Sub. S. B. No. 277 As Reported by the House County and Township Government Committee

Senators Spada, White, Harris, Wachtmann, Armbruster, Goodman, Mumper, Austria, Stivers, Amstutz, Carey, Fingerhut, Prentiss, Padgett, Miller, Mallory, Fedor, Jordan, Schuler, Schuring

Representatives Wolpert, Daniels, Collier, Combs, C. Evans, Walcher, Wagner, McGregor, DeGeeter, Skindell, Cirelli, Domenick, Schlichter

A BILL

To enact section 5904.01 of the Revised Code to 1
create the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame to recognize 2
the post-military achievements of outstanding 3
veterans. 4

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

       Section 1. That section 5904.01 of the Revised Code be 5
enacted to read as follows: 6

       Sec. 5904.01. (A) There is hereby created the Ohio veterans 7
hall of fame. The governor's office of veterans affairs shall 8
serve as the veterans hall of fame's administrative agent. The 9
veterans hall of fame shall recognize the post-military 10
achievements of outstanding veterans and spotlight all veterans' 11
contributions to the civilian workplace. 12

       (B) The Ohio veterans hall of fame shall have an executive 13
committee composed of thirteen members, all of whom shall be 14
veterans. The director of the governor's office of veterans 15
affairs shall be an ex officio member. The governor's office of 16
veterans affairs' veterans advisory committee, the advisory 17
committee on women veterans, the Ohio veterans hall of fame 18
foundation, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American 19
Veterans, the AMVETS, the Vietnam Veterans of America, and the 20
American Legion shall each appoint one member. 21

       The Ohio veterans hall of fame executive committee shall 22
appoint its final four members, one of whom shall be from any 23
veterans organization that is incorporated in this state and that 24
is not otherwise represented on the executive committee, one of 25
whom was inducted into the veterans hall of fame three years 26
before the current fiscal year, one of whom was inducted into the 27
veterans hall of fame two years before the current fiscal year, 28
and one of whom was inducted into the veterans hall of fame one 29
year before the current fiscal year. 30

       (C) Terms of office of the members of the Ohio veterans hall 31
of fame executive committee shall be for three years. Each member 32
shall serve subsequent to the expiration of the member's term 33
until the member's successor is appointed, or until sixty days has 34
elapsed, whichever occurs first. No member shall serve more than 35
two consecutive terms. 36

       (D) All vacancies in the membership of the Ohio veterans hall 37
of fame executive committee shall be filled in the same manner as 38
prescribed for original appointments, and the terms of the 39
appointees shall be limited to the unexpired terms. 40

       (E) The members of the Ohio veterans hall of fame executive 41
committee shall serve without compensation, but shall be 42
reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the 43
performance of their official duties. 44

       (F) The Ohio veterans hall of fame executive committee shall 45
elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from its membership. It 46
shall meet annually to select inductees for the veterans hall of 47
fame from the persons nominated in a manner prescribed by the 48
executive committee. The names of selected inductees shall be 49
submitted to the governor for final approval. The governor shall 50
provide any final approval within thirty days after the executive 51
committee submits the names of the selected inductees. The 52
governor may reject any of the selected inductees for cause, but 53
shall not make any additions to the list of those inductees. 54

       (G) Except as otherwise provided in this division, all state 55
elected officials, members of the general assembly, members of the 56
Ohio veterans hall of fame foundation, members of the veterans 57
hall of fame executive committee, members of the governor's staff, 58
members of the veterans hall of fame staff, and members of any 59
county veterans service commission, and the director of the 60
governor's office of veterans affairs, shall not be eligible for 61
induction into the veterans hall of fame until two years after 62
they have left their position. The executive committee may waive 63
the two-years requirement for nominees over the age of seventy. 64

       (H) The Ohio veterans hall of fame executive committee is not 65
subject to sections 101.82 to 101.87 of the Revised Code. 66

Section 1. That section 5904.01 of the Revised Code be	5
enacted to read as follows:	6

Sec. 5904.01. (A) There is hereby created the Ohio veterans	7
hall of fame. The governor's office of veterans affairs shall	8
serve as the veterans hall of fame's administrative agent. The	9
veterans hall of fame shall recognize the post-military	10
achievements of outstanding veterans and spotlight all veterans'	11
contributions to the civilian workplace.	12

(B) The Ohio veterans hall of fame shall have an executive	13
committee composed of thirteen members, all of whom shall be	14
veterans. The director of the governor's office of veterans	15
affairs shall be an ex officio member. The governor's office of	16
veterans affairs' veterans advisory committee, the advisory	17
committee on women veterans, the Ohio veterans hall of fame	18
foundation, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American	19
Veterans, the AMVETS, the Vietnam Veterans of America, and the	20
American Legion shall each appoint one member.	21

The Ohio veterans hall of fame executive committee shall	22
appoint its final four members, one of whom shall be from any	23
veterans organization that is incorporated in this state and that	24
is not otherwise represented on the executive committee, one of	25
whom was inducted into the veterans hall of fame three years	26
before the current fiscal year, one of whom was inducted into the	27
veterans hall of fame two years before the current fiscal year,	28
and one of whom was inducted into the veterans hall of fame one	29
year before the current fiscal year.	30

(C) Terms of office of the members of the Ohio veterans hall	31
of fame executive committee shall be for three years. Each member	32
shall serve subsequent to the expiration of the member's term	33
until the member's successor is appointed, or until sixty days has	34
elapsed, whichever occurs first. No member shall serve more than	35
two consecutive terms.	36

(D) All vacancies in the membership of the Ohio veterans hall	37
of fame executive committee shall be filled in the same manner as	38
prescribed for original appointments, and the terms of the	39
appointees shall be limited to the unexpired terms.	40

(E) The members of the Ohio veterans hall of fame executive	41
committee shall serve without compensation, but shall be	42
reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the	43
performance of their official duties.	44

(F) The Ohio veterans hall of fame executive committee shall	45
elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from its membership. It	46
shall meet annually to select inductees for the veterans hall of	47
fame from the persons nominated in a manner prescribed by the	48
executive committee. The names of selected inductees shall be	49
submitted to the governor for final approval. The governor shall	50
provide any final approval within thirty days after the executive	51
committee submits the names of the selected inductees. The	52
governor may reject any of the selected inductees for cause, but	53
shall not make any additions to the list of those inductees.	54

(G) Except as otherwise provided in this division, all state	55
elected officials, members of the general assembly, members of the	56
Ohio veterans hall of fame foundation, members of the veterans	57
hall of fame executive committee, members of the governor's staff,	58
members of the veterans hall of fame staff, and members of any	59
county veterans service commission, and the director of the	60
governor's office of veterans affairs, shall not be eligible for	61
induction into the veterans hall of fame until two years after	62
they have left their position. The executive committee may waive	63
the two-years requirement for nominees over the age of seventy.	64

(H) The Ohio veterans hall of fame executive committee is not	65
subject to sections 101.82 to 101.87 of the Revised Code.	66