To amend sections 5701.13 and 5709.12 of the Revised Code to provide property tax exemption for retirement or nursing homes belonging to tax-exempt organizations and occupied by persons who have retired from uncompensated service to a charitable, religious, fraternal, or educational institution.

Section 1. That sections 5701.13 and 5709.12 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 5701.13.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Nursing home" means a nursing home or a home for the aging, as those terms are defined in section 3721.01 of the Revised Code, that is issued a license pursuant to section 3721.02 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Residential care facility" means a residential care facility, as defined in section 3721.01 of the Revised Code, that is issued a license pursuant to section 3721.02 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Adult care facility" means an adult care facility as defined in section 3722.01 of the Revised Code that is issued a license pursuant to section 3722.04 of the Revised Code.

(B) As used in Title LVII of the Revised Code, and for the purpose of other sections of the Revised Code that refer specifically to Chapter 5701. or section 5701.13 of the Revised Code, a "home for the aged" means a either of the following:

(1) A place of residence for aged and infirm persons that satisfies divisions (B)(1)(a) to (e) of this section:

(a) It is either a nursing home, residential care facility, or adult care facility and that meets all of the following standards:.

(1)(b) It is owned by a corporation, unincorporated association, or trust of a charitable, religious, or fraternal nature, which is organized and operated not for profit, which is not formed for the pecuniary gain or profit of, and whose net earnings or any part of whose net earnings is not distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, and which is exempt from federal income taxation under section 501 of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C. 1.

(2)(c) It is open to the public without regard to race, color, or national origin;.

(3)(d) It does not pay, directly or indirectly, compensation for services rendered, interest on debts incurred, or purchase price for land, building, equipment, supplies, or other goods or chattels, which compensation, interest, or purchase price is unreasonably high;.

(4)(e) It provides services for the life of each resident without regard to his the resident's ability to continue payment for the full cost of the services.

(2) A place of residence that satisfies divisions (B)(1)(b), (d), and (e) of this section; that satisfies the definition of "nursing home," "residential care facility," or "adult care facility" under section 3721.01 or 3722.01 of the Revised Code regardless of whether it is licensed as such a home or facility; and that is provided at no charge to individuals on account of their service without compensation to a charitable, religious, fraternal, or educational institution, which individuals are aged or infirm and are members of the corporation, association, or trust that owns the place of residence. For the purposes of division (B)(2) of this section, "compensation" does not include furnishing room and board, clothing, health care, or other necessities, or stipends or other de minimis payments to defray the cost thereof.

Exemption from taxation shall be accorded, on proper application, only to those homes or parts of homes which meet the standards and provide the services specified in this section.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as preventing a home from requiring a resident with financial need to apply for any applicable financial assistance or requiring a home to retain a resident who willfully refuses to pay for services for which he the resident has contracted even though he the resident has sufficient resources to do so.

(C)(1) If a corporation, unincorporated association, or trust described in division (B)(1)(b) of this section is granted a certificate of need pursuant to section 3702.52 of the Revised Code to construct, add to, or otherwise modify a nursing home, or is given approval pursuant to section 3791.04 of the Revised Code to construct, add to, or otherwise modify a residential care facility or adult care facility and if the corporation, association, or trust submits an affidavit to the tax commissioner stating that, commencing on the date of licensure and continuing thereafter, the home or facility will be operated in accordance with the requirements of divisions (B)(1), (2), (3), and (4)(a) to (e) of this section, the corporation, association, or trust shall be considered to be operating a "home for the aged" within the meaning of division (B)(1) of this section, beginning on the first day of January of the year in which such certificate is granted or approval is given.

(2) If a corporation, association, or trust is considered to be operating a "home for the aged" pursuant to division (C)(1) of this section, the corporation, association, or trust shall notify the tax commissioner in writing upon the occurrence of any of the following events:

(a) The corporation, association, or trust no longer intends to complete the construction of, addition to, or modification of the home or facility, to obtain the appropriate license for the home or facility, or to commence operation of the home or facility in accordance with the requirements of divisions (B)(1), (2), (3), and (4)(a) to (e) of this section;

(b) The certificate of approval referred to in division (C)(1) of this section expires, is revoked, or is otherwise terminated prior to the completion of the construction of, addition to, or modification of the home or facility;

(c) The license to operate the home or facility is not granted by the director of health within one year following completion of the construction of, addition to, or modification of the home or facility;

(d) The license to operate the home or facility is not granted by the director of health within four years following the date upon which the certificate or approval referred to in division (C)(1) of this section was granted or given;

(e) The home or facility is granted a license to operate as a nursing home, residential care facility, or adult care facility.

(3) Upon the occurrence of any of the events referred to in divisions (C)(2)(a), (b), (c), (d), or and (e) of this section, the corporation, association, or trust shall no longer be considered to be operating a "home for the aged" pursuant to division (C)(1) of this section, except that the tax commissioner, for good cause shown and to the extent he the commissioner considers appropriate, may extend the time period specified in division (C)(2)(c) or (d) of this section, or both. Nothing in division (C)(3) of this section shall be construed to prevent a nursing home, residential care facility, or adult care facility from qualifying as a "home for the aged" if, upon proper application made pursuant to division (B) of this section, it is found to meet the requirements of divisions (A) and (B) of this section.

Sec. 5709.12.  (A) As used in this section, "independent living facilities" means any residential housing facilities and related property that are not a nursing home, residential care facility, or adult care facility as defined in division (A) of section 5701.13 of the Revised Code.

(B) Lands, houses, and other buildings belonging to a county, township, or municipal corporation and used exclusively for the accommodation or support of the poor, or leased to the state or any political subdivision for public purposes shall be exempt from taxation. Real and tangible personal property belonging to institutions that is used exclusively for charitable purposes shall be exempt from taxation, including real property belonging to an institution that is a nonprofit corporation that receives a grant under the Thomas Alva Edison grant program authorized by division (C) of section 122.33 of the Revised Code at any time during the tax year and being held for leasing or resale to others. If, at any time during a tax year for which such property is exempted from taxation, the corporation ceases to quality qualify for such a grant, the director of development shall notify the tax commissioner, and the tax commissioner shall cause the property to be restored to the tax list beginning with the following tax year. All property owned and used by a nonprofit organization exclusively for a home for the aged, as defined in section 5701.13 of the Revised Code, also shall be exempt from taxation.

(C)(1) If a home for the aged described in division (B)(1) of section 5701.13 of the Revised Code is operated in conjunction with or at the same site as independent living facilities, the exemption granted in division (B) of this section shall include kitchen, dining room, clinic, entry ways, maintenance and storage areas, and land necessary for access commonly used by both residents of the home for the aged and residents of the independent living facilities. Other facilities commonly used by both residents of the home for the aged and residents of independent living units shall be exempt from taxation only if the other facilities are used primarily by the residents of the home for the aged. Vacant land currently unused by the home, and independent living facilities and the lands connected with them are not exempt from taxation. Except as provided in division (A) of section 5709.121 of the Revised Code, property of a home leased for nonresidential purposes is not exempt from taxation.

(2) Independent living facilities are exempt from taxation if they are operated in conjunction with or at the same site as a home for the aged described in division (B)(2) of section 5701.13 of the Revised Code; operated by a corporation, association, or trust described in division (B)(1)(b) of that section; operated exclusively for the benefit of members of the corporation, association, or trust who are retired, aged, or infirm; and provided to those members without charge in consideration of their service, without compensation, to a charitable, religious, fraternal, or educational institution. For the purposes of division (C)(2) of this section, "compensation" does not include furnishing room and board, clothing, health care, or other necessities, or stipends or other de minimis payments to defray the cost thereof.

(D)(1) A private corporation established under federal law, defined in 36 U.S.C. 1101, Pub. L. No. 102-199, 105 Stat. 1629, as amended, the objects of which include encouraging the advancement of science generally, or of a particular branch of science, the promotion of scientific research, the improvement of the qualifications and usefulness of scientists, or the increase and diffusion of scientific knowledge is conclusively presumed to be a charitable or educational institution. A private corporation established as a nonprofit corporation under the laws of a state, that is exempt from federal income taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C.A. 1, as amended, and has as its principal purpose one or more of the foregoing objects, also is conclusively presumed to be a charitable or educational institution.

The fact that an organization described in this division operates in a manner that results in an excess of revenues over expenses shall not be used to deny the exemption granted by this section, provided such excess is used, or is held for use, for exempt purposes or to establish a reserve against future contingencies; and, provided further, that such excess may not be distributed to individual persons or to entities that would not be entitled to the tax exemptions provided by this chapter. Nor shall the fact that any scientific information diffused by the organization is of particular interest or benefit to any of its individual members be used to deny the exemption granted by this section, provided that such scientific information is available to the public for purchase or otherwise.

(2) Division (D)(2) of this section does not apply to real property exempted from taxation under this section and division (C) of section 5709.121 of the Revised Code and belonging to a nonprofit corporation described in division (D)(1) of this section that has received a grant under the Thomas Alva Edison grant program authorized by division (C) of section 122.33 of the Revised Code during any of the tax years the property was exempted from taxation.

When a private corporation described in division (D)(1) of this section sells all or any portion of a tract, lot, or parcel of real estate that has been exempt from taxation under this section and section 5709.121 of the Revised Code, the portion sold shall be restored to the tax list for the year following the year of the sale and a charge shall be levied against the sold property in an amount equal to the tax savings on such property during the four tax years preceding the year the property is placed on the tax list. The tax savings equals the amount of the additional taxes that would have been levied if such property had not been exempt from taxation.

The charge constitutes a lien of the state upon such property as of the first day of January of the tax year in which the charge is levied and continues until discharged as provided by law. The charge may also be remitted for all or any portion of such property that the tax commissioner determines is entitled to exemption from real property taxation for the year such property is restored to the tax list under any provision of the Revised Code, other than sections 725.02, 1728.10, 3735.67, 5709.40, 5709.41, 5709.62, 5709.63, 5709.71, 5709.73, 5709.78, and 5709.84, upon an application for exemption covering the year such property is restored to the tax list filed under section 5715.27 of the Revised Code.

(E) Real property held by an organization organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes as described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and exempt from federal taxation under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C.A. 501(a) and (c)(3), as amended, for the purpose of constructing or rehabilitating residences for eventual transfer to qualified low-income families through sale, lease, or land installment contract, shall be exempt from taxation.

The exemption shall commence on the day title to the property is transferred to the organization and shall continue to the end of the tax year in which the organization transfers title to the property to a qualified low-income family. In no case shall the exemption extend beyond the second succeeding tax year following the year in which the title was transferred to the organization. If the title is transferred to the organization and from the organization to a qualified low-income family in the same tax year, the exemption shall continue to the end of that tax year. The proportionate amount of taxes that are a lien but not yet determined, assessed, and levied for the tax year in which title is transferred to the organization shall be remitted by the county auditor for each day of the year that title is held by the organization.

Upon transferring the title to another person, the organization shall file with the county auditor an affidavit affirming that the title was transferred to a qualified low-income family or that the title was not transferred to a qualified low-income family, as the case may be; if the title was transferred to a qualified low-income family, the affidavit shall identify the transferee by name. If the organization transfers title to the property to anyone other than a qualified low-income family, the exemption, if it has not previously expired, shall terminate, and the property shall be restored to the tax list for the year following the year of the transfer and a charge shall be levied against the property in an amount equal to the amount of additional taxes that would have been levied if such property had not been exempt from taxation. The charge constitutes a lien of the state upon such property as of the first day of January of the tax year in which the charge is levied and continues until discharged as provided by law.

The application for exemption shall be filed as otherwise required under section 5715.27 of the Revised Code, except that the organization holding the property shall file with its application documentation substantiating its status as an organization organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and its qualification for exemption from federal taxation under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, and affirming its intention to construct or rehabilitate the property for the eventual transfer to qualified low-income families.

As used in this division, "qualified low-income family" means a family whose income does not exceed two hundred per cent of the official federal poverty guidelines as revised annually in accordance with section 673(2) of the "Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981," 95 Stat. 511, 42 U.S.C.A. 9902, as amended, for a family size equal to the size of the family whose income is being determined.

Section 2. That existing sections 5701.13 and 5709.12 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

Section 3. The amendment by this act of sections 5701.13 and 5709.12 of the Revised Code applies to tax year 2002 and thereafter.