A) of this section and shall report the 2826
calculations and necessary materials to the auditor of state, on 2827
or before the thirty-first day of January of each odd-numbered 2828
year. The secretary of state shall base the adjustment on the most 2829
current consumer price index that is described in division (A) of 2830
this section and that is in effect as of the first day of January 2831
of each odd-numbered year.2832

       (2) The calculations made by the secretary of state under 2833
divisions (A) and (B)(1) of this section shall be certified by the 2834
auditor of state on or before the fifteenth day of February of 2835
each odd-numbered year.2836

       (3) On or before the twenty-fifth day of February of each 2837
odd-numbered year, the secretary of state shall prepare a report 2838
setting forth the maximum contribution limitations under section 2839
3517.102 of the Revised Code, the maximum amounts, if any, of 2840
contributions permitted to be kept under that section, and the 2841
amounts required under division (B)(4)(e) of section 3517.10 of 2842
the Revised Code for reporting contributions and in-kind2843
contributions at social or fund-raising activities and2844
contributions from amounts deducted from an employee's wages and2845
salary, as calculated and certified pursuant to divisions (A) and 2846
(B)(1) and (2) of this section. The report and all documents 2847
relating to the calculations contained in the report are public 2848
records. The report shall contain an indication of the period in 2849
which the limitations, the maximum contribution amounts, and the 2850
reporting amounts apply, a summary of how the limitations, the 2851
maximum contribution amounts, and the reporting amounts were2852
calculated, and a statement that the report and all related2853
documents are available for inspection and copying at the office2854
of the secretary of state.2855

       (4) On or before the twenty-fifth day of February of each 2856
odd-numbered year, the secretary of state shall transmit the 2857
report to the general assembly, and shall send the report by mail 2858
to the board of elections of each county.2859

       (5) The secretary of state shall send the report by mail to 2860
each person who files a declaration of candidacy or nominating 2861
petition with the secretary of state for the office of governor, 2862
lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of state, 2863
treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state board of 2864
education, chief justice of the supreme court, or justice of the 2865
supreme court. The report shall be mailed on or before the tenth 2866
day after the filing.2867

       (6) A board of elections shall send the report by mail to 2868
each person who files a declaration of candidacy or nominating 2869
petition with the board for the office of state representative or 2870
state senator. The report shall be mailed on or before the tenth 2871
day after the filing.2872

       Sec. 3517.105.  (A)(1) As used in this section, "public 2873
political advertising" means advertising to the general public 2874
through a broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, poster, yard 2875
sign, or outdoor advertising facility, by direct mail, or by any 2876
other means of advertising to the general public.2877

       (2) For purposes of this section and section 3517.20 of the 2878
Revised Code, a person is a member of a political action committee 2879
if the person makes one or more contributions to that political 2880
action committee, and a person is a member of a political 2881
contributing entity if the person makes one or more contributions 2882
to, or pays dues, membership fees, or other assessments to, that2883
political contributing entity.2884

       (B)(1) Whenever a candidate, a campaign committee, a2885
political action committee or political contributing entity with 2886
ten or more members, or a legislative campaign fund makes an 2887
independent expenditure, or whenever a political action committee 2888
or political contributing entity with fewer than ten members makes 2889
an independent expenditure in excess of one hundred dollars for a 2890
local candidate, in excess of two hundred fifty dollars for a2891
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly, or in 2892
excess of five hundred dollars for a statewide candidate, for the 2893
purpose of financing communications advocating the election or2894
defeat of an identified candidate or solicits without the2895
candidate's express consent a contribution for or against an2896
identified candidate through public political advertising, a 2897
statement shall appear or be presented in a clear and conspicuous 2898
manner in the advertising that does both of the following:2899

       (a) Clearly indicates that the communication or public 2900
political advertising is not authorized by the candidate or the 2901
candidate's campaign committee;2902

       (b) Clearly identifies the candidate, campaign committee, 2903
political action committee, political contributing entity, or2904
legislative campaign fund that has paid for the communication or 2905
public political advertising in accordance with section 3517.20 of 2906
the Revised Code.2907

       (2)(a) Whenever any campaign committee, legislative campaign 2908
fund, political action committee, political contributing entity,2909
or political party makes an independent expenditure in support of 2910
or opposition to any candidate, the committee, entity, fund, or 2911
party shall report the independent expenditure and identify the 2912
candidate on a statement prescribed by the secretary of state and 2913
filed by the committee, entity, fund, or political party as part 2914
of its statement of contributions and expenditures pursuant to 2915
division (A) of section 3517.10 and division (A) of section 2916
3517.11 of the Revised Code.2917

       (b) Whenever any individual, partnership, or other entity, 2918
except a corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, 2919
legislative campaign fund, political action committee, political 2920
contributing entity, or political party, makes one or more 2921
independent expenditures in support of or opposition to any 2922
candidate, the individual, partnership, or other entity shall file 2923
with the secretary of state in the case of a statewide candidate, 2924
or with the board of elections in the county in which the 2925
candidate files the candidate's petitions for nomination or 2926
election for district or local office, not later than the dates 2927
specified in divisions (A)(1), (2), and (3), and (4) of section 2928
3517.10 of the Revised Code, and, except as otherwise provided in 2929
that section, a statement itemizing all independent expenditures 2930
made during the period since the close of business on the last day 2931
reflected in the last previously filed such statement, if any. The 2932
statement shall be made on a form prescribed by the secretary of 2933
state or shall be filed by electronic means of transmission 2934
pursuant to division (G) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code 2935
as authorized or required by that division. The statement shall 2936
indicate the date and the amount of each independent expenditure 2937
and the candidate on whose behalf it was made and shall be made 2938
under penalty of election falsification.2939

       (C)(1) Whenever a corporation, labor organization, campaign2940
committee, political action committee with ten or more members, or 2941
legislative campaign fund makes an independent expenditure, or 2942
whenever a political action committee with fewer than ten members 2943
makes an independent expenditure in excess of one hundred dollars 2944
for a local ballot issue or question, or in excess of five hundred 2945
dollars for a statewide ballot issue or question, for the purpose 2946
of financing communications advocating support of or opposition to2947
an identified ballot issue or question or solicits without the 2948
express consent of the ballot issue committee a contribution for 2949
or against an identified ballot issue or question through public 2950
political advertising, a statement shall appear or be presented in 2951
a clear and conspicuous manner in the advertising that does both 2952
of the following:2953

       (a) Clearly indicates that the communication or public 2954
political advertising is not authorized by the identified ballot 2955
issue committee;2956

       (b) Clearly identifies the corporation, labor organization,2957
campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political action 2958
committee that has paid for the communication or public political 2959
advertising in accordance with section 3517.20 of the Revised 2960
Code.2961

       (2)(a) Whenever any corporation, labor organization, campaign2962
committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or 2963
political action committee makes an independent expenditure in 2964
support of or opposition to any ballot issue or question, the 2965
corporation or labor organization shall report the independent 2966
expenditure in accordance with division (C) of section 3599.03 of 2967
the Revised Code, and the campaign committee, fund, party, or 2968
political action committee shall report the independent 2969
expenditure and identify the ballot issue or question on a 2970
statement prescribed by the secretary of state and filed by the 2971
campaign committee, fund, political party, or political action 2972
committee as part of its statement of contributions and 2973
expenditures pursuant to division (A) of section 3517.10 and 2974
division (A) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code.2975

       (b) Whenever any individual, partnership, or other entity, 2976
except a corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, 2977
legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or 2978
political party, makes one or more independent expenditures in 2979
excess of one hundred dollars in support of or opposition to any 2980
ballot issue or question, the individual, partnership, or other 2981
entity shall file with the secretary of state in the case of a 2982
statewide ballot issue or question, or with the board of elections 2983
in the county that certifies the issue or question for placement 2984
on the ballot in the case of a district or local issue or 2985
question, not later than the dates specified in divisiondivisions2986
(A)(1), (2), and (3), and (4) of section 3517.10 of the Revised 2987
Code, and, except as otherwise provided in that section, a 2988
statement itemizing all independent expenditures made during the 2989
period since the close of business on the last day reflected in 2990
the last previously filed such statement, if any. The statement2991
shall be made on a form prescribed by the secretary of state or2992
shall be filed by electronic means of transmission pursuant to2993
division (G) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code as authorized 2994
or required by that division. The statement shall indicate the 2995
date and the amount of each independent expenditure and the ballot 2996
issue or question in support of or opposition to which it was made 2997
and shall be made under penalty of election falsification.2998

       (3) No person, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, 2999
political action committee, corporation, labor organization, or 3000
other organization or association shall use or cause to be used a 3001
false or fictitious name in making an independent expenditure in 3002
support of or opposition to any candidate or any ballot issue or 3003
question. A name is false or fictitious if the person, campaign 3004
committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee,3005
corporation, labor organization, or other organization or 3006
association does not actually exist or operate, if the 3007
corporation, labor organization, or other organization or 3008
association has failed to file a fictitious name or other 3009
registration with the secretary of state, if it is required to do3010
so, or if the person, campaign committee, legislative campaign 3011
fund, or political action committee has failed to file a 3012
designation of the appointment of a treasurer, if it is required 3013
to do so by division (D)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised3014
Code.3015

       (D) Any expenditure by a political party for the purpose of 3016
financing communications advocating the election or defeat of a 3017
candidate for judicial office shall be deemed to be an independent 3018
expenditure subject to the provisions of this section.3019

       Sec. 3517.106.  (A) As used in this section:3020

       (1) "Statewide office" means any of the offices of governor,3021
lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of state,3022
treasurer of state, attorney general, chief justice of the supreme3023
court, and justice of the supreme court.3024

       (2) "Addendum to a statement" includes an amendment or other3025
correction to that statement.3026

       (B)(1) The secretary of state shall store on computer the3027
information contained in statements of contributions and3028
expenditures and monthly statements required to be filed under3029
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and in statements of3030
independent expenditures required to be filed under section3031
3517.105 of the Revised Code by any of the following:3032

       (1)(a) The campaign committees of candidates for statewide3033
office;3034

       (2)(b) The political action committees and political3035
contributing entities described in division (A)(1) of section3036
3517.11 of the Revised Code;3037

       (3)(c) Legislative campaign funds;3038

       (4)(d) State political parties;3039

       (5)(e) Individuals, partnerships, corporations, labor3040
organizations, or other entities that make independent3041
expenditures in support of or opposition to a statewide candidate3042
or a statewide ballot issue or question;3043

       (6)(f) The campaign committees of candidates for the office 3044
of member of the general assembly;3045

       (g) County political parties, with respect to their state 3046
candidate funds.3047

       (2) The secretary of state shall store on computer the 3048
information contained in disclosure of electioneering 3049
communications statements required to be filed under section 3050
3517.1011 of the Revised Code.3051

       (3) The secretary of state shall store on computer the 3052
information contained in deposit and disbursement statements 3053
required to be filed with the office of the secretary of state 3054
under section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code.3055

       (C)(1) The secretary of state shall make available to the3056
campaign committees, political action committees, political3057
contributing entities, legislative campaign funds, political3058
parties, individuals, partnerships, corporations, labor3059
organizations, and other entities described in division (B) of3060
this section, and to members of the news media and other3061
interested persons, for a reasonable fee, computer programs that3062
are compatible with the secretary of state's method of storing the3063
information contained in the statements.3064

       (2) The secretary of state shall make the information3065
required to be stored under division (B) of this section available3066
on computer at the secretary of state's office so that, to the3067
maximum extent feasible, individuals may obtain at the secretary3068
of state's office any part or all of that information for any3069
given year, subject to the limitation expressed in division (D) of3070
this section.3071

       (D) The secretary of state shall keep the information stored3072
on computer under division (B) of this section for at least six3073
years.3074

       (E)(1) Subject to division (L) of this section and subject to 3075
the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified 3076
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state 3077
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and3078
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised 3079
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic 3080
means of transmission, the campaign committee of each candidate 3081
for statewide office may file the statements prescribed by section 3082
3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission 3083
or, if the total amount of the contributions received or the total 3084
amount of the expenditures made by the campaign committee for the 3085
applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of 3086
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars, 3087
shall file those statements by electronic means of transmission.3088

       Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five3089
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a3090
candidate for statewide office is received by the secretary of3091
state by electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary3092
of state shall make available online to the public through the3093
internet, as provided in division (I) of this section, the3094
contribution and expenditure information in that statement. The3095
secretary of state shall not make available online to the public3096
through the internet any contribution or expenditure information3097
contained in a statement for any candidate until the secretary of3098
state is able to make available online to the public through the3099
internet the contribution and expenditure information for all3100
candidates for a particular office, or until the applicable filing 3101
deadline for that statement has passed, whichever is sooner. As 3102
soon as the secretary of state has available all of thatthe 3103
contribution and expenditure information for all candidates for a 3104
particular office, or as soon as the applicable filing deadline 3105
for a statement has passed, whichever is sooner, the secretary of3106
state shall simultaneously make available online to the public3107
through the internet the information for all candidates for a3108
particularthat office.3109

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is3110
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the3111
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division3112
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the campaign3113
committee shall file by electronic means of transmission any3114
addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary3115
to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the3116
secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.3117

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3118
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for statewide3119
office an addendum to the statement or an amended statement by3120
electronic or other means of transmission under this division or3121
division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the3122
secretary of state shall make the contribution and expenditure3123
information in the addendum or amended statement available online3124
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of3125
this section.3126

       (2) Subject to division (E)(3) of this section and subject to 3127
the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified3128
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state3129
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and3130
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised3131
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic3132
means of transmission, a political action committee and a 3133
political contributing entity described in division (B)(2)(1)(b)3134
of this section, a legislative campaign fund, and a state 3135
political party may file the statements prescribed by section 3136
3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission 3137
or, if the total amount of the contributions received or the total 3138
amount of the expenditures made by the political action committee, 3139
legislative campaign fund, or state political party for the 3140
applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of 3141
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars, 3142
shall file those statements by electronic means of transmission.3143

       Within five business days after a statement filed by a3144
political action committee or a political contributing entity3145
described in division (B)(2)(1)(b) of this section, a legislative3146
campaign fund, or a state political party is received by the3147
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,3148
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public3149
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,3150
the contribution and expenditure information in that statement.3151

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is3152
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the3153
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division3154
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the political3155
action committee, political contributing entity, legislative3156
campaign fund, or state political party shall file by electronic3157
means of transmission any addendum to the statement that provides3158
the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or,3159
if required by the secretary of state under that division, an3160
amended statement.3161

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3162
receives from a political action committee or a political3163
contributing entity described in division (B)(2)(1)(b) of this 3164
section, a legislative campaign fund, or a state political party 3165
an addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic 3166
or other means of transmission under this division or division3167
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of3168
state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in3169
the addendum or amended statement available online to the public3170
through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.3171

       (3) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,3172
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the3173
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this3174
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of3175
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by3176
electronic means of transmission, a political action committee and 3177
a political contributing entity described in division (B)(2) of 3178
this section, a legislative campaign fund, and a statecounty3179
political party shall file the statements prescribed by section 3180
3517.10 of the Revised Code with respect to its state candidate 3181
fund by electronic means of transmission if the total amount of 3182
the contributions received or the total amount of the expenditures3183
made by the political action committee, political contributing3184
entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party for the3185
applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of3186
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars3187
to the office of the secretary of state.3188

       Within five business days after a statement filed by a3189
political action committee or a political contributing entity3190
described in division (B)(2) of this section, a legislative3191
campaign fund, or a statecounty political party with respect to 3192
its state candidate fund is received by the secretary of state by 3193
electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary of state 3194
shall make available online to the public through the internet, as 3195
provided in division (I) of this section, the contribution and 3196
expenditure information in that statement.3197

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is3198
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the3199
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division3200
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the political3201
action committee, political contributing entity, legislative3202
campaign fund, or statea county political party shall file by 3203
electronic means of transmission any addendum to the statement 3204
that provides the information necessary to complete or correct the 3205
statement or, if required by the secretary of state under that3206
division, an amended statement.3207

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3208
receives from a political action committee or a political3209
contributing entity described in division (B)(2) of this section,3210
a legislative campaign fund, or a statecounty political party an3211
addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic or3212
other means of transmission under this division or division3213
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of3214
state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in3215
the addendum or amended statement available online to the public3216
through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.3217

       (F)(1) Subject to division (F)(4)(L) of this section and3218
subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and3219
verified the successful operation of any system the secretary of3220
state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and3221
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised3222
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic3223
means of transmission or on computer disk, a campaign committee of 3224
a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or a 3225
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a 3226
court of appeals may file the statements prescribed by section 3227
3517.10 of the Revised Code in accordance with division (A)(2) of 3228
section 3517.11 of the Revised Code or by electronic means of3229
transmission to the office of the secretary of state or, until 3230
March 1, 2004, on computer disk with the appropriate board of 3231
elections specified in division (A)(2) of section 3517.11 of the 3232
Revised Codeif the total amount of the contributions received by 3233
the campaign committee for the applicable reporting period as 3234
specified in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code 3235
exceeds ten thousand dollars, shall file those statements by 3236
electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of 3237
state.3238

       Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five3239
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a3240
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or a 3241
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a 3242
court of appeals is received by the secretary of state by3243
electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary of state 3244
shall make available online to the public through the internet, as 3245
provided in division (I) of this section, the contribution and 3246
expenditure information in that statement. The secretary of state 3247
shall not make available online to the public through the internet 3248
any contribution or expenditure information contained in a3249
statement for any candidate until the secretary of state is able 3250
to make available online to the public through the internet the3251
contribution and expenditure information for all candidates for a3252
particular office, or until the applicable filing deadline for 3253
that statement has passed, whichever is sooner. As soon as the3254
secretary of state has available all of thatthe contribution and 3255
expenditure information for all candidates for a particular 3256
office, or as soon as the applicable filing deadline for a 3257
statement has passed, whichever is sooner, the secretary of state 3258
shall simultaneously make available online to the public through 3259
the internet the information for all candidates for a particular3260
that office.3261

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission or3262
on computer disk is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the3263
examination of the statement for completeness and accuracy3264
pursuant to division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised3265
Code, the campaign committee shall file by electronic means of3266
transmission to the office of the secretary of state, or, until3267
March 1, 2004, on computer disk with the appropriate board of 3268
elections if the original statement was filed on computer disk,3269
any addendum to the statement that provides the information3270
necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if required by3271
the secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.3272

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3273
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for the office3274
of member of the general assembly or a campaign committee of a 3275
candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals an 3276
addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic or 3277
other means of transmission under this division or division 3278
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of3279
state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in 3280
the addendum or amended statement available online to the public 3281
through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.3282

       (2) Until March 1, 2004, if a campaign committee of a3283
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly files a3284
statement of contributions and expenditures, an addendum to the3285
statement, or an amended statement by electronic means of3286
transmission or on computer disk pursuant to division (F)(1) of3287
this section, the campaign committee shall file as prescribed by3288
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the appropriate board of3289
elections specified in division (A)(2) of section 3517.11 of the3290
Revised Code a printed version of the statement, addendum, or3291
amended statement filed by electronic means of transmission or on3292
computer disk, in the format that the secretary of state shall3293
prescribe.3294

        If a statement, addendum, or amended statement is not filed 3295
by electronic means of transmission or on computer diskto the 3296
office of the secretary of state but is filed by printed version3297
only under division (A)(2) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code 3298
with the appropriate board of elections, the campaign committee of 3299
a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or a 3300
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a 3301
court of appeals shall file two copies of the printed version of 3302
the statement, addendum, or amended statement with the appropriate3303
board of elections. The board of elections shall send one of those 3304
copies by overnight delivery service to the secretary of state 3305
before the close of business on the day the board of elections 3306
receives the statement, addendum, or amended statement.3307

       (3)(a) Subject to division (F)(4) of this section and subject 3308
to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified 3309
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state 3310
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and3311
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised3312
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic3313
means of transmission or on computer disk, the secretary of state 3314
shall assess, and a campaign committee of a candidate for the 3315
office of member of the general assembly shall pay, a fee as 3316
provided in this division if the campaign committee has not filed 3317
the campaign finance statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of 3318
the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission or on 3319
computer disk pursuant to division (F)(1) of this section. The fee 3320
shall be calculated on the total contributions received for the 3321
applicable reporting period specified in division (A) of section 3322
3517.10 of the Revised Code as follows:3323

       (i) No fee for total contributions up to and including ten3324
thousand dollars;3325

       (ii) A fee of fifty dollars for total contributions of over3326
ten thousand dollars up to and including twenty-five thousand3327
dollars;3328

       (iii) A fee of one hundred fifty dollars for total3329
contributions over twenty-five thousand dollars up to and3330
including fifty thousand dollars;3331

       (iv) A fee of two hundred dollars for total contributions3332
over fifty thousand dollars.3333

       (b) No campaign committee of a candidate for the office of3334
member of the general assembly shall be required to pay the fee3335
prescribed by division (F)(3)(a) of this section in connection3336
with the filing of an addendum to a statement of contributions and3337
expenditures or in connection with the filing of an amended3338
statement.3339

       (c) The fee prescribed by division (F)(3)(a) of this section3340
shall be made payable to the secretary of state and shall be3341
collected by the appropriate board of elections at the time the3342
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of member of the3343
general assembly files the statement of contributions and3344
expenditures. The fee shall be sent along with the statement,3345
before the close of business on the day it is received, to the3346
secretary of state by overnight delivery service.3347

       (4) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,3348
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the3349
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this3350
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of3351
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by3352
electronic means of transmission, on and after March 1, 2004, a3353
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of member of the 3354
general assembly shall file the statements prescribed by section 3355
3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission to 3356
the secretary of state if the total amount of the contributions3357
received by the campaign committee for the applicable reporting3358
period as specified in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the3359
Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars.3360

       Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five3361
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a3362
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly is3363
received by the secretary of state by electronic or other means of3364
transmission, the secretary of state shall make available online3365
to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) of3366
this section, the contribution and expenditure information in that3367
statement. The secretary of state shall not make available online3368
to the public through the internet any contribution or expenditure3369
information contained in a statement for any candidate until the3370
secretary of state is able to make available online to the public3371
through the internet the contribution and expenditure information3372
for all candidates for a particular office. As soon as the3373
secretary of state has available all of that information, the3374
secretary of state shall simultaneously make available online to3375
the public through the internet the information for all candidates3376
for a particular office.3377

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is3378
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the3379
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division3380
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the campaign3381
committee of a candidate for the office of member of the general3382
assembly shall file by electronic means of transmission any3383
addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary3384
to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the3385
secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.3386

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3387
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for the office3388
of member of the general assembly an addendum to the statement or3389
an amended statement by electronic or other means of transmission3390
under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of3391
the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the3392
contribution and expenditure information in the addendum or3393
amended statement available online to the public through the3394
internet as provided in division (I) of this section.3395

       (G)(1) Subject to division (G)(2) of this section and subject3396
to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified 3397
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state 3398
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and3399
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised3400
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic3401
means of transmission, any individual, partnership, or other 3402
entity that makes independent expenditures in support of or3403
opposition to a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot issue or3404
question as provided in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section3405
3517.105 of the Revised Code may file the statement specified in3406
that division by electronic means of transmission or, if the total 3407
amount of independent expenditures made during the reporting 3408
period under that division exceeds ten thousand dollars, shall 3409
file the statement specified in that division by electronic means 3410
of transmission.3411

       Within five business days after a statement filed by an3412
individual, partnership, or other entity is received by the3413
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,3414
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public3415
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,3416
the expenditure information in that statement.3417

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is3418
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the3419
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division3420
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the individual,3421
partnership, or other entity shall file by electronic means of3422
transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the3423
information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if3424
required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended3425
statement.3426

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3427
receives from an individual, partnership, or other entity3428
described in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.1053429
of the Revised Code an addendum to the statement or an amended3430
statement by electronic or other means of transmission under this3431
division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised3432
Code, the secretary of state shall make the expenditure3433
information in the addendum or amended statement available online3434
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of3435
this section.3436

       (2) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,3437
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the3438
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this3439
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of3440
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by3441
electronic means of transmission, any individual, partnership, or3442
other entity that makes independent expenditures in support of or 3443
opposition to a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot issue or 3444
question as provided in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3445
3517.105 of the Revised Code shall file the statement specified in 3446
that division by electronic means of transmission if the total3447
amount of the independent expenditures made during the reporting 3448
period under that division exceeds ten thousand dollars.3449

       Within five business days after a statement filed by an3450
individual, partnership, or other entity is received by the3451
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,3452
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public3453
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,3454
the expenditure information in that statement.3455

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is3456
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the3457
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division3458
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the individual,3459
partnership, or other entity shall file by electronic means of3460
transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the3461
information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if3462
required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended3463
statement.3464

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3465
receives from an individual, partnership, or other entity3466
described in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.1053467
of the Revised Code an addendum to the statement or an amended3468
statement by electronic or other means of transmission under this3469
division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised3470
Code, the secretary of state shall make the expenditure3471
information in the addendum or amended statement available online3472
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of3473
this section.3474

       (H)(1) The secretary of state, by rule adopted pursuant to3475
section 3517.23 of the Revised Code, shall prescribe one or more3476
techniques by which a person who executes and transmits by3477
electronic means a statement of contributions and expenditures, a3478
statement of independent expenditures, a disclosure of 3479
electioneering communications statement, or a deposit and 3480
disbursement statement, an addendum to either statementany of 3481
those statements, an amended statement of contributions and3482
expenditures, or an amended statement of independent expenditures, 3483
an amended disclosure of electioneering communications statement, 3484
or an amended deposit and disbursement statement, under this3485
section or section 3517.10 or, 3517.105, 3517.1011, or 3517.10123486
of the Revised Code shall electronically sign the statement, 3487
addendum, or amended statement. Any technique prescribed by the 3488
secretary of state pursuant to this division shall create an 3489
electronic signature that satisfies all of the following:3490

       (a) It is unique to the signer.3491

       (b) It objectively identifies the signer.3492

       (c) It involves the use of a signature device or other means3493
or method that is under the sole control of the signer and that3494
cannot be readily duplicated or compromised.3495

       (d) It is created and linked to the electronic record to3496
which it relates in a manner that, if the record or signature is3497
intentionally or unintentionally changed after signing, the3498
electronic signature is invalidated.3499

       (2) An electronic signature prescribed by the secretary of3500
state under division (H)(1) of this section shall be attached to3501
or associated with the statement of contributions and3502
expenditures, the statement of independent expenditures, the 3503
disclosure of electioneering communications statement, or the 3504
deposit and disbursement statement, the addendum to either 3505
statementany of those statements, the amended statement of3506
contributions and expenditures, or the amended statement of3507
independent expenditures, the amended disclosure of electioneering 3508
communications statement, or the amended deposit and disbursement 3509
statement that is executed and transmitted by electronic means by 3510
the person to whom the electronic signature is attributed. The 3511
electronic signature that is attached to or associated with the 3512
statement, addendum, or amended statement under this division 3513
shall be binding on all persons and for all purposes under the 3514
campaign finance reporting law as if the signature had been 3515
handwritten in ink on a printed form of the statement, addendum, 3516
or amended statement.3517

       (I) The secretary of state shall make the contribution and3518
expenditure, the contribution and disbursement, or the deposit and 3519
disbursement information in all statements, all addenda to the3520
statements, and all amended statements that are filed with the3521
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission3522
under this section or section 3517.10, 3517.105, 3517.1011, 3523
3517.1012, or 3517.11 of the Revised Code available online to the 3524
public by any means that are searchable, viewable, and accessible 3525
through the internet.3526

       (J)(1) As used in this division, "library" means a library3527
that is open to the public and that is one of the following:3528

       (a) A library that is maintained and regulated under section3529
715.13 of the Revised Code;3530

       (b) A library that is created, maintained, and regulated3531
under Chapter 3375. of the Revised Code.3532

       (2) The secretary of state shall notify all libraries of the3533
location on the internet at which the contribution and 3534
expenditure, contribution and disbursement, or deposit and 3535
disbursement information in campaign finance statements required 3536
to be made available online to the public through the internet 3537
pursuant to division (I) of this section may be accessed.3538

       If that location is part of the graphical subnetwork called3539
the world wide web and if the secretary of state has notified a 3540
library of that world wide web location as required by this 3541
division, the library shall include a link to that world wide web 3542
location on each internet-connected computer it maintains that is 3543
accessible to the public.3544

       (3) If the system the secretary of state prescribes for the3545
filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of3546
transmission pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and3547
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised3548
Code includes filing those statements through the internet via an3549
interactive location on the graphical subnetwork called the world3550
wide web, the secretary of state shall notify all libraries of the3551
world wide web location at which those statements may be filed.3552

       If those statements may be filed through the internet via an 3553
interactive location on the graphical subnetwork called the world 3554
wide web and if the secretary of state has notified a library of 3555
that world wide web location as required by this division, the 3556
library shall include a link to that world wide web location on 3557
each internet-connected computer it maintains that is accessible 3558
to the public.3559

       (K) It is an affirmative defense to a complaint or charge3560
brought against any campaign committee, political action3561
committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party, 3562
political contributing entity, orany individual, partnership, or 3563
other entity, or any electioneering communication committee, for 3564
the failure to file by electronic means of transmission a campaign 3565
finance statement as required by this section or section 3517.10 3566
or, 3517.105, 3517.1011, or 3517.1012 of the Revised Code that all 3567
of the following apply to the campaign committee, political action 3568
committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party, 3569
political contributing entity, orthe individual, partnership, or 3570
other entity, or the electioneering communication committee, that 3571
failed to so file the required statement:3572

       (1) The campaign committee, political action committee,3573
legislative campaign fund, or political party, political 3574
contributing entity, orthe individual, partnership, or other 3575
entity, or the electioneering communication committee attempted to3576
file by electronic means of transmission the required statement3577
prior to the deadline set forth in the applicable section.3578

       (2) The campaign committee, political action committee,3579
legislative campaign fund, or political party, political 3580
contributing entity, orthe individual, partnership, or other 3581
entity, or the electioneering communication committee was unable 3582
to file by electronic means of transmission due to an expected or3583
unexpected shutdown of the whole or part of the electronic3584
campaign finance statement-filing system, such as for maintenance3585
or because of hardware, software, or network connection failure.3586

       (3) The campaign committee, political action committee,3587
legislative campaign fund, or political party, political 3588
contributing entity, orthe individual, partnership, or other 3589
entity, or the electioneering communication committee filed by3590
electronic means of transmission the required statement within a3591
reasonable period of time after being unable to so file it under3592
the circumstance described in division (K)(2) of this section.3593

       (L)(1) The secretary of state shall adopt rules pursuant to 3594
Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to permit a campaign committee of 3595
a candidate for statewide office that makes expenditures of less 3596
than twenty-five thousand dollars during the filing period or a 3597
campaign committee for the office of member of the general 3598
assembly or the office of judge of a court of appeals that would 3599
otherwise be required to file campaign finance statements by 3600
electronic means of transmission under division (E) or (F) of this 3601
section to file those statements by paper with the office of the 3602
secretary of state. Those rules shall provide for all of the 3603
following:3604

       (a) An eligible campaign committee that wishes to file a 3605
campaign finance statement by paper instead of by electronic means 3606
of transmission shall file the statement on paper with the office 3607
of the secretary of state not sooner than twenty-four hours after 3608
the end of the filing period set forth in section 3517.10 of the 3609
Revised Code that is covered by the applicable statement.3610

       (b) The statement shall be accompanied by a fee, the amount 3611
of which the secretary of state shall determine by rule. The 3612
amount of the fee established under this division shall not exceed 3613
the data entry and data verification costs the secretary of state 3614
will incur to convert the information on the statement to an 3615
electronic format as required under division (I) of this section.3616

       (c) The secretary of state shall arrange for the information 3617
in campaign finance statements filed pursuant to division (L) of 3618
this section to be made available online to the public through the 3619
internet in the same manner, and at the same times, as information 3620
is made available under divisions (E), (F), and (I) of this 3621
section for candidates whose campaign committees file those 3622
statements by electronic means of transmission.3623

       (d) The candidate of an eligible campaign committee that 3624
intends to file a campaign finance statement pursuant to division 3625
(L) of this section shall file an affidavit indicating that the 3626
candidate's campaign committee intends to so file and stating that 3627
filing the statement by electronic means of transmission would 3628
constitute a hardship for the candidate or for the eligible 3629
campaign committee.3630

       (e) An eligible campaign committee that files a campaign 3631
finance statement on paper pursuant to division (L) of this 3632
section shall review the contribution and information made 3633
available online by the secretary of state with respect to that 3634
paper filing and shall notify the secretary of state of any errors 3635
with respect to that filing that appear in the data made available 3636
on that web site.3637

       (f) If an eligible campaign committee whose candidate has 3638
filed an affidavit in accordance with rules adopted under division 3639
(L)(1)(d) of this section subsequently fails to file that 3640
statement on paper by the applicable deadline established in rules 3641
adopted under division (L)(1)(a) of this section, penalties for 3642
the late filing of the campaign finance statement shall apply to 3643
that campaign committee for each day after that paper filing 3644
deadline, as if the campaign committee had filed the statement 3645
after the applicable deadline set forth in division (A) of section 3646
3517.10 of the Revised Code.3647

       (2) The process for permitting campaign committees that would 3648
otherwise be required to file campaign finance statements by 3649
electronic means of transmission to file those statements on paper 3650
with the office of the secretary of state that is required to be 3651
developed under division (L)(1) of this section shall be in effect 3652
and available for use by eligible campaign committees for all 3653
campaign finance statements that are required to be filed on or 3654
after June 30, 2005. Notwithstanding any provision of the Revised 3655
Code to the contrary, if the process the secretary of state is 3656
required to develop under division (L)(1) of this section is not 3657
in effect and available for use on and after June 30, 2005, all 3658
penalties for the failure of campaign committees to file campaign 3659
finance statements by electronic means of transmission shall be 3660
suspended until such time as that process is in effect and 3661
available for use.3662

       (3) Notwithstanding any provision of the Revised Code to the 3663
contrary, any eligible campaign committee that files campaign 3664
finance statements on paper with the office of the secretary of 3665
state pursuant to division (L)(1) of this section shall be deemed 3666
to have filed those campaign finance statements by electronic 3667
means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state.3668

       Sec. 3517.108.  (A) As used in divisions (A) and (B) of this 3669
section:3670

       (1) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in section 3517.01 of 3671
the Revised Code but includes only candidates for the offices of 3672
governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of 3673
state, treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state 3674
board of education, member of the general assembly, chief justice 3675
of the supreme court, and justice of the supreme court.3676

       (2) A "general election period" begins on the day after the 3677
primary election immediately preceding the general election at 3678
which a candidate seeks an office specified in division (A)(1) of 3679
this section and ends on the thirty-first day of December 3680
following that general election.3681

       (3) A "primary election period" begins on the first day of 3682
January of the year following the year in which the general 3683
election was held for the office that the candidate seeks, 3684
including any mid-term election, and ends on the day of the 3685
primary election.3686

       (B) Whenever the campaign committee of a candidate has unpaid 3687
debt at the end of a primary election period or at the end of a 3688
general election period, the committee may accept additional 3689
contributions during the immediately following election period up 3690
to the applicable limitation prescribed under section 3517.102 of 3691
the Revised Code from any individual, political action committee, 3692
political contributing entity, or other campaign committee who,3693
during the primary or general election period for which debt3694
remains unpaid, has contributed less than the contribution3695
limitations prescribed under section 3517.102 of the Revised Code 3696
applicable to that individual, political action committee,3697
political contributing entity, or other campaign committee. Any 3698
additional contribution that a campaign committee accepts under 3699
this division shall count toward the applicable limitations 3700
prescribed under section 3517.102 of the Revised Code for that 3701
primary or general election period at the end of which the debt 3702
remains unpaid, and shall not count toward the applicable 3703
limitations for any other primary or general election period if 3704
all of the following conditions apply:3705

       (1) The campaign committee reports, on the statement required 3706
to be filed under division (A)(2) of section 3517.10 of the 3707
Revised Code, all debt remaining unpaid at the end of the election 3708
period. The committee shall also file a separate statement, on a 3709
form prescribed by the secretary of state, at the same time that 3710
the committee is required to file a statement of contributions and3711
expenditures under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. The 3712
separate statement shall include the name and address of each 3713
contributor who makes an additional contribution under division 3714
(B) of this section, how the contribution was applied to pay the 3715
unpaid debt as required by division (B)(3) of this section, and 3716
the balance of the unpaid debt after each contribution was applied 3717
to it.3718

       (2) The additional contributions are accepted only during the 3719
primary or general election period, whichever is applicable,3720
immediately following the election period covered in the statement 3721
filed under division (B)(1) of this section.3722

       (3) All additional contributions made under division (B) of 3723
this section are used by the campaign committee that receives them 3724
only to pay the debt of the committee reported under division 3725
(B)(1) of this section.3726

       (4) The campaign committee maintains a separate account for 3727
all additional contributions made under division (B) of this 3728
section, and uses moneys in that account only to pay the unpaid 3729
debt reported under division (B)(1) of this section and to 3730
administer the account.3731

       (5) The campaign committee stops accepting additional3732
contributions after funds sufficient to repay the unpaid debt 3733
reported under division (B)(1) of this section have been raised 3734
and promptly disposes of any contributions received that exceed 3735
the amount of the unpaid debt by returning the excess 3736
contributions to the contributors or by giving the excess3737
contributions to an organization that is exempt from federal 3738
income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in 3739
subsection 501(c)(3), (4), (8), (10), or (19) of the Internal 3740
Revenue Code.3741

       Sec. 3517.109.  (A) As used in this section:3742

       (1) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in section 3517.01 of 3743
the Revised Code but includes only candidates for the offices of 3744
governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of3745
state, treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state3746
board of education, and member of the general assembly.3747

       (2) "Statewide candidate" means the joint candidates for the3748
offices of governor and lieutenant governor or a candidate for the3749
office of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of3750
state, attorney general, and member of the state board of3751
education.3752

       (3) "Senate candidate" means a candidate for the office of3753
state senator.3754

       (4) "House candidate" means a candidate for the office of3755
state representative.3756

       (5) "State office" means the offices of governor, lieutenant3757
governor, secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of3758
state, attorney general, member of the state board of education,3759
and member of the general assembly.3760

       (6) "Aggregate contribution" means the total of all3761
contributions from a contributor during the pre-filing period.3762

       (7) "Allowable aggregate contribution" means all of the3763
following:3764

       (a) In the case of a contribution from a contributor whose3765
contributions are subject to the contribution limits described in 3766
division (B)(1), (2), (3), or (6)(a), or (7) of section 3517.102 3767
of the Revised Code, that portion of the amount of the 3768
contributor's aggregate contribution that does not exceed the 3769
preprimary contribution limit applicable to that contributor.3770

       (b) In the case of a contribution or contributions from a3771
contributor whose contributions are not subject to the3772
contribution limits described in divisions (B)(1), (2), (3), or3773
(6)(a), or (7) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, the total3774
of the following:3775

       (i) That portion of the aggregate contribution that was3776
received as in-kind services;3777

       (ii) That portion of the aggregate contribution that was3778
received as cash and does not exceed the applicable preprimary3779
cash transfer or contribution limits described in division3780
(B)(6)(b) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code.3781

       (8) "Excess aggregate contribution" means, for each3782
contributor, the amount by which that contributor's aggregate3783
contribution exceeds that contributor's allowable aggregate3784
contribution.3785

       (9) "Pre-filing period" means the period of time ending on3786
the day that the candidacy petitions are due for the state office3787
for which the candidate has filed and beginning on the latest date3788
of the following:3789

       (a) The first day of January of the year following the3790
general election in which that state office was last on the3791
ballot;3792

       (b) The first day of January of the year following the3793
general election in which the candidate was last a candidate for3794
any office;3795

       (c) The first day of the month following the primary election 3796
in which the candidate was last a candidate for any office.3797

       (10) "Filing date" means the last date on which a candidacy3798
petition may be filed for an office.3799

       (11) "Applicable carry-in limit" means thirty-five thousand3800
dollars if the candidate is a house candidate or a candidate for3801
the state board of education, one hundred thousand dollars if the3802
candidate is a senate candidate, and two hundred thousand dollars3803
if the candidate is a statewide candidate other than a candidate3804
for the state board of education.3805

       (12) "Campaign asset" means prepaid, purchased, or donated3806
assets available to the candidate on the date of the filing3807
deadline for the office the candidate is seeking that will be3808
consumed or depleted in the course of the candidate's election3809
campaign, including, but not limited to, postage, prepaid rent for3810
campaign headquarters, prepaid radio, television, and newspaper3811
advertising, and other prepaid consulting and personal services.3812

       (13) "Permitted funds" means the sum of the following:3813

       (a) The total of the allowable aggregate contribution of each 3814
contributor;3815

       (b) The applicable carry-in limit.3816

       (14) "Excess funds" means the amount by which the sum of the3817
total cash on hand and total reported campaign assets exceeds3818
permitted funds.3819

       (15) "Covered candidate" means both of the following:3820

       (a) A candidate who, during the pre-filing period, accepts or 3821
has a campaign committee that accepts contributions on the 3822
candidate's behalf for the purpose of nominating or electing the 3823
candidate to any office not subject to the contribution limits 3824
prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code;3825

       (b) A person who, during the pre-filing period, accepts or 3826
has a campaign committee that accepts contributions on the 3827
person's behalf prior to the person deciding upon or announcing 3828
the office for which the person will become a candidate for 3829
nomination or election.3830

       (B) Each candidate who files for state office, not later than3831
the filing date for that office, shall dispose of any excess3832
funds. Each covered candidate who files for state office, not 3833
later than the filing date for that office, shall dispose of any 3834
excess aggregate contributions.3835

       (C) Any campaign committee that is required to dispose of3836
excess funds or excess aggregate contributions under division (B)3837
of this section shall dispose of that excess amount or amounts by3838
doing any of the following:3839

       (1) Giving the amount to the treasurer of state for deposit3840
into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio elections3841
commission fund created by division (I) of section 3517.152 of the 3842
Revised Code;3843

       (2) Giving the amount to individuals who made contributions3844
to that campaign committee as a refund of all or part of their3845
contributions;3846

       (3) Giving the amount to a corporation that is exempt from3847
federal income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in3848
subsection 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.3849

       (D)(1) Subject to division (D)(2) of this section, no 3850
candidate or covered candidate shall appear on the ballot, even if 3851
certified to appear on the ballot, unless the candidate's or 3852
covered candidate's campaign committee has disposed of excess 3853
funds, excess aggregate contributions, or both as required by 3854
divisions (B) and (C) of this section.3855

       (2) If the excess aggregate contributions accepted by a 3856
covered candidate or a covered candidate's campaign committee 3857
aggregate a total of less than five thousand dollars from all 3858
contributors, that candidate shall not be prohibited from 3859
appearing on the ballot under division (D)(1) of this section.3860

       (E)(1) The campaign committee of each candidate required to3861
dispose of excess funds under this section shall file a report, on3862
a form prescribed by the secretary of state, with the official or 3863
board with which the candidate is required to file statements 3864
under section 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The report shall be 3865
filed by the seventh day following the filing deadline for the3866
office the candidate is seeking, shall indicate the amount of 3867
excess funds disposed of, and shall describe the manner in which 3868
the campaign committee disposed of the excess amount.3869

       (2) In addition to the information required to be included in 3870
a report filed under division (E)(1) of this section, the campaign 3871
committee of each covered candidate required to dispose of excess 3872
aggregate contributions under this section shall include in that 3873
report the source and amount of each excess aggregate contribution 3874
disposed of and shall describe the manner in which the campaign 3875
committee disposed of the excess amount.3876

       (F)(1) Each campaign committee of a candidate who has filed a3877
declaration of candidacy or a nominating petition for a state3878
office, not later than seven days after the date of the filing3879
deadlinedate for the office the candidate is seeking, shall file 3880
a declaration of filing-day finances, on a form prescribed by the3881
secretary of state, with the official or board with which the3882
candidate is required to file statements under section 3517.11 of 3883
the Revised Code.3884

       (2) A declaration of filing-day finances shall list all of3885
the following:3886

       (a) The amount of cash on hand in the candidate's campaign3887
fund on the date of the filing deadlinedate for the office the 3888
candidate is seeking.3889

       (b) The value and description of all campaign assets worth3890
five hundred dollars or more available to the candidate on the3891
date of the filing date. Assets purchased by the campaign shall be3892
valued at actual cost, and in-kind contributions shall be valued3893
at market value.3894

       (c) The total of all aggregate contributions;3895

       (d) The total of all allowable aggregate contributions;3896

       (e) The applicable carry-in limit, if any.3897

       (3) In addition to the information required to be included in 3898
a report of filing-day finances filed under division (F)(1) of 3899
this section, the campaign committee of each covered candidate 3900
shall include both of the following in that report:3901

       (a) The total of all excess aggregate contributions;3902

       (b) For each contributor, if any, for whom there is an excess 3903
aggregate contribution, the name, address, aggregate contribution, 3904
and excess aggregate contribution.3905

       (G) A campaign committee of a candidate is not required to3906
file a declaration of filing-day finances under division (F) of3907
this section if all of the following apply:3908

       (1) The campaign committee has not accepted, during the3909
pre-filing period, any aggregate contribution greater than the3910
applicable amount.3911

       (2) The campaign committee had less than the carry-in amount3912
in cash on hand at the beginning of the pre-filing period.3913

       (3) The candidate files a declaration, on a form prescribed3914
by the secretary of state, with the official or board with which3915
the candidate is required to file statements under section 3517.113916
of the Revised Code not later than seven days after the date of3917
the filing deadlinedate for the office that candidate is seeking,3918
stating that the candidate's campaign committee has not accepted3919
aggregate contributions as described in division (G)(1) of this3920
section and has less than the carry-in amount in cash on hand as3921
described in division (G)(2) of this section.3922

       Sec. 3517.1011.  (A) As used in this section:3923

       (1) "Address" has the same meaning as in section 3517.10 of 3924
the Revised Code.3925

       (2) "Broadcast, cable, or satellite communication" means a 3926
communication that is publicly distributed by a television 3927
station, radio station, cable television system, or satellite 3928
system.3929

       (3) "Contribution" means any loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness 3930
of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds 3931
or of anything of value, including a transfer of funds from an 3932
inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the 3933
payment by any person other than the person to whom the services 3934
are rendered for the personal services of another person, that is 3935
made, received, or used to pay the direct costs of producing or 3936
airing electioneering communications.3937

       (4)(a) "Coordinated electioneering communication" means any 3938
electioneering communication that is made pursuant to any 3939
arrangement, coordination, or direction by a candidate or a 3940
candidate's campaign committee, by an officer, agent, employee, or 3941
consultant of a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee, or 3942
by a former officer, former agent, former employee, or former 3943
consultant of a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee 3944
prior to the airing, broadcasting, or cablecasting of the 3945
communication. An electioneering communication is presumed to be a 3946
"coordinated electioneering communication" when it is either of 3947
the following:3948

       (i) Based on information about a candidate's plans, projects, 3949
or needs provided to the electioneering communication committee 3950
making the disbursement by the candidate or the candidate's 3951
campaign committee, by an officer, agent, employee, or consultant 3952
of the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, or by a 3953
former officer, former agent, former employee, or former 3954
consultant of the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, 3955
with a view toward having the communication made;3956

       (ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been, 3957
authorized to raise or expend funds on behalf of a candidate or 3958
the candidate's campaign committee, who is, or has been, an 3959
officer, agent, employee, or consultant of the candidate or of the 3960
candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has been, receiving 3961
any form of compensation or reimbursement from the candidate or 3962
the candidate's campaign committee or from an officer, agent, 3963
employee, or consultant of the candidate or of the candidate's 3964
campaign committee.3965

       (b) An electioneering communication may only be considered to 3966
be a "coordinated electioneering communication" if the 3967
communication is made during one of the following periods of time:3968

       (i) Between the filing date for the office the candidate is 3969
seeking and the thirtieth day prior to the primary election at 3970
which candidates will be nominated for that office;3971

       (ii) Between the day of the primary election at which the 3972
candidate was nominated for office and the thirtieth day prior to 3973
the general election at which a candidate will be elected to that 3974
office.3975

       (c) An electioneering communication shall not be presumed to 3976
be a "coordinated electioneering communication" under division 3977
(A)(4)(a)(ii) of this section if the communication is made through 3978
any person who provides a service that does not affect the content 3979
of the communication, such as communications placed through the 3980
efforts of a media buyer, unless that person also affects the 3981
content of the communication.3982

       (5) "Disclosure date" means both of the following:3983

       (a) The first date during any calendar year by which an 3984
electioneering communication committee makes disbursements for the 3985
direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications 3986
aggregating in excess of one dollar;3987

       (b) The same day of the week of each remaining week in the 3988
same calendar year as the day of the week of the initial 3989
disclosure date established under division (A)(5)(a) of this 3990
section, if, during that remaining week, the electioneering 3991
communication committee makes disbursements for the direct costs 3992
of producing or airing electioneering communications aggregating 3993
in excess of one dollar.3994

       (6)(a) "Electioneering communication" means any broadcast, 3995
cable, or satellite communication that refers to a clearly 3996
identified candidate and that is made at any time other than 3997
during the thirty days preceding a primary election or during the 3998
thirty days preceding a general election.3999

       (b) "Electioneering communication" does not include any of 4000
the following:4001

       (i) A communication that is publicly disseminated through a 4002
means of communication other than a broadcast, cable, or satellite 4003
television or radio station. For example, "electioneering 4004
communication" does not include communications appearing in print 4005
media, including a newspaper or magazine, handbill, brochure, 4006
bumper sticker, yard sign, poster, billboard, and other written 4007
materials, including mailings; communications over the internet, 4008
including electronic mail; or telephone communications.4009

       (ii) A communication that appears in a news story, 4010
commentary, public service announcement, bona fide news 4011
programming, or editorial distributed through the facilities of 4012
any broadcast, cable, or satellite television or radio station, 4013
unless those facilities are owned or controlled by any political 4014
party, political committee, or candidate;4015

        (iii) A communication that constitutes an expenditure or an 4016
independent expenditure under section 3517.01 of the Revised Code;4017

       (iv) A communication that constitutes a candidate debate or 4018
forum or that solely promotes a candidate debate or forum and is 4019
made by or on behalf of the person sponsoring the debate or forum.4020

       (7) "Filing date" has the same meaning as in section 3517.109 4021
of the Revised Code.4022

       (8) "Immigration and Nationality Act" means the Immigration 4023
and Nationality Act, 110 Stat. 309 (1996), 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq., 4024
as amended.4025

       (9) "Person" has the same meaning as in section 1.59 of the 4026
Revised Code and includes any political organization considered 4027
exempt from income taxation under section 527 of the Internal 4028
Revenue Code.4029

       (10) "Political committee" means any of the following:4030

       (a) Any committee, club, association, or other group of 4031
persons that receives contributions aggregating in excess of one 4032
thousand dollars during a calendar year or that makes expenditures 4033
aggregating in excess of one thousand dollars during a calendar 4034
year;4035

       (b) Any separate segregated fund;4036

       (c) Any state, county, or local committee of a political 4037
party that does any of the following:4038

       (i) Receives contributions aggregating in excess of five 4039
thousand dollars during a calendar year;4040

       (ii) Makes payments that do not constitute contributions or 4041
expenditures aggregating in excess of five thousand dollars during 4042
a calendar year;4043

       (iii) Makes contributions or expenditures aggregating in 4044
excess of one thousand dollars during a calendar year.4045

       (11) "Publicly distributed" means aired, broadcast, 4046
cablecast, or otherwise disseminated for a fee.4047

       (12) "Refers to a clearly identified candidate" means that 4048
the candidate's name, nickname, photograph, or drawing appears, or 4049
the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent through an 4050
unambiguous reference to the person such as "the chief justice," 4051
"the governor," "member of the Ohio senate," "member of the Ohio 4052
house of representatives," "county auditor," "mayor," or "township 4053
trustee" or through an unambiguous reference to the person's 4054
status as a candidate.4055

       (B) For the purposes of this section, a person shall be 4056
considered to have made a disbursement if the person has entered 4057
into a contract to make the disbursement.4058

       (C) Any person or political committee intending to make a 4059
disbursement or disbursements for the direct costs of producing or 4060
airing electioneering communications shall establish an 4061
electioneering communication committee in accordance with this 4062
division. Such a person or political committee, prior to making 4063
the first disbursement for the direct costs of producing or airing 4064
an electioneering communication, shall file a notice with the 4065
office of the secretary of state that the person or political 4066
committee is establishing an electioneering communication 4067
committee for the purpose of making such disbursements.4068

       (D)(1) Every electioneering communication committee that 4069
makes a disbursement or disbursements for the direct costs of 4070
producing and airing electioneering communications aggregating in 4071
excess of one dollar during any calendar year shall file, within 4072
twenty-four hours of each disclosure date, a disclosure of 4073
electioneering communications statement containing the following 4074
information:4075

       (a) The full name and address of the electioneering 4076
communication committee making the disbursement, of any person 4077
sharing or exercising direction or control over the activities of 4078
the electioneering communication committee, and of the custodian 4079
of the books and accounts of the electioneering communication 4080
committee;4081

       (b) The principal place of business of the electioneering 4082
communication committee making the disbursement, if not an 4083
individual;4084

       (c) The amount of each disbursement of more than one dollar 4085
during the period covered by the statement and the identity of the 4086
person to whom the disbursement was made;4087

       (d) The nominations or elections to which the electioneering 4088
communications pertain and the names, if known, of the candidates 4089
identified or to be identified;4090

       (e) If the disbursements were paid out of a segregated bank 4091
account that consists of funds contributed solely by individuals 4092
who are United States citizens or nationals or lawfully admitted 4093
for permanent residence as defined in section 101(a)(20) of the 4094
Immigration and Nationality Act directly to the account for 4095
electioneering communications, the information specified in 4096
division (D)(2) of this section for all contributors who 4097
contributed an aggregate amount of two hundred dollars or more to 4098
the segregated bank account during the period beginning on the 4099
first day of the preceding calendar year and ending on the 4100
disclosure date. Nothing in this division prohibits or shall be 4101
construed to prohibit the use of funds in such a segregated bank 4102
account for a purpose other than electioneering communications.4103

       (f) If the disbursements were paid out of funds not described 4104
in division (D)(1)(e) of this section, the information specified 4105
in division (D)(2) of this section for all contributors who 4106
contributed an aggregate amount of two hundred dollars or more to 4107
the electioneering communication committee making the disbursement 4108
during the period beginning on the first day of the preceding 4109
calendar year and ending on the disclosure date.4110

       (2) For each contributor for which information is required to 4111
be reported under division (D)(1)(e) or (f) of this section, all 4112
of the following shall be reported:4113

       (a) The month, day, and year that the contributor made the 4114
contribution or contributions aggregating two hundred dollars or 4115
more;4116

       (b)(i) The full name and address of the contributor, and, if 4117
the contributor is a political action committee, the registration 4118
number assigned to the political action committee under division 4119
(D)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code;4120

       (ii) If the contributor is an individual, the name of the 4121
individual's current employer, if any, or, if the individual is 4122
self-employed, the individual's occupation and the name of the 4123
individual's business, if any;4124

       (iii) If the contribution is transmitted pursuant to section 4125
3599.031 of the Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages 4126
and salaries of two or more employees that exceed in the aggregate 4127
one hundred dollars during the period specified in division 4128
(D)(1)(e) or (f) of this section, as applicable, the full name of 4129
the employees' employer and the full name of the labor 4130
organization of which the employees are members, if any.4131

       (c) A description of the contribution, if other than money;4132

       (d) The value in dollars and cents of the contribution.4133

       (3) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented, 4134
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the 4135
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to divisions (C)(6)(b) and 4136
(D)(6) of section 3517.10 and division (H)(1) of section 3517.106 4137
of the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements 4138
by electronic means of transmission, an electioneering 4139
communication committee shall file the disclosure of 4140
electioneering communications statement prescribed under divisions 4141
(D)(1) and (2) of this section by electronic means of transmission 4142
to the office of the secretary of state.4143

       Within five business days after the secretary of state 4144
receives a disclosure of electioneering communications statement 4145
under this division, the secretary of state shall make available 4146
online to the public through the internet, as provided in division 4147
(I) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, the contribution and 4148
disbursement information in that statement.4149

       If a filed disclosure of electioneering communications 4150
statement is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after its 4151
examination for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division 4152
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the 4153
electioneering communication committee shall file by electronic 4154
means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state any 4155
addendum, amendment, or other correction to the statement that 4156
provides the information necessary to complete or correct the 4157
statement or, if required by the secretary of state under that 4158
division, an amended statement.4159

       Within five business days after the secretary of state 4160
receives an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a 4161
disclosure of electioneering communications statement or an 4162
amended statement by electronic means of transmission under this 4163
division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised 4164
Code, the secretary of state shall make the contribution and 4165
disbursement information in the addendum, amendment, or other 4166
correction to the statement or amended statement available online 4167
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of 4168
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code.4169

       (E)(1) Any person who makes a contribution for the purpose of 4170
funding the direct costs of producing or airing an electioneering 4171
communication under this section shall provide the person's full 4172
name and address to the recipient of the contribution at the time 4173
the contribution is made.4174

       (2) Any individual who makes a contribution or contributions 4175
aggregating two hundred dollars or more during the period 4176
specified in division (D)(1)(e) or (f) of this section, as 4177
applicable, for the purpose of funding the direct costs of 4178
producing or airing an electioneering communication under this 4179
section shall provide the name of the individual's current 4180
employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the 4181
individual's occupation and the name of the individual's business, 4182
if any, to the recipient of the contribution at the time the 4183
contribution is made.4184

       (F) In each electioneering communication, a statement shall 4185
appear or be presented in a clear and conspicuous manner that does 4186
both of the following:4187

       (1) Clearly indicates that the electioneering communication 4188
is not authorized by the candidate or the candidate's campaign 4189
committee;4190

       (2) Clearly identifies the electioneering communication 4191
committee making the disbursement for the electioneering 4192
communication in accordance with section 3517.20 of the Revised 4193
Code.4194

       (G) Any coordinated electioneering communication is an 4195
in-kind contribution, subject to the applicable contribution 4196
limits prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, to the 4197
candidate by the electioneering communication committee making 4198
disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing the 4199
communication.4200

       (H) No electioneering communication committee shall make, 4201
during the thirty days preceding a primary election or during the 4202
thirty days preceding a general election, any broadcast, cable, or 4203
satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified 4204
candidate.4205

       Sec. 3517.1012.  (A)(1) Each state and county political party 4206
shall establish a restricted fund that is separate from all other 4207
accounts of the political party.4208

       (2) A state or county political party shall deposit into its 4209
restricted fund all public moneys received from the Ohio political 4210
party fund under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code and all gifts 4211
that are made to or accepted by the political party from a 4212
corporation or labor organization subject to the applicable 4213
limitations prescribed in division (X) of section 3517.13 of the 4214
Revised Code. A state or county political party may deposit into 4215
its restricted fund any gifts that are made to or accepted by the 4216
political party from a source other than a corporation or labor 4217
organization.4218

       (3) Moneys in a state or county political party's restricted 4219
fund may be disbursed to pay costs incurred for any of the 4220
purposes specified in division (A) of section 3517.18 of the 4221
Revised Code. 4222

       (B) Except as otherwise provided in this division, a state or 4223
county political party shall file deposit and disbursement 4224
statements, in the same manner as the party is required to file 4225
statements of contributions and expenditures under section 3517.10 4226
of the Revised Code, regarding all deposits made into, and all 4227
disbursements made from, the party's restricted fund. Deposit and 4228
disbursement statements filed in accordance with this division by 4229
a county political party shall be filed by electronic means of 4230
transmission to the office of the secretary of state at the times 4231
specified in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code 4232
for the filing of statements of contributions and expenditures if 4233
the county political party accepts gifts from a corporation or 4234
labor organization under division (A)(2) of this section.4235

       Sec. 3517.11.  (A)(1) Campaign committees of candidates for4236
statewide officesoffice or the state board of education, 4237
political action committees or political contributing entities4238
that make contributions to campaign committees of candidates that 4239
are required to file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 4240
of the Revised Code with the secretary of state, political action4241
committees or political contributing entities that make4242
contributions to campaign committees of candidates for member of4243
the general assembly, political action committees or political4244
contributing entities that make contributions to state and4245
national political parties and to legislative campaign funds,4246
political action committees or political contributing entities4247
that receive contributions or make expenditures in connection with4248
a statewide ballot issue, political action committees or political4249
contributing entities that make contributions to other political4250
action committees or political contributing entities, political4251
parties, and campaign committees, except as set forth in division4252
(A)(3) of this section, legislative campaign funds, and state and4253
national political parties shall file the statements prescribed by4254
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the secretary of state.4255

       (2)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (F) of 4256
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, campaign committees of 4257
candidates for all other offices shall file the statements 4258
prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the board 4259
of elections where their candidates are required to file their 4260
petitions or other papers for nomination or election.4261

       (b) A campaign committee of a candidate for office of member 4262
of the general assembly or a campaign committee of a candidate for 4263
the office of judge of a court of appeals shall file two copies of 4264
the printed version of any statement, addendum, or amended 4265
statement if the committee does not file by electronic means of 4266
transmission or on computer disk pursuant to division (F)(1) or 4267
(L) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code but files by printed 4268
version only with the appropriate board of elections. The board of 4269
elections shall send one of those copies by overnight delivery 4270
service to the secretary of state before the close of business on 4271
the day the board of elections receives the statement, addendum, 4272
or amended statement.4273

       (3) Political action committees or political contributing4274
entities that only contribute to a county political party,4275
contribute to campaign committees of candidates whose nomination4276
or election is to be submitted only to electors within a county,4277
subdivision, or district, excluding candidates for member of the4278
general assembly, and receive contributions or make expenditures4279
in connection with ballot questions or issues to be submitted only4280
to electors within a county, subdivision, or district shall file4281
the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code4282
with the board of elections in that county or in the county4283
contained in whole or part within the subdivision or district4284
having a population greater than that of any other county4285
contained in whole or part within that subdivision or district, as4286
the case may be.4287

       (4) CountyExcept as otherwise provided in division (E)(3) of 4288
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code with respect to state 4289
candidate funds, county political parties shall file the 4290
statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with 4291
the board of elections of their respective counties.4292

       (B)(1) The official with whom petitions and other papers for4293
nomination or election to public office are filed shall furnish4294
each candidate at the time of that filing a copy of sections4295
3517.01, 3517.08 to 3517.11, 3517.13 to 3517.993, 3599.03, and4296
3599.031 of the Revised Code and any other materials that the4297
secretary of state may require. Each candidate receiving the4298
materials shall acknowledge their receipt in writing.4299

       (2) On or before the tenth day before the dates on which4300
statements are required to be filed by section 3517.10 of the4301
Revised Code, every candidate subject to the provisions of this4302
section and sections 3517.10 and 3517.106 of the Revised Code4303
shall be notified of the requirements and applicable penalties of4304
those sections. The secretary of state, by certified mail, return4305
receipt requested, shall notify all candidates required to file4306
those statements with the secretary of state's office. The board4307
of elections of every county shall notify by first class mail any4308
candidate who has personally appeared at the office of the board4309
on or before the tenth day before the statements are required to4310
be filed and signed a form, to be provided by the secretary of4311
state, attesting that the candidate has been notified of the4312
candidate's obligations under the campaign finance law. The board4313
shall forward the completed form to the secretary of state. The4314
board shall use certified mail, return receipt requested, to4315
notify all other candidates required to file those statements with4316
it.4317

       (3)(a) Any statement required to be filed under sections4318
3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code that is found to be4319
incomplete or inaccurate by the officer to whom it is submitted4320
shall be accepted on a conditional basis, and the person who filed4321
it shall be notified by certified mail as to the incomplete or4322
inaccurate nature of the statement. The secretary of state may4323
examine statements filed for candidates for the office of member4324
of the general assembly and candidates for the office of judge of 4325
a court of appeals for completeness and accuracy. The secretary of 4326
state shall examine for completeness and accuracy statements that4327
campaign committees of candidates for the office of member of the 4328
general assembly and campaign committees of candidates for the 4329
office of judge of a court of appeals file by electronic means of 4330
transmission pursuant to division (F) or (L) of section 3517.1064331
of the Revised Code. If an officer at the board of elections where 4332
a statement filed for a candidate for the office of member of the 4333
general assembly or for a candidate for the office of judge of a 4334
court of appeals was submitted finds the statement to be 4335
incomplete or inaccurate, the officer shall immediately notify the4336
secretary of state of its incomplete or inaccurate nature. If 4337
either an officer at the board of elections or the secretary of 4338
state finds a statement filed for a candidate for the office of 4339
member of the general assembly or for a candidate for the office 4340
of judge of a court of appeals to be incomplete or inaccurate, 4341
only the secretary of state shall send the notification as to the 4342
incomplete or inaccurate nature of the statement.4343

       Within twenty-one days after receipt of the notice, in the4344
case of a pre-election statement, a postelection statement, a 4345
monthly statement, or an annual statement, or a semiannual 4346
statement prescribed by section 3517.10, an annual statement4347
prescribed by section 3517.101, or a statement prescribed by4348
division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105 or section 4349
3517.107 of the Revised Code, the recipient shall file an 4350
addendum, amendment, or other correction to the statement 4351
providing the information necessary to complete or correct the 4352
statement. The secretary of state may require that, in lieu of 4353
filing an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement 4354
that is filed by electronic means of transmission to the office of4355
the secretary of state or on computer disk with the appropriate 4356
board of elections pursuant to section 3517.106 of the Revised 4357
Code, the recipient of the notice described in this division file 4358
by electronic means of transmission, or, until March 1, 2004, on 4359
computer disk with the appropriate board of elections if the 4360
original statement was filed on computer disk, an amended 4361
statement that incorporates the information necessary to complete 4362
or correct the statement. The4363

       The secretary of state shall determine by rule when an 4364
addendum, amendment, or other correction to aany of the following 4365
or when an amended statement of any of the following shall be 4366
filed:4367

       (i) A two-business-day statement prescribed by section 4368
3517.10 of the Revised Code or an amended two-business-day 4369
statement shall be filed;4370

       (ii) A disclosure of electioneering communications statement 4371
prescribed by division (D) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised 4372
Code;4373

       (iii) A deposit and disbursement statement prescribed under 4374
division (B) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code. An4375

       An addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement 4376
that is filed by electronic means of transmission or on computer 4377
disk pursuant to section 3517.106 of the Revised Code shall be 4378
filed in the same manner as the statement. The4379

       The provisions of sections 3517.10 and, 3517.106, 3517.1011, 4380
and 3517.1012 of the Revised Code pertaining to the filing of4381
statements of contributions and expenditures and, statements of4382
independent expenditures, disclosure of electioneering 4383
communications statements, and deposit and disbursement statements4384
by electronic means of transmission or on computer disk apply to 4385
the filing of addenda, amendments, or other corrections to those4386
statements by electronic means of transmission or, until March 1, 4387
2004, on computer disk and the filing of amended statements by 4388
electronic means of transmission or, until March 1, 2004, on4389
computer disk.4390

       (b) Within five business days after the secretary of state4391
receives, by electronic or other means of transmission, an4392
addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement or an4393
amended statement under division (B)(3)(a) of this section, the4394
secretary of state, pursuant to divisions (E), (F), (G), and (I)4395
of section 3517.106 or division (D) of section 3517.1011 of the 4396
Revised Code, shall make the contribution and expenditure, 4397
contribution and disbursement, or deposit and disbursement4398
information in that addendum, amendment, correction, or amended 4399
statement available online to the public through the internet.4400

       (4)(a) The secretary of state or the board of elections shall4401
examine all statements for compliance with sections 3517.08 to4402
3517.17 of the Revised Code.4403

       (b) The secretary of state may contract with an individual or 4404
entity not associated with the secretary of state and experienced 4405
in interpreting the campaign finance law of this state to conduct 4406
examinations of statements filed by any statewide candidate, as 4407
defined in section 3517.103 of the Revised Code.4408

       (c) The examination shall be conducted by a person or entity4409
qualified to conduct it. The results of the examination shall be4410
available to the public, and, when the examination is conducted by4411
an individual or entity not associated with the secretary of4412
state, the results of the examination shall be reported to the4413
secretary of state.4414

       (C)(1) In the event of a failure to file or a late filing of4415
a statement required to be filed under sections 3517.081 to4416
3517.17 of the Revised Code, or if a filed statement or any4417
addendum, amendment, or other correction to thea statement or any 4418
amended statement, if an addendum, amendment, or other correction 4419
or an amended statement is required to be filed, is incomplete or 4420
inaccurate or appears to disclose a failure to comply with or a4421
violation of law, the official whose duty it is to examine the 4422
statement shall promptly file a complaint with the Ohio elections 4423
commission under section 3517.153 of the Revised Code if the law 4424
is one over which the commission has jurisdiction to hear 4425
complaints, or the official shall promptly report the failure or 4426
violation to the board of elections and the board shall promptly4427
report it to the prosecuting attorney in accordance with division 4428
(J) of section 3501.11 of the Revised Code. If the official files 4429
a complaint with the commission, the commission shall proceed in 4430
accordance with sections 3517.154 to 3517.157 of the Revised Code.4431

       (2) For purposes of division (C)(1) of this section, a4432
statement or an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a 4433
statement or an amended statement required to be filed under4434
sections 3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code is incomplete or4435
inaccurate under this section if the statement or, addendum, 4436
amendment, other correction, or amended statement fails to 4437
disclose substantially all contributions that are received from a 4438
source and thator deposits that are made that are required to be 4439
reported under sections 3517.10, 3517.107, and 3517.108, 4440
3517.1011, and 3517.1012 of the Revised Code or if the statement 4441
or, addendum, amendment, other correction, or amended statement4442
fails to disclose at least ninety per cent of the total4443
contributions received or deposits made or of the total 4444
expenditures or disbursements made during the reporting period.4445

       (D) No certificate of nomination or election shall be issued4446
to a person, and no person elected to an office shall enter upon4447
the performance of the duties of that office, until that person or4448
that person's campaign committee, as appropriate, has fully4449
complied with this section and sections 3517.08, 3517.081,4450
3517.10, and 3517.13 of the Revised Code.4451

       Sec. 3517.13.  (A)(1) No campaign committee forof a 4452
statewide candidate whose candidacy for nomination or election was 4453
submitted to electors throughout the entire state shall fail to 4454
file a complete and accurate statement required under division 4455
(A)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.4456

       (2) No campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall fail 4457
to file a complete and accurate monthly statement, and no campaign4458
committee of a statewide candidate or a candidate for the office 4459
of chief justice or justice of the supreme court shall fail to 4460
file a complete and accurate two-business-day statement, as4461
required under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.4462

        As used in this division, "statewide candidate" has the same4463
meaning as in division (F)(2) of section 3517.10 of the Revised4464
Code.4465

       (B) No campaign committee for a candidate whose candidacy for 4466
nomination or election was submitted to electors within a county 4467
or district shall fail to file a complete and accurate statement4468
required under division (A)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised 4469
Code.4470

       (C) No campaign committee shall fail to file a complete and4471
accurate statement required under division (A)(2) of section4472
3517.10 of the Revised Code.4473

       (D) No campaign committee shall fail to file a complete and4474
accurate statement required under division (A)(3) or (4) of 4475
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.4476

       (E) No person other than a campaign committee shall knowingly 4477
fail to file a statement required under section 3517.10 or4478
3517.107 of the Revised Code.4479

       (F) No person shall make cash contributions to any person4480
totaling more than one hundred dollars in each primary, special,4481
or general election.4482

       (G)(1) No person shall knowingly conceal or misrepresent4483
contributions given or received, expenditures made, or any other4484
information required to be reported by a provision in sections4485
3517.08 to 3517.13 and 3517.17 of the Revised Code.4486

       (2)(a) No person shall make a contribution to a campaign4487
committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund,4488
political party, or political contributing entityelectioneering 4489
communication committee in the name of another person.4490

       (b) A person does not make a contribution in the name of4491
another when either of the following applies:4492

       (i) An individual makes a contribution from a partnership or 4493
other unincorporated business account, if the contribution is 4494
reported by listing both the name of the partnership or other4495
unincorporated business and the name of the partner or owner 4496
making the contribution as required under division (I) of section 4497
3517.10 of the Revised Code.4498

       (ii) A person makes a contribution in that person's spouse's4499
name or in both of their names.4500

       (H) No person within this state, publishing a newspaper or4501
other periodical, shall charge a campaign committee for political4502
advertising a rate in excess of the rate such person would charge4503
if the campaign committee were a general rate advertiser whose4504
advertising was directed to promoting its business within the same4505
area as that encompassed by the particular office that the4506
candidate of the campaign committee is seeking. The rate shall4507
take into account the amount of space used, as well as the type of4508
advertising copy submitted by or on behalf of the campaign4509
committee. All discount privileges otherwise offered by a4510
newspaper or periodical to general rate advertisers shall be4511
available upon equal terms to all campaign committees.4512

       No person within this state, operating a radio or television4513
station or network of stations in this state, shall charge a4514
campaign committee for political broadcasts a rate that exceeds:4515

       (1) During the forty-five days preceding the date of a4516
primary election and during the sixty days preceding the date of a4517
general or special election in which the candidate of the campaign4518
committee is seeking office, the lowest unit charge of the station4519
for the same class and amount of time for the same period;4520

       (2) At any other time, the charges made for comparable use of 4521
suchthat station by its other users.4522

       (I) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this4523
section, no agency or department of this state or any political4524
subdivision shall award any contract, other than one let by4525
competitive bidding or a contract incidental to such contract or4526
which is by force account, for the purchase of goods costing more4527
than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five4528
hundred dollars to any individual, partnership, association,4529
including, without limitation, a professional association4530
organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or4531
trust if the individual has made or the individual's spouse has4532
made, or any partner, shareholder, administrator, executor, or4533
trustee, or the spousesspouse of any of them has made, as an 4534
individual, within the two previous calendar years, one or more 4535
contributions totaling in excess of one thousand dollars to the 4536
holder of the public office having ultimate responsibility for the 4537
award of the contract or to the public officer's campaign 4538
committee.4539

       (J) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this4540
section, no agency or department of this state or any political4541
subdivision shall award any contract, other than one let by4542
competitive bidding or a contract incidental to such contract or4543
which is by force account, for the purchase of goods costing more4544
than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five4545
hundred dollars to a corporation or business trust, except a4546
professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the4547
Revised Code, if an owner of more than twenty per cent of the4548
corporation or business trust or the spouse of suchthat person,4549
has made, as an individual, within the two previous calendar 4550
years, taking into consideration only owners for all of suchthat4551
period, one or more contributions totaling in excess of one 4552
thousand dollars to the holder of a public office having ultimate 4553
responsibility for the award of the contract or to the public 4554
officer's campaign committee.4555

       (K) For purposes of divisions (I) and (J) of this section, if 4556
a public officer who is responsible for the award of a contract is 4557
appointed by the governor, whether or not the appointment is4558
subject to the advice and consent of the senate, excluding members4559
of boards, commissions, committees, authorities, councils, boards4560
of trustees, task forces, and other such entities appointed by the4561
governor, the office of the governor is considered to have4562
ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract.4563

       (L) For purposes of divisions (I) and (J) of this section, if 4564
a public officer who is responsible for the award of a contract is 4565
appointed by the elected chief executive officer of a municipal4566
corporation, or appointed by the elected chief executive officer4567
of a county operating under an alternative form of county4568
government or county charter, excluding members of boards,4569
commissions, committees, authorities, councils, boards of4570
trustees, task forces, and other such entities appointed by the4571
chief executive officer, the office of the chief executive officer4572
is considered to have ultimate responsibility for the award of the4573
contract.4574

       (M)(1) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to4575
contracts awarded by the board of commissioners of the sinking4576
fund, municipal legislative authorities, boards of education,4577
boards of county commissioners, boards of township trustees, or4578
other boards, commissions, committees, authorities, councils,4579
boards of trustees, task forces, and other such entities created4580
by law, by the supreme court or courts of appeals, by county4581
courts consisting of more than one judge, courts of common pleas4582
consisting of more than one judge, or municipal courts consisting4583
of more than one judge, or by a division of any court if the4584
division consists of more than one judge. Division (M)(1) of this4585
sectionThis division shall apply to the specified entity only if 4586
the members of the entity act collectively in the award of a 4587
contract for goods or services.4588

       (2) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to4589
actions of the controlling board.4590

       (N)(1) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section apply to4591
contributions made to the holder of a public office having4592
ultimate responsibility for the award of a contract, or to the4593
public officer's campaign committee, during the time the person4594
holds the office and during any time such person was a candidate4595
for the office. TheseThose divisions do not apply to 4596
contributions made to, or to the campaign committee of, a 4597
candidate for or holder of the office other than the holder of the 4598
office at the time of the award of the contract.4599

       (2) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to4600
contributions of a partner, shareholder, administrator, executor,4601
trustee, or owner of more than twenty per cent of a corporation or4602
business trust made before the person held any of those positions4603
or after the person ceased to hold any of those positions in the4604
partnership, association, estate, trust, corporation, or business4605
trust whose eligibility to be awarded a contract is being4606
determined, nor to contributions of the person's spouse made4607
before the person held any of those positions, after the person4608
ceased to hold any of those positions, before the two were4609
married, or after the granting of a decree of divorce, dissolution4610
of marriage, or nullityannulment, or after the granting of an 4611
order in an action brought solely for legal separation. These4612
Those divisions do not apply to contributions of the spouse of an 4613
individual whose eligibility to be awarded a contract is being 4614
determined made before the two were married, or after the granting 4615
of a decree of divorce, dissolution of marriage, or nullity4616
annulment, or after the granting of an order in an action brought 4617
solely for legal separation.4618

       (O) No beneficiary of a campaign fund or other person shall4619
convert for personal use, and no person shall knowingly give to a4620
beneficiary of a campaign fund or any other person, for the4621
beneficiary's or any other person's personal use, anything of4622
value from the beneficiary's campaign fund, including, without4623
limitation, payments to a beneficiary for services the beneficiary4624
personally performs, except as reimbursement for any of the4625
following:4626

       (1) Legitimate and verifiable prior campaign expenses4627
incurred by the beneficiary;4628

       (2) Legitimate and verifiable, ordinary, and necessary prior4629
expenses incurred by the beneficiary in connection with duties as4630
the holder of a public office, including, without limitation,4631
expenses incurred through participation in nonpartisan or4632
bipartisan events if the participation of the holder of a public4633
office would normally be expected;4634

       (3) Legitimate and verifiable ordinary and necessary prior4635
expenses incurred by the beneficiary while doing any of the 4636
following:4637

       (a) EngagedEngaging in activities in support of or 4638
opposition to a candidate other than the beneficiary, political 4639
party, or ballot issue;4640

       (b) Raising funds for a political party, political action4641
committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign4642
fund, campaign committee, or other candidate;4643

       (c) Participating in the activities of a political party,4644
political action committee, political contributing entity,4645
legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee; or4646

       (d) Attending a political party convention or other political 4647
meeting.4648

       For purposes of this division, an expense is incurred4649
whenever a beneficiary has either made payment or is obligated to4650
make payment, as by the use of a credit card or other credit4651
procedure or by the use of goods or services received on account.4652

       (P) No beneficiary of a campaign fund shall knowingly accept, 4653
and no person shall knowingly give to the beneficiary of a4654
campaign fund, reimbursement for an expense under division (O) of4655
this section to the extent that the expense previously was4656
reimbursed or paid from another source of funds. If an expense is4657
reimbursed under division (O) of this section and is later paid or4658
reimbursed, wholly or in part, from another source of funds, the4659
beneficiary shall repay the reimbursement received under division4660
(O) of this section to the extent of the payment made or4661
reimbursement received from the other source.4662

       (Q) No candidate or public official or employee shall accept4663
for personal or business use anything of value from a political4664
party, political action committee, political contributing entity,4665
legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee other than the4666
candidate's or public official's or employee's own campaign4667
committee, and no person shall knowingly give to a candidate or4668
public official or employee anything of value from a political4669
party, political action committee, political contributing entity,4670
legislative campaign fund, or such a campaign committee, except4671
for the following:4672

       (1) Reimbursement for legitimate and verifiable, ordinary,4673
and necessary prior expenses not otherwise prohibited by law4674
incurred by the candidate or public official or employee while4675
engaged in any legitimate activity of the political party,4676
political action committee, political contributing entity,4677
legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee. Without4678
limitation, reimbursable expenses under this division include4679
those incurred while doing any of the following:4680

       (a) EngagedEngaging in activities in support of or 4681
opposition to another candidate, political party, or ballot issue;4682

       (b) Raising funds for a political party, legislative campaign 4683
fund, campaign committee, or another candidate; or4684

       (c) Attending a political party convention or other political 4685
meeting.4686

       (2) Compensation not otherwise prohibited by law for actual4687
and valuable personal services rendered under a written contract4688
to the political party, political action committee, political4689
contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or such campaign4690
committee for any legitimate activity of the political party,4691
political action committee, political contributing entity,4692
legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee.4693

       Reimbursable expenses under this division do not include, and4694
it is a violation of this division for a candidate or public4695
official or employee to accept, or for any person to knowingly4696
give to a candidate or public official or employee from a4697
political party, political action committee, political4698
contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or campaign4699
committee other than the candidate's or public official's or4700
employee's own campaign committee, anything of value for4701
activities primarily related to the candidate's or public4702
official's or employee's own campaign for election, except for4703
contributions to the candidate's or public official's or4704
employee's campaign committee.4705

       For purposes of this division, an expense is incurred4706
whenever a candidate or public official or employee has either4707
made payment or is obligated to make payment, as by the use of a4708
credit card or other credit procedure, or by the use of goods or4709
services on account.4710

       (R)(1) Division (O) or (P) of this section does not prohibit4711
a campaign committee from making direct advance or post payment4712
from contributions to vendors for goods and services for which4713
reimbursement is permitted under division (O) of this section,4714
except that no campaign committee shall pay its candidate or other4715
beneficiary for services personally performed by the candidate or4716
other beneficiary.4717

       (2) If any expense that may be reimbursed under division (O), 4718
(P), or (Q) of this section is part of other expenses that may not 4719
be paid or reimbursed, the separation of the two types of expenses 4720
for the purpose of allocating for payment or reimbursement those 4721
expenses that may be paid or reimbursed may be by any reasonable 4722
accounting method, considering all of the surrounding 4723
circumstances.4724

       (3) For purposes of divisions (O), (P), and (Q) of this4725
section, mileage allowance at a rate not greater than that allowed4726
by the internal revenue service at the time the travel occurs may4727
be paid instead of reimbursement for actual travel expenses4728
allowable.4729

       (S)(1) As used in division (S) of this section:4730

       (a) "State elective office" has the same meaning as in4731
section 3517.092 of the Revised Code.4732

       (b) "Federal office" means a federal office as defined in the4733
Federal Election Campaign Act.4734

       (c) "Federal campaign committee" means a principal campaign4735
committee or authorized committee as defined in the Federal4736
Election Campaign Act.4737

       (2) No person who is a candidate for state elective office4738
and who previously sought nomination or election to a federal4739
office shall transfer any funds or assets from that person's4740
federal campaign committee for nomination or election to the4741
federal office to that person's campaign committee as a candidate4742
for state elective office.4743

       (3) No campaign committee of a person who is a candidate for4744
state elective office and who previously sought nomination or4745
election to a federal office shall accept any funds or assets from4746
that person's federal campaign committee for that person's4747
nomination or election to the federal office.4748

       (T)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(6)(c) of4749
section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, a state or county political4750
party shall not disburse moneys from any account other than a4751
state candidate fund to make contributions to any of the4752
following:4753

       (a) A state candidate fund;4754

       (b) A legislative campaign fund;4755

       (c) A campaign committee of a candidate for the office of4756
governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of4757
state, treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state4758
board of education, or member of the general assembly.4759

       (2) No state candidate fund, legislative campaign fund, or4760
campaign committee of a candidate for any office described in4761
division (T)(1)(c) of this section shall knowingly accept a4762
contribution in violation of division (T)(1) of this section.4763

       (U) No person shall fail to file the statement required under 4764
section 3517.12 of the Revised Code.4765

       (V) No campaign committee shall fail to file a statement4766
required under division (K)(3) of section 3517.10 of the Revised4767
Code.4768

       (W)(1) No foreign national shall, directly or indirectly4769
through any other person or entity, make a contribution,4770
expenditure, or independent expenditure or promise, either4771
expressly or implicitly, to make a contribution, expenditure, or4772
independent expenditure in support of or opposition to a candidate4773
for any elective office in this state, including an office of a4774
political party.4775

       (2) No candidate, campaign committee, political action4776
committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign4777
fund, state candidate fund, political party, or separate4778
segregated fund shall solicit or accept a contribution,4779
expenditure, or independent expenditure from a foreign national.4780
The secretary of state may direct any candidate, committee, fund,4781
entity, or party that accepts a contribution, expenditure, or4782
independent expenditure in violation of this division to return4783
the contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure or, if4784
it is not possible to return the contribution, expenditure, or4785
independent expenditure, then to return instead the value of it,4786
to the contributor.4787

       (3) As used in division (W) of this section, "foreign 4788
national" has the same meaning as in section 441e(b) of the 4789
Federal Election Campaign Act.4790

       (X)(1) No state or county political party shall transfer any 4791
moneys from its restricted fund to any account of the political 4792
party into which contributions may be made or from which 4793
contributions or expenditures may be made.4794

       (2)(a) No state or county political party shall deposit a 4795
contribution or contributions that it receives into its restricted 4796
fund. 4797

       (b) No state or county political party shall make a 4798
contribution or an expenditure from its restricted fund.4799

       (3)(a) No corporation or labor organization shall make a gift 4800
or gifts from the corporation's or labor organization's money or 4801
property aggregating more than ten thousand dollars to any one 4802
state or county political party for the party's restricted fund in 4803
a calendar year.4804

       (b) No state or county political party shall accept a gift or 4805
gifts for the party's restricted fund aggregating more than ten 4806
thousand dollars from any one corporation or labor organization in 4807
a calendar year. 4808

       (4) No state or county political party shall transfer any 4809
moneys in the party's restricted fund to any other state or county 4810
political party.4811

       (5) No state or county political party shall knowingly fail 4812
to file a statement required under section 3517.1012 of the 4813
Revised Code.4814

       Sec. 3517.151.  (A) On and after January 1, 1996, complaints 4815
with respect to acts or failures to act under the sections listed4816
in division (A) of section 3517.153 of the Revised Code shall be 4817
filed with the Ohio elections commission created under section4818
3517.152 of the Revised Code.4819

       (B)(1) If a complaint filed with the Ohio elections4820
commission created under section 3517.152 of the Revised Code4821
alleges an act or failure to act that occurred before August 24,4822
1995, and the commission imposes a fine, sections 3517.99 and4823
3517.991 of the Revised Code, and not sections 3517.992 and4824
3517.993 of the Revised Code, shall apply.4825

       (2) If a complaint filed with the Ohio elections commission4826
created under section 3517.152 of the Revised Code alleges an act4827
or failure to act that is a violation of section 3517.13 of the4828
Revised Code, former divisions (A) to (R) of that section apply to 4829
the act or failure to act if it occurred before August 24, 1995, 4830
former divisions (A) to (U) of that section apply to the act or 4831
failure to act if it occurs on or after August 24, 1995, but 4832
before July 13, 1998, former divisions (A) to (V) of that section 4833
apply to the act or failure to act if it occurs on or after July 4834
13, 1998, but before the effective date of this amendmentDecember 4835
22, 1999, andformer divisions (A) to (W) of that section apply to 4836
the act or failure to act if it occurs on or after the effective 4837
date of this amendmentDecember 22, 1999, but before the effective 4838
date of this amendment, and divisions (A) to (X) of that section 4839
apply to the act or failure to act if it occurs on or after the 4840
effective date of this amendment.4841

       (C) The Ohio elections commission created under section4842
3517.14 of the Revised Code is abolished at the close of business4843
on December 31, 1995.4844

       Sec. 3517.152.  (A)(1) There is hereby created the Ohio 4845
elections commission consisting of seven members.4846

       Not later than forty-five days after August 24, 1995, the4847
speaker of the house of representatives and the leader in the 4848
senate of the political party of which the speaker is a member 4849
shall jointly submit to the governor a list of five persons who 4850
are affiliated with that political party. Not later than 4851
forty-five days after August 24, 1995, the two legislative leaders 4852
in the two houses of the general assembly of the major political 4853
party of which the speaker is not a member shall jointly submit to4854
the governor a list of five persons who are affiliated with the 4855
major political party of which the speaker is not a member. Not 4856
later than fifteen days after receiving each list, the governor 4857
shall appoint three persons from each list to the commission. The 4858
governor shall appoint one person from each list to a term that 4859
ends on December 31, 1996, one person from each list to a term4860
that ends on December 31, 1997, and one person from each list to a4861
term that ends on December 31, 1998.4862

       Not later than thirty days after the governor appoints these 4863
six members, they shall, by a majority vote, appoint to the 4864
commission a seventh member, who shall not be affiliated with a 4865
political party. If the six members fail to appoint the seventh 4866
member within this thirty-day period, the chief justice of the 4867
supreme court, not later than thirty days after the end of the 4868
period during which the six members were required to appoint a 4869
member, shall appoint the seventh member, who shall not be 4870
affiliated with a political party. The seventh member shall be 4871
appointed to a term that ends on December 31, 2001. Terms of the 4872
initial members appointed under this division begin on January 1, 4873
1996.4874

       (2) If a vacancy occurs in the position of the seventh 4875
member, who is not affiliated with a political party, the six 4876
remaining members by a majority vote shall appoint, not later than 4877
forty-five days after the date of the vacancy, the seventh member 4878
of the commission, who shall not be affiliated with a political 4879
party. If these members fail to appoint the seventh member within4880
this forty-five-day period, the chief justice of the supreme 4881
court, within fifteen days after the end of this period, shall 4882
appoint the seventh member, who shall not be affiliated with a 4883
political party. If a vacancy occurs in any of the other six 4884
positions on the commission, the legislative leaders of the 4885
political party from whose list of persons the member being 4886
replaced was appointed shall submit to the governor, not later 4887
than thirty days after the date of the vacancy, a list of three 4888
persons who are affiliated with that political party. Not later 4889
than fifteen days after receiving the list, the governor, with the 4890
advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint one person from 4891
the list to the commission.4892

       (3) At no time shall more than six members of the commission 4893
be affiliated with a political party, and, of these six members, 4894
not more than three shall be affiliated with the same political 4895
party.4896

       (4) In making appointments to the commission, the governor 4897
shall take into consideration the various geographic areas of this 4898
state and shall appoint members so that those areas are 4899
represented on the commission in a balanced manner, to the extent 4900
feasible.4901

       (5) Members of the commission shall be registered electors 4902
and shall be of good moral character.4903

       (B) Each member of the Ohio elections commission shall hold 4904
office from the date of the member's appointment until the end of 4905
the term for which the member was appointed. A member appointed to 4906
fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for 4907
which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for 4908
the remainder of that term. A member shall continue in office 4909
subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until the 4910
member's successor takes office or until a period of sixty days 4911
has elapsed, whichever occurs first. After the initial terms of 4912
office provided for in division (A)(1) of this section, terms of 4913
office shall be for five years.4914

       (C) A vacancy in the Ohio elections commission may be caused 4915
by death, resignation, or three absences from commission meetings 4916
in a calendar year if those absences are caused by reasons 4917
declared invalid by a vote of five members of the remaining 4918
members of the commission.4919

       (D) Each member of the Ohio elections commission while in the4920
performance of the business of the commission shall be entitled to 4921
receive compensation at the rate of twenty-five thousand dollars 4922
per year. Members shall be reimbursed for expenses actually and 4923
necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties.4924

       (E) No member of the Ohio elections commission shall serve 4925
more than one full term unless the terms served are served 4926
nonconsecutively.4927

       (F)(1) No member of the Ohio elections commission shall do or 4928
be any of the following:4929

       (a) Hold, or be a candidate for, a public office;4930

       (b) Serve on a committee supporting or opposing a candidate 4931
or ballot question or issue;4932

       (c) Be an officer of the state central committee, a county 4933
central committee, or a district, city, township, or other 4934
committee of a political party or an officer of the executive 4935
committee of the state central committee, a county central 4936
committee, or a district, city, township, or other committee of a 4937
political party;4938

       (d) Be a legislative agent as defined in section 101.70 of 4939
the Revised Code or an executive agency lobbyist as defined in 4940
section 121.60 of the Revised Code;4941

       (e) Solicit or be involved in soliciting contributions on 4942
behalf of a candidate, campaign committee, political party, or4943
political action committee, or political contributing entity;4944

       (f) Be in the unclassified service under section 124.11 of 4945
the Revised Code;4946

       (g) Be a person or employee described in divisions (C)(1) to 4947
(15) of section 4117.01 of the Revised Code.4948

       (2) No member or employee of the commission shall make a 4949
contribution to, or for the benefit of, a campaign committee or 4950
committee in support of or opposition to a ballot question or 4951
issue, a political party, a legislative campaign fund, or a4952
political action committee, or a political contributing entity.4953

       (G)(1) The members of the Ohio elections commission shall 4954
elect a chairperson and a vice-chairperson. At no time shall the4955
chairperson and vice-chairperson be affiliated with the same 4956
political party. The chairperson shall serve in that capacity for4957
one year and shall not serve as chairperson more than twice during 4958
a term as a member of the commission. No two successive 4959
chairpersons shall be affiliated with the same political party.4960

       (2) The commission shall meet at the call of the chairperson 4961
or upon the written request of a majority of the members. The4962
meetings and hearings of the commission or a panel of the 4963
commission under sections 3517.153 to 3517.157 of the Revised Code 4964
are subject to section 121.22 of the Revised Code.4965

       (3) The commission shall adopt rules for its procedures in 4966
accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. Five of the 4967
seven members constitute a quorum. Except as otherwise provided in 4968
this section and in sections 3517.154 to 3517.157 of the Revised 4969
Code, no action shall be taken without the concurrence of a 4970
majority of the members.4971

       (H)(1) The Ohio elections commission shall employ the4972
technical, professional, and clerical employees that are necessary4973
for it to carry out its duties.4974

       (2)(a) Notwithstanding section 109.02 of the Revised Code, 4975
the commission shall employ a full-time attorney, and, as needed, 4976
one or more investigatory attorneys to conduct investigations for 4977
the commission or a panel of the commission. The commission may 4978
employ or contract for the services of additional attorneys, as 4979
needed. The full-time attorney shall do all of the following:4980

       (i) Serve as the commission's attorney in regard to all legal 4981
matters, including representing the commission at appeals from a 4982
final determination of the commission, except that the full-time 4983
attorney shall not perform the duties that an investigatory 4984
attorney is required or requested to perform or that another 4985
attorney the commission employs or contracts with for services is 4986
required or requested to perform, and shall not represent the 4987
commission in any legal proceeding in which the commission is a 4988
named party;4989

       (ii) At the request of the commission or a panel of the 4990
commission, be present at a hearing held under sections 3517.154 4991
to 3517.156 of the Revised Code to rule on the admissibility of 4992
evidence and to advise on the conduct of procedure;4993

       (iii) Perform other duties as required by rule of the 4994
commission.4995

       (b) An attorney employed by or under contract with the 4996
commission shall be licensed to practice law in this state.4997

       (3)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(3)(b) of 4998
this section, at least five members of the commission shall agree 4999
on the employment of a person, a majority of the members shall 5000
agree on the discharge of an employee, and a person employed by 5001
the commission shall serve at the pleasure of the commission.5002

       (b) At least five of the seven members shall agree on the 5003
discharge of an investigatory attorney.5004

       (I) There is hereby created in the state treasury the Ohio 5005
elections commission fund. All moneys credited to the fund shall 5006
be used solely for the purpose of paying expenses related to the 5007
operation of the Ohio elections commission.5008

       Sec. 3517.154.  (A)(1) The full-time attorney for the Ohio 5009
elections commission shall review each complaint filed with the 5010
commission under section 3517.153 of the Revised Code, shall 5011
determine the nature of the complaint, and, unless division 5012
(A)(2)(a) of this section requires that the complaint receive an 5013
automatic expedited hearing, shall make a recommendation to the 5014
commission for its disposition, in accordance with this section. 5015
The attorney shall make the determination and the recommendation, 5016
if required, not later than one business day after the complaint 5017
is filed.5018

       (2)(a) If the attorney determines that the complaint sets 5019
forth a violation of division (B) of section 3517.21 or division 5020
(B) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code and that the complaint 5021
is filed during one of the periods of time specified in division5022
(B)(1) of section 3517.156 of the Revised Code, or that the 5023
complaint sets forth a violation of section 3517.103 of the 5024
Revised Code or a violation described in division (D) of section 5025
3517.1010 of the Revised Code, the complaint shall receive an5026
automatic expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised 5027
Code.5028

       (b) If the attorney determines that the complaint sets forth 5029
a failure to comply with or a violation of division (G), (I), (J), 5030
(O), (P), or (Q) of section 3517.13, division (A) of section 5031
3517.21, or division (A) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code 5032
and that the complaint is filed during one of the periods of time 5033
specified in division (B)(1) of section 3517.156 of the Revised 5034
Code, the attorney shall recommend to the commission that the 5035
complaint receive an expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of 5036
the Revised Code, and the complaint shall receive such a hearing.5037

       (c) If the attorney determines that the complaint sets forth 5038
a failure to comply with or a violation of a section of the 5039
Revised Code over which the commission has jurisdiction to hear 5040
complaints other than the sections described in divisions5041
(A)(2)(a) and (b) of this section, and unless the attorney makes a 5042
determination as provided for in division (A)(3) of this section, 5043
the attorney shall recommend to the commission that the complaint 5044
be submitted to the commission under section 3517.155 of the 5045
Revised Code. After the attorney makes that recommendation, the 5046
attorney shall notify all parties to the complaint of the 5047
attorney's recommendation.5048

       (3)(a) If a complaint sets forth a failure to comply with or 5049
a violation of a section of the Revised Code over which the5050
commission has jurisdiction to hear complaints other than the5051
sections described in divisions (A)(2)(a) and (b) of this section 5052
and if the complaint is filed during one of the periods of time 5053
specified in division (B)(1) of section 3517.156 of the Revised 5054
Code, the attorney may determine that the complaint should receive 5055
an expedited hearing under that section. The attorney shall make 5056
that determination by considering one or more of the following:5057

       (i) The number of prior failures to comply with or violations 5058
of Title XXXV of the Revised Code that the person or entity5059
against whom the complaint has been brought has committed and any 5060
prior penalties the commission has imposed on the person or 5061
entity;5062

       (ii) If the complaint involves a statement required to be 5063
filed under section 3517.10, division (E) of section 3517.102, or 5064
section 3517.103, 3517.105, 3517.107, 3517.108, or 3517.109, 5065
3517.1011, or 3517.1012 of the Revised Code or an addendum 5066
required to be filed under section 3517.11 of the Revised Code 5067
that is filed late, how late the filing is and how much time has 5068
elapsed between the deadline for filing the statement or addendum 5069
and the filing of the complaint;5070

       (iii) If the complaint involves contributions orand5071
expenditures, contributions and disbursements, or deposits and 5072
disbursements required to be reported under section 3517.10, 5073
division (E) of section 3517.102, or section 3517.105, 3517.107, 5074
3517.108, or 3517.109, 3517.1011, or 3517.1012 of the Revised Code 5075
that are either not reported or reported late, the number of 5076
contributions orand expenditures, contributions and 5077
disbursements, or deposits and disbursements not reported or how 5078
late they were reported;5079

       (iv) If the complaint involves contributions required to be 5080
reported by a campaign committee under section 3517.10, division 5081
(E) of section 3517.102, or section 3517.105, 3517.107, 3517.108, 5082
or 3517.109 of the Revised Code that are not reported, whether any 5083
of the contributors of the contributions not reported have a 5084
personal or professional relationship with the campaign 5085
committee's candidate;5086

       (v) If the complaint involves a statement required to be 5087
filed under section 3517.10, division (E) of section 3517.102, or 5088
section 3517.103, 3517.105, 3517.107, 3517.108, or 3517.109, 5089
3517.1011, or 3517.1012 of the Revised Code that is incomplete, 5090
the degree to which it is incomplete;5091

       (vi) If the complaint involves the receipt of contributions 5092
in violation of section 3599.03 of the Revised Code, the dollar 5093
amount and number of contributions received in violation of that 5094
section;5095

       (vii) If the complaint involves a failure to make the 5096
identification or a misstatement of the identification required 5097
under section 3517.105 or 3517.20 of the Revised Code, whether the 5098
failure or misstatement was purposely made;5099

       (viii) If the complaint sets forth a failure to comply with 5100
or a violation of a section of the Revised Code described in 5101
division (A)(2)(c) of this section, whether the person or entity 5102
against whom the complaint has been made has committed more than 5103
one such failure or violation within a reasonable amount of time, 5104
or whether the cumulative nature of the failures or violations 5105
indicates a systematic disregard for the law.5106

       (b) Prior to making a determination under division (A)(3)(a) 5107
of this section that the complaint should receive an expedited 5108
hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised Code, the attorney 5109
shall take into consideration the number of panels of the 5110
commission that have cases pending before them and the number of 5111
cases pending before the panels and shall not make a determination 5112
that will place an undue burden on a panel of the commission.5113

       (c) If the attorney determines that the complaint should 5114
receive an expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised 5115
Code, the attorney shall recommend to the commission that the 5116
complaint receive an expedited hearing, and, if a majority of the 5117
members of the commission agrees with the recommendation, the 5118
complaint shall receive an expedited hearing under that section.5119

       (4) The attorney may join two or more complaints if the 5120
attorney determines that the allegations in each complaint are of 5121
the same or similar character, are based on the same act or 5122
failure to act, or are based on two or more acts or failures to 5123
act constituting parts of a common scheme or plan. If one 5124
complaint contains two or more allegations, the attorney may 5125
separate the allegations if they are not of the same or similar 5126
character, if they are not based on the same act or failure to 5127
act, or if they are not based on two or more acts or failures to 5128
act constituting parts of a common scheme or plan. If the attorney5129
separates the allegations in a complaint, the attorney may make 5130
separate recommendations under division (A)(2) or (3) of this5131
section for each allegation.5132

       (B) Whenever a person or other entity files a complaint with 5133
the commission setting forth a failure to comply with or a 5134
violation of a section of the Revised Code as described in 5135
division (A)(2)(c) of this section and the complaint is filed 5136
during one of the periods of time specified in division (B)(1) of 5137
section 3517.156 of the Revised Code, the person or entity may 5138
request an expedited hearing under that section at the time the 5139
complaint is filed. The attorney for the commission shall inform 5140
the members of the commission of that request at the time the 5141
attorney makes a recommendation under division (A) of this 5142
section. The commission may grant the request for an expedited 5143
hearing under this division if it determines that an expedited 5144
hearing is practicable.5145

       Sec. 3517.155.  (A)(1) Except as otherwise provided in 5146
division (B) of this section, the Ohio elections commission shall 5147
hold its first hearing on a complaint filed with it, other than a 5148
complaint that receives an expedited hearing under section 5149
3517.156 of the Revised Code, not later than ninety business days5150
after the complaint is filed unless the commission has good cause5151
to hold the hearing after that time, in which case it shall hold5152
the hearing not later than one hundred eighty business days after5153
the complaint is filed. At the hearing, the commission shall5154
determine whether or not the failure to act or the violation5155
alleged in the complaint has occurred and shall do only one of the 5156
following, except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this 5157
section or in division (B) of section 3517.151 of the Revised 5158
Code:5159

       (a) Enter a finding that good cause has been shown not to 5160
impose a fine or not to refer the matter to the appropriate5161
prosecutor;5162

       (b) Impose a fine under section 3517.993 of the Revised Code;5163

       (c) Refer the matter to the appropriate prosecutor;5164

       (d) Direct the secretary of state or appropriate board of5165
elections with the authority to certify a candidate to the ballot 5166
to remove a candidate's name from the ballot if the candidate is 5167
barred from the ballot under division (D) of section 3517.1010 of 5168
the Revised Code.5169

       (2) As used in division (A) of this section, "appropriate 5170
prosecutor" means a prosecutor as defined in section 2935.01 of 5171
the Revised Code and either of the following:5172

       (a) In the case of a failure to comply with or a violation of 5173
law involving a campaign committee or the committee's candidate, a 5174
political party, a legislative campaign fund, or a political 5175
action committee, or a political contributing entity, that is 5176
required to file a statement of contributions and expenditures 5177
with the secretary of state under division (A) of section 3517.11 5178
of the Revised Code, the prosecutor of Franklin county;5179

       (b) In the case of a failure to comply with or a violation of 5180
law involving any other campaign committee or committee's 5181
candidate, or any other political party or political action 5182
committee, either of the following as determined by the5183
commission:5184

       (i) The prosecutor of Franklin county;5185

       (ii) The prosecutor of the county in which the candidacy or 5186
ballot question or issue is submitted to the electors or, if it is 5187
submitted in more than one county, the most populous of those 5188
counties.5189

       (B) If the commission decides that the evidence is 5190
insufficient for it to determine whether or not the failure to act 5191
or the violation alleged in the complaint has occurred, the 5192
commission, by the affirmative vote of five members, may request 5193
that an investigatory attorney investigate the complaint. Upon 5194
that request, an investigatory attorney shall make an5195
investigation in order to produce sufficient evidence for the5196
commission to decide the matter. If the commission requests an 5197
investigation under this division, for good cause shown by the5198
investigatory attorney, the commission may extend by sixty days 5199
the deadline for holding its first hearing on the complaint as 5200
required in division (A) of this section.5201

       (C) The commission shall take one of the actions required 5202
under division (A) of this section not later than thirty days 5203
after the close of all the evidence presented.5204

       (D)(1) The commission shall make any finding of a failure to 5205
comply with or a violation of law in regard to a complaint that 5206
alleges a violation of division (D) of section 3517.1010, division 5207
(A) or (B) of section 3517.21, or division (A) or (B) of section 5208
3517.22 of the Revised Code by clear and convincing evidence. The 5209
commission shall make any finding of a failure to comply with or a5210
violation of law in regard to any other complaint by a 5211
preponderance of the evidence.5212

       (2) If the commission finds a violation of division (B) of 5213
section 3517.21 or division (B) of section 3517.22 of the Revised 5214
Code, it shall refer the matter to the appropriate prosecutor 5215
under division (A)(1)(c) of this section and shall not impose a 5216
fine under division (A)(1)(b) of this section or section 3517.993 5217
of the Revised Code.5218

       (E) In an action before the commission or a panel of the 5219
commission, if the allegations of the complainant are not proved, 5220
and the commission takes the action described in division 5221
(A)(1)(a) of this section or a panel of the commission takes the 5222
action described in division (C)(1) of section 3517.156 of the 5223
Revised Code, the commission or a panel of the commission may find 5224
that the complaint is frivolous, and, if the commission or panel 5225
so finds, the commission shall order the complainant to pay 5226
reasonable attorney's fees and to pay the costs of the commission 5227
or panel as determined by a majority of the members of the 5228
commission. The costs paid to the commission or panel under this 5229
division shall be deposited into the Ohio elections commission 5230
fund.5231

       Sec. 3517.16. (A) There is hereby created in the state 5232
treasury the Ohio political party fund. All moneys received as a 5233
result of individuals exercising the checkoff option on their 5234
state income tax returns provided for in section 5747.081 of the 5235
Revised Code shall be deposited in thisthe fund. The tax 5236
commissioner shall pay money from the fund only to the auditor of 5237
state and to political parties in the manner described in division 5238
(B) of this section.5239

       (B)(1) The auditor of state annually shall submit a report to 5240
the tax commissioner estimating the costs that the auditor of 5241
state will incur during that year in conducting audits under 5242
section 3517.17 of the Revised Code. The tax commissioner shall 5243
pay to the auditor of state, from the Ohio political party fund, 5244
moneys sufficient to pay the auditor of state's estimated costs of 5245
the audits referred to in this division.5246

       (2) After the costs of audits are deducted under division 5247
(B)(1) of this section, the tax commissioner shall pay any moneys 5248
remaining in the fund only to political parties qualifying for it5249
them under division (B) of section 3517.17 of the Revised Code.5250

       Sec. 3517.17.  (A) At the beginning of each calendar quarter, 5251
after the costs of audits are deducted under division (B)(1) of 5252
section 3517.16 of the Revised Code, the tax commissioner shall 5253
divide any remaining moneys that have accrued in the Ohio 5254
political party fund during the previous quarter shall be divided5255
equally among all qualified political parties in the following 5256
manner. Of the public moneys to which a party is entitled:5257

       (1) One-half shall be paid to the treasurer of the state5258
executive committee of the party;5259

       (2) One-half shall be distributed to the treasurer of each5260
county executive committee of the various counties in accordance5261
with the ratio that the number of checkoffs in each county bears5262
to the total number of checkoffs, as determined by the tax5263
commissioner.5264

       Each party treasurer receiving public moneys from the Ohio5265
political party fund shall deposit those moneys into the party's 5266
restricted fund created under section 3517.1012 of the Revised 5267
Code, shall expend and maintain suchthose moneys in an account5268
separate from all other assets of the political partysubject to 5269
the requirements of that section and section 3517.18 of the 5270
Revised Code, and shall file deposit and disbursement statements 5271
of contributions and expenditures as required by sections 3517.10 5272
and 3517.11division (B) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code. 5273
Each treasurer of a state executive committee who files such a 5274
statement shall file it with the secretary of state and each 5275
treasurer of a county executive committee who files such a 5276
statement shall file it with the appropriate board of elections. 5277
All such statements filed shall clearly indicate the amounts of 5278
public moneys received and the manner of their expenditure. The 5279
auditor of state shall annually audit the deposit and disbursement5280
statements of the state committee of a political party that has 5281
receivedis eligible to receive public moneys collected during the 5282
previous year, to ascertain that suchall moneys in the party's 5283
restricted fund are expended in accordance with law. The auditor 5284
of state shall audit the deposit and disbursement statements of 5285
each county committee of such a political party to ascertain that 5286
all moneys in the party's restricted fund are expended in 5287
accordance with law at the time of the public office audit of that 5288
county under Chapter 117. of the Revised Code.5289

       (B) Only major political parties, as defined in section5290
3501.01 of the Revised Code, may apply for public moneys from the5291
Ohio political party fund. At the end of each even-numbered5292
calendar year, the secretary of state shall announce the names of5293
all such political parties, indicating that they may apply to5294
receive such moneys during the ensuing two years. Any political5295
party named at this time may, not later than the last day of5296
January of the ensuing odd-numbered year, make application with5297
the tax commissioner to receive public moneys. NoA political5298
party that fails to make a timely application shall not receive5299
public moneys during that two-year period. The tax commissioner 5300
shall prescribe an appropriate application form. Moneys from the5301
fund shall be provided during the appropriate two-year period to5302
each political party that makes a timely application in accordance 5303
with this division.5304

       Sec. 3517.20.  (A)(1) As used in division (A) of this 5305
section:5306

       (a) "Political publication for or against a candidate" means 5307
a notice, placard, advertisement, sample ballot, brochure, flyer, 5308
direct mailer, or any other form of general publication that is 5309
designed to promote the nomination, election, or defeat of a 5310
candidate.5311

       (b) "Political publication for or against an issue" means a 5312
notice, placard, advertisement, sample ballot, brochure, flyer, 5313
direct mailer, or any other form of general publication that is 5314
designed to promote the adoption or defeat of a ballot issue or 5315
question or to influence the voters in an election.5316

       (c) "Public political advertising" means newspapers, 5317
magazines, outdoor advertising facilities, direct mailings, or 5318
other similar types of general public political advertising, or 5319
flyers, handbills, or other nonperiodical printed matter.5320

       (d) "Statewide candidate" has the same meaning as in section5321
3517.102 of the Revised Code.5322

       (e) "Legislative candidate" means a candidate for the office 5323
of member of the general assembly.5324

       (f) "Local candidate" means a candidate for an elective 5325
office of a political subdivision of this state.5326

       (g) "Legislative campaign fund" has the same meaning as in5327
section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.5328

       (h) "Limited political action committee" means a political 5329
action committee of fewer than ten members.5330

       (i) "Limited political contributing entity" means a political5331
contributing entity of fewer than ten members.5332

       (j) "Designated amount" means one hundred dollars in the case 5333
of a local candidate or a local ballot issue, two hundred fifty 5334
dollars in the case of a legislative candidate, or five hundred 5335
dollars in the case of a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot 5336
issue.5337

       (k)(j) "To issue" includes to print, post, distribute,5338
reproduce for distribution, or cause to be issued, printed,5339
posted, distributed, or reproduced for distribution.5340

       (k) "Telephone bank" means more than five hundred telephone 5341
calls of an identical or substantially similar nature within any 5342
thirty-day period, whether those telephone calls are made by 5343
individual callers or by recording.5344

       (2) No candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign 5345
fund, political party, or other entity, except a political action5346
committee or political contributing entity, shall issue a form of5347
political publication for or against a candidate, or shall make an 5348
expenditure for the purpose of financing political communications 5349
in support of or opposition to a candidate through public 5350
political advertising, unless the name and residence or business 5351
address of the candidate or the chairperson, treasurer, or 5352
secretary of the campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, 5353
political party, or other entity that issues or otherwise is 5354
responsible for that political publication or that makes an 5355
expenditure for that political communication appears in a 5356
conspicuous place on that political publication or is contained 5357
within that political communication. 5358

       (3) No limited political action committee or limited 5359
political contributing entity shall do either of the following 5360
unless the name and residence or business address of the 5361
chairperson, treasurer, or secretary of the limited political 5362
action committee or limited political contributing entity involved 5363
appears in a conspicuous place in the political publication for or 5364
against a candidate described in division (A)(3)(a) of this5365
section or is contained within the political communication5366
described in division (A)(3)(b) of this section:5367

       (a) Issue a form of political publication for or against a 5368
candidate that costs in excess of the designated amount or that is 5369
issued in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the 5370
request or suggestion of, a candidate, a campaign committee, a 5371
legislative campaign fund, a political party, a political action 5372
committee with ten or more members, a political contributing 5373
entity with ten or more members, or a limited political action 5374
committee or limited political contributing entity that spends in 5375
excess of the designated amount on a related or the same or 5376
similar political publication for or against a candidate;5377

       (b) Make an expenditure in excess of the designated amount in 5378
support of or opposition to a candidate or make an expenditure in 5379
cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or 5380
suggestion of, a candidate, a campaign committee, a legislative 5381
campaign fund, a political party, a political action committee 5382
with ten or more members, a political contributing entity with ten 5383
or more members, or a limited political action committee or 5384
limited political contributing entity that spends in excess of the5385
designated amount in support of or opposition to the same5386
candidate, for the purpose of financing political communications5387
in support of or opposition to that candidate through public5388
political advertising.5389

       (4) No political action committee with ten or more members 5390
and no political contributing entity with ten or more members5391
shall issue a form of political publication for or against a 5392
candidate, or shall make an expenditure for the purpose of 5393
financing political communications in support of or opposition to 5394
a candidate through public political advertising, unless the name 5395
and residence or business address of the chairperson, treasurer, 5396
or secretary of the political action committee or political 5397
contributing entity that issues or otherwise is responsible for 5398
that political publication or that makes an expenditure for that 5399
political communication through public political advertising 5400
appears in a conspicuous place in that political publication or is 5401
contained within that political communication.5402

       (5) No corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, 5403
legislative campaign fund, political party, or other entity, 5404
except a political action committee, shall issue a form of 5405
political publication for or against an issue, or shall make an 5406
expenditure for the purpose of financing political communications 5407
in support of or opposition to a ballot issue or question through 5408
public political advertising, unless the name and residence or 5409
business address of the chairperson, treasurer, or secretary of 5410
the corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, 5411
legislative campaign fund, political party, or other entity that5412
issues or otherwise is responsible for that political publication 5413
or that makes an expenditure for that political communication5414
through public political advertising appears in a conspicuous5415
place in that political publication or is contained within that5416
political communication.5417

       (6) No limited political action committee shall do either of5418
the following unless the name and residence or business address of 5419
the chairperson, treasurer, or secretary of the limited political 5420
action committee involved appears in a conspicuous place in the 5421
political publication for or against a ballot issue described in 5422
division (A)(6)(a) of this section or is contained within the 5423
political communication described in division (A)(6)(b) of this 5424
section:5425

       (a) Issue a form of political publication for or against a 5426
ballot issue that costs in excess of the designated amount or that 5427
is issued in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the 5428
request or suggestion of, a candidate, a campaign committee, a 5429
legislative campaign fund, a political party, a political action 5430
committee with ten or more members, or a limited political action 5431
committee that spends in excess of the designated amount for a 5432
related or the same or similar political publication for or 5433
against an issue;5434

       (b) Make an expenditure in excess of the designated amount in 5435
support of or opposition to a ballot issue or make an expenditure 5436
in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request 5437
or suggestion of, a candidate, a campaign committee, a legislative 5438
campaign fund, a political party, a political action committee 5439
with ten or more members, or a limited political action committee 5440
that spends in excess of the designated amount in support of or 5441
opposition to the same ballot issue, for the purpose of financing 5442
political communications in support of or opposition to that 5443
ballot issue through public political advertising.5444

       (7) No political action committee with ten or more members 5445
shall issue a form of political publication for or against an 5446
issue, or shall make an expenditure for the purpose of financing 5447
political communications in support of or opposition to a ballot 5448
issue or question through public political advertising, unless the 5449
name and residence or business address of the chairperson, 5450
treasurer, or secretary of the political action committee that 5451
issues or otherwise is responsible for that political publication 5452
or that makes an expenditure for that political communication 5453
appears in a conspicuous place in that political publication or is 5454
contained within that political communication.5455

       (8) The disclaimer "paid political advertisement" is not5456
sufficient to meet the requirements of this section. 5457

       (9) If the political publication described in division (A) of 5458
this section is issued by the regularly constituted central or 5459
executive committee of a political party that is organized as 5460
provided in Chapter 3517. of the Revised Codethis chapter, it 5461
shall be sufficiently identified if it bears the name of the 5462
committee and its chairperson or treasurer. 5463

       (10) If more than one piece of printed matter or printed5464
political communications are mailed as a single packet, the 5465
requirements of division (A) of this section are met if one of the 5466
pieces of printed matter or printed political communications in 5467
the packet contains the name and residence or business address of 5468
the chairperson, treasurer, or secretary of the organization or 5469
entity that issues or is responsible for the printed matter or 5470
other printed political communications.5471

       (11) This section does not apply to the transmittal of 5472
personal correspondence that is not reproduced by machine for 5473
general distribution.5474

       (12) The secretary of state, by rule, may exempt from the5475
requirements of this section, printed matter and certain other5476
kinds of printed communications such as campaign buttons,5477
balloons, pencils, or similar items, the size or nature of which5478
makes it unreasonable to add an identification or disclaimer. 5479

       (13) The disclaimer or identification described in division5480
(A) of this section, when paid for by a campaign committee, shall 5481
be identified by the words "paid for by" followed by the name and 5482
address of the campaign committee and the appropriate officer of 5483
the committee, identified by name and title. The identification or 5484
disclaimer may use reasonable abbreviations for common terms such 5485
as "treasurer" or "committee".5486

       (B)(1) No candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign 5487
fund, political contributing entity, political party, political 5488
action committee, limited political action committee, political 5489
contributing entity, limited political contributing entity, or 5490
other entity shall utter or cause to be uttered, over the5491
broadcasting facilities of any radio or television station within5492
this state, any communication that is designed to promote the5493
nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate, or the adoption or 5494
defeat of an issue or to influence the voters in an election, 5495
unless the speaker identifies the speaker with the speaker's name 5496
and residence address or unless the communication identifies the 5497
chairperson, treasurer, or secretary of the organization 5498
responsible for the communication with the name and residence or5499
business address of that officer, except that communications by 5500
radio need not broadcast the residence or business address of the 5501
officer. However, a radio station, for a period of at least six 5502
months, shall keep the residence or business address on file and 5503
divulge it to any person upon request.5504

       No person operating a broadcast station or an organ of5505
printed media shall broadcast or print a paid political5506
communication that does not contain the identification required by 5507
this section.5508

       (2) Division (B) of this section does not apply to any5509
communications made on behalf of a radio or television station or5510
network by any employee of such radio or television station or5511
network while acting in the course of the employee's employment.5512

       (3) No candidate or entity described in division (B)(1) of 5513
this section shall use or cause to be used a false, fictitious, or 5514
fraudulent name or address in the making or issuing of a 5515
publication or communication included within the provisions of 5516
this section.5517

       (C) No candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign 5518
fund, political party, political action committee, limited 5519
political action committee, or other person or entity shall 5520
conduct a telephone bank for the purpose of promoting the 5521
nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate or the adoption or 5522
defeat of an issue or to influence the voters in an election, 5523
unless the call includes a disclaimer that identifies the name of 5524
the candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, 5525
political party, political action committee, limited political 5526
action committee, or other person or entity paying for the 5527
telephone bank.5528

       (D) Before a prosecution may commence under this section, a 5529
complaint shall be filed with the Ohio elections commission under 5530
section 3517.153 of the Revised Code. After the complaint is 5531
filed, the commission shall proceed in accordance with sections 5532
3517.154 to 3517.157 of the Revised Code.5533

       Sec. 3517.23.  The secretary of state shall adopt rules in 5534
accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that are 5535
necessary for the administration and enforcement of sections 5536
3517.08 to 3517.13, 3517.18, 3517.20 to 3517.22, 3599.03, and 5537
3599.031 of the Revised Code and shall provide each candidate, 5538
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political 5539
party, and political contributing entityelectioneering 5540
communication committee with written instructions and explanations 5541
in order to ensure compliance with sections 3517.08 to 3517.13, 5542
3517.17, 3517.18, 3517.20 to 3517.22, 3599.03, and 3599.031 of the 5543
Revised Code.5544

       Sec. 3517.992.  This section establishes penalties only with5545
respect to acts or failures to act that occur on and after August5546
24, 1995.5547

       (A)(1) A candidate whose campaign committee violates division 5548
(A), (B), (C), (D), or (V) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, 5549
or a treasurer of a campaign committee who violates any of those 5550
divisions, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for5551
each day of violation.5552

       (2) Whoever violates division (E) or (X)(5) of section5553
3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one 5554
hundred dollars for each day of violation.5555

       (B) A political party that violates division (F)(1) of5556
section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than5557
one hundred dollars for each day of violation.5558

       (C) Whoever violates division (F)(2) of section 3517.101 or5559
division (G) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined5560
not more than ten thousand dollars or, if the offender is a person5561
who was nominated or elected to public office, shall forfeit the5562
nomination or the office to which the offender was elected, or5563
both.5564

       (D) Whoever violates division (F) of section 3517.13 of the5565
Revised Code shall be fined not more than three times the amount5566
contributed.5567

       (E) Whoever violates division (H) of section 3517.13 of the5568
Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.5569

       (F) Whoever violates division (O), (P), or (Q) of section5570
3517.13 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the5571
first degree.5572

       (G) A state or county committee of a political party that5573
violates division (B)(1) of section 3517.18 of the Revised Code5574
shall be fined not more than twice the amount of the improper5575
expenditure.5576

       (H) A state or county political party that violates division5577
(G) of section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not5578
more than twice the amount of the improper expenditure or use.5579

       (I)(1) Any individual who violates division (B)(1) of section 5580
3517.102 of the Revised Code and knows that the contribution the 5581
individual makes violates that division shall be fined an amount 5582
equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the 5583
amount permitted by that division.5584

       (2) Any political action committee that violates division5585
(B)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an5586
amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of5587
the amount permitted by that division.5588

       (3) Any campaign committee that violates division (B)(3) or5589
(5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an5590
amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of5591
the amount permitted by that division.5592

       (4)(a) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division5593
(B)(6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an5594
amount equal to three times the amount transferred or contributed5595
in excess of the amount permitted by that division, as applicable.5596

       (b) Any state political party, county political party, or5597
state candidate fund of a state political party or county5598
political party that violates division (B)(6) of section 3517.1025599
of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times5600
the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount5601
permitted by that division, as applicable.5602

       (c) Any political contributing entity that violates division5603
(B)(7) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an5604
amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of5605
the amount permitted by that division.5606

       (5) Any political party that violates division (B)(4) of5607
section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount5608
equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the5609
amount permitted by that division.5610

       (6) Notwithstanding divisions (I)(1), (2), (3), (4), and (5)5611
of this section, no violation of division (B) of section 3517.1025612
of the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not5613
refer parties to the Ohio elections commission, if the amount5614
transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted by5615
that division meets either of the following conditions:5616

       (a) It is completely refunded within five business days after 5617
it is accepted.5618

       (b) It is completely refunded on or before the tenth business 5619
day after notification to the recipient of the excess transfer or 5620
contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state 5621
that a transfer or contribution in excess of the permitted amount 5622
has been received.5623

       (J)(1) Any campaign committee that violates division (C)(1),5624
(2), (3), or (6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be5625
fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess5626
of the amount permitted by that division.5627

       (2)(a) Any state or county political party that violates5628
division (C)(4)(a)(ii) or (iii) of section 3517.102 of the Revised 5629
Code shall be fined an amount from its state candidate fund equal 5630
to three times the amount accepted.5631

       (b) Any county political party that violates division 5632
(C)(4)(a)(i) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be 5633
fined an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times 5634
the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that5635
division.5636

       (c) Any state political party that violates division 5637
(C)(4)(b) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined 5638
an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times the 5639
amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that 5640
division.5641

       (3) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division5642
(C)(5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an5643
amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the5644
amount permitted by that division.5645

       (4) Any political action committee or political contributing5646
entity that violates division (C)(7) of section 3517.102 of the5647
Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the5648
amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that5649
division.5650

       (5) Notwithstanding divisions (J)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of5651
this section, no violation of division (C) of section 3517.102 of5652
the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not5653
refer parties to the Ohio elections commission, if the amount5654
transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted to be5655
accepted by that division meets either of the following5656
conditions:5657

       (a) It is completely refunded within five business days after 5658
its acceptance.5659

       (b) It is completely refunded on or before the tenth business5660
day after notification to the recipient of the excess transfer or 5661
contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state 5662
that a transfer or contribution in excess of the permitted amount 5663
has been received.5664

       (K)(1) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division5665
(F)(1) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined5666
twenty-five dollars for each day of violation.5667

       (2) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division5668
(F)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall give to the5669
treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the5670
credit of the Ohio elections commission fund all excess5671
contributions not disposed of as required by division (E) of5672
section 3517.102 of the Revised Code.5673

       (L) Whoever violates section 3517.105 of the Revised Code5674
shall be fined one thousand dollars.5675

       (M)(1) Whoever solicits a contribution in violation of5676
section 3517.092 or violates division (B) of section 3517.09 of5677
the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.5678

       (2) Whoever knowingly accepts a contribution in violation of5679
division (B) or (C) of section 3517.092 of the Revised Code shall5680
be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in5681
violation of either of those divisions and shall return to the5682
contributor any amount so accepted. Whoever unknowingly accepts a5683
contribution in violation of division (B) or (C) of section5684
3517.092 of the Revised Code shall return to the contributor any5685
amount so accepted.5686

       (N) Whoever violates division (S) of section 3517.13 of the5687
Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the5688
amount of funds transferred or three times the value of the assets5689
transferred in violation of that division.5690

       (O) Any campaign committee that accepts a contribution or5691
contributions in violation of section 3517.108 of the Revised5692
Code, uses a contribution in violation of that section, or fails5693
to dispose of excess contributions in violation of that section5694
shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted,5695
used, or kept in violation of that section.5696

       (P) Any political party, state candidate fund, legislative5697
candidate fund, or campaign committee that violates division (T)5698
of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount5699
equal to three times the amount contributed or accepted in5700
violation of that section.5701

       (Q) A treasurer of a committee or another person who violates 5702
division (U) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined 5703
not more than two hundred fifty dollars.5704

       (R) Whoever violates division (I) or (J) of section 3517.135705
of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand5706
dollars. Whenever a person is found guilty of violating division5707
(I) or (J) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, the contract5708
awarded in violation of either of those divisions shall be5709
rescinded if its terms have not yet been performed.5710

       (S) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a5711
treasurer of a campaign committee who violates section 3517.081 of 5712
the Revised Code, and a candidate whose campaign committee5713
violates, or a treasurer of a campaign committee, or another5714
person who violates, division (C) of section 3517.10 of the 5715
Revised Code, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.5716

       (T) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a5717
treasurer of a committee who violates division (B) of section 5718
3517.09 of the Revised Code, or a candidate whose campaign 5719
committee violates,or a treasurer of a campaign committee, or5720
another person who violates division (C), of section 3517.09 of5721
the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand5722
dollars.5723

       (U) Whoever violates section 3517.20 of the Revised Code5724
shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.5725

       (V) Whoever violates section 3517.21 or 3517.22 of the5726
Revised Code shall be imprisoned for not more than six months or5727
fined not more than five thousand dollars, or both.5728

       (W) A campaign committee that is required to file a5729
declaration of no limits under division (D)(2) of section 3517.1035730
of the Revised Code that, before filing that declaration, accepts5731
a contribution or contributions that exceed the limitations5732
prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, shall return5733
that contribution or those contributions to the contributor.5734

       (X) Any campaign committee that fails to file the declaration 5735
of filing-day finances required by division (F) of section 5736
3517.109 or the declaration of primary-day finances or declaration 5737
of year-end finances required by division (E) of section 3517.1010 5738
of the Revised Code shall be fined twenty-five dollars for each 5739
day of violation.5740

       (Y) Any campaign committee that fails to dispose of excess5741
funds or excess aggregate contributions under division (B) of5742
section 3517.109 of the Revised Code in the manner required by5743
division (C) of that section or under division (B) of section5744
3517.1010 of the Revised Code in the manner required by division5745
(C) of that section shall give to the treasurer of state for5746
deposit into the Ohio elections commission fund created under5747
division (E)(2)(b)(I) of section 3517.1023517.152 of the Revised 5748
Code all funds not disposed of pursuant to those divisions.5749

       (Z) Any individual, campaign committee, political action5750
committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign5751
fund, political party, or other entity that violates any provision5752
of sections 3517.09 to 3517.12 of the Revised Code for which no5753
penalty is provided for under any other division of this section5754
shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.5755

       (AA)(1) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(1) of section5756
3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to5757
three times the amount contributed, expended, or promised in5758
violation of that division or ten thousand dollars, whichever5759
amount is greater.5760

       (2) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(2) of section5761
3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to5762
three times the amount solicited or accepted in violation of that5763
division or ten thousand dollars, whichever amount is greater.5764

       (BB) Whoever knowingly violates division (C) or (D) of 5765
section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than 5766
ten thousand dollars plus not more than one thousand dollars for 5767
each day of violation.5768

       (CC)(1) Subject to division (CC)(2) of this section, whoever 5769
violates division (H) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code 5770
shall be fined an amount up to three times the amount disbursed 5771
for the direct costs of airing the communication made in violation 5772
of that division.5773

       (2) Whoever has been ordered by the Ohio elections commission 5774
or by a court of competent jurisdiction to cease making 5775
communications in violation of division (H) of section 3517.1011 5776
of the Revised Code who again violates that division shall be 5777
fined an amount equal to three times the amount disbursed for the 5778
direct costs of airing the communication made in violation of that 5779
division.5780

       (DD)(1) Any corporation or labor organization that violates 5781
division (X)(3)(a) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be 5782
fined an amount equal to three times the amount given in excess of 5783
the amount permitted by that division.5784

       (2) Any state or county political party that violates 5785
division (X)(3)(b) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be 5786
fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess 5787
of the amount permitted by that division.5788

       Sec. 3599.03.  (A)(1) Except to carry on activities specified5789
in sections 3517.082 and 3517.1011, division (A)(2) of section 5790
3517.1012, and section 3599.031 of the Revised Code and except as 5791
provided in divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this section, no5792
corporation, no nonprofit corporation, and no labor organization, 5793
directly or indirectly, shall pay or use, or offer, advise, 5794
consent, or agree to pay or use, the corporation's money or 5795
property, or the labor organization's money, including dues, 5796
initiation fees, or other assessments paid by members, or 5797
property, for or in aid of or opposition to a political party, a 5798
candidate for election or nomination to public office, a political 5799
action committee including a political action committee of the 5800
corporation or labor organization, a legislative campaign fund, or 5801
any organization that supports or opposes any such candidate, or 5802
for any partisan political purpose, shall violate any law5803
requiring the filing of an affidavit or statement respecting such 5804
use of those funds, or shall pay or use the corporation's or labor 5805
organization's money for the expenses of a social fund-raising 5806
event for its political action committee if an employee's or labor 5807
organization member's right to attend such an event is predicated 5808
on the employee's or member's contribution to the corporation's or 5809
labor organization's political action committee.5810

       (2) Whoever violates division (A)(1) of this section shall be5811
fined not less than five hundred nor more than five thousand5812
dollars.5813

       (B)(1) No officer, stockholder, attorney, or agent of a 5814
corporation or nonprofit corporation, no member, including an 5815
officer, attorney, or agent, of a labor organization, and no 5816
candidate, political party official, or other individual shall 5817
knowingly aid, advise, solicit, or receive money or other property 5818
in violation of division (A)(1) of this section.5819

       (2) Whoever violates division (B)(1) of this section shall be5820
fined not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more5821
than one year, or both.5822

       (C) A corporation, a nonprofit corporation, or a labor 5823
organization may use its funds or property for or in aid of or 5824
opposition to a proposed or certified ballot issue. Such use of 5825
funds or property shall be reported on a form prescribed by the 5826
secretary of state. Reports of contributions in connection with 5827
statewide ballot issues shall be filed with the secretary of 5828
state. Reports of contributions in connection with local issues 5829
shall be filed with the board of elections of the most populous 5830
county of the district in which the issue is submitted or to be 5831
submitted to the electors. Reports made pursuant to this division 5832
shall be filed by the times specified in divisions (A)(1) and (2) 5833
of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.5834

       (D)(1) Any gift made pursuant to section 3517.101 of the5835
Revised Code does not constitute a violation of this section or of 5836
any other section of the Revised Code.5837

       (2) Any gift made pursuant to division (A)(2) of section 5838
3517.1012 of the Revised Code does not constitute a violation of 5839
this section.5840

       (E) Any compensation or fees paid by a financial institution 5841
to a state political party for services rendered pursuant to 5842
division (B) of section 3517.19 of the Revised Code do not 5843
constitute a violation of this section or of any other section of 5844
the Revised Code.5845

       (F) The use by a nonprofit corporation of its money or 5846
property for communicating information for a purpose specified in 5847
division (A) of this section is not a violation of that division 5848
if the stockholders, members, donors, trustees, or officers of the 5849
nonprofit corporation are the predominant recipients of the 5850
communication.5851

       (G) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of section 5852
4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting 5853
agreements between employee organizations and public employers,5854
this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of 5855
agreements between labor organizations and public employers that 5856
are entered into on or after the effective date of this section 5857
pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code.5858

       (H) As used in this section, "labor organization" has the 5859
same meaning as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.5860

       Sec. 3599.031.  (A) Notwithstanding any sectionprovision of 5861
the Revised Code to the contrary and subject to divisions (C) and 5862
(H)division (C) of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code and 5863
division (B) of this section, any employer may deduct from the 5864
wages and salaries of its employees amounts for an account 5865
described in division (C)(B) of this section, a separate 5866
segregated fund, a political action committee of the employer, a 5867
political action committee of a labor organization of the 5868
employer's employees, a political action committee of an 5869
association of which the employer is a member, a political party, 5870
electioneering communication committee, or a ballot issue that the 5871
employee by written authorization may designate and shall transmit 5872
any amounts so deducted as a separate written authorization 5873
described in division (C)(B) of this section shall direct. Any5874
authorization authorizing a deduction from an employee's wages or5875
salary may be on a form that is used to apply for or authorize 5876
membership in or authorize payment of dues or fees to any 5877
organization, but the authorization for a deduction shall be5878
stated and signed separately from the application for membership 5879
or the authorization for the payment of dues or fees. The employer5880
either may deduct from the amount to be so transmitted a uniform 5881
amount determined by the employer to be necessary to defray the 5882
actual cost of making such deduction and transmittal, or may 5883
utilize its own funds in an amount it determines is necessary to 5884
defray the actual administrative cost, including making the 5885
deduction and transmittal.5886

       (B) Any person who solicits an employee to authorize a5887
deduction from his wages or salary pursuant to division (A) of5888
this section shall inform the employee at the time of the5889
solicitation that he may refuse to authorize a deduction, and that 5890
he may at any time revoke his authorization, without suffering any 5891
reprisal.5892

       (C) If an employer establishes a separate account in the name 5893
of an employee for the purpose of depositing into the account 5894
amounts deducted from the wages and salary of the employee 5895
pursuant to division (A) of this section or amounts directly given 5896
by the employee to the employer for the support of a candidate, a 5897
separate segregated fund, a political action committee of the5898
employer, a political action committee of a labor organization of5899
the employer's employees, a political action committee of an 5900
association of which the employer is a member, a political party, 5901
a legislative campaign fund, an electioneering communication 5902
committee, or a ballot issue, the employee shall sign a written 5903
authorization designating the recipient of a disbursement from 5904
that account. The written authorization required under this 5905
division is separate and distinct from a written authorization 5906
required under division (A) of this section. The authorization 5907
required under this division shall clearly identify and designate 5908
the candidate, separate segregated fund, political action5909
committee of the employer, political action committee of a labor5910
organization of the employer's employees, political action 5911
committee of an association of which the employer is a member, 5912
political party, a legislative campaign fund, electioneering 5913
communication committee, or ballot issue that is to receive any 5914
disbursement from the account established pursuant to this 5915
division. No person shall designate the recipient of a 5916
disbursement from the account except the employee from whose 5917
account the disbursement is made. No employer shall make a 5918
disbursement from the account of an employee established under 5919
this division unless the employer has received the written 5920
authorization required under this division.5921

       (D)(C) An employer shall furnish the recipient of any amount5922
transmitted pursuant to this section with the employer's full name 5923
and the full name of the labor organization of which the employee 5924
whose amount is being transmitted is a member, if any. An employer5925
shall keep and maintain the authorization forms of all its 5926
employees from whose wages and salaries any amounts were deducted 5927
pursuant to division (A) of this section and the authorizations of 5928
disbursements from accounts established under division (C)(B) of 5929
this section for a period of at least six years after the year in 5930
which the deductions and disbursements were made.5931

       (E)(D) An employee who has made an authorization pursuant to 5932
division (A) or (C)(B) of this section may revoke that 5933
authorization at any time. A revocation of the authorization does 5934
not affect any deduction already made from an employee's wages and 5935
salary or any amounts already transmitted or disbursed under this 5936
section.5937

       (F)(E) For purposes of this section and for the purpose of 5938
the information required to be filed under division (B)(4)(b)(iii) 5939
of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code:5940

       (1) If an employer is a corporation, each subsidiary of a 5941
parent corporation shall be considered an entity separate and5942
distinct from any other subsidiary and separate and distinct from5943
the parent corporation.5944

       (2) Each national, regional, state, and local affiliate of a 5945
labor organization shall be considered a distinct entity.5946

       (G)(F) Whoever violates division (C)(B) of this section shall 5947
be fined not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars 5948
for each disbursement made in violation of that division.5949

       (H) No public employer shall deduct from the wages and 5950
salaries of its employees any amounts for the support of any 5951
candidate, separate segregated fund, political action committee, 5952
legislative campaign fund, political party, or ballot issue.5953

       (I) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of section 5954
4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting 5955
agreements between employee organizations and public employers, 5956
this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of 5957
agreements between labor organizations and public employers 5958
entered into pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code.5959

       (J)(G) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of 5960
section 4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting 5961
agreements between employee organizations and public employers, 5962
this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of 5963
agreements between labor organizations and public employers that 5964
are entered into on or after the effective date of this amendment 5965
pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code.5966

       (H) As used in this section:5967

       (1) "LaborElectioneering communication committee," 5968
"legislative campaign fund," "labor organization," "political 5969
action committee," and "separate segregated fund" have the same5970
meanings as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.5971

       (2) "Public employer" means an employer that is the state or 5972
a state agency, authority, commission, or board, a political 5973
subdivision of the state, a school district or state institution 5974
of higher learning, a public or special district, or any other 5975
public employer.5976

       (3) "Employee" includes only an employee who is a resident of 5977
or is employed in this state.5978

       Sec. 3599.111.  (A) As used in this section, "registering a 5979
voter" or "registering voters" includes any effort, for 5980
compensation, to provide voter registration forms or to assist 5981
persons in completing those forms or returning them to the board 5982
of elections, the office of the secretary of state, or other 5983
appropriate public office.5984

       (B) No person shall receive compensation on a fee per 5985
signature or fee per volume basis for circulating any declaration 5986
of candidacy, nominating petition, declaration of intent to be a 5987
write-in candidate, initiative petition, referendum petition, 5988
recall petition, or any other election-related petition that is 5989
filed with or transmitted to a board of elections, the office of 5990
the secretary of state, or other appropriate public office.5991

       (C) No person shall receive compensation on a fee per 5992
registration or fee per volume basis for registering a voter.5993

       (D) Compensation for collecting signatures on 5994
election-related petitions and for registering voters shall be 5995
paid solely on the basis of time worked.5996

       (E)(1) Whoever violates division (B) or (C) of this section 5997
is guilty of election falsification under section 3599.36 of the 5998
Revised Code.5999

       (2) Whoever violates division (D) of this section is guilty 6000
of a felony of the fifth degree.6001

       Section 2. That existing sections 102.03, 2921.01, 2921.43, 6002
3501.38, 3503.14, 3513.07, 3513.10, 3513.261, 3517.01, 3517.08, 6003
3517.082, 3517.09, 3517.092, 3517.10, 3517.102, 3517.103, 6004
3517.104, 3517.105, 3517.106, 3517.108, 3517.109, 3517.11, 6005
3517.13, 3517.151, 3517.152, 3517.154, 3517.155, 3517.16, 3517.17, 6006
3517.20, 3517.23, 3517.992, and 3599.031 and section        Sec. 3599.03.  of 6007
the Revised Code are hereby repealed.6008

       Section 3. (A) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) 6009
of this section, no person intending to make a disbursement or 6010
disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing 6011
electioneering communications under this act shall make those 6012
disbursements using any contributions that the person received 6013
before the effective date of this act.6014

       (B) Any person intending to make a disbursement or 6015
disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing 6016
electioneering communications under this act who wishes to make 6017
those disbursements using contributions that the person received 6018
before the effective date of this act shall, in the first 6019
disclosure of electioneering communications statement that the 6020
person is required to file, report the contributor information 6021
specified in division (D)(1)(e) or (f) of section 3517.1011 of the 6022
Revised Code for each contribution that was received before the 6023
effective date of this act and that the person uses to make a 6024
disbursement that is included in that statement.6025

       (C) As used in this section, "contribution," "electioneering 6026
communication," and "person" have the same meanings as in section 6027
3517.1011 of the Revised Code.6028

       Section 4. (A) A county political party that has a state 6029
candidate fund, established under division (D)(3)(c) of section 6030
3517.10 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to the effective 6031
date of this act, in existence on that effective date shall, not 6032
later than 4 p.m. on that effective date, disburse any moneys in 6033
the fund in accordance with the versions of sections 3517.08 to 6034
3517.13 of the Revised Code that were in effect prior to that 6035
effective date. Any state candidate fund of a county political 6036
party in existence on the effective date of this act shall be 6037
abolished not later than 4 p.m. on that effective date.6038

       (B) No county political party that establishes a state 6039
candidate fund under division (D)(3)(c) of section 3517.10 of the 6040
Revised Code as amended by this act shall transfer into that fund 6041
any moneys that were in a state candidate fund of a county 6042
political party established under that section as it existed prior 6043
to the effective date of this act.6044

       Section 5. No moneys in any fund or account of a political 6045
party that was not subject to disclosure under the version of 6046
Chapter 3517. of the Revised Code that was in effect prior to the 6047
effective date of this act shall be disbursed, transferred into 6048
another fund or account of the political party, or otherwise used 6049
by that political party on or after the effective date of this act 6050
unless the contributors of those moneys are disclosed prior to 6051
that effective date in accordance with section 3517.10 of the 6052
Revised Code.6053

       Section 6.  Section 3513.10 of the Revised Code is presented6054
in this act as a composite of the section as amended by both Am.6055
Sub. H.B. 117 and Am. Sub. S.B. 9 of the 121st General Assembly. 6056
The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division 6057
(B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be 6058
harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds 6059
that the composite is the resulting version of the section in 6060
effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in 6061
this act.6062