REPRESENTATIVES Wolpert, Gilb, Seitz, McGregor, Collier, Barrett, Allen, Kearns, Seaver, Chandler, Daniels, Cirelli, Domenick, C. Evans, Fessler, Flowers, Olman, Schlichter, Sferra, Skindell, Wagner, Walcher

To amend sections 1.59, 9.08, 9.314, 101.691,

1

125.072, 149.38, 149.432, 307.12, 341.42, 505.10,

2

718.07, 721.15, 753.32, 955.013, 1306.16, 2307.64,

3

3517.10, 3517.106, 3517.11, 5145.31, and 5703.49

4

and to enact sections 117.111, 304.01, 304.02,

5

304.03, and 304.04 of the Revised Code to provide

6

for the use of electronic records and signatures

7

by county offices if specified security procedures

8

are adopted, to require the Auditor of State to

9

audit electronic record security procedures

10

adopted by county offices, to create a single

11

definition of the "internet" to be used throughout

12

the Revised Code, and to provide notice to county

13

historical societies and other local entities that

14

county records are being sent to the Ohio

15

Historical Society for potential distribution.

16

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

Section 1. That sections 1.59, 9.08, 9.314, 101.691, 125.072,	17
149.38, 149.432, 307.12, 341.42, 505.10, 718.07, 721.15, 753.32,	18
955.013, 1306.16, 2307.64, 3517.10, 3517.106, 3517.11, 5145.31,	19
and 5703.49 be amended and section 117.111, 304.01, 304.02,	20
304.03, and 304.04 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as	21
follows:	22

Sec. 1.59.  As used in any statute, unless another definition	23
is provided in suchthat statute or a related statute:	24

(A) "Child" includes child by adoption.

25

(B) "Oath" includes affirmation, and "swear" includes affirm.

26

(C) "Person" includes an individual, corporation, business	27
trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association.	28

(D) "Population" means that shown by the most recent regular	29
federal census.	30

(E) "Property" means real and personal property.

31

(F) "Rule" includes regulation.

32

(G) "State," when applied to a part of the United States,	33
includes any state, district, commonwealth, territory, insular	34
possession thereof, and any area subject to the legislative	35
authority of the United States of America. "This state" or "the	36
state" means the state of Ohio.	37

(H) "United States" includes all the states.

38

(I) "Will" includes codicil.

39

(J) "Written" or "in writing" includes any representation of	40
words, letters, symbols, or figures; this provision does not	41
affect any law relating to signatures.	42

(K) "Internet" means the international computer network of	43
both federal and nonfederal interoperable packet switched data	44
networks, including the graphical subnetwork known as the world	45
wide web.	46

Sec. 9.08.  (A) As used in this section:

47

(1) "Computer," "computer network," "computer system,"	48
"computer services," "telecommunications service," and	49
"information service" have the same meanings as in section 2913.01	50
of the Revised Code.	51

(2) "Contractor" means either of the following:

52

(a) A person who enters into a contract under section 9.06 of	53
the Revised Code.	54

(b) A person who enters into a contract under section 9.07 of	55
the Revised Code to operate and manage a correctional facility in	56
this state for out-of-state prisoners.	57

(3) "Private correctional facility" means a correctional	58
facility that is operated by a contractor under a contract	59
pursuant to section 9.06 or 9.07 of the Revised Code.	60

(4) "Internet" has the same meaning as in section 341.42 of	61
the Revised Code.	62

(B) No officer or employee of a contractor who is operating	63
and managing a private correctional facility shall provide a	64
prisoner in the private correctional facility access to or permit	65
a prisoner in the private correctional facility to have access to	66
the internet through the use of a computer, computer network,	67
computer system, computer services, telecommunications service, or	68
information service unless both of the following apply:	69

(1) The prisoner is participating in an approved educational	70
program with direct supervision that requires the use of the	71
internet for training or research purposes.	72

(2) The provision of and access to the internet is in	73
accordance with rules promulgated by the department of	74
rehabilitation and correction pursuant to section 5120.62 of the	75
Revised Code.	76

(C)(1) No prisoner in a private correctional facility shall	77
access the internet through the use of a computer, computer	78
network, computer system, computer services, telecommunications	79
service, or information service unless both of the following	80
apply:	81

(a) The prisoner is participating in an approved educational	82
program with direct supervision that requires the use of the	83
internet for training or research purposes.	84

(b) The provision of and access to the internet is in	85
accordance with rules promulgated by the department of	86
rehabilitation and correction pursuant to section 5120.62 of the	87
Revised Code.	88

(2) Whoever violates division (C)(1) of this section is	89
guilty of improper internet access, a misdemeanor of the first	90
degree.	91

Sec. 9.314.  (A) As used in this section:

92

(1) "Contracting authority" has the same meaning as in	93
section 307.92 of the Revised Code.	94

(2) "Internet" means the international computer network of	95
both federal and nonfederal interoperable packet switched data	96
networks, including the graphical subnetwork called the world wide	97
web.	98

(3) "Political subdivision" means a municipal corporation,	99
township, county, school district, or other body corporate and	100
politic responsible for governmental activities only in geographic	101
areas smaller than that of the state and also includes a	102
contracting authority.	103

(4)(3) "Reverse auction" means a purchasing process in which	104
offerors submit proposals in competing to sell services or	105
supplies in an open environment via the internet.	106

(5)(4) "Services" means the furnishing of labor, time, or	107
effort by a person, not involving the delivery of a specific end	108
product other than a report which, if provided, is merely	109
incidental to the required performance. "Services" does not	110
include services furnished pursuant to employment agreements or	111
collective bargaining agreements.	112

(6)(5) "Supplies" means all property, including, but not	113
limited to, equipment, materials, other tangible assets, and	114
insurance, but excluding real property or interests in real	115
property.	116

(B) Whenever any political subdivision that is required by	117
law to purchase services or supplies by competitive sealed bidding	118
or competitive sealed proposals determines that the use of a	119
reverse auction is advantageous to the political subdivision, the	120
political subdivision, in accordance with this section and rules	121
the political subdivision shall adopt, may purchase services or	122
supplies by reverse auction.	123

(C) A political subdivision shall solicit proposals through a	124
request for proposals. The request for proposals shall state the	125
relative importance of price and other evaluation factors. The	126
political subdivision shall give notice of the request for	127
proposals in accordance with the rules it adopts.	128

(D) As provided in the request for proposals and in the rules	129
a political subdivision adopts, and to ensure full understanding	130
of and responsiveness to solicitation requirements, the political	131
subdivision may conduct discussions with responsible offerors who	132
submit proposals determined to be reasonably susceptible of being	133
selected for award. The political subdivision shall accord	134
offerors fair and equal treatment with respect to any opportunity	135
for discussion regarding any clarification, correction, or	136
revision of their proposals.	137

(E) A political subdivision may award a contract to the	138
offeror whose proposal the political subdivision determines to be	139
the most advantageous to the political subdivision, taking into	140
consideration factors such as price and the evaluation criteria	141
set forth in the request for proposals. The contract file shall	142
contain the basis on which the award is made.	143

(F) The rules that a political subdivision adopts under this	144
section may require the provision of a performance bond, or	145
another similar form of financial security, in the amount and in	146
the form specified in the rules.	147

Sec. 101.691. (A) Either house of the general assembly or any	148
legislative agency may dispose of any excess or surplus supplies	149
that it possesses by sale, lease, donation, or other transfer,	150
including, but not limited to, sale by public auction over the	151
internet, as defined in section 341.42 of the Revised Code.	152
Nothing in this division prohibits either house of the general	153
assembly or a legislative agency from having the director of	154
administrative services dispose of excess or surplus supplies of	155
that house under sections 125.12 to 125.14 of the Revised Code.	156

(B) Any proceeds from sales, leases, or other transfers made	157
under division (A) of this section shall be deposited in the house	158
of representatives reimbursement special revenue fund, the senate	159
reimbursement special revenue fund, or a legislative agency	160
special revenue fund identified by the director of the agency, as	161
appropriate.	162

Sec. 117.111. (A) If a county office uses electronic records	163
and electronic signatures under Chapter 1306. of the Revised Code,	164
the auditor of state, in conducting an audit of that office under	165
division (A) or (B) of section 117.11 of the Revised Code, shall	166
inquire into the method, accuracy, and effectiveness of any	167
security procedure adopted by that office under section 304.02 of	168
the Revised Code.	169

(B) As used in this section, "county office," "electronic,"	170
"electronic record," and "electronic signature" have the same	171
meanings as in section 304.01 of the Revised Code.	172

Sec. 125.072.  (A) As used in this section:

173

(1) "Internet" means the international computer network of	174
both federal and nonfederal interoperable packet switched data	175
networks, including the graphical subnetwork called the world wide	176
web.	177

(2) "Reverse, "reverse auction" means a purchasing process in	178
which offerors submit bids in competing to sell services or	179
supplies in an open environment via the internet.	180

(B) Whenever the director of administrative services	181
determines that the use of a reverse auction is advantageous to	182
the state, the director, in accordance with rules the director	183
shall adopt, may purchase services or supplies by reverse auction.	184

(C) The director, by rule, may authorize a state agency that	185
is authorized to purchase services or supplies directly to	186
purchase them by reverse auction in the same manner as this	187
section and the rules adopted under this section authorize the	188
director to do so.	189

Sec. 149.38.  (A) There is hereby created in each county a	190
county records commission, composed of the president of the board	191
of county commissioners as chairmanchairperson, the prosecuting	192
attorney, the auditor, the recorder, and the clerk of the court of	193
common pleas. The commission shall appoint a secretary, who may or	194
may not be a member of the commission and who shall serve at the	195
pleasure of the commission. The commission may employ an archivist	196
to serve under its direction. The commission shall meet at least	197
once every six months, and upon call of the chairmanchairperson.	198

(B) The functions of the county records commission shall be	199
to provide rules for retention and disposal of records of the	200
county and to review applications for one-time records disposal	201
and schedules of records retention and disposal submitted by	202
county offices. Records may be disposed of by the commission	203
pursuant to the procedure outlined in this section. The commission	204
may, at any time, may review any schedule it has previously	205
approved, and, for good cause shown, may revise that schedule,	206
subject to division (D) of this section.	207

(C) When the county records commission has approved county	208
records have been approved for disposal, a copy of such recordsa	209
list of those records shall be sent to the auditor of state. If he	210
the auditor of state disapproves the action by the county	211
commission in whole or in part, hethe auditor of state shall so	212
inform the commission within a period of sixty days, and these	213
those records shall not be destroyed. Before public records are to	214
be disposed of, the commission shall inform the Ohio historical	215
society shall be informed and givengive the society the	216
opportunity for a period of sixty days to select for its custody	217
such records as it considers to be of continuing historical value.	218
When the Ohio historical society is so informed that public	219
records are to be disposed of, the county records commission also	220
shall notify the county historical society, and any public or	221
quasi-public institutions, agencies, or corporations in the county	222
that have provided the commission with their name and address for	223
these notification purposes, that the Ohio historical society has	224
been so informed and may select records of continuing historical	225
value, including records that may be distributed to any of the	226
notified entities under section 149.31 of the Revised Code.	227

(D) The rules of the county records commission shall include	228
a rule that requires any receipts, checks, vouchers, or other	229
similar records pertaining to expenditures from the delinquent tax	230
and assessment collection fund created in section 321.261 of the	231
Revised Code, from the real estate assessment fund created in	232
section 325.31 of the Revised Code, or from amounts allocated for	233
the furtherance of justice to the county sheriff under section	234
325.071 of the Revised Code or to the prosecuting attorney under	235
section 325.12 of the Revised Code to be retained for at least	236
four years.	237

(E) No person shall knowingly violate the rule adopted under	238
division (D) of this section. Whoever violates that rule is guilty	239
of a misdemeanor of the first degree.	240

Sec. 149.432.  (A) As used in this section:

241

(1) "Library" means a library that is open to the public,	242
including any of the following:	243

(a) A library that is maintained and regulated under section	244
715.13 of the Revised Code;	245

(b) A library that is created, maintained, and regulated	246
under Chapter 3375. of the Revised Code;	247

(c) A library that is created and maintained by a public or	248
private school, college, university, or other educational	249
institution;	250

(d) A library that is created and maintained by a historical	251
or charitable organization, institution, association, or society.	252

"Library" includes the members of the governing body and the	253
employees of a library.	254

(2) "Library record" means a record in any form that is	255
maintained by a library and that contains any of the following	256
types of information:	257

(a) Information that the library requires an individual to	258
provide in order to be eligible to use library services or borrow	259
materials;	260

(b) Information that identifies an individual as having	261
requested or obtained specific materials or materials on a	262
particular subject;	263

(c) Information that is provided by an individual to assist a	264
library staff member to answer a specific question or provide	265
information on a particular subject.	266

"Library record" does not include information that does not	267
identify any individual and that is retained for the purpose of	268
studying or evaluating the use of a library and its materials and	269
services.	270

(3) Subject to division (B)(5) of this section, "patron	271
information" means personally identifiable information about an	272
individual who has used any library service or borrowed any	273
library materials.	274

(4) "Internet" has the same meaning as in section 3517.106 of	275
the Revised Code.	276

(B) A library shall not release any library record or	277
disclose any patron information except in the following	278
situations:	279

(1) If a library record or patron information pertaining to a	280
minor child is requested from a library by the minor child's	281
parent, guardian, or custodian, the library shall make that record	282
or information available to the parent, guardian, or custodian in	283
accordance with division (B) of section 149.43 of the Revised	284
Code.	285

(2) Library records or patron information shall be released	286
in the following situations:	287

(a) In accordance with a subpoena, search warrant, or other	288
court order;	289

(b) To a law enforcement officer who is acting in the scope	290
of the officer's law enforcement duties and who is investigating a	291
matter involving public safety in exigent circumstances.	292

(3) A library record or patron information shall be released	293
upon the request or with the consent of the individual who is the	294
subject of the record or information.	295

(4) Library records may be released for administrative	296
library purposes, including establishment or maintenance of a	297
system to manage the library records or to assist in the transfer	298
of library records from one records management system to another,	299
compilation of statistical data on library use, and collection of	300
fines and penalties.	301

(5) A library may release under division (B) of section	302
149.43 of the Revised Code records that document improper use of	303
the internet at the library so long as any patron information is	304
removed from those records. As used in division (B)(5) of this	305
section, "patron information" does not include information about	306
the age or gender of an individual.	307

Sec. 304.01. As used in this chapter:

308

(A) "Agreement" means the bargain of the parties in fact, as	309
found in their language or inferred from other circumstances and	310
from rules, regulations, and procedures given the effect of	311
agreements under laws otherwise applicable to a particular	312
transaction.	313

(B) "County office" means any officer, department, board,	314
commission, agency, court, or other instrumentality of a county.	315

(C) "Electronic" means relating to technology having	316
electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic,	317
or similar capabilities.	318

(D) "Electronic record" means a record created, generated,	319
sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means.	320

(E) "Electronic signature" means an electronic sound, symbol,	321
or process attached to or logically associated with a record and	322
executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the	323
record.	324

(F) "Information" means data, text, images, sounds, codes,	325
computer programs, software, databases, or the like.	326

(G) "Person" means an individual, corporation, business	327
trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company,	328
association, joint venture, governmental agency, public	329
corporation, or other legal or commercial entity.	330

(H) "Record" means information that is inscribed on a	331
tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium	332
and is retrievable in perceivable form.	333

(I) "Transaction" means an action or set of actions occurring	334
between two or more persons relating to the conduct of business,	335
commercial, or governmental affairs.	336

Sec. 304.02. Prior to the use of electronic records and	337
electronic signatures by a county office under Chapter 1306. of	338
the Revised Code, and except as otherwise provided in section	339
955.013 of the Revised Code, a county office shall adopt, in	340
writing, a security procedure for the purpose of verifying that an	341
electronic signature, record, or performance is that of a specific	342
person or for detecting changes or errors in the information in an	343
electronic record. A security procedure includes, but is not	344
limited to, a procedure that requires the use of algorithms or	345
other codes, identifying words or numbers, encryption, or callback	346
or other acknowledgment procedures.	347

Sec. 304.03. (A) Whenever any rule or law requires or	348
authorizes the filing of any information, notice, lien, or other	349
document or record with any county office, a filing made by an	350
electronic record shall have the same force and effect as a filing	351
made on paper in all cases where the county office has authorized	352
or agreed to the electronic filing and the filing is made in	353
accordance with applicable rules or an applicable agreement.	354

(B) Nothing in this section authorizes or shall be construed	355
to authorize the use of a financial transaction device in an	356
electronic transaction for the acceptance of payments for county	357
expenses, except pursuant to section 301.28 or 955.013 of the	358
Revised Code.	359

(C) As used in this section, "financial transaction device"	360
and "county expenses" have the same meanings as in section 301.28	361
of the Revised Code.	362

Sec. 304.04. Nothing in this chapter or Chapter 1306. of the	363
Revised Code requires or shall be construed to require any county	364
office to use or permit the use of electronic records and	365
electronic signatures.	366

Sec. 307.12.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in divisions	367
(B), (C), and (E) of this section, when the board of county	368
commissioners finds, by resolution, that the county has personal	369
property, including motor vehicles acquired for the use of county	370
officers and departments, and road machinery, equipment, tools, or	371
supplies, which is not needed for public use, or is obsolete or	372
unfit for the use for which it was acquired, and when the fair	373
market value of the property to be sold under this division is, in	374
the opinion of the board, in excess of two thousand five hundred	375
dollars, the board may do either of the following:	376

(1) Sell the property at public auction or by sealed bid to	377
the highest bidder. Notice of the time, place, and manner of the	378
sale shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in	379
the county at least ten days prior to the sale, and a typewritten	380
or printed notice of the time, place, and manner of the sale shall	381
be posted at least ten days before the sale in the offices of the	382
county auditor and the board of county commissioners.	383

If a board conducts a sale of property by sealed bid, the	384
form of the bid shall be as prescribed by the board, and each bid	385
shall contain the name of the person submitting it. Bids received	386
shall be opened and tabulated at the time stated in the notice.	387
The property shall be sold to the highest bidder, except that the	388
board may reject all bids and hold another sale, by public auction	389
or sealed bid, in the manner prescribed by this section.	390

(2) Donate any motor vehicle that does not exceed four	391
thousand five hundred dollars in value to a nonprofit organization	392
exempt from federal income taxation pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 501(a)	393
and (c)(3) for the purpose of meeting the transportation needs of	394
participants in the Ohio works first program established under	395
Chapter 5107. of the Revised Code and participants in the	396
prevention, retention, and contingency program established under	397
Chapter 5108. of the Revised Code.	398

(B) When the board of county commissioners finds, by	399
resolution, that the county has personal property, including motor	400
vehicles acquired for the use of county officers and departments,	401
and road machinery, equipment, tools, or supplies, which is not	402
needed for public use, or is obsolete or unfit for the use for	403
which it was acquired, and when the fair market value of the	404
property to be sold under this division is, in the opinion of the	405
board, two thousand five hundred dollars or less, the board may	406
sell the property by private sale, without advertisement or public	407
notification.	408

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in division (A) or	409
(C) of this section and regardless of the property's value, the	410
board may sell or donate county personal property, including motor	411
vehicles, to the federal government, the state, or any political	412
subdivision of the state without advertisement or public	413
notification.	414

(C) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in division (A),	415
(B), or (E) of this section and regardless of the property's	416
value, the board of county commissioners may sell personal	417
property, including motor vehicles acquired for the use of county	418
officers and departments, and road machinery, equipment, tools, or	419
supplies, which is not needed for public use, or is obsolete or	420
unfit for the use for which it was acquired, by internet auction.	421
The board shall adopt, during each calendar year, a resolution	422
expressing its intent to sell that property by internet auction.	423
The resolution shall include a description of how the auctions	424
will be conducted and shall specify the number of days for bidding	425
on the property, which shall be no less than fifteen days,	426
including Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. The resolution	427
shall indicate whether the county will conduct the auction or the	428
board will contract with a representative to conduct the auction	429
and shall establish the general terms and conditions of sale. If a	430
representative is known when the resolution is adopted, the	431
resolution shall provide contact information such as the	432
representative's name, address, and telephone number.	433

After adoption of the resolution, the board shall publish, in	434
a newspaper of general circulation in the county, notice of its	435
intent to sell unneeded, obsolete, or unfit county personal	436
property by internet auction. The notice shall include a summary	437
of the information provided in the resolution and shall be	438
published at least twice. The second and any subsequent notice	439
shall be published not less than ten nor more than twenty days	440
after the previous notice. A similar notice also shall be posted	441
continually throughout the calendar year in a conspicuous place in	442
the offices of the county auditor and the board of county	443
commissioners, and, if the county maintains a website on the	444
internet, the notice shall be posted continually throughout the	445
calendar year at that website.	446

When property is to be sold by internet auction, the board or	447
its representative may establish a minimum price that will be	448
accepted for specific items and may establish any other terms and	449
conditions for the particular sale, including requirements for	450
pick-up or delivery, method of payment, and sales tax. This type	451
of information shall be provided on the internet at the time of	452
the auction and may be provided before that time upon request	453
after the terms and conditions have been determined by the board	454
or its representative.	455

(D) When a county officer or department head determines that	456
county-owned personal property under the jurisdiction of the	457
officer or department head, including motor vehicles, road	458
machinery, equipment, tools, or supplies, is not of immediate	459
need, the county officer or department head may notify the board	460
of county commissioners, and the board may lease that personal	461
property to any municipal corporation, township, or other	462
political subdivision of the state. The lease shall require the	463
county to be reimbursed under terms, conditions, and fees	464
established by the board, or under contracts executed by the	465
board.	466

(E) If the board of county commissioners finds, by	467
resolution, that the county has vehicles, equipment, or machinery	468
which is not needed, or is unfit for public use, and the board	469
desires to sell the vehicles, equipment, or machinery to the	470
person or firm from which it proposes to purchase other vehicles,	471
equipment, or machinery, the board may offer to sell the vehicles,	472
equipment, or machinery to that person or firm, and to have the	473
selling price credited to the person or firm against the purchase	474
price of other vehicles, equipment, or machinery.	475

(F) If the board of county commissioners advertises for bids	476
for the sale of new vehicles, equipment, or machinery to the	477
county, it may include in the same advertisement a notice of the	478
willingness of the board to accept bids for the purchase of	479
county-owned vehicles, equipment, or machinery which is obsolete	480
or not needed for public use, and to have the amount of those bids	481
subtracted from the selling price of the other vehicles,	482
equipment, or machinery as a means of determining the lowest	483
responsible bidder.	484

(G) If a board of county commissioners determines that county	485
personal property is not needed for public use, or is obsolete or	486
unfit for the use for which it was acquired, and that the property	487
has no value, the board may discard or salvage that property.	488

(H) As used in this section, "internet" means the	489
international computer network of both federal and nonfederal	490
interoperable packet switched data networks, including the	491
graphical subnetwork called the world wide web.	492

Sec. 341.42.  (A) As used in this section:

493

(1) "County correctional officer" has the same meaning as in	494
section 341.41 of the Revised Code.	495

(2) "Computer," "computer network," "computer system,"	496
"computer services," "telecommunications service," and	497
"information service" have the same meanings as in section 2913.01	498
of the Revised Code.	499

(3) "Internet" means the international computer network of	500
both federal and nonfederal interoperable packet switched data	501
networks, including the graphical subnetwork called the world wide	502
web.	503

(4) "County correctional facility" means a county jail,	504
county workhouse, minimum security jail, joint city and county	505
workhouse, municipal-county correctional center,	506
multicounty-municipal correctional center, municipal-county jail	507
or workhouse, or multicounty-municipal jail or workhouse.	508

(B) No county correctional officer shall provide a prisoner	509
access to or permit a prisoner to have access to the internet	510
through the use of a computer, computer network, computer system,	511
computer services, telecommunications service, or information	512
service unless both of the following apply:	513

(1) The prisoner is participating in an approved educational	514
program with direct supervision that requires the use of the	515
internet for training or research purposes.	516

(2) The provision of and access to the internet is in	517
accordance with rules promulgated by the department of	518
rehabilitation and correction pursuant to section 5120.62 of the	519
Revised Code.	520

(C)(1) No prisoner in a county correctional facility under	521
the control of a county shall access the internet through the use	522
of a computer, computer network, computer system, computer	523
services, telecommunications service, or information service	524
unless both of the following apply:	525

(a) The prisoner is participating in an approved educational	526
program with direct supervision that requires the use of the	527
internet for training or research purposes.	528

(b) The provision of and access to the internet is in	529
accordance with rules promulgated by the department of	530
rehabilitation and correction pursuant to section 5120.62 of the	531
Revised Code.	532

(2) Whoever violates division (C)(1) of this section is	533
guilty of improper internet access, a misdemeanor of the first	534
degree.	535

Sec. 505.10.  The board of township trustees may accept, on	536
behalf of the township, the donation by bequest, devise, deed of	537
gift, or otherwise, of any real or personal property for any	538
township use. When the township has property, including motor	539
vehicles, road machinery, equipment, and tools, which the board,	540
by resolution, finds it does not need for public use, is obsolete,	541
or is unfit for the use for which it was acquired, the board may	542
sell and convey that property or otherwise dispose of it in	543
accordance with this section. Except as otherwise provided in	544
sections 505.08, 505.101, and 505.102 of the Revised Code, the	545
sale or other disposition of unneeded, obsolete, or unfit property	546
shall be made in accordance with one of the following:	547

(A)(1) If the fair market value of property to be sold is, in	548
the opinion of the board, in excess of two thousand five hundred	549
dollars, the sale shall be by public auction, and the board shall	550
publish notice of the time, place, and manner of the sale once a	551
week for three weeks in a newspaper published, or of general	552
circulation, in the township, the last of those publications to be	553
at least five days before the date of sale, and shall post a	554
typewritten or printed notice of the time, place, and manner of	555
the sale in the office of the board for at least ten days prior to	556
the sale.	557

(2) If the fair market value of property to be sold is, in	558
the opinion of the board, two thousand five hundred dollars or	559
less, the board may sell the property by private sale, without	560
advertisement or public notification.	561

(3) If the board finds, by resolution, that the township has	562
motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools which are not	563
needed or are unfit for public use, and the board wishes to sell	564
the motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools to the	565
person or firm from which it proposes to purchase other motor	566
vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools, the board may offer	567
to sell the motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools to	568
that person or firm, and to have the selling price credited to the	569
person or firm against the purchase price of other motor vehicles,	570
road machinery, equipment, or tools.	571

(4) If the board advertises for bids for the sale of new	572
motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools to the	573
township, it may include in the same advertisement a notice of the	574
willingness of the board to accept bids for the purchase of	575
township-owned motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools	576
which are obsolete or not needed for public use, and to have the	577
amount of those bids subtracted from the selling price of the new	578
motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools, as a means of	579
determining the lowest responsible bidder.	580

(5) When a township has title to real property, the board of	581
township trustees, by resolution, may authorize the transfer and	582
conveyance of that property to any other political subdivision of	583
the state upon such terms as are agreed to between the board and	584
the legislative authority of that political subdivision.	585

(6) When a township has title to real property and the board	586
of township trustees wishes to sell or otherwise transfer the	587
property, the board, upon a unanimous vote of its members and by	588
resolution, may authorize the transfer and conveyance of that real	589
property to any person upon whatever terms are agreed to between	590
the board and that person.	591

(7) If the board of township trustees determines that	592
township personal property is not needed for public use, or is	593
obsolete or unfit for the use for which it was acquired, and that	594
the property has no value, the board may discard or salvage that	595
property.	596

(B) When the board has offered property at public auction	597
under this section and has not received an acceptable offer, the	598
board, by resolution, may enter into a contract, without	599
advertising or bidding, for the sale of that property. The	600
resolution shall specify a minimum acceptable price and the	601
minimum acceptable terms for the contract. The minimum acceptable	602
price shall not be lower than the minimum price established for	603
the public auction.	604

(C) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in division (A)	605
or (B) of this section and regardless of the property's value, the	606
board of township trustees may sell personal property, including	607
motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, tools, or supplies,	608
which is not needed for public use, or is obsolete or unfit for	609
the use for which it was acquired, by internet auction. The board	610
shall adopt, during each calendar year, a resolution expressing	611
its intent to sell that property by internet auction. The	612
resolution shall include a description of how the auctions will be	613
conducted and shall specify the number of days for bidding on the	614
property, which shall be no less than fifteen days, including	615
Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. The resolution shall	616
indicate whether the township will conduct the auction or the	617
board will contract with a representative to conduct the auction	618
and shall establish the general terms and conditions of sale. If a	619
representative is known when the resolution is adopted, the	620
resolution shall provide contact information such as the	621
representative's name, address, and telephone number.	622

After adoption of the resolution, the board shall publish, in	623
a newspaper of general circulation in the township, notice of its	624
intent to sell unneeded, obsolete, or unfit township personal	625
property by internet auction. The notice shall include a summary	626
of the information provided in the resolution and shall be	627
published at least twice. The second and any subsequent notice	628
shall be published not less than ten nor more than twenty days	629
after the previous notice. A clerk also shall post a similar	630
notice throughout the calendar year in a conspicuous place in the	631
board's office, and, if the township maintains a website on the	632
internet, the notice shall be posted continually throughout the	633
calendar year at that website.	634

When property is to be sold by internet auction, the board or	635
its representative may establish a minimum price that will be	636
accepted for specific items and may establish any other terms and	637
conditions for the particular sale, including requirements for	638
pick-up or delivery, method of payment, and sales tax. This type	639
of information shall be provided on the internet at the time of	640
the auction and may be provided before that time upon request	641
after the terms and conditions have been determined by the board	642
or its representative.	643

As used in this section, "internet" means the international	644
computer network of both federal and nonfederal interoperable	645
packet switched data networks, including the graphical subnetwork	646
called the world wide web.	647

Sec. 718.07.  As used in this section, "internet" means the	648
international computer network of both federal and nonfederal	649
interoperable packet switched data networks, including the	650
graphical subnetwork known as the world wide web.	651

On and after January 1, 2002, each municipal corporation that	652
imposes a tax on income shall make electronic versions of any	653
rules or ordinances governing the tax available to the public	654
through the internet, including, but not limited to, ordinances or	655
rules governing the rate of tax; payment and withholding of taxes;	656
filing any prescribed returns, reports, or other documents; dates	657
for filing or paying taxes, including estimated taxes; penalties,	658
interest, assessment, and other collection remedies; rights of	659
taxpayers to appeal; and procedures for filing appeals. On and	660
after that date, any municipal corporation that requires taxpayers	661
to file income tax returns, reports, or other documents shall make	662
blanks of such returns, reports, or documents, and any	663
instructions pertaining thereto, available to the public	664
electronically through the internet. Electronic versions of rules,	665
ordinances, blanks, and instructions shall be made available	666
either by posting them on the electronic site established by the	667
tax commissioner under section 5703.49 of the Revised Code or by	668
posting them on an electronic site established by the municipal	669
corporation that is accessible through the internet. If a	670
municipal corporation establishes such an electronic site, the	671
municipal corporation shall incorporate an electronic link between	672
that site and the site established pursuant to section 5703.49 of	673
the Revised Code, and shall provide to the tax commissioner the	674
uniform resource locator of the site established pursuant to this	675
division.	676

Sec. 721.15.  (A) Personal property not needed for municipal	677
purposes, the estimated value of which is less than one thousand	678
dollars, may be sold by the board or officer having supervision or	679
management of that property. If the estimated value of that	680
property is one thousand dollars or more, it shall be sold only	681
when authorized by an ordinance of the legislative authority of	682
the municipal corporation and approved by the board, officer, or	683
director having supervision or management of that property. When	684
so authorized, the board, officer, or director shall make a	685
written contract with the highest and best bidder after	686
advertisement for not less than two or more than four consecutive	687
weeks in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipal	688
corporation, or with a board of county commissioners upon such	689
lawful terms as are agreed upon, as provided by section 721.27 of	690
the Revised Code.	691

(B) When the legislative authority finds, by resolution, that	692
the municipal corporation has vehicles, equipment, or machinery	693
which is obsolete, or is not needed or is unfit for public use,	694
that the municipal corporation has need of other vehicles,	695
equipment, or machinery of the same type, and that it will be in	696
the best interest of the municipal corporation that the sale of	697
obsolete, unneeded, or unfit vehicles, equipment, or machinery be	698
made simultaneously with the purchase of the new vehicles,	699
equipment, or machinery of the same type, the legislative	700
authority may offer to sell, or authorize a board, officer, or	701
director of the municipal corporation having supervision or	702
management of the property to offer to sell, those vehicles,	703
equipment, or machinery and to have the selling price credited	704
against the purchase price of other vehicles, equipment, or	705
machinery and to consummate the sale and purchase by a single	706
contract with the lowest and best bidder to be determined by	707
subtracting from the selling price of the vehicles, equipment, or	708
machinery to be purchased by the municipal corporation the	709
purchase price offered for the municipally-owned vehicles,	710
equipment, or machinery. When the legislative authority or the	711
authorized board, officer, or director of a municipal corporation	712
advertises for bids for the sale of new vehicles, equipment, or	713
machinery to the municipal corporation, they may include in the	714
same advertisement a notice of willingness to accept bids for the	715
purchase of municipally-owned vehicles, equipment, or machinery	716
which is obsolete, or is not needed or is unfit for public use,	717
and to have the amount of those bids subtracted from the selling	718
price as a means of determining the lowest and best bidder.	719

(C) If the legislative authority of the municipal corporation	720
determines that municipal personal property is not needed for	721
public use, or is obsolete or unfit for the use for which it was	722
acquired, and that the property has no value, the legislative	723
authority may discard or salvage that property.	724

(D) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in division (A)	725
or (B) of this section and regardless of the property's value, the	726
legislative authority of a municipal corporation may sell personal	727
property, including motor vehicles acquired for the use of	728
municipal officers and departments, and road machinery, equipment,	729
tools, or supplies, which is not needed for public use, or is	730
obsolete or unfit for the use for which it was acquired, by	731
internet auction. The legislative authority shall adopt, during	732
each calendar year, a resolution expressing its intent to sell	733
that property by internet auction. The resolution shall include a	734
description of how the auctions will be conducted and shall	735
specify the number of days for bidding on the property, which	736
shall be no less than fifteen days, including Saturdays, Sundays,	737
and legal holidays. The resolution shall indicate whether the	738
municipal corporation will conduct the auction or the legislative	739
authority will contract with a representative to conduct the	740
auction and shall establish the general terms and conditions of	741
sale. If a representative is known when the resolution is adopted,	742
the resolution shall provide contact information such as the	743
representative's name, address, and telephone number.	744

After adoption of the resolution, the legislative authority	745
shall publish, in a newspaper of general circulation in the	746
municipal corporation, notice of its intent to sell unneeded,	747
obsolete, or unfit municipal personal property by internet	748
auction. The notice shall include a summary of the information	749
provided in the resolution and shall be published at least twice.	750
The second and any subsequent notice shall be published not less	751
than ten nor more than twenty days after the previous notice. A	752
similar notice also shall be posted continually throughout the	753
calendar year in a conspicuous place in the offices of the village	754
clerk or city auditor, and the legislative authority, and, if the	755
municipal corporation maintains a website on the internet, the	756
notice shall be posted continually throughout the calendar year at	757
that website.	758

When the property is to be sold by internet auction, the	759
legislative authority or its representative may establish a	760
minimum price that will be accepted for specific items and may	761
establish any other terms and conditions for the particular sale,	762
including requirements for pick-up or delivery, method of payment,	763
and sales tax. This type of information shall be provided on the	764
internet at the time of the auction and may be provided before	765
that time upon request after the terms and conditions have been	766
determined by the legislative authority or its representative.	767

As used in this section, "internet" means the international	768
computer network of both federal and nonfederal interoperable	769
packet switched data networks, including the graphical subnetwork	770
called the world wide web.	771

Sec. 753.32.  (A) As used in this section:

772

(1) "Municipal correctional officer" has the same meaning as	773
in section 753.31 of the Revised Code.	774

(2) "Computer," "computer network," "computer system,"	775
"computer services," "telecommunications service," and	776
"information service" have the same meanings as in section 2913.01	777
of the Revised Code.	778

(3) "Internet" has the same meaning as in section 341.42 of	779
the Revised Code.	780

(4) "Municipal correctional facility" means a municipal jail,	781
municipal workhouse, minimum security jail, joint city and county	782
workhouse, municipal-county correctional center,	783
multicounty-municipal correctional center, municipal-county jail	784
or workhouse, or multicounty-municipal jail or workhouse.	785

(B) No municipal correctional officer shall provide a	786
prisoner access to or permit a prisoner to have access to the	787
internet through the use of a computer, computer network, computer	788
system, computer services, telecommunications service, or	789
information service unless both of the following apply:	790

(1) The prisoner is participating in an approved educational	791
program with direct supervision that requires the use of the	792
internet for training or research purposes.	793

(2) The provision of and access to the internet is in	794
accordance with rules promulgated by the department of	795
rehabilitation and correction pursuant to section 5120.62 of the	796
Revised Code.	797

(C)(1) No prisoner in a municipal correctional facility under	798
the control of a municipal corporation shall access the internet	799
through the use of a computer, computer network, computer system,	800
computer services, telecommunications service, or information	801
service unless both of the following apply:	802

(a) The prisoner is participating in an approved educational	803
program with direct supervision that requires the use of the	804
internet for training or research purposes.	805

(b) The provision of and access to the internet is in	806
accordance with rules promulgated by the department of	807
rehabilitation and correction pursuant to section 5120.62 of the	808
Revised Code.	809

(2) Whoever violates division (C)(1) of this section is	810
guilty of improper internet access, a misdemeanor of the first	811
degree.	812

Sec. 955.013.  (A) As used in this section:

813

(1) "Financial, "financial transaction device" has the same	814
meaning as in section 301.28 of the Revised Code.	815

(2) "Internet" means the international computer network of	816
both federal and nonfederal interoperable packet switched data	817
networks, including the graphical subnetwork called the world wide	818
web.	819

(B) A county auditor may establish procedures and take	820
actions that are necessary to allow for either or both of the	821
following:	822

(1) The registration of dogs and kennels under this chapter	823
via the internet;	824

(2) The payment of dog and kennel registration fees under	825
this chapter by financial transaction devices, including payment	826
by financial transaction devices via the internet.	827

Sec. 1306.16.  (A) A provision of a nonelectronic contract	828
involving a consumer and to which a state agency or a county	829
office is not a party that authorizes the conducting of a	830
transaction or any part of a transaction by electronic means is	831
unenforceable against the consumer, unless the consumer separately	832
signs the provision.	833

(B) A consumer's agreement to conduct a transaction or a part	834
of a transaction electronically shall not be inferred solely from	835
the fact that the consumer has used electronic means to pay an	836
account or register a purchase or warranty.	837

(C) Divisions (A) and (B) of this section apply to every	838
transaction described in those divisions notwithstanding any other	839
provision of sections 1306.01 to 1306.23 of the Revised Codethis	840
chapter. This section shall not be varied by agreement.	841

(D) For purposes of this section, both of the following	842
apply:	843

(1) "Consumer" means an individual who is involved in a	844
transaction primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.	845

(2) "State agency" means every organized body, office, or	846
agency established by the laws of the state for the exercise of	847
any function of state government.	848

(3) "County office" means any officer, department, board,	849
commission, agency, court, or other instrumentality of a county.	850

Sec. 2307.64. (A) As used in this section:

851

(1) "Advertisement" has the same meaning as in section	852
4931.55 of the Revised Code.	853

(2) "Computer," "computer network," "computer program,"	854
"computer services," and "telecommunications device" have the same	855
meanings as in section 2913.01 of the Revised Code.	856

(3) "Electronic mail" means an electronic message that is	857
transmitted between two or more telecommunications devices or	858
electronic devices capable of receiving electronic messages,	859
whether or not the message is converted to hard copy format after	860
receipt, and whether or not the message is viewed upon the	861
transmission or stored for later retrieval. "Electronic mail"	862
includes electronic messages that are transmitted through a local,	863
regional, or global computer network.	864

(4) "Electronic mail advertisement" means electronic mail	865
containing an advertisement.	866

(5) "Electronic mail service provider" means any person that	867
is an intermediary in sending and receiving electronic mail and	868
that provides to users of electronic mail services the ability to	869
send or receive electronic mail. "Electronic mail service	870
provider" includes an internet service provider.	871

(6) "Internet" has the same meaning as in section 341.42 of	872
the Revised Code.	873

(7) "Originating address" means the string of characters used	874
to specify the source of any electronic mail message.	875

(8)(7) "Person" has the same meaning as in section 1.59 of	876
the Revised Code, but when a person is not an individual, the	877
person responsible for transmitting or causing to be transmitted	878
an electronic mail advertisement is the particular division of the	879
partnership, corporation, or other business entity actually	880
responsible for the transmission of the electronic mail	881
advertisement.	882

(9)(8) "Pre-existing business relationship" means that there	883
was a business transaction between the initiator and the recipient	884
of a commercial electronic mail message during the five-year	885
period preceding the receipt of that message. A pre-existing	886
business relationship includes a transaction involving the free	887
provision of information, goods, or services requested by the	888
recipient. A pre-existing business relationship does not exist	889
after a recipient requests to be removed from the distribution	890
lists of an initiator pursuant to division (B) of this section and	891
a reasonable amount of time has expired since that request.	892

(10)(9) "Receiving address" means the string of characters	893
used to specify a recipient with each receiving address creating a	894
unique and separate recipient.	895

(11)(10) "Recipient" means a person who receives an	896
electronic mail advertisement at any one of the following	897
receiving addresses:	898

(a) A receiving address furnished by an electronic mail	899
service provider that bills for furnishing and maintaining that	900
receiving address to a mailing address within this state;	901

(b) A receiving address ordinarily accessed from a computer	902
located within this state;	903

(c) A receiving address ordinarily accessed by a person	904
domiciled within this state;	905

(d) Any other receiving address with respect to which the	906
obligations imposed by this section can be imposed consistent with	907
the United States Constitution.	908

(B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(3) of	909
this section, a person that transmits or causes to be transmitted	910
to a recipient an electronic mail advertisement shall clearly and	911
conspicuously provide to the recipient, within the body of the	912
electronic mail advertisement, both of the following:	913

(a) The person's name and complete residence or business	914
address and the electronic mail address of the person transmitting	915
the electronic mail advertisement;	916

(b) A notice that the recipient may decline to receive from	917
the person transmitting or causing to be transmitted the	918
electronic mail advertisement any additional electronic mail	919
advertisements and a detailed procedure for declining to receive	920
any additional electronic mail advertisements at no cost. The	921
notice shall be of the same size of type as the majority of the	922
text of the message and shall not require that the recipient	923
provide any information other than the receiving address.	924

(2) If the recipient of an electronic mail advertisement uses	925
the procedure contained in the notice described in division	926
(B)(1)(b) of this section to decline to receive any additional	927
electronic mail advertisements, the person that transmitted or	928
caused to be transmitted the original electronic mail	929
advertisement, within a reasonable period of time, shall cease	930
transmitting or causing to be transmitted to the receiving address	931
any additional electronic mail advertisements.	932

(3) A person does not violate division (B) of this section if	933
the person transmits or causes to be transmitted to the recipient	934
an electronic mail advertisement when any of the following apply:	935

(a) The person has a pre-existing business or personal	936
relationship with the recipient.	937

(b) The recipient has consented or has agreed as a condition	938
of service to receive the electronic mail advertisement.	939

(c) The recipient receives the electronic mail advertisement	940
because another recipient forwarded the advertisement to that	941
recipient via an internet web site or another recipient made a	942
direct referral of that recipient to receive the advertisement.	943

(C) No person shall use a computer, a computer network, or	944
the computer services of an electronic mail service provider to	945
transmit an electronic mail advertisement in contravention of the	946
authority granted by, or in violation of the policies related to	947
electronic mail advertisements set by, the electronic mail service	948
provider if the electronic mail service provider has provided the	949
person notice of those policies. For the purposes of this	950
division, notice of those policies shall be deemed sufficient if	951
an electronic mail service provider maintains an easily accessible	952
web page containing its policies regarding electronic mail	953
advertisements and can demonstrate that notice was supplied via	954
electronic means between the sending and receiving computers.	955

(D) No electronic mail service provider shall be liable for	956
transmitting another person's electronic mail advertisement	957
through its service in violation of this section, or shall be	958
liable for any action it voluntarily takes in good faith to block	959
the receipt or transmission through its service of any electronic	960
mail advertisement that it believes is, or will be sent, in	961
violation of this section.	962

(E) A recipient of an electronic mail advertisement	963
transmitted in violation of division (B) of this section may bring	964
a civil action against a person who transmitted that advertisement	965
or caused it to be transmitted. In that action, the recipient may	966
recover the following:	967

(1) One hundred dollars for each violation, not to exceed a	968
total of fifty thousand dollars;	969

(2) Reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, and other costs	970
of bringing the action.	971

(F) An electronic mail service provider whose authority or	972
policy has been contravened in violation of division (C) of this	973
section may bring a civil action against a person who transmitted	974
that advertisement or caused it to be transmitted. In that action,	975
the electronic mail service provider may recover the following:	976

(1)(a) Fifty dollars for each violation of division (C) of	977
this section, not to exceed fifty thousand dollars;	978

(b) If a violation of division (C) of this section is a	979
willful or knowing violation, the court may increase the amount	980
recoverable to an amount not to exceed five hundred thousand	981
dollars.	982

(c) If a violation of division (C) of this section is	983
accompanied by a violation of division (H) of this section, there	984
shall be no limit on the amount that may be recovered pursuant to	985
this section.	986

(2) Reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, and other costs	987
of bringing the action.	988

(G) In addition to any recovery that is allowed under	989
divisions (E) or (F) of this section, the recipient of an	990
electronic mail advertisement transmitted in violation of division	991
(B) of this section or the electronic mail service provider of an	992
advertisement transmitted in violation of division (C) of this	993
section may apply to the court of common pleas of the county in	994
which the recipient resides or the service provider is located for	995
an order enjoining the person who transmitted or caused to be	996
transmitted that electronic mail advertisement from transmitting	997
or causing to be transmitted to the recipient any additional	998
electronic mail advertisement.	999

(H) No person shall use a computer, a computer network, a	1000
computer program, or the computer services of an electronic mail	1001
service provider with the intent to forge an originating address	1002
or other routing information, in any manner, in connection with	1003
the transmission of an electronic mail advertisement through or	1004
into the network of an electronic mail service provider or its	1005
subscribers. Each use of a computer, a computer network, a	1006
computer program, or the computer services of an electronic mail	1007
service provider in violation of this division constitutes a	1008
separate offense. A person who violates this division is guilty of	1009
forgery under section 2913.31 of the Revised Code.	1010

Sec. 3517.10.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in this	1011
division, every campaign committee, political action committee,	1012
legislative campaign fund, political party, and political	1013
contributing entity that made or received a contribution or made	1014
an expenditure in connection with the nomination or election of	1015
any candidate or in connection with any ballot issue or question	1016
at any election held or to be held in this state shall file, on a	1017
form prescribed under this section, by electronic means of	1018
transmission as provided in this section and section 3517.106 of	1019
the Revised Code, or, until March 1, 2004, on computer disk as	1020
provided in section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, a full, true,	1021
and itemized statement, made under penalty of election	1022
falsification, setting forth in detail the contributions and	1023
expenditures, no later than four p.m. of the following dates:	1024

(1) The twelfth day before the election to reflect	1025
contributions received and expenditures made from the close of	1026
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed	1027
statement, if any, to the close of business on the twentieth day	1028
before the election;	1029

(2) The thirty-eighth day after the election to reflect the	1030
contributions received and expenditures made from the close of	1031
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed	1032
statement, if any, to the close of business on the seventh day	1033
before the filing of the statement;	1034

(3) The last business day of January of every year to reflect	1035
the contributions received and expenditures made from the close of	1036
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed	1037
statement, if any, to the close of business on the last day of	1038
December of the previous year.	1039

A campaign committee shall only be required to file the	1040
statements prescribed under divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this	1041
section in connection with the nomination or election of the	1042
committee's candidate.	1043

The statement required under division (A)(1) of this section	1044
shall not be required of any campaign committee, political action	1045
committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or	1046
political contributing entity that has received contributions of	1047
less than one thousand dollars and has made expenditures of less	1048
than one thousand dollars at the close of business on the	1049
twentieth day before the election. Those contributions and	1050
expenditures shall be reported in the statement required under	1051
division (A)(2) of this section.	1052

If an election to select candidates to appear on the general	1053
election ballot is held within sixty days before a general	1054
election, the campaign committee of a successful candidate in the	1055
earlier election may file the statement required by division	1056
(A)(1) of this section for the general election instead of the	1057
statement required by division (A)(2) of this section for the	1058
earlier election if the pregeneral election statement reflects the	1059
status of contributions and expenditures for the period twenty	1060
days before the earlier election to twenty days before the general	1061
election.	1062

If a person becomes a candidate less than twenty days before	1063
an election, the candidate's campaign committee is not required to	1064
file the statement required by division (A)(1) of this section.	1065

No statement under division (A)(3) of this section shall be	1066
required for any year in which a campaign committee, political	1067
action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or	1068
political contributing entity is required to file a postgeneral	1069
election statement under division (A)(2) of this section. However,	1070
such a statement may be filed, at the option of the campaign	1071
committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund,	1072
political party, or political contributing entity.	1073

No statement under division (A)(3) of this section shall be	1074
required if the campaign committee, political action committee,	1075
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political	1076
contributing entity has no contributions that it has received and	1077
no expenditures that it has made since the last date reflected in	1078
its last previously filed statement. However, the campaign	1079
committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund,	1080
political party, or political contributing entity shall file a	1081
statement to that effect, on a form prescribed under this section	1082
and made under penalty of election falsification, on the date	1083
required in division (A)(3) of this section.	1084

The campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall file a	1085
monthly statement of contributions received during each of the	1086
months of July, August, and September in the year of the general	1087
election in which the candidate seeks office. The campaign	1088
committee of a statewide candidate shall file the monthly	1089
statement not later than three business days after the last day of	1090
the month covered by the statement. During the period beginning on	1091
the nineteenth day before the general election in which a	1092
statewide candidate seeks election to office and extending through	1093
the day of that general election, each time the campaign committee	1094
of the joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant	1095
governor or of a candidate for the office of secretary of state,	1096
auditor of state, treasurer of state, or attorney general receives	1097
a contribution from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount	1098
of contributions received from that contributor during that period	1099
to equal or exceed two thousand five hundred dollars and each time	1100
the campaign committee of a candidate for the office of chief	1101
justice or justice of the supreme court receives a contribution	1102
from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount of	1103
contributions received from that contributor during that period to	1104
exceed five hundred dollars, the campaign committee shall file a	1105
two-business-day statement reflecting that contribution. During	1106
the period beginning on the nineteenth day before a primary	1107
election in which a candidate for statewide office seeks	1108
nomination to office and extending through the day of that primary	1109
election, each time either the campaign committee of a statewide	1110
candidate in that primary election that files a notice under	1111
division (C)(1) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code or the	1112
campaign committee of a statewide candidate in that primary	1113
election to which, in accordance with division (D) of section	1114
3517.103 of the Revised Code, the contribution limitations	1115
prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code no longer apply	1116
receives a contribution from a contributor that causes the	1117
aggregate amount of contributions received from that contributor	1118
during that period to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars,	1119
the campaign committee shall file a two-business-day statement	1120
reflecting that contribution. Contributions reported on a	1121
two-business-day statement required to be filed by a campaign	1122
committee of a statewide candidate in a primary election shall	1123
also be included in the postprimary election statement required to	1124
be filed by that campaign committee under division (A)(2) of this	1125
section. A two-business-day statement required by this paragraph	1126
shall be filed not later than two business days after receipt of	1127
the contribution. The statements required by this paragraph shall	1128
be filed in addition to any other statements required by this	1129
section.	1130

Subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested,	1131
and verified the successful operation of any system the secretary	1132
of state prescribes pursuant to divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of	1133
this section and division (H)(1) of section 3517.106 of the	1134
Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by	1135
electronic means of transmission, a campaign committee of a	1136
statewide candidate shall file a two-business-day statement under	1137
the preceding paragraph by electronic means of transmission if the	1138
campaign committee is required to file a preelection,	1139
postelection, or monthly statement of contributions and	1140
expenditures by electronic means of transmission under this	1141
section or section 3517.106 of the Revised Code.	1142

If a campaign committee or political action committee has no	1143
balance on hand and no outstanding obligations and desires to	1144
terminate itself, it shall file a statement to that effect, on a	1145
form prescribed under this section and made under penalty of	1146
election falsification, with the official with whom it files a	1147
statement under division (A) of this section after filing a final	1148
statement of contributions and a final statement of expenditures,	1149
if contributions have been received or expenditures made since the	1150
period reflected in its last previously filed statement.	1151

(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(7) of this	1152
section, each statement required by division (A) of this section	1153
shall contain the following information:	1154

(1) The full name and address of each campaign committee,	1155
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political	1156
party, or political contributing entity, including any treasurer	1157
of the committee, fund, party, or entity, filing a contribution	1158
and expenditure statement;	1159

(2)(a) In the case of a campaign committee, the candidate's	1160
full name and address;	1161

(b) In the case of a political action committee, the	1162
registration number assigned to the committee under division	1163
(D)(1) of this section.	1164

(3) The date of the election and whether it was or will be a	1165
general, primary, or special election;	1166

(4) A statement of contributions received, which shall	1167
include the following information:	1168

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

1169

(b)(i) The full name and address of each person, political	1170
party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political	1171
action committee, or political contributing entity from whom	1172
contributions are received and the registration number assigned to	1173
the political action committee under division (D)(1) of this	1174
section. The requirement of filing the full address does not apply	1175
to any statement filed by a state or local committee of a	1176
political party, to a finance committee of such committee, or to a	1177
committee recognized by a state or local committee as its	1178
fund-raising auxiliary. Notwithstanding division (F)(1) of this	1179
section, the requirement of filing the full address shall be	1180
considered as being met if the address filed is the same address	1181
the contributor provided under division (E)(1) of this section.	1182

(ii) If a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or	1183
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly	1184
receives a contribution from an individual that exceeds one	1185
hundred dollars, the name of the individual's current employer, if	1186
any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the individual's	1187
occupation;	1188

(iii) If a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or	1189
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly	1190
receives a contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031	1191
of the Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and	1192
salaries of two or more employees that exceeds in the aggregate	1193
one hundred dollars during any one filing period under division	1194
(A)(1), (2), or (3) of this section, the full name of the	1195
employees' employer and the full name of the labor organization of	1196
which the employees are members, if any.	1197

(c) A description of the contribution received, if other than	1198
money;	1199

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

1200

(e) A separately itemized account of all contributions and	1201
expenditures regardless of the amount, except a receipt of a	1202
contribution from a person in the sum of twenty-five dollars or	1203
less at one social or fund-raising activity and a receipt of a	1204
contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031 of the	1205
Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and salaries of	1206
employees if the contribution from the amount deducted from the	1207
wages and salary of any one employee is twenty-five dollars or	1208
less aggregated in a calendar year. An account of the total	1209
contributions from each social or fund-raising activity shall	1210
include a description of and the value of each in-kind	1211
contribution received at that activity from any person who made	1212
one or more such contributions whose aggregate value exceeded two	1213
hundred fifty dollars and shall be listed separately, together	1214
with the expenses incurred and paid in connection with that	1215
activity. A campaign committee, political action committee,	1216
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political	1217
contributing entity shall keep records of contributions from each	1218
person in the amount of twenty-five dollars or less at one social	1219
or fund-raising activity and contributions from amounts deducted	1220
under section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from the wages and	1221
salary of each employee in the amount of twenty-five dollars or	1222
less aggregated in a calendar year. No continuing association that	1223
is recognized by a state or local committee of a political party	1224
as an auxiliary of the party and that makes a contribution from	1225
funds derived solely from regular dues paid by members of the	1226
auxiliary shall be required to list the name or address of any	1227
members who paid those dues.	1228

Contributions that are other income shall be itemized	1229
separately from all other contributions. The information required	1230
under division (B)(4) of this section shall be provided for all	1231
other income itemized. As used in this paragraph, "other income"	1232
means a loan, investment income, or interest income.	1233

(f) In the case of a campaign committee of a state elected	1234
officer, if a person doing business with the state elected officer	1235
in the officer's official capacity makes a contribution to the	1236
campaign committee of that officer, the information required under	1237
division (B)(4) of this section in regard to that contribution,	1238
which shall be filed together with and considered a part of the	1239
committee's statement of contributions as required under division	1240
(A) of this section but shall be filed on a separate form provided	1241
by the secretary of state. As used in division (B)(4)(f) of this	1242
section:	1243

(i) "State elected officer" has the same meaning as in	1244
section 3517.092 of the Revised Code.	1245

(ii) "Person doing business" means a person or an officer of	1246
an entity who enters into one or more contracts with a state	1247
elected officer or anyone authorized to enter into contracts on	1248
behalf of that officer to receive payments for goods or services,	1249
if the payments total, in the aggregate, more than five thousand	1250
dollars during a calendar year.	1251

(5) A statement of expenditures which shall include the	1252
following information:	1253

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

1254

(b) The full name and address of each person, political	1255
party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political	1256
action committee, or political contributing entity to whom the	1257
expenditure was made and the registration number assigned to the	1258
political action committee under division (D)(1) of this section;	1259

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

1260

(d) The amount of each expenditure.

1261

(C)(1) The statement of contributions and expenditures shall	1262
be signed by the person completing the form. If a statement of	1263
contributions and expenditures is filed by electronic means of	1264
transmission pursuant to this section or section 3517.106 of the	1265
Revised Code, the electronic signature of the person who executes	1266
the statement and transmits the statement by electronic means of	1267
transmission, as provided in division (H) of section 3517.106 of	1268
the Revised Code, shall be attached to or associated with the	1269
statement and shall be binding on all persons and for all purposes	1270
under the campaign finance reporting law as if the signature had	1271
been handwritten in ink on a printed form.	1272

(2) The person filing the statement, under penalty of	1273
election falsification, shall include with it a list of each	1274
anonymous contribution, the circumstances under which it was	1275
received, and the reason it cannot be attributed to a specific	1276
donor.	1277

(3) Each statement of a campaign committee of a candidate who	1278
holds public office shall contain a designation of each	1279
contributor who is an employee in any unit or department under the	1280
candidate's direct supervision and control. In a space provided in	1281
the statement, the person filing the statement shall affirm that	1282
each such contribution was voluntarily made.	1283

(4) A campaign committee that did not receive contributions	1284
or make expenditures in connection with the nomination or election	1285
of its candidate shall file a statement to that effect, on a form	1286
prescribed under this section and made under penalty of election	1287
falsification, on the date required in division (A)(2) of this	1288
section.	1289

(5) The campaign committee of any person who attempts to	1290
become a candidate and who, for any reason, does not become	1291
certified in accordance with Title XXXV of the Revised Code for	1292
placement on the official ballot of a primary, general, or special	1293
election to be held in this state, and who, at any time prior to	1294
or after an election, receives contributions or makes	1295
expenditures, or has given consent for another to receive	1296
contributions or make expenditures, for the purpose of bringing	1297
about the person's nomination or election to public office, shall	1298
file the statement or statements prescribed by this section and a	1299
termination statement, if applicable. This paragraph does not	1300
apply to any person with respect to an election to the offices of	1301
member of a county or state central committee, presidential	1302
elector, or delegate to a national convention or conference of a	1303
political party.	1304

(6)(a) The statements required to be filed under this section	1305
shall specify the balance in the hands of the campaign committee,	1306
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political	1307
party, or political contributing entity and the disposition	1308
intended to be made of that balance.	1309

(b) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form for all	1310
statements required to be filed under this section and shall	1311
furnish the forms to the boards of elections in the several	1312
counties. The boards of elections shall supply printed copies of	1313
those forms without charge. The secretary of state shall prescribe	1314
the appropriate methodology, protocol, and data file structure for	1315
statements required or permitted to be filed by electronic means	1316
of transmission under division (A) of this section and divisions	1317
(E), (F), and (G) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code and for	1318
statements permitted to be filed on computer disk under division	1319
(F) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code. Subject to division	1320
(A) of this section and divisions (E), (F), and (G) of section	1321
3517.106 of the Revised Code, the statements required to be stored	1322
on computer by the secretary of state under division (B) of	1323
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code shall be filed in whatever	1324
format the secretary of state considers necessary to enable the	1325
secretary of state to store the information contained in the	1326
statements on computer. Any such format shall be of a type and	1327
nature that is readily available to whoever is required to file	1328
the statements in that format.	1329

(c) The secretary of state shall assess the need for training	1330
regarding the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic	1331
means of transmission and regarding associated technologies for	1332
candidates, campaign committees, political action committees,	1333
legislative campaign funds, political parties, political	1334
contributing entities, or individuals, partnerships, or other	1335
entities required or permitted to file statements by electronic	1336
means of transmission under this section or section 3517.105 or	1337
3517.106 of the Revised Code. If, in the opinion of the secretary	1338
of state, training in these areas is necessary, the secretary of	1339
state shall arrange for the provision of voluntary training	1340
programs for candidates, campaign committees, political action	1341
committees, legislative campaign funds, political parties,	1342
political contributing entities, and individuals, partnerships,	1343
and other entities.	1344

(7) Each monthly statement and each two-business-day	1345
statement required by division (A) of this section shall contain	1346
the information required by divisions (B)(1) to (4), (C)(2), and,	1347
if appropriate, (C)(3) of this section. Each statement shall be	1348
signed as required by division (C)(1) of this section.	1349

(D)(1) Prior to receiving a contribution or making an	1350
expenditure, every campaign committee, political action committee,	1351
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political	1352
contributing entity shall appoint a treasurer and shall file, on a	1353
form prescribed by the secretary of state, a designation of that	1354
appointment, including the full name and address of the treasurer	1355
and of the campaign committee, political action committee,	1356
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political	1357
contributing entity. That designation shall be filed with the	1358
official with whom the campaign committee, political action	1359
committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or	1360
political contributing entity is required to file statements under	1361
section 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The name of a campaign	1362
committee shall include at least the last name of the campaign	1363
committee's candidate. The secretary of state shall assign a	1364
registration number to each political action committee that files	1365
a designation of the appointment of a treasurer under division	1366
(D)(1) of this section if the political action committee is	1367
required by division (A)(1) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code	1368
to file the statements prescribed by this section with the	1369
secretary of state.	1370

(2) The treasurer appointed under division (D)(1) of this	1371
section shall keep a strict account of all contributions, from	1372
whom received and the purpose for which they were disbursed.	1373

(3)(a) Except as otherwise provided in section 3517.108 of	1374
the Revised Code, a campaign committee shall deposit all monetary	1375
contributions received by the committee into an account separate	1376
from a personal or business account of the candidate or campaign	1377
committee.	1378

(b) A political action committee shall deposit all monetary	1379
contributions received by the committee into an account separate	1380
from all other funds.	1381

(c) A state or county political party may establish a state	1382
candidate fund that is separate from an account that contains the	1383
public moneys received from the Ohio political party fund under	1384
section 3517.17 of the Revised Code and from all other funds. A	1385
state or county political party may deposit into its state	1386
candidate fund any amounts of monetary contributions that are made	1387
to or accepted by the political party subject to the applicable	1388
limitations, if any, prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised	1389
Code. A state or county political party shall deposit all other	1390
monetary contributions received by the party into one or more	1391
accounts that are separate from its state candidate fund and from	1392
its account that contains the public moneys received from the Ohio	1393
political party fund under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code.	1394

(d) Each state political party shall have only one	1395
legislative campaign fund for each house of the general assembly.	1396
Each such fund shall be separate from any other funds or accounts	1397
of that state party. A legislative campaign fund is authorized to	1398
receive contributions and make expenditures for the primary	1399
purpose of furthering the election of candidates who are members	1400
of that political party to the house of the general assembly with	1401
which that legislative campaign fund is associated. Each	1402
legislative campaign fund shall be administered and controlled in	1403
a manner designated by the caucus. As used in division (D)(3)(d)	1404
of this section, "caucus" has the same meaning as in section	1405
3517.01 of the Revised Code and includes, as an ex officio member,	1406
the chairperson of the state political party with which the caucus	1407
is associated or that chairperson's designee.	1408

(4) Every expenditure in excess of twenty-five dollars shall	1409
be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the	1410
expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement of	1411
expenditures. A canceled check with a notation of the purpose of	1412
the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of division	1413
(D)(4) of this section.	1414

(5) The secretary of state or the board of elections, as the	1415
case may be, shall issue a receipt for each statement filed under	1416
this section and shall preserve a copy of the receipt for a period	1417
of at least six years. All statements filed under this section	1418
shall be open to public inspection in the office where they are	1419
filed and shall be carefully preserved for a period of at least	1420
six years after the year in which they are filed.	1421

(6) The secretary of state, by rule adopted pursuant to	1422
section 3517.23 of the Revised Code, shall prescribe the manner of	1423
immediately acknowledging, with date and time received, and	1424
preserving the receipt of statements that are transmitted by	1425
electronic means of transmission to the secretary of state	1426
pursuant to this section or section 3517.106 of the Revised Code	1427
and the manner of preserving the contribution and expenditure	1428
information in those statements. The secretary of state shall	1429
preserve the contribution and expenditure information in those	1430
statements for at least ten years after the year in which they are	1431
filed by electronic means of transmission.	1432

(7) The secretary of state, pursuant to division (I) of	1433
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, shall make available online	1434
to the public through the internet the contribution and	1435
expenditure information in all statements, all addenda,	1436
amendments, or other corrections to statements, and all amended	1437
statements filed with the secretary of state by electronic or	1438
other means of transmission under this section, division (B)(2)(b)	1439
or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105, or section 3517.106 or 3517.11	1440
of the Revised Code. The secretary of state may remove the	1441
information from the internet after a reasonable period of time.	1442

(E)(1) Any person, political party, campaign committee,	1443
legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or	1444
political contributing entity that makes a contribution in	1445
connection with the nomination or election of any candidate or in	1446
connection with any ballot issue or question at any election held	1447
or to be held in this state shall provide its full name and	1448
address to the recipient of the contribution at the time the	1449
contribution is made. The political action committee also shall	1450
provide the registration number assigned to the committee under	1451
division (D)(1) of this section to the recipient of the	1452
contribution at the time the contribution is made.	1453

(2) Any individual who makes a contribution that exceeds one	1454
hundred dollars to a campaign committee of a statewide candidate	1455
or candidate for the office of member of the general assembly	1456
shall provide the name of the individual's current employer, if	1457
any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the individual's	1458
occupation to the recipient of the contribution at the time the	1459
contribution is made. Sections 3599.39 and 3599.40 of the Revised	1460
Code do not apply to division (E)(2) of this section.	1461

(3) If a campaign committee shows that it has exercised its	1462
best efforts to obtain, maintain, and submit the information	1463
required under divisions (B)(4)(b)(ii) and (iii) of this section,	1464
that committee is considered to have met the requirements of those	1465
divisions. A campaign committee shall not be considered to have	1466
exercised its best efforts unless, in connection with written	1467
solicitations, it regularly includes a written request for the	1468
information required under division (B)(4)(b)(ii) of this section	1469
from the contributor or the information required under division	1470
(B)(4)(b)(iii) of this section from whoever transmits the	1471
contribution.	1472

(4) Any check that a political action committee uses to make	1473
a contribution or an expenditure shall contain the full name and	1474
address of the committee and the registration number assigned to	1475
the committee under division (D)(1) of this section.	1476

(F) As used in this section:

1477

(1) "Address" means all of the following if they exist:	1478
apartment number, street, road, or highway name and number, rural	1479
delivery route number, city or village, state, and zip code as	1480
used in a person's post-office address, but not post-office box.	1481
If an address is required in this section, a post-office box and	1482
office, room, or suite number may be included in addition to but	1483
not in lieu of an apartment, street, road, or highway name and	1484
number. If an address is required in this section, a campaign	1485
committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund,	1486
political party, or political contributing entity may use the	1487
business or residence address of its treasurer or deputy	1488
treasurer. The post-office box number of the campaign committee,	1489
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political	1490
party, or political contributing entity may be used in addition to	1491
that address.	1492

(2) "Statewide candidate" means the joint candidates for the	1493
offices of governor and lieutenant governor or a candidate for the	1494
office of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of	1495
state, attorney general, member of the state board of education,	1496
chief justice of the supreme court, or justice of the supreme	1497
court.	1498

(3) "Internet" has the same meaning as in section 3517.106 of	1499
the Revised Code.	1500

(G) An independent expenditure shall be reported whenever and	1501
in the same manner that an expenditure is required to be reported	1502
under this section and shall be reported pursuant to division	1503
(B)(2)(a) or (C)(2)(a) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code.	1504

(H)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(2) of	1505
this section, if, during the combined preelection and postelection	1506
reporting periods for an election, a campaign committee has	1507
received contributions of five hundred dollars or less and has	1508
made expenditures in the total amount of five hundred dollars or	1509
less, it may file a statement to that effect, under penalty of	1510
election falsification, in lieu of the statement required by	1511
division (A)(2) of this section. The statement shall indicate the	1512
total amount of contributions received and the total amount of	1513
expenditures made during those combined reporting periods.	1514

(2) In the case of a successful candidate at a primary	1515
election, if either the total contributions received by or the	1516
total expenditures made by the candidate's campaign committee	1517
during the preprimary, postprimary, pregeneral, and postgeneral	1518
election periods combined equal more than five hundred dollars,	1519
the campaign committee may file the statement under division	1520
(H)(1) of this section only for the primary election. The first	1521
statement that the campaign committee files in regard to the	1522
general election shall reflect all contributions received and all	1523
expenditures made during the preprimary and postprimary election	1524
periods.	1525

(3) Divisions (H)(1) and (2) of this section do not apply if	1526
a campaign committee receives contributions or makes expenditures	1527
prior to the first day of January of the year of the election at	1528
which the candidate seeks nomination or election to office or if	1529
the campaign committee does not file a termination statement with	1530
its postprimary election statement in the case of an unsuccessful	1531
primary election candidate or with its postgeneral election	1532
statement in the case of other candidates.	1533

(I) In the case of a contribution made by a partnership or	1534
unincorporated business, all of the following apply:	1535

(1) The recipient of the contribution shall report the	1536
contribution by listing both the partnership or unincorporated	1537
business and the name of the partner or owner making the	1538
contribution.	1539

(2) For purposes of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, the	1540
contribution shall be considered to have been made by the partner	1541
or owner reported under division (I)(1) of this section.	1542

(3) No contribution from a partnership or unincorporated	1543
business shall be accepted unless the recipient reports the	1544
contribution under division (I)(1) of this section.	1545

(J) A candidate shall have only one campaign committee at any	1546
given time for all of the offices for which the person is a	1547
candidate or holds office.	1548

(K)(1) In addition to filing a designation of appointment of	1549
a treasurer under division (D)(1) of this section, the campaign	1550
committee of any candidate for an elected municipal office that	1551
pays an annual amount of compensation of five thousand dollars or	1552
less, the campaign committee of any candidate for member of a	1553
board of education except member of the state board of education,	1554
or the campaign committee of any candidate for township trustee or	1555
township clerk may sign, under penalty of election falsification,	1556
a certificate attesting that the committee will not accept	1557
contributions during an election period that exceed in the	1558
aggregate two thousand dollars from all contributors and one	1559
hundred dollars from any one individual, and that the campaign	1560
committee will not make expenditures during an election period	1561
that exceed in the aggregate two thousand dollars.	1562

The certificate shall be on a form prescribed by the	1563
secretary of state and shall be filed not later than ten days	1564
after the candidate files a declaration of candidacy and petition,	1565
a nominating petition, or a declaration of intent to be a write-in	1566
candidate.	1567

(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (K)(3) of this	1568
section, a campaign committee that files a certificate under	1569
division (K)(1) of this section is not required to file the	1570
statements required by division (A) of this section 3517.10 of the	1571
Revised Code.	1572

(3) If, after filing a certificate under division (K)(1) of	1573
this section, a campaign committee exceeds any of the limitations	1574
described in that division during an election period, the	1575
certificate is void and thereafter the campaign committee shall	1576
file the statements required by division (A) of this section	1577
3517.10 of the Revised Code. If the campaign committee has not	1578
previously filed a statement, then on the first statement the	1579
campaign committee is required to file under division (A) of this	1580
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code after the committee's	1581
certificate is void, the committee shall report all contributions	1582
received and expenditures made from the time the candidate filed	1583
the candidate's declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating	1584
petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate.	1585

(4) As used in division (K) of this section, "election	1586
period" means the period of time beginning on the day a person	1587
files a declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating	1588
petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate	1589
through the day of the election at which the person seeks	1590
nomination to office if the person is not elected to office, or,	1591
if the candidate was nominated in a primary election, the day of	1592
the election at which the candidate seeks office.	1593

(L) Notwithstanding division (B)(4) of this section, a	1594
political contributing entity that receives contributions from the	1595
dues, membership fees, or other assessments of its members or from	1596
its officers, shareholders, and employees may report the aggregate	1597
amount of contributions received from those contributors and the	1598
number of individuals making those contributions, for each filing	1599
period identified under divisions (A)(1), (2), and (3) of this	1600
section. Division (B)(4) of this section applies to a political	1601
contributing entity with regard to contributions it receives from	1602
all other contributors.	1603

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

1604

(1) "Internet" means the international computer network of	1605
both federal and nonfederal interoperable packet switched data	1606
networks, including the graphical subnetwork called the world wide	1607
web.	1608

(2) "Statewide office" means any of the offices of governor,	1609
lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of state,	1610
treasurer of state, attorney general, chief justice of the supreme	1611
court, and justice of the supreme court.	1612

(3)(2) "Addendum to a statement" includes an amendment or	1613
other correction to that statement.	1614

(B) The secretary of state shall store on computer the	1615
information contained in statements of contributions and	1616
expenditures and monthly statements required to be filed under	1617
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and in statements of	1618
independent expenditures required to be filed under section	1619
3517.105 of the Revised Code by any of the following:	1620

(1) The campaign committees of candidates for statewide	1621
office;	1622

(2) The political action committees and political	1623
contributing entities described in division (A)(1) of section	1624
3517.11 of the Revised Code;	1625

(3) Legislative campaign funds;

1626

(4) State political parties;

1627

(5) Individuals, partnerships, corporations, labor	1628
organizations, or other entities that make independent	1629
expenditures in support of or opposition to a statewide candidate	1630
or a statewide ballot issue or question;	1631

(6) The campaign committees of candidates for the office of	1632
member of the general assembly.	1633

(C)(1) The secretary of state shall make available to the	1634
campaign committees, political action committees, political	1635
contributing entities, legislative campaign funds, political	1636
parties, individuals, partnerships, corporations, labor	1637
organizations, and other entities described in division (B) of	1638
this section, and to members of the news media and other	1639
interested persons, for a reasonable fee, computer programs that	1640
are compatible with the secretary of state's method of storing the	1641
information contained in the statements.	1642

(2) The secretary of state shall make the information	1643
required to be stored under division (B) of this section available	1644
on computer at the secretary of state's office so that, to the	1645
maximum extent feasible, individuals may obtain at the secretary	1646
of state's office any part or all of that information for any	1647
given year, subject to the limitation expressed in division (D) of	1648
this section.	1649

(D) The secretary of state shall keep the information stored	1650
on computer under division (B) of this section for at least six	1651
years.	1652

(E)(1) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,	1653
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the	1654
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this	1655
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of	1656
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by	1657
electronic means of transmission, the campaign committee of each	1658
candidate for statewide office may file the statements prescribed	1659
by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of	1660
transmission or, if the total amount of the contributions received	1661
or the total amount of the expenditures made by the campaign	1662
committee for the applicable reporting period as specified in	1663
division (A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten	1664
thousand dollars, shall file those statements by electronic means	1665
of transmission.	1666

Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five	1667
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a	1668
candidate for statewide office is received by the secretary of	1669
state by electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary	1670
of state shall make available online to the public through the	1671
internet, as provided in division (I) of this section, the	1672
contribution and expenditure information in that statement. The	1673
secretary of state shall not make available online to the public	1674
through the internet any contribution or expenditure information	1675
contained in a statement for any candidate until the secretary of	1676
state is able to make available online to the public through the	1677
internet the contribution and expenditure information for all	1678
candidates for a particular office. As soon as the secretary of	1679
state has available all of that information, the secretary of	1680
state shall simultaneously make available online to the public	1681
through the internet the information for all candidates for a	1682
particular office.	1683

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	1684
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	1685
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	1686
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the campaign	1687
committee shall file by electronic means of transmission any	1688
addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary	1689
to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the	1690
secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.	1691

Within five business days after the secretary of state	1692
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for statewide	1693
office an addendum to the statement or an amended statement by	1694
electronic or other means of transmission under this division or	1695
division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the	1696
secretary of state shall make the contribution and expenditure	1697
information in the addendum or amended statement available online	1698
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of	1699
this section.	1700

(2) Subject to division (E)(3) of this section and subject to	1701
the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified	1702
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state	1703
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and	1704
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised	1705
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic	1706
means of transmission, a political action committee and a	1707
political contributing entity described in division (B)(2) of this	1708
section, a legislative campaign fund, and a state political party	1709
may file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the	1710
Revised Code by electronic means of transmission.	1711

Within five business days after a statement filed by a	1712
political action committee or a political contributing entity	1713
described in division (B)(2) of this section, a legislative	1714
campaign fund, or a state political party is received by the	1715
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,	1716
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public	1717
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,	1718
the contribution and expenditure information in that statement.	1719

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	1720
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	1721
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	1722
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the political	1723
action committee, political contributing entity, legislative	1724
campaign fund, or state political party shall file by electronic	1725
means of transmission any addendum to the statement that provides	1726
the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or,	1727
if required by the secretary of state under that division, an	1728
amended statement.	1729

Within five business days after the secretary of state	1730
receives from a political action committee or a political	1731
contributing entity described in division (B)(2) of this section,	1732
a legislative campaign fund, or a state political party an	1733
addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic or	1734
other means of transmission under this division or division	1735
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of	1736
state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in	1737
the addendum or amended statement available online to the public	1738
through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.	1739

(3) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,	1740
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the	1741
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this	1742
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of	1743
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by	1744
electronic means of transmission, a political action committee and	1745
a political contributing entity described in division (B)(2) of	1746
this section, a legislative campaign fund, and a state political	1747
party shall file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of	1748
the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission if the total	1749
amount of the contributions received or the total amount of the	1750
expenditures made by the political action committee, political	1751
contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party	1752
for the applicable reporting period as specified in division (A)	1753
of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand	1754
dollars.	1755

Within five business days after a statement filed by a	1756
political action committee or a political contributing entity	1757
described in division (B)(2) of this section, a legislative	1758
campaign fund, or a state political party is received by the	1759
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,	1760
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public	1761
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,	1762
the contribution and expenditure information in that statement.	1763

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	1764
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	1765
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	1766
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the political	1767
action committee, political contributing entity, legislative	1768
campaign fund, or state political party shall file by electronic	1769
means of transmission any addendum to the statement that provides	1770
the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or,	1771
if required by the secretary of state under that division, an	1772
amended statement.	1773

Within five business days after the secretary of state	1774
receives from a political action committee or a political	1775
contributing entity described in division (B)(2) of this section,	1776
a legislative campaign fund, or a state political party an	1777
addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic or	1778
other means of transmission under this division or division	1779
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of	1780
state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in	1781
the addendum or amended statement available online to the public	1782
through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.	1783

(F)(1) Subject to division (F)(4) of this section and subject	1784
to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified	1785
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state	1786
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and	1787
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised	1788
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic	1789
means of transmission or on computer disk, a campaign committee of	1790
a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly may	1791
file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised	1792
Code by electronic means of transmission to the office of the	1793
secretary of state or, until March 1, 2004, on computer disk with	1794
the appropriate board of elections specified in division (A)(2) of	1795
section 3517.11 of the Revised Code.	1796

Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five	1797
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a	1798
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly is	1799
received by the secretary of state by electronic or other means of	1800
transmission, the secretary of state shall make available online	1801
to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) of	1802
this section, the contribution and expenditure information in that	1803
statement. The secretary of state shall not make available online	1804
to the public through the internet any contribution or expenditure	1805
information contained in a statement for any candidate until the	1806
secretary of state is able to make available online to the public	1807
through the internet the contribution and expenditure information	1808
for all candidates for a particular office. As soon as the	1809
secretary of state has available all of that information, the	1810
secretary of state shall simultaneously make available online to	1811
the public through the internet the information for all candidates	1812
for a particular office.	1813

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission or	1814
on computer disk is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the	1815
examination of the statement for completeness and accuracy	1816
pursuant to division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised	1817
Code, the campaign committee shall file by electronic means of	1818
transmission to the office of the secretary of state, or, until	1819
March 1, 2004, on computer disk with the appropriate board of	1820
elections if the original statement was filed on computer disk,	1821
any addendum to the statement that provides the information	1822
necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if required by	1823
the secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.	1824

Within five business days after the secretary of state	1825
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for the office	1826
of member of the general assembly an addendum to the statement or	1827
an amended statement by electronic or other means of transmission	1828
under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of	1829
the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the	1830
contribution and expenditure information in the addendum or	1831
amended statement available online to the public through the	1832
internet as provided in division (I) of this section.	1833

(2) Until March 1, 2004, if a campaign committee of a	1834
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly files a	1835
statement of contributions and expenditures, an addendum to the	1836
statement, or an amended statement by electronic means of	1837
transmission or on computer disk pursuant to division (F)(1) of	1838
this section, the campaign committee shall file as prescribed by	1839
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the appropriate board of	1840
elections specified in division (A)(2) of section 3517.11 of the	1841
Revised Code a printed version of the statement, addendum, or	1842
amended statement filed by electronic means of transmission or on	1843
computer disk, in the format that the secretary of state shall	1844
prescribe. If a statement, addendum, or amended statement is not	1845
filed by electronic means of transmission or on computer disk but	1846
is filed by printed version only, the campaign committee shall	1847
file two copies of the printed version of the statement, addendum,	1848
or amended statement with the appropriate board of elections. The	1849
board of elections shall send one of those copies by overnight	1850
delivery service to the secretary of state before the close of	1851
business on the day the board of elections receives the statement,	1852
addendum, or amended statement.	1853

(3)(a) Subject to division (F)(4) of this section and subject	1854
to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified	1855
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state	1856
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and	1857
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised	1858
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic	1859
means of transmission or on computer disk, the secretary of state	1860
shall assess, and a campaign committee of a candidate for the	1861
office of member of the general assembly shall pay, a fee as	1862
provided in this division if the campaign committee has not filed	1863
the campaign finance statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of	1864
the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission or on	1865
computer disk pursuant to division (F)(1) of this section. The fee	1866
shall be calculated on the total contributions received for the	1867
applicable reporting period specified in division (A) of section	1868
3517.10 of the Revised Code as follows:	1869

(i) No fee for total contributions up to and including ten	1870
thousand dollars;	1871

(ii) A fee of fifty dollars for total contributions of over	1872
ten thousand dollars up to and including twenty-five thousand	1873
dollars;	1874

(iii) A fee of one hundred fifty dollars for total	1875
contributions over twenty-five thousand dollars up to and	1876
including fifty thousand dollars;	1877

(iv) A fee of two hundred dollars for total contributions	1878
over fifty thousand dollars.	1879

(b) No campaign committee of a candidate for the office of	1880
member of the general assembly shall be required to pay the fee	1881
prescribed by division (F)(3)(a) of this section in connection	1882
with the filing of an addendum to a statement of contributions and	1883
expenditures or in connection with the filing of an amended	1884
statement.	1885

(c) The fee prescribed by division (F)(3)(a) of this section	1886
shall be made payable to the secretary of state and shall be	1887
collected by the appropriate board of elections at the time the	1888
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of member of the	1889
general assembly files the statement of contributions and	1890
expenditures. The fee shall be sent along with the statement,	1891
before the close of business on the day it is received, to the	1892
secretary of state by overnight delivery service.	1893

(4) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,	1894
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the	1895
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this	1896
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of	1897
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by	1898
electronic means of transmission, on and after March 1, 2004, a	1899
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of member of the	1900
general assembly shall file the statements prescribed by section	1901
3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission to	1902
the secretary of state if the total amount of the contributions	1903
received by the campaign committee for the applicable reporting	1904
period as specified in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the	1905
Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars.	1906

Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five	1907
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a	1908
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly is	1909
received by the secretary of state by electronic or other means of	1910
transmission, the secretary of state shall make available online	1911
to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) of	1912
this section, the contribution and expenditure information in that	1913
statement. The secretary of state shall not make available online	1914
to the public through the internet any contribution or expenditure	1915
information contained in a statement for any candidate until the	1916
secretary of state is able to make available online to the public	1917
through the internet the contribution and expenditure information	1918
for all candidates for a particular office. As soon as the	1919
secretary of state has available all of that information, the	1920
secretary of state shall simultaneously make available online to	1921
the public through the internet the information for all candidates	1922
for a particular office.	1923

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	1924
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	1925
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	1926
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the campaign	1927
committee of a candidate for the office of member of the general	1928
assembly shall file by electronic means of transmission any	1929
addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary	1930
to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the	1931
secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.	1932

Within five business days after the secretary of state	1933
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for the office	1934
of member of the general assembly an addendum to the statement or	1935
an amended statement by electronic or other means of transmission	1936
under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of	1937
the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the	1938
contribution and expenditure information in the addendum or	1939
amended statement available online to the public through the	1940
internet as provided in division (I) of this section.	1941

(G)(1) Subject to division (G)(2) of this section and subject	1942
to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified	1943
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state	1944
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and	1945
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised	1946
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic	1947
means of transmission, any individual, partnership, or other	1948
entity that makes independent expenditures in support of or	1949
opposition to a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot issue or	1950
question as provided in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section	1951
3517.105 of the Revised Code may file the statement specified in	1952
that division by electronic means of transmission.	1953

Within five business days after a statement filed by an	1954
individual, partnership, or other entity is received by the	1955
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,	1956
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public	1957
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,	1958
the expenditure information in that statement.	1959

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	1960
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	1961
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	1962
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the individual,	1963
partnership, or other entity shall file by electronic means of	1964
transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the	1965
information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if	1966
required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended	1967
statement.	1968

Within five business days after the secretary of state	1969
receives from an individual, partnership, or other entity	1970
described in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105	1971
of the Revised Code an addendum to the statement or an amended	1972
statement by electronic or other means of transmission under this	1973
division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised	1974
Code, the secretary of state shall make the expenditure	1975
information in the addendum or amended statement available online	1976
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of	1977
this section.	1978

(2) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,	1979
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the	1980
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this	1981
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of	1982
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by	1983
electronic means of transmission, any individual, partnership, or	1984
other entity that makes independent expenditures in support of or	1985
opposition to a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot issue or	1986
question as provided in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section	1987
3517.105 of the Revised Code shall file the statement specified in	1988
that division by electronic means of transmission if the total	1989
amount of the independent expenditures made during the reporting	1990
period under that division exceeds ten thousand dollars.	1991

Within five business days after a statement filed by an	1992
individual, partnership, or other entity is received by the	1993
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,	1994
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public	1995
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,	1996
the expenditure information in that statement.	1997

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	1998
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	1999
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	2000
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the individual,	2001
partnership, or other entity shall file by electronic means of	2002
transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the	2003
information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if	2004
required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended	2005
statement.	2006

Within five business days after the secretary of state	2007
receives from an individual, partnership, or other entity	2008
described in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105	2009
of the Revised Code an addendum to the statement or an amended	2010
statement by electronic or other means of transmission under this	2011
division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised	2012
Code, the secretary of state shall make the expenditure	2013
information in the addendum or amended statement available online	2014
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of	2015
this section.	2016

(H)(1) The secretary of state, by rule adopted pursuant to	2017
section 3517.23 of the Revised Code, shall prescribe one or more	2018
techniques by which a person who executes and transmits by	2019
electronic means a statement of contributions and expenditures, a	2020
statement of independent expenditures, an addendum to either	2021
statement, an amended statement of contributions and expenditures,	2022
or an amended statement of independent expenditures under this	2023
section or section 3517.10 or 3517.105 of the Revised Code shall	2024
electronically sign the statement, addendum, or amended statement.	2025
Any technique prescribed by the secretary of state pursuant to	2026
this division shall create an electronic signature that satisfies	2027
all of the following:	2028

(a) It is unique to the signer.

2029

(b) It objectively identifies the signer.

2030

(c) It involves the use of a signature device or other means	2031
or method that is under the sole control of the signer and that	2032
cannot be readily duplicated or compromised.	2033

(d) It is created and linked to the electronic record to	2034
which it relates in a manner that, if the record or signature is	2035
intentionally or unintentionally changed after signing, the	2036
electronic signature is invalidated.	2037

(2) An electronic signature prescribed by the secretary of	2038
state under division (H)(1) of this section shall be attached to	2039
or associated with the statement of contributions and	2040
expenditures, the statement of independent expenditures, the	2041
addendum to either statement, the amended statement of	2042
contributions and expenditures, or the amended statement of	2043
independent expenditures that is executed and transmitted by	2044
electronic means by the person to whom the electronic signature is	2045
attributed. The electronic signature that is attached to or	2046
associated with the statement, addendum, or amended statement	2047
under this division shall be binding on all persons and for all	2048
purposes under the campaign finance reporting law as if the	2049
signature had been handwritten in ink on a printed form of the	2050
statement, addendum, or amended statement.	2051

(I) The secretary of state shall make the contribution and	2052
expenditure information in all statements, all addenda to the	2053
statements, and all amended statements that are filed with the	2054
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission	2055
under this section or section 3517.10, 3517.105, or 3517.11 of the	2056
Revised Code available online to the public by any means that are	2057
searchable, viewable, and accessible through the internet.	2058

(J)(1) As used in this division, "library" means a library	2059
that is open to the public and that is one of the following:	2060

(a) A library that is maintained and regulated under section	2061
715.13 of the Revised Code;	2062

(b) A library that is created, maintained, and regulated	2063
under Chapter 3375. of the Revised Code.	2064

(2) The secretary of state shall notify all libraries of the	2065
location on the internet at which the contribution and expenditure	2066
information in campaign finance statements required to be made	2067
available online to the public through the internet pursuant to	2068
division (I) of this section may be accessed.	2069

If that location is part of the graphical subnetwork called	2070
the world wide web and if the secretary of state has notified a	2071
library of that world wide web location as required by this	2072
division, the library shall include a link to that world wide web	2073
location on each internet-connected computer it maintains that is	2074
accessible to the public.	2075

(3) If the system the secretary of state prescribes for the	2076
filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of	2077
transmission pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and	2078
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised	2079
Code includes filing those statements through the internet via an	2080
interactive location on the graphical subnetwork called the world	2081
wide web, the secretary of state shall notify all libraries of the	2082
world wide web location at which those statements may be filed.	2083

If those statements may be filed through the internet via an	2084
interactive location on the graphical subnetwork called the world	2085
wide web and if the secretary of state has notified a library of	2086
that world wide web location as required by this division, the	2087
library shall include a link to that world wide web location on	2088
each internet-connected computer it maintains that is accessible	2089
to the public.	2090

(K) It is an affirmative defense to a complaint or charge	2091
brought against any campaign committee, political action	2092
committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, political	2093
contributing entity, or individual, partnership, or other entity	2094
for the failure to file by electronic means of transmission a	2095
campaign finance statement as required by this section or section	2096
3517.10 or 3517.105 of the Revised Code that all of the following	2097
apply to the campaign committee, political action committee,	2098
legislative campaign fund, political party, political contributing	2099
entity, or individual, partnership, or other entity that failed to	2100
file the required statement:	2101

(1) The campaign committee, political action committee,	2102
legislative campaign fund, political party, political contributing	2103
entity, or individual, partnership, or other entity attempted to	2104
file by electronic means of transmission the required statement	2105
prior to the deadline set forth in the applicable section.	2106

(2) The campaign committee, political action committee,	2107
legislative campaign fund, political party, political contributing	2108
entity, or individual, partnership, or other entity was unable to	2109
file by electronic means of transmission due to an expected or	2110
unexpected shutdown of the whole or part of the electronic	2111
campaign finance statement-filing system, such as for maintenance	2112
or because of hardware, software, or network connection failure.	2113

(3) The campaign committee, political action committee,	2114
legislative campaign fund, political party, political contributing	2115
entity, or individual, partnership, or other entity filed by	2116
electronic means of transmission the required statement within a	2117
reasonable period of time after being unable to so file it under	2118
the circumstance described in division (K)(2) of this section.	2119

Sec. 3517.11.  (A)(1) Campaign committees of candidates for	2120
statewide offices or the state board of education, political	2121
action committees or political contributing entities that make	2122
contributions to campaign committees of candidates that are	2123
required to file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of	2124
the Revised Code with the secretary of state, political action	2125
committees or political contributing entities that make	2126
contributions to campaign committees of candidates for member of	2127
the general assembly, political action committees or political	2128
contributing entities that make contributions to state and	2129
national political parties and to legislative campaign funds,	2130
political action committees or political contributing entities	2131
that receive contributions or make expenditures in connection with	2132
a statewide ballot issue, political action committees or political	2133
contributing entities that make contributions to other political	2134
action committees or political contributing entities, political	2135
parties, and campaign committees, except as set forth in division	2136
(A)(3) of this section, legislative campaign funds, and state and	2137
national political parties shall file the statements prescribed by	2138
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the secretary of state.	2139

(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (F) of section	2140
3517.106 of the Revised Code, campaign committees of candidates	2141
for all other offices shall file the statements prescribed by	2142
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the board of elections	2143
where their candidates are required to file their petitions or	2144
other papers for nomination or election.	2145

A campaign committee of a candidate for office of member of	2146
the general assembly shall file two copies of the printed version	2147
of any statement, addendum, or amended statement if the committee	2148
does not file by electronic means of transmission or on computer	2149
disk pursuant to division (F)(1) of section 3517.106 of the	2150
Revised Code but files by printed version only with the	2151
appropriate board of elections. The board of elections shall send	2152
one of those copies by overnight delivery service to the secretary	2153
of state before the close of business on the day the board of	2154
elections receives the statement, addendum, or amended statement.	2155

(3) Political action committees or political contributing	2156
entities that only contribute to a county political party,	2157
contribute to campaign committees of candidates whose nomination	2158
or election is to be submitted only to electors within a county,	2159
subdivision, or district, excluding candidates for member of the	2160
general assembly, and receive contributions or make expenditures	2161
in connection with ballot questions or issues to be submitted only	2162
to electors within a county, subdivision, or district shall file	2163
the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code	2164
with the board of elections in that county or in the county	2165
contained in whole or part within the subdivision or district	2166
having a population greater than that of any other county	2167
contained in whole or part within that subdivision or district, as	2168
the case may be.	2169

(4) County political parties shall file the statements	2170
prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the board	2171
of elections of their respective counties.	2172

(B)(1) The official with whom petitions and other papers for	2173
nomination or election to public office are filed shall furnish	2174
each candidate at the time of that filing a copy of sections	2175
3517.01, 3517.08 to 3517.11, 3517.13 to 3517.993, 3599.03, and	2176
3599.031 of the Revised Code and any other materials that the	2177
secretary of state may require. Each candidate receiving the	2178
materials shall acknowledge their receipt in writing.	2179

(2) On or before the tenth day before the dates on which	2180
statements are required to be filed by section 3517.10 of the	2181
Revised Code, every candidate subject to the provisions of this	2182
section and sections 3517.10 and 3517.106 of the Revised Code	2183
shall be notified of the requirements and applicable penalties of	2184
those sections. The secretary of state, by certified mail, return	2185
receipt requested, shall notify all candidates required to file	2186
those statements with the secretary of state's office. The board	2187
of elections of every county shall notify by first class mail any	2188
candidate who has personally appeared at the office of the board	2189
on or before the tenth day before the statements are required to	2190
be filed and signed a form, to be provided by the secretary of	2191
state, attesting that the candidate has been notified of the	2192
candidate's obligations under the campaign finance law. The board	2193
shall forward the completed form to the secretary of state. The	2194
board shall use certified mail, return receipt requested, to	2195
notify all other candidates required to file those statements with	2196
it.	2197

(3)(a) Any statement required to be filed under sections	2198
3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code that is found to be	2199
incomplete or inaccurate by the officer to whom it is submitted	2200
shall be accepted on a conditional basis, and the person who filed	2201
it shall be notified by certified mail as to the incomplete or	2202
inaccurate nature of the statement. The secretary of state may	2203
examine statements filed for candidates for the office of member	2204
of the general assembly for completeness and accuracy. The	2205
secretary of state shall examine for completeness and accuracy	2206
statements that campaign committees of candidates for the office	2207
of member of the general assembly file by electronic means of	2208
transmission pursuant to division (F) of section 3517.106 of the	2209
Revised Code. If an officer at the board of elections where a	2210
statement filed for a candidate for the office of member of the	2211
general assembly was submitted finds the statement to be	2212
incomplete or inaccurate, the officer shall immediately notify the	2213
secretary of state of its incomplete or inaccurate nature. If	2214
either an officer at the board of elections or the secretary of	2215
state finds a statement filed for a candidate for the office of	2216
member of the general assembly to be incomplete or inaccurate,	2217
only the secretary of state shall send the notification as to the	2218
incomplete or inaccurate nature of the statement.	2219

Within twenty-one days after receipt of the notice, in the	2220
case of a pre-election statement, a postelection statement, a	2221
monthly statement, or an annual statement prescribed by section	2222
3517.10, an annual statement prescribed by section 3517.101, or a	2223
statement prescribed by division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section	2224
3517.105 or section 3517.107 of the Revised Code, the recipient	2225
shall file an addendum, amendment, or other correction to the	2226
statement providing the information necessary to complete or	2227
correct the statement. The secretary of state may require that, in	2228
lieu of filing an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a	2229
statement that is filed by electronic means of transmission to the	2230
office of the secretary of state or on computer disk with the	2231
appropriate board of elections pursuant to section 3517.106 of the	2232
Revised Code, the recipient of the notice described in this	2233
division file by electronic means of transmission, or, until March	2234
1, 2004, on computer disk with the appropriate board of elections	2235
if the original statement was filed on computer disk, an amended	2236
statement that incorporates the information necessary to complete	2237
or correct the statement. The secretary of state shall determine	2238
by rule when an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a	2239
two-business-day statement prescribed by section 3517.10 of the	2240
Revised Code or an amended two-business-day statement shall be	2241
filed. An addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement	2242
that is filed by electronic means of transmission or on computer	2243
disk pursuant to section 3517.106 of the Revised Code shall be	2244
filed in the same manner as the statement. The provisions of	2245
sections 3517.10 and 3517.106 of the Revised Code pertaining to	2246
the filing of statements of contributions and expenditures and	2247
statements of independent expenditures by electronic means of	2248
transmission or on computer disk apply to the filing of addenda,	2249
amendments, or other corrections to those statements by electronic	2250
means of transmission or, until March 1, 2004, on computer disk	2251
and the filing of amended statements by electronic means of	2252
transmission or, until March 1, 2004, on computer disk.	2253

(b) Within five business days after the secretary of state	2254
receives, by electronic or other means of transmission, an	2255
addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement or an	2256
amended statement under division (B)(3)(a) of this section, the	2257
secretary of state, pursuant to divisions (E), (F), (G), and (I)	2258
of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, shall make the	2259
contribution and expenditure information in that addendum,	2260
amendment, correction, or amended statement available online to	2261
the public through the internet. As used in this division,	2262
"internet" has the same meaning as in section 3517.106 of the	2263
Revised Code.	2264

(4)(a) The secretary of state or the board of elections shall	2265
examine all statements for compliance with sections 3517.08 to	2266
3517.17 of the Revised Code.	2267

(b) The secretary of state may contract with an individual or	2268
entity not associated with the secretary of state and experienced	2269
in interpreting the campaign finance law of this state to conduct	2270
examinations of statements filed by any statewide candidate, as	2271
defined in section 3517.103 of the Revised Code.	2272

(c) The examination shall be conducted by a person or entity	2273
qualified to conduct it. The results of the examination shall be	2274
available to the public, and, when the examination is conducted by	2275
an individual or entity not associated with the secretary of	2276
state, the results of the examination shall be reported to the	2277
secretary of state.	2278

(C)(1) In the event of a failure to file or a late filing of	2279
a statement required to be filed under sections 3517.081 to	2280
3517.17 of the Revised Code or if a filed statement or any	2281
addendum to the statement, if an addendum is required to be filed,	2282
is incomplete or inaccurate or appears to disclose a failure to	2283
comply with or a violation of law, the official whose duty it is	2284
to examine the statement shall promptly file a complaint with the	2285
Ohio elections commission under section 3517.153 of the Revised	2286
Code if the law is one over which the commission has jurisdiction	2287
to hear complaints, or the official shall promptly report the	2288
failure or violation to the board of elections and the board shall	2289
promptly report it to the prosecuting attorney in accordance with	2290
division (J) of section 3501.11 of the Revised Code. If the	2291
official files a complaint with the commission, the commission	2292
shall proceed in accordance with sections 3517.154 to 3517.157 of	2293
the Revised Code.	2294

(2) For purposes of division (C)(1) of this section, a	2295
statement or an addendum to a statement required to be filed under	2296
sections 3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code is incomplete or	2297
inaccurate under this section if the statement or addendum fails	2298
to disclose substantially all contributions that are received from	2299
a source and that are required to be reported under sections	2300
3517.10, 3517.107, and 3517.108 of the Revised Code or if the	2301
statement or addendum fails to disclose at least ninety per cent	2302
of the total contributions received or of the total expenditures	2303
made during the reporting period.	2304

(D) No certificate of nomination or election shall be issued	2305
to a person, and no person elected to an office shall enter upon	2306
the performance of the duties of that office, until that person or	2307
that person's campaign committee, as appropriate, has fully	2308
complied with this section and sections 3517.08, 3517.081,	2309
3517.10, and 3517.13 of the Revised Code.	2310

Sec. 5145.31.  (A) As used in this section:

2311

(1) "Computer,", "computer," "computer network," "computer	2312
system," "computer services," "telecommunications service," and	2313
"information service" have the same meanings as in section 2913.01	2314
of the Revised Code.	2315

(2) "Internet" has the same meaning as in section 341.42 of	2316
the Revised Code.	2317

(B) No officer or employee of a correctional institution	2318
under the control or supervision of the department of	2319
rehabilitation and correction shall provide a prisoner access to	2320
or permit a prisoner to have access to the internet through the	2321
use of a computer, computer network, computer system, computer	2322
services, telecommunications service, or information service	2323
unless both of the following apply:	2324

(1) The prisoner is participating in an approved educational	2325
program with direct supervision that requires the use of the	2326
internet for training or research purposes.	2327

(2) The provision of and access to the internet is in	2328
accordance with rules promulgated by the department of	2329
rehabilitation and correction pursuant to section 5120.62 of the	2330
Revised Code.	2331

(C)(1) No prisoner in a correctional institution under the	2332
control or supervision of the department of rehabilitation and	2333
correction shall access the internet through the use of a	2334
computer, computer network, computer system, computer services,	2335
telecommunications service, or information service unless both of	2336
the following apply:	2337

(a) The prisoner is participating in an approved educational	2338
program with direct supervision that requires the use of the	2339
internet for training or research purposes.	2340

(b) The provision of and access to the internet is in	2341
accordance with rules promulgated by the department of	2342
rehabilitation and correction pursuant to section 5120.62 of the	2343
Revised Code.	2344

(2) Whoever violates division (C)(1) of this section is	2345
guilty of improper internet access, a misdemeanor of the first	2346
degree.	2347

Sec. 5703.49.  (A) As used in this section, "internet" means	2348
the international computer network of both federal and nonfederal	2349
interoperable packet switched data networks, including the	2350
graphical subnetwork known as the world wide web.	2351

(B) On or before December 31, 2001, the tax commissioner	2352
shall establish an electronic site accessible through the	2353
internet. The tax commissioner shall provide access on the site	2354
for each municipal corporation that has not established its own	2355
electronic site to post documents or information required under	2356
section 718.07 of the Revised Code. The tax commissioner shall	2357
provide electronic links for each municipal corporation that	2358
establishes a site under that section and for which a uniform	2359
resource locator has been provided to the tax commissioner. The	2360
tax commissioner is not responsible for the accuracy of the posted	2361
information, and is not liable for any inaccurate or outdated	2362
information provided by a municipal corporation. The tax	2363
commissioner may adopt rules governing the format and means of	2364
submitting such documents or information and other matters	2365
necessary to implement this section. The tax commissioner may	2366
charge municipal corporations a fee to defray the cost of	2367
establishing and maintaining the electronic site established under	2368
this section.	2369

(C)(B) The tax commissioner shall deposit any fees received	2370
under this section to the credit of the municipal internet site	2371
fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury. The	2372
commissioner shall use the fund for costs of establishing and	2373
maintaining the electronic site established under this section.	2374

Section 2. That existing sections 1.59, 9.08, 9.314, 101.691,	2375
125.072, 149.38, 149.432, 307.12, 341.42, 505.10, 718.07, 721.15,	2376
753.32, 955.013, 1306.16, 2307.64, 3517.10, 3517.106, 3517.11,	2377
5145.31, and 5703.49 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.	2378