As Introduced

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


Senator Randy Gardner (by Request) 



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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

       (1) Any public official;249

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY PARTY PRIMARY ELECTION
519

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

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

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

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

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

PETITION OF CANDIDATE
549

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

       WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY587
OF THE FIFTH DEGREE."588

       The secretary of state shall prescribe a form of declaration589
of candidacy and petition, and the form shall be substantially590
similar to the declaration of candidacy and petition set forth in591
this section, that will be suitable for joint candidates for the592
offices of governor and lieutenant governor.593

       The petition provided for in this section shall be circulated594
only by a member of the same political party as the candidate.595

       Sec. 3513.10.  (A) At the time of filing a declaration of596
candidacy for nomination for any office, or a declaration of597
intent to be a write-in candidate, each candidate, except joint598
candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, shall pay a fee599
as follows:600

For statewide office $100 601
For court of appeals judge $ 50 602
For court of common pleas judge $ 50 603
For county court judge $ 50 604
For municipal court judge $ 50 605
For district office, including member 606
of the United States house of 607
representatives and member of the 608
general assembly $ 50 609
For county office $ 50 610
For city office $ 20 611
For village office $ 10 612
For township office $ 10 613
For member of state board of education $ 20 614
For member of local, city, or 615
exempted village board of education 616
or educational service center 617
governing board $ 10 618

       At the time of filing a declaration of candidacy or a619
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate for the offices620
of governor and lieutenant governor, the joint candidates shall621
jointly pay to the secretary of state a fee of one hundred622
dollars.623

       (B)(1) At the same time the fee required under division (A)624
of this section is paid, each candidate shall pay an additional625
fee as follows:626

For the joint candidates for governor 627
and lieutenant governor $ 50 628
For statewide office $ 50 629
For district office, including member 630
of the United States house of 631
representatives and member of the 632
general assembly $ 35 633
For member of state board of education $ 35 634
For court of appeals judge $ 30 635
For court of common pleas judge $ 30 636
For county court judge $ 30 637
For municipal court judge $ 30 638
For county office $ 30 639
For city office $ 25 640
For village office $ 20 641
For township office $ 20 642
For member of local, city, county, 643
or exempted village board of education 644
or educational service center 645
governing board $ 20 646

       (2) Whoever seeks to propose a ballot question or issue to be 647
submitted to the electors shall pay the following fee at the time 648
the petition proposing the question or issue is filed:649

       (a) If the question or issue is to be submitted to the650
electors throughout the entire state, twenty-five dollars;651

       (b) If the question or issue is to be submitted to the652
electors of a county or of a district that consists of all or part653
of two or more counties but less than the entire state, fifteen654
dollars;655

       (c) If the question or issue is to be submitted to the656
electors of a city, twelve dollars and fifty cents;657

       (d) If the question or issue is to be submitted to the658
electors of a village, a township, a local, city, county, or659
exempted village school district, a precinct, or another district660
consisting of less than an entire county, ten dollars.661

       (C) No fee shall be required of candidates filing for the662
office of delegate or alternate to the national convention of663
political parties, member of the state central committee of a 664
political party, or member of the county central committee of a 665
political party.666

       (D) All fees required under division (A) of this section667
immediately shall be paid by the officer receiving them into the668
state treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund, in the669
case of fees received by the secretary of state, and into the670
county treasury to the credit of the county general fund, in the671
case of fees received by a board of elections.672

       (E) The officer who receives a fee required under division673
(B) of this section immediately shall pay the fee to the credit of674
the Ohio elections commission fund, which is hereby created in the675
state treasury. All moneys credited to the fund shall be used676
solely for the purpose of paying expenses related to the operation677
of the Ohio elections commissionby division (I) of section 678
3517.152 of the Revised Code.679

       (F)(1) In no case shall a fee paid under this section be680
returned to a candidate.681

       (2) Whenever a section of law refers to a filing fee to be682
paid by a candidate or by a committee proposing a ballot question683
or issue to be submitted to the electors, that fee includes the684
fees required under divisions (A) and (B) of this section.685

       (G) As used in divisions (A) and (B) of this section,686
"statewide office" means the office of secretary of state, auditor687
of state, treasurer of state, attorney general, justice and chief688
justice of the supreme court, and member of the United States689
senate.690

       Sec. 3513.261.  A nominating petition may consist of one or691
more separate petition papers, each of which shall be692
substantially in the form prescribed in this section. If the693
petition consists of more than one separate petition paper, the694
statement of candidacy of the candidate or joint candidates named695
need be signed by the candidate or joint candidates on only one of696
such separate petition papers, but the statement of candidacy so697
signed shall be copied on each other separate petition paper698
before the signatures of electors are placed on it. Each699
nominating petition containing signatures of electors of more than700
one county shall consist of separate petition papers each of which701
shall contain signatures of electors of only one county; provided702
that petitions containing signatures of electors of more than one703
county shall not thereby be declared invalid. In case petitions704
containing signatures of electors of more than one county are705
filed, the board of elections shall determine the county from706
which the majority of the signatures came, and only signatures707
from this county shall be counted. Signatures from any other708
county shall be invalid.709

       All signatures on nominating petitions shall be written in710
ink or indelible pencil.711

       At the time of filing a nominating petition, the candidate712
designated in the nominating petition, and joint candidates for713
governor and lieutenant governor, shall pay to the election714
officials with whom it is filed the fees specified for the office715
under divisions (A) and (B) of section 3513.10 of the Revised716
Code. The fees shall be disposed of by those election officials in 717
the manner that is provided in section 3513.10 of the Revised Code 718
for the disposition of other fees, and in no case shall a fee719
required under that section be returned to a candidate.720

       Candidates or joint candidates whose names are written on the721
ballot, and who are elected, shall pay the same fees under section722
3513.10 of the Revised Code that candidates who file nominating723
petitions pay. Payment of these fees shall be a condition724
precedent to the granting of their certificates of election.725

       Each nominating petition shall contain a statement of726
candidacy that shall be signed by the candidate or joint727
candidates named in it. Such statement of candidacy shall contain 728
a declaration made under penalty of election falsification that 729
the candidate desires to be a candidate for the office named in 730
it, and that the candidate is an elector qualified to vote for the 731
office the candidate seeks.732

       The form of the nominating petition and statement of733
candidacy shall be substantially as follows:734

"STATEMENT OF CANDIDACY
735

       I, ................................... (Name of candidate),736
the undersigned, hereby declare under penalty of election737
falsification that my voting residence is in ................738
.......... Precinct of the ......................... (Township) or739
(Ward and City, or Village) in the county of ............... Ohio;740
that my post-office address is ............................741
(Street and Number, if any, or Rural Route and Number) of the742
............................... (City, Village, or post office) of743
...................., Ohio; and that I am a qualified elector in744
the precinct in which my voting residence is located. I hereby745
declare that I desire to be a candidate for election to the office746
of .............. in the ........................ (State,747
District, County, City, Village, Township, or School District) for748
the ...................................... (Full term or unexpired749
term ending ................) at the General Election to be held750
on the ........... day of ..............., ....751

       I further declare that I am an elector qualified to vote for752
the office I seek. Dated this ....... day of .............., ....753

754
(Signature of candidate) 755

       WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY756
OF THE FIFTH DEGREE.757

       I, ................................., hereby constitute the758
persons named below a committee to represent me:759

Name Residence 760
761
762
763
764
765

NOMINATING PETITION
766

       We, the undersigned, qualified electors of the state of Ohio,767
whose voting residence is in the County, City, Village, Ward,768
Township or Precinct set opposite our names, hereby nominate769
.................... as a candidate for election to the office of770
........................... in the ............................771
(State, District, County, City, Village, Township, or School772
District) for the ................. (Full term or unexpired term773
ending ...................) to be voted for at the general774
election next hereafter to be held, and certify that this person775
is, in our opinion, well qualified to perform the duties of the776
office or position to which the person desires to be elected.777



778
Street 779
Address 780
or R.F.D. 781
(Must use 782
address on City, 783
file with Village 784
the board of or Date of 785
Signature elections) Township Ward Precinct County Signing 786
787
788
789
790

..........................., declares under penalty of election791
falsification that such person is a qualified elector of the state792
of Ohio and resides at the address appearing below such person's793
signature hereto; that such person is the circulator of the794
foregoing petition paper containing ................ signatures;795
that such person witnessed the affixing of every signature; that796
all signers were to the best of such person's knowledge and belief797
qualified to sign; and that every signature is to the best of such798
person's knowledge and belief the signature of the person whose799
signature it purports to be.800

801
(Signature of circulator) 802
803
(Address) 804
805
(If petition is for a statewide 806
candidate, the name of person 807
employing circulator to 808
circulate petition, if any) 809

       WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY810
OF THE FIFTH DEGREE."811

       The secretary of state shall prescribe a form of nominating812
petition for a group of candidates for the office of member of a813
board of education, township office, and offices of municipal814
corporations of under two thousand population.815

       The secretary of state shall prescribe a form of statement of816
candidacy and nominating petition, which shall be substantially817
similar to the form of statement of candidacy and nominating818
petition set forth in this section, that will be suitable for819
joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant820
governor.821

       If such petition nominates a candidate whose election is to822
be determined by the electors of a county or a district or823
subdivision within the county, it shall be filed with the board of824
such county. If the petition nominates a candidate whose election825
is to be determined by the voters of a subdivision located in more826
than one county, it shall be filed with the board of the county in827
which the major portion of the population of such subdivision is828
located.829

       If the petition nominates a candidate whose election is to be830
determined by the electors of a district comprised of more than831
one county but less than all of the counties of the state, it832
shall be filed with the board of elections of the most populous833
county in such district. If the petition nominates a candidate834
whose election is to be determined by the electors of the state at835
large, it shall be filed with the secretary of state.836

       The secretary of state or a board of elections shall not837
accept for filing a nominating petition of a person seeking to838
become a candidate if that person, for the same election, has839
already filed a declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent840
to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating petition, or has841
become a candidate through party nomination at a primary election842
or by the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of843
the Revised Code for any state or county office, if the nominating844
petition is for a state or county office, or for any municipal or845
township office, for member of a city, local, or exempted village846
board of education, or for member of a governing board of an847
educational service center, if the nominating petition is for a848
municipal or township office, or for member of a city, local, or849
exempted village board of education, or for member of a governing850
board of an educational service center.851

       Sec. 3517.01.  (A) A political party within the meaning of852
Title XXXV of the Revised Code is any group of voters that, at the853
most recent regular state election, polled for its candidate for854
governor in the state or nominees for presidential electors at855
least five per cent of the entire vote cast for that office or856
that filed with the secretary of state, subsequent to any election857
in which it received less than five per cent of that vote, a858
petition signed by qualified electors equal in number to at least859
one per cent of the total vote for governor or nominees for860
presidential electors at the most recent election, declaring their861
intention of organizing a political party, the name of which shall862
be stated in the declaration, and of participating in the863
succeeding primary election, held in even-numbered years, that864
occurs more than one hundred twenty days after the date of filing.865
No such group of electors shall assume a name or designation that866
is similar, in the opinion of the secretary of state, to that of867
an existing political party as to confuse or mislead the voters at868
an election. If any political party fails to cast five per cent of 869
the total vote cast at an election for the office of governor or870
president, it shall cease to be a political party.871

       (B) Notwithstanding the definitions found in section 3501.01872
of the Revised Code, as used in this section,and sections 3517.08873
to 3517.14, and section 3517.99, and 3517.992 of the Revised Code:874

       (1) "Campaign committee" means a candidate or a combination875
of two or more persons authorized by a candidate under section876
3517.081 of the Revised Code to receive contributions and make877
expenditures.878

       (2) "Campaign treasurer" means an individual appointed by a879
candidate under section 3517.081 of the Revised Code.880

       (3) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in division (H) of881
section 3501.01 of the Revised Code and also includes any person882
who, at any time before or after an election, receives883
contributions or makes expenditures or other use of contributions,884
has given consent for another to receive contributions or make885
expenditures or other use of contributions, or appoints a campaign886
treasurer, for the purpose of bringing about the person's887
nomination or election to public office. When two persons jointly888
seek the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, "candidate"889
means the pair of candidates jointly. "Candidate" does not include 890
candidates for election to the offices of member of a county or 891
state central committee, presidential elector, and delegate to a 892
national convention or conference of a political party.893

       (4) "Continuing association" means an association, other than 894
a campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, 895
political contributing entity, or labor organization, that is 896
intended to be a permanent organization that has a primary purpose 897
other than supporting or opposing specific candidates, political 898
parties, or ballot issues, and that functions on a regular basis899
throughout the year. "Continuing association" includes 900
organizations that are determined to be not organized for profit 901
under subsection 501 and that are described in subsection 902
501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.903

       (5) "Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness904
of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds 905
or transfer of anything of value, including a transfer of funds906
from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, 907
and the payment by any person other than the person to whom the 908
services are rendered for the personal services of another person, 909
which contribution is made, received, or used for the purpose of910
influencing the results of an election. "Contribution"Any loan, 911
gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, 912
payment, or transfer of funds or of anything of value, including a 913
transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or 914
decedent's estate, and the payment by any campaign committee, 915
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political 916
party, or person other than the person to whom the services are 917
rendered for the personal services of another person, that is 918
made, received, or used by a state or county political party, 919
other than moneys a state or county political party receives from 920
the Ohio political party fund pursuant to section 3517.17 of the 921
Revised Code and the moneys a state or county political party may 922
receive under sections 3517.101 and 3517.1012 of the Revised Code, 923
shall be considered to be a "contribution" for the purpose of 924
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and shall be included on a 925
statement of contributions filed under that section.926

       "Contribution" does not include any of the following:927

       (a) Services provided without compensation by individuals928
volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a person;929

       (b) Ordinary home hospitality;930

       (c) The personal expenses of a volunteer paid for by that931
volunteer campaign worker;932

       (d) Any gift given to a state or county political party933
pursuant to section 3517.101 of the Revised Code. As used in934
division (B)(5)(d) of this section, "political party" means only a935
major political party;936

       (e) Any contribution as defined in section 3517.1011 of the 937
Revised Code that is made, received, or used to pay the direct 938
costs of producing or airing an electioneering communication as 939
defined in that section;940

       (f) Any gift given to a state or county political party for 941
the party's restricted fund under division (A)(2) of section 942
3517.1012 of the Revised Code.943

       (6) "Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a944
contribution for the purpose of influencing the results of an945
election or of making a charitable donation under division (G) of946
section 3517.08 of the Revised Code. Any disbursement or use of a 947
contribution by a state or county political party is an 948
expenditure and shall be considered either to be made for the 949
purpose of influencing the results of an election or to be made as 950
a charitable donation under division (G) of section 3517.08 of the 951
Revised Code and shall be reported on a statement of expenditures 952
filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. During the thirty 953
days preceding a primary or general election, any disbursement to 954
pay the direct costs of producing or airing a broadcast, cable, or 955
satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified 956
candidate shall be considered to be made for the purpose of 957
influencing the results of that election.958

       As used in this division, "broadcast, cable, or satellite 959
communication" and "refers to a clearly identified candidate" have 960
the same meanings as in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.961

       (7) "Personal expenses" includes, but is not limited to,962
ordinary expenses for accommodations, clothing, food, personal963
motor vehicle or airplane, and home telephone.964

       (8) "Political action committee" means a combination of two965
or more persons, the primary or incidentalmajor purpose of which 966
is to support or oppose any candidate, political party, or issue, 967
or to influence the result of any election through express 968
advocacy, and that is not a political party, a campaign committee,969
a political contributing entity, or a legislative campaign fund. 970
"Political action committee" does not include a continuing 971
association that makes disbursements for the direct costs of 972
producing or airing electioneering communications as defined in 973
section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code and that does not engage in 974
express advocacy.975

       (9) "Public office" means any state, county, municipal,976
township, andor district office, except an office of a political977
party, that is filled by an election and the offices of United978
States senator and congressmanrepresentative.979

       (10) "Anything of value" has the same meaning as in section980
1.03 of the Revised Code.981

       (11) "Beneficiary of a campaign fund" means a candidate, a982
public official or employee for whose benefit a campaign fund983
exists, and any other person who has ever been a candidate or984
public official or employee and for whose benefit a campaign fund985
exists.986

       (12) "Campaign fund" means money or other property, including 987
contributions.988

       (13) "Public official or employee" has the same meaning as in 989
section 102.01 of the Revised Code.990

       (14) "Caucus" means all of the members of the house of991
representatives or all of the members of the senate of the general992
assembly who are members of the same political party.993

       (15) "Legislative campaign fund" means a fund that is994
established as an auxiliary of a state political party and995
associated with one of the houses of the general assembly.996

       (16) "In-kind contribution" means anything of value other997
than money that is used to influence the results of an election or998
is transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a999
candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund,1000
political party, or political action committee, or political1001
contributing entity and that is made with the consent of, in1002
coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request1003
or suggestion of the benefited candidate, committee, fund, or1004
party, or entity. The financing of the dissemination, 1005
distribution, or republication, in whole or part, of any broadcast 1006
or of any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials 1007
prepared by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or 1008
their authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to the 1009
candidate and an expenditure by the candidate.1010

       (17) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by a1011
person advocating the election or defeat of an identified1012
candidate or candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in1013
coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request1014
or suggestion of any candidate or candidates or of the campaign1015
committee or agent of the candidate or candidates. As used in1016
division (B)(17) of this section:1017

       (a) "Person" means an individual, partnership, unincorporated 1018
business organization or association, political action committee, 1019
political contributing entity, separate segregated fund, 1020
association, or any other organization or group of persons, but 1021
not a labor organization or a corporation unless the labor 1022
organization or corporation is a political contributing entity.1023

       (b) "Advocating" means any communication containing a message 1024
advocating election or defeat.1025

       (c) "Identified candidate" means that the name of the1026
candidate appears, a photograph or drawing of the candidate1027
appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by1028
unambiguous reference.1029

       (d) "Made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, 1030
or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or the campaign 1031
committee or agent of the candidate" means made pursuant to any 1032
arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the 1033
candidate's campaign committee, or the candidate's agent prior to 1034
the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of the1035
communication. An expenditure is presumed to be so made when it is 1036
any of the following:1037

       (i) Based on information about the candidate's plans,1038
projects, or needs provided to the person making the expenditure1039
by the candidate, or by the candidate's campaign committee or1040
agent, with a view toward having an expenditure made;1041

       (ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been,1042
authorized to raise or expend funds, who is, or has been, an1043
officer of the candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has1044
been, receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement from the1045
candidate or the candidate's campaign committee or agent;1046

       (iii) MadeExcept as otherwise provided in division (D) of 1047
section 3517.105 of the Revised Code, made by a political party in 1048
support of a candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a 1049
political party to conduct voter registration or voter education 1050
efforts.1051

       (e) "Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written1052
authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the1053
making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate, or means any1054
person who has been placed in a position with the candidate's1055
campaign committee or organization such that it would reasonably1056
appear that in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities1057
the person may authorize expenditures.1058

       (18) "Labor organization" means a labor union; an employee1059
organization; a federation of labor unions, groups, locals, or1060
other employee organizations; an auxiliary of a labor union,1061
employee organization, or federation of labor unions, groups,1062
locals, or other employee organizations; or any other bona fide1063
organization in which employees participate and that exists for1064
the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers1065
concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, hours, and other1066
terms and conditions of employment.1067

       (19) "Separate segregated fund" means a separate segregated1068
fund established pursuant to the Federal Election Campaign Act.1069

       (20) "Federal Election Campaign Act" means the "Federal1070
Election Campaign Act of 1971," 86 Stat. 11, 2 U.S.C.A. 431, et1071
seq., as amended.1072

       (21) "Political contributing entity" means any entity,1073
including a corporation or labor organization, that may lawfully1074
make contributions and expenditures and that is not an individual1075
or a political action committee, continuing association, campaign1076
committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, designated1077
state campaign committee, or state candidate fund. For purposes of 1078
division (B)(21) of this section, "lawfully" means not prohibited 1079
by any section of the Revised Code, or authorized by a final 1080
judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction."Restricted fund" 1081
means the fund a state or county political party must establish 1082
under division (A)(1) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code.1083

       (22) "Electioneering communication committee" means a 1084
committee established under division (C) of section 3517.1011 of 1085
the Revised Code.1086

       (23) "Express advocacy" means a communication that contains 1087
express words advocating the nomination, election, or defeat of a 1088
candidate or that contains express words advocating the adoption 1089
or defeat of a question or issue, as determined by a final 1090
judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.1091

       Sec. 3517.08.  (A) The personal expenses of a candidate paid 1092
for by the candidate, from the candidate's personal funds, shall 1093
not be considered as a contribution by or an expenditure by the1094
candidate and shall not be reported under section 3517.10 of the 1095
Revised Code.1096

       (B)(1) An expenditure by a political action committee or a 1097
political contributing entity shall not be considered a1098
contribution by the political action committee or the political 1099
contributing entity or an expenditure by or on behalf of the 1100
candidate if the purpose of the expenditure is to inform only its 1101
members by means of mailed publications of its activities or1102
endorsements.1103

       (2) An expenditure by a political party shall not be 1104
considered a contribution by the political party or an expenditure 1105
by or on behalf of the candidate if the purpose of the expenditure 1106
is to inform predominantly the party's members by means of mailed1107
publications or other direct communication of its activities or1108
endorsements, or for voter contact such as sample ballots, absent 1109
voter's ballots application mailings, voter registration, or 1110
get-out-the-vote activities.1111

       (C) An expenditure by a continuing association, political1112
contributing entity, or political party shall not be considered a 1113
contribution to any campaign committee or an expenditure by or on 1114
behalf of any campaign committee if the purpose of the expenditure 1115
is for the staff and maintenance of the continuing association's, 1116
political contributing entity's, or political party's 1117
headquarters, or for a political poll, survey, index, or other 1118
type of measurement not on behalf of a specific candidate.1119

       (D) The expenses of maintaining a constituent office paid1120
for, from the candidate's personal funds, by a candidate who is a 1121
member of the general assembly at the time of the election shall 1122
not be considered a contribution by or an expenditure by or on 1123
behalf of the candidate, and shall not be reported, if the 1124
constituent office is not used for any candidate's campaign 1125
activities.1126

       (E) The net contribution of each social or fund-raising 1127
activity shall be calculated by totaling all contributions to the 1128
activity minus the expenditures made for the activity.1129

       (F) An expenditure that purchases goods or services shall be 1130
attributed to an election when the disbursement of funds is made, 1131
rather than at the time the goods or services are used. The 1132
secretary of state, under the procedures of Chapter 119. of the 1133
Revised Code, shall establish rules for the attribution of1134
expenditures to a candidate when the candidate is a candidate for 1135
more than one office during a reporting period and for 1136
expenditures made in a year in which no election is held. The 1137
secretary of state shall further define by rule those expenditures 1138
that are or are not by or on behalf of a candidate.1139

       (G) An expenditure for the purpose of a charitable donation 1140
may be made if it is made to an organization that is exempt from 1141
federal income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in 1142
subsection 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(8), 501(c)(10), or 1143
501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code or is approved by advisory 1144
opinion of the Ohio elections commission as a legitimate 1145
charitable organization. Each expenditure under this division 1146
shall be separately itemized on statements made pursuant to1147
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.1148

       Sec. 3517.082.  (A) Any corporation, any nonprofit 1149
corporation, or any labor organization may establish, administer, 1150
and solicit contributions from the persons listed in division (B) 1151
of this section, to either or both of the following:1152

       (1) A political action committee of the corporation or labor1153
organization with respect to state and local elections;1154

       (2) A separate segregated fund pursuant to the Federal1155
Election Campaign Act.1156

       (B)(1) A corporation and a nonprofit corporation may solicit 1157
contributions from its stockholders, officers, directors, trustees 1158
that are not corporations or labor organizations, and employees.1159

       (2) A nonprofit corporation also may solicit contributions1160
from:1161

       (a) Its members that are not corporations or labor 1162
organizations;1163

       (b) Officers, directors, trustees that are not corporations 1164
or labor organizations, and employees of any members of the 1165
nonprofit corporation.1166

       (3) A labor organization may solicit contributions from its1167
members, officers, and employees.1168

       (C) A corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor 1169
organization shall report to a political action committee, or to a 1170
separate segregated fund with respect to state and local 1171
elections, the following costs expended by the corporation, 1172
nonprofit corporation, or labor organization that are associated 1173
with establishing, administering, and soliciting contributions to 1174
the political action committee or separate segregated fund 1175
pursuant to division (A) of this section:1176

       (1) Mailing and printing expenses for direct solicitation of 1177
contributions pursuant to division (D) of this section;1178

       (2) The portion of an employee's salary or wages attributable 1179
to time hethe employee spends in activities related to 1180
establishing, administering, and soliciting contributions to a1181
political action committee or separate segregated fund, if that 1182
time exceeds during a reporting period fifty per cent of the time1183
for which the employee is compensated by the corporation, 1184
nonprofit corporation, or labor organization;1185

       (3) The cost associated with the purchase, lease, operation, 1186
and use of equipment for activities related to establishing, 1187
administering, and soliciting contributions to a political action 1188
committee or separate segregated fund if during a reporting period 1189
more than fifty per cent of the use of the equipment is for those 1190
activities;1191

       (4) Professional fees paid by the corporation, nonprofit 1192
corporation, or labor organization for establishing, 1193
administering, and soliciting contributions to a political action 1194
committee or separate segregated fund.1195

       The political action committee shall itemize the amounts and 1196
purposes of those costs expended by the corporation, nonprofit 1197
corporation, or labor organization and file them as part of the 1198
statement required of political action committees under division 1199
(A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code on a form prescribed by 1200
the secretary of state. The separate segregated fund with respect 1201
to state and local elections shall file with the secretary of 1202
state a copy of the portion of each report and statement required 1203
under the Federal Election Campaign Act that applies to state and 1204
local elections at the same time that the entire original report 1205
is filed in accordance with that act.1206

       (D) Solicitations of contributions pursuant to division (B) 1207
of this section from employees of a corporation or members and1208
employees of a labor organization other than executive and1209
administrative employees of a corporation or officers and 1210
executive and administrative employees of a labor organization 1211
shall be in writing and shall not be made more than four times 1212
during each calendar year. Any person who solicits any employee of 1213
a corporation or member or employee of a labor organization for a1214
contribution to a political action committee established or 1215
administered by the corporation or labor organization under 1216
division (A)(1) of this section shall inform the employee or 1217
member at the time of the solicitation that he may refuse to make 1218
a contribution without suffering any reprisal.(1) Contributions 1219
shall not be obtained for a political action committee or a 1220
separate segregated fund under this section by use of coercion or 1221
physical force, by making a contribution a condition of employment 1222
or membership, or by using or threatening to use job 1223
discrimination or financial reprisals. Except as specified in this 1224
division, a corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor 1225
organization shall not solicit or obtain contributions from an 1226
individual described in division (B) of this section on an 1227
automatic or passive basis, including, but not limited to, a 1228
payroll deduction or reverse checkoff method. A corporation, 1229
nonprofit corporation, or labor organization may solicit and 1230
obtain contributions for a political action committee or a 1231
separate segregated fund under this section from an individual 1232
described in division (B) of this section on an automatic basis, 1233
including, but not limited to, a payroll deduction plan, only if 1234
the individual who is contributing to the political action 1235
committee or separate segregated fund affirmatively consents to 1236
the contribution at least once in every calendar year.1237

       (2)(a) Any individual who knowingly violates division (D)(1) 1238
of this section is guilty of a felony punishable by a fine of not 1239
more than five thousand dollars, imprisonment for not more than 1240
three years, or both.1241

       (b) Anyone other than an individual who knowingly violates 1242
division (D)(1) of this section is guilty of a felony punishable 1243
by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars.1244

       (3) If a corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor 1245
organization that obtains contributions from individuals described 1246
in division (B) of this section pays to one or more of those 1247
individuals a bonus or other remuneration for the purpose of 1248
reimbursing those contributions, that corporation, nonprofit 1249
corporation, or labor organization shall be fined twice the total 1250
contributions obtained from all individuals for the political 1251
action committee or separate segregated fund, as applicable, 1252
during that calendar year.1253

       (E) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of section 1254
4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting1255
agreements between employee organizations and public employers,1256
this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of 1257
agreements between labor organizations and public employers 1258
pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code.1259

       Sec. 3517.09.  (A) No person or committee shall solicit, ask,1260
invite, or demand, directly or indirectly, orally or in writing, a 1261
contribution, subscription, or payment from a candidate for1262
nomination or election or from the campaign committee of that1263
candidate, and no person shall solicit, ask, invite, or demand 1264
that a candidate for nomination or election or the campaign1265
committee of that candidate subscribe to the support of a club or 1266
organization, buy tickets to an entertainment, ball, supper, or 1267
other meeting, or pay for space in a book, program, or 1268
publication. This division does not apply to any of the following:1269

       (1) Regular advertisements in periodicals having an 1270
established circulation;1271

       (2) Regular payments to civic, political, fraternal, social, 1272
charitable, or religious organizations of which the candidate was 1273
a member or contributor six months before the candidate's 1274
candidacy;1275

       (3) Regular party assessments made by a party against its own1276
candidates.1277

       (B) No person shall coerce, intimidate, or cause harm to 1278
another person by an act or failure to act, or shall threaten to 1279
coerce, intimidate, or cause harm to another person, because that 1280
other person makes or does not make a contribution to a candidate, 1281
campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, 1282
political action committee, or political contributing entity1283
electioneering communication committee.1284

       (C) An employer or labor organization that, directly or 1285
through another person, solicits an employee of the employer or a 1286
member of the labor organization(1) Contributions shall not be 1287
obtained by an employer or labor organization for a contribution 1288
to a candidate, campaign committee, political action committee, 1289
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political 1290
contributing entity shall inform the employee or member at the 1291
time of the solicitation that making a contribution is voluntary 1292
and that a decision of the employee or member to make a 1293
contribution or not to make a contribution will not benefit the 1294
employee or member or place the employee or member at a 1295
disadvantage with respect to employment by the employer or 1296
membership in the labor organizationelectioneering communication 1297
committee by use of coercion or physical force, by making a 1298
contribution a condition of employment or membership, or by using 1299
or threatening to use job discrimination or financial reprisals. 1300
Except as specified in this division, an employer or labor 1301
organization, directly or through another person, shall not 1302
solicit or obtain contributions from an employee or member on an 1303
automatic or passive basis, including, but not limited to, a 1304
payroll deduction or reverse checkoff method. An employer or labor 1305
organization, directly or through another person, may solicit and 1306
obtain contributions for a candidate, campaign committee, 1307
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political 1308
party, or electioneering communication committee from an employee 1309
or member on an automatic basis, including, but not limited to, a 1310
payroll deduction plan, only if the employee or member who is 1311
contributing to the candidate, campaign committee, political 1312
action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or 1313
electioneering communication committee affirmatively consents to 1314
the contribution at least once in every calendar year.1315

       (2)(a) Any individual who knowingly violates division (C)(1) 1316
of this section is guilty of a felony punishable by a fine of not 1317
more than five thousand dollars, imprisonment for not more than 1318
three years, or both.1319

       (b) Anyone other than an individual who knowingly violates 1320
division (C)(1) of this section is guilty of a felony punishable 1321
by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars.1322

       (3) If an employer or labor organization that obtains 1323
contributions from employees or members pays to one or more of 1324
those employees or members a bonus or other remuneration for the 1325
purpose of reimbursing those contributions, that employer or labor 1326
organization shall be fined twice the total contributions obtained 1327
from all individuals for the candidate, campaign committee, 1328
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political 1329
party, or electioneering communication committee, as applicable, 1330
during that calendar year.1331

       Sec. 3517.092.  (A) As used in this section:1332

       (1) "Appointing authority" has the same meaning as in section 1333
124.01 of the Revised Code.1334

       (2) "State elected officer" means any person appointed or 1335
elected to a state elective office.1336

       (3) "State elective office" means any of the offices of 1337
governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of 1338
state, treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state1339
board of education, member of the general assembly, and justice 1340
and chief justice of the supreme court.1341

       (4) "County elected officer" means any person appointed or 1342
elected to a county elective office.1343

       (5) "County elective office" means any of the offices of 1344
county auditor, county treasurer, clerk of the court of common 1345
pleas, sheriff, county recorder, county engineer, county 1346
commissioner, prosecuting attorney, and coroner.1347

       (6) "Contribution" includes a contribution to any political 1348
party, campaign committee, political action committee, political 1349
contributing entity, or legislative campaign fund.1350

       (B) No state elected officer, no campaign committee of such 1351
an officer, and no other person or entity shall knowingly solicit 1352
or accept a contribution on behalf of that officer or that 1353
officer's campaign committee from any of the following:1354

       (1) A state employee whose appointing authority is the state 1355
elected officer;1356

       (2) A state employee whose appointing authority is authorized 1357
or required by law to be appointed by the state elected officer;1358

       (3) A state employee who functions in or is employed in or by 1359
the same public agency, department, division, or office as the 1360
state elected officer.1361

       (C) No candidate for a state elective office, no campaign1362
committee of such a candidate, and no other person or entity shall 1363
knowingly solicit or accept a contribution on behalf of that 1364
candidate or that candidate's campaign committee from any of the 1365
following:1366

       (1) A state employee at the time of the solicitation, whose 1367
appointing authority will be the candidate, if elected;1368

       (2) A state employee at the time of the solicitation, whose 1369
appointing authority will be appointed by the candidate, if1370
elected, as authorized or required by law;1371

       (3) A state employee at the time of the solicitation, who 1372
will function in or be employed in or by the same public agency, 1373
department, division, or office as the candidate, if elected.1374

       (D) No county elected officer, no campaign committee of such 1375
an officer, and no other person or entity shall knowingly solicit 1376
a contribution on behalf of that officer or that officer's 1377
campaign committee from any of the following:1378

       (1) A county employee whose appointing authority is the1379
county elected officer;1380

       (2) A county employee whose appointing authority is1381
authorized or required by law to be appointed by the county1382
elected officer;1383

       (3) A county employee who functions in or is employed in or 1384
by the same public agency, department, division, or office as the 1385
county elected officer.1386

       (E) No candidate for a county elective office, no campaign 1387
committee of such a candidate, and no other person or entity shall 1388
knowingly solicit a contribution on behalf of that candidate or 1389
that candidate's campaign committee from any of the following:1390

       (1) A county employee at the time of the solicitation, whose 1391
appointing authority will be the candidate, if elected;1392

       (2) A county employee at the time of the solicitation, whose 1393
appointing authority will be appointed by the candidate, if1394
elected, as authorized or required by law;1395

       (3) A county employee at the time of the solicitation, who 1396
will function in or be employed in or by the same public agency, 1397
department, division, or office as the candidate, if elected.1398

       (F)(1) No public employee shall solicit a contribution from 1399
any person while the public employee is performing the public 1400
employee's official duties or in those areas of a public building 1401
where official business is transacted or conducted.1402

       (2) No person shall solicit a contribution from any public 1403
employee while the public employee is performing the public 1404
employee's official duties or is in those areas of a public 1405
building where official business is transacted or conducted.1406

       (3) As used in division (F) of this section, "public 1407
employee" does not include any person holding an elective office.1408

       (G) The prohibitions in divisions (B), (C), (D), (E), and (F) 1409
of this section are in addition to the prohibitions in sections 1410
124.57, 3304.22, and 4503.032 of the Revised Code.1411

       Sec. 3517.10.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in this1412
division, every campaign committee, political action committee,1413
legislative campaign fund, and political party, and political1414
contributing entity that made or received a contribution or made1415
an expenditure in connection with the nomination or election of1416
any candidate or in connection with any ballot issue or question1417
at any election held or to be held in this state shall file, on a1418
form prescribed under this section,or by electronic means of1419
transmission as provided in this section and section 3517.106 of1420
the Revised Code, or, until March 1, 2004, on computer disk as1421
provided in section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, a full, true,1422
and itemized statement, made under penalty of election1423
falsification, setting forth in detail the contributions and1424
expenditures, nonot later than four p.m. of the following dates:1425

       (1) The twelfth day before the election to reflect1426
contributions received and expenditures made from the close of1427
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed1428
statement, if any, to the close of business on the twentieth day1429
before the election;1430

       (2) The thirty-eighth day after the election to reflect the1431
contributions received and expenditures made from the close of1432
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed1433
statement, if any, to the close of business on the seventh day1434
before the filing of the statement;1435

       (3) The last business day of January of every year to reflect 1436
the contributions received and expenditures made from the close of 1437
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed 1438
statement, if any, to the close of business on the last day of 1439
December of the previous year;1440

       (4) The last business day of July of every year to reflect 1441
the contributions received and expenditures made from the close of 1442
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed 1443
statement, if any, to the close of business on the last day of 1444
June of that year.1445

       A campaign committee shall only be required to file the1446
statements prescribed under divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this1447
section in connection with the nomination or election of the1448
committee's candidate.1449

       The statement required under division (A)(1) of this section1450
shall not be required of any campaign committee, political action1451
committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party, or1452
political contributing entity that has received contributions of1453
less than one thousand dollars and has made expenditures of less1454
than one thousand dollars at the close of business on the1455
twentieth day before the election. Those contributions and1456
expenditures shall be reported in the statement required under1457
division (A)(2) of this section.1458

       If an election to select candidates to appear on the general1459
election ballot is held within sixty days before a general1460
election, the campaign committee of a successful candidate in the1461
earlier election may file the statement required by division1462
(A)(1) of this section for the general election instead of the1463
statement required by division (A)(2) of this section for the1464
earlier election if the pregeneral election statement reflects the1465
status of contributions and expenditures for the period twenty1466
days before the earlier election to twenty days before the general1467
election.1468

       If a person becomes a candidate less than twenty days before1469
an election, the candidate's campaign committee is not required to1470
file the statement required by division (A)(1) of this section.1471

       No statement under division (A)(3) or (4) of this section 1472
shall be required for any year in which a campaign committee, 1473
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or1474
political party, or political contributing entity is required to1475
file a postgeneral election statement under division (A)(2) of 1476
this section. However, such a statement may be filed, at the 1477
option of the campaign committee, political action committee,1478
legislative campaign fund, or political party, or political1479
contributing entity.1480

       No statement under division (A)(3) or (4) of this section 1481
shall be required if the campaign committee, political action 1482
committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party, or 1483
political contributing entity has no contributions that it has 1484
received and no expenditures that it has made since the last date 1485
reflected in its last previously filed statement. However, the 1486
campaign committee, political action committee, legislative 1487
campaign fund, or political party, or political contributing 1488
entity shall file a statement to that effect, on a form prescribed 1489
under this section and made under penalty of election 1490
falsification, on the date required in division (A)(3) or (4) of 1491
this section, as applicable.1492

       The campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall file a1493
monthly statement of contributions received during each of the1494
months of July, August, and September in the year of the general1495
election in which the candidate seeks office. The campaign1496
committee of a statewide candidate shall file the monthly1497
statement not later than three business days after the last day of1498
the month covered by the statement. During the period beginning on 1499
the nineteenth day before the general election in which a1500
statewide candidate seeks election to office and extending through1501
the day of that general election, each time the campaign committee1502
of the joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant1503
governor or of a candidate for the office of secretary of state,1504
auditor of state, treasurer of state, or attorney general receives1505
a contribution from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount1506
of contributions received from that contributor during that period1507
to equal or exceed twoten thousand five hundred dollars and each 1508
time the campaign committee of a candidate for the office of chief1509
justice or justice of the supreme court receives a contribution1510
from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount of1511
contributions received from that contributor during that period to1512
exceed five hundredten thousand dollars, the campaign committee1513
shall file a two-business-day statement reflecting that1514
contribution. During the period beginning on the nineteenth day 1515
before a primary election in which a candidate for statewide1516
office seeks nomination to office and extending through the day of 1517
that primary election, each time either the campaign committee of 1518
a statewide candidate in that primary election that files a notice 1519
under division (C)(1) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code or 1520
the campaign committee of a statewide candidate in that primary1521
election to which, in accordance with division (D) of section1522
3517.103 of the Revised Code, the contribution limitations1523
prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code no longer apply1524
receives a contribution from a contributor that causes the1525
aggregate amount of contributions received from that contributor1526
during that period to exceed twoten thousand five hundred1527
dollars, the campaign committee shall file a two-business-day 1528
statement reflecting that contribution. Contributions reported on 1529
a two-business-day statement required to be filed by a campaign1530
committee of a statewide candidate in a primary election shall1531
also be included in the postprimary election statement required to1532
be filed by that campaign committee under division (A)(2) of this1533
section. A two-business-day statement required by this paragraph1534
shall be filed not later than two business days after receipt of1535
the contribution. The statements required by this paragraph shall1536
be filed in addition to any other statements required by this1537
section.1538

       Subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, 1539
and verified the successful operation of any system the secretary 1540
of state prescribes pursuant to divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of 1541
this section and division (H)(1) of section 3517.106 of the 1542
Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by 1543
electronic means of transmission, a campaign committee of a 1544
statewide candidate shall file a two-business-day statement under 1545
the preceding paragraph by electronic means of transmission if the1546
campaign committee is required to file a preelectionpre-election,1547
postelection, or monthly statement of contributions and1548
expenditures by electronic means of transmission under this1549
section or section 3517.106 of the Revised Code.1550

       If a campaign committee or political action committee has no1551
balance on hand and no outstanding obligations and desires to1552
terminate itself, it shall file a statement to that effect, on a1553
form prescribed under this section and made under penalty of1554
election falsification, with the official with whom it files a1555
statement under division (A) of this section after filing a final1556
statement of contributions and a final statement of expenditures,1557
if contributions have been received or expenditures made since the1558
period reflected in its last previously filed statement.1559

       (B) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(7) of this1560
section, each statement required by division (A) of this section1561
shall contain the following information:1562

       (1) The full name and address of each campaign committee,1563
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or1564
political party, or political contributing entity, including any1565
treasurer of the committee, fund, or party, or entity, filing a 1566
contribution and expenditure statement;1567

       (2)(a) In the case of a campaign committee, the candidate's1568
full name and address;1569

       (b) In the case of a political action committee, the1570
registration number assigned to the committee under division1571
(D)(1) of this section.1572

       (3) The date of the election and whether it was or will be a1573
general, primary, or special election;1574

       (4) A statement of contributions received, which shall1575
include the following information:1576

       (a) The month, day, and year of the contribution;1577

       (b)(i) The full name and address of each person, political1578
party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political1579
action committee, or political contributing entity from whom1580
contributions are received and the registration number assigned to1581
the political action committee under division (D)(1) of this1582
section. The requirement of filing the full address does not apply 1583
to any statement filed by a state or local committee of a1584
political party, to a finance committee of such committee, or to a1585
committee recognized by a state or local committee as its1586
fund-raising auxiliary. Notwithstanding division (F)(1) of this1587
section, the requirement of filing the full address shall be1588
considered as being met if the address filed is the same address1589
the contributor provided under division (E)(1) of this section.1590

       (ii) If a political action committee, legislative campaign 1591
fund, or political party that is required to file campaign finance 1592
statements by electronic means of transmission under section 1593
3517.106 of the Revised Code or a campaign committee of a 1594
statewide candidate or candidate for the office of member of the 1595
general assembly receives a contribution from an individual that 1596
exceeds one hundred dollars, the name of the individual's current 1597
employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the1598
individual's occupation and the name of the individual's business, 1599
if any;1600

       (iii) If a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or1601
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly1602
receives a contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.0311603
of the Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and1604
salaries of two or more employees that exceeds in the aggregate1605
one hundred dollars during any one filing period under division1606
(A)(1), (2), or (3), or (4) of this section, the full name of the1607
employees' employer and the full name of the labor organization of1608
which the employees are members, if any.1609

       (c) A description of the contribution received, if other than 1610
money;1611

       (d) The value in dollars and cents of the contribution;1612

       (e) A separately itemized account of all contributions and1613
expenditures regardless of the amount, except a receipt of a1614
contribution from a person in the sum of twenty-five dollars or1615
less at one social or fund-raising activity and a receipt of a1616
contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031 of the1617
Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and salaries of1618
employees if the contribution from the amount deducted from the1619
wages and salary of any one employee is twenty-five dollars or1620
less aggregated in a calendar year. An account of the total1621
contributions from each social or fund-raising activity shall1622
include a description of and the value of each in-kind1623
contribution received at that activity from any person who made1624
one or more such contributions whose aggregate value exceeded two1625
hundred fifty dollars and shall be listed separately, together1626
with the expenses incurred and paid in connection with that1627
activity. A campaign committee, political action committee,1628
legislative campaign fund, or political party, or political1629
contributing entity shall keep records of contributions from each1630
person in the amount of twenty-five dollars or less at one social1631
or fund-raising activity and contributions from amounts deducted1632
under section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from the wages and1633
salary of each employee in the amount of twenty-five dollars or1634
less aggregated in a calendar year. No continuing association that1635
is recognized by a state or local committee of a political party 1636
as an auxiliary of the party and that makes a contribution from 1637
funds derived solely from regular dues paid by members of the1638
auxiliary shall be required to list the name or address of any1639
members who paid those dues.1640

       Contributions that are other income shall be itemized1641
separately from all other contributions. The information required1642
under division (B)(4) of this section shall be provided for all1643
other income itemized. As used in this paragraph, "other income"1644
means a loan, investment income, or interest income.1645

       (f) In the case of a campaign committee of a state elected1646
officer, if a person doing business with the state elected officer1647
in the officer's official capacity makes a contribution to the1648
campaign committee of that officer, the information required under1649
division (B)(4) of this section in regard to that contribution,1650
which shall be filed together with and considered a part of the1651
committee's statement of contributions as required under division1652
(A) of this section but shall be filed on a separate form provided1653
by the secretary of state. As used in this division (B)(4)(f) of 1654
this section:1655

       (i) "State elected officer" has the same meaning as in1656
section 3517.092 of the Revised Code.1657

       (ii) "Person doing business" means a person or an officer of1658
an entity who enters into one or more contracts with a state1659
elected officer or anyone authorized to enter into contracts on1660
behalf of that officer to receive payments for goods or services,1661
if the payments total, in the aggregate, more than five thousand1662
dollars during a calendar year.1663

       (5) A statement of expenditures which shall include the1664
following information:1665

       (a) The month, day, and year of the expenditure;1666

       (b) The full name and address of each person, political1667
party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political1668
action committee, or political contributing entity to whom the1669
expenditure was made and the registration number assigned to the1670
political action committee under division (D)(1) of this section;1671

       (c) The object or purpose for which the expenditure was made;1672

       (d) The amount of each expenditure.1673

       (C)(1) The statement of contributions and expenditures shall1674
be signed by the person completing the form. If a statement of1675
contributions and expenditures is filed by electronic means of1676
transmission pursuant to this section or section 3517.106 of the1677
Revised Code, the electronic signature of the person who executes1678
the statement and transmits the statement by electronic means of1679
transmission, as provided in division (H) of section 3517.106 of1680
the Revised Code, shall be attached to or associated with the1681
statement and shall be binding on all persons and for all purposes1682
under the campaign finance reporting law as if the signature had1683
been handwritten in ink on a printed form.1684

       (2) The person filing the statement, under penalty of1685
election falsification, shall include with it a list of each1686
anonymous contribution, the circumstances under which it was1687
received, and the reason it cannot be attributed to a specific1688
donor.1689

       (3) Each statement of a campaign committee of a candidate who1690
holds public office shall contain a designation of each1691
contributor who is an employee in any unit or department under the1692
candidate's direct supervision and control. In a space provided in 1693
the statement, the person filing the statement shall affirm that 1694
each such contribution was voluntarily made.1695

       (4) A campaign committee that did not receive contributions1696
or make expenditures in connection with the nomination or election1697
of its candidate shall file a statement to that effect, on a form1698
prescribed under this section and made under penalty of election1699
falsification, on the date required in division (A)(2) of this1700
section.1701

       (5) The campaign committee of any person who attempts to1702
become a candidate and who, for any reason, does not become1703
certified in accordance with Title XXXV of the Revised Code for1704
placement on the official ballot of a primary, general, or special1705
election to be held in this state, and who, at any time prior to1706
or after an election, receives contributions or makes1707
expenditures, or has given consent for another to receive1708
contributions or make expenditures, for the purpose of bringing1709
about the person's nomination or election to public office, shall1710
file the statement or statements prescribed by this section and a1711
termination statement, if applicable. This paragraphDivision 1712
(C)(5) of this section does not apply to any person with respect 1713
to an election to the offices of member of a county or state 1714
central committee, presidential elector, or delegate to a national 1715
convention or conference of a political party.1716

       (6)(a) The statements required to be filed under this section1717
shall specify the balance in the hands of the campaign committee, 1718
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or1719
political party, or political contributing entity and the1720
disposition intended to be made of that balance.1721

       (b) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form for all1722
statements required to be filed under this section and shall1723
furnish the forms to the boards of elections in the several1724
counties. The boards of elections shall supply printed copies of1725
those forms without charge. The secretary of state shall prescribe 1726
the appropriate methodology, protocol, and data file structure for1727
statements required or permitted to be filed by electronic means 1728
of transmission under division (A) of this section and, divisions 1729
(E), (F), and (G) of section 3517.106, division (D) of section 1730
3517.1011, and division (B) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised 1731
Code and for statements permitted to be filed on computer disk 1732
under division (F) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code.1733
Subject to division (A) of this section and, divisions (E), (F),1734
and (G) of section 3517.106, division (D) of section 3517.1011, 1735
and division (B) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code, the 1736
statements required to be stored on computer by the secretary of 1737
state under division (B) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code1738
shall be filed in whatever format the secretary of state considers1739
necessary to enable the secretary of state to store the1740
information contained in the statements on computer. Any such1741
format shall be of a type and nature that is readily available to1742
whoever is required to file the statements in that format.1743

       (c) The secretary of state shall assess the need for training1744
regarding the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic 1745
means of transmission and regarding associated technologies for 1746
candidates, campaign committees, political action committees,1747
legislative campaign funds, or political parties, political 1748
contributing entities, orfor individuals, partnerships, or other 1749
entities, or for electioneering communication committees, required 1750
or permitted to file statements by electronic means of 1751
transmission under this section or section 3517.105 or, 3517.106, 1752
3517.1011, or 3517.1012 of the Revised Code. If, in the opinion of1753
the secretary of state, training in these areas is necessary, the1754
secretary of state shall arrange for the provision of voluntary1755
training programs for candidates, campaign committees, political1756
action committees, legislative campaign funds, or political1757
parties, political contributing entities, andfor individuals, 1758
partnerships, and other entities, or for electioneering 1759
communication committees, as appropriate.1760

       (7) Each monthly statement and each two-business-day1761
statement required by division (A) of this section shall contain1762
the information required by divisions (B)(1) to (4), (C)(2), and,1763
if appropriate, (C)(3) of this section. Each statement shall be1764
signed as required by division (C)(1) of this section.1765

       (D)(1) Prior to receiving a contribution or making an1766
expenditure, every campaign committee, political action committee,1767
legislative campaign fund, or political party, or political1768
contributing entity shall appoint a treasurer and shall file, on a1769
form prescribed by the secretary of state, a designation of that1770
appointment, including the full name and address of the treasurer1771
and of the campaign committee, political action committee,1772
legislative campaign fund, or political party, or political1773
contributing entity. That designation shall be filed with the1774
official with whom the campaign committee, political action1775
committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party, or1776
political contributing entity is required to file statements under1777
section 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The name of a campaign1778
committee shall include at least the last name of the campaign1779
committee's candidate. The secretary of state shall assign a1780
registration number to each political action committee that files1781
a designation of the appointment of a treasurer under this1782
division (D)(1) of this section if the political action committee 1783
is required by division (A)(1) of section 3517.11 of the Revised 1784
Code to file the statements prescribed by this section with the1785
secretary of state.1786

       (2) The treasurer appointed under division (D)(1) of this1787
section shall keep a strict account of all contributions, from1788
whom received and the purpose for which they were disbursed.1789

       (3)(a) Except as otherwise provided in section 3517.108 of1790
the Revised Code, a campaign committee shall deposit all monetary1791
contributions received by the committee into an account separate1792
from a personal or business account of the candidate or campaign1793
committee.1794

       (b) A political action committee shall deposit all monetary1795
contributions received by the committee into an account separate1796
from all other funds.1797

       (c) A state or county political party may establish a state1798
candidate fund that is separate from an account that contains the1799
public moneys received from the Ohio political party fund under1800
section 3517.17 of the Revised Code and from all other funds. A1801
state or county political party may deposit into its state1802
candidate fund any amounts of monetary contributions that are made1803
to or accepted by the political party subject to the applicable1804
limitations, if any, prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised1805
Code. A state or county political party shall deposit all other1806
monetary contributions received by the party into one or more1807
accounts that are separate from its state candidate fund and from1808
its account that contains the public moneys received from the Ohio1809
political party fund under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code.1810

       (d) Each state political party shall have only one1811
legislative campaign fund for each house of the general assembly.1812
Each such fund shall be separate from any other funds or accounts1813
of that state party. A legislative campaign fund is authorized to1814
receive contributions and make expenditures for the primary1815
purpose of furthering the election of candidates who are members1816
of that political party to the house of the general assembly with1817
which that legislative campaign fund is associated. Each1818
legislative campaign fund shall be administered and controlled in1819
a manner designated by the caucus. As used in this division 1820
(D)(3)(d) of this section, "caucus" has the same meaning as in1821
section 3517.01 of the Revised Code and includes, as an ex officio 1822
member, the chairperson of the state political party with which 1823
the caucus is associated or that chairperson's designee.1824

       (4) Every expenditure in excess of twenty-five dollars shall1825
be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the1826
expendituresexpenditure, that shall be filed with the statement 1827
of expenditures. A canceled check with a notation of the purpose 1828
of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of division1829
(D)(4) of this section.1830

       (5) The secretary of state or the board of elections, as the1831
case may be, shall issue a receipt for each statement filed under1832
this section and shall preserve a copy of the receipt for a period1833
of at least six years. All statements filed under this section1834
shall be open to public inspection in the office where they are1835
filed and shall be carefully preserved for a period of at least1836
six years after the year in which they are filed.1837

       (6) The secretary of state, by rule adopted pursuant to1838
section 3517.23 of the Revised Code, shall prescribe theboth of 1839
the following:1840

       (a) The manner of immediately acknowledging, with date and 1841
time received, and preserving the receipt of statements that are 1842
transmitted by electronic means of transmission to the secretary 1843
of state pursuant to this section or section 3517.106, 3517.1011, 1844
or 3517.1012 of the Revised Code and the;1845

       (b) The manner of preserving the contribution and 1846
expenditure, contribution and disbursement, or deposit and 1847
disbursement information in thosethe statements described in 1848
division (D)(6)(a) of this section. The secretary of state shall1849
preserve the contribution and expenditure, contribution and 1850
disbursement, or deposit and disbursement information in those1851
statements for at least ten years after the year in which they are1852
filed by electronic means of transmission.1853

       (7) The secretary of state, pursuant to division (I) of1854
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, shall make available online1855
to the public through the internet the contribution and1856
expenditure, contribution and disbursement, or deposit and 1857
disbursement information in all statements, all addenda,1858
amendments, or other corrections to statements, and all amended1859
statements filed with the secretary of state by electronic or1860
other means of transmission under this section, division (B)(2)(b)1861
or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105, or section 3517.106, 3517.1011, 1862
3517.1012, or 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The secretary of state1863
may remove the information from the internet after a reasonable 1864
period of time.1865

       (E)(1) Any person, political party, campaign committee,1866
legislative campaign fund, or political action committee, or1867
political contributing entity that makes a contribution in1868
connection with the nomination or election of any candidate or in1869
connection with any ballot issue or question at any election held1870
or to be held in this state shall provide its full name and1871
address to the recipient of the contribution at the time the1872
contribution is made. The political action committee also shall1873
provide the registration number assigned to the committee under1874
division (D)(1) of this section to the recipient of the1875
contribution at the time the contribution is made.1876

       (2) Any individual who makes a contribution that exceeds one1877
hundred dollars to a campaign committee of a statewide candidate1878
or candidate for the office of member of the general assembly1879
shall provide the name of the individual's current employer, if1880
any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the individual's1881
occupation and the name of the individual's business, if any, to1882
the recipient of the contribution at the time the contribution is1883
made. Sections 3599.39 and 3599.40 of the Revised Code do not 1884
apply to division (E)(2) of this section.1885

       (3) If a campaign committee shows that it has exercised its1886
best efforts to obtain, maintain, and submit the information1887
required under divisions (B)(4)(b)(ii) and (iii) of this section,1888
that committee is considered to have met the requirements of those1889
divisions. A campaign committee shall not be considered to have1890
exercised its best efforts unless, in connection with written1891
solicitations, it regularly includes a written request for the1892
information required under division (B)(4)(b)(ii) of this section1893
from the contributor or the information required under division1894
(B)(4)(b)(iii) of this section from whoever transmits the1895
contribution.1896

       (4) Any check that a political action committee uses to make1897
a contribution or an expenditure shall contain the full name and1898
address of the committee and the registration number assigned to1899
the committee under division (D)(1) of this section.1900

       (F) As used in this section:1901

       (1) "Address" means all of the following if they exist:1902
apartment number, street, road, or highway name and number, rural1903
delivery route number, city or village, state, and zip code as1904
used in a person's post-office address, but not post-office box. 1905
If an address is required in this section, a post-office box and1906
office, room, or suite number may be included in addition to but1907
not in lieu of an apartment, street, road, or highway name and1908
number. If an address is required in this section, a campaign1909
committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, 1910
or political party, or political contributing entity may use the1911
business or residence address of its treasurer or deputy1912
treasurer. The post-office box number of the campaign committee,1913
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or1914
political party, or political contributing entity may be used in1915
addition to that address.1916

       (2) "Statewide candidate" means the joint candidates for the1917
offices of governor and lieutenant governor or a candidate for the1918
office of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of1919
state, attorney general, member of the state board of education,1920
chief justice of the supreme court, or justice of the supreme1921
court.1922

       (G) An independent expenditure shall be reported whenever and 1923
in the same manner that an expenditure is required to be reported1924
under this section and shall be reported pursuant to division1925
(B)(2)(a) or (C)(2)(a) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code.1926

       (H)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(2) of1927
this section, if, during the combined preelectionpre-election and 1928
postelection reporting periods for an election, a campaign 1929
committee has received contributions of five hundred dollars or 1930
less and has made expenditures in the total amount of five hundred 1931
dollars or less, it may file a statement to that effect, under 1932
penalty of election falsification, in lieu of the statement 1933
required by division (A)(2) of this section. The statement shall 1934
indicate the total amount of contributions received and the total 1935
amount of expenditures made during those combined reporting 1936
periods.1937

       (2) In the case of a successful candidate at a primary1938
election, if either the total contributions received by or the1939
total expenditures made by the candidate's campaign committee1940
during the preprimary, postprimary, pregeneral, and postgeneral1941
election periods combined equal more than five hundred dollars,1942
the campaign committee may file the statement under division1943
(H)(1) of this section only for the primary election. The first1944
statement that the campaign committee files in regard to the1945
general election shall reflect all contributions received and all1946
expenditures made during the preprimary and postprimary election1947
periods.1948

       (3) Divisions (H)(1) and (2) of this section do not apply if1949
a campaign committee receives contributions or makes expenditures1950
prior to the first day of January of the year of the election at1951
which the candidate seeks nomination or election to office or if1952
the campaign committee does not file a termination statement with1953
its postprimary election statement in the case of an unsuccessful1954
primary election candidate or with its postgeneral election1955
statement in the case of other candidates.1956

       (I) In the case of a contribution made by a partner of a1957
partnership or an owner or a member of another unincorporated 1958
business from any funds of the partnership or other unincorporated 1959
business, all of the following apply:1960

       (1) The recipient of the contribution shall report the1961
contribution by listing both the partnership or other1962
unincorporated business and the name of the partner or, owner, or 1963
member making the contribution.1964

       (2) For purposes of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, the 1965
contribution shall be considered to have been made by the partner 1966
or, owner, or member reported under division (I)(1) of this 1967
section.1968

       (3) No contribution from a partner of a partnership or an 1969
owner or a member of another unincorporated business shall be1970
accepted from any funds of the partnership or other unincorporated 1971
business unless the recipient reports the contribution under 1972
division (I)(1) of this section.1973

       (4) No partnership or other unincorporated business shall 1974
make a contribution or contributions solely in the name of the 1975
partnership or other unincorporated business.1976

       (5) As used in division (I) of this section, "partnership or 1977
other unincorporated business" includes, but is not limited to, a 1978
cooperative, a sole proprietorship, a general partnership, a 1979
limited partnership, a limited partnership association, a limited 1980
liability partnership, and a limited liability company.1981

       (J) A candidate shall have only one campaign committee at any1982
given time for all of the offices for which the person is a1983
candidate or holds office.1984

       (K)(1) In addition to filing a designation of appointment of1985
a treasurer under division (D)(1) of this section, the campaign1986
committee of any candidate for an elected municipal office that1987
pays an annual amount of compensation of five thousand dollars or1988
less, the campaign committee of any candidate for member of a1989
board of education except member of the state board of education,1990
or the campaign committee of any candidate for township trustee or1991
township clerk may sign, under penalty of election falsification,1992
a certificate attesting that the committee will not accept1993
contributions during an election period that exceed in the1994
aggregate two thousand dollars from all contributors and one1995
hundred dollars from any one individual, and that the campaign1996
committee will not make expenditures during an election period1997
that exceed in the aggregate two thousand dollars.1998

       The certificate shall be on a form prescribed by the1999
secretary of state and shall be filed not later than ten days2000
after the candidate files a declaration of candidacy and petition,2001
a nominating petition, or a declaration of intent to be a write-in2002
candidate.2003

       (2) Except as otherwise provided in division (K)(3) of this2004
section, a campaign committee that files a certificate under2005
division (K)(1) of this section is not required to file the2006
statements required by division (A) of this section.2007

       (3) If, after filing a certificate under division (K)(1) of2008
this section, a campaign committee exceeds any of the limitations2009
described in that division during an election period, the2010
certificate is void and thereafter the campaign committee shall2011
file the statements required by division (A) of this section. If 2012
the campaign committee has not previously filed a statement, then 2013
on the first statement the campaign committee is required to file2014
under division (A) of this section after the committee's 2015
certificate is void, the committee shall report all contributions 2016
received and expenditures made from the time the candidate filed 2017
the candidate's declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating2018
petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate.2019

       (4) As used in division (K) of this section, "election2020
period" means the period of time beginning on the day a person2021
files a declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating2022
petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate2023
through the day of the election at which the person seeks2024
nomination to office if the person is not elected to office, or,2025
if the candidate was nominated in a primary election, the day of2026
the election at which the candidate seeks office.2027

       (L) Notwithstanding division (B)(4) of this section, a2028
political contributing entity that receives contributions from the2029
dues, membership fees, or other assessments of its members or from2030
its officers, shareholders, and employees may report the aggregate2031
amount of contributions received from those contributors and the2032
number of individuals making those contributions, for each filing2033
period identified under divisions (A)(1), (2), and (3) of this2034
section. Division (B)(4) of this section applies to a political2035
contributing entity with regard to contributions it receives from2036
all other contributors.2037

       Sec. 3517.102.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in section2038
3517.103 of the Revised Code, as used in this section and sections2039
3517.103 and 3517.104 of the Revised Code:2040

       (1) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in section 3517.01 of 2041
the Revised Code but includes only candidates for the offices of 2042
governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of2043
state, treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state2044
board of education, member of the general assembly, chief justice2045
of the supreme court, and justice of the supreme court.2046

       (2) "Statewide candidate" or "any one statewide candidate" 2047
means the joint candidates for the offices of governor and2048
lieutenant governor or a candidate for the office of secretary of2049
state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, attorney general,2050
member of the state board of education, chief justice of the2051
supreme court, or justice of the supreme court.2052

       (3) "Senate candidate" means a candidate for the office of2053
state senator.2054

       (4) "House candidate" means a candidate for the office of2055
state representative.2056

       (5)(a) "Primary election period" for a candidate begins on2057
the beginning date of the candidate's pre-filing period specified2058
in division (A)(9) of section 3517.109 of the Revised Code and2059
ends on the day of the primary election.2060

       (b) In regard to any candidate, the "general election period"2061
begins on the day after the primary election immediately preceding 2062
the general election at which the candidate seeks an office 2063
specified in division (A)(1) of this section and ends on the2064
thirty-first day of December following that general election.2065

       (6) "State candidate fund" means the state candidate fund2066
established by a state or county political party under division2067
(D)(3)(c) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.2068

       (7) "Postgeneral election statement" means the statement2069
filed under division (A)(2) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code2070
by the campaign committee of a candidate after the general2071
election in which the candidate ran for office or filed by2072
legislative campaign fund after the general election in an2073
even-numbered year.2074

       (8) "Contribution" means any contribution that is required to 2075
be reported in the statement of contributions under section2076
3517.10 of the Revised Code.2077

       (9)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(9)(b) of 2078
this section and in division (F) of section 3517.103 and division2079
(B)(3)(b) of section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code, "designated2080
state campaign committee" means:2081

       (a)(i) In the case of contributions to or from a state2082
political party, a campaign committee of a statewide candidate,2083
statewide officeholder, senate candidate, house candidate, or2084
member of the general assembly.2085

       (b)(ii) In the case of contributions to or from a county2086
political party, a campaign committee of a statewide candidate,2087
statewide officeholder, senate candidate or house candidate whose2088
candidacy is to be submitted to some or all of the electors in2089
that county, or member of the general assembly whose district2090
contains all or part of that county.2091

       (c)(iii) In the case of contributions to or from a 2092
legislative campaign fund, a campaign committee of any of the 2093
following:2094

       (i)(I) A senate or house candidate who, if elected, will be a2095
member of the same party that established the legislative campaign2096
fund and the same house with which the legislative campaign fund2097
is associated;2098

       (ii)(II) A state senator or state representative who is a 2099
member of the same party that established the legislative campaign 2100
fund and the same house with which the legislative campaign fund 2101
is associated.2102

       (b) A campaign committee is no longer a "designated state 2103
campaign committee" after the campaign committee's candidate 2104
changes the designation of treasurer required to be filed under 2105
division (D)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code to indicate 2106
that the person intends to be a candidate for, or becomes a 2107
candidate for nomination or election to, any office that, if 2108
elected, would not qualify that candidate's campaign committee as 2109
a "designated state campaign committee" under division (A)(9)(a) 2110
of this section.2111

       (B)(1)(a) No individual shall make a contribution or2112
contributions aggregating more than:2113

       (a) Two(i) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2114
committee of any one statewide candidate in a primary election2115
period or in a general election period;2116

       (b) Two(ii) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the 2117
campaign committee of any one senate candidate in a primary 2118
election period or in a general election period;2119

       (c) Two(iii) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the 2120
campaign committee of any one house candidate in a primary 2121
election period or in a general election period;2122

       (d) Five(iv) Ten thousand dollars to any onea county 2123
political party of the county in which the individual resides for 2124
the 1party'sparty's state candidate fund orin a calendar year;2125

       (v) Fifteen thousand dollars to any one legislative campaign2126
fund in a calendar year;2127

       (e) Fifteen(vi) Thirty thousand dollars to any one state 2128
political party for the party's state candidate fund in a calendar 2129
year;2130

       (f) Five(vii) Ten thousand dollars to any one political 2131
action committee in a calendar year;2132

       (g) Five thousand dollars to any one political contributing2133
entity in a calendar year.2134

       (b) No individual shall make a contribution or contributions 2135
to the state candidate fund of a county political party of any 2136
county other than the county in which the individual resides.2137

       (2)(a) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no2138
political action committee shall make a contribution or2139
contributions aggregating more than:2140

       (a) Two(i) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2141
committee of any one statewide candidate in a primary election2142
period or in a general election period;2143

       (b) Two(ii) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the 2144
campaign committee of any one senate candidate in a primary 2145
election period or in a general election period;2146

       (c) Two(iii) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the 2147
campaign committee of any one house candidate in a primary 2148
election period or in a general election period;2149

       (d) Five(iv) Fifteen thousand dollars to any one county 2150
political party for the party's state candidate fund or to any one 2151
legislative campaign fund in a calendar year;2152

       (e) Fifteen(v) Thirty thousand dollars to any one state 2153
political party for the party's state candidate fund in a calendar 2154
year;2155

       (f) Two(vi) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to another 2156
political action committee or to a political contributing entity2157
in a calendar year. This division does not apply to a political 2158
action committee that makes a contribution to a political action2159
committee or to a political contributing entity affiliated with2160
it. For purposes of this division, a political action committee is 2161
affiliated with another political action committee or with a2162
political contributing entity if they are both established,2163
financed, maintained, or controlled by, or if they are, the same2164
corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing2165
association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary,2166
division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor2167
organization, continuing association, or other person.2168

       (b) No political action committee shall make a contribution 2169
or contributions to a county political party for the party's state 2170
candidate fund.2171

       (3) No campaign committee shall make a contribution or2172
contributions aggregating more than:2173

       (a) TwoTen thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2174
committee of any one statewide candidate in a primary election2175
period or in a general election period;2176

       (b) TwoTen thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2177
committee of any one senate candidate in a primary election period2178
or in a general election period;2179

       (c) TwoTen thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2180
committee of any one house candidate in a primary election period2181
or in a general election period;2182

       (d) TwoTen thousand five hundred dollars to any one2183
political action committee in a calendar year;2184

       (e) Two thousand five hundred dollars to any one political2185
contributing entity in a calendar year.2186

       (4)(a) Subject to division (D)(3) of this section, no2187
political party shall make a contribution or contributions2188
aggregating more than twoten thousand five hundred dollars to any 2189
one political action committee or to any one political 2190
contributing entity in a calendar year.2191

       (b) No county political party shall make a contribution or 2192
contributions to another county political party.2193

       (5) No(a) Subject to division (B)(5)(b) of this section, no2194
campaign committee, other than a designated state campaign 2195
committee, shall make a contribution or contributions aggregating 2196
in a calendar year more than:2197

       (a) Fifteen(i) Thirty thousand dollars to any one state 2198
political party for the party's state candidate fund;2199

       (b) Five(ii) Fifteen thousand dollars to any one legislative 2200
campaign fund;2201

       (c) Five(iii) Ten thousand dollars to any one county 2202
political party for the party's state candidate fund.2203

       (b) No campaign committee shall make a contribution or 2204
contributions to a county political party for the party's state 2205
candidate fund unless one of the following applies:2206

       (i) The campaign committee's candidate will appear on a 2207
ballot in that county.2208

       (ii) The campaign committee's candidate is the holder of an 2209
elected public office that represents all or part of the 2210
population of that county at the time the contribution is made.2211

       (6)(a) No state candidate fund of a county political party2212
shall make a contribution or contributions, except a contribution2213
or contributions to a designated state campaign committee, in a2214
primary election period or a general election period, aggregating2215
more than:2216

       (i) TwoTen thousand dollars to the campaign committee of any 2217
one statewide candidate;2218

       (ii) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2219
committee of any one senate candidate;2220

       (ii) Two(iii) Ten thousand five hundred dollars to the 2221
campaign committee of any one house candidate.2222

       (b)(i) No state candidate fund of a state or county political 2223
party shall make a transfer or a contribution or transfers or2224
contributions of cash or cash equivalents to a designated state 2225
campaign committee in a primary election period or in a general 2226
election period aggregating more than:2227

       (I) Five hundred thousand dollars to the campaign committee2228
of any one statewide candidate;2229

       (II) One hundred thousand dollars to the campaign committee2230
of any one senate candidate;2231

       (III) Fifty thousand dollars to the campaign committee of any 2232
one house candidate.2233

       (ii) No legislative campaign fund shall make a transfer or a2234
contribution or transfers or contributions of cash or cash2235
equivalents to a designated state campaign committee aggregating2236
more than:2237

       (I) Fifty thousand dollars in a primary election period or2238
one hundred thousand dollars in a general election period to the2239
campaign committee orof any one senate candidate;2240

       (II) Twenty-five thousand dollars in a primary election2241
period or fifty thousand dollars in a general election period to2242
the campaign committee of any one house candidate.2243

       (iii) As used in divisions (B)(6)(b) and (C)(6)(a) and (b) of 2244
this section, "transfer or contribution of cash or cash2245
equivalents" does not include any in-kind contributions.2246

       (c) A county political party that has no state candidate fund 2247
and that is located in a county having a population of less than 2248
one hundred fifty thousand may make one or more contributions from 2249
other accounts to any one statewide candidate or to any one2250
designated state campaign committee that do not exceed, in the2251
aggregate, two thousand five hundred dollars in any primary 2252
election period or general election period. As used in this 2253
division, "other accounts" does not include either an account that2254
contains the public moneys received from the Ohio political party 2255
fund under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code or the county 2256
political party's operating account.2257

       (d) No legislative campaign fund shall make a contribution,2258
other than to a designated state campaign committee or to the2259
state candidate fund of a political party.2260

       (7) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no political2261
contributing entity shall make a contribution or contributions2262
aggregating more than:2263

       (a) Two thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2264
committee of any one statewide candidate in a primary election2265
period or in a general election period;2266

       (b) Two thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2267
committee of any one senate candidate in a primary election period2268
or in a general election period;2269

       (c) Two thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign2270
committee of any one house candidate in a primary election period2271
or in a general election period;2272

       (d) Five thousand dollars to any one county political party2273
for the party's state candidate fund or to any one legislative2274
campaign fund in a calendar year;2275

       (e) Fifteen thousand dollars to any one state political party 2276
for the party's state candidate fund in a calendar year;2277

       (f) Two thousand five hundred dollars to another political2278
contributing entity or to a political action committee in a2279
calendar year. This division does not apply to a political2280
contributing entity that makes a contribution to a political2281
contributing entity or to a political action committee affiliated2282
with it. For purposes of this division, a political contributing2283
entity is affiliated with another political contributing entity or2284
with a political action committee if they are both established,2285
financed, maintained, or controlled by, or if they are, the same2286
corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing2287
association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary,2288
division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor2289
organization, continuing association, or other person.2290

       (C)(1)(a) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no2291
campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall accept a2292
contribution or contributions aggregating more than twoten2293
thousand five hundred dollars from any one individual, from any2294
one political action committee, from any one state candidate fund 2295
of a county political contributing entityparty, or from any one 2296
other campaign committee in a primary election period or in a 2297
general election period.2298

       (b) No campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall 2299
accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two 2300
thousand five hundred dollars in a primary election period or in a 2301
general election period from a county political party that has no 2302
state candidate fund and that is located in a county having a 2303
population of less than one hundred fifty thousand.2304

       (2)(a) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section and except2305
for a designated state campaign committee, no campaign committee2306
of a senate candidate shall accept a contribution or contributions2307
aggregating more than twoten thousand five hundred dollars from 2308
any one individual, from any one political action committee, from 2309
any one political contributing entity, from any one state 2310
candidate fund of a county political party, or from any one other 2311
campaign committee in a primary election period or in a general 2312
election period.2313

       (b) No campaign committee of a senate candidate shall accept 2314
a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand 2315
five hundred dollars in a primary election period or in a general 2316
election period from a county political party that has no state 2317
candidate fund and that is located in a county having a population 2318
of less than one hundred fifty thousand.2319

       (3)(a) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section and except2320
for a designated state campaign committee, no campaign committee2321
of a house candidate shall accept a contribution or contributions2322
aggregating more than twoten thousand five hundred dollars from 2323
any one individual, from any one political action committee, from 2324
any one political contributing entity, from any one state 2325
candidate fund of a county political party, or from any one other 2326
campaign committee in a primary election period or in a general 2327
election period.2328

       (b) No campaign committee of a house candidate shall accept a 2329
contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand 2330
five hundred dollars in a primary election period or in a general 2331
election period from a county political party that has no state 2332
candidate fund and that is located in a county having a population 2333
of less than one hundred fifty thousand.2334

       (4)(a)(i) Subject to division (D)(1)(C)(4)(a)(ii) of this 2335
section and except for a designated state campaign committee, no2336
county political party shall accept a contribution or 2337
contributions for the party's state candidate fund aggregating2338
more than fiveten thousand dollars from any one individual,who 2339
resides within that county or from any one political action 2340
committee, from any one political contributing entity, or from any 2341
one campaign committee, other than a designated state campaign 2342
committee, in a calendar year.2343

       (ii) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no county 2344
political party shall accept a contribution or contributions for 2345
the party's state candidate fund from any individual who resides 2346
outside of that county, from any campaign committee unless the 2347
campaign committee's candidate will appear on a ballot in that 2348
county or unless the campaign committee's candidate is the holder 2349
of an elected public office that represents all or part of the 2350
population of that county at the time the contribution is 2351
accepted, or from any political action committee.2352

       (iii) No county political party shall accept a contribution 2353
or contributions from any other county political party.2354

       (b) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no state2355
political party shall accept a contribution or contributions for2356
the party's state candidate fund aggregating more than fifteen2357
thirty thousand dollars from any one individual, from any one 2358
political action committee, from any one political contributing 2359
entity, or from any one campaign committee, other than a 2360
designated state campaign committee, in a calendar year.2361

       (5) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no2362
legislative campaign fund shall accept a contribution or2363
contributions aggregating more than fivefifteen thousand dollars 2364
from any one individual, from any one political action committee, 2365
from any one political contributing entity, or from any one 2366
campaign committee, other than a designated state campaign 2367
committee, in a calendar year.2368

       (6)(a) No designated state campaign committee shall accept a2369
transfer or contribution of cash or cash equivalents from a state2370
candidate fund of a state or county political party or a transfer 2371
or contribution of cash or cash equivalents from any one or 2372
combination of state candidate funds of county political parties2373
aggregating in a primary election period or a general election2374
period more than:2375

       (i) Five hundred thousand dollars, in the case of a campaign2376
committee of a statewide candidate;2377

       (ii) One hundred thousand dollars, in the case of a campaign2378
committee of a senate candidate;2379

       (iii) Fifty thousand dollars, in the case of a campaign2380
committee of a house candidate.2381

       (b) No designated state campaign committee shall accept a2382
transfer or contribution of cash or cash equivalents from a2383
legislative candidatecampaign fund aggregating more than:2384

       (i) Fifty thousand dollars in a primary election period or2385
one hundred thousand dollars in a general election period, in the2386
case of a campaign committee of a senate candidate;2387

       (ii) Twenty-five thousand dollars in a primary election2388
period or fifty thousand dollars in a general election period, in2389
the case of a campaign committee of a house candidate.2390

       (7)(a) Subject to division (D)(3) of this section, no2391
political action committee and no political contributing entity2392
shall accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than2393
fiveten thousand dollars from any one individual, or more than 2394
two thousand five hundred dollars from any one campaign committee,2395
or from any one political party in a calendar year.2396

       (b) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no political2397
action committee shall accept a contribution or contributions2398
aggregating more than twoten thousand five hundred dollars from2399
another political action committee or from a political2400
contributing entity in a calendar year. Subject to division (D)(1) 2401
of this section, no political contributing entity shall accept a 2402
contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand 2403
five hundred dollars from another political contributing entity or 2404
from a political action committee in a calendar year. This 2405
division does not apply to a political action committee or2406
political contributing entity that accepts a contribution from a2407
political action committee or political contributing entity2408
affiliated with it. For purposes of this division, a political2409
action committee is affiliated with another political action2410
committee or political contributing entity if they are2411
established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same2412
corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing2413
association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary,2414
division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor2415
organization, continuing association, or other person.2416

       (D)(1)(a) For purposes of the limitations prescribed in2417
division (B)(2) of this section and the limitations prescribed in2418
divisions (C)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (7)(b) of this section,2419
whichever is applicable, all contributions made by and all2420
contributions accepted from political action committees that are2421
established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same2422
corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing2423
association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary,2424
division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor2425
organization, continuing association, or other person, are2426
considered to have been made by or accepted from a single2427
political action committee.2428

       (b) For purposes of the limitations prescribed in division2429
(B)(7) of this section and the limitations prescribed in divisions2430
(C)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (7)(b) of this section, whichever2431
is applicable, all contributions made by and all contributions2432
accepted from political contributing entities that are2433
established, financed, maintained, or controlled by, or that are,2434
the same corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing2435
association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary,2436
division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor2437
organization, continuing association, or other person, are2438
considered to have been made by or accepted from a single2439
political contributing entity.2440

       (2) As used in divisions (B)(1)(f)(a)(vii), (B)(3)(d), 2441
(B)(4), and (C)(7) of this section, "political action committee" 2442
does not include a political action committee that is organized to 2443
support or oppose a ballot issue or question and that makes no2444
contributions to or expenditures on behalf of a political party,2445
campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political action2446
committee, or political contributing entity. As used in divisions2447
(B)(1)(g), (B)(3)(e), (B)(4), and (C)(7) of this section,2448
"political contributing entity" does not include a political2449
contributing entity that is organized to support or oppose a2450
ballot issue or question and that makes no contributions to or2451
expenditures on behalf of a political party, campaign committee,2452
legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or2453
political contributing entity.2454

       (3) For purposes of the limitations prescribed in divisions2455
(B)(4) and (C)(7)(a) of this section, all contributions made by2456
and all contributions accepted from a national political party, a2457
state political party, and a county political party are considered2458
to have been made by or accepted from a single political party and2459
shall be combined with each other to determine whether the2460
limitations have been exceeded.2461

       (E)(1) If a legislative campaign fund has kept a total amount 2462
of contributions exceeding one hundred fifty thousand dollars at 2463
the close of business on the seventh day before the postgeneral 2464
election statement is required to be filed under section 3517.102465
of the Revised Code, the legislative campaign fund shall comply 2466
with division (E)(2) of this section.2467

       (2)(a) Any legislative campaign fund that has kept a total2468
amount of contributions in excess of the amount specified in2469
division (E)(1) of this section at the close of business on the2470
seventh day before the postgeneral election statement is required2471
to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code shall2472
dispose of the excess amount in the manner prescribed in division2473
(E)(2)(c)(b)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this section not later than 2474
ninety days after the day the postgeneral election statement is 2475
required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. 2476
Any legislative campaign fund that is required to dispose of an 2477
excess amount of contributions under this division shall file a 2478
statement on the ninetieth day after the postgeneral election 2479
statement is required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the 2480
Revised Code indicating the total amount of contributions the fund 2481
has at the close of business on the seventh day before the 2482
postgeneral election statement is required to be filed under 2483
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and that the excess2484
contributions were disposed of pursuant to this division and 2485
divisionsdivision (E)(2)(b) and (c) of this section. The2486
statement shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state 2487
and shall contain any additional information the secretary of 2488
state considers necessary.2489

       (b) There is hereby created in the state treasury the Ohio2490
elections commission fund. All moneys credited to the fund shall2491
be used solely for the purpose of paying expenses related to the2492
operation of the Ohio elections commission.2493

       (c) Any legislative campaign fund that is required to dispose 2494
of an excess amount of contributions under division (E)(2) of this2495
section shall dispose of that excess amount by doing any of the 2496
following:2497

       (i) Giving the amount to the treasurer of state for deposit2498
into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio elections2499
commission fund created by division (I) of section 3517.152 of the 2500
Revised Code;2501

       (ii) Giving the amount to individuals who made contributions2502
to that legislative campaign fund as a refund of all or part of2503
their contributions;2504

       (iii) Giving the amount to a corporation that is exempt from2505
federal income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in2506
subsection 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.2507

       (F)(1) No legislative campaign fund shall fail to file a2508
statement required by division (E) of this section.2509

       (2) No legislative campaign fund shall fail to dispose of2510
excess contributions as required by division (E) of this section.2511

       (G) Nothing in this section shall affect, be used in2512
determining, or supersede a limitation on campaign contributions2513
as provided for in the Federal Election Campaign Act.2514

       Sec. 3517.103.  (A)(1) For purposes of this section:2515

       (1)(a) "Statewide candidate" means the joint candidates for 2516
the offices of governor and lieutenant governor or a candidate for 2517
the office of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of 2518
state, attorney general, or member of the state board of 2519
education.2520

       (2)(b)(i) "Personal funds" means contributions to the 2521
campaign committee of a candidate by the candidate or by the 2522
candidate's spouse, parents, children, sons-in-law, 2523
daughters-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandparents, mother-in-law, 2524
father-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, or grandparents by 2525
marriage.2526

       (3)(ii) A loan obtained by, guaranteed by, or for the benefit 2527
of a statewide candidate, senate candidate, or house candidate 2528
shall be considered "personal funds" subject to the provisions of 2529
this section and section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code to the 2530
extent that the loan is obtained or guaranteed by the candidate or 2531
is for the benefit of the candidate and is obtained or guaranteed 2532
by the candidate's spouse, parents, children, sons-in-law, 2533
daughters-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandparents, mother-in-law, 2534
father-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, or grandparents by 2535
marriage. A loan that is obtained or guaranteed and that is for 2536
the benefit of a statewide candidate, senate candidate, or house 2537
candidate shall not be considered "personal funds" for the 2538
purposes of this section and section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code 2539
but shall be considered to be a "contribution" for the purposes of 2540
this chapter if the loan is obtained or guaranteed by anyone other 2541
than the candidate or the candidate's spouse, parents, children, 2542
sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandparents, 2543
mother-in-law, father-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, or 2544
grandparents by marriage.2545

       (iii) When a debt or other obligation incurred by a committee 2546
or by a candidate on behalf of the candidate's committee described 2547
in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section is to be paid from 2548
"personal funds," those funds are considered to be expended when 2549
the debt or other obligation is incurred, regardless of when it is 2550
paid.2551

       (4)(2) For purposes of Chapter 3517. of the Revised Codethis 2552
chapter, a candidate is an "opponent" when the candidate has2553
indicated on the candidate's most recently filed designation of2554
treasurer that the candidate seeks the same office at the same2555
primary or general election as another candidate whose campaign2556
committee has filed a personal funds notice required by division2557
(C)(1) or (2) of this section.2558

       (B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of 2559
this section, no statewide candidate or candidate for the office 2560
of member of the general assembly shall make an expenditure of2561
personal funds to influence the results of an election for that 2562
candidate's nomination or election to office unless the personal 2563
funds are first deposited into the campaign fund of that 2564
candidate's campaign committee.2565

       (2) A statewide candidate or candidate for the office of 2566
member of the general assembly may make an expenditure of personal 2567
funds without first depositing those funds into the campaign2568
committee's funds as long as the aggregate total of those2569
expenditures does not exceed five hundred dollars at any time 2570
during an election period. After the candidate's campaign 2571
committee reimburses the candidate for any direct expenditure of 2572
personal funds, the amount that was reimbursed is no longer 2573
included in the aggregate total of expenditures of personal funds 2574
subject to the five-hundred-dollar limit.2575

       (C)(1) If the campaign committee of any statewide candidate 2576
has received or expended or expects to expend more than one 2577
hundred thousand dollars of personal funds during a primary2578
election period or one hundred fifty thousand dollars of personal 2579
funds during a general election period, the campaign committee 2580
shall file a personal funds notice in the manner provided in2581
division (C)(3) of this section indicating that the committee has 2582
received or expended or expects to expend more than that amount. 2583
For the purpose of this division, a joint team of candidates for 2584
governor and lieutenant governor shall be considered a single 2585
candidate and their personal funds shall be combined.2586

       (2) If the campaign committee of any senate candidate or 2587
house candidate has received or expended or expects to expend more 2588
than twenty-five thousand dollars of personal funds during a 2589
primary election period or twenty-five thousand dollars of 2590
personal funds during a general election period, the campaign 2591
committee shall file a personal funds notice in the manner 2592
provided in division (C)(3) of this section indicating that the2593
committee has received or expended or expects to expend more than 2594
that amount.2595

       (3) The personal funds notice required in divisions (C)(1)2596
and (2) of this section and the declaration of no limits required 2597
under division (D)(2) of this section shall be on a form2598
prescribed by the secretary of state. The personal funds notice 2599
required in divisions (C)(1) and (2) of this section shall be 2600
filed not later than the earlier of the following times:2601

       (a) One hundred twenty days before a primary election, in the 2602
case of personal funds received, expended, or expected to be 2603
expended during a primary election period, or not later than one 2604
hundred twenty days before a general election, in the case of 2605
personal funds received, expended, or expected to be expended 2606
during a general election period;2607

       (b) Two business days after the candidate's campaign 2608
committee receives or makes an expenditure of personal funds or 2609
the candidate makes an expenditure of personal funds on behalf of 2610
the candidate's campaign committee during that election period 2611
that exceed, in the aggregate, the amount specified in division 2612
(C)(1) or (2) of this section.2613

       The personal funds notice required under divisions (C)(1) and 2614
(2) of this section and the declaration of no limits required 2615
under division (D)(2) of this section shall be filed wherever the 2616
campaign committee files statements of contributions and 2617
expenditures under section 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The board 2618
of elections shall send to the secretary of state a copy of any 2619
personal funds notice or declaration of no limits filed by the 2620
campaign committee of a senate candidate or house candidate under 2621
division (C)(3) or (D)(2) of this section.2622

       (D)(1) Whenever a campaign committee files a notice under 2623
division (C)(1) or (2) of this section, and the campaign committee 2624
of an opponent files a declaration of no limits pursuant to 2625
division (D)(2) of this section within thirty days of the filing 2626
of the personal funds notice under division (C)(1) or (2) of this 2627
section, the contribution limitations prescribed in section 2628
3517.102 of the Revised Code no longer apply to the campaign 2629
committee of the candidate's opponent.2630

       (2) No campaign committee of a candidate described in 2631
division (D)(1) of this section shall accept any contribution or 2632
contributions from a contributor that exceed the limitations 2633
prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code until the 2634
committee files a declaration that the committee will accept 2635
contributions that exceed those limitations. This declaration 2636
shall be filed not later than thirty days after a candidate's 2637
opponent has filed a personal funds notice pursuant to division 2638
(C)(1) or (2) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code, shall be 2639
referred to as the "declaration of no limits," and shall list all 2640
of the following:2641

       (a) The amount of cash on hand in the candidate's campaign 2642
fund at the end of the day immediately preceding the day on which 2643
the candidate's campaign committee files the declaration of no 2644
limits;2645

       (b) The value and description of all campaign assets worth 2646
five hundred dollars or more available to the candidate at the end 2647
of the day immediately preceding the day on which the candidate's 2648
campaign committee files the declaration of no limits.2649

       (3) A candidate who was not an opponent of a candidate who 2650
filed the personal funds notice required under division (C)(3) of 2651
this section on the date the personal funds notice was filed may 2652
file the declaration of no limits pursuant to division (D)(2) of 2653
this section within thirty days after becoming an opponent of the 2654
candidate who filed the personal funds notice.2655

       (4) If the candidate whose campaign committee filed a 2656
personal funds notice under division (C)(1) or (2) of this section2657
fails to file a declaration of candidacy for the office listed on 2658
the designation of treasurer filed under division (D) of section 2659
3517.10 of the Revised Code or files a declaration of candidacy or 2660
nominating petition for that office and dies or withdraws, both of 2661
the following apply to the campaign committee of that candidate's 2662
opponent if the opponent has filed a declaration of no limits 2663
pursuant to division (D) of this section:2664

       (a) No contribution from a contributor may thereafter be 2665
accepted that, when added to the aggregate total of all2666
contributions received by that committee from that contributor2667
during the primary election period or general election period, 2668
whichever is applicable, would cause that committee to exceed the2669
contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 of the2670
Revised Code for the applicable election period.2671

       (b) The statement of primary-day finances or the year-end 2672
statement required to be filed under division (E) of section 2673
3517.1010 of the Revised Code shall be filed not later than2674
fourteen days after the date the candidate's opponent fails to2675
file a declaration of candidacy or nominating petition by the 2676
appropriate filing deadline, or dies or withdraws. For purposes of 2677
calculating permitted funds under division (A)(7)(4) of section 2678
3517.1010 of the Revised Code, the primary or general election2679
period, whichever is applicable, shall be considered to have ended 2680
on the filing deadline, in the case of an opponent who fails to 2681
file a declaration of candidacy or nominating petition, or on the 2682
date of the opponent's death or withdrawal. In such an event, the 2683
filing of a statement of primary-day finances or year-end finances 2684
and the disposing of any excess funds as required under division 2685
(B) of section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code satisfies the2686
candidate's obligation to file such a statement for that election 2687
period.2688

       (E)(1) No campaign committee shall fail to file a personal 2689
funds notice as required under division (C)(1) or (2) of this 2690
section.2691

       (2) No campaign committee shall accept any contribution in 2692
excess of the contribution limitations prescribed in section 2693
3517.102 of the Revised Code:2694

       (a) Unless a declaration of no limits has been filed under2695
division (D)(2) of this section;2696

       (b) In violation of division (D)(4) of this section once the 2697
candidate who filed a personal funds notice under division (C)(3)2698
of this section fails to file a declaration of candidacy or 2699
nominating petition or that candidate dies or withdraws.2700

       (3) No campaign committee that violates division (E)(1) of 2701
this section shall expend any personal funds in excess of the 2702
amount specified in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section, 2703
whichever is appropriate to the committee.2704

       (4) The candidate of any campaign committee that violates 2705
division (E) of this section shall forfeit the candidate's 2706
nomination, if the candidate was nominated, or the office to which2707
the candidate was elected, if the candidate was elected to office.2708

       (F)(1) Whenever a campaign committee files a notice under2709
division (C)(1) or (2) of this section or whenever the 2710
contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 of the 2711
Revised Code do not apply to a campaign committee under division 2712
(D)(1) of this section, that committee is not a designated state 2713
campaign committee for the purpose of the limitations prescribed 2714
in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code with regard to2715
contributions made by that campaign committee to a legislative 2716
campaign fund or to a state candidate fund of a state or county 2717
political party.2718

       (2) Division (F)(1) of this section no longer applies to a 2719
campaign committee after both of the following occur:2720

       (a) The primary or general election period during which the 2721
contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 of the 2722
Revised Code did not apply after being removed pursuant to 2723
division (D) of this section has expired;2724

       (b) When the campaign committee has disposed of all excess 2725
funds and excess aggregate contributions as required under section2726
3517.1010 of the Revised Code.2727

       Sec. 3517.104.  (A) In January of each odd-numbered year, the 2728
secretary of state, in accordance with this division and division 2729
(B) of this section, shall adjust each amount specified in section 2730
3517.102 and in division (B)(4)(e) of section 3517.10 of the 2731
Revised Code. The adjustment shall be based on the yearly average 2732
of the previous two years of the Consumer Price Index for All2733
Urban Consumers or its successive equivalent, as determined by the 2734
United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, or 2735
its successor in responsibility, for all items, Series A. Using2736
the 1996 yearly average as the base year, the secretary of state2737
shall compare the most current average consumer price index with2738
that determined in the preceding odd-numbered year, and shall2739
determine the percentage increase or decrease. The percentage2740
increase or decrease shall be multiplied by the actual dollar2741
figure for each office or entity specified in section 3517.102 of 2742
the Revised Code and by each actual dollar figure specified in 2743
division (B)(4)(e) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code as 2744
determined in the previous odd-numbered year, and the product 2745
shall be added to or subtracted from its corresponding actual 2746
dollar figure, as necessary, for that previous odd-numbered year. 2747
The2748

       The resulting amount shall be rounded to the nearest five 2749
hundred dollars if the calculations are made regarding the amounts 2750
specified in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code or to the2751
nearest twenty-five dollars if the calculations are made regarding 2752
the amounts specified in division (B)(4)(e) of section 3517.10 of 2753
the Revised Code.2754

       If the calculations are made regarding the amounts specified 2755
in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, the resulting amount 2756
shall not be rounded. If that resulting amount is less than one 2757
hundred dollars, the secretary of state shall retain a record of 2758
the resulting amount and the manner in which it was calculated, 2759
but shall not make an adjustment unless the resulting amount, when 2760
added to the resulting amount calculated in each prior 2761
odd-numbered year since the last adjustment was made, equals or 2762
exceeds one hundred dollars.2763

       (B)(1) The secretary of state shall calculate the adjustment 2764
under division (A) of this section and shall report the 2765
calculations and necessary materials to the auditor of state, on 2766
or before the thirty-first day of January of each odd-numbered 2767
year. The secretary of state shall base the adjustment on the most 2768
current consumer price index that is described in division (A) of 2769
this section and that is in effect as of the first day of January 2770
of each odd-numbered year.2771

       (2) The calculations made by the secretary of state under 2772
divisions (A) and (B)(1) of this section shall be certified by the 2773
auditor of state on or before the fifteenth day of February of 2774
each odd-numbered year.2775

       (3) On or before the twenty-fifth day of February of each 2776
odd-numbered year, the secretary of state shall prepare a report 2777
setting forth the maximum contribution limitations under section 2778
3517.102 of the Revised Code, the maximum amounts, if any, of 2779
contributions permitted to be kept under that section, and the 2780
amounts required under division (B)(4)(e) of section 3517.10 of 2781
the Revised Code for reporting contributions and in-kind2782
contributions at social or fund-raising activities and2783
contributions from amounts deducted from an employee's wages and2784
salary, as calculated and certified pursuant to divisions (A) and 2785
(B)(1) and (2) of this section. The report and all documents 2786
relating to the calculations contained in the report are public 2787
records. The report shall contain an indication of the period in 2788
which the limitations, the maximum contribution amounts, and the 2789
reporting amounts apply, a summary of how the limitations, the 2790
maximum contribution amounts, and the reporting amounts were2791
calculated, and a statement that the report and all related2792
documents are available for inspection and copying at the office2793
of the secretary of state.2794

       (4) On or before the twenty-fifth day of February of each 2795
odd-numbered year, the secretary of state shall transmit the 2796
report to the general assembly, and shall send the report by mail 2797
to the board of elections of each county.2798

       (5) The secretary of state shall send the report by mail to 2799
each person who files a declaration of candidacy or nominating 2800
petition with the secretary of state for the office of governor, 2801
lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of state, 2802
treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state board of 2803
education, chief justice of the supreme court, or justice of the 2804
supreme court. The report shall be mailed on or before the tenth 2805
day after the filing.2806

       (6) A board of elections shall send the report by mail to 2807
each person who files a declaration of candidacy or nominating 2808
petition with the board for the office of state representative or 2809
state senator. The report shall be mailed on or before the tenth 2810
day after the filing.2811

       Sec. 3517.105.  (A)(1) As used in this section, "public 2812
political advertising" means advertising to the general public 2813
through a broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, poster, yard 2814
sign, or outdoor advertising facility, by direct mail, or by any 2815
other means of advertising to the general public.2816

       (2) For purposes of this section and section 3517.20 of the 2817
Revised Code, a person is a member of a political action committee 2818
if the person makes one or more contributions to that political 2819
action committee, and a person is a member of a political 2820
contributing entity if the person makes one or more contributions 2821
to, or pays dues, membership fees, or other assessments to, that2822
political contributing entity.2823

       (B)(1) Whenever a candidate, a campaign committee, a2824
political action committee or political contributing entity with 2825
ten or more members, or a legislative campaign fund makes an 2826
independent expenditure, or whenever a political action committee 2827
or political contributing entity with fewer than ten members makes 2828
an independent expenditure in excess of one hundred dollars for a 2829
local candidate, in excess of two hundred fifty dollars for a2830
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly, or in 2831
excess of five hundred dollars for a statewide candidate, for the 2832
purpose of financing communications advocating the election or2833
defeat of an identified candidate or solicits without the2834
candidate's express consent a contribution for or against an2835
identified candidate through public political advertising, a 2836
statement shall appear or be presented in a clear and conspicuous 2837
manner in the advertising that does both of the following:2838

       (a) Clearly indicates that the communication or public 2839
political advertising is not authorized by the candidate or the 2840
candidate's campaign committee;2841

       (b) Clearly identifies the candidate, campaign committee, 2842
political action committee, political contributing entity, or2843
legislative campaign fund that has paid for the communication or 2844
public political advertising in accordance with section 3517.20 of 2845
the Revised Code.2846

       (2)(a) Whenever any campaign committee, legislative campaign 2847
fund, political action committee, political contributing entity,2848
or political party makes an independent expenditure in support of 2849
or opposition to any candidate, the committee, entity, fund, or 2850
party shall report the independent expenditure and identify the 2851
candidate on a statement prescribed by the secretary of state and 2852
filed by the committee, entity, fund, or political party as part 2853
of its statement of contributions and expenditures pursuant to 2854
division (A) of section 3517.10 and division (A) of section 2855
3517.11 of the Revised Code.2856

       (b) Whenever any individual, partnership, or other entity, 2857
except a corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, 2858
legislative campaign fund, political action committee, political 2859
contributing entity, or political party, makes one or more 2860
independent expenditures in support of or opposition to any 2861
candidate, the individual, partnership, or other entity shall file 2862
with the secretary of state in the case of a statewide candidate, 2863
or with the board of elections in the county in which the 2864
candidate files the candidate's petitions for nomination or 2865
election for district or local office, not later than the dates 2866
specified in divisions (A)(1), (2), and (3), and (4) of section 2867
3517.10 of the Revised Code, and, except as otherwise provided in 2868
that section, a statement itemizing all independent expenditures 2869
made during the period since the close of business on the last day 2870
reflected in the last previously filed such statement, if any. The 2871
statement shall be made on a form prescribed by the secretary of 2872
state or shall be filed by electronic means of transmission 2873
pursuant to division (G) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code 2874
as authorized or required by that division. The statement shall 2875
indicate the date and the amount of each independent expenditure 2876
and the candidate on whose behalf it was made and shall be made 2877
under penalty of election falsification.2878

       (C)(1) Whenever a corporation, labor organization, campaign2879
committee, political action committee with ten or more members, or 2880
legislative campaign fund makes an independent expenditure, or 2881
whenever a political action committee with fewer than ten members 2882
makes an independent expenditure in excess of one hundred dollars 2883
for a local ballot issue or question, or in excess of five hundred 2884
dollars for a statewide ballot issue or question, for the purpose 2885
of financing communications advocating support of or opposition to2886
an identified ballot issue or question or solicits without the 2887
express consent of the ballot issue committee a contribution for 2888
or against an identified ballot issue or question through public 2889
political advertising, a statement shall appear or be presented in 2890
a clear and conspicuous manner in the advertising that does both 2891
of the following:2892

       (a) Clearly indicates that the communication or public 2893
political advertising is not authorized by the identified ballot 2894
issue committee;2895

       (b) Clearly identifies the corporation, labor organization,2896
campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political action 2897
committee that has paid for the communication or public political 2898
advertising in accordance with section 3517.20 of the Revised 2899
Code.2900

       (2)(a) Whenever any corporation, labor organization, campaign2901
committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or 2902
political action committee makes an independent expenditure in 2903
support of or opposition to any ballot issue or question, the 2904
corporation or labor organization shall report the independent 2905
expenditure in accordance with division (C) of section 3599.03 of 2906
the Revised Code, and the campaign committee, fund, party, or 2907
political action committee shall report the independent 2908
expenditure and identify the ballot issue or question on a 2909
statement prescribed by the secretary of state and filed by the 2910
campaign committee, fund, political party, or political action 2911
committee as part of its statement of contributions and 2912
expenditures pursuant to division (A) of section 3517.10 and 2913
division (A) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code.2914

       (b) Whenever any individual, partnership, or other entity, 2915
except a corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, 2916
legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or 2917
political party, makes one or more independent expenditures in 2918
excess of one hundred dollars in support of or opposition to any 2919
ballot issue or question, the individual, partnership, or other 2920
entity shall file with the secretary of state in the case of a 2921
statewide ballot issue or question, or with the board of elections 2922
in the county that certifies the issue or question for placement 2923
on the ballot in the case of a district or local issue or 2924
question, not later than the dates specified in divisiondivisions2925
(A)(1), (2), and (3), and (4) of section 3517.10 of the Revised 2926
Code, and, except as otherwise provided in that section, a 2927
statement itemizing all independent expenditures made during the 2928
period since the close of business on the last day reflected in 2929
the last previously filed such statement, if any. The statement2930
shall be made on a form prescribed by the secretary of state or2931
shall be filed by electronic means of transmission pursuant to2932
division (G) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code as authorized 2933
or required by that division. The statement shall indicate the 2934
date and the amount of each independent expenditure and the ballot 2935
issue or question in support of or opposition to which it was made 2936
and shall be made under penalty of election falsification.2937

       (3) No person, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, 2938
political action committee, corporation, labor organization, or 2939
other organization or association shall use or cause to be used a 2940
false or fictitious name in making an independent expenditure in 2941
support of or opposition to any candidate or any ballot issue or 2942
question. A name is false or fictitious if the person, campaign 2943
committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee,2944
corporation, labor organization, or other organization or 2945
association does not actually exist or operate, if the 2946
corporation, labor organization, or other organization or 2947
association has failed to file a fictitious name or other 2948
registration with the secretary of state, if it is required to do2949
so, or if the person, campaign committee, legislative campaign 2950
fund, or political action committee has failed to file a 2951
designation of the appointment of a treasurer, if it is required 2952
to do so by division (D)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised2953
Code.2954

       (D) Any expenditure by a political party for the purpose of 2955
financing communications advocating the election or defeat of a 2956
candidate for judicial office shall be deemed to be an independent 2957
expenditure subject to the provisions of this section.2958

       Sec. 3517.106.  (A) As used in this section:2959

       (1) "Statewide office" means any of the offices of governor,2960
lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of state,2961
treasurer of state, attorney general, chief justice of the supreme2962
court, and justice of the supreme court.2963

       (2) "Addendum to a statement" includes an amendment or other2964
correction to that statement.2965

       (B)(1) The secretary of state shall store on computer the2966
information contained in statements of contributions and2967
expenditures and monthly statements required to be filed under2968
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and in statements of2969
independent expenditures required to be filed under section2970
3517.105 of the Revised Code by any of the following:2971

       (1)(a) The campaign committees of candidates for statewide2972
office;2973

       (2)(b) The political action committees and political2974
contributing entities described in division (A)(1) of section2975
3517.11 of the Revised Code;2976

       (3)(c) Legislative campaign funds;2977

       (4)(d) State political parties;2978

       (5)(e) Individuals, partnerships, corporations, labor2979
organizations, or other entities that make independent2980
expenditures in support of or opposition to a statewide candidate2981
or a statewide ballot issue or question;2982

       (6)(f) The campaign committees of candidates for the office 2983
of member of the general assembly;2984

       (g) County political parties, with respect to their state 2985
candidate funds.2986

       (2) The secretary of state shall store on computer the 2987
information contained in disclosure of electioneering 2988
communications statements required to be filed under section 2989
3517.1011 of the Revised Code.2990

       (3) The secretary of state shall store on computer the 2991
information contained in deposit and disbursement statements 2992
required to be filed with the office of the secretary of state 2993
under section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code.2994

       (C)(1) The secretary of state shall make available to the2995
campaign committees, political action committees, political2996
contributing entities, legislative campaign funds, political2997
parties, individuals, partnerships, corporations, labor2998
organizations, and other entities described in division (B) of2999
this section, and to members of the news media and other3000
interested persons, for a reasonable fee, computer programs that3001
are compatible with the secretary of state's method of storing the3002
information contained in the statements.3003

       (2) The secretary of state shall make the information3004
required to be stored under division (B) of this section available3005
on computer at the secretary of state's office so that, to the3006
maximum extent feasible, individuals may obtain at the secretary3007
of state's office any part or all of that information for any3008
given year, subject to the limitation expressed in division (D) of3009
this section.3010

       (D) The secretary of state shall keep the information stored3011
on computer under division (B) of this section for at least six3012
years.3013

       (E)(1) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,3014
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the3015
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this3016
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of3017
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by3018
electronic means of transmission, the campaign committee of each 3019
candidate for statewide office may file the statements prescribed 3020
by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of3021
transmission or, if the total amount of the contributions received3022
or the total amount of the expenditures made by the campaign3023
committee for the applicable reporting period as specified in3024
division (A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten 3025
thousand dollars, shall file those statements by electronic means 3026
of transmission.3027

       Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five3028
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a3029
candidate for statewide office is received by the secretary of3030
state by electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary3031
of state shall make available online to the public through the3032
internet, as provided in division (I) of this section, the3033
contribution and expenditure information in that statement. The3034
secretary of state shall not make available online to the public3035
through the internet any contribution or expenditure information3036
contained in a statement for any candidate until the secretary of3037
state is able to make available online to the public through the3038
internet the contribution and expenditure information for all3039
candidates for a particular office. As soon as the secretary of3040
state has available all of that information, the secretary of3041
state shall simultaneously make available online to the public3042
through the internet the information for all candidates for a3043
particular office.3044

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is3045
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the3046
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division3047
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the campaign3048
committee shall file by electronic means of transmission any3049
addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary3050
to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the3051
secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.3052

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3053
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for statewide3054
office an addendum to the statement or an amended statement by3055
electronic or other means of transmission under this division or3056
division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the3057
secretary of state shall make the contribution and expenditure3058
information in the addendum or amended statement available online3059
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of3060
this section.3061

       (2) Subject to division (E)(3) of this section and subject to 3062
the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified3063
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state3064
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and3065
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised3066
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic3067
means of transmission, a political action committee and a 3068
political contributing entity described in division (B)(2)(1)(b)3069
of this section, a legislative campaign fund, and a state 3070
political party may file the statements prescribed by section 3071
3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission 3072
or, if the total amount of the contributions received or the total 3073
amount of the expenditures made by the political action committee, 3074
legislative campaign fund, or state political party for the 3075
applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of 3076
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars, 3077
shall file those statements by electronic means of transmission.3078

       Within five business days after a statement filed by a3079
political action committee or a political contributing entity3080
described in division (B)(2)(1)(b) of this section, a legislative3081
campaign fund, or a state political party is received by the3082
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,3083
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public3084
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,3085
the contribution and expenditure information in that statement.3086

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is3087
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the3088
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division3089
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the political3090
action committee, political contributing entity, legislative3091
campaign fund, or state political party shall file by electronic3092
means of transmission any addendum to the statement that provides3093
the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or,3094
if required by the secretary of state under that division, an3095
amended statement.3096

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3097
receives from a political action committee or a political3098
contributing entity described in division (B)(2)(1)(b) of this 3099
section, a legislative campaign fund, or a state political party 3100
an addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic 3101
or other means of transmission under this division or division3102
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of3103
state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in3104
the addendum or amended statement available online to the public3105
through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.3106

       (3) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,3107
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the3108
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this3109
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of3110
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by3111
electronic means of transmission, a political action committee and 3112
a political contributing entity described in division (B)(2) of 3113
this section, a legislative campaign fund, and a statecounty3114
political party shall file the statements prescribed by section 3115
3517.10 of the Revised Code with respect to its state candidate 3116
fund by electronic means of transmission if the total amount of 3117
the contributions received or the total amount of the expenditures3118
made by the political action committee, political contributing3119
entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party for the3120
applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of3121
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars3122
to the office of the secretary of state.3123

       Within five business days after a statement filed by a3124
political action committee or a political contributing entity3125
described in division (B)(2) of this section, a legislative3126
campaign fund, or a statecounty political party with respect to 3127
its state candidate fund is received by the secretary of state by 3128
electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary of state 3129
shall make available online to the public through the internet, as 3130
provided in division (I) of this section, the contribution and 3131
expenditure information in that statement.3132

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is3133
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the3134
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division3135
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the political3136
action committee, political contributing entity, legislative3137
campaign fund, or statea county political party shall file by 3138
electronic means of transmission any addendum to the statement 3139
that provides the information necessary to complete or correct the 3140
statement or, if required by the secretary of state under that3141
division, an amended statement.3142

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3143
receives from a political action committee or a political3144
contributing entity described in division (B)(2) of this section,3145
a legislative campaign fund, or a statecounty political party an3146
addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic or3147
other means of transmission under this division or division3148
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of3149
state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in3150
the addendum or amended statement available online to the public3151
through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.3152

       (F)(1) Subject to division (F)(4) of this section and subject3153
to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified 3154
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state 3155
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and3156
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised3157
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic3158
means of transmission or on computer disk, a campaign committee of 3159
a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or a 3160
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a 3161
court of appeals may file the statements prescribed by section 3162
3517.10 of the Revised Code in accordance with division (A)(2) of 3163
section 3517.11 of the Revised Code or by electronic means of3164
transmission to the office of the secretary of state or, until 3165
March 1, 2004, on computer disk with the appropriate board of 3166
elections specified in division (A)(2) of section 3517.11 of the 3167
Revised Codeif the total amount of the contributions received by 3168
the campaign committee for the applicable reporting period as 3169
specified in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code 3170
exceeds ten thousand dollars, shall file those statements by 3171
electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of 3172
state.3173

       Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five3174
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a3175
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or a 3176
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a 3177
court of appeals is received by the secretary of state by3178
electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary of state 3179
shall make available online to the public through the internet, as 3180
provided in division (I) of this section, the contribution and 3181
expenditure information in that statement. The secretary of state 3182
shall not make available online to the public through the internet 3183
any contribution or expenditure information contained in a3184
statement for any candidate until the secretary of state is able 3185
to make available online to the public through the internet the3186
contribution and expenditure information for all candidates for a3187
particular office. As soon as the secretary of state has available 3188
all of that information, the secretary of state shall3189
simultaneously make available online to the public through the3190
internet the information for all candidates for a particular3191
office.3192

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission or3193
on computer disk is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the3194
examination of the statement for completeness and accuracy3195
pursuant to division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised3196
Code, the campaign committee shall file by electronic means of3197
transmission to the office of the secretary of state, or, until3198
March 1, 2004, on computer disk with the appropriate board of 3199
elections if the original statement was filed on computer disk,3200
any addendum to the statement that provides the information3201
necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if required by3202
the secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.3203

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3204
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for the office3205
of member of the general assembly or a campaign committee of a 3206
candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals an 3207
addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic or 3208
other means of transmission under this division or division 3209
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of3210
state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in 3211
the addendum or amended statement available online to the public 3212
through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.3213

       (2) Until March 1, 2004, if a campaign committee of a3214
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly files a3215
statement of contributions and expenditures, an addendum to the3216
statement, or an amended statement by electronic means of3217
transmission or on computer disk pursuant to division (F)(1) of3218
this section, the campaign committee shall file as prescribed by3219
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the appropriate board of3220
elections specified in division (A)(2) of section 3517.11 of the3221
Revised Code a printed version of the statement, addendum, or3222
amended statement filed by electronic means of transmission or on3223
computer disk, in the format that the secretary of state shall3224
prescribe.3225

        If a statement, addendum, or amended statement is not filed 3226
by electronic means of transmission or on computer diskto the 3227
office of the secretary of state but is filed by printed version3228
only under division (A)(2) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code 3229
with the appropriate board of elections, the campaign committee of 3230
a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or a 3231
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a 3232
court of appeals shall file two copies of the printed version of 3233
the statement, addendum, or amended statement with the appropriate3234
board of elections. The board of elections shall send one of those 3235
copies by overnight delivery service to the secretary of state 3236
before the close of business on the day the board of elections 3237
receives the statement, addendum, or amended statement.3238

       (3)(a) Subject to division (F)(4) of this section and subject 3239
to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified 3240
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state 3241
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and3242
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised3243
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic3244
means of transmission or on computer disk, the secretary of state 3245
shall assess, and a campaign committee of a candidate for the 3246
office of member of the general assembly shall pay, a fee as 3247
provided in this division if the campaign committee has not filed 3248
the campaign finance statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of 3249
the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission or on 3250
computer disk pursuant to division (F)(1) of this section. The fee 3251
shall be calculated on the total contributions received for the 3252
applicable reporting period specified in division (A) of section 3253
3517.10 of the Revised Code as follows:3254

       (i) No fee for total contributions up to and including ten3255
thousand dollars;3256

       (ii) A fee of fifty dollars for total contributions of over3257
ten thousand dollars up to and including twenty-five thousand3258
dollars;3259

       (iii) A fee of one hundred fifty dollars for total3260
contributions over twenty-five thousand dollars up to and3261
including fifty thousand dollars;3262

       (iv) A fee of two hundred dollars for total contributions3263
over fifty thousand dollars.3264

       (b) No campaign committee of a candidate for the office of3265
member of the general assembly shall be required to pay the fee3266
prescribed by division (F)(3)(a) of this section in connection3267
with the filing of an addendum to a statement of contributions and3268
expenditures or in connection with the filing of an amended3269
statement.3270

       (c) The fee prescribed by division (F)(3)(a) of this section3271
shall be made payable to the secretary of state and shall be3272
collected by the appropriate board of elections at the time the3273
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of member of the3274
general assembly files the statement of contributions and3275
expenditures. The fee shall be sent along with the statement,3276
before the close of business on the day it is received, to the3277
secretary of state by overnight delivery service.3278

       (4) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,3279
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the3280
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this3281
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of3282
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by3283
electronic means of transmission, on and after March 1, 2004, a3284
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of member of the 3285
general assembly shall file the statements prescribed by section 3286
3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission to 3287
the secretary of state if the total amount of the contributions3288
received by the campaign committee for the applicable reporting3289
period as specified in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the3290
Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars.3291

       Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five3292
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a3293
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly is3294
received by the secretary of state by electronic or other means of3295
transmission, the secretary of state shall make available online3296
to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) of3297
this section, the contribution and expenditure information in that3298
statement. The secretary of state shall not make available online3299
to the public through the internet any contribution or expenditure3300
information contained in a statement for any candidate until the3301
secretary of state is able to make available online to the public3302
through the internet the contribution and expenditure information3303
for all candidates for a particular office. As soon as the3304
secretary of state has available all of that information, the3305
secretary of state shall simultaneously make available online to3306
the public through the internet the information for all candidates3307
for a particular office.3308

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is3309
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the3310
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division3311
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the campaign3312
committee of a candidate for the office of member of the general3313
assembly shall file by electronic means of transmission any3314
addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary3315
to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the3316
secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.3317

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3318
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for the office3319
of member of the general assembly an addendum to the statement or3320
an amended statement by electronic or other means of transmission3321
under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of3322
the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the3323
contribution and expenditure information in the addendum or3324
amended statement available online to the public through the3325
internet as provided in division (I) of this section.3326

       (G)(1) Subject to division (G)(2) of this section and subject3327
to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified 3328
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state 3329
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and3330
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised3331
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic3332
means of transmission, any individual, partnership, or other 3333
entity that makes independent expenditures in support of or3334
opposition to a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot issue or3335
question as provided in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section3336
3517.105 of the Revised Code may file the statement specified in3337
that division by electronic means of transmission or, if the total 3338
amount of independent expenditures made during the reporting 3339
period under that division exceeds ten thousand dollars, shall 3340
file the statement specified in that division by electronic means 3341
of transmission.3342

       Within five business days after a statement filed by an3343
individual, partnership, or other entity is received by the3344
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,3345
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public3346
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,3347
the expenditure information in that statement.3348

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is3349
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the3350
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division3351
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the individual,3352
partnership, or other entity shall file by electronic means of3353
transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the3354
information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if3355
required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended3356
statement.3357

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3358
receives from an individual, partnership, or other entity3359
described in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.1053360
of the Revised Code an addendum to the statement or an amended3361
statement by electronic or other means of transmission under this3362
division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised3363
Code, the secretary of state shall make the expenditure3364
information in the addendum or amended statement available online3365
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of3366
this section.3367

       (2) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,3368
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the3369
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this3370
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of3371
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by3372
electronic means of transmission, any individual, partnership, or3373
other entity that makes independent expenditures in support of or 3374
opposition to a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot issue or 3375
question as provided in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3376
3517.105 of the Revised Code shall file the statement specified in 3377
that division by electronic means of transmission if the total3378
amount of the independent expenditures made during the reporting 3379
period under that division exceeds ten thousand dollars.3380

       Within five business days after a statement filed by an3381
individual, partnership, or other entity is received by the3382
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,3383
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public3384
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,3385
the expenditure information in that statement.3386

       If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is3387
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the3388
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division3389
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the individual,3390
partnership, or other entity shall file by electronic means of3391
transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the3392
information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if3393
required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended3394
statement.3395

       Within five business days after the secretary of state3396
receives from an individual, partnership, or other entity3397
described in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.1053398
of the Revised Code an addendum to the statement or an amended3399
statement by electronic or other means of transmission under this3400
division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised3401
Code, the secretary of state shall make the expenditure3402
information in the addendum or amended statement available online3403
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of3404
this section.3405

       (H)(1) The secretary of state, by rule adopted pursuant to3406
section 3517.23 of the Revised Code, shall prescribe one or more3407
techniques by which a person who executes and transmits by3408
electronic means a statement of contributions and expenditures, a3409
statement of independent expenditures, a disclosure of 3410
electioneering communications statement, or a deposit and 3411
disbursement statement, an addendum to either statementany of 3412
those statements, an amended statement of contributions and3413
expenditures, or an amended statement of independent expenditures, 3414
an amended disclosure of electioneering communications statement, 3415
or an amended deposit and disbursement statement, under this3416
section or section 3517.10 or, 3517.105, 3517.1011, or 3517.10123417
of the Revised Code shall electronically sign the statement, 3418
addendum, or amended statement. Any technique prescribed by the 3419
secretary of state pursuant to this division shall create an 3420
electronic signature that satisfies all of the following:3421

       (a) It is unique to the signer.3422

       (b) It objectively identifies the signer.3423

       (c) It involves the use of a signature device or other means3424
or method that is under the sole control of the signer and that3425
cannot be readily duplicated or compromised.3426

       (d) It is created and linked to the electronic record to3427
which it relates in a manner that, if the record or signature is3428
intentionally or unintentionally changed after signing, the3429
electronic signature is invalidated.3430

       (2) An electronic signature prescribed by the secretary of3431
state under division (H)(1) of this section shall be attached to3432
or associated with the statement of contributions and3433
expenditures, the statement of independent expenditures, the 3434
disclosure of electioneering communications statement, or the 3435
deposit and disbursement statement, the addendum to either 3436
statementany of those statements, the amended statement of3437
contributions and expenditures, or the amended statement of3438
independent expenditures, the amended disclosure of electioneering 3439
communications statement, or the amended deposit and disbursement 3440
statement that is executed and transmitted by electronic means by 3441
the person to whom the electronic signature is attributed. The 3442
electronic signature that is attached to or associated with the 3443
statement, addendum, or amended statement under this division 3444
shall be binding on all persons and for all purposes under the 3445
campaign finance reporting law as if the signature had been 3446
handwritten in ink on a printed form of the statement, addendum, 3447
or amended statement.3448

       (I) The secretary of state shall make the contribution and3449
expenditure, the contribution and disbursement, or the deposit and 3450
disbursement information in all statements, all addenda to the3451
statements, and all amended statements that are filed with the3452
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission3453
under this section or section 3517.10, 3517.105, 3517.1011, 3454
3517.1012, or 3517.11 of the Revised Code available online to the 3455
public by any means that are searchable, viewable, and accessible 3456
through the internet.3457

       (J)(1) As used in this division, "library" means a library3458
that is open to the public and that is one of the following:3459

       (a) A library that is maintained and regulated under section3460
715.13 of the Revised Code;3461

       (b) A library that is created, maintained, and regulated3462
under Chapter 3375. of the Revised Code.3463

       (2) The secretary of state shall notify all libraries of the3464
location on the internet at which the contribution and 3465
expenditure, contribution and disbursement, or deposit and 3466
disbursement information in campaign finance statements required 3467
to be made available online to the public through the internet 3468
pursuant to division (I) of this section may be accessed.3469

       If that location is part of the graphical subnetwork called3470
the world wide web and if the secretary of state has notified a 3471
library of that world wide web location as required by this 3472
division, the library shall include a link to that world wide web 3473
location on each internet-connected computer it maintains that is 3474
accessible to the public.3475

       (3) If the system the secretary of state prescribes for the3476
filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of3477
transmission pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and3478
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised3479
Code includes filing those statements through the internet via an3480
interactive location on the graphical subnetwork called the world3481
wide web, the secretary of state shall notify all libraries of the3482
world wide web location at which those statements may be filed.3483

       If those statements may be filed through the internet via an 3484
interactive location on the graphical subnetwork called the world 3485
wide web and if the secretary of state has notified a library of 3486
that world wide web location as required by this division, the 3487
library shall include a link to that world wide web location on 3488
each internet-connected computer it maintains that is accessible 3489
to the public.3490

       (K) It is an affirmative defense to a complaint or charge3491
brought against any campaign committee, political action3492
committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party, 3493
political contributing entity, orany individual, partnership, or 3494
other entity, or any electioneering communication committee, for 3495
the failure to file by electronic means of transmission a campaign 3496
finance statement as required by this section or section 3517.10 3497
or, 3517.105, 3517.1011, or 3517.1012 of the Revised Code that all 3498
of the following apply to the campaign committee, political action 3499
committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party, 3500
political contributing entity, orthe individual, partnership, or 3501
other entity, or the electioneering communication committee, that 3502
failed to so file the required statement:3503

       (1) The campaign committee, political action committee,3504
legislative campaign fund, or political party, political 3505
contributing entity, orthe individual, partnership, or other 3506
entity, or the electioneering communication committee attempted to3507
file by electronic means of transmission the required statement3508
prior to the deadline set forth in the applicable section.3509

       (2) The campaign committee, political action committee,3510
legislative campaign fund, or political party, political 3511
contributing entity, orthe individual, partnership, or other 3512
entity, or the electioneering communication committee was unable 3513
to file by electronic means of transmission due to an expected or3514
unexpected shutdown of the whole or part of the electronic3515
campaign finance statement-filing system, such as for maintenance3516
or because of hardware, software, or network connection failure.3517

       (3) The campaign committee, political action committee,3518
legislative campaign fund, or political party, political 3519
contributing entity, orthe individual, partnership, or other 3520
entity, or the electioneering communication committee filed by3521
electronic means of transmission the required statement within a3522
reasonable period of time after being unable to so file it under3523
the circumstance described in division (K)(2) of this section.3524

       Sec. 3517.108.  (A) As used in divisions (A) and (B) of this 3525
section:3526

       (1) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in section 3517.01 of 3527
the Revised Code but includes only candidates for the offices of 3528
governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of 3529
state, treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state 3530
board of education, member of the general assembly, chief justice 3531
of the supreme court, and justice of the supreme court.3532

       (2) A "general election period" begins on the day after the 3533
primary election immediately preceding the general election at 3534
which a candidate seeks an office specified in division (A)(1) of 3535
this section and ends on the thirty-first day of December 3536
following that general election.3537

       (3) A "primary election period" begins on the first day of 3538
January of the year following the year in which the general 3539
election was held for the office that the candidate seeks, 3540
including any mid-term election, and ends on the day of the 3541
primary election.3542

       (B) Whenever the campaign committee of a candidate has unpaid 3543
debt at the end of a primary election period or at the end of a 3544
general election period, the committee may accept additional 3545
contributions during the immediately following election period up 3546
to the applicable limitation prescribed under section 3517.102 of 3547
the Revised Code from any individual, political action committee, 3548
political contributing entity, or other campaign committee who,3549
during the primary or general election period for which debt3550
remains unpaid, has contributed less than the contribution3551
limitations prescribed under section 3517.102 of the Revised Code 3552
applicable to that individual, political action committee,3553
political contributing entity, or other campaign committee. Any 3554
additional contribution that a campaign committee accepts under 3555
this division shall count toward the applicable limitations 3556
prescribed under section 3517.102 of the Revised Code for that 3557
primary or general election period at the end of which the debt 3558
remains unpaid, and shall not count toward the applicable 3559
limitations for any other primary or general election period if 3560
all of the following conditions apply:3561

       (1) The campaign committee reports, on the statement required 3562
to be filed under division (A)(2) of section 3517.10 of the 3563
Revised Code, all debt remaining unpaid at the end of the election 3564
period. The committee shall also file a separate statement, on a 3565
form prescribed by the secretary of state, at the same time that 3566
the committee is required to file a statement of contributions and3567
expenditures under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. The 3568
separate statement shall include the name and address of each 3569
contributor who makes an additional contribution under division 3570
(B) of this section, how the contribution was applied to pay the 3571
unpaid debt as required by division (B)(3) of this section, and 3572
the balance of the unpaid debt after each contribution was applied 3573
to it.3574

       (2) The additional contributions are accepted only during the 3575
primary or general election period, whichever is applicable,3576
immediately following the election period covered in the statement 3577
filed under division (B)(1) of this section.3578

       (3) All additional contributions made under division (B) of 3579
this section are used by the campaign committee that receives them 3580
only to pay the debt of the committee reported under division 3581
(B)(1) of this section.3582

       (4) The campaign committee maintains a separate account for 3583
all additional contributions made under division (B) of this 3584
section, and uses moneys in that account only to pay the unpaid 3585
debt reported under division (B)(1) of this section and to 3586
administer the account.3587

       (5) The campaign committee stops accepting additional3588
contributions after funds sufficient to repay the unpaid debt 3589
reported under division (B)(1) of this section have been raised 3590
and promptly disposes of any contributions received that exceed 3591
the amount of the unpaid debt by returning the excess 3592
contributions to the contributors or by giving the excess3593
contributions to an organization that is exempt from federal 3594
income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in 3595
subsection 501(c)(3), (4), (8), (10), or (19) of the Internal 3596
Revenue Code.3597

       Sec. 3517.109.  (A) As used in this section:3598

       (1) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in section 3517.01 of 3599
the Revised Code but includes only candidates for the offices of 3600
governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of3601
state, treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state3602
board of education, and member of the general assembly.3603

       (2) "Statewide candidate" means the joint candidates for the3604
offices of governor and lieutenant governor or a candidate for the3605
office of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of3606
state, attorney general, and member of the state board of3607
education.3608

       (3) "Senate candidate" means a candidate for the office of3609
state senator.3610

       (4) "House candidate" means a candidate for the office of3611
state representative.3612

       (5) "State office" means the offices of governor, lieutenant3613
governor, secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of3614
state, attorney general, member of the state board of education,3615
and member of the general assembly.3616

       (6) "Aggregate contribution" means the total of all3617
contributions from a contributor during the pre-filing period.3618

       (7) "Allowable aggregate contribution" means all of the3619
following:3620

       (a) In the case of a contribution from a contributor whose3621
contributions are subject to the contribution limits described in 3622
division (B)(1), (2), (3), or (6)(a), or (7) of section 3517.102 3623
of the Revised Code, that portion of the amount of the 3624
contributor's aggregate contribution that does not exceed the 3625
preprimary contribution limit applicable to that contributor.3626

       (b) In the case of a contribution or contributions from a3627
contributor whose contributions are not subject to the3628
contribution limits described in divisions (B)(1), (2), (3), or3629
(6)(a), or (7) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, the total3630
of the following:3631

       (i) That portion of the aggregate contribution that was3632
received as in-kind services;3633

       (ii) That portion of the aggregate contribution that was3634
received as cash and does not exceed the applicable preprimary3635
cash transfer or contribution limits described in division3636
(B)(6)(b) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code.3637

       (8) "Excess aggregate contribution" means, for each3638
contributor, the amount by which that contributor's aggregate3639
contribution exceeds that contributor's allowable aggregate3640
contribution.3641

       (9) "Pre-filing period" means the period of time ending on3642
the day that the candidacy petitions are due for the state office3643
for which the candidate has filed and beginning on the latest date3644
of the following:3645

       (a) The first day of January of the year following the3646
general election in which that state office was last on the3647
ballot;3648

       (b) The first day of January of the year following the3649
general election in which the candidate was last a candidate for3650
any office;3651

       (c) The first day of the month following the primary election 3652
in which the candidate was last a candidate for any office.3653

       (10) "Filing date" means the last date on which a candidacy3654
petition may be filed for an office.3655

       (11) "Applicable carry-in limit" means thirty-five thousand3656
dollars if the candidate is a house candidate or a candidate for3657
the state board of education, one hundred thousand dollars if the3658
candidate is a senate candidate, and two hundred thousand dollars3659
if the candidate is a statewide candidate other than a candidate3660
for the state board of education.3661

       (12) "Campaign asset" means prepaid, purchased, or donated3662
assets available to the candidate on the date of the filing3663
deadline for the office the candidate is seeking that will be3664
consumed or depleted in the course of the candidate's election3665
campaign, including, but not limited to, postage, prepaid rent for3666
campaign headquarters, prepaid radio, television, and newspaper3667
advertising, and other prepaid consulting and personal services.3668

       (13) "Permitted funds" means the sum of the following:3669

       (a) The total of the allowable aggregate contribution of each 3670
contributor;3671

       (b) The applicable carry-in limit.3672

       (14) "Excess funds" means the amount by which the sum of the3673
total cash on hand and total reported campaign assets exceeds3674
permitted funds.3675

       (15) "Covered candidate" means both of the following:3676

       (a) A candidate who, during the pre-filing period, accepts or 3677
has a campaign committee that accepts contributions on the 3678
candidate's behalf for the purpose of nominating or electing the 3679
candidate to any office not subject to the contribution limits 3680
prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code;3681

       (b) A person who, during the pre-filing period, accepts or 3682
has a campaign committee that accepts contributions on the 3683
person's behalf prior to the person deciding upon or announcing 3684
the office for which the person will become a candidate for 3685
nomination or election.3686

       (B) Each candidate who files for state office, not later than3687
the filing date for that office, shall dispose of any excess3688
funds. Each covered candidate who files for state office, not 3689
later than the filing date for that office, shall dispose of any 3690
excess aggregate contributions.3691

       (C) Any campaign committee that is required to dispose of3692
excess funds or excess aggregate contributions under division (B)3693
of this section shall dispose of that excess amount or amounts by3694
doing any of the following:3695

       (1) Giving the amount to the treasurer of state for deposit3696
into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio elections3697
commission fund created by division (I) of section 3517.152 of the 3698
Revised Code;3699

       (2) Giving the amount to individuals who made contributions3700
to that campaign committee as a refund of all or part of their3701
contributions;3702

       (3) Giving the amount to a corporation that is exempt from3703
federal income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in3704
subsection 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.3705

       (D)(1) Subject to division (D)(2) of this section, no 3706
candidate or covered candidate shall appear on the ballot, even if 3707
certified to appear on the ballot, unless the candidate's or 3708
covered candidate's campaign committee has disposed of excess 3709
funds, excess aggregate contributions, or both as required by 3710
divisions (B) and (C) of this section.3711

       (2) If the excess aggregate contributions accepted by a 3712
covered candidate or a covered candidate's campaign committee 3713
aggregate a total of less than five thousand dollars from all 3714
contributors, that candidate shall not be prohibited from 3715
appearing on the ballot under division (D)(1) of this section.3716

       (E)(1) The campaign committee of each candidate required to3717
dispose of excess funds under this section shall file a report, on3718
a form prescribed by the secretary of state, with the official or 3719
board with which the candidate is required to file statements 3720
under section 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The report shall be 3721
filed by the seventh day following the filing deadline for the3722
office the candidate is seeking, shall indicate the amount of 3723
excess funds disposed of, and shall describe the manner in which 3724
the campaign committee disposed of the excess amount.3725

       (2) In addition to the information required to be included in 3726
a report filed under division (E)(1) of this section, the campaign 3727
committee of each covered candidate required to dispose of excess 3728
aggregate contributions under this section shall include in that 3729
report the source and amount of each excess aggregate contribution 3730
disposed of and shall describe the manner in which the campaign 3731
committee disposed of the excess amount.3732

       (F)(1) Each campaign committee of a candidate who has filed a3733
declaration of candidacy or a nominating petition for a state3734
office, not later than seven days after the date of the filing3735
deadlinedate for the office the candidate is seeking, shall file 3736
a declaration of filing-day finances, on a form prescribed by the3737
secretary of state, with the official or board with which the3738
candidate is required to file statements under section 3517.11 of 3739
the Revised Code.3740

       (2) A declaration of filing-day finances shall list all of3741
the following:3742

       (a) The amount of cash on hand in the candidate's campaign3743
fund on the date of the filing deadlinedate for the office the 3744
candidate is seeking.3745

       (b) The value and description of all campaign assets worth3746
five hundred dollars or more available to the candidate on the3747
date of the filing date. Assets purchased by the campaign shall be3748
valued at actual cost, and in-kind contributions shall be valued3749
at market value.3750

       (c) The total of all aggregate contributions;3751

       (d) The total of all allowable aggregate contributions;3752

       (e) The applicable carry-in limit, if any.3753

       (3) In addition to the information required to be included in 3754
a report of filing-day finances filed under division (F)(1) of 3755
this section, the campaign committee of each covered candidate 3756
shall include both of the following in that report:3757

       (a) The total of all excess aggregate contributions;3758

       (b) For each contributor, if any, for whom there is an excess 3759
aggregate contribution, the name, address, aggregate contribution, 3760
and excess aggregate contribution.3761

       (G) A campaign committee of a candidate is not required to3762
file a declaration of filing-day finances under division (F) of3763
this section if all of the following apply:3764

       (1) The campaign committee has not accepted, during the3765
pre-filing period, any aggregate contribution greater than the3766
applicable amount.3767

       (2) The campaign committee had less than the carry-in amount3768
in cash on hand at the beginning of the pre-filing period.3769

       (3) The candidate files a declaration, on a form prescribed3770
by the secretary of state, with the official or board with which3771
the candidate is required to file statements under section 3517.113772
of the Revised Code not later than seven days after the date of3773
the filing deadlinedate for the office that candidate is seeking,3774
stating that the candidate's campaign committee has not accepted3775
aggregate contributions as described in division (G)(1) of this3776
section and has less than the carry-in amount in cash on hand as3777
described in division (G)(2) of this section.3778

       Sec. 3517.1011.  (A) As used in this section:3779

       (1) "Address" has the same meaning as in section 3517.10 of 3780
the Revised Code.3781

       (2) "Broadcast, cable, or satellite communication" means a 3782
communication that is publicly distributed by a television 3783
station, radio station, cable television system, or satellite 3784
system.3785

       (3) "Contribution" means any loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness 3786
of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds 3787
or of anything of value, including a transfer of funds from an 3788
inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the 3789
payment by any person other than the person to whom the services 3790
are rendered for the personal services of another person, that is 3791
made, received, or used to pay the direct costs of producing or 3792
airing electioneering communications.3793

       (4)(a) "Coordinated electioneering communication" means any 3794
electioneering communication that is made pursuant to any 3795
arrangement, coordination, or direction by a candidate or a 3796
candidate's campaign committee, by an officer, agent, employee, or 3797
consultant of a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee, or 3798
by a former officer, former agent, former employee, or former 3799
consultant of a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee 3800
prior to the airing, broadcasting, or cablecasting of the 3801
communication. An electioneering communication is presumed to be a 3802
"coordinated electioneering communication" when it is either of 3803
the following:3804

       (i) Based on information about a candidate's plans, projects, 3805
or needs provided to the electioneering communication committee 3806
making the disbursement by the candidate or the candidate's 3807
campaign committee, by an officer, agent, employee, or consultant 3808
of the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, or by a 3809
former officer, former agent, former employee, or former 3810
consultant of the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, 3811
with a view toward having the communication made;3812

       (ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been, 3813
authorized to raise or expend funds on behalf of a candidate or 3814
the candidate's campaign committee, who is, or has been, an 3815
officer, agent, employee, or consultant of the candidate or of the 3816
candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has been, receiving 3817
any form of compensation or reimbursement from the candidate or 3818
the candidate's campaign committee or from an officer, agent, 3819
employee, or consultant of the candidate or of the candidate's 3820
campaign committee.3821

       (b) An electioneering communication may only be considered to 3822
be a "coordinated electioneering communication" if the 3823
communication is made during one of the following periods of time:3824

       (i) Between the filing date for the office the candidate is 3825
seeking and the thirtieth day prior to the primary election at 3826
which candidates will be nominated for that office;3827

       (ii) Between the day of the primary election at which the 3828
candidate was nominated for office and the thirtieth day prior to 3829
the general election at which a candidate will be elected to that 3830
office.3831

       (c) An electioneering communication shall not be presumed to 3832
be a "coordinated electioneering communication" under division 3833
(A)(4)(a)(ii) of this section if the communication is made through 3834
any person who provides a service that does not affect the content 3835
of the communication, such as communications placed through the 3836
efforts of a media buyer, unless that person also affects the 3837
content of the communication.3838

       (5) "Disclosure date" means both of the following:3839

       (a) The first date during any calendar year by which an 3840
electioneering communication committee makes disbursements for the 3841
direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications 3842
aggregating in excess of one dollar;3843

       (b) The same day of the week of each remaining week in the 3844
same calendar year as the day of the week of the initial 3845
disclosure date established under division (A)(5)(a) of this 3846
section, if, during that remaining week, the electioneering 3847
communication committee makes disbursements for the direct costs 3848
of producing or airing electioneering communications aggregating 3849
in excess of one dollar.3850

       (6)(a) "Electioneering communication" means any broadcast, 3851
cable, or satellite communication that refers to a clearly 3852
identified candidate and that is made at any time other than 3853
during the thirty days preceding a primary election or during the 3854
thirty days preceding a general election.3855

       (b) "Electioneering communication" does not include any of 3856
the following:3857

       (i) A communication that is publicly disseminated through a 3858
means of communication other than a broadcast, cable, or satellite 3859
television or radio station. For example, "electioneering 3860
communication" does not include communications appearing in print 3861
media, including a newspaper or magazine, handbill, brochure, 3862
bumper sticker, yard sign, poster, billboard, and other written 3863
materials, including mailings; communications over the internet, 3864
including electronic mail; or telephone communications.3865

       (ii) A communication that appears in a news story, 3866
commentary, or editorial distributed through the facilities of any 3867
broadcast, cable, or satellite television or radio station, unless 3868
those facilities are owned or controlled by any political party, 3869
political committee, or candidate;3870

        (iii) A communication that constitutes an expenditure or an 3871
independent expenditure under section 3517.01 of the Revised Code;3872

       (iv) A communication that constitutes a candidate debate or 3873
forum or that solely promotes a candidate debate or forum and is 3874
made by or on behalf of the person sponsoring the debate or forum.3875

       (7) "Filing date" has the same meaning as in section 3517.109 3876
of the Revised Code.3877

       (8) "Immigration and Nationality Act" means the Immigration 3878
and Nationality Act, 110 Stat. 309 (1996), 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq., 3879
as amended.3880

       (9) "Person" has the same meaning as in section 1.59 of the 3881
Revised Code and includes any political organization considered 3882
exempt from income taxation under section 527 of the Internal 3883
Revenue Code.3884

       (10) "Political committee" means any of the following:3885

       (a) Any committee, club, association, or other group of 3886
persons that receives contributions aggregating in excess of one 3887
thousand dollars during a calendar year or that makes expenditures 3888
aggregating in excess of one thousand dollars during a calendar 3889
year;3890

       (b) Any separate segregated fund;3891

       (c) Any state, county, or local committee of a political 3892
party that does any of the following:3893

       (i) Receives contributions aggregating in excess of five 3894
thousand dollars during a calendar year;3895

       (ii) Makes payments that do not constitute contributions or 3896
expenditures aggregating in excess of five thousand dollars during 3897
a calendar year;3898

       (iii) Makes contributions or expenditures aggregating in 3899
excess of one thousand dollars during a calendar year.3900

       (11) "Publicly distributed" means aired, broadcast, 3901
cablecast, or otherwise disseminated for a fee.3902

       (12) "Refers to a clearly identified candidate" means that 3903
the candidate's name, nickname, photograph, or drawing appears, or 3904
the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent through an 3905
unambiguous reference to the person such as "the chief justice," 3906
"the governor," "member of the Ohio senate," "member of the Ohio 3907
house of representatives," "county auditor," "mayor," or "township 3908
trustee" or through an unambiguous reference to the person's 3909
status as a candidate.3910

       (B) For the purposes of this section, a person shall be 3911
considered to have made a disbursement if the person has entered 3912
into a contract to make the disbursement.3913

       (C) Any person or political committee intending to make a 3914
disbursement or disbursements for the direct costs of producing or 3915
airing electioneering communications shall establish an 3916
electioneering communication committee in accordance with this 3917
division. Such a person or political committee, prior to making 3918
the first disbursement for the direct costs of producing or airing 3919
an electioneering communication, shall file a notice with the 3920
office of the secretary of state that the person or political 3921
committee is establishing an electioneering communication 3922
committee for the purpose of making such disbursements.3923

       (D)(1) Every electioneering communication committee that 3924
makes a disbursement or disbursements for the direct costs of 3925
producing and airing electioneering communications aggregating in 3926
excess of one dollar during any calendar year shall file, within 3927
twenty-four hours of each disclosure date, a disclosure of 3928
electioneering communications statement containing the following 3929
information:3930

       (a) The full name and address of the electioneering 3931
communication committee making the disbursement, of any person 3932
sharing or exercising direction or control over the activities of 3933
the electioneering communication committee, and of the custodian 3934
of the books and accounts of the electioneering communication 3935
committee;3936

       (b) The principal place of business of the electioneering 3937
communication committee making the disbursement, if not an 3938
individual;3939

       (c) The amount of each disbursement of more than one dollar 3940
during the period covered by the statement and the identity of the 3941
person to whom the disbursement was made;3942

       (d) The nominations or elections to which the electioneering 3943
communications pertain and the names, if known, of the candidates 3944
identified or to be identified;3945

       (e) If the disbursements were paid out of a segregated bank 3946
account that consists of funds contributed solely by individuals 3947
who are United States citizens or nationals or lawfully admitted 3948
for permanent residence as defined in section 101(a)(20) of the 3949
Immigration and Nationality Act directly to the account for 3950
electioneering communications, the information specified in 3951
division (D)(2) of this section for all contributors who 3952
contributed an aggregate amount of two hundred dollars or more to 3953
the segregated bank account during the period beginning on the 3954
first day of the preceding calendar year and ending on the 3955
disclosure date. Nothing in this division prohibits or shall be 3956
construed to prohibit the use of funds in such a segregated bank 3957
account for a purpose other than electioneering communications.3958

       (f) If the disbursements were paid out of funds not described 3959
in division (D)(1)(e) of this section, the information specified 3960
in division (D)(2) of this section for all contributors who 3961
contributed an aggregate amount of two hundred dollars or more to 3962
the electioneering communication committee making the disbursement 3963
during the period beginning on the first day of the preceding 3964
calendar year and ending on the disclosure date.3965

       (2) For each contributor for which information is required to 3966
be reported under division (D)(1)(e) or (f) of this section, all 3967
of the following shall be reported:3968

       (a) The month, day, and year that the contributor made the 3969
contribution or contributions aggregating two hundred dollars or 3970
more;3971

       (b)(i) The full name and address of the contributor, and, if 3972
the contributor is a political action committee, the registration 3973
number assigned to the political action committee under division 3974
(D)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code;3975

       (ii) If the contributor is an individual, the name of the 3976
individual's current employer, if any, or, if the individual is 3977
self-employed, the individual's occupation and the name of the 3978
individual's business, if any;3979

       (iii) If the contribution is transmitted pursuant to section 3980
3599.031 of the Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages 3981
and salaries of two or more employees that exceed in the aggregate 3982
one hundred dollars during the period specified in division 3983
(D)(1)(e) or (f) of this section, as applicable, the full name of 3984
the employees' employer and the full name of the labor 3985
organization of which the employees are members, if any.3986

       (c) A description of the contribution, if other than money;3987

       (d) The value in dollars and cents of the contribution.3988

       (3) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented, 3989
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the 3990
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to divisions (C)(6)(b) and 3991
(D)(6) of section 3517.10 and division (H)(1) of section 3517.106 3992
of the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements 3993
by electronic means of transmission, an electioneering 3994
communication committee shall file the disclosure of 3995
electioneering communications statement prescribed under divisions 3996
(D)(1) and (2) of this section by electronic means of transmission 3997
to the office of the secretary of state.3998

       Within five business days after the secretary of state 3999
receives a disclosure of electioneering communications statement 4000
under this division, the secretary of state shall make available 4001
online to the public through the internet, as provided in division 4002
(I) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, the contribution and 4003
disbursement information in that statement.4004

       If a filed disclosure of electioneering communications 4005
statement is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after its 4006
examination for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division 4007
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the 4008
electioneering communication committee shall file by electronic 4009
means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state any 4010
addendum, amendment, or other correction to the statement that 4011
provides the information necessary to complete or correct the 4012
statement or, if required by the secretary of state under that 4013
division, an amended statement.4014

       Within five business days after the secretary of state 4015
receives an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a 4016
disclosure of electioneering communications statement or an 4017
amended statement by electronic means of transmission under this 4018
division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised 4019
Code, the secretary of state shall make the contribution and 4020
disbursement information in the addendum, amendment, or other 4021
correction to the statement or amended statement available online 4022
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of 4023
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code.4024

       (E)(1) Any person who makes a contribution for the purpose of 4025
funding the direct costs of producing or airing an electioneering 4026
communication under this section shall provide the person's full 4027
name and address to the recipient of the contribution at the time 4028
the contribution is made.4029

       (2) Any individual who makes a contribution or contributions 4030
aggregating two hundred dollars or more during the period 4031
specified in division (D)(1)(e) or (f) of this section, as 4032
applicable, for the purpose of funding the direct costs of 4033
producing or airing an electioneering communication under this 4034
section shall provide the name of the individual's current 4035
employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the 4036
individual's occupation and the name of the individual's business, 4037
if any, to the recipient of the contribution at the time the 4038
contribution is made.4039

       (F) In each electioneering communication, a statement shall 4040
appear or be presented in a clear and conspicuous manner that does 4041
both of the following:4042

       (1) Clearly indicates that the electioneering communication 4043
is not authorized by the candidate or the candidate's campaign 4044
committee;4045

       (2) Clearly identifies the electioneering communication 4046
committee making the disbursement for the electioneering 4047
communication in accordance with section 3517.20 of the Revised 4048
Code.4049

       (G) Any coordinated electioneering communication is an 4050
in-kind contribution, subject to the applicable contribution 4051
limits prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, to the 4052
candidate by the electioneering communication committee making 4053
disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing the 4054
communication.4055

       (H) No electioneering communication committee shall make, 4056
during the thirty days preceding a primary election or during the 4057
thirty days preceding a general election, any broadcast, cable, or 4058
satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified 4059
candidate.4060

       Sec. 3517.1012.  (A)(1) Each state and county political party 4061
shall establish a restricted fund that is separate from all other 4062
accounts of the political party.4063

       (2) A state or county political party shall deposit into its 4064
restricted fund all public moneys received from the Ohio political 4065
party fund under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code and all gifts 4066
that are made to or accepted by the political party from a 4067
corporation or labor organization subject to the applicable 4068
limitations prescribed in division (X) of section 3517.13 of the 4069
Revised Code. A state or county political party may deposit into 4070
its restricted fund any gifts that are made to or accepted by the 4071
political party from a source other than a corporation or labor 4072
organization.4073

       (3) Moneys in a state or county political party's restricted 4074
fund may be disbursed to pay costs incurred for any of the 4075
purposes specified in division (A) of section 3517.18 of the 4076
Revised Code. 4077

       (B) Except as otherwise provided in this division, a state or 4078
county political party shall file deposit and disbursement 4079
statements, in the same manner as the party is required to file 4080
statements of contributions and expenditures under section 3517.10 4081
of the Revised Code, regarding all deposits made into, and all 4082
disbursements made from, the party's restricted fund. Deposit and 4083
disbursement statements filed in accordance with this division by 4084
a county political party shall be filed by electronic means of 4085
transmission to the office of the secretary of state at the times 4086
specified in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code 4087
for the filing of statements of contributions and expenditures if 4088
the county political party accepts gifts from a corporation or 4089
labor organization under division (A)(2) of this section.4090

       Sec. 3517.11.  (A)(1) Campaign committees of candidates for4091
statewide officesoffice or the state board of education, 4092
political action committees or political contributing entities4093
that make contributions to campaign committees of candidates that 4094
are required to file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 4095
of the Revised Code with the secretary of state, political action4096
committees or political contributing entities that make4097
contributions to campaign committees of candidates for member of4098
the general assembly, political action committees or political4099
contributing entities that make contributions to state and4100
national political parties and to legislative campaign funds,4101
political action committees or political contributing entities4102
that receive contributions or make expenditures in connection with4103
a statewide ballot issue, political action committees or political4104
contributing entities that make contributions to other political4105
action committees or political contributing entities, political4106
parties, and campaign committees, except as set forth in division4107
(A)(3) of this section, legislative campaign funds, and state and4108
national political parties shall file the statements prescribed by4109
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the secretary of state.4110

       (2)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (F) of 4111
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, campaign committees of 4112
candidates for all other offices shall file the statements 4113
prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the board 4114
of elections where their candidates are required to file their 4115
petitions or other papers for nomination or election.4116

       (b) A campaign committee of a candidate for office of member 4117
of the general assembly or a campaign committee of a candidate for 4118
the office of judge of a court of appeals shall file two copies of 4119
the printed version of any statement, addendum, or amended 4120
statement if the committee does not file by electronic means of 4121
transmission or on computer disk pursuant to division (F)(1) of 4122
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code but files by printed version 4123
only with the appropriate board of elections. The board of 4124
elections shall send one of those copies by overnight delivery 4125
service to the secretary of state before the close of business on 4126
the day the board of elections receives the statement, addendum, 4127
or amended statement.4128

       (3) Political action committees or political contributing4129
entities that only contribute to a county political party,4130
contribute to campaign committees of candidates whose nomination4131
or election is to be submitted only to electors within a county,4132
subdivision, or district, excluding candidates for member of the4133
general assembly, and receive contributions or make expenditures4134
in connection with ballot questions or issues to be submitted only4135
to electors within a county, subdivision, or district shall file4136
the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code4137
with the board of elections in that county or in the county4138
contained in whole or part within the subdivision or district4139
having a population greater than that of any other county4140
contained in whole or part within that subdivision or district, as4141
the case may be.4142

       (4) CountyExcept as otherwise provided in division (E)(3) of 4143
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code with respect to state 4144
candidate funds, county political parties shall file the 4145
statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with 4146
the board of elections of their respective counties.4147

       (B)(1) The official with whom petitions and other papers for4148
nomination or election to public office are filed shall furnish4149
each candidate at the time of that filing a copy of sections4150
3517.01, 3517.08 to 3517.11, 3517.13 to 3517.993, 3599.03, and4151
3599.031 of the Revised Code and any other materials that the4152
secretary of state may require. Each candidate receiving the4153
materials shall acknowledge their receipt in writing.4154

       (2) On or before the tenth day before the dates on which4155
statements are required to be filed by section 3517.10 of the4156
Revised Code, every candidate subject to the provisions of this4157
section and sections 3517.10 and 3517.106 of the Revised Code4158
shall be notified of the requirements and applicable penalties of4159
those sections. The secretary of state, by certified mail, return4160
receipt requested, shall notify all candidates required to file4161
those statements with the secretary of state's office. The board4162
of elections of every county shall notify by first class mail any4163
candidate who has personally appeared at the office of the board4164
on or before the tenth day before the statements are required to4165
be filed and signed a form, to be provided by the secretary of4166
state, attesting that the candidate has been notified of the4167
candidate's obligations under the campaign finance law. The board4168
shall forward the completed form to the secretary of state. The4169
board shall use certified mail, return receipt requested, to4170
notify all other candidates required to file those statements with4171
it.4172

       (3)(a) Any statement required to be filed under sections4173
3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code that is found to be4174
incomplete or inaccurate by the officer to whom it is submitted4175
shall be accepted on a conditional basis, and the person who filed4176
it shall be notified by certified mail as to the incomplete or4177
inaccurate nature of the statement. The secretary of state may4178
examine statements filed for candidates for the office of member4179
of the general assembly and candidates for the office of judge of 4180
a court of appeals for completeness and accuracy. The secretary of 4181
state shall examine for completeness and accuracy statements that4182
campaign committees of candidates for the office of member of the 4183
general assembly and campaign committees of candidates for the 4184
office of judge of a court of appeals file by electronic means of 4185
transmission pursuant to division (F) of section 3517.106 of the 4186
Revised Code. If an officer at the board of elections where a 4187
statement filed for a candidate for the office of member of the 4188
general assembly or for a candidate for the office of judge of a 4189
court of appeals was submitted finds the statement to be 4190
incomplete or inaccurate, the officer shall immediately notify the4191
secretary of state of its incomplete or inaccurate nature. If 4192
either an officer at the board of elections or the secretary of 4193
state finds a statement filed for a candidate for the office of 4194
member of the general assembly or for a candidate for the office 4195
of judge of a court of appeals to be incomplete or inaccurate, 4196
only the secretary of state shall send the notification as to the 4197
incomplete or inaccurate nature of the statement.4198

       Within twenty-one days after receipt of the notice, in the4199
case of a pre-election statement, a postelection statement, a 4200
monthly statement, or an annual statement, or a semiannual 4201
statement prescribed by section 3517.10, an annual statement4202
prescribed by section 3517.101, or a statement prescribed by4203
division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105 or section 4204
3517.107 of the Revised Code, the recipient shall file an 4205
addendum, amendment, or other correction to the statement 4206
providing the information necessary to complete or correct the 4207
statement. The secretary of state may require that, in lieu of 4208
filing an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement 4209
that is filed by electronic means of transmission to the office of4210
the secretary of state or on computer disk with the appropriate 4211
board of elections pursuant to section 3517.106 of the Revised 4212
Code, the recipient of the notice described in this division file 4213
by electronic means of transmission, or, until March 1, 2004, on 4214
computer disk with the appropriate board of elections if the 4215
original statement was filed on computer disk, an amended 4216
statement that incorporates the information necessary to complete 4217
or correct the statement. The4218

       The secretary of state shall determine by rule when an 4219
addendum, amendment, or other correction to aany of the following 4220
or when an amended statement of any of the following shall be 4221
filed:4222

       (i) A two-business-day statement prescribed by section 4223
3517.10 of the Revised Code or an amended two-business-day 4224
statement shall be filed;4225

       (ii) A disclosure of electioneering communications statement 4226
prescribed by division (D) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised 4227
Code;4228

       (iii) A deposit and disbursement statement prescribed under 4229
division (B) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code. An4230

       An addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement 4231
that is filed by electronic means of transmission or on computer 4232
disk pursuant to section 3517.106 of the Revised Code shall be 4233
filed in the same manner as the statement. The4234

       The provisions of sections 3517.10 and, 3517.106, 3517.1011, 4235
and 3517.1012 of the Revised Code pertaining to the filing of4236
statements of contributions and expenditures and, statements of4237
independent expenditures, disclosure of electioneering 4238
communications statements, and deposit and disbursement statements4239
by electronic means of transmission or on computer disk apply to 4240
the filing of addenda, amendments, or other corrections to those4241
statements by electronic means of transmission or, until March 1, 4242
2004, on computer disk and the filing of amended statements by 4243
electronic means of transmission or, until March 1, 2004, on4244
computer disk.4245

       (b) Within five business days after the secretary of state4246
receives, by electronic or other means of transmission, an4247
addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement or an4248
amended statement under division (B)(3)(a) of this section, the4249
secretary of state, pursuant to divisions (E), (F), (G), and (I)4250
of section 3517.106 or division (D) of section 3517.1011 of the 4251
Revised Code, shall make the contribution and expenditure, 4252
contribution and disbursement, or deposit and disbursement4253
information in that addendum, amendment, correction, or amended 4254
statement available online to the public through the internet.4255

       (4)(a) The secretary of state or the board of elections shall4256
examine all statements for compliance with sections 3517.08 to4257
3517.17 of the Revised Code.4258

       (b) The secretary of state may contract with an individual or 4259
entity not associated with the secretary of state and experienced 4260
in interpreting the campaign finance law of this state to conduct 4261
examinations of statements filed by any statewide candidate, as 4262
defined in section 3517.103 of the Revised Code.4263

       (c) The examination shall be conducted by a person or entity4264
qualified to conduct it. The results of the examination shall be4265
available to the public, and, when the examination is conducted by4266
an individual or entity not associated with the secretary of4267
state, the results of the examination shall be reported to the4268
secretary of state.4269

       (C)(1) In the event of a failure to file or a late filing of4270
a statement required to be filed under sections 3517.081 to4271
3517.17 of the Revised Code, or if a filed statement or any4272
addendum, amendment, or other correction to thea statement or any 4273
amended statement, if an addendum, amendment, or other correction 4274
or an amended statement is required to be filed, is incomplete or 4275
inaccurate or appears to disclose a failure to comply with or a4276
violation of law, the official whose duty it is to examine the 4277
statement shall promptly file a complaint with the Ohio elections 4278
commission under section 3517.153 of the Revised Code if the law 4279
is one over which the commission has jurisdiction to hear 4280
complaints, or the official shall promptly report the failure or 4281
violation to the board of elections and the board shall promptly4282
report it to the prosecuting attorney in accordance with division 4283
(J) of section 3501.11 of the Revised Code. If the official files 4284
a complaint with the commission, the commission shall proceed in 4285
accordance with sections 3517.154 to 3517.157 of the Revised Code.4286

       (2) For purposes of division (C)(1) of this section, a4287
statement or an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a 4288
statement or an amended statement required to be filed under4289
sections 3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code is incomplete or4290
inaccurate under this section if the statement or, addendum, 4291
amendment, other correction, or amended statement fails to 4292
disclose substantially all contributions that are received from a 4293
source and thator deposits that are made that are required to be 4294
reported under sections 3517.10, 3517.107, and 3517.108, 4295
3517.1011, and 3517.1012 of the Revised Code or if the statement 4296
or, addendum, amendment, other correction, or amended statement4297
fails to disclose at least ninety per cent of the total4298
contributions received or deposits made or of the total 4299
expenditures or disbursements made during the reporting period.4300

       (D) No certificate of nomination or election shall be issued4301
to a person, and no person elected to an office shall enter upon4302
the performance of the duties of that office, until that person or4303
that person's campaign committee, as appropriate, has fully4304
complied with this section and sections 3517.08, 3517.081,4305
3517.10, and 3517.13 of the Revised Code.4306

       Sec. 3517.13.  (A)(1) No campaign committee forof a 4307
statewide candidate whose candidacy for nomination or election was 4308
submitted to electors throughout the entire state shall fail to 4309
file a complete and accurate statement required under division 4310
(A)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.4311

       (2) No campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall fail 4312
to file a complete and accurate monthly statement, and no campaign4313
committee of a statewide candidate or a candidate for the office 4314
of chief justice or justice of the supreme court shall fail to 4315
file a complete and accurate two-business-day statement, as4316
required under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.4317

        As used in this division, "statewide candidate" has the same4318
meaning as in division (F)(2) of section 3517.10 of the Revised4319
Code.4320

       (B) No campaign committee for a candidate whose candidacy for 4321
nomination or election was submitted to electors within a county 4322
or district shall fail to file a complete and accurate statement4323
required under division (A)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised 4324
Code.4325

       (C) No campaign committee shall fail to file a complete and4326
accurate statement required under division (A)(2) of section4327
3517.10 of the Revised Code.4328

       (D) No campaign committee shall fail to file a complete and4329
accurate statement required under division (A)(3) or (4) of 4330
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.4331

       (E) No person other than a campaign committee shall knowingly 4332
fail to file a statement required under section 3517.10 or4333
3517.107 of the Revised Code.4334

       (F) No person shall make cash contributions to any person4335
totaling more than one hundred dollars in each primary, special,4336
or general election.4337

       (G)(1) No person shall knowingly conceal or misrepresent4338
contributions given or received, expenditures made, or any other4339
information required to be reported by a provision in sections4340
3517.08 to 3517.13 and 3517.17 of the Revised Code.4341

       (2)(a) No person shall make a contribution to a campaign4342
committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund,4343
political party, or political contributing entityelectioneering 4344
communication committee in the name of another person.4345

       (b) A person does not make a contribution in the name of4346
another when either of the following applies:4347

       (i) An individual makes a contribution from a partnership or 4348
other unincorporated business account, if the contribution is 4349
reported by listing both the name of the partnership or other4350
unincorporated business and the name of the partner or owner 4351
making the contribution as required under division (I) of section 4352
3517.10 of the Revised Code.4353

       (ii) A person makes a contribution in that person's spouse's4354
name or in both of their names.4355

       (H) No person within this state, publishing a newspaper or4356
other periodical, shall charge a campaign committee for political4357
advertising a rate in excess of the rate such person would charge4358
if the campaign committee were a general rate advertiser whose4359
advertising was directed to promoting its business within the same4360
area as that encompassed by the particular office that the4361
candidate of the campaign committee is seeking. The rate shall4362
take into account the amount of space used, as well as the type of4363
advertising copy submitted by or on behalf of the campaign4364
committee. All discount privileges otherwise offered by a4365
newspaper or periodical to general rate advertisers shall be4366
available upon equal terms to all campaign committees.4367

       No person within this state, operating a radio or television4368
station or network of stations in this state, shall charge a4369
campaign committee for political broadcasts a rate that exceeds:4370

       (1) During the forty-five days preceding the date of a4371
primary election and during the sixty days preceding the date of a4372
general or special election in which the candidate of the campaign4373
committee is seeking office, the lowest unit charge of the station4374
for the same class and amount of time for the same period;4375

       (2) At any other time, the charges made for comparable use of 4376
suchthat station by its other users.4377

       (I) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this4378
section, no agency or department of this state or any political4379
subdivision shall award any contract, other than one let by4380
competitive bidding or a contract incidental to such contract or4381
which is by force account, for the purchase of goods costing more4382
than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five4383
hundred dollars to any individual, partnership, association,4384
including, without limitation, a professional association4385
organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or4386
trust if the individual has made or the individual's spouse has4387
made, or any partner, shareholder, administrator, executor, or4388
trustee, or the spousesspouse of any of them has made, as an 4389
individual, within the two previous calendar years, one or more 4390
contributions totaling in excess of one thousand dollars to the 4391
holder of the public office having ultimate responsibility for the 4392
award of the contract or to the public officer's campaign 4393
committee.4394

       (J) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this4395
section, no agency or department of this state or any political4396
subdivision shall award any contract, other than one let by4397
competitive bidding or a contract incidental to such contract or4398
which is by force account, for the purchase of goods costing more4399
than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five4400
hundred dollars to a corporation or business trust, except a4401
professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the4402
Revised Code, if an owner of more than twenty per cent of the4403
corporation or business trust or the spouse of suchthat person,4404
has made, as an individual, within the two previous calendar 4405
years, taking into consideration only owners for all of suchthat4406
period, one or more contributions totaling in excess of one 4407
thousand dollars to the holder of a public office having ultimate 4408
responsibility for the award of the contract or to the public 4409
officer's campaign committee.4410

       (K) For purposes of divisions (I) and (J) of this section, if 4411
a public officer who is responsible for the award of a contract is 4412
appointed by the governor, whether or not the appointment is4413
subject to the advice and consent of the senate, excluding members4414
of boards, commissions, committees, authorities, councils, boards4415
of trustees, task forces, and other such entities appointed by the4416
governor, the office of the governor is considered to have4417
ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract.4418

       (L) For purposes of divisions (I) and (J) of this section, if 4419
a public officer who is responsible for the award of a contract is 4420
appointed by the elected chief executive officer of a municipal4421
corporation, or appointed by the elected chief executive officer4422
of a county operating under an alternative form of county4423
government or county charter, excluding members of boards,4424
commissions, committees, authorities, councils, boards of4425
trustees, task forces, and other such entities appointed by the4426
chief executive officer, the office of the chief executive officer4427
is considered to have ultimate responsibility for the award of the4428
contract.4429

       (M)(1) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to4430
contracts awarded by the board of commissioners of the sinking4431
fund, municipal legislative authorities, boards of education,4432
boards of county commissioners, boards of township trustees, or4433
other boards, commissions, committees, authorities, councils,4434
boards of trustees, task forces, and other such entities created4435
by law, by the supreme court or courts of appeals, by county4436
courts consisting of more than one judge, courts of common pleas4437
consisting of more than one judge, or municipal courts consisting4438
of more than one judge, or by a division of any court if the4439
division consists of more than one judge. Division (M)(1) of this4440
sectionThis division shall apply to the specified entity only if 4441
the members of the entity act collectively in the award of a 4442
contract for goods or services.4443

       (2) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to4444
actions of the controlling board.4445

       (N)(1) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section apply to4446
contributions made to the holder of a public office having4447
ultimate responsibility for the award of a contract, or to the4448
public officer's campaign committee, during the time the person4449
holds the office and during any time such person was a candidate4450
for the office. TheseThose divisions do not apply to 4451
contributions made to, or to the campaign committee of, a 4452
candidate for or holder of the office other than the holder of the 4453
office at the time of the award of the contract.4454

       (2) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to4455
contributions of a partner, shareholder, administrator, executor,4456
trustee, or owner of more than twenty per cent of a corporation or4457
business trust made before the person held any of those positions4458
or after the person ceased to hold any of those positions in the4459
partnership, association, estate, trust, corporation, or business4460
trust whose eligibility to be awarded a contract is being4461
determined, nor to contributions of the person's spouse made4462
before the person held any of those positions, after the person4463
ceased to hold any of those positions, before the two were4464
married, or after the granting of a decree of divorce, dissolution4465
of marriage, or nullityannulment, or after the granting of an 4466
order in an action brought solely for legal separation. These4467
Those divisions do not apply to contributions of the spouse of an 4468
individual whose eligibility to be awarded a contract is being 4469
determined made before the two were married, or after the granting 4470
of a decree of divorce, dissolution of marriage, or nullity4471
annulment, or after the granting of an order in an action brought 4472
solely for legal separation.4473

       (O) No beneficiary of a campaign fund or other person shall4474
convert for personal use, and no person shall knowingly give to a4475
beneficiary of a campaign fund or any other person, for the4476
beneficiary's or any other person's personal use, anything of4477
value from the beneficiary's campaign fund, including, without4478
limitation, payments to a beneficiary for services the beneficiary4479
personally performs, except as reimbursement for any of the4480
following:4481

       (1) Legitimate and verifiable prior campaign expenses4482
incurred by the beneficiary;4483

       (2) Legitimate and verifiable, ordinary, and necessary prior4484
expenses incurred by the beneficiary in connection with duties as4485
the holder of a public office, including, without limitation,4486
expenses incurred through participation in nonpartisan or4487
bipartisan events if the participation of the holder of a public4488
office would normally be expected;4489

       (3) Legitimate and verifiable ordinary and necessary prior4490
expenses incurred by the beneficiary while doing any of the 4491
following:4492

       (a) EngagedEngaging in activities in support of or 4493
opposition to a candidate other than the beneficiary, political 4494
party, or ballot issue;4495

       (b) Raising funds for a political party, political action4496
committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign4497
fund, campaign committee, or other candidate;4498

       (c) Participating in the activities of a political party,4499
political action committee, political contributing entity,4500
legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee; or4501

       (d) Attending a political party convention or other political 4502
meeting.4503

       For purposes of this division, an expense is incurred4504
whenever a beneficiary has either made payment or is obligated to4505
make payment, as by the use of a credit card or other credit4506
procedure or by the use of goods or services received on account.4507

       (P) No beneficiary of a campaign fund shall knowingly accept, 4508
and no person shall knowingly give to the beneficiary of a4509
campaign fund, reimbursement for an expense under division (O) of4510
this section to the extent that the expense previously was4511
reimbursed or paid from another source of funds. If an expense is4512
reimbursed under division (O) of this section and is later paid or4513
reimbursed, wholly or in part, from another source of funds, the4514
beneficiary shall repay the reimbursement received under division4515
(O) of this section to the extent of the payment made or4516
reimbursement received from the other source.4517

       (Q) No candidate or public official or employee shall accept4518
for personal or business use anything of value from a political4519
party, political action committee, political contributing entity,4520
legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee other than the4521
candidate's or public official's or employee's own campaign4522
committee, and no person shall knowingly give to a candidate or4523
public official or employee anything of value from a political4524
party, political action committee, political contributing entity,4525
legislative campaign fund, or such a campaign committee, except4526
for the following:4527

       (1) Reimbursement for legitimate and verifiable, ordinary,4528
and necessary prior expenses not otherwise prohibited by law4529
incurred by the candidate or public official or employee while4530
engaged in any legitimate activity of the political party,4531
political action committee, political contributing entity,4532
legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee. Without4533
limitation, reimbursable expenses under this division include4534
those incurred while doing any of the following:4535

       (a) EngagedEngaging in activities in support of or 4536
opposition to another candidate, political party, or ballot issue;4537

       (b) Raising funds for a political party, legislative campaign 4538
fund, campaign committee, or another candidate; or4539

       (c) Attending a political party convention or other political 4540
meeting.4541

       (2) Compensation not otherwise prohibited by law for actual4542
and valuable personal services rendered under a written contract4543
to the political party, political action committee, political4544
contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or such campaign4545
committee for any legitimate activity of the political party,4546
political action committee, political contributing entity,4547
legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee.4548

       Reimbursable expenses under this division do not include, and4549
it is a violation of this division for a candidate or public4550
official or employee to accept, or for any person to knowingly4551
give to a candidate or public official or employee from a4552
political party, political action committee, political4553
contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or campaign4554
committee other than the candidate's or public official's or4555
employee's own campaign committee, anything of value for4556
activities primarily related to the candidate's or public4557
official's or employee's own campaign for election, except for4558
contributions to the candidate's or public official's or4559
employee's campaign committee.4560

       For purposes of this division, an expense is incurred4561
whenever a candidate or public official or employee has either4562
made payment or is obligated to make payment, as by the use of a4563
credit card or other credit procedure, or by the use of goods or4564
services on account.4565

       (R)(1) Division (O) or (P) of this section does not prohibit4566
a campaign committee from making direct advance or post payment4567
from contributions to vendors for goods and services for which4568
reimbursement is permitted under division (O) of this section,4569
except that no campaign committee shall pay its candidate or other4570
beneficiary for services personally performed by the candidate or4571
other beneficiary.4572

       (2) If any expense that may be reimbursed under division (O), 4573
(P), or (Q) of this section is part of other expenses that may not 4574
be paid or reimbursed, the separation of the two types of expenses 4575
for the purpose of allocating for payment or reimbursement those 4576
expenses that may be paid or reimbursed may be by any reasonable 4577
accounting method, considering all of the surrounding 4578
circumstances.4579

       (3) For purposes of divisions (O), (P), and (Q) of this4580
section, mileage allowance at a rate not greater than that allowed4581
by the internal revenue service at the time the travel occurs may4582
be paid instead of reimbursement for actual travel expenses4583
allowable.4584

       (S)(1) As used in division (S) of this section:4585

       (a) "State elective office" has the same meaning as in4586
section 3517.092 of the Revised Code.4587

       (b) "Federal office" means a federal office as defined in the4588
Federal Election Campaign Act.4589

       (c) "Federal campaign committee" means a principal campaign4590
committee or authorized committee as defined in the Federal4591
Election Campaign Act.4592

       (2) No person who is a candidate for state elective office4593
and who previously sought nomination or election to a federal4594
office shall transfer any funds or assets from that person's4595
federal campaign committee for nomination or election to the4596
federal office to that person's campaign committee as a candidate4597
for state elective office.4598

       (3) No campaign committee of a person who is a candidate for4599
state elective office and who previously sought nomination or4600
election to a federal office shall accept any funds or assets from4601
that person's federal campaign committee for that person's4602
nomination or election to the federal office.4603

       (T)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(6)(c) of4604
section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, a state or county political4605
party shall not disburse moneys from any account other than a4606
state candidate fund to make contributions to any of the4607
following:4608

       (a) A state candidate fund;4609

       (b) A legislative campaign fund;4610

       (c) A campaign committee of a candidate for the office of4611
governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of4612
state, treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state4613
board of education, or member of the general assembly.4614

       (2) No state candidate fund, legislative campaign fund, or4615
campaign committee of a candidate for any office described in4616
division (T)(1)(c) of this section shall knowingly accept a4617
contribution in violation of division (T)(1) of this section.4618

       (U) No person shall fail to file the statement required under 4619
section 3517.12 of the Revised Code.4620

       (V) No campaign committee shall fail to file a statement4621
required under division (K)(3) of section 3517.10 of the Revised4622
Code.4623

       (W)(1) No foreign national shall, directly or indirectly4624
through any other person or entity, make a contribution,4625
expenditure, or independent expenditure or promise, either4626
expressly or implicitly, to make a contribution, expenditure, or4627
independent expenditure in support of or opposition to a candidate4628
for any elective office in this state, including an office of a4629
political party.4630

       (2) No candidate, campaign committee, political action4631
committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign4632
fund, state candidate fund, political party, or separate4633
segregated fund shall solicit or accept a contribution,4634
expenditure, or independent expenditure from a foreign national.4635
The secretary of state may direct any candidate, committee, fund,4636
entity, or party that accepts a contribution, expenditure, or4637
independent expenditure in violation of this division to return4638
the contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure or, if4639
it is not possible to return the contribution, expenditure, or4640
independent expenditure, then to return instead the value of it,4641
to the contributor.4642

       (3) As used in division (W) of this section, "foreign 4643
national" has the same meaning as in section 441e(b) of the 4644
Federal Election Campaign Act.4645

       (X)(1) No state or county political party shall transfer any 4646
moneys from its restricted fund to any account of the political 4647
party into which contributions may be made or from which 4648
contributions or expenditures may be made.4649

       (2)(a) No state or county political party shall deposit a 4650
contribution or contributions that it receives into its restricted 4651
fund. 4652

       (b) No state or county political party shall make a 4653
contribution or an expenditure from its restricted fund.4654

       (3)(a) No corporation or labor organization shall make a gift 4655
or gifts from the corporation's or labor organization's money or 4656
property aggregating more than ten thousand dollars to any one 4657
state or county political party for the party's restricted fund in 4658
a calendar year.4659

       (b) No state or county political party shall accept a gift or 4660
gifts for the party's restricted fund aggregating more than ten 4661
thousand dollars from any one corporation or labor organization in 4662
a calendar year. 4663

       (4) No state or county political party shall transfer any 4664
moneys in the party's restricted fund to any other state or county 4665
political party.4666

       (5) No state or county political party shall knowingly fail 4667
to file a statement required under section 3517.1012 of the 4668
Revised Code.4669

       Sec. 3517.151.  (A) On and after January 1, 1996, complaints 4670
with respect to acts or failures to act under the sections listed4671
in division (A) of section 3517.153 of the Revised Code shall be 4672
filed with the Ohio elections commission created under section4673
3517.152 of the Revised Code.4674

       (B)(1) If a complaint filed with the Ohio elections4675
commission created under section 3517.152 of the Revised Code4676
alleges an act or failure to act that occurred before August 24,4677
1995, and the commission imposes a fine, sections 3517.99 and4678
3517.991 of the Revised Code, and not sections 3517.992 and4679
3517.993 of the Revised Code, shall apply.4680

       (2) If a complaint filed with the Ohio elections commission4681
created under section 3517.152 of the Revised Code alleges an act4682
or failure to act that is a violation of section 3517.13 of the4683
Revised Code, former divisions (A) to (R) of that section apply to 4684
the act or failure to act if it occurred before August 24, 1995, 4685
former divisions (A) to (U) of that section apply to the act or 4686
failure to act if it occurs on or after August 24, 1995, but 4687
before July 13, 1998, former divisions (A) to (V) of that section 4688
apply to the act or failure to act if it occurs on or after July 4689
13, 1998, but before the effective date of this amendmentDecember 4690
22, 1999, andformer divisions (A) to (W) of that section apply to 4691
the act or failure to act if it occurs on or after the effective 4692
date of this amendmentDecember 22, 1999, but before the effective 4693
date of this amendment, and divisions (A) to (X) of that section 4694
apply to the act or failure to act if it occurs on or after the 4695
effective date of this amendment.4696

       (C) The Ohio elections commission created under section4697
3517.14 of the Revised Code is abolished at the close of business4698
on December 31, 1995.4699

       Sec. 3517.152.  (A)(1) There is hereby created the Ohio 4700
elections commission consisting of seven members.4701

       Not later than forty-five days after August 24, 1995, the4702
speaker of the house of representatives and the leader in the 4703
senate of the political party of which the speaker is a member 4704
shall jointly submit to the governor a list of five persons who 4705
are affiliated with that political party. Not later than 4706
forty-five days after August 24, 1995, the two legislative leaders 4707
in the two houses of the general assembly of the major political 4708
party of which the speaker is not a member shall jointly submit to4709
the governor a list of five persons who are affiliated with the 4710
major political party of which the speaker is not a member. Not 4711
later than fifteen days after receiving each list, the governor 4712
shall appoint three persons from each list to the commission. The 4713
governor shall appoint one person from each list to a term that 4714
ends on December 31, 1996, one person from each list to a term4715
that ends on December 31, 1997, and one person from each list to a4716
term that ends on December 31, 1998.4717

       Not later than thirty days after the governor appoints these 4718
six members, they shall, by a majority vote, appoint to the 4719
commission a seventh member, who shall not be affiliated with a 4720
political party. If the six members fail to appoint the seventh 4721
member within this thirty-day period, the chief justice of the 4722
supreme court, not later than thirty days after the end of the 4723
period during which the six members were required to appoint a 4724
member, shall appoint the seventh member, who shall not be 4725
affiliated with a political party. The seventh member shall be 4726
appointed to a term that ends on December 31, 2001. Terms of the 4727
initial members appointed under this division begin on January 1, 4728
1996.4729

       (2) If a vacancy occurs in the position of the seventh 4730
member, who is not affiliated with a political party, the six 4731
remaining members by a majority vote shall appoint, not later than 4732
forty-five days after the date of the vacancy, the seventh member 4733
of the commission, who shall not be affiliated with a political 4734
party. If these members fail to appoint the seventh member within4735
this forty-five-day period, the chief justice of the supreme 4736
court, within fifteen days after the end of this period, shall 4737
appoint the seventh member, who shall not be affiliated with a 4738
political party. If a vacancy occurs in any of the other six 4739
positions on the commission, the legislative leaders of the 4740
political party from whose list of persons the member being 4741
replaced was appointed shall submit to the governor, not later 4742
than thirty days after the date of the vacancy, a list of three 4743
persons who are affiliated with that political party. Not later 4744
than fifteen days after receiving the list, the governor, with the 4745
advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint one person from 4746
the list to the commission.4747

       (3) At no time shall more than six members of the commission 4748
be affiliated with a political party, and, of these six members, 4749
not more than three shall be affiliated with the same political 4750
party.4751

       (4) In making appointments to the commission, the governor 4752
shall take into consideration the various geographic areas of this 4753
state and shall appoint members so that those areas are 4754
represented on the commission in a balanced manner, to the extent 4755
feasible.4756

       (5) Members of the commission shall be registered electors 4757
and shall be of good moral character.4758

       (B) Each member of the Ohio elections commission shall hold 4759
office from the date of the member's appointment until the end of 4760
the term for which the member was appointed. A member appointed to 4761
fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for 4762
which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for 4763
the remainder of that term. A member shall continue in office 4764
subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until the 4765
member's successor takes office or until a period of sixty days 4766
has elapsed, whichever occurs first. After the initial terms of 4767
office provided for in division (A)(1) of this section, terms of 4768
office shall be for five years.4769

       (C) A vacancy in the Ohio elections commission may be caused 4770
by death, resignation, or three absences from commission meetings 4771
in a calendar year if those absences are caused by reasons 4772
declared invalid by a vote of five members of the remaining 4773
members of the commission.4774

       (D) Each member of the Ohio elections commission while in the4775
performance of the business of the commission shall be entitled to 4776
receive compensation at the rate of twenty-five thousand dollars 4777
per year. Members shall be reimbursed for expenses actually and 4778
necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties.4779

       (E) No member of the Ohio elections commission shall serve 4780
more than one full term unless the terms served are served 4781
nonconsecutively.4782

       (F)(1) No member of the Ohio elections commission shall do or 4783
be any of the following:4784

       (a) Hold, or be a candidate for, a public office;4785

       (b) Serve on a committee supporting or opposing a candidate 4786
or ballot question or issue;4787

       (c) Be an officer of the state central committee, a county 4788
central committee, or a district, city, township, or other 4789
committee of a political party or an officer of the executive 4790
committee of the state central committee, a county central 4791
committee, or a district, city, township, or other committee of a 4792
political party;4793

       (d) Be a legislative agent as defined in section 101.70 of 4794
the Revised Code or an executive agency lobbyist as defined in 4795
section 121.60 of the Revised Code;4796

       (e) Solicit or be involved in soliciting contributions on 4797
behalf of a candidate, campaign committee, political party, or4798
political action committee, or political contributing entity;4799

       (f) Be in the unclassified service under section 124.11 of 4800
the Revised Code;4801

       (g) Be a person or employee described in divisions (C)(1) to 4802
(15) of section 4117.01 of the Revised Code.4803

       (2) No member or employee of the commission shall make a 4804
contribution to, or for the benefit of, a campaign committee or 4805
committee in support of or opposition to a ballot question or 4806
issue, a political party, a legislative campaign fund, or a4807
political action committee, or a political contributing entity.4808

       (G)(1) The members of the Ohio elections commission shall 4809
elect a chairperson and a vice-chairperson. At no time shall the4810
chairperson and vice-chairperson be affiliated with the same 4811
political party. The chairperson shall serve in that capacity for4812
one year and shall not serve as chairperson more than twice during 4813
a term as a member of the commission. No two successive 4814
chairpersons shall be affiliated with the same political party.4815

       (2) The commission shall meet at the call of the chairperson 4816
or upon the written request of a majority of the members. The4817
meetings and hearings of the commission or a panel of the 4818
commission under sections 3517.153 to 3517.157 of the Revised Code 4819
are subject to section 121.22 of the Revised Code.4820

       (3) The commission shall adopt rules for its procedures in 4821
accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. Five of the 4822
seven members constitute a quorum. Except as otherwise provided in 4823
this section and in sections 3517.154 to 3517.157 of the Revised 4824
Code, no action shall be taken without the concurrence of a 4825
majority of the members.4826

       (H)(1) The Ohio elections commission shall employ the4827
technical, professional, and clerical employees that are necessary4828
for it to carry out its duties.4829

       (2)(a) Notwithstanding section 109.02 of the Revised Code, 4830
the commission shall employ a full-time attorney, and, as needed, 4831
one or more investigatory attorneys to conduct investigations for 4832
the commission or a panel of the commission. The commission may 4833
employ or contract for the services of additional attorneys, as 4834
needed. The full-time attorney shall do all of the following:4835

       (i) Serve as the commission's attorney in regard to all legal 4836
matters, including representing the commission at appeals from a 4837
final determination of the commission, except that the full-time 4838
attorney shall not perform the duties that an investigatory 4839
attorney is required or requested to perform or that another 4840
attorney the commission employs or contracts with for services is 4841
required or requested to perform, and shall not represent the 4842
commission in any legal proceeding in which the commission is a 4843
named party;4844

       (ii) At the request of the commission or a panel of the 4845
commission, be present at a hearing held under sections 3517.154 4846
to 3517.156 of the Revised Code to rule on the admissibility of 4847
evidence and to advise on the conduct of procedure;4848

       (iii) Perform other duties as required by rule of the 4849
commission.4850

       (b) An attorney employed by or under contract with the 4851
commission shall be licensed to practice law in this state.4852

       (3)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(3)(b) of 4853
this section, at least five members of the commission shall agree 4854
on the employment of a person, a majority of the members shall 4855
agree on the discharge of an employee, and a person employed by 4856
the commission shall serve at the pleasure of the commission.4857

       (b) At least five of the seven members shall agree on the 4858
discharge of an investigatory attorney.4859

       (I) There is hereby created in the state treasury the Ohio 4860
elections commission fund. All moneys credited to the fund shall 4861
be used solely for the purpose of paying expenses related to the 4862
operation of the Ohio elections commission.4863

       Sec. 3517.154.  (A)(1) The full-time attorney for the Ohio 4864
elections commission shall review each complaint filed with the 4865
commission under section 3517.153 of the Revised Code, shall 4866
determine the nature of the complaint, and, unless division 4867
(A)(2)(a) of this section requires that the complaint receive an 4868
automatic expedited hearing, shall make a recommendation to the 4869
commission for its disposition, in accordance with this section. 4870
The attorney shall make the determination and the recommendation, 4871
if required, not later than one business day after the complaint 4872
is filed.4873

       (2)(a) If the attorney determines that the complaint sets 4874
forth a violation of division (B) of section 3517.21 or division 4875
(B) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code and that the complaint 4876
is filed during one of the periods of time specified in division4877
(B)(1) of section 3517.156 of the Revised Code, or that the 4878
complaint sets forth a violation of section 3517.103 of the 4879
Revised Code or a violation described in division (D) of section 4880
3517.1010 of the Revised Code, the complaint shall receive an4881
automatic expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised 4882
Code.4883

       (b) If the attorney determines that the complaint sets forth 4884
a failure to comply with or a violation of division (G), (I), (J), 4885
(O), (P), or (Q) of section 3517.13, division (A) of section 4886
3517.21, or division (A) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code 4887
and that the complaint is filed during one of the periods of time 4888
specified in division (B)(1) of section 3517.156 of the Revised 4889
Code, the attorney shall recommend to the commission that the 4890
complaint receive an expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of 4891
the Revised Code, and the complaint shall receive such a hearing.4892

       (c) If the attorney determines that the complaint sets forth 4893
a failure to comply with or a violation of a section of the 4894
Revised Code over which the commission has jurisdiction to hear 4895
complaints other than the sections described in divisions4896
(A)(2)(a) and (b) of this section, and unless the attorney makes a 4897
determination as provided for in division (A)(3) of this section, 4898
the attorney shall recommend to the commission that the complaint 4899
be submitted to the commission under section 3517.155 of the 4900
Revised Code. After the attorney makes that recommendation, the 4901
attorney shall notify all parties to the complaint of the 4902
attorney's recommendation.4903

       (3)(a) If a complaint sets forth a failure to comply with or 4904
a violation of a section of the Revised Code over which the4905
commission has jurisdiction to hear complaints other than the4906
sections described in divisions (A)(2)(a) and (b) of this section 4907
and if the complaint is filed during one of the periods of time 4908
specified in division (B)(1) of section 3517.156 of the Revised 4909
Code, the attorney may determine that the complaint should receive 4910
an expedited hearing under that section. The attorney shall make 4911
that determination by considering one or more of the following:4912

       (i) The number of prior failures to comply with or violations 4913
of Title XXXV of the Revised Code that the person or entity4914
against whom the complaint has been brought has committed and any 4915
prior penalties the commission has imposed on the person or 4916
entity;4917

       (ii) If the complaint involves a statement required to be 4918
filed under section 3517.10, division (E) of section 3517.102, or 4919
section 3517.103, 3517.105, 3517.107, 3517.108, or 3517.109, 4920
3517.1011, or 3517.1012 of the Revised Code or an addendum 4921
required to be filed under section 3517.11 of the Revised Code 4922
that is filed late, how late the filing is and how much time has 4923
elapsed between the deadline for filing the statement or addendum 4924
and the filing of the complaint;4925

       (iii) If the complaint involves contributions orand4926
expenditures, contributions and disbursements, or deposits and 4927
disbursements required to be reported under section 3517.10, 4928
division (E) of section 3517.102, or section 3517.105, 3517.107, 4929
3517.108, or 3517.109, 3517.1011, or 3517.1012 of the Revised Code 4930
that are either not reported or reported late, the number of 4931
contributions orand expenditures, contributions and 4932
disbursements, or deposits and disbursements not reported or how 4933
late they were reported;4934

       (iv) If the complaint involves contributions required to be 4935
reported by a campaign committee under section 3517.10, division 4936
(E) of section 3517.102, or section 3517.105, 3517.107, 3517.108, 4937
or 3517.109 of the Revised Code that are not reported, whether any 4938
of the contributors of the contributions not reported have a 4939
personal or professional relationship with the campaign 4940
committee's candidate;4941

       (v) If the complaint involves a statement required to be 4942
filed under section 3517.10, division (E) of section 3517.102, or 4943
section 3517.103, 3517.105, 3517.107, 3517.108, or 3517.109, 4944
3517.1011, or 3517.1012 of the Revised Code that is incomplete, 4945
the degree to which it is incomplete;4946

       (vi) If the complaint involves the receipt of contributions 4947
in violation of section 3599.03 of the Revised Code, the dollar 4948
amount and number of contributions received in violation of that 4949
section;4950

       (vii) If the complaint involves a failure to make the 4951
identification or a misstatement of the identification required 4952
under section 3517.105 or 3517.20 of the Revised Code, whether the 4953
failure or misstatement was purposely made;4954

       (viii) If the complaint sets forth a failure to comply with 4955
or a violation of a section of the Revised Code described in 4956
division (A)(2)(c) of this section, whether the person or entity 4957
against whom the complaint has been made has committed more than 4958
one such failure or violation within a reasonable amount of time, 4959
or whether the cumulative nature of the failures or violations 4960
indicates a systematic disregard for the law.4961

       (b) Prior to making a determination under division (A)(3)(a) 4962
of this section that the complaint should receive an expedited 4963
hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised Code, the attorney 4964
shall take into consideration the number of panels of the 4965
commission that have cases pending before them and the number of 4966
cases pending before the panels and shall not make a determination 4967
that will place an undue burden on a panel of the commission.4968

       (c) If the attorney determines that the complaint should 4969
receive an expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised 4970
Code, the attorney shall recommend to the commission that the 4971
complaint receive an expedited hearing, and, if a majority of the 4972
members of the commission agrees with the recommendation, the 4973
complaint shall receive an expedited hearing under that section.4974

       (4) The attorney may join two or more complaints if the 4975
attorney determines that the allegations in each complaint are of 4976
the same or similar character, are based on the same act or 4977
failure to act, or are based on two or more acts or failures to 4978
act constituting parts of a common scheme or plan. If one 4979
complaint contains two or more allegations, the attorney may 4980
separate the allegations if they are not of the same or similar 4981
character, if they are not based on the same act or failure to 4982
act, or if they are not based on two or more acts or failures to 4983
act constituting parts of a common scheme or plan. If the attorney4984
separates the allegations in a complaint, the attorney may make 4985
separate recommendations under division (A)(2) or (3) of this4986
section for each allegation.4987

       (B) Whenever a person or other entity files a complaint with 4988
the commission setting forth a failure to comply with or a 4989
violation of a section of the Revised Code as described in 4990
division (A)(2)(c) of this section and the complaint is filed 4991
during one of the periods of time specified in division (B)(1) of 4992
section 3517.156 of the Revised Code, the person or entity may 4993
request an expedited hearing under that section at the time the 4994
complaint is filed. The attorney for the commission shall inform 4995
the members of the commission of that request at the time the 4996
attorney makes a recommendation under division (A) of this 4997
section. The commission may grant the request for an expedited 4998
hearing under this division if it determines that an expedited 4999
hearing is practicable.5000

       Sec. 3517.155.  (A)(1) Except as otherwise provided in 5001
division (B) of this section, the Ohio elections commission shall 5002
hold its first hearing on a complaint filed with it, other than a 5003
complaint that receives an expedited hearing under section 5004
3517.156 of the Revised Code, not later than ninety business days5005
after the complaint is filed unless the commission has good cause5006
to hold the hearing after that time, in which case it shall hold5007
the hearing not later than one hundred eighty business days after5008
the complaint is filed. At the hearing, the commission shall5009
determine whether or not the failure to act or the violation5010
alleged in the complaint has occurred and shall do only one of the 5011
following, except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this 5012
section or in division (B) of section 3517.151 of the Revised 5013
Code:5014

       (a) Enter a finding that good cause has been shown not to 5015
impose a fine or not to refer the matter to the appropriate5016
prosecutor;5017

       (b) Impose a fine under section 3517.993 of the Revised Code;5018

       (c) Refer the matter to the appropriate prosecutor;5019

       (d) Direct the secretary of state or appropriate board of5020
elections with the authority to certify a candidate to the ballot 5021
to remove a candidate's name from the ballot if the candidate is 5022
barred from the ballot under division (D) of section 3517.1010 of 5023
the Revised Code.5024

       (2) As used in division (A) of this section, "appropriate 5025
prosecutor" means a prosecutor as defined in section 2935.01 of 5026
the Revised Code and either of the following:5027

       (a) In the case of a failure to comply with or a violation of 5028
law involving a campaign committee or the committee's candidate, a 5029
political party, a legislative campaign fund, or a political 5030
action committee, or a political contributing entity, that is 5031
required to file a statement of contributions and expenditures 5032
with the secretary of state under division (A) of section 3517.11 5033
of the Revised Code, the prosecutor of Franklin county;5034

       (b) In the case of a failure to comply with or a violation of 5035
law involving any other campaign committee or committee's 5036
candidate, or any other political party or political action 5037
committee, either of the following as determined by the5038
commission:5039

       (i) The prosecutor of Franklin county;5040

       (ii) The prosecutor of the county in which the candidacy or 5041
ballot question or issue is submitted to the electors or, if it is 5042
submitted in more than one county, the most populous of those 5043
counties.5044

       (B) If the commission decides that the evidence is 5045
insufficient for it to determine whether or not the failure to act 5046
or the violation alleged in the complaint has occurred, the 5047
commission, by the affirmative vote of five members, may request 5048
that an investigatory attorney investigate the complaint. Upon 5049
that request, an investigatory attorney shall make an5050
investigation in order to produce sufficient evidence for the5051
commission to decide the matter. If the commission requests an 5052
investigation under this division, for good cause shown by the5053
investigatory attorney, the commission may extend by sixty days 5054
the deadline for holding its first hearing on the complaint as 5055
required in division (A) of this section.5056

       (C) The commission shall take one of the actions required 5057
under division (A) of this section not later than thirty days 5058
after the close of all the evidence presented.5059

       (D)(1) The commission shall make any finding of a failure to 5060
comply with or a violation of law in regard to a complaint that 5061
alleges a violation of division (D) of section 3517.1010, division 5062
(A) or (B) of section 3517.21, or division (A) or (B) of section 5063
3517.22 of the Revised Code by clear and convincing evidence. The 5064
commission shall make any finding of a failure to comply with or a5065
violation of law in regard to any other complaint by a 5066
preponderance of the evidence.5067

       (2) If the commission finds a violation of division (B) of 5068
section 3517.21 or division (B) of section 3517.22 of the Revised 5069
Code, it shall refer the matter to the appropriate prosecutor 5070
under division (A)(1)(c) of this section and shall not impose a 5071
fine under division (A)(1)(b) of this section or section 3517.993 5072
of the Revised Code.5073

       (E) In an action before the commission or a panel of the 5074
commission, if the allegations of the complainant are not proved, 5075
and the commission takes the action described in division 5076
(A)(1)(a) of this section or a panel of the commission takes the 5077
action described in division (C)(1) of section 3517.156 of the 5078
Revised Code, the commission or a panel of the commission may find 5079
that the complaint is frivolous, and, if the commission or panel 5080
so finds, the commission shall order the complainant to pay 5081
reasonable attorney's fees and to pay the costs of the commission 5082
or panel as determined by a majority of the members of the 5083
commission. The costs paid to the commission or panel under this 5084
division shall be deposited into the Ohio elections commission 5085
fund.5086

       Sec. 3517.16. (A) There is hereby created in the state 5087
treasury the Ohio political party fund. All moneys received as a 5088
result of individuals exercising the checkoff option on their 5089
state income tax returns provided for in section 5747.081 of the 5090
Revised Code shall be deposited in thisthe fund. The tax 5091
commissioner shall pay money from the fund only to the auditor of 5092
state.5093

       (B)(1) The auditor of state shall retain sufficient funds 5094
from the moneys in the Ohio political party fund to pay any costs 5095
the auditor of state incurs in conducting audits under section 5096
3517.17 of the Revised Code. 5097

       (2) After the costs of audits are deducted under division 5098
(B)(1) of this section, the auditor of state shall pay any moneys 5099
remaining in the fund only to political parties qualifying for it5100
them under division (B) of section 3517.17 of the Revised Code.5101

       Sec. 3517.17.  (A) At the beginning of each calendar quarter, 5102
after the costs of audits are deducted under division (B)(1) of 5103
section 3517.16 of the Revised Code, the auditor of state shall 5104
divide any remaining moneys that have accrued in the Ohio 5105
political party fund during the previous quarter shall be divided5106
equally among all qualified political parties in the following 5107
manner. Of the public moneys to which a party is entitled:5108

       (1) One-half shall be paid to the treasurer of the state5109
executive committee of the party;5110

       (2) One-half shall be distributed to the treasurer of each5111
county executive committee of the various counties in accordance5112
with the ratio that the number of checkoffs in each county bears5113
to the total number of checkoffs, as determined by the tax5114
commissioner.5115

       Each party treasurer receiving public moneys from the Ohio5116
political party fund shall deposit those moneys into the party's 5117
restricted fund created under section 3517.1012 of the Revised 5118
Code, shall expend and maintain suchthose moneys in an account5119
separate from all other assets of the political partysubject to 5120
the requirements of that section and section 3517.18 of the 5121
Revised Code, and shall file deposit and disbursement statements 5122
of contributions and expenditures as required by sections 3517.10 5123
and 3517.11division (B) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code. 5124
Each treasurer of a state executive committee who files such a 5125
statement shall file it with the secretary of state and each 5126
treasurer of a county executive committee who files such a 5127
statement shall file it with the appropriate board of elections. 5128
All such statements filed shall clearly indicate the amounts of 5129
public moneys received and the manner of their expenditure. The 5130
auditor of state shall annually audit the deposit and disbursement5131
statements of the state committee of a political party that has 5132
receivedis eligible to receive public moneys collected during the 5133
previous year, to ascertain that suchall moneys in the party's 5134
restricted fund are expended in accordance with law. The auditor 5135
of state shall audit the deposit and disbursement statements of 5136
each county committee of such a political party to ascertain that 5137
all moneys in the party's restricted fund are expended in 5138
accordance with law at the time of the public office audit of that 5139
county under Chapter 117. of the Revised Code.5140

       (B) Only major political parties, as defined in section5141
3501.01 of the Revised Code, may apply for public moneys from the5142
Ohio political party fund. At the end of each even-numbered5143
calendar year, the secretary of state shall announce the names of5144
all such political parties, indicating that they may apply to5145
receive such moneys during the ensuing two years. Any political5146
party named at this time may, not later than the last day of5147
January of the ensuing odd-numbered year, make application with5148
the tax commissionerauditor of state to receive public moneys. No5149
A political party that fails to make a timely application shall 5150
not receive public moneys during that two-year period. The tax 5151
commissionerauditor of state shall prescribe an appropriate 5152
application form. Moneys from the fund shall be provided during 5153
the appropriate two-year period to each political party that makes 5154
a timely application in accordance with this division.5155

       Sec. 3517.20.  (A)(1) As used in division (A) of this 5156
section:5157

       (a) "Political publication for or against a candidate" means 5158
a notice, placard, advertisement, sample ballot, brochure, flyer, 5159
direct mailer, or any other form of general publication that is 5160
designed to promote the nomination, election, or defeat of a 5161
candidate.5162

       (b) "Political publication for or against an issue" means a 5163
notice, placard, advertisement, sample ballot, brochure, flyer, 5164
direct mailer, or any other form of general publication that is 5165
designed to promote the adoption or defeat of a ballot issue or 5166
question or to influence the voters in an election.5167

       (c) "Public political advertising" means newspapers, 5168
magazines, outdoor advertising facilities, direct mailings, or 5169
other similar types of general public political advertising, or 5170
flyers, handbills, or other nonperiodical printed matter.5171

       (d) "Statewide candidate" has the same meaning as in section5172
3517.102 of the Revised Code.5173

       (e) "Legislative candidate" means a candidate for the office 5174
of member of the general assembly.5175

       (f) "Local candidate" means a candidate for an elective 5176
office of a political subdivision of this state.5177

       (g) "Legislative campaign fund" has the same meaning as in5178
section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.5179

       (h) "Limited political action committee" means a political 5180
action committee of fewer than ten members.5181

       (i) "Limited political contributing entity" means a political5182
contributing entity of fewer than ten members.5183

       (j) "Designated amount" means one hundred dollars in the case 5184
of a local candidate or a local ballot issue, two hundred fifty 5185
dollars in the case of a legislative candidate, or five hundred 5186
dollars in the case of a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot 5187
issue.5188

       (k)(j) "To issue" includes to print, post, distribute,5189
reproduce for distribution, or cause to be issued, printed,5190
posted, distributed, or reproduced for distribution.5191

       (k) "Telephone bank" means more than five hundred telephone 5192
calls of an identical or substantially similar nature within any 5193
thirty-day period, whether those telephone calls are made by 5194
individual callers or by recording.5195

       (2) No candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign 5196
fund, political party, or other entity, except a political action5197
committee or political contributing entity, shall issue a form of5198
political publication for or against a candidate, or shall make an 5199
expenditure for the purpose of financing political communications 5200
in support of or opposition to a candidate through public 5201
political advertising, unless the name and residence or business 5202
address of the candidate or the chairperson, treasurer, or 5203
secretary of the campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, 5204
political party, or other entity that issues or otherwise is 5205
responsible for that political publication or that makes an 5206
expenditure for that political communication appears in a 5207
conspicuous place on that political publication or is contained 5208
within that political communication. 5209

       (3) No limited political action committee or limited 5210
political contributing entity shall do either of the following 5211
unless the name and residence or business address of the 5212
chairperson, treasurer, or secretary of the limited political 5213
action committee or limited political contributing entity involved 5214
appears in a conspicuous place in the political publication for or 5215
against a candidate described in division (A)(3)(a) of this5216
section or is contained within the political communication5217
described in division (A)(3)(b) of this section:5218

       (a) Issue a form of political publication for or against a 5219
candidate that costs in excess of the designated amount or that is 5220
issued in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the 5221
request or suggestion of, a candidate, a campaign committee, a 5222
legislative campaign fund, a political party, a political action 5223
committee with ten or more members, a political contributing 5224
entity with ten or more members, or a limited political action 5225
committee or limited political contributing entity that spends in 5226
excess of the designated amount on a related or the same or 5227
similar political publication for or against a candidate;5228

       (b) Make an expenditure in excess of the designated amount in 5229
support of or opposition to a candidate or make an expenditure in 5230
cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or 5231
suggestion of, a candidate, a campaign committee, a legislative 5232
campaign fund, a political party, a political action committee 5233
with ten or more members, a political contributing entity with ten 5234
or more members, or a limited political action committee or 5235
limited political contributing entity that spends in excess of the5236
designated amount in support of or opposition to the same5237
candidate, for the purpose of financing political communications5238
in support of or opposition to that candidate through public5239
political advertising.5240

       (4) No political action committee with ten or more members 5241
and no political contributing entity with ten or more members5242
shall issue a form of political publication for or against a 5243
candidate, or shall make an expenditure for the purpose of 5244
financing political communications in support of or opposition to 5245
a candidate through public political advertising, unless the name 5246
and residence or business address of the chairperson, treasurer, 5247
or secretary of the political action committee or political 5248
contributing entity that issues or otherwise is responsible for 5249
that political publication or that makes an expenditure for that 5250
political communication through public political advertising 5251
appears in a conspicuous place in that political publication or is 5252
contained within that political communication.5253

       (5) No corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, 5254
legislative campaign fund, political party, or other entity, 5255
except a political action committee, shall issue a form of 5256
political publication for or against an issue, or shall make an 5257
expenditure for the purpose of financing political communications 5258
in support of or opposition to a ballot issue or question through 5259
public political advertising, unless the name and residence or 5260
business address of the chairperson, treasurer, or secretary of 5261
the corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, 5262
legislative campaign fund, political party, or other entity that5263
issues or otherwise is responsible for that political publication 5264
or that makes an expenditure for that political communication5265
through public political advertising appears in a conspicuous5266
place in that political publication or is contained within that5267
political communication.5268

       (6) No limited political action committee shall do either of5269
the following unless the name and residence or business address of 5270
the chairperson, treasurer, or secretary of the limited political 5271
action committee involved appears in a conspicuous place in the 5272
political publication for or against a ballot issue described in 5273
division (A)(6)(a) of this section or is contained within the 5274
political communication described in division (A)(6)(b) of this 5275
section:5276

       (a) Issue a form of political publication for or against a 5277
ballot issue that costs in excess of the designated amount or that 5278
is issued in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the 5279
request or suggestion of, a candidate, a campaign committee, a 5280
legislative campaign fund, a political party, a political action 5281
committee with ten or more members, or a limited political action 5282
committee that spends in excess of the designated amount for a 5283
related or the same or similar political publication for or 5284
against an issue;5285

       (b) Make an expenditure in excess of the designated amount in 5286
support of or opposition to a ballot issue or make an expenditure 5287
in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request 5288
or suggestion of, a candidate, a campaign committee, a legislative 5289
campaign fund, a political party, a political action committee 5290
with ten or more members, or a limited political action committee 5291
that spends in excess of the designated amount in support of or 5292
opposition to the same ballot issue, for the purpose of financing 5293
political communications in support of or opposition to that 5294
ballot issue through public political advertising.5295

       (7) No political action committee with ten or more members 5296
shall issue a form of political publication for or against an 5297
issue, or shall make an expenditure for the purpose of financing 5298
political communications in support of or opposition to a ballot 5299
issue or question through public political advertising, unless the 5300
name and residence or business address of the chairperson, 5301
treasurer, or secretary of the political action committee that 5302
issues or otherwise is responsible for that political publication 5303
or that makes an expenditure for that political communication 5304
appears in a conspicuous place in that political publication or is 5305
contained within that political communication.5306

       (8) The disclaimer "paid political advertisement" is not5307
sufficient to meet the requirements of this section. 5308

       (9) If the political publication described in division (A) of 5309
this section is issued by the regularly constituted central or 5310
executive committee of a political party that is organized as 5311
provided in Chapter 3517. of the Revised Codethis chapter, it 5312
shall be sufficiently identified if it bears the name of the 5313
committee and its chairperson or treasurer. 5314

       (10) If more than one piece of printed matter or printed5315
political communications are mailed as a single packet, the 5316
requirements of division (A) of this section are met if one of the 5317
pieces of printed matter or printed political communications in 5318
the packet contains the name and residence or business address of 5319
the chairperson, treasurer, or secretary of the organization or 5320
entity that issues or is responsible for the printed matter or 5321
other printed political communications.5322

       (11) This section does not apply to the transmittal of 5323
personal correspondence that is not reproduced by machine for 5324
general distribution.5325

       (12) The secretary of state, by rule, may exempt from the5326
requirements of this section, printed matter and certain other5327
kinds of printed communications such as campaign buttons,5328
balloons, pencils, or similar items, the size or nature of which5329
makes it unreasonable to add an identification or disclaimer. 5330

       (13) The disclaimer or identification described in division5331
(A) of this section, when paid for by a campaign committee, shall 5332
be identified by the words "paid for by" followed by the name and 5333
address of the campaign committee and the appropriate officer of 5334
the committee, identified by name and title. The identification or 5335
disclaimer may use reasonable abbreviations for common terms such 5336
as "treasurer" or "committee".5337

       (B)(1) No candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign 5338
fund, political contributing entity, political party, political 5339
action committee, limited political action committee, political 5340
contributing entity, limited political contributing entity, or 5341
other entity shall utter or cause to be uttered, over the5342
broadcasting facilities of any radio or television station within5343
this state, any communication that is designed to promote the5344
nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate, or the adoption or 5345
defeat of an issue or to influence the voters in an election, 5346
unless the speaker identifies the speaker with the speaker's name 5347
and residence address or unless the communication identifies the 5348
chairperson, treasurer, or secretary of the organization 5349
responsible for the communication with the name and residence or5350
business address of that officer, except that communications by 5351
radio need not broadcast the residence or business address of the 5352
officer. However, a radio station, for a period of at least six 5353
months, shall keep the residence or business address on file and 5354
divulge it to any person upon request.5355

       No person operating a broadcast station or an organ of5356
printed media shall broadcast or print a paid political5357
communication that does not contain the identification required by 5358
this section.5359

       (2) Division (B) of this section does not apply to any5360
communications made on behalf of a radio or television station or5361
network by any employee of such radio or television station or5362
network while acting in the course of the employee's employment.5363

       (3) No candidate or entity described in division (B)(1) of 5364
this section shall use or cause to be used a false, fictitious, or 5365
fraudulent name or address in the making or issuing of a 5366
publication or communication included within the provisions of 5367
this section.5368

       (C) No candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign 5369
fund, political party, political action committee, limited 5370
political action committee, or other person or entity shall 5371
conduct a telephone bank for the purpose of promoting the 5372
nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate or the adoption or 5373
defeat of an issue or to influence the voters in an election, 5374
unless the call includes a disclaimer that identifies the name of 5375
the candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, 5376
political party, political action committee, limited political 5377
action committee, or other person or entity paying for the 5378
telephone bank.5379

       (D) Before a prosecution may commence under this section, a 5380
complaint shall be filed with the Ohio elections commission under 5381
section 3517.153 of the Revised Code. After the complaint is 5382
filed, the commission shall proceed in accordance with sections 5383
3517.154 to 3517.157 of the Revised Code.5384

       Sec. 3517.23.  The secretary of state shall adopt rules in 5385
accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that are 5386
necessary for the administration and enforcement of sections 5387
3517.08 to 3517.13, 3517.18, 3517.20 to 3517.22, 3599.03, and 5388
3599.031 of the Revised Code and shall provide each candidate, 5389
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political 5390
party, and political contributing entityelectioneering 5391
communication committee with written instructions and explanations 5392
in order to ensure compliance with sections 3517.08 to 3517.13, 5393
3517.17, 3517.18, 3517.20 to 3517.22, 3599.03, and 3599.031 of the 5394
Revised Code.5395

       Sec. 3517.992.  This section establishes penalties only with5396
respect to acts or failures to act that occur on and after August5397
24, 1995.5398

       (A)(1) A candidate whose campaign committee violates division 5399
(A), (B), (C), (D), or (V) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, 5400
or a treasurer of a campaign committee who violates any of those 5401
divisions, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for5402
each day of violation.5403

       (2) Whoever violates division (E) or (X)(5) of section5404
3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one 5405
hundred dollars for each day of violation.5406

       (B) A political party that violates division (F)(1) of5407
section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than5408
one hundred dollars for each day of violation.5409

       (C) Whoever violates division (F)(2) of section 3517.101 or5410
division (G) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined5411
not more than ten thousand dollars or, if the offender is a person5412
who was nominated or elected to public office, shall forfeit the5413
nomination or the office to which the offender was elected, or5414
both.5415

       (D) Whoever violates division (F) of section 3517.13 of the5416
Revised Code shall be fined not more than three times the amount5417
contributed.5418

       (E) Whoever violates division (H) of section 3517.13 of the5419
Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.5420

       (F) Whoever violates division (O), (P), or (Q) of section5421
3517.13 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the5422
first degree.5423

       (G) A state or county committee of a political party that5424
violates division (B)(1) of section 3517.18 of the Revised Code5425
shall be fined not more than twice the amount of the improper5426
expenditure.5427

       (H) A state or county political party that violates division5428
(G) of section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not5429
more than twice the amount of the improper expenditure or use.5430

       (I)(1) Any individual who violates division (B)(1) of section 5431
3517.102 of the Revised Code and knows that the contribution the 5432
individual makes violates that division shall be fined an amount 5433
equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the 5434
amount permitted by that division.5435

       (2) Any political action committee that violates division5436
(B)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an5437
amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of5438
the amount permitted by that division.5439

       (3) Any campaign committee that violates division (B)(3) or5440
(5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an5441
amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of5442
the amount permitted by that division.5443

       (4)(a) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division5444
(B)(6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an5445
amount equal to three times the amount transferred or contributed5446
in excess of the amount permitted by that division, as applicable.5447

       (b) Any state political party, county political party, or5448
state candidate fund of a state political party or county5449
political party that violates division (B)(6) of section 3517.1025450
of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times5451
the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount5452
permitted by that division, as applicable.5453

       (c) Any political contributing entity that violates division5454
(B)(7) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an5455
amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of5456
the amount permitted by that division.5457

       (5) Any political party that violates division (B)(4) of5458
section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount5459
equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the5460
amount permitted by that division.5461

       (6) Notwithstanding divisions (I)(1), (2), (3), (4), and (5)5462
of this section, no violation of division (B) of section 3517.1025463
of the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not5464
refer parties to the Ohio elections commission, if the amount5465
transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted by5466
that division meets either of the following conditions:5467

       (a) It is completely refunded within five business days after 5468
it is accepted.5469

       (b) It is completely refunded on or before the tenth business 5470
day after notification to the recipient of the excess transfer or 5471
contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state 5472
that a transfer or contribution in excess of the permitted amount 5473
has been received.5474

       (J)(1) Any campaign committee that violates division (C)(1),5475
(2), (3), or (6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be5476
fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess5477
of the amount permitted by that division.5478

       (2)(a) Any state or county political party that violates5479
division (C)(4)(a)(ii) or (iii) of section 3517.102 of the Revised 5480
Code shall be fined an amount from its state candidate fund equal 5481
to three times the amount accepted.5482

       (b) Any county political party that violates division 5483
(C)(4)(a)(i) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be 5484
fined an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times 5485
the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that5486
division.5487

       (c) Any state political party that violates division 5488
(C)(4)(b) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined 5489
an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times the 5490
amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that 5491
division.5492

       (3) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division5493
(C)(5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an5494
amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the5495
amount permitted by that division.5496

       (4) Any political action committee or political contributing5497
entity that violates division (C)(7) of section 3517.102 of the5498
Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the5499
amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that5500
division.5501

       (5) Notwithstanding divisions (J)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of5502
this section, no violation of division (C) of section 3517.102 of5503
the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not5504
refer parties to the Ohio elections commission, if the amount5505
transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted to be5506
accepted by that division meets either of the following5507
conditions:5508

       (a) It is completely refunded within five business days after 5509
its acceptance.5510

       (b) It is completely refunded on or before the tenth business5511
day after notification to the recipient of the excess transfer or 5512
contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state 5513
that a transfer or contribution in excess of the permitted amount 5514
has been received.5515

       (K)(1) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division5516
(F)(1) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined5517
twenty-five dollars for each day of violation.5518

       (2) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division5519
(F)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall give to the5520
treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the5521
credit of the Ohio elections commission fund all excess5522
contributions not disposed of as required by division (E) of5523
section 3517.102 of the Revised Code.5524

       (L) Whoever violates section 3517.105 of the Revised Code5525
shall be fined one thousand dollars.5526

       (M)(1) Whoever solicits a contribution in violation of5527
section 3517.092 or violates division (B) of section 3517.09 of5528
the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.5529

       (2) Whoever knowingly accepts a contribution in violation of5530
division (B) or (C) of section 3517.092 of the Revised Code shall5531
be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in5532
violation of either of those divisions and shall return to the5533
contributor any amount so accepted. Whoever unknowingly accepts a5534
contribution in violation of division (B) or (C) of section5535
3517.092 of the Revised Code shall return to the contributor any5536
amount so accepted.5537

       (N) Whoever violates division (S) of section 3517.13 of the5538
Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the5539
amount of funds transferred or three times the value of the assets5540
transferred in violation of that division.5541

       (O) Any campaign committee that accepts a contribution or5542
contributions in violation of section 3517.108 of the Revised5543
Code, uses a contribution in violation of that section, or fails5544
to dispose of excess contributions in violation of that section5545
shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted,5546
used, or kept in violation of that section.5547

       (P) Any political party, state candidate fund, legislative5548
candidate fund, or campaign committee that violates division (T)5549
of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount5550
equal to three times the amount contributed or accepted in5551
violation of that section.5552

       (Q) A treasurer of a committee or another person who violates 5553
division (U) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined 5554
not more than two hundred fifty dollars.5555

       (R) Whoever violates division (I) or (J) of section 3517.135556
of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand5557
dollars. Whenever a person is found guilty of violating division5558
(I) or (J) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, the contract5559
awarded in violation of either of those divisions shall be5560
rescinded if its terms have not yet been performed.5561

       (S) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a5562
treasurer of a campaign committee who violates section 3517.081 of 5563
the Revised Code, and a candidate whose campaign committee5564
violates, or a treasurer of a campaign committee, or another5565
person who violates, division (C) of section 3517.10 of the 5566
Revised Code, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.5567

       (T) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a5568
treasurer of a committee who violates division (B) of section 5569
3517.09 of the Revised Code, or a candidate whose campaign 5570
committee violates,or a treasurer of a campaign committee, or5571
another person who violates division (C), of section 3517.09 of5572
the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand5573
dollars.5574

       (U) Whoever violates section 3517.20 of the Revised Code5575
shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.5576

       (V) Whoever violates section 3517.21 or 3517.22 of the5577
Revised Code shall be imprisoned for not more than six months or5578
fined not more than five thousand dollars, or both.5579

       (W) A campaign committee that is required to file a5580
declaration of no limits under division (D)(2) of section 3517.1035581
of the Revised Code that, before filing that declaration, accepts5582
a contribution or contributions that exceed the limitations5583
prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, shall return5584
that contribution or those contributions to the contributor.5585

       (X) Any campaign committee that fails to file the declaration 5586
of filing-day finances required by division (F) of section 5587
3517.109 or the declaration of primary-day finances or declaration 5588
of year-end finances required by division (E) of section 3517.1010 5589
of the Revised Code shall be fined twenty-five dollars for each 5590
day of violation.5591

       (Y) Any campaign committee that fails to dispose of excess5592
funds or excess aggregate contributions under division (B) of5593
section 3517.109 of the Revised Code in the manner required by5594
division (C) of that section or under division (B) of section5595
3517.1010 of the Revised Code in the manner required by division5596
(C) of that section shall give to the treasurer of state for5597
deposit into the Ohio elections commission fund created under5598
division (E)(2)(b)(I) of section 3517.1023517.152 of the Revised 5599
Code all funds not disposed of pursuant to those divisions.5600

       (Z) Any individual, campaign committee, political action5601
committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign5602
fund, political party, or other entity that violates any provision5603
of sections 3517.09 to 3517.12 of the Revised Code for which no5604
penalty is provided for under any other division of this section5605
shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.5606

       (AA)(1) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(1) of section5607
3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to5608
three times the amount contributed, expended, or promised in5609
violation of that division or ten thousand dollars, whichever5610
amount is greater.5611

       (2) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(2) of section5612
3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to5613
three times the amount solicited or accepted in violation of that5614
division or ten thousand dollars, whichever amount is greater.5615

       (BB) Whoever knowingly violates division (C) or (D) of 5616
section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than 5617
ten thousand dollars plus not more than one thousand dollars for 5618
each day of violation.5619

       (CC)(1) Subject to division (CC)(2) of this section, whoever 5620
violates division (H) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code 5621
shall be fined an amount up to three times the amount disbursed 5622
for the direct costs of airing the communication made in violation 5623
of that division.5624

       (2) Whoever has been ordered by the Ohio elections commission 5625
to cease making communications in violation of division (H) of 5626
section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code who again violates that 5627
division shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount 5628
disbursed for the direct costs of airing the communication made in 5629
violation of that division.5630

       (DD)(1) Any corporation or labor organization that violates 5631
division (X)(3)(a) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be 5632
fined an amount equal to three times the amount given in excess of 5633
the amount permitted by that division.5634

       (2) Any state or county political party that violates 5635
division (X)(3)(b) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be 5636
fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess 5637
of the amount permitted by that division.5638

       Sec. 3599.03.  (A)(1) Except to carry on activities specified5639
in sections 3517.082 and 3517.1011, division (A)(2) of section 5640
3517.1012, and section 3599.031 of the Revised Code and except as 5641
provided in divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this section, no5642
corporation, no nonprofit corporation, and no labor organization, 5643
directly or indirectly, shall pay or use, or offer, advise, 5644
consent, or agree to pay or use, the corporation's money or 5645
property, or the labor organization's money, including dues, 5646
initiation fees, or other assessments paid by members, or 5647
property, for or in aid of or opposition to a political party, a 5648
candidate for election or nomination to public office, a political 5649
action committee including a political action committee of the 5650
corporation or labor organization, a legislative campaign fund, or 5651
any organization that supports or opposes any such candidate, or 5652
for any partisan political purpose, shall violate any law5653
requiring the filing of an affidavit or statement respecting such 5654
use of those funds, or shall pay or use the corporation's or labor 5655
organization's money for the expenses of a social fund-raising 5656
event for its political action committee if an employee's or labor 5657
organization member's right to attend such an event is predicated 5658
on the employee's or member's contribution to the corporation's or 5659
labor organization's political action committee.5660

       (2) Whoever violates division (A)(1) of this section shall be5661
fined not less than five hundred nor more than five thousand5662
dollars.5663

       (B)(1) No officer, stockholder, attorney, or agent of a 5664
corporation or nonprofit corporation, no member, including an 5665
officer, attorney, or agent, of a labor organization, and no 5666
candidate, political party official, or other individual shall 5667
knowingly aid, advise, solicit, or receive money or other property 5668
in violation of division (A)(1) of this section.5669

       (2) Whoever violates division (B)(1) of this section shall be5670
fined not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more5671
than one year, or both.5672

       (C) A corporation, a nonprofit corporation, or a labor 5673
organization may use its funds or property for or in aid of or 5674
opposition to a proposed or certified ballot issue. Such use of 5675
funds or property shall be reported on a form prescribed by the 5676
secretary of state. Reports of contributions in connection with 5677
statewide ballot issues shall be filed with the secretary of 5678
state. Reports of contributions in connection with local issues 5679
shall be filed with the board of elections of the most populous 5680
county of the district in which the issue is submitted or to be 5681
submitted to the electors. Reports made pursuant to this division 5682
shall be filed by the times specified in divisions (A)(1) and (2) 5683
of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.5684

       (D)(1) Any gift made pursuant to section 3517.101 of the5685
Revised Code does not constitute a violation of this section or of 5686
any other section of the Revised Code.5687

       (2) Any gift made pursuant to division (A)(2) of section 5688
3517.1012 of the Revised Code does not constitute a violation of 5689
this section.5690

       (E) Any compensation or fees paid by a financial institution 5691
to a state political party for services rendered pursuant to 5692
division (B) of section 3517.19 of the Revised Code do not 5693
constitute a violation of this section or of any other section of 5694
the Revised Code.5695

       (F) The use by a nonprofit corporation of its money or 5696
property for communicating information for a purpose specified in 5697
division (A) of this section is not a violation of that division 5698
if the stockholders, members, donors, trustees, or officers of the 5699
nonprofit corporation are the predominant recipients of the 5700
communication.5701

       (G) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of section 5702
4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting 5703
agreements between employee organizations and public employers,5704
this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of 5705
agreements between labor organizations and public employers that 5706
are entered into on or after the effective date of this section 5707
pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code.5708

       (H) Divisions (A) and (B) of this section do not apply to a 5709
continuing association that is not involved in express advocacy.5710

       (I) As used in this section, "continuing association," 5711
"express advocacy," and "labor organization" have the same5712
meanings as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.5713

       Sec. 3599.031.  (A) Notwithstanding any sectionprovision of 5714
the Revised Code to the contrary and subject to divisions (C) and 5715
(H)division (C) of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code and 5716
division (B) of this section, any employer may deduct from the 5717
wages and salaries of its employees amounts for an account 5718
described in division (C)(B) of this section, a separate 5719
segregated fund, a political action committee of the employer, a 5720
political action committee of a labor organization of the 5721
employer's employees, a political action committee of an 5722
association of which the employer is a member, a political party, 5723
electioneering communication committee, or a ballot issue that the 5724
employee by written authorization may designate and shall transmit 5725
any amounts so deducted as a separate written authorization 5726
described in division (C)(B) of this section shall direct. Any5727
authorization authorizing a deduction from an employee's wages or5728
salary may be on a form that is used to apply for or authorize 5729
membership in or authorize payment of dues or fees to any 5730
organization, but the authorization for a deduction shall be5731
stated and signed separately from the application for membership 5732
or the authorization for the payment of dues or fees. The employer5733
either may deduct from the amount to be so transmitted a uniform 5734
amount determined by the employer to be necessary to defray the 5735
actual cost of making such deduction and transmittal, or may 5736
utilize its own funds in an amount it determines is necessary to 5737
defray the actual administrative cost, including making the 5738
deduction and transmittal.5739

       (B) Any person who solicits an employee to authorize a5740
deduction from his wages or salary pursuant to division (A) of5741
this section shall inform the employee at the time of the5742
solicitation that he may refuse to authorize a deduction, and that 5743
he may at any time revoke his authorization, without suffering any 5744
reprisal.5745

       (C) If an employer establishes a separate account in the name 5746
of an employee for the purpose of depositing into the account 5747
amounts deducted from the wages and salary of the employee 5748
pursuant to division (A) of this section or amounts directly given 5749
by the employee to the employer for the support of a candidate, a 5750
separate segregated fund, a political action committee of the5751
employer, a political action committee of a labor organization of5752
the employer's employees, a political action committee of an 5753
association of which the employer is a member, a political party, 5754
a legislative campaign fund, an electioneering communication 5755
committee, or a ballot issue, the employee shall sign a written 5756
authorization designating the recipient of a disbursement from 5757
that account. The written authorization required under this 5758
division is separate and distinct from a written authorization 5759
required under division (A) of this section. The authorization 5760
required under this division shall clearly identify and designate 5761
the candidate, separate segregated fund, political action5762
committee of the employer, political action committee of a labor5763
organization of the employer's employees, political action 5764
committee of an association of which the employer is a member, 5765
political party, a legislative campaign fund, electioneering 5766
communication committee, or ballot issue that is to receive any 5767
disbursement from the account established pursuant to this 5768
division. No person shall designate the recipient of a 5769
disbursement from the account except the employee from whose 5770
account the disbursement is made. No employer shall make a 5771
disbursement from the account of an employee established under 5772
this division unless the employer has received the written 5773
authorization required under this division.5774

       (D)(C) An employer shall furnish the recipient of any amount5775
transmitted pursuant to this section with the employer's full name 5776
and the full name of the labor organization of which the employee 5777
whose amount is being transmitted is a member, if any. An employer5778
shall keep and maintain the authorization forms of all its 5779
employees from whose wages and salaries any amounts were deducted 5780
pursuant to division (A) of this section and the authorizations of 5781
disbursements from accounts established under division (C)(B) of 5782
this section for a period of at least six years after the year in 5783
which the deductions and disbursements were made.5784

       (E)(D) An employee who has made an authorization pursuant to 5785
division (A) or (C)(B) of this section may revoke that 5786
authorization at any time. A revocation of the authorization does 5787
not affect any deduction already made from an employee's wages and 5788
salary or any amounts already transmitted or disbursed under this 5789
section.5790

       (F)(E) For purposes of this section and for the purpose of 5791
the information required to be filed under division (B)(4)(b)(iii) 5792
of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code:5793

       (1) If an employer is a corporation, each subsidiary of a 5794
parent corporation shall be considered an entity separate and5795
distinct from any other subsidiary and separate and distinct from5796
the parent corporation.5797

       (2) Each national, regional, state, and local affiliate of a 5798
labor organization shall be considered a distinct entity.5799

       (G)(F) Whoever violates division (C)(B) of this section shall 5800
be fined not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars 5801
for each disbursement made in violation of that division.5802

       (H) No public employer shall deduct from the wages and 5803
salaries of its employees any amounts for the support of any 5804
candidate, separate segregated fund, political action committee, 5805
legislative campaign fund, political party, or ballot issue.5806

       (I) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of section 5807
4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting 5808
agreements between employee organizations and public employers, 5809
this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of 5810
agreements between labor organizations and public employers 5811
entered into pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code.5812

       (J)(G) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of 5813
section 4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting 5814
agreements between employee organizations and public employers, 5815
this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of 5816
agreements between labor organizations and public employers that 5817
are entered into on or after the effective date of this amendment 5818
pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code.5819

       (H) As used in this section:5820

       (1) "LaborElectioneering communication committee," 5821
"legislative campaign fund," "labor organization," "political 5822
action committee," and "separate segregated fund" have the same5823
meanings as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.5824

       (2) "Public employer" means an employer that is the state or 5825
a state agency, authority, commission, or board, a political 5826
subdivision of the state, a school district or state institution 5827
of higher learning, a public or special district, or any other 5828
public employer.5829

       (3) "Employee" includes only an employee who is a resident of 5830
or is employed in this state.5831

       Sec. 3599.111.  (A) As used in this section, "registering a 5832
voter" or "registering voters" includes any effort, for 5833
compensation, to provide voter registration forms or to assist 5834
persons in completing those forms or returning them to the board 5835
of elections, the office of the secretary of state, or other 5836
appropriate public office.5837

       (B) No person shall receive compensation on a fee per 5838
signature or fee per volume basis for circulating any declaration 5839
of candidacy, nominating petition, declaration of intent to be a 5840
write-in candidate, initiative petition, referendum petition, 5841
recall petition, or any other election-related petition that is 5842
filed with or transmitted to a board of elections, the office of 5843
the secretary of state, or other appropriate public office.5844

       (C) No person shall receive compensation on a fee per 5845
registration or fee per volume basis for registering a voter.5846

       (D) Compensation for collecting signatures on 5847
election-related petitions and for registering voters shall be 5848
paid solely on the basis of time worked.5849

       (E)(1) Whoever violates division (B) or (C) of this section 5850
is guilty of election falsification under section 3599.36 of the 5851
Revised Code.5852

       (2) Whoever violates division (D) of this section is guilty 5853
of a felony of the fifth degree.5854

       Section 2. That existing sections 102.03, 2921.01, 2921.43, 5855
3501.38, 3503.14, 3513.07, 3513.10, 3513.261, 3517.01, 3517.08, 5856
3517.082, 3517.09, 3517.092, 3517.10, 3517.102, 3517.103, 5857
3517.104, 3517.105, 3517.106, 3517.108, 3517.109, 3517.11, 5858
3517.13, 3517.151, 3517.152, 3517.154, 3517.155, 3517.16, 3517.17, 5859
3517.20, 3517.23, 3517.992, and 3599.031 and section        Sec. 3599.03.  of 5860
the Revised Code are hereby repealed.5861

       Section 3. (A) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) 5862
of this section, no person intending to make a disbursement or 5863
disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing 5864
electioneering communications under this act shall make those 5865
disbursements using any contributions that the person received 5866
before the effective date of this act.5867

       (B) Any person intending to make a disbursement or 5868
disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing 5869
electioneering communications under this act who wishes to make 5870
those disbursements using contributions that the person received 5871
before the effective date of this act shall, in the first 5872
disclosure of electioneering communications statement that the 5873
person is required to file, report the contributor information 5874
specified in division (D)(1)(e) or (f) of section 3517.1011 of the 5875
Revised Code for each contribution that was received before the 5876
effective date of this act and that the person uses to make a 5877
disbursement that is included in that statement.5878

       (C) As used in this section, "contribution," "electioneering 5879
communication," and "person" have the same meanings as in section 5880
3517.1011 of the Revised Code.5881

       Section 4. (A) A state or county political party that has a 5882
state candidate fund, established under division (D)(3)(c) of 5883
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to the 5884
effective date of this act, in existence on that effective date 5885
shall, not later than 4 p.m. on that effective date, disburse any 5886
moneys in the fund in accordance with the versions of sections 5887
3517.08 to 3517.13 of the Revised Code that were in effect prior 5888
to that effective date. Any state candidate fund in existence on 5889
the effective date of this act shall be abolished not later than 4 5890
p.m. on that effective date.5891

       (B) No state or county political party that establishes a 5892
state candidate fund under division (D)(3)(c) of section 3517.10 5893
of the Revised Code as amended by this act shall transfer into 5894
that fund any moneys that were in a state candidate fund 5895
established under that section as it existed prior to the 5896
effective date of this act.5897

       Section 5. No moneys in any fund or account of a political 5898
party that was not subject to disclosure under the version of 5899
Chapter 3517. of the Revised Code that was in effect prior to the 5900
effective date of this act shall be disbursed, transferred into 5901
another fund or account of the political party, or otherwise used 5902
by that political party on or after the effective date of this act 5903
unless the contributors of those moneys are disclosed prior to 5904
that effective date in accordance with section 3517.10 of the 5905
Revised Code.5906

       Section 6.  Section 3513.10 of the Revised Code is presented5907
in this act as a composite of the section as amended by both Am.5908
Sub. H.B. 117 and Am. Sub. S.B. 9 of the 121st General Assembly. 5909
The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division 5910
(B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be 5911
harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds 5912
that the composite is the resulting version of the section in 5913
effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in 5914
this act.5915