130th Ohio General Assembly
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(126th General Assembly)
(Amended Substitute House Bill Number 694)



AN ACT
To amend sections 3517.13 and 3517.992 and to enact sections 109.96 and 3517.093 of the Revised Code to limit solicitations of and political contributions by owners and certain family members of owners of businesses that are seeking or that have been awarded public contracts, to require the Attorney General to develop and provide to each executive agency model contracts that the agency is required to use in any contract the agency enters into, and to make other changes to the Campaign Finance Law.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:

SECTION 1. That sections 3517.13 and 3517.992 be amended and sections 109.96 and 3517.093 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 109.96. (A) The attorney general shall develop and provide to each executive agency model contracts appropriate for use in contracts awarded by the agency.

(B) An executive agency that receives model contracts under division (A) of this section shall use those model contracts in any contract the agency enters into. In using model contracts under this division, an executive agency may modify, alter, or add to the model contracts as the agency considers appropriate.

(C) As used in this section, "executive agency" has the same meaning as in section 121.60 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 3517.093.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Family member of the holder of the state contract" means both of the following:

(a) The spouse of any person identified in division (A)(3) of this section;

(b) Any child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of any person identified in division (A)(3) of this section.

(2) "Holder of the public office with ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract" means all of the following:

(a) The governor and lieutenant governor, if the contract is awarded by the office of the governor;

(b) The governor, if the governor appoints a public officer who is responsible for the award of the contract, whether or not the appointment is subject to the advice and consent of the senate;

(c) The secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, and attorney general, if the contract is awarded by the respective office;

(d) The president of the senate, if the contract is awarded by the senate;

(e) The speaker of the house of representatives, if the contract is awarded by the house of representatives.

(3) "Holder of the state contract" means any of the following:

(a) An individual who has been awarded a state contract;

(b) Any partner or owner of a partnership or other unincorporated business that has been awarded a state contract;

(c) Any shareholder of an association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, that has been awarded a state contract;

(d) Any administrator of an estate that has been awarded a state contract;

(e) Any executor of an estate that has been awarded a state contract;

(f) Any trustee of a trust that has been awarded a state contract;

(g) Any owner of more than twenty per cent of a corporation or business trust, except a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, that has been awarded a state contract.

(h) In the case of a collective bargaining agreement with a labor organization representing employees where the holder of the public office with ultimate responsibility for the award of the state contract is a state official, the labor organization.

(4) "State contract" means a contract awarded by any agency or department of this state, the administrator of workers' compensation, or the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars.

For the purposes of division (A)(4) of this section, a contract for services includes collective bargaining agreements with a labor organization representing employees where the holder of the public office with ultimate responsibility for the award of the agreement is a state official.

(5) "Electioneering communication" has the same meaning as in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.

(B) Beginning on the date a state contract is awarded and extending until one year following the conclusion of that contract, the holder of the public office with ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract, that officeholder's campaign committee, and any person acting on behalf of that officeholder shall not solicit a contribution from or direct a contribution by the holder of the state contract or a family member of the holder of the state contract to any of the following:

(1) Any candidate or the campaign committee of any candidate;

(2) A political party;

(3) A ballot issue committee or a political action committee or other entity the primary purpose of which is to support or oppose any ballot issue or question that will be presented to voters throughout the entire state;

(4) A legislative campaign fund;

(5) Any person that the holder of the public office knows or should know has done either of the following during the current calendar year or during the two previous calendar years:

(a) Made a disbursement or disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications;

(b) Made a disbursement or disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing communications that, if made in Ohio, would constitute electioneering communications.

(C) No candidate, campaign committee, political party, ballot issue committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, person, or other entity shall knowingly accept a contribution that is solicited or directed in violation of division (B) of this section.

(D) Division (B) of this section does not apply to solicitations made by the holder of the public office with ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract, that officeholder's campaign committee, or any person acting on behalf of that officeholder for contributions to the officeholder's campaign committee.

(E)(1) Division (B) of this section does not apply to solicitations of contributions from or the directing of contributions by the holder of the state contract before the person became a partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business, shareholder of the association, administrator of the estate, executor of the estate, trustee of the trust, or owner of more than twenty per cent of a corporation or business trust or after the person ceased to hold any of those positions.

(2) Division (B) of this section does not apply to solicitations of contributions from or the directing of contributions by a spouse of the holder of the state contract in any of the following circumstances:

(a) Before the holder of the state contract became a partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business, shareholder of the association, administrator of the estate, executor of the estate, trustee of the trust, or owner of more than twenty per cent of a corporation or business trust;

(b) After the holder of the state contract ceased to be a partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business, shareholder of the association, administrator of the estate, executor of the estate, trustee of the trust, or owner of more than twenty per cent of a corporation or business trust;

(c) Before the two were married;

(d) After the granting of a decree of divorce, dissolution of marriage, or annulment;

(e) After the granting of an order in an action brought solely for legal separation.

(3) Division (B) of this section does not apply to solicitations of contributions from or the directing of contributions by a child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of the holder of the state contract in either of the following circumstances:

(a) Before the holder of the state contract became a partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business, shareholder of the association, administrator of the estate, executor of the estate, trustee of the trust, or owner of more than twenty per cent of a corporation or business trust;

(b) After the holder of the state contract ceased to be a partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business, shareholder of the association, administrator of the estate, executor of the estate, trustee of the trust, or owner of more than twenty per cent of a corporation or business trust.

Sec. 3517.13.  (A)(1) No campaign committee of a statewide candidate 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 this division, "statewide candidate" has the same meaning as in division (F)(2) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

(B) No campaign committee 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) or (4) 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, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, political party, or person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications 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 other unincorporated business account, if the contribution is reported by listing both the name of the partnership or other unincorporated business and the name of the partner or owner making the contribution as required under division (I) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.

(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 that station by its other users.

(I)(1)(a) 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 or other unincorporated business, 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 spouse of any of them any of the following 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.:

(i) The individual;

(ii) Any partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business;

(iii) Any shareholder of the association;

(iv) Any administrator of the estate;

(v) Any executor of the estate;

(vi) Any trustee of the trust;

(vii) The spouse of any person identified in divisions (I)(1)(a)(i) to (vi) of this section;

(viii) Any child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of any person identified in divisions (I)(1)(a)(i) to (vi) of this section.

(b) 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 for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any individual, partnership or other unincorporated business, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust if any combination of the following has made, within the two previous calendar years, one or more contributions totaling in excess of two 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:

(i) The individual;

(ii) Any partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business;

(iii) Any shareholder of the association;

(iv) Any administrator of the estate;

(v) Any executor of the estate;

(vi) Any trustee of the trust;

(vii) The spouse of any person identified in divisions (I)(1)(b)(i) to (vi) of this section;

(viii) Any child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of any person identified in divisions (I)(1)(b)(i) to (vi) of this section;

(ix) Any political action committee affiliated with the partnership or other unincorporated business, association, estate, or trust.

(2)(a) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this section, if any agency or department of this state or any political subdivision has awarded a contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any individual, partnership or other unincorporated business, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust, none of the following shall, beginning on the date the contract is awarded and extending until one year following the conclusion of that contract, make 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 that contract:

(i) The individual;

(ii) Any partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business;

(iii) Any shareholder of the association;

(iv) Any administrator of the estate;

(v) Any executor of the estate;

(vi) Any trustee of the trust;

(vii) The spouse of any person identified in divisions (I)(2)(a)(i) to (vi) of this section;

(viii) Any child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of any person identified in divisions (I)(2)(a)(i) to (vi) of this section.

(b) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this section, if any agency or department of this state or any political subdivision has awarded a contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any individual, partnership or other unincorporated business, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust, no combination of any of the following shall, beginning on the date the contract is awarded and extending until one year following the conclusion of that contract, make one or more contributions totaling in excess of two thousand dollars to the holder of the public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of that contract:

(i) The individual;

(ii) Any partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business;

(iii) Any shareholder of the association;

(iv) Any administrator of the estate;

(v) Any executor of the estate;

(vi) Any trustee of the trust;

(vii) The spouse of any person identified in divisions (I)(2)(b)(i) to (vi) of this section;

(viii) Any child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of any person identified in divisions (I)(2)(b)(i) to (vi) of this section;

(ix) Any political action committee affiliated with the partnership or other unincorporated business, association, estate, or trust.

(3) Subject to divisions (L), (M), and (N) of this section, no agency or department of this state or any political subdivision shall enter into any contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars with an individual, partnership or other unincorporated business, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust unless the contract includes a certification by the individual, partnership or other unincorporated business, association, estate, or trust that all of the following persons, if applicable, are in compliance with division (I)(1) of this section:

(a) The individual;

(b) Each partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business;

(c) Each shareholder of the association;

(d) Each administrator of the estate;

(e) Each executor of the estate;

(f) Each trustee of the trust;

(g) Each spouse of any person identified in divisions (I)(3)(a) to (f) of this section;

(h) Each child seven years of age to seventeen years of age of any person identified in divisions (I)(3)(a) to (f) of this section;

(i) Any combination of persons identified in divisions (I)(3)(a) to (h) of this section.

(4)(a) 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 for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any partnership or other unincorporated business, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust if a political action committee that is affiliated with the partnership or other unincorporated business, association, estate, or trust has made, within the two previous calendar years, one or more contributions totaling in excess of two 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.

(b) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this section, if any agency or department of this state or any political subdivision has awarded any contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any partnership or other unincorporated business, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust, no political action committee that is affiliated with the partnership or other unincorporated business, association, estate, or trust shall, beginning on the date the contract is awarded and extending until one year following the conclusion of that contract, make one or more contributions totaling in excess of two 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)(1)(a) 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 that person any of the following has made, as an individual, within the two previous calendar years, taking into consideration only owners for all of that 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.:

(i) An owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(ii) A spouse of an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(iii) A child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust.

(b) 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 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 any combination of the following has made, within the two previous calendar years, taking into consideration only owners for all of that period, one or more contributions totaling in excess of two 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:

(i) Owners of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(ii) Spouses of owners of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(iii) Children seven years of age through seventeen years of age of owners of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(iv) Any political action committee affiliated with the corporation or business trust.

(2)(a) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this section, if any agency or department of this state or any political subdivision has awarded a contract 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, none of the following shall, beginning on the date the contract is awarded and extending until one year following the conclusion of that contract, make 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 that contract:

(i) An owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(ii) A spouse of an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(iii) A child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust.

(b) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this section, if any agency or department of this state or any political subdivision has awarded a contract 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, no combination of any of the following shall, beginning on the date the contract is awarded and extending until one year following the conclusion of that contract, make one or more contributions totaling in excess of two thousand dollars to the holder of the public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of that contract:

(i) Owners of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(ii) Spouses of owners of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(iii) Children seven years of age through seventeen years of age of owners of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(iv) Any political action committee affiliated with the corporation or business trust.

(3) Subject to divisions (L), (M), and (N) of this section, no agency or department of this state or any political subdivision shall enter into any contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars with a corporation or business trust, except a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, unless the contract includes a certification by the corporation or business trust that all of the following persons, if applicable, are in compliance with division (J)(1) of this section:

(a) Each owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(b) Each spouse of an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(c) Each child seven years of age to seventeen years of age of an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(d) Any combination of persons identified in divisions (J)(3)(a) to (c) of this section.

(4)(a) 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 for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any corporation or business trust, except a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, if a political action committee that is affiliated with the corporation or business trust has made, within the two previous calendar years, one or more contributions totaling in excess of two 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.

(b) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this section, if any agency or department of this state or any political subdivision has awarded any contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any corporation or business trust, except a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, no political action committee that is affiliated with the corporation or business trust shall, beginning on the date the contract is awarded and extending until one year following the conclusion of that contract, make one or more contributions totaling in excess of two 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.

(K)(1) 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)(2) 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.

(L)(1)(a) Collective bargaining agreements with labor organizations representing employees shall be considered to be contracts for the purchase of services for the purpose of divisions (I), (J), (Y), and (Z) of this section. The labor organization shall be the recipient of the contract and considered to be an unincorporated business for the purpose of divisions (I), (J), (Y), and (Z) of this section. For purposes of divisions (I),(J), (Y) and (Z) of this section, a political contributing entity or political action committee of the labor organization shall be subject to the same limits as applicable to an affiliated political action committee of an incorporated business.

(b) Divisions (I), (J), (Y), and (Z) of this section do not apply to employment contracts entered into with a single employee.

(2)(a) For the purpose of divisions (I) and (Y) of this section, a political action committee is affiliated with a partnership or other unincorporated business, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust if the political action committee received, as reported on its most recent statement filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, more than fifty per cent of its contributions from any of the persons identified in divisions (I)(1)(a)(ii) to (vi) of this section or divisions (Y)(1)(a)(ii) to (vi) of this section, respectively.

(b) For the purpose of divisions (J) and (Z) of this section, a political action committee is affiliated with a corporation or business trust, except a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, if the political action committee received, as reported on its most recent statement filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, more than fifty per cent of its contributions from any of the persons identified in division (J)(1)(a)(i) of this section or division (Z)(1)(a)(i) of this section, respectively.

(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. This division 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 For the purpose of divisions (I) and, (J), (Y), and (Z) of this section do not apply to actions of, contracts approved by the controlling board shall be considered to be awarded solely by the agency or department that submitted the contract to the controlling board.

(N)(1) Divisions (I) and, (J), (Y), and (Z) 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, during the time the person holds the office and during any time such person was a candidate for the office. Those 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 the public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract during any such time the person is a candidate for that office. For the purpose of this division, a person becomes a candidate for the public office having ultimate authority for the award of the contract when the person becomes a candidate for that office by filing a declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating petition, through party nomination at a primary election, or by the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code.

(2) Divisions (I) and, (J), (Y), and (Z) 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 or other unincorporated business, 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, after the granting of a decree of divorce, dissolution of marriage, or annulment, or after the granting of an order in an action brought solely for legal separation. Those 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, after the granting of a decree of divorce, dissolution of marriage, or annulment, or after 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 for personal 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 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 doing any of the following:

(a) Engaging 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, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, campaign committee, or other candidate;

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

(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, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee other than the candidate's or public 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, political contributing entity, 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, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee. Without limitation, reimbursable expenses under this division include those incurred while doing any of the following:

(a) Engaging 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;

(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, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee for any legitimate activity of the political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, 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, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee other than the candidate's or public official's or employee's own campaign committee, anything of value for activities primarily related to the candidate's or public official's or employee's own campaign for election, except for contributions to the candidate's or public 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 a 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.

(W)(1) No foreign national shall, directly or indirectly through any other person or entity, make a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure or promise, either expressly or implicitly, to make a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure in support of or opposition to a candidate for any elective office in this state, including an office of a political party.

(2) No candidate, campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, state candidate fund, political party, or separate segregated fund shall solicit or accept a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure from a foreign national. The secretary of state may direct any candidate, committee, entity, fund, or party that accepts a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure in violation of this division to return the contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure or, if it is not possible to return the contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure, then to return instead the value of it, to the contributor.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Y) The (1)(a) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, the administrator of workers' compensation and the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation shall not conduct any business with or award any contract, other than one awarded by competitive bidding, for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any individual, partnership or other unincorporated business, 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 those individuals any of the following has made, as an individual, within the two previous calendar years, one or more contributions totaling in excess of one thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor:

(i) The individual;

(ii) Any partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business;

(iii) Any shareholder of the association;

(iv) Any administrator of the estate;

(v) Any executor of the estate;

(vi) Any trustee of the trust;

(vii) The spouse of any person identified in divisions (Y)(1)(a)(i) to (vi) of this section;

(viii) Any child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of any person identified in divisions (Y)(1)(a)(i) to (vi) of this section.

(b) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, the administrator of workers' compensation and the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation shall not conduct any business with or award any contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any individual, partnership or other unincorporated business, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust if any combination of the following has made, within the two previous calendar years, one or more contributions totaling in excess of two thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor:

(i) The individual;

(ii) Any partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business;

(iii) Any shareholder of the association;

(iv) Any administrator of the estate;

(v) Any executor of the estate;

(vi) Any trustee of the trust;

(vii) The spouse of any person identified in divisions (Y)(1)(b)(i) to (vi) of this section;

(viii) Any child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of any person identified in divisions (Y)(1)(b)(i) to (vi) of this section;

(ix) Any political action committee affiliated with the partnership or other unincorporated business, association, estate, or trust.

(2)(a) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, if the administrator of workers' compensation or the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation has awarded a contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any individual, partnership or other unincorporated business, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust, none of the following shall, beginning on the date the contract is awarded and extending until one year following the conclusion of that contract, make one or more contributions totaling in excess of one thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor:

(i) The individual;

(ii) Any partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business;

(iii) Any shareholder of the association;

(iv) Any administrator of the estate;

(v) Any executor of the estate;

(vi) Any trustee of the trust;

(vii) The spouse of any person identified in divisions (Y)(2)(a)(i) to (vi) of this section;

(viii) Any child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of any person identified in divisions (Y)(2)(a)(i) to (vi) of this section.

(b) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, if the administrator of workers' compensation or the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation has awarded a contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any individual, partnership or other unincorporated business, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust, no combination of any of the following shall, beginning on the date the contract is awarded and extending until one year following the conclusion of that contract, make one or more contributions totaling in excess of two thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor:

(i) The individual;

(ii) Any partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business;

(iii) Any shareholder of the association;

(iv) Any administrator of the estate;

(v) Any executor of the estate;

(vi) Any trustee of the trust;

(vii) The spouse of any person identified in divisions (Y)(2)(b)(i) to (vi) of this section;

(viii) Any child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of any person identified in divisions (Y)(2)(b)(i) to (vi) of this section;

(ix) Any political action committee affiliated with the partnership or other unincorporated business, association, estate, or trust.

(3) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, the administrator of workers' compensation and the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation shall not enter into any contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars with an individual, partnership or other unincorporated business, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust unless the contract includes a certification by the individual, partnership or other unincorporated business, association, estate, or trust that all of the following persons, if applicable, are in compliance with division (Y)(1) of this section:

(a) The individual;

(b) Each partner or owner of the partnership or other unincorporated business;

(c) Each shareholder of the association;

(d) Each administrator of the estate;

(e) Each executor of the estate;

(f) Each trustee of the trust;

(g) Each spouse of any person identified in divisions (Y)(3)(a) to (f) of this section;

(h) Each child seven years of age to seventeen years of age of any person identified in divisions (Y)(3)(a) to (f) of this section;

(i) Any combination of persons identified in divisions (Y)(3)(a) to (h) of this section.

(4)(a) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, the administrator of workers' compensation and the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation shall not conduct any business with or award any contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any partnership or other unincorporated business, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust if a political action committee that is affiliated with the partnership or other unincorporated business, association, estate, or trust has made, within the two previous calendar years, one or more contributions totaling in excess of two thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor.

(b) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, if the administrator of workers' compensation or the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation has awarded any contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any partnership or other unincorporated business, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust, no political action committee that is affiliated with the partnership or other unincorporated business, association, estate, or trust shall, beginning on the date the contract is awarded and extending until one year following the conclusion of that contract, make one or more contributions totaling in excess of two thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor.

(Z) The (1)(a) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, the administrator of workers' compensation and the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation shall not conduct business with or award any contract, other than one awarded by competitive bidding, 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 the owner, any of the following 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 campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor:

(i) An owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(ii) A spouse of an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(iii) A child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust.

(b) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, the administrator of workers' compensation and the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation shall not conduct any business with or award any contract 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 any combination of the following has made, within the two previous calendar years, taking into consideration only owners for all of that period, one or more contributions totaling in excess of two thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor:

(i) Owners of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(ii) Spouses of owners of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(iii) Children seven years of age through seventeen years of age of owners of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(iv) Any political action committee affiliated with the corporation or business trust.

(2)(a) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, if the administrator of workers' compensation or the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation has awarded a contract 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, none of the following shall, beginning on the date the contract is awarded and extending until one year following the conclusion of that contract, make one or more contributions totaling in excess of one thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor:

(i) An owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(ii) A spouse of an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(iii) A child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust.

(b) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, if the administrator of workers' compensation or the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation has awarded a contract 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, no combination of any of the following shall, beginning on the date the contract is awarded and extending until one year following the conclusion of that contract, make one or more contributions totaling in excess of two thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor:

(i) Owners of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(ii) Spouses of owners of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(iii) Children seven years of age through seventeen years of age of owners of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(iv) Any political action committee affiliated with the corporation or business trust.

(3) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, the administrator of workers' compensation and the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation shall not enter into any contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars with a corporation or business trust, except a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, unless the contract includes a certification by the corporation or business trust that all of the following persons, if applicable, are in compliance with division (Z)(1) of this section:

(a) Each owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(b) Each spouse of an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(c) Each child seven years of age to seventeen years of age of an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust;

(d) Any combination of persons identified in divisions (Z)(3)(a) to (c) of this section.

(4)(a) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, the administrator of workers' compensation and the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation shall not conduct business with or award any contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any corporation or business trust, except a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, if a political action committee that is affiliated with the corporation or business trust has made, within the two previous calendar years, one or more contributions totaling in excess of two thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor.

(b) Subject to divisions (L), (M)(2), and (N) of this section, if the administrator of workers' compensation or the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation has awarded any contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any corporation or business trust, except a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, no political action committee that is affiliated with the corporation or business trust shall, beginning on the date the contract is awarded and extending until one year following the conclusion of that contract, make one or more contributions totaling in excess of two thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor.

(AA) No individual, partnership or other incorporated business, association, estate, trust, corporation, or business trust shall knowingly make a false statement on a certification required under division (I)(3), (J)(3), (Y)(3), or (Z)(3) of this section.

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) or (X)(5) 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)(a) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (B)(6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division, as applicable.

(b) 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 section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division, as applicable.

(c) Any political contributing entity that violates division (B)(7) 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.

(5) Any political party that violates division (B)(4) 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.

(6) Notwithstanding divisions (I)(1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) of this section, no violation of division (B) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not refer parties to the Ohio elections commission, if the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division meets either of the following conditions:

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

(b) It is completely refunded on or before the tenth business day after notification to the recipient of the excess transfer or contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state that a transfer or 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)(a) Any county political party that violates division (C)(4)(a)(ii) or (iii) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted.

(b) Any county political party that violates division (C)(4)(a)(i) 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.

(c) Any state political party that violates division (C)(4)(b) 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 or political contributing entity 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 (J)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, no violation of division (C) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not refer parties to the Ohio elections commission, if the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted to be accepted by that division meets either of the following conditions:

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

(b) It is completely refunded on or before the tenth business day after notification to the recipient of the excess transfer or contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state that a transfer or contribution in excess of the permitted amount has been received.

(K)(1) Any 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 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)(1) Whoever violates division (I) or (1), (I)(4)(a), (J)(1), (J)(4)(a), (Y)(1), (Y)(4)(a), (Z)(1), or (Z)(4)(a) 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 any of those divisions, the contract awarded in violation of either of those divisions the applicable division shall be rescinded if its terms have not yet been performed.

(2) Whoever violates division (I)(2), (I)(4)(b), (J)(2), (J)(4)(b), (Y)(2), (Y)(4)(b), (Z)(2), or (Z)(4)(b) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by the applicable division. Whenever a person is found guilty of violating any of those divisions, any contract that makes the person subject to the applicable division may be rescinded at the discretion of the elections commission.

(3) Whoever violates division (AA) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree, and the contract that includes the certification made in violation of that division shall be rescinded.

(S) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a campaign committee who violates section 3517.081 of the Revised Code, 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) of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code, or a candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a campaign 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.

(X) Any campaign committee that fails to file the declaration of filing-day finances required by division (F) of section 3517.109 or the declaration of primary-day finances or declaration of year-end finances required by division (E) of section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code shall be fined twenty-five dollars for each day of violation.

(Y) Any campaign committee that fails to dispose of excess funds or excess aggregate contributions under division (B) of section 3517.109 of the Revised Code in the manner required by division (C) of that section or under division (B) of section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code in the manner required by division (C) of that section shall give to the treasurer of state for deposit into the Ohio elections commission fund created under division (I) of section 3517.152 of the Revised Code all funds not disposed of pursuant to those divisions.

(Z) Any individual, campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, political party, or other entity that violates any provision of sections 3517.09 to 3517.12 of the Revised Code for which no penalty is provided for under any other division of this section shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.

(AA)(1) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(1) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed, expended, or promised in violation of that division or ten thousand dollars, whichever amount is greater.

(2) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(2) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount solicited or accepted in violation of that division or ten thousand dollars, whichever amount is greater.

(BB) Whoever knowingly violates division (C) or (D) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars plus not more than one thousand dollars for each day of violation.

(CC)(1) Subject to division (CC)(2) of this section, whoever violates division (H) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount up to three times the amount disbursed for the direct costs of airing the communication made in violation of that division.

(2) Whoever has been ordered by the Ohio elections commission or by a court of competent jurisdiction to cease making communications in violation of division (H) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code who again violates that division shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount disbursed for the direct costs of airing the communication made in violation of that division.

(DD)(1) Any corporation or labor organization that violates division (X)(3)(a) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount given in excess of the amount permitted by that division.

(2) Any state or county political party that violates division (X)(3)(b) of section 3517.13 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.

(EE)(1) Whoever solicits or directs a contribution in violation of division (B) of section 3517.093 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(2) Whoever accepts a contribution in violation of division (C) of section 3517.093 of the Revised Code shall return to the contributor any amount so accepted.

SECTION 2.  That existing sections 3517.13` and 3517.992 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any provision of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code to the contrary, no agency or department of this state or any political subdivision shall be prohibited from awarding a state contract, as defined in section 3517.093 of the Revised Code, to an individual, partnership or other unincorporated business, association, estate, trust, corporation, or business trust as a result of any of the following:

(A) Any contribution made prior to January 1, 2007, by a child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of any of the following:

(1) An individual who is seeking the award of a state contract;

(2) A partner or owner of a partnership or other unincorporated business that is seeking the award of a state contract;

(3) A shareholder of an association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, that is seeking the award of a state contract;

(4) An administrator of an estate that is seeking the award of a state contract;

(5) An executor of an estate that is seeking the award of a state contract;

(6) A trustee of a trust that is seeking the award of a state contract;

(7) An owner of more than twenty per cent of a corporation or business trust, except a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, that is seeking the award of a state contract.

(B) Any combination of contributions made prior to January 1, 2007, by any combination of the following:

(1) Any person identified in divisions (A)(1) to (7) of this section;

(2) The spouse of any person identified in divisions (A)(1) to (7) of this section;

(3) Any child seven years of age through seventeen years of age of any person identified in divisions (A)(1) to (7) of this section;

(4) Any political action committee affiliated with the applicable partnership or other unincorporated business, association, estate, trust, corporation, or business trust.

(C) Any contribution made prior to January 1, 2007, of more than one thousand dollars through two thousand dollars by either of the following:

(1) Any person identified in divisions (A)(1) to (7) of this section;

(2) The spouse of any person identified in divisions (A)(1) to (7) of this section.

SECTION 4. (A) If, on the effective date of this section, any of the following has awarded a contract and the performance of that contract has not yet been concluded, the contract shall be considered to have been awarded on the effective date of this act for the purpose of divisions (I)(2), (J)(2), (Y)(2), and (Z)(2) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code:

(1) Any agency or department of this state;

(2) Any political subdivision;

(3) The Administrator of Workers' Compensation;

(4) The employees of the Bureau of Workers' Compensation.

(B) As used in this section, "contract" means any contract for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars. A contract for services includes collective bargaining agreements with a labor organization representing employees where the holder of the public office with ultimate responsibility for the award of the agreement is a state official.

SECTION 5. If any item of law contained in this act, or if any application of any item of law contained in this act, is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other items of law or applications of items of law that can be given effect without the invalid item of law or application. To this end, the items of law of which the sections contained in this act are composed, and their applications, are independent and severable.

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