As Introduced

127th General Assembly
Regular Session
2007-2008
H. B. No. 435


Representatives White, DeBose 


A BILL
To amend section 107.12 of the Revised Code to reform 1
the Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community 2
Initiatives.3


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

       Section 1. That section 107.12 of the Revised Code be amended 4
to read as follows:5

       Sec. 107.12. (A) As used in this section, "organization" 6
means a faith-based or other organization that is exempt from 7
federal income taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the "Internal 8
Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C. 1, as amended, 9
and provides charitable services to needy residents of this 10
state.11

       (B) There is hereby established within the office of the 12
governor the governor's office of faith-based and community 13
initiatives. The office shall:14

       (1) Serve as a clearinghouse of information on federal, 15
state, and local funding for charitable services performed by 16
organizations;17

       (2) Encourage organizations to seek public funding for their 18
charitable services;19

       (3) Act as a liaison between state agencies andAssist local, 20
state, and federal agencies in coordinating their activities to 21
secure maximum use of funds and efforts that benefit people 22
receiving charitable services from organizations;23

       (4) Advise the governor, general assembly, and the advisory 24
board of the governor's office of faith-based and community 25
initiatives on the barriers that exist to collaboration between 26
organizations and governmental entities and on ways to remove the 27
barriers.28

       (C) The governor shall appoint an executive assistant29
director and such other staff as may be necessary to manage the 30
office and perform or oversee the performance of the duties of 31
the office. Within sixty days after being appointed, and every 32
twelve months thereafter, the executive director shall distribute 33
to the advisory board and review with the board a strategic plan. 34
The executive director shall report to the board at least 35
quarterly on proposed initiatives and policies. A report shall 36
include the condition of the budget and the finances of the 37
office.38

       (D)(1) There is hereby created the advisory board of the 39
governor's office of faith-based and community initiatives. The 40
board shall consist of the following members appointed as follows:41

       (a) The directors of aging, alcohol and drug addiction42
services, rehabilitation and correction, health, job and family 43
services, mental retardation and developmental disabilities,44
mental health, and youth services shall each appoint to the board 45
one employee of that director's department., or their designees;46

       (b) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint 47
to the board two members of the house of representatives, not more 48
than one of whom shall be from the same political party and at 49
least one of whom shall be from the legislative black caucus. The 50
president of the senate shall appoint to the board two members of 51
the senate, not more than one of whom shall be from the same 52
political party.53

       (c) The governor, the speaker of the house of 54
representatives, and the president of the senate shall each 55
appoint to the board three representatives of the nonprofit, 56
faith-based and other nonprofit community.57

       (2) Terms of the office shall be one year. Any vacancy that 58
occurs on the board shall be filled in the same manner as the 59
original appointment. The members of the board shall serve 60
without compensation.61

       (3) At its initial meeting, the board shall elect a62
chairperson. The chairperson shall be a member of the board who 63
is a member of the house of representativesMembers of the board 64
are not entitled to compensation, but the members appointed by the 65
governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the 66
president of the senate who are representatives of the nonprofit, 67
faith-based and other nonprofit community shall be reimbursed for 68
their actual and necessary expenses that are incurred in relation 69
to board meetings.70

       (4) The board shall be presided over by a chairperson and a 71
vice-chairperson, who shall be the members of the board who are 72
also members of the house of representatives. Annually on the 73
first day of January, the chairpersonship and vice-chairpersonship 74
shall alternate between the members of the house of 75
representatives according to their party membership.76

       (E) The board shall do both of the followinghave the 77
following duties:78

       (1) Provide direction, guidance, and oversight to the office;79

       (2) Assist in the dissemination of information about, and in 80
the stimulation of public awareness of, the service programs 81
supported by the office;82

       (3) Review the budget and finances of the office, proposed 83
initiatives and policies, and the executive director's annual 84
strategic plan at board meetings;85

       (4) Provide feedback for and proposed modifications of the 86
executive director's strategic plan. Within forty-five days after 87
submitting a strategic plan, the executive director shall contact 88
each advisory board member to obtain feedback. With the approval 89
of the advisory board chairperson, the executive director shall 90
lead a strategic plan discussion at the first board meeting 91
following the distribution of the strategic plan.92

       (5) Publish a report of its activities and accomplishments on 93
or before the first day of August of each year, and deliver 94
copies of the report to the governor, the speaker and minority 95
leader of the house of representatives, and the president and 96
minority leader of the senate.97

       (F) No member of the board or organization that the member is 98
affiliated or involved with is eligible to receive any grant that 99
the office administers or assists in administering.100

       Section 2. That existing section 107.12 of the Revised Code 101
is hereby repealed.102

       Section 3.  The chairperson and vice-chairperson of the 103
Advisory Board of the Governor's Office of Faith-Based and 104
Community Initiatives who are holding office on the effective date 105
of this section continue to hold office until January 1, 2009. 106
Beginning January 1, 2009, the chairperson and vice-chairperson of 107
the advisory board assume office in accordance with the 108
alternation established in division (D)(4) of section 107.12 of 109
the Revised Code.110