To amend section 5502.03 and to enact section 5502.04 of the Revised Code to create the Infrastructure Protection Center within the Division of Homeland Security of the Department of Public Safety.

Section 1. That section 5502.03 be amended and section 5502.04 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 5502.03. (A) There is hereby created in the department of public safety a division of homeland security.

(B) The division shall do all of the following:

(1) Coordinate all homeland security activities of all state agencies and be the liaison between state agencies and local entities for the purposes of communicating homeland security funding and policy initiatives;

(2) Collect, analyze, maintain, and disseminate information to support local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, other government agencies, and private organizations in detecting, deterring, preventing, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from threatened or actual terrorist events. This information is not a public record pursuant to section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(3) Coordinate Through the infrastructure protection center created in section 5502.04 of the Revised Code, coordinate efforts of state and local governments and private organizations to enhance the security and protection of critical infrastructure and key assets in this state;

(4) Develop and coordinate policies, protocols, and strategies that may be used to prevent, detect, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorist acts or threats;

(5) Develop, update, and coordinate the implementation of an Ohio homeland security strategic plan that will guide state and local governments in the achievement of homeland security in this state.

(C) The director of public safety shall appoint an executive director, who shall be head of the division of homeland security and who regularly shall advise the governor and the director on matters pertaining to homeland security. The executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the director of public safety. To carry out the duties assigned under this section, the executive director, subject to the direction and control of the director of public safety, may appoint and maintain necessary staff and may enter into any necessary agreements.

(D) Except as otherwise provided by law, nothing in this section shall be construed to give the director of public safety or the executive director of the division of homeland security authority over the incident management structure or responsibilities of local emergency response personnel.

Sec. 5502.04. (A) There is hereby created in the division of homeland security the infrastructure protection center, to be located in Cincinnati.

(B) The center shall do all of the following:

(1) Coordinate all infrastructure-related homeland security and infrastructure protection activities of all state agencies and be the liaison between state agencies, local entities, and the public for the purposes of communicating infrastructure-related homeland security services;

(2) Research and analyze infrastructure security and intelligence information to detect, deter, prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from potential or actual terrorist events that threaten infrastructure. This information is not a public record pursuant to section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(3) Coordinate efforts of state and local governments and private organizations to enhance the security and protection of critical infrastructure and key assets in this state and to ensure interoperability and compatibility of such efforts;

(4) Develop and coordinate policies, protocols, and strategies that may be used to prevent, detect, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorist acts or threats to infrastructure, including emergency response and contingency planning;

(5) Perform infrastructure risk assessments, including individual site assessments and sector assessments, and recommend strategies and methods to mitigate risk;

(6) Conduct prevention and deterrence exercises and provide security analysis training.

(C) In performing its duties under division (B) of this section, the center shall give priority to bridge security. The center and the department of transportation cooperatively shall identify those bridges considered most critical to the state, establish inspection schedules and other methods to mitigate the risk to bridges, and establish security procedures to protect critical bridges.

(D) The director of public safety shall appoint a chief administrator, who shall be head of the center and who shall report to the executive director of the division of homeland security on a regular basis concerning the duties and responsibilities of the center and on any matters pertaining to infrastructure protection. The chief administrator shall serve at the pleasure of the director of public safety. To carry out the duties assigned under this section, the chief administrator, subject to the direction and control of the executive director of the division of homeland security, may appoint and maintain necessary staff and may enter into any necessary agreements.

(E) Except as otherwise provided by law, nothing in this section shall be construed to give the director of public safety or the chief administrator of the infrastructure protection center authority over the incident management structure or responsibilities of local emergency response personnel.

(F) This section shall not be construed to replace or supersede infrastructure security standards the United States department of homeland security and the transportation security administration require, or safety standards the United States department of transportation requires.

Section 2. That existing section 5502.03 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.