SENATORS Stivers, Austria

To amend section 9.92 of the Revised Code to permit a

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Board of County Commissioners to enter into an

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agreement of affiliation with a citizens' reward

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program and to require the imposition of one

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dollar in additional court costs to assist in the

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funding of affiliated citizens' reward programs.

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

Section 1. That section 9.92 of the Revised Code be amended	7
to read as follows:	8

Sec. 9.92.  (A) As used in this section, "citizens':

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(1) "Citizens' reward program" means any organization that	10
satisfies all of the following criteria:	11

(1)(a) It is a nonprofit organization;

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(2)(b) It is organized and operated exclusively to offer and	13
pay rewards to citizens for volunteering tips and information to	14
law enforcement agencies concerning felonies, offenses of	15
violence, or misdemeanors that have been committed;	16

(3)(c) It has established a reward fund to be used solely for	17
the payment of rewards to citizens for volunteering tips and	18
information to law enforcement agencies concerning felonies,	19
offenses of violence, or misdemeanors that have been committed.	20

(2) "Detention facility" has the same meaning as in section	21
2921.01 of the Revised Code.	22

(B) A citizens' reward program may apply to the board of	23
county commissioners of any county or counties in which it	24
operates for recognition as the official reward program for that	25
county or counties. Upon receipt of the application, the board of	26
county commissioners shall determine if it is in proper order and	27
the information it contains is correct. If the application meets	28
these criteria, the board, by resolution, may officially recognize	29
the program. Recognition of a program by a county under this	30
division qualifies the program for funding of its reward fund	31
under division (E)(2) of section 2933.41 of the Revised Code. No	32
more than one such reward program shall be recognized in any	33
county.	34

(C)(1) If a board of county commissioners enters into an	35
agreement of affiliation with a citizens' reward program pursuant	36
to division (D) of this section, any municipal court, county	37
court, or court of common pleas within the county shall impose the	38
sum of one dollar as costs in any case in which a person is	39
convicted of or pleads guilty to any offense other than a traffic	40
offense. This one dollar additional court costs is in addition to	41
any other court costs that the court is required by law to impose	42
upon the offender, and, the court shall impose the one dollar	43
additional court costs as long as the agreement of affiliation	44
remains in effect, but the court, in the court's discretion, may	45
remit this one dollar additional court costs to the offender. The	46
clerk of each court shall transmit all such moneys collected	47
during a month on or before the twentieth day of the following	48
month to the affiliated citizens' reward program.	49

(2) No person shall be placed or held in a detention facility	50
for failing to pay the additional one dollar court costs that are	51
required to be paid by division (C)(1) of this section.	52

(3) A citizens' reward program receiving funds pursuant to	53
division (C)(1) of this section may use the funds for any purpose	54
described in division (A)(1)(b) or (c) of this section.	55

(D)(1) Any citizens' reward program that is recognized under	56
division (B) of this section may enter into a written agreement of	57
affiliation with a board of county commissioners in the county in	58
which the program operates. Agreements of affiliation executed	59
pursuant to this division shall be valid for two years and may be	60
renewed. The agreements shall do all of the following:	61

(a) Specify the relationship between the citizens' reward	62
program, the county, and law enforcement agencies in the county;	63

(b) Specify that the citizens' reward program shall account	64
annually to the board of county commissioners for all funds raised	65
by the organization from all sources and all funds expended by the	66
organization for any purpose;	67

(c) Allow the citizens' reward program to itemize the sources	68
of funds raised without referring to the name of the source;	69

(d) Prohibit the citizens' reward program from divulging the	70
identity of any person to whom a reward was paid.	71

(2) In every county in which the board of county	72
commissioners approves of an agreement of affiliation, the board	73
shall notify the clerk of each municipal court, county court, and	74
court of common pleas within the county of that agreement of	75
affiliation and of the duty to collect the additional court costs	76
imposed pursuant to division (C) of this section.	77

(E) The recognition of a citizens' reward program under this	78
section does not make it a governmental unit for purposes of	79
section 149.43 of the Revised Code and does not subject it to the	80
disclosure provisions of that section. A board of county	81
commissioners that recognizes a citizens' reward program pursuant	82
to this section shall require the program to provide the board	83
with an accounting of all funds the program receives or disburses	84
subsequent to its recognition in order to maintain recognition.	85

(D)(F) A board of county commissioners that recognizes a	86
citizens' reward program under this section may by resolution	87
revoke its recognition of the program. The board shall send a copy	88
of the resolution, upon adoption, to the program and to each	89
appropriate law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over the	90
territory served by the program.	91

(E)(G) An application for recognition of a citizens' reward	92
program shall contain all of the following information:	93

(1) The name of the program and its mailing address;

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(2) The name and address of each of its officers or	95
officials;	96

(3) Information sufficient to establish the intention and	97
ability of the program's officers to implement the program	98
throughout the county;	99

(4) The purposes for which the program is organized and	100
operated and the services it offers;	101

(5) A copy of the articles of incorporation and bylaws of the	102
program, if applicable, or a copy of the rules and procedures	103
under which the program is organized and operated;	104

(6) Any other relevant information that the board of county	105
commissioners requires, by resolution.	106

Section 2. That existing section 9.92 of the Revised Code is	107
hereby repealed.	108