To amend sections 3517.01, 3517.08, 3517.10, 3517.102, 3517.103, 3517.107, 3517.109, 3517.11, 3517.13, 3517.154, 3517.155, 3517.992, 3599.02, 3599.11, 3599.12, 3599.14, 3599.17, 3599.18, 3599.19, 3599.20, 3599.21, 3599.22, 3599.23, 3599.25, 3599.31, 3599.32, 3599.35, 3599.36, 3599.37, 3599.38, 3599.39, and 3599.40, to enact section 3517.1010, and to repeal section 3599.30 of the Revised Code to change certain penalties in the Elections Law, to make changes in regard to the use of personal funds for a campaign for statewide office or office of member of the General Assembly, to make changes regarding what funds a campaign committee may "carry into" an election, to require certain statewide candidates to file additional statements of contributions, to exempt, under certain circumstances, specified local candidates from filing all campaign finance statements, to make other changes in the Elections Law, to terminate certain provisions of this act on January 1, 2000, by amending sections 3517.10, 3517.102, 3517.103, 3517.154, 3517.155, and 3517.992 and repealing section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code on that date, and to declare an emergency.

SECTION 1 .  That sections 3517.01, 3517.08, 3517.10, 3517.102, 3517.103, 3517.107, 3517.109, 3517.11, 3517.13, 3517.154, 3517.155, 3517.992, 3599.02, 3599.11, 3599.12, 3599.14, 3599.17, 3599.18, 3599.19, 3599.20, 3599.21, 3599.22, 3599.23, 3599.25, 3599.31, 3599.32, 3599.35, 3599.36, 3599.37, 3599.38, 3599.39, and 3599.40 be amended and section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

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

(B) Notwithstanding the definitions found in section 3501.01 of the Revised Code, as used in this section, sections 3517.08 to 3517.14, and section 3517.99 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Campaign committee" means a candidate or a combination of two or more persons authorized by a candidate under section 3517.081 of the Revised Code to receive contributions and make expenditures.

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

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

(4) "Continuing association" means an association, other than a campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, or labor organization, that is intended to be a permanent organization that has a primary purpose other than supporting or opposing specific candidates, political parties, or ballot issues, and that functions on a regular basis throughout the year.

(5) "Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, transfer of funds or transfer of anything of value including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, which contribution is made, received, or used for the purpose of influencing the results of an election. "Contribution" does not include:

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

(b) Ordinary home hospitality;

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

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

(6) "Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a contribution for the purpose of influencing the results of an election or of making a charitable donation under division (G) of section 3517.08 of the Revised Code.

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

(8) "Political action committee" means a combination of two or more persons, the primary or incidental purpose of which is to support or oppose any candidate, political party, or issue, or to influence the result of any election, and that is not a political party, a campaign committee, or a legislative campaign fund.

(9) "Public office" means any state, county, municipal, township, and district office, except an office of a political party, that is filled by an election and the offices of United States senator and congressman.

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

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

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

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

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

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

(16) "In-kind contribution" means anything of value other than money that is used to influence the results of an election or is transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political action committee and that is made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of the benefited candidate, committee, fund, or party. The financing of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or part, of any broadcast or of any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials prepared by the candidate, his the candidate's campaign committee, or their authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to the candidate and an expenditure by the candidate.

(17) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by a person advocating the election or defeat of an identified candidate or candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of any candidate or candidates or of the campaign committee or agent of the candidate or candidates. As used in division (B)(17) of this section:

(a) "Person" means an individual, partnership, unincorporated business organization or association, political action committee, separate segregated fund, association, or any other organization or group of persons, but not a labor organization or a corporation.

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

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

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

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

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

(iii) Made by a political party in support of a candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a political party to conduct voter registration or voter education efforts.

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

(18) "Labor organization" means a labor union; an employee organization; a federation of labor unions, groups, locals, or other employee organizations; an auxiliary of a labor union, employee organization, or federation of labor unions, groups, locals, or other employee organizations; or any other bona fide organization in which employees participate and that exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(E) Expenditures made by any person for a social or fund-raising activity shall not be considered an expenditure by or on behalf of a campaign committee. The net contribution of each such social or fund-raising activity shall be calculated by totaling all contributions to the activity minus the expenditures made for the activity.

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

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

Sec. 3517.10.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in this division, every campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, and political party that made or received a contribution or made an expenditure in connection with the nomination or election of any candidate or in connection with any ballot issue or question at any election held or to be held in this state shall file, on a form prescribed under this section, a full, true, and itemized statement, made under penalty of election falsification, setting forth in detail the contributions and expenditures, no later than four p.m. of the following dates:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall file a monthly statement of contributions received during each of the months of July, August, and September in the year of the general election in which the candidate seeks office. The campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall file the monthly statement not later than three business days after the last day of the month covered by the statement. The campaign committee of a statewide candidate that files a notice under division (c)(1) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code and the campaign committee of a statewide candidate to which, in accordance with division (d) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code, the contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code no longer apply shall file an additional monthly statement of contributions received during the primary election period in the year of the primary election in which the candidate seeks nomination to office beginning with contributions received after the last business day in the committee's last previously filed statement, if any, through the fifteenth day of March. That statement shall be filed not later than three business days after the fifteenth day of March. Contributions reported in the additional monthly statement of contributions shall also be included in the campaign committee's pre-primary election statement required under division (A)(1) of this section. During the period beginning on the nineteenth day before the general election in which a statewide candidate seeks election to office and extending through the day of that general election, each time a the campaign committee of the joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor or of a candidate for the office of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, or attorney general receives a contribution from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount of contributions received from that contributor during that period to equal or exceed two thousand five hundred dollars and each time a the campaign committee of a candidate for the office of chief justice or justice of the supreme court receives a contribution from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount of contributions received from that contributor during that period to exceed five hundred dollars, the campaign committee shall file a two-business-day statement reflecting that contribution. The During the period beginning on the nineteenth day before a primary election in which a candidate for statewide office seeks nomination to office and extending through the day of that primary election, each time either the campaign committee of a statewide candidate in that primary election that files a notice under division (c)(1) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code or the campaign committee of a statewide candidate in that primary election to which, in accordance with division (D) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code, the contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 Of the Revised Code no longer apply receives a contribution from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount of contributions received from that contributor during that period to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars, the campaign committee shall file a two-business-day statement reflecting that contribution. Contributions reported on a two-business-day statement required to be filed by a campaign committee of a STATEWIDE candidate in a primary election shall also be included in the post-primary election statement required to be filed by that campaign committee under division (A)(2) of this section. A two-business-day statement required by this paragraph shall be filed not later than two business days after receipt of the contribution. The statements required by this paragraph shall be filed in addition to any other statements required by this section.

The secretary of state may permit the filing of two-business-day statements by facsimile or other electronic means of transmission.

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

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

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

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

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

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

(4) A statement of contributions received, which shall include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

(e) A separately itemized account of all contributions and expenditures regardless of the amount, except a receipt of a contribution from a person in the sum of twenty-five dollars or less at one social or fund-raising activity and a receipt of a contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and salaries of employees if the contribution from the amount deducted from the wages and salary of any one employee is twenty-five dollars or less aggregated in a calendar year. An account of the total contributions from each social or fund-raising activity shall include a description of and the value of each in-kind contribution received at that activity from any person who made one or more such contributions whose aggregate value exceeded two hundred fifty dollars and shall be listed separately, together with the expenses incurred and paid in connection with that activity. A campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party shall keep records of contributions from each person in the amount of twenty-five dollars or less at one social or fund-raising activity and contributions from amounts deducted under section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from the wages and salary of each employee in the amount of twenty-five dollars or less aggregated in a calendar year. No continuing association that is recognized by a state or local committee of a political party as an auxiliary of the party and that makes a contribution from funds derived solely from regular dues paid by members of the auxiliary shall be required to list the name or address of any members who paid those dues.

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

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

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

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

(5) A statement of expenditures which shall include:

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

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

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

(d) The amount of each expenditure.

(C)(1) The statement of contributions and expenditures shall be signed by the person completing the form.

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

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

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

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

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

(b) The form for all statements required to be filed under this section shall be prescribed by the secretary of state, and furnished to the boards of elections in the several counties, and the boards of elections shall supply printed copies of those forms without charge. The secretary of state may require that the statements required to be stored on computer by him the secretary of state under divisions (A)(1) to (4) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code be filed in whatever format he the secretary of state considers necessary so that he the secretary of state may store the information contained in the statements on computer. Any such format shall be of a type and nature that is readily available to whoever is required to file the statements in that format.

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

(D)(1) Prior to receiving a contribution or making an expenditure, every campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party shall appoint a treasurer and shall file, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, a designation of that appointment, including the full name and address of the treasurer and of the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party. That designation shall be filed with the official with whom the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party is required to file statements under section 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The name of a campaign committee shall include at least the last name of the campaign committee's candidate. The secretary of state shall assign a registration number to each political action committee that files a designation of the appointment of a treasurer under division (D)(1) of this section if the political action committee is required by division (A)(1) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code to file the statements prescribed by this section with the secretary of state.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(F) As used in this section:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(K)(1) in addition to filing a designation of APPOINTMENT of a treasurer under division (D)(1) of this section, the campaign committee of any candidate for an elected municipal office that pays an annual amount of compensation of five thousand dollars or less, the campaign committee of any candidate for member of a board of education except member of the state board of education, or the campaign committee of any candidate for township trustee or township clerk may sign, under penalty of election FALSIFICATION, a certificate attesting that the committee will not accept contributions during an election period that exceed in the aggregate two thousand dollars from all contributors and one hundred dollars from any one individual, and that the campaign committee will not make expenditures during an election period that exceed in the aggregate two thousand dollars.

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

(2) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN DIVISION (K)(3) OF THIS SECTION, a campaign committee that files a certificate under division (K)(1) OF THIS SECTION IS NOT REQUIRED TO FILE THE STATEMENTS REQUIRED BY DIVISION (A) OF SECTION 3517.10 Of the Revised Code.

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

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

(L) This is an interim section effective until January 1, 2000.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(9) "Designated Except as otherwise provided in division (F) of section 3517.103 and division (B)(3)(b) of section 3517.1010 Of the Revised Code, "designated state campaign committee" means:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(f) Five thousand dollars to any one political action committee in a calendar year.

(2) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no political action committee shall make a contribution or contributions aggregating more than:

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

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

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

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

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

(f) Two thousand five hundred dollars to another political action committee in a calendar year. Division (B)(2)(f) of this section does not apply to a political action committee that makes a contribution to a political action committee affiliated with it. For purposes of division (B)(2)(f) of this section, a political action committee is affiliated with another political action committee if they are both established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary, division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing association, or other person.

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

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

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

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

(d) Two thousand five hundred dollars to any one political action committee in a calendar year.

(4) Subject to division (D)(3) of this section, no political party shall make a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand five hundred dollars to any one political action committee in a calendar year.

(5) No campaign committee, other than a designated state campaign committee, shall make a contribution or contributions aggregating in a calendar year more than:

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

(b) Five thousand dollars to any one legislative campaign fund;

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

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

(i) Two thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign committee of any one senate candidate;

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

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

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

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

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

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

(I) Fifty thousand dollars in a primary election period or one hundred thousand dollars in a general election period to the campaign committee or any one senate candidate;

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

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

(c) A county political party that has no state candidate fund and that is located in a county having a population of less than one hundred fifty thousand may make one or more contributions from other accounts to any one designated state campaign committee that do not exceed, in the aggregate, two thousand five hundred dollars in any primary election period or general election period. As used in division (B)(6)(c) of this section, "other accounts" does not include either an account that contains the public moneys received from the Ohio political party fund under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code or the county political party's operating account.

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

(C)(1) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand five hundred dollars from any one individual, from any one political action committee, or from any one other campaign committee in a primary election period or in a general election period.

(2) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section and except for a designated state campaign committee, no campaign committee of a senate candidate shall accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand five hundred dollars from any one individual, from any one political action committee, from any one state candidate fund of a county political party, or from any one other campaign committee in a primary election period or in a general election period.

(3) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section and except for a designated state campaign committee, no campaign committee of a house candidate shall accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand five hundred dollars from any one individual, from any one political action committee, from any one state candidate fund of a county political party, or from any one other campaign committee in a primary election period or in a general election period.

(4)(a) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no county political party shall accept a contribution or contributions for the party's state candidate fund aggregating more than five thousand dollars from any one individual, from any one political action committee, or from any one campaign committee, other than a designated state campaign committee, in a calendar year.

(b) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no state political party shall accept a contribution or contributions for the party's state candidate fund aggregating more than fifteen thousand dollars from any one individual, from any one political action committee, or from any one campaign committee, other than a designated state campaign committee, in a calendar year.

(5) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no legislative campaign fund shall accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than five thousand dollars from any one individual, from any one political action committee, or from any one campaign committee, other than a designated state campaign committee, in a calendar year.

(6)(a) No designated state campaign committee shall accept a transfer or contribution of cash or cash equivalents from a state candidate fund of a state or county political party aggregating in a primary election period or a general election period more than:

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

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

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

(b) No designated state campaign committee shall accept a transfer or contribution of cash or cash equivalents from a legislative candidate fund aggregating more than:

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

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

(7)(a) Subject to division (D)(3) of this section, no political action committee shall accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than five thousand dollars from any one individual, or more than two thousand five hundred dollars from any one campaign committee or from any one political party.

(b) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no political action committee shall accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand five hundred dollars from another political action committee in a calendar year. Division (C)(7)(b) of this section does not apply to a political action committee that accepts a contribution from a political action committee affiliated with it. For purposes of division (C)(7)(b) of this section, a political action committee is affiliated with another political action committee if they are both established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary, division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing association, or other person.

(D)(1) For purposes of the limitations prescribed in division (B)(2) of this section and the limitations prescribed in divisions (C)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (7)(b) of this section, whichever is applicable, all contributions made by and all contributions accepted from political action committees that are established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary, division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing association, or other person, are considered to have been made by or accepted from a single political action committee.

(2) As used in divisions (B)(1)(f), (B)(3)(d), (B)(4), and (C)(7) of this section, "political action committee" does not include a political action committee that is organized to support or oppose a ballot issue or question and that makes no contributions to or expenditures on behalf of a political party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political action committee.

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

(E)(1) If a legislative campaign fund has kept a total amount of contributions exceeding one hundred fifty thousand dollars at the close of business on the seventh day before the postgeneral election statement is required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, the legislative campaign fund shall comply with division (E)(2) of this section.

(2)(a) Any legislative campaign fund that has kept a total amount of contributions in excess of the amount specified in division (E)(1) of this section at the close of business on the seventh day before the postgeneral election statement is required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code shall dispose of the excess amount in the manner prescribed in division (E)(2)(c)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this section not later than ninety days after the day the postgeneral election statement is required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. Any legislative campaign fund that is required to dispose of an excess amount of contributions under this division shall file a statement on the ninetieth day after the postgeneral election statement is required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code indicating the total amount of contributions the fund has at the close of business on the seventh day before the postgeneral election statement is required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and that the excess contributions were disposed of pursuant to this division and divisions (E)(2)(b) and (c) of this section. The statement shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and shall contain any additional information the secretary of state considers necessary.

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

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

(i) Giving the amount to the treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio elections commission fund;

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

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

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

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

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

(H) This is an interim section effective until January 1, 2000.

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

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

(2) "Personal funds" means moneys contributed CONTRIBUTIONS to the campaign committee of a candidate by the candidate or by the candidate's spouse, parents, children, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandparents, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, or grandparents by marriage.

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

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

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

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

(C)(1) If the campaign committee of any statewide candidate has received or expended or expects to expend more than one hundred thousand dollars of personal funds during a primary election period or one hundred fifty thousand dollars of personal funds during a general election period, the campaign committee shall file a PERSONAL FUNDS notice in the manner provided in division (B)(C)(3) of this section indicating that the committee has RECEIVED OR expended or expects to expend more than that amount. For the purpose of division (B)(C)(1) of this section, a joint team of candidates for governor and lieutenant governor shall be considered a single candidate and their personal funds shall be combined.

(2) If the campaign committee of any senate candidate or house candidate has RECEIVED OR expended or expects to expend more than twenty-five thousand dollars of personal funds during a primary election period or twenty-five thousand dollars of personal funds during a general election period, the campaign committee shall file a PERSONAL FUNDS notice in the manner provided in division (B)(C)(3) of this section indicating that the committee has RECEIVED OR expended or expects to expend more than that amount.

(3) The PERSONAL FUNDS notice required in divisions (B)(C)(1) and (2) of this section and the declaration of no limits required under division (D)(2) of this section shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state. The PERSONAL FUNDS notice required in divisions (C)(1) and (2) of this section shall be filed not later than sixty the earlier of the following times:

(a) One hundred twenty days before a primary election, in the case of personal funds RECEIVED, expended, or expected to be expended during a primary election period, or not later than sixty one hundred twenty days before a general election, in the case of personal funds RECEIVED, expended, or expected to be expended during a general election period. The;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(3)(4) The candidate of any campaign committee that expends personal funds in violation of VIOLATES division (D)(2)(E) of this section shall forfeit his the candidate's nomination, if he the candidate was nominated, or the office to which he the candidate was elected, if he the candidate was elected to office.

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

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

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

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

(G) This is an interim section effective until January 1, 2000.

Sec. 3517.107.  (A) As used in this section, "federal political committee" means a political committee, as defined in the Federal Election Campaign Act, that is registered with the federal election commission under that act.

(B) Any federal political committee may make contributions, expenditures, or independent expenditures from its federal account in connection with any state or local election in Ohio. Prior to making any such contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure, the federal political committee shall register with the secretary of state by filing a copy of its most recent federal statement of organization. A federal political committee registered with the secretary of state under this division shall file with the secretary of state any amendment to its statement of organization that is required under the Federal Election Campaign Act to be reported to the federal election commission.

(C) When, during any federal reporting period under the Federal Election Campaign Act, a federal political committee makes a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure from its federal account in connection with a state or local election in Ohio, the committee shall file with the secretary of state not later than the date on which its report is required to be filed with the appropriate federal office or officer under the Federal Election Campaign Act, copies of the following pages from that report:

(1) The summary page;

(2) The detailed summary page;

(3) The page or pages that contain an itemized list of the contributions, expenditures, and independent expenditures made in connection with state and local elections in Ohio.

The total amount of contributions, expenditures, and independent expenditures made in connection with state and local elections in Ohio shall be reflected on the summary page or on a form that the secretary of state shall prescribe.

(D) When, during any calendar year, a federal political committee makes a contribution from its federal account in connection with a state or local election in Ohio to a state or local political action committee that is required under section 3517.11 of the Revised Code to file any statement prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, and the federal political committee and state or local political action committee are established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same corporation, organization, continuing association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary, division, department, or unit of that corporation, organization, continuing association, or other person, the federal political committee shall file a statement with the secretary of state not later than the thirty-first last business day of December January of that the next calendar year. The statement shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and shall include a list of the names and addresses of contributors that are residents of Ohio and that made contributions to the federal political committee during the calendar year covered by the statement and, for each name listed, the aggregate total amount contributed by each contributor during the reporting period.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(a) In the case of a contribution from a contributor whose contributions are subject to the contribution limits described in divisions (B)(1), (2), (3), or (6)(a) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, that portion of the amount of the contributor's aggregate contribution that does not exceed the pre-primary contribution limit applicable to that contributor.

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

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

(ii) That portion of the aggregate contribution that was received as cash and does not exceed the applicable pre-primary cash transfer or contribution limits described in division (B)(6)(b) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code.

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

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

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

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

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

(d) The date of the primary election held in 1996.

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

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

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

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

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

(b) The applicable carry-in limit.

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

(B)(1) Beginning in calendar year 1998 for house candidates and beginning in calendar year 2000 for senate candidates and statewide candidates and in each calendar year thereafter, each candidate who files for state office, not later than the filing date for that office, shall dispose of any excess funds and excess aggregate contributions.

(2) In calendar year 1998, each candidate who files for statewide office or state senate, not later than the filing date for that office, shall dispose of any excess aggregate contributions.

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

(1) Giving the amount to the treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio elections commission fund;

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

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

(D) No candidate shall appear on the ballot, even if the candidate has been certified to appear on the ballot, unless the candidate's campaign committee has disposed of excess funds and excess aggregate contributions as required by divisions (B) and (C) of this section.

(E) The campaign committee of each candidate required to dispose of excess funds or excess aggregate contributions under this section shall file a report, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, with the official or board with which the candidate is required to file statements under section 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The report shall be filed by the seventh day following the filing deadline for the office the candidate is seeking, shall indicate the amount of excess funds and the source and amount of each excess aggregate contribution disposed of, and shall describe the manner in which the campaign committee disposed of the excess amounts.

(F)(1) Beginning in calendar year 1998, each campaign committee of a candidate who has filed a declaration of candidacy or a nominating petition for a state office, not later than seven days after the date of the filing deadline for the office the candidate is seeking, shall file a declaration of filing-day finances, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, with the official or board with which the candidate is required to file statements under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

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

(a) The amount of cash on hand in the candidate's campaign fund on the date the filing deadline for the office the candidate is seeking.

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

(c) The total of all aggregate contributions;

(d) The total of all allowable aggregate contributions;

(e) The total of all excess aggregate contributions;

(f) For each contributor, if any, for whom there is an excess aggregate contribution, the name, address, aggregate contribution, and excess aggregate contribution;

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

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

(1) The campaign committee has not accepted any aggregate contribution greater than the applicable amount, excluding any contribution accepted before the day of the primary election held in 1996.

(2) The campaign committee has less than the carry-in amount in cash on hand at the beginning of the pre-primary period, if applicable.

(3) The candidate files a declaration, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, with the official or board with which the candidate is required to file statements under section 3517.11 Of the Revised Code not later than seven days after the date of the filing deadline for the office that candidate is seeking, stating that the candidate's campaign committee has not accepted aggregate contributions as described in division (G)(1) of this section and has less than the carry-in amount in cash on hand as described in division (G)(2) of this section.

Sec. 3517.1010.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Aggregate contribution," "allowable aggregate contribution," "excess aggregate contribution," and "pre-filing period" have the same meanings as in section 3517.109 Of the Revised Code.

(2) "Filing deadline" means the last date on which a candidacy petition may be filed for an office.

(3) "Campaign asset" means prepaid, purchased, or donated assets, goods, or services available to the candidate's campaign committee on the date specified in the filing required under division (F) of this section that will be consumed, depleted, or used in the course of the candidate's election campaign, including, but not limited to, postage, rent for any campaign office, radio, television, and newspaper advertising, and consulting and personal services.

(4) "Permitted funds" means one of the following:

(a) In the case of a disposal of excess funds under division (B)(1) of this section, the sum of the primary carry-in amount and the product of both of the following:

(i) The sum of the campaign committee's net cash on hand and the campaign committee's total reported campaign assets on the day of the primary election less the primary carry-in amount;

(ii) The ratio of the sum of the allowable aggregate contributions of each contributor to the sum of all contributions received, during the period extending from the first day on which, in accordance with division (D) of section 3517.103 Of the Revised Code, the contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 Of the Revised Code no longer apply to the campaign committee through the end of the primary election period.

For the purposes of division (A)(4)(a) of this section, the allowable aggregate contribution of each contributor is calculated as if the limitations on contributions prescribed in section 3517.102 Of the Revised Code were in effect.

As used in division (A)(4)(a) of this section, "primary carry-in amount" is the sum of the campaign committee's cash on hand and reported campaign assets as reported on the campaign committee's declaration of no limits filed pursuant to division (D) of section 3517.103 Of the Revised Code.

(b) In the case of a disposal of excess funds under division (B)(5) of this section, the product of both of the following:

(i) The sum of the cash on hand and reported campaign assets at the end of the thirty-first day of December immediately following the general election;

(ii) The ratio of the sum of the allowable aggregate contributions of each contributor and the general carry-in amount to the sum of all contributions received during the general election period and the general carry-in amount.

For the purposes of division (A)(4)(b) of this section, when a candidate has filed a declaration of no limits under division (D)(2) of section 3517.103 Of the Revised Code, the allowable aggregate contribution calculated for each contributor is calculated as if the limitations on contributions prescribed in section 3517.102 Of the Revised Code were in effect.

As used in division (A)(4)(b) of this section, "general carry-in amount" is the sum of the campaign committee's reported campaign assets and net cash on hand as of the day of the primary election, after the committee has disposed of excess funds under division (B)(1) of this section, if required. "General election period" has the same meaning as in section 3517.102 Of the Revised Code.

(5) "Excess funds" means the amount by which the sum of the campaign committee's cash on hand on the date specified in the filing required to be made under division (F) of this section and total reported campaign assets exceeds permitted funds.

(6) "Net cash on hand" means the cash on hand on the day of the primary election less the sum of all debts and obligations reported under division (F) of this section.

(B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (G) of this section, the campaign committee of any candidate who has filed a declaration of no limits in accordance with division (D) of section 3517.103 Of the Revised Code, and to which the contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 Of the Revised Code no longer apply during a primary election period, shall dispose of any excess funds not later than fourteen days after the day on which the primary election was held.

(2) The campaign committee of any candidate that has filed a personal funds notice under division (C)(1) or (2) of section 3517.103 Of the Revised Code shall, at the end of the primary election period, do one of the following:

(a) Return that portion of the personal funds remaining in the candidate's campaign committee fund at the end of the primary election period that are excess funds not later than fourteen days after the day on which the primary election was held;

(b) Retain the personal funds remaining in the candidate's campaign committee fund at the end of the primary election period and file a statement with the secretary of state declaring that the campaign committee will retain those remaining personal funds in the committee's campaign fund and indicating the amount of remaining personal funds that would be characterized as excess funds.

(3) If a campaign committee elects to retain personal funds pursuant to division (B)(2)(b) of this section, both of the following apply:

(a) The amount characterized as excess funds is considered to be an expenditure of personal funds for the purpose of determining whether the amount of personal funds the campaign committee has received under division (C)(1) or (2) of section 3517.103 Of the Revised Code during an election period exceeds the amounts specified in those divisions.

(b) The campaign committee is not a designated state campaign committee for the purpose of making contributions to a legislative campaign fund or to the state candidate fund of a state or county political party.

(4) Except as otherwise provided in division (G) of this section, the campaign committee of any candidate that has expended personal funds in excess of the amount specified in division (C)(1) or (2) of section 3517.103 Of the Revised Code shall dispose of any excess funds not later than fourteen days after the day on which the primary election is held or the thirty-first day of December after the day on which the general election was held, whichever is applicable, or choose to retain personal funds under division (B)(2) of this section. The calculation of excess funds under division (B)(4) of this section shall be made in the same manner that a campaign committee is required to dispose of excess funds under division (B)(1) or (5) of this section, whichever election period is applicable. For the purposes of division (B)(4) of this section, the allowable aggregate contribution of each contributor, including one or more contributions from the candidate and from the candidate's spouse, parents, children, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandparents, mothers-in-law, fathers-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, or grandparents by marriage, is calculated for that contributor as if the contribution limitations prescribed by section 3517.102 Of the Revised Code were in effect.

(5) Except as otherwise provided in division (G) of this section, the campaign committee of any candidate to which, in accordance with division (D) of section 3517.103 Of the Revised Code, the contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 Of the Revised Code no longer apply during a general election period shall dispose of any excess funds not later than the thirty-first day of December after the day on which the general election was held.

(6) Notwithstanding divisions (B)(1) and (2) of section 3517.109 Of the Revised Code, the amount of excess aggregate contributions required to be disposed of under those divisions by a candidate whose contribution limitations have been reimposed pursuant to division (D)(4) of section 3517.103 Of the Revised Code is limited to no more than the sum of the following:

(a) The difference between the sum of the cash on hand and reported campaign assets on the date of the declaration of candidacy filing deadline, date of death, or date of withdrawal, whichever is applicable, less the sum of the cash on hand and reported campaign assets reported on the campaign committee's declaration of no limits under division (D)(2) of section 3517.103 Of the Revised Code;

(b) The sum of the aggregate excess contributions of all contributors made from the beginning of the primary election period to the day immediately preceding the day on which contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 Of the Revised Code became inapplicable pursuant to division (D)(1) of section 3517.103 Of the Revised Code.

(C) Any campaign committee that is required to dispose of excess funds or excess aggregate contributions under division (B) of this section shall dispose of the excess amount or amounts in accordance with division (C) of section 3517.109 Of the Revised Code.

(D)(1) Any candidate who knowingly fails to dispose of excess funds or excess aggregate contributions as required by divisions (B) and (C) of this section, except a candidate whose campaign committee has been given a letter of substantial compliance as provided for in division (D)(2) of this section, shall not appear on the ballot, even if the candidate has been certified to appear on the ballot.

(2) The secretary of state shall, after initially examining and reviewing any declaration provided for in division (F) of this section and making a determination that a campaign committee has substantially complied with the disposal requirements of division (B) of this section, promptly issue to the candidate's campaign committee a letter certifying that committee's substantial compliance.

(3) The campaign committee of a candidate for statewide office as defined in division (A) of section 3517.109 Of the Revised Code has not substantially complied with the disposal requirements of division (B) of this section if, upon initial review of a declaration filed pursuant to division (F) of this section, it is discovered that the candidate's campaign committee has failed to dispose of excess funds or excess aggregate contributions totaling in the aggregate more than ten thousand dollars.

(4) The campaign committee of a candidate for member of the general assembly has not substantially complied with the disposal requirements of division (B) of this section if, upon initial review of a declaration filed pursuant to division (F) of this section, it is discovered that the candidate's campaign committee has failed to dispose of excess funds or excess aggregate contributions totaling in the aggregate more than twenty-five hundred dollars.

(5) Any campaign committee that has received a letter indicating substantial compliance as provided for in division (D)(2) of this section shall, within thirty days after receiving such a letter, fully comply with the disposal requirements of division (B) of this section.

(E) When the campaign committee of a candidate files a personal funds notice in accordance with division (C), or a declaration of no limits in accordance with division (D), of section 3517.103 Of the Revised Code, the campaign committee of each such candidate shall file in the case of a primary election period a declaration of primary-day finances not later than fourteen days after the day on which the primary election was held, or shall file in the case of a general election period a declaration of year-end finances not later than the last business day of January of the next calendar year immediately following the day on which the general election was held.

(F) The declaration of primary-day finances and declaration of year-end finances shall be filed on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and shall list all of the following:

(1) The amount of net cash on hand in the candidate's campaign committee fund at the end of the day on which the primary election was held or cash on hand on the thirty-first day of December immediately following the day on which the general election was held, whichever is appropriate;

(2) In the case of a declaration of primary-day finances, any debt or other obligation incurred by the committee during the primary election period and related to the primary election of the campaign committee's candidate;

(3) The value and description of all campaign assets worth five hundred dollars or more available to the candidate at the end of the day on which the primary election was held or on the thirty-first day of December immediately following the day on which the general election was held;

(4) The total of all aggregate contributions received by the candidate's campaign committee during the primary or general election period;

(5) The total of all allowable aggregate contributions received by the candidate's campaign committee during the primary or general election period, whichever is applicable. The allowable aggregate contribution of each contributor shall be calculated as if the contribution limitations prescribed by section 3517.102 Of the Revised Code were in effect.

(6) A description of all excess funds and excess aggregate contributions disposed of by the candidate's campaign committee in accordance with division (B) of this section for that election.

(G) The campaign committee of a candidate is not required to dispose of excess funds or excess aggregate contributions under division (B) of this section if both of the following apply:

(1) The campaign committee has not accepted any aggregate contribution greater than the amount applicable under those divisions, excluding the amount of any contribution accepted before the day of the primary election held in 1996.

(2) The campaign committee files on a form, prescribed by the secretary of state, with the official or board with which the candidate is required to file statements under section 3517.11 Of the Revised Code, stating that the committee has not accepted aggregate contributions as described in division (G)(1) of this section.

(H) This is an interim section effective until January 1, 2000.

Sec. 3517.11.  (A)(1) Campaign committees of candidates for statewide offices or the state board of education, political action committees that make contributions to campaign committees of candidates that are required to file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the secretary of state, political action committees that make contributions to campaign committees of candidates for member of the general assembly, political action committees that make contributions to state and national political parties and to legislative campaign funds, political action committees that receive contributions or make expenditures in connection with a statewide ballot issue, political action committees that make contributions to other political action committees, political parties, and campaign committees, except as set forth in division (A)(3) of this section, legislative campaign funds, and state and national political parties shall file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the secretary of state.

(2) Campaign committees of candidates for all other offices shall file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the board of elections where their candidates are required to file their petitions or other papers for nomination or election.

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

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

(B)(1) The official with whom petitions and other papers for nomination or election to public office are filed shall furnish each candidate at the time of that filing a copy of sections 3517.01, 3517.08 to 3517.11, 3517.13 to 3517.993, 3599.03, and 3599.031 of the Revised Code and any other materials that the secretary of state may require. Each candidate receiving the materials shall acknowledge their receipt in writing. Each board of elections shall send a copy of each statement, addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement filed with or received by it for a candidate for member of the general assembly to the secretary of state not later than two business days after the statement, addendum, amendment, or other correction is filed with or received by the board.

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

(3) Any statement required to be filed under sections 3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code that is found to be incomplete or inaccurate by the officer to whom it is submitted shall be accepted on a conditional basis, and the person who filed it shall be notified by certified mail as to the incomplete or inaccurate nature of the statement. The secretary of state may examine statements filed for candidates for the office of member of the general assembly for completeness and accuracy. If an officer at the board of elections where a statement of that type was submitted finds the statement to be incomplete or inaccurate, the officer shall immediately notify the secretary of state of its incomplete or inaccurate nature. If either an officer at the board of elections or the secretary of state finds a statement of that type to be incomplete or inaccurate, only the secretary of state shall send the notification as to the incomplete or inaccurate nature of the statement. Within four twenty-one days after receipt of notice, in the case of a pre-election statement, a postelection statement, a monthly statement, or an annual statement prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, and seven days, in the case of a postelection or, an annual statement prescribed by section 3517.10 or 3517.101, or a statement prescribed by division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(D)(2)(b) of section 3517.105 or section 3517.107 of the Revised Code, the recipient shall file an addendum to the statement providing the information necessary to complete or correct the statement. The secretary of state shall determine by rule when an addendum to a monthly statement or to a two-business-day statement prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code shall be filed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As used in division (A)(2) of this section, "statewide candidate" has the same meaning as in division (F)(2) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

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

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

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

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

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

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

(2)(a) No person shall make a contribution to a campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party in the name of another person.

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

(i) An individual makes a contribution from a partnership or unincorporated business account, if the contribution is reported by listing both the name of the partnership or unincorporated business and the name of the partner or owner making the contribution.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(M)(1) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to contracts awarded by the board of commissioners of the sinking fund, municipal legislative authorities, boards of education, boards of county commissioners, boards of township trustees, or other boards, commissions, committees, authorities, councils, boards of trustees, task forces, and other such entities created by law, by the supreme court or courts of appeals, by county courts consisting of more than one judge, courts of common pleas consisting of more than one judge, or municipal courts consisting of more than one judge, or by a division of any court if the division consists of more than one judge. Division (M)(1) of this section shall apply to the specified entity only if the members of the entity act collectively in the award of a contract for goods or services.

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

(N)(1) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section apply to contributions made to the holder of a public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of a contract, or to the public officer's campaign committee of the holder of that public office, during the time the person holds the office and during any time such person was a candidate for the office. These divisions do not apply to contributions made to, or to the campaign committee of, a candidate for or holder of the office other than the holder of the office at the time of the award of the contract.

(2) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to contributions of a partner, shareholder, administrator, executor, trustee, or owner of more than twenty per cent of a corporation or business trust made before the person held any of those positions or after the person ceased to hold any of those positions in the partnership, association, estate, trust, corporation, or business trust whose eligibility to be awarded a contract is being determined, nor to contributions of the person's spouse made before the person held any of those positions, after the person ceased to hold any of those positions, before the two were married, or after the granting of a decree of divorce, dissolution of marriage, or nullity, or the granting of an order in an action brought solely for legal separation. These divisions do not apply to contributions of the spouse of an individual whose eligibility to be awarded a contract is being determined made before the two were married, or after the granting of a decree of divorce, dissolution of marriage, or nullity, or the granting of an order in an action brought solely for legal separation.

(O) No beneficiary of a campaign fund or other person shall convert or accept for personal or business use, and no person shall knowingly give to a beneficiary of a campaign fund or any other person, for the beneficiary's or any other person's personal or business use, anything of value from the beneficiary's campaign fund, including, without limitation, payments to a beneficiary for services the beneficiary personally performs, except as reimbursement for any of the following:

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

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

(3) Legitimate and verifiable ordinary and necessary prior expenses incurred by the beneficiary while:

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

(b) Raising funds for a political party, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, campaign committee, or other candidate;

(c) Participating in the activities of a political party, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee; or

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

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

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

(Q) No candidate or public official or employee shall accept for personal or business use anything of value from a political party, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee other than the candidate's or public official official's or employee's own campaign committee, and no person shall knowingly give to a candidate or public official or employee anything of value from a political party, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or such a campaign committee, except for the following:

(1) Reimbursement for legitimate and verifiable, ordinary, and necessary prior expenses not otherwise prohibited by law incurred by the candidate or public official or employee while engaged in any legitimate activity of the political party, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee. Without limitation, reimbursable expenses under this division include those incurred while:

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

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

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

(2) Compensation not otherwise prohibited by law for actual and valuable personal services rendered under a written contract to the political party, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee for any legitimate activity of the political party, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee.

Reimbursable expenses under this division do not include, and it is a violation of this division for a candidate or public official or employee to accept, or for any person to knowingly give to a candidate or public official or employee from a political party, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee other than the candidate's or public official official's or employee's own campaign committee, anything of value for activities primarily related to the candidate's or public official official's or employee's own campaign for election, except for contributions to the candidate's or public official official's or employee's campaign committee.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(a) A state candidate fund;

(b) A legislative campaign fund;

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

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

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

(V) No campaign committee shall fail to file a statement required under division (K)(3) of section 3517.10 Of the Revised Code.

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

(2)(a) If the attorney determines that the complaint sets forth a violation of division (B) of section 3517.21 or division (B) of section 3517.22, or a violation described in division (D) of section 3517.1010, of the Revised Code, the complaint shall receive an automatic expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised Code.

(b) If the attorney determines that the complaint sets forth a failure to comply with or a violation of division (G), (I), (J), (O), (P), or (Q) of section 3517.13, division (A) of section 3517.21, or division (A) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code, the attorney shall recommend to the commission that the complaint receive an expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised Code and the complaint shall receive such a hearing.

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

(3)(a) If a complaint sets forth a failure to comply with or a violation of a section of the Revised Code over which the commission has jurisdiction to hear complaints other than the sections described in divisions (A)(2)(a) and (b) of this section, the attorney may determine that the complaint should receive an expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised Code. The attorney shall make that determination by considering one or more of the following:

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

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

(iii) If the complaint involves contributions or expenditures required to be reported under section 3517.10, division (E) of section 3517.102, or section 3517.105, 3517.107, 3517.108, or 3517.109 of the Revised Code that are either not reported or reported late, the number of contributions or expenditures not reported or how late they were reported;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(B) Whenever a person or other entity files a complaint with the commission setting forth a failure to comply with or a violation of a section of the Revised Code as described in division (A)(2)(c) of this section, the person or entity may request an expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised Code at the time the complaint is filed. The attorney for the commission shall inform the members of the commission of that request at the time the attorney makes a recommendation under division (A) of this section. The commission may grant the request for an expedited hearing under this division if it determines that an expedited hearing is practicable.

(C) This is an interim section effective until January 1, 2000.

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

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

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

(c) Refer the matter to the appropriate prosecutor;

(d) Direct the secretary of state or appropriate board of elections with the authority to certify a candidate to the ballot to remove a candidate's name from the ballot if the candidate is barred from the ballot under division (D) of section 3517.1010 Of the Revised Code.

(2) As used in division (A) of this section, "appropriate prosecutor" means a prosecutor as defined in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code and either of the following:

(a) In the case of a failure to comply with or a violation of law involving a campaign committee or the committee's candidate, a political party, a legislative campaign fund, or a political action committee, that is required to file a statement of contributions and expenditures with the secretary of state under division (A) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the prosecutor of Franklin county;

(b) In the case of a failure to comply with or a violation of law involving any other campaign committee or committee's candidate, or any other political party or political action committee, either of the following as determined by the commission:

(i) The prosecutor of Franklin county;

(ii) The prosecutor of the county in which the candidacy or ballot question or issue is submitted to the electors or, if it is submitted in more than one county, the most populous of those counties.

(B) If the commission decides that the evidence is insufficient for it to determine whether or not the failure to act or the violation alleged in the complaint has occurred, the commission, by the affirmative vote of five members, may request that an investigatory attorney investigate the complaint. Upon that request, an investigatory attorney shall make an investigation in order to produce sufficient evidence for the commission to decide the matter. If the commission requests an investigation under this division, for good cause shown by the investigatory attorney, the commission may extend by sixty days the deadline for holding its first hearing on the complaint as required in division (A) of this section.

(C) The commission shall take one of the actions required under division (A) of this section not later than thirty days after the close of all the evidence presented.

(D)(1) The commission shall make any finding of a failure to comply with or a violation of law in regard to a complaint that alleges a violation of division (D) of section 3517.1010, division (A) or (B) of section 3517.21, or division (A) or (B) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code by clear and convincing evidence. The commission shall make any finding of a failure to comply with or a violation of law in regard to any other complaint by a preponderance of the evidence.

(2) If the commission finds a violation of division (B) of section 3517.21 or division (B) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code, it shall refer the matter to the appropriate prosecutor under division (A)(1)(c) of this section and shall not impose a fine under division (A)(1)(b) of this section or section 3517.993 of the Revised Code.

(E) In an action before the commission or a panel of the commission, if the allegations of the complainant are not proved, and the commission takes the action described in division (A)(1)(a) of this section or a panel of the commission takes the action described in division (C)(1) of section 3517.156 of the Revised Code, the commission or a panel of the commission may find that the complaint is frivolous, and, if the commission or panel so finds, the commission shall order the complainant to pay reasonable attorney's fees and to pay the costs of the commission or panel as determined by a majority of the members of the commission. The costs paid to the commission or panel under this division shall be deposited into the Ohio elections commission fund.

(F) This is an interim section effective until January 1, 2000.

Sec. 3517.992.  This section establishes penalties only with respect to acts or failures to act that occur on and after the effective date of this section August 24, 1995.

(A)(1) A candidate whose campaign committee violates division (A), (B), (C), or (D), or (V) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, or a treasurer of a campaign committee who violates any of those divisions, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.

(2) Whoever violates division (E) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.

(B) A political party that violates division (F)(1) of section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.

(C) Whoever violates division (F)(2) of section 3517.101 or division (G) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars or, if the offender is a person who was nominated or elected to public office, shall forfeit the nomination or the office to which the offender was elected, or both.

(D) Whoever violates division (F) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than three times the amount contributed.

(E) Whoever violates division (H) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.

(F) Whoever violates division (O), (P), or (Q) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(G) A state or county committee of a political party that violates division (B)(1) of section 3517.18 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than twice the amount of the improper expenditure.

(H) A state or county political party that violates division (G) of section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than twice the amount of the improper expenditure or use.

(I)(1) Any individual who violates division (B)(1) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code and knows that the contribution the individual makes violates that division shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(2) Any political action committee that violates division (B)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(3) Any campaign committee that violates division (B)(3) or (5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(4) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (B)(6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, and any state political party, county political party, or state candidate fund of a state political party or county political party that violates division (B)(6) of that section, shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by those divisions, as applicable.

(5) Notwithstanding divisions (J)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, no fine shall be imposed if the excess amount contributed meets either of the following conditions:

(a) It is completely refunded within five business days after it is accepted.

(b) It is less than or equal to the amount permitted under division (J)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section, whichever is applicable, and the excess is completely refunded within ten business days after notification to the recipient of the contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state that a contribution in excess of the permitted amount has been received.

(J)(1) Any campaign committee that violates division (C)(1), (2), (3), or (6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(2) Any state or county political party that violates division (C)(4) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(3) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (C)(5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(4) Any political action committee that violates division (C)(7) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(5) Notwithstanding divisions (K)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, no fine shall be imposed if the excess accepted meets either of the following conditions:

(a) It is completely refunded within five business days after its acceptance.

(b) It is less than or equal to the amount permitted under division (K)(1), (2), (3), or (4), whichever is applicable, and the excess is completely refunded within ten business days after notification to the recipient of the contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state that a contribution in excess of the permitted amount has been received.

(K)(1) Any campaign committee or legislative campaign fund that violates division (F)(1) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined twenty-five dollars for each day of violation.

(2) Any campaign committee or legislative campaign fund that violates division (F)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall give to the treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio elections commission fund all excess contributions not disposed of as required by division (E) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code.

(L) Whoever violates section 3517.105 of the Revised Code shall be fined one thousand dollars.

(M)(1) Whoever solicits a contribution in violation of section 3517.092 or violates division (B) of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(2) Whoever knowingly accepts a contribution in violation of division (B) or (C) of section 3517.092 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in violation of either of those divisions and shall return to the contributor any amount so accepted. Whoever unknowingly accepts a contribution in violation of division (B) or (C) of section 3517.092 of the Revised Code shall return to the contributor any amount so accepted.

(N) Whoever violates division (S) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount of funds transferred or three times the value of the assets transferred in violation of that division.

(O) Any campaign committee that accepts a contribution or contributions in violation of section 3517.108 of the Revised Code, uses a contribution in violation of that section, or fails to dispose of excess contributions in violation of that section shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted, used, or kept in violation of that section.

(P) Any political party, state candidate fund, legislative candidate fund, or campaign committee that violates division (T) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed or accepted in violation of that section.

(Q) A treasurer of a committee or another person who violates division (U) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than two hundred fifty dollars.

(R) Whoever violates division (I) or (J) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars. Whenever a person is found guilty of violating division (I) or (J) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, the contract awarded in violation of either of those divisions shall be rescinded if its terms have not yet been performed.

(S) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a campaign committee who violates section 3517.081, and a candidate whose campaign committee violates, or a treasurer of a campaign committee, or another person who violates, division (C) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.

(T) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a committee who violates division (B), or a candidate whose campaign committee violates, a treasurer of a committee, or another person who violates division (C), of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.

(U) Whoever violates section 3517.20 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.

(V) Whoever violates section 3517.21 or 3517.22 of the Revised Code shall be imprisoned for not more than six months or fined not more than five thousand dollars, or both.

(W) A campaign committee that is required to file a declaration of no limits under division (D)(2) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code that, before filing that declaration, accepts a contribution or contributions that exceed the limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, shall return that contribution or those contributions to the contributor.

This is an interim section effective until January 1, 2000.

Sec. 3599.02.  No person shall before, during, or after any primary, general, or special election or convention, or election solicit, request, demand, receive, or contract for any money, gift, loan, property, influence, position, employment, or other thing of value for himself that person or for another person for doing any of the following:

(A) For registering Registering or refraining from registering to vote;

(B) For agreeing Agreeing to register or to refrain from registering to vote;

(C) For agreeing Agreeing to vote or refraining to refrain from voting;

(D) For voting Voting or refraining from voting at any primary, general, or special election or convention, or election for a particular person, question, or issue;

(E) For registering Registering or voting, or refraining from registering or voting, or voting or refraining from voting for a particular person, question, or issue.

Whoever violates this section is guilty of bribery, and shall be fined not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both a felony of the fourth degree, and shall be disfranchised and excluded from the right of suffrage and holding any public office for five years next succeeding immediately following such conviction.

Sec. 3599.11.  (A) No person shall knowingly register or make application or attempt to register in a precinct in which the person is not a qualified voter; or knowingly aid or abet any person to so register; or attempt to register or knowingly induce or attempt to induce any person to so register; or fraudulently knowingly impersonate another or write or assume the name of another, real or fictitious, in registering or attempting to register; or by false statement or other unlawful means procure, aid, or attempt to procure the erasure or striking out on the register or duplicate list of the name of a qualified elector therein; or fraudulently knowingly induce or attempt to induce a registrar or other election authority to refuse registration in a precinct to an elector thereof; or willfully or corruptly knowingly swear or affirm falsely upon a lawful examination by or before any registrar or registering officer; or make, print, or issue any false or counterfeit certificate of registration or fraudulently knowingly alter any certificate of registration.

No person shall knowingly register under more than one name or knowingly induce any person to so register.

No person shall knowingly make any false statement on any form for registration or change of registration or upon any application or return envelope for an absent voter's ballot.

Whoever violates this division is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.

(B) No person who helps another person register outside an official voter registration place shall knowingly destroy, or knowingly help another person to destroy, any completed registration form, or knowingly fail to return any registration form entrusted to that person to the board of elections on or before the thirtieth day before the election.

Whoever violates this division is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Sec. 3599.12.  (A) No person shall vote do any of the following:

(1) Vote or attempt to vote in any primary, special, or general election in a precinct in which he that person is not a legally qualified voter elector; or vote

(2) Vote or attempt to vote more than once at the same election by any means, including voting or attempting to vote both by absent voter's ballots under division (B), (C), or (g) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code and by regular ballot at the polls at the same election, or voting or attempting to vote both by absent voter's ballots under division (B), (C), or (g) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code and by absent voter's ballots under Chapter 3509. or armed service absent voter's ballots under Chapter 3511. of the Revised Code at the same election; or impersonate

(3) Impersonate or sign the name of another person, real or fictitious, living or dead, and vote or attempt to vote as such that other person in any such election; or vote or attempt to vote at any primary the ballot of a political party with which he has not been affiliated, as required by section 3513.19 of the Revised Code, or with which he did not vote at the last election; or cast

(4) Cast a ballot at any such election after objection has been made and sustained to his that person's vote; or knowingly

(5) Knowingly vote or attempt to vote a ballot other than the official ballot.

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a felony of the fourth degree.

Sec. 3599.14.  (A) No person shall knowingly, directly or indirectly, do any of the following in connection with an initiative, supplementary, referendum, recall, local option, or any declaration of candidacy, declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, nominating petition, or other petition presented to or filed with the SECRETARY of state, a board of elections, or any other public office for the purpose of becoming a candidate for any elective office, including the office of a political party, for the purpose of submitting a question or issue to the electors at an election, or for the purpose of forming a political party:

(1) Misrepresent the contents, purport purpose, or effect of the petition or declaration for the purpose of persuading a person to sign or refrain from signing the petition or declaration;

(2) Pay or offer to pay anything of value for signing or refraining from signing the petition or declaration;

(3) Promise to assist any person to obtain appointment to an office or position as a consideration for obtaining or preventing signatures to the petition or declaration;

(4) Obtain or prevent signatures to the petition or declaration as a consideration for the assistance or promise of assistance of a person in securing appointment to an office or position;

(5) Circulate or cause to be circulated the petition or declaration knowing it to contain false, forged, or fictitious names;

(6) Add signatures or names except his or her the person's own name on the petition or declaration;

(7) Make a false certification or statement concerning the petition or declaration;

(8) File with the election authorities the petition or declaration knowing it to contain false, forged, or fictitious names;

(9) Fail to fill out truthfully and file all itemized statements required by law in connection with the petition or declaration.

(B) As used in division (A) of this section, "referendum petition" includes a referendum petition that is described in and subject to sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code.

(C) Whoever violates division (A) of this section shall be fined not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars, imprisoned not more than six months, or both is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Sec. 3599.17.  (A) No elections official serving as a registrar or, judge, or clerk of elections shall fail do any of the following:

(1) Fail to appear before the board of elections, or its representative, after notice has been served personally upon him the official or left at his the official's usual place of residence, for examination as to his the official's qualifications; or fail

(2) Fail to appear at the polling place to which he the official is assigned at the hour and during the hours set for the registration or election; or fail

(3) Fail to take the oath prescribed by section 3501.31 of the Revised Code, unless excused by such board; or refuse

(4) Refuse or sanction the refusal of another registrar or judge of elections to administer an oath required by law; or fail

(5) Fail to send notice to the board of the appointment of a judge or clerk to fill a vacancy; or act

(6) Act as registrar, judge, or clerk without having been appointed and having received a certificate of appointment, except a judge or clerk appointed to fill a vacancy caused by absence or removal; or in any other way fail

(7) Fail in any other way to perform any duty imposed by law.

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section shall be fined not less than twenty-five nor more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than fifteen days, or both is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Sec. 3599.18.  (A) No registrar of electors election official, person assisting in the registration of electors, or police officer shall refuse knowingly do any of the following:

(1) Refuse, neglect, or unnecessarily delay, hinder, or prevent the registration of a qualified voter elector, who in a lawful manner applies for registration; or enter

(2) Enter or consent to the entry of a fictitious name for registration on a voter registration list; or alter

(3) Alter the name on or remove or destroy the registration card or form of any qualified voter elector; or willfully neglect or corruptly

(4) Neglect, unlawfully execute, or fail to execute any duty enjoined upon him that person as a registrar an election official, person assisting in the registration of electors, or police officer.

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section shall be fined not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Sec. 3599.19.  (A) No judge or clerk of elections shall unlawfully knowingly do any of the following:

(1) Unlawfully open or permit to be opened the sealed package containing registration lists, ballots, blanks, pollbooks, and other papers and material to be used in the an election; or unlawfully

(2) Unlawfully misplace, carry away, negligently lose or permit to be taken from him the judge or clerk, fail to deliver, or destroy any such packages, papers, or material; or knowingly receive

(3) Receive or sanction the reception of a ballot from a person not a qualified elector or from a person who refused to answer a question in accordance with the election law; or refuse

(4) Refuse to receive or sanction the rejection of a ballot from a person, knowing him that person to be a qualified elector; or knowingly permit

(5) Permit a fraudulent ballot to be placed in the ballot box; or place

(6) Place or permit to be placed in any ballot box any ballot known by him the judge or clerk to be improperly or fraudulently falsely marked; or knowingly count

(7) Count or permit to be counted any illegal or fraudulent ballot; or mislead

(8) Mislead an elector who is physically unable to prepare his the elector's ballot; or, mark a ballot for such elector otherwise than as directed by him; that elector, or disclose to any person, except when legally required to do so, how such elector voted; or when counting the ballots alter

(9) Alter or mark or permit any alteration or marking on any ballot when counting the ballots; or wrongfully

(10) Unlawfully count or tally or sanction the wrongful counting or tallying of votes; or after

(11) After the counting of votes commences, as required by law, postpone or sanction the postponement of the counting of votes, adjourn at any time or to any place, or remove the ballot box from the place of voting, or from the custody or presence of all the judges and clerks of such elections; or permit

(12) Permit any ballot to remain or to be in the ballot box at the opening of the polls, or to be put therein in the box during the counting of the ballots, or to be left therein in the box without being counted; or admit

(13) Admit or sanction the admission to the polling room at an election during the receiving, counting, and certifying of votes of any person not qualified by law to be so admitted; or refuse

(14) Refuse to admit or sanction the refusal to admit any person, upon lawful request therefor for admission, who is legally qualified to be present; or permit

(15) Permit or sanction the counting of the ballots contrary to the manner prescribed by law; or willfully neglect

(16) Neglect or corruptly unlawfully execute any duty enjoined upon him the judge or clerk by law.

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section shall be fined not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not less than three nor more than six months, or both is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Sec. 3599.20.  No person shall attempt to induce an elector to show how he the elector marked his the elector's ballot at an election; or, being an elector, allow his the elector's ballot to be seen by another, except as provided by section 3505.24 of the Revised Code, with the apparent intention of letting it be known how he the elector is about to vote; or make a false statement as to his the elector's ability to mark his the ballot; or purposely knowingly mark his the ballot so it may be identified after it has been cast; or attempt to interfere with an elector in the voting booth when marking his the elector's ballot; or willfully knowingly destroy or mutilate a lawful ballot; or remove from the polling place or be found in unlawful possession of a lawful ballot outside the enclosure provided for voting; or willfully knowingly hinder or delay the delivery of a lawful ballot to a person entitled to receive it; or give to an elector a ballot printed or written contrary to law; or forge or falsely make an official indorsement on a ballot.

Whoever violates this section shall be fined not less than twenty-five nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than six months, or both is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.

Sec. 3599.21.  (A) No person shall impersonate knowingly do any of the following:

(1) Impersonate another, or make a false representation in order to obtain an absent voter's ballot; or knowingly connive to help

(2) Aid or abet a person to vote an absent voter's ballot illegally; or being

(3) If the person is an election official, open, destroy, steal, mark, or mutilate any absent voter's ballot; or

(4) Aid or abet another person to open, destroy, steal, mark, or mutilate any absent voter's ballot after the ballot has been voted; or delay

(5) Delay the delivery of any such ballot with a view to preventing its arrival in time to be counted; or hinder

(6) Hinder or attempt to hinder the delivery or counting of such absent voter's ballot;

(7) Fail to forward to the appropriate election official an absent voter's ballot application entrusted to that person to so forward.

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a felony of the fourth degree.

Sec. 3599.22.  (A) No person employed to print or engage in printing the official ballots shall print knowingly do any of the following:

(1) Print or cause or permit to be printed an official ballot other than according to the copy official ballot furnished him by the board of elections or a false or fraudulent ballot; or print;

(2) Print or permit to be printed more ballots than are delivered to the board; or appropriate

(3) Appropriate, give, deliver, or knowingly permit to be taken away any of such ballots by a person other than the person authorized by law to do so; or print

(4) Print such ballots on paper other than that provided in the contract with the board; or willfully seal up or cause or permit to be sealed up in packages

(5) Package or deliver to the board a less number of fewer ballots than the number indorsed thereon the board directed to be printed.

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section shall be fined not less than two hundred nor more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than six months, or both is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Sec. 3599.23.  (A) No printer or other person entrusted with the printing, custody, or delivery of registration cards or forms, ballots, blanks, pollbooks, cards of instruction, or other required papers shall unlawfully do any of the following:

(1) Knowingly and unlawfully open or permit to be opened a sealed package containing ballots or other printed forms; or give

(2) Knowingly give or deliver to another not lawfully entitled thereto to them, or unlawfully misplace or carry away, or negligently lose or permit to be taken from him, or knowingly fail to deliver, or knowingly destroy any such forms or packages of ballots, or a ballot, pollbooks, cards of instruction, or other required papers;

(3) Negligently lose or permit to be taken from the printer or other entrusted person any of the materials described in division (A)(2) of this section.

(B) No person entrusted with the preparation, custody, or delivery of marking devices shall unlawfully do either of the following:

(1) Unlawfully open or permit to be opened a sealed package containing marking devices, or give or deliver to another not lawfully entitled thereto, or unlawfully to them any such marking devices;

(2) Unlawfully or carelessly use or negligently lose or permit to be taken from him the printer or other entrusted person and fail to deliver or destroy, any such marking devices.

(C) Whoever violates division (A)(1) or (2) or (B) of this section shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. Whoever violates division (A)(3) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree.

Sec. 3599.25.  (A) No person shall counsel knowingly do any of the following:

(1) Counsel or advise another to vote at an election, knowing that he the person is not a qualified voter; or advise

(2) Advise, aid, or assist another person to go or come into a precinct for the purpose of voting therein in it, knowing that such person is not qualified to vote therein in it; or counsel

(3) Counsel, advise, or attempt to induce an election officer to permit a person to vote, knowing such person is not a qualified elector.

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section shall be fined not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not less than one nor more than six months, or both is guilty of a felony of the fourth degree.

Sec. 3599.31.  No officer of the law shall fail to obey forthwith an order of the presiding judge and aid in enforcing a lawful order of the presiding judges at an election, against persons unlawfully congregating or loitering within one hundred feet of a polling place, hindering or delaying an elector from reaching or leaving the polling place, soliciting or attempting, within one hundred feet of the polling place, to influence an elector in casting his the elector's vote, or interfering with the registration of voters or casting and counting of the ballots.

Whoever violates this section shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Sec. 3599.32.  No official upon whom a duty is imposed by an election law for the violation of which no penalty is otherwise provided shall willfully knowingly disobey such election law.

Whoever violates this section shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Sec. 3599.35.  No party committeeman committeeperson or party delegate or alternate chosen at an election, or a delegate or alternate appointed to a convention provided by law, shall give or issue a proxy or authority to another person to act or vote in his that person's stead.

No person shall knowingly or fraudulently act or vote or attempt to impersonate, act, or vote in place of such committeeman or that committeeperson, delegate, or alternate.

Whoever violates this section shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than sixty days, or both is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Sec. 3599.36.  No person, either orally or in writing, on oath lawfully administered or in a statement made under penalty of election falsification, shall purposely knowingly state a falsehood as to a material matter relating to an election in a proceeding before a court, tribunal, or officer created by law election official, or in a matter in relation to which an oath or statement under penalty of election falsification is authorized by law, including a statement required for verifying or filing a any declaration of candidacy, declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, nominating, initiative, supplementary, referendum, or recall petition, or other petition paper presented to or filed with the secretary of state, a board of elections, or any other public office for the purpose of becoming a candidate for any elective office, including the office of a political party, for the purpose of SUBMITTING a question or issue to the electors at an election, or for the purpose of forming a political party.

Whoever violates this section is guilty of election falsification, which is a misdemeanor felony of the first fifth degree.

Every paper, card, or other document relating to any election matter which that calls for a statement to be made under penalty of election falsification shall be accompanied by the following statement in bold face capital letters: "The penalty for Whoever commits election falsification is imprisonment for not more than six months, or a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or both guilty of a felony of the fifth degree."

Sec. 3599.37.  (A) No person having been subpoenaed or ordered to appear before a grand jury, court, board, or officer in a proceeding or prosecution upon a complaint, information, affidavit, or indictment for an offense under an election law shall fail do either of the following:

(1) Fail to appear or, having appeared, refuse to answer a question pertinent to the matter under inquiry or investigation; or refuse

(2) Refuse to produce, upon reasonable notice, any material, books, papers, documents, or records in his that person's possession or under his that person's control.

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section shall, unless he the violator claims his the violator's constitutional rights, be fined not less than one hundred nor more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not less than thirty days nor more than six months is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Sec. 3599.38.  (A) No judge, clerk election official, witness, challenger, deputy sheriff, special deputy sheriff, or police officer, or other election officer, while performing the that person's duties of his office related to the casting of votes, shall wear do either of the following:

(1) Wear any badge, sign, or other insignia or thing indicating his that person's preference for any candidate or for any question submitted or influence at an election;

(2) Influence or attempt to influence any voter to cast his the voter's ballot for or against any candidate or issue submitted at such an election.

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars and imprisoned not less than thirty days nor more than six months is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Sec. 3599.39.  Any person convicted of a violation of any provision of Title XXXV of the Revised Code, who is again convicted of a violation of any such provision, whether such conviction is for the same offense or not, shall is on such second conviction be fined not less than five hundred nor more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not less than one nor more than five years, or both guilty of a felony of the fourth degree, and in addition, such person shall be disfranchised.

Sec. 3599.40.  Whoever Except as otherwise provided in section 3599.39 Of the Revised Code, whoever violates any provision of Title XXXV of the Revised Code, unless otherwise provided in such title, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

SECTION 2 .  That existing sections 3517.01, 3517.08, 3517.10, 3517.102, 3517.103, 3517.107, 3517.109, 3517.11, 3517.13, 3517.154, 3517.155, 3517.992, 3599.02, 3599.11, 3599.12, 3599.14, 3599.17, 3599.18, 3599.19, 3599.20, 3599.21, 3599.22, 3599.23, 3599.25, 3599.31, 3599.32, 3599.35, 3599.36, 3599.37, 3599.38, 3599.39, and 3599.40 and section 3599.30 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

SECTION 3 .  If, on the effective date of this act, a campaign committee has in its campaign fund or has expended personal funds that exceed, in the aggregate, the amounts specified in division (C)(1) or (2) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code as amended by Sections 1 and 2 of this act, whichever division is appropriate, that committee shall file, not later than five business days after the effective date of this act, the personal funds notice required by division (C)(1) or (2) of that section as amended by Sections 1 and 2 this act, whichever division is appropriate.

SECTION 4 .  That sections 3517.10, 3517.102, 3517.103, 3517.154, 3517.155, and 3517.992 of the Revised Code, as amended by Sections 1 and 2 of this act, be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 3517.10.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in this division, every campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, and political party that made or received a contribution or made an expenditure in connection with the nomination or election of any candidate or in connection with any ballot issue or question at any election held or to be held in this state shall file, on a form prescribed under this section, a full, true, and itemized statement, made under penalty of election falsification, setting forth in detail the contributions and expenditures, no later than four p.m. of the following dates:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall file a monthly statement of contributions received during each of the months of July, August, and September in the year of the general election in which the candidate seeks office. The campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall file the monthly statement not later than three business days after the last day of the month covered by the statement. The campaign committee of a statewide candidate that files a notice under division (C)(1) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code and the campaign committee of a statewide candidate to which, in accordance with division (D) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code, the contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code no longer apply shall file an additional monthly statement of contributions received during the primary election period in the year of the primary election in which the candidate seeks nomination to office beginning with contributions received after the last business day in the committee's last previously filed statement, if any, through the fifteenth day of March. That statement shall be filed not later than three business days after the fifteenth day of March. Contributions reported in the additional monthly statement of contributions shall also be included in the campaign committee's pre-primary election statement required under division (A)(1) of this section. During the period beginning on the nineteenth day before the general election in which a statewide candidate seeks election to office and extending through the day of that general election, each time the campaign committee of the joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor or of a candidate for the office of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, or attorney general receives a contribution from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount of contributions received from that contributor during that period to equal or exceed two thousand five hundred dollars and each time the campaign committee of a candidate for the office of chief justice or justice of the supreme court receives a contribution from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount of contributions received from that contributor during that period to exceed five hundred dollars, the campaign committee shall file a two-business-day statement reflecting that contribution. During the period beginning on the nineteenth day before a primary election in which a candidate for statewide office seeks nomination to office and extending through the day of that primary election, each time either the campaign committee of a statewide candidate in that primary election that files a notice under division (C)(1) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code or the campaign committee of a statewide candidate in that primary election to which, in accordance with division (D) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code, the contribution limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code no longer apply receives a contribution from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount of contributions received from that contributor during that period to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars, the campaign committee shall file a two-business-day statement reflecting that contribution. Contributions reported on a two-business-day statement required to be filed by a campaign committee of a statewide candidate in a primary election shall also be included in the post-primary election statement required to be filed by that campaign committee under division (A)(2) of this section. A The two-business-day statement required by this paragraph shall be filed not later than two business days after receipt of the contribution. The statements required by this paragraph shall be filed in addition to any other statements required by this section.

The secretary of state may permit the filing of two-business-day statements by facsimile or other electronic means of transmission.

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

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

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

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

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

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

(4) A statement of contributions received, which shall include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

(e) A separately itemized account of all contributions and expenditures regardless of the amount, except a receipt of a contribution from a person in the sum of twenty-five dollars or less at one social or fund-raising activity and a receipt of a contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and salaries of employees if the contribution from the amount deducted from the wages and salary of any one employee is twenty-five dollars or less aggregated in a calendar year. An account of the total contributions from each social or fund-raising activity shall include a description of and the value of each in-kind contribution received at that activity from any person who made one or more such contributions whose aggregate value exceeded two hundred fifty dollars and shall be listed separately, together with the expenses incurred and paid in connection with that activity. A campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party shall keep records of contributions from each person in the amount of twenty-five dollars or less at one social or fund-raising activity and contributions from amounts deducted under section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from the wages and salary of each employee in the amount of twenty-five dollars or less aggregated in a calendar year. No continuing association that is recognized by a state or local committee of a political party as an auxiliary of the party and that makes a contribution from funds derived solely from regular dues paid by members of the auxiliary shall be required to list the name or address of any members who paid those dues.

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

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

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

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

(5) A statement of expenditures which shall include:

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

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

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

(d) The amount of each expenditure.

(C)(1) The statement of contributions and expenditures shall be signed by the person completing the form.

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

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

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

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

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

(b) The form for all statements required to be filed under this section shall be prescribed by the secretary of state, and furnished to the boards of elections in the several counties, and the boards of elections shall supply printed copies of those forms without charge. The secretary of state may require that the statements required to be stored on computer by the secretary of state under divisions (A)(1) to (4) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code be filed in whatever format the secretary of state considers necessary so that the secretary of state may store the information contained in the statements on computer. Any such format shall be of a type and nature that is readily available to whoever is required to file the statements in that format.

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

(D)(1) Prior to receiving a contribution or making an expenditure, every campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party shall appoint a treasurer and shall file, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, a designation of that appointment, including the full name and address of the treasurer and of the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party. That designation shall be filed with the official with whom the campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, or political party is required to file statements under section 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The name of a campaign committee shall include at least the last name of the campaign committee's candidate. The secretary of state shall assign a registration number to each political action committee that files a designation of the appointment of a treasurer under division (D)(1) of this section if the political action committee is required by division (A)(1) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code to file the statements prescribed by this section with the secretary of state.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(F) As used in this section:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(L) This is an interim section effective until January 1, 2000.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(9) Except as otherwise provided in division (F) of section 3517.103 and division (B)(3)(b) of section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code, "designated "Designated state campaign committee" means:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(f) Five thousand dollars to any one political action committee in a calendar year.

(2) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no political action committee shall make a contribution or contributions aggregating more than:

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

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

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

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

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

(f) Two thousand five hundred dollars to another political action committee in a calendar year. Division (B)(2)(f) of this section does not apply to a political action committee that makes a contribution to a political action committee affiliated with it. For purposes of division (B)(2)(f) of this section, a political action committee is affiliated with another political action committee if they are both established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary, division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing association, or other person.

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

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

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

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

(d) Two thousand five hundred dollars to any one political action committee in a calendar year.

(4) Subject to division (D)(3) of this section, no political party shall make a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand five hundred dollars to any one political action committee in a calendar year.

(5) No campaign committee, other than a designated state campaign committee, shall make a contribution or contributions aggregating in a calendar year more than:

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

(b) Five thousand dollars to any one legislative campaign fund;

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

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

(i) Two thousand five hundred dollars to the campaign committee of any one senate candidate;

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

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

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

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

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

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

(I) Fifty thousand dollars in a primary election period or one hundred thousand dollars in a general election period to the campaign committee or any one senate candidate;

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

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

(c) A county political party that has no state candidate fund and that is located in a county having a population of less than one hundred fifty thousand may make one or more contributions from other accounts to any one designated state campaign committee that do not exceed, in the aggregate, two thousand five hundred dollars in any primary election period or general election period. As used in division (B)(6)(c) of this section, "other accounts" does not include either an account that contains the public moneys received from the Ohio political party fund under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code or the county political party's operating account.

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

(C)(1) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand five hundred dollars from any one individual, from any one political action committee, or from any one other campaign committee in a primary election period or in a general election period.

(2) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section and except for a designated state campaign committee, no campaign committee of a senate candidate shall accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand five hundred dollars from any one individual, from any one political action committee, from any one state candidate fund of a county political party, or from any one other campaign committee in a primary election period or in a general election period.

(3) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section and except for a designated state campaign committee, no campaign committee of a house candidate shall accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand five hundred dollars from any one individual, from any one political action committee, from any one state candidate fund of a county political party, or from any one other campaign committee in a primary election period or in a general election period.

(4)(a) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no county political party shall accept a contribution or contributions for the party's state candidate fund aggregating more than five thousand dollars from any one individual, from any one political action committee, or from any one campaign committee, other than a designated state campaign committee, in a calendar year.

(b) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no state political party shall accept a contribution or contributions for the party's state candidate fund aggregating more than fifteen thousand dollars from any one individual, from any one political action committee, or from any one campaign committee, other than a designated state campaign committee, in a calendar year.

(5) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no legislative campaign fund shall accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than five thousand dollars from any one individual, from any one political action committee, or from any one campaign committee, other than a designated state campaign committee, in a calendar year.

(6)(a) No designated state campaign committee shall accept a transfer or contribution of cash or cash equivalents from a state candidate fund of a state or county political party aggregating in a primary election period or a general election period more than:

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

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

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

(b) No designated state campaign committee shall accept a transfer or contribution of cash or cash equivalents from a legislative candidate fund aggregating more than:

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

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

(7)(a) Subject to division (D)(3) of this section, no political action committee shall accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than five thousand dollars from any one individual, or more than two thousand five hundred dollars from any one campaign committee or from any one political party.

(b) Subject to division (D)(1) of this section, no political action committee shall accept a contribution or contributions aggregating more than two thousand five hundred dollars from another political action committee in a calendar year. Division (C)(7)(b) of this section does not apply to a political action committee that accepts a contribution from a political action committee affiliated with it. For purposes of division (C)(7)(b) of this section, a political action committee is affiliated with another political action committee if they are both established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary, division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing association, or other person.

(D)(1) For purposes of the limitations prescribed in division (B)(2) of this section and the limitations prescribed in divisions (C)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (7)(b) of this section, whichever is applicable, all contributions made by and all contributions accepted from political action committees that are established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing association, or other person, including any parent, subsidiary, division, or department of that corporation, organization, labor organization, continuing association, or other person, are considered to have been made by or accepted from a single political action committee.

(2) As used in divisions (B)(1)(f), (B)(3)(d), (B)(4), and (C)(7) of this section, "political action committee" does not include a political action committee that is organized to support or oppose a ballot issue or question and that makes no contributions to or expenditures on behalf of a political party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political action committee.

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

(E)(1) If a legislative campaign fund has kept a total amount of contributions exceeding one hundred fifty thousand dollars at the close of business on the seventh day before the postgeneral election statement is required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, the legislative campaign fund shall comply with division (E)(2) of this section.

(2)(a) Any legislative campaign fund that has kept a total amount of contributions in excess of the amount specified in division (E)(1) of this section at the close of business on the seventh day before the postgeneral election statement is required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code shall dispose of the excess amount in the manner prescribed in division (E)(2)(c)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this section not later than ninety days after the day the postgeneral election statement is required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. Any legislative campaign fund that is required to dispose of an excess amount of contributions under this division shall file a statement on the ninetieth day after the postgeneral election statement is required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code indicating the total amount of contributions the fund has at the close of business on the seventh day before the postgeneral election statement is required to be filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and that the excess contributions were disposed of pursuant to this division and divisions (E)(2)(b) and (c) of this section. The statement shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and shall contain any additional information the secretary of state considers necessary.

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

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

(i) Giving the amount to the treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio elections commission fund;

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

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

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

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

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

(H) This is an interim section effective until January 1, 2000.

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

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

(2) "Personal funds" means contributions moneys contributed to the campaign committee of a candidate by the candidate or by the candidate's spouse, parents, children, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandparents, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, or grandparents by marriage.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(4) If the candidate whose campaign committee filed a personal funds notice under division (C)(1) or (2) of this section fails to file a declaration of candidacy for the office listed on the designation of treasurer filed under division (D) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code or files a declaration of candidacy or nominating petition for that office and dies or withdraws, both of the following apply to the campaign committee of that candidate's opponent:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(4)(3) The candidate of any campaign committee that violates expends personal funds in violation of division (E) (D)(2) of this section shall forfeit the candidate's nomination, if the candidate was nominated, or the office to which the candidate was elected, if the candidate was elected to office.

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

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

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

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

(G) This is an interim section effective until January 1, 2000.

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

(2)(a) If the attorney determines that the complaint sets forth a violation of division (B) of section 3517.21 or division (B) of section 3517.22, or a violation described in division (D) of section 3517.1010, of the Revised Code, the complaint shall receive an automatic expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised Code.

(b) If the attorney determines that the complaint sets forth a failure to comply with or a violation of division (G), (I), (J), (O), (P), or (Q) of section 3517.13, division (A) of section 3517.21, or division (A) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code, the attorney shall recommend to the commission that the complaint receive an expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised Code and the complaint shall receive such a hearing.

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

(3)(a) If a complaint sets forth a failure to comply with or a violation of a section of the Revised Code over which the commission has jurisdiction to hear complaints other than the sections described in divisions (A)(2)(a) and (b) of this section, the attorney may determine that the complaint should receive an expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised Code. The attorney shall make that determination by considering one or more of the following:

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

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

(iii) If the complaint involves contributions or expenditures required to be reported under section 3517.10, division (E) of section 3517.102, or section 3517.105, 3517.107, 3517.108, or 3517.109 of the Revised Code that are either not reported or reported late, the number of contributions or expenditures not reported or how late they were reported;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(B) Whenever a person or other entity files a complaint with the commission setting forth a failure to comply with or a violation of a section of the Revised Code as described in division (A)(2)(c) of this section, the person or entity may request an expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised Code at the time the complaint is filed. The attorney for the commission shall inform the members of the commission of that request at the time the attorney makes a recommendation under division (A) of this section. The commission may grant the request for an expedited hearing under this division if it determines that an expedited hearing is practicable.

(C) This is an interim section effective until January 1, 2000.

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

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

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

(c) Refer the matter to the appropriate prosecutor;

(d) Direct the secretary of state or appropriate board of elections with authority to certify a candidate to the ballot to remove a candidate's name from the ballot if the candidate is barred from the ballot under division (D) of section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code.

(2) As used in division (A) of this section, "appropriate prosecutor" means a prosecutor as defined in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code and either of the following:

(a) In the case of a failure to comply with or a violation of law involving a campaign committee or the committee's candidate, a political party, a legislative campaign fund, or a political action committee, that is required to file a statement of contributions and expenditures with the secretary of state under division (A) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the prosecutor of Franklin county;

(b) In the case of a failure to comply with or a violation of law involving any other campaign committee or committee's candidate, or any other political party or political action committee, either of the following as determined by the commission:

(i) The prosecutor of Franklin county;

(ii) The prosecutor of the county in which the candidacy or ballot question or issue is submitted to the electors or, if it is submitted in more than one county, the most populous of those counties.

(B) If the commission decides that the evidence is insufficient for it to determine whether or not the failure to act or the violation alleged in the complaint has occurred, the commission, by the affirmative vote of five members, may request that an investigatory attorney investigate the complaint. Upon that request, an investigatory attorney shall make an investigation in order to produce sufficient evidence for the commission to decide the matter. If the commission requests an investigation under this division, for good cause shown by the investigatory attorney, the commission may extend by sixty days the deadline for holding its first hearing on the complaint as required in division (A) of this section.

(C) The commission shall take one of the actions required under division (A) of this section not later than thirty days after the close of all the evidence presented.

(D)(1) The commission shall make any finding of a failure to comply with or a violation of law in regard to a complaint that alleges a violation of division (D) of section 3517.1010, division (A) or (B) of section 3517.21, or division (A) or (B) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code by clear and convincing evidence. The commission shall make any finding of a failure to comply with or a violation of law in regard to any other complaint by a preponderance of the evidence.

(2) If the commission finds a violation of division (B) of section 3517.21 or division (B) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code, it shall refer the matter to the appropriate prosecutor under division (A)(1)(c) of this section and shall not impose a fine under division (A)(1)(b) of this section or section 3517.993 of the Revised Code.

(E) In an action before the commission or a panel of the commission, if the allegations of the complainant are not proved, and the commission takes the action described in division (A)(1)(a) of this section or a panel of the commission takes the action described in division (C)(1) of section 3517.156 of the Revised Code, the commission or a panel of the commission may find that the complaint is frivolous, and, if the commission or panel so finds, the commission shall order the complainant to pay reasonable attorney's fees and to pay the costs of the commission or panel as determined by a majority of the members of the commission. The costs paid to the commission or panel under this division shall be deposited into the Ohio elections commission fund.

(F) This is an interim section effective until January 1, 2000.

Sec. 3517.992.  This section establishes penalties only with respect to acts or failures to act that occur on and after August 24, 1995.

(A)(1) A candidate whose campaign committee violates division (A), (B), (C), (D), or (V) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, or a treasurer of a campaign committee who violates any of those divisions, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.

(2) Whoever violates division (E) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.

(B) A political party that violates division (F)(1) of section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.

(C) Whoever violates division (F)(2) of section 3517.101 or division (G) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars or, if the offender is a person who was nominated or elected to public office, shall forfeit the nomination or the office to which the offender was elected, or both.

(D) Whoever violates division (F) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than three times the amount contributed.

(E) Whoever violates division (H) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.

(F) Whoever violates division (O), (P), or (Q) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(G) A state or county committee of a political party that violates division (B)(1) of section 3517.18 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than twice the amount of the improper expenditure.

(H) A state or county political party that violates division (G) of section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than twice the amount of the improper expenditure or use.

(I)(1) Any individual who violates division (B)(1) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code and knows that the contribution the individual makes violates that division shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(2) Any political action committee that violates division (B)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(3) Any campaign committee that violates division (B)(3) or (5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(4) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (B)(6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, and any state political party, county political party, or state candidate fund of a state political party or county political party that violates division (B)(6) of that section, shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by those divisions, as applicable.

(5) Notwithstanding divisions (J)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, no fine shall be imposed if the excess amount contributed meets either of the following conditions:

(a) It is completely refunded within five business days after it is accepted.

(b) It is less than or equal to the amount permitted under division (J)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section, whichever is applicable, and the excess is completely refunded within ten business days after notification to the recipient of the contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state that a contribution in excess of the permitted amount has been received.

(J)(1) Any campaign committee that violates division (C)(1), (2), (3), or (6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(2) Any state or county political party that violates division (C)(4) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(3) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (C)(5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(4) Any political action committee that violates division (C)(7) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(5) Notwithstanding divisions (K)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, no fine shall be imposed if the excess accepted meets either of the following conditions:

(a) It is completely refunded within five business days after its acceptance.

(b) It is less than or equal to the amount permitted under division (K)(1), (2), (3), or (4), whichever is applicable, and the excess is completely refunded within ten business days after notification to the recipient of the contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state that a contribution in excess of the permitted amount has been received.

(K)(1) Any campaign committee or legislative campaign fund that violates division (F)(1) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined twenty-five dollars for each day of violation.

(2) Any campaign committee or legislative campaign fund that violates division (F)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall give to the treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio elections commission fund all excess contributions not disposed of as required by division (E) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code.

(L) Whoever violates section 3517.105 of the Revised Code shall be fined one thousand dollars.

(M)(1) Whoever solicits a contribution in violation of section 3517.092 or violates division (B) of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(2) Whoever knowingly accepts a contribution in violation of division (B) or (C) of section 3517.092 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in violation of either of those divisions and shall return to the contributor any amount so accepted. Whoever unknowingly accepts a contribution in violation of division (B) or (C) of section 3517.092 of the Revised Code shall return to the contributor any amount so accepted.

(N) Whoever violates division (S) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount of funds transferred or three times the value of the assets transferred in violation of that division.

(O) Any campaign committee that accepts a contribution or contributions in violation of section 3517.108 of the Revised Code, uses a contribution in violation of that section, or fails to dispose of excess contributions in violation of that section shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted, used, or kept in violation of that section.

(P) Any political party, state candidate fund, legislative candidate fund, or campaign committee that violates division (T) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed or accepted in violation of that section.

(Q) A treasurer of a committee or another person who violates division (U) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than two hundred fifty dollars.

(R) Whoever violates division (I) or (J) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars. Whenever a person is found guilty of violating division (I) or (J) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, the contract awarded in violation of either of those divisions shall be rescinded if its terms have not yet been performed.

(S) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a campaign committee who violates section 3517.081, and a candidate whose campaign committee violates, or a treasurer of a campaign committee, or another person who violates, division (C) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.

(T) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a committee who violates division (B), or a candidate whose campaign committee violates, a treasurer of a committee, or another person who violates division (C), of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.

(U) Whoever violates section 3517.20 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.

(V) Whoever violates section 3517.21 or 3517.22 of the Revised Code shall be imprisoned for not more than six months or fined not more than five thousand dollars, or both.

(W) A campaign committee that is required to file a declaration of no limits under division (D)(2) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code that, before filing that declaration, accepts a contribution or contributions that exceed the limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, shall return that contribution or those contributions to the contributor.

This is an interim section effective until January 1, 2000.

SECTION 5 .  That all existing versions of sections 3517.10, 3517.102, 3517.103, 3517.154, 3517.155, and 3517.992 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

SECTION 6 .  Sections 4 and 5 of this act shall take effect on January 1, 2000.

SECTION 7 .  That section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code, as enacted by this act, is hereby repealed effective January 1, 2000.

SECTION 8 .  If any provision of a section contained in this act or the application of that provision to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions of the section or related sections that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions are severable.

SECTION 9 .  Sections 3517.01, 3517.11, and 3517.13 of the Revised Code are presented in this act as composites of the sections as amended by both Am. Sub. H.B. 99 and Am. Sub. S.B. 9 of the 121st General Assembly, with the new language of neither of the acts shown in capital letters. This is in recognition of the principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that such amendments are to be harmonized where not substantively irreconcilable and constitutes a legislative finding that such is the resulting version in effect prior to the effective date of this act.

SECTION 10 .  This act is hereby declared to be an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety. The reason for such necessity is to ensure the orderly and equitable conduct of elections and to guard against election fraud, including at the primary election to be held in May 1998. Therefore, this act shall go into immediate effect.