To amend sections 135.804, 307.695, 322.07, 323.151, 323.152, 323.153, 323.154, 323.155, 323.156, 323.159, 3317.16, 4503.065, 4503.066, 4503.067, 4503.068, 4735.18, and 5739.09 and to enact section 4735.24 of the Revised Code to change the definition of "housing cooperative" for the purposes of the county homestead tax exemptions and property tax payment link deposit programs for low-to-moderate income senior citizens and permanently disabled citizens, to expand the definition of a homestead owner to include settlors of irrevocable inter vivos trusts, to eliminate the necessity of issuing certificates of reduction for homestead exemptions, to modify how state funding for joint vocational school districts is computed when a new school district is added to the joint district, to establish requirements for the disbursement of earnest money deposited in a real estate broker's trust or special account, and to allow certain counties to increase the lodging tax by up to four per cent to fund a new arena or convention center project.

Section 1. That sections 135.804, 307.695, 322.07, 323.151, 323.152, 323.153, 323.154, 323.155, 323.156, 323.159, 3317.16, 4503.065, 4503.066, 4503.067, 4503.068, 4735.18, and 5739.09 be amended and section 4735.24 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 135.804.  As used in sections 135.804 to 135.807 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Taxes" has the same meaning as in section 323.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) "Eligible borrower" means a person meeting all of the following:

(1) The person is the owner of a homestead that is not charged with more than two years' worth of certified delinquent taxes.

(2) The person had total income in the year prior to submitting an application for a reduced rate loan under a property tax payment linked deposit program of the lesser of fifty thousand dollars or the total income limit established pursuant to section 135.805 of the Revised Code by the board of county commissioners as an eligibility requirement for participation in a property tax payment linked deposit program.

(3) The person meets all other eligibility requirements established pursuant to section 135.805 of the Revised Code by the board of county commissioners for participation in a property tax payment linked deposit program.

(C) "Eligible lending institution" means a financial institution that meets all of the following:

(1) The financial institution is eligible to make loans to individuals that are secured by mortgages, including mortgages commonly known as reverse mortgages.

(2) The financial institution has an office located within the territorial limits of the county.

(3) The financial institution is an eligible public depository described in section 135.32 of the Revised Code into which the county's investing authority may deposit the public moneys of the county.

(4) The financial institution has entered into an agreement described in division (B)(4) of section 135.805 of the Revised Code with the investing authority of the county to participate in the property tax payment linked deposit program.

(D)(1) "Homestead" means either of the following:

(1)(a) A dwelling, including a unit in a multiple-unit dwelling and a manufactured home or mobile home taxed as real property pursuant to division (B) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code, owned and occupied as a home by an individual whose domicile is in this state and who has not acquired ownership from a person, other than the individual's spouse, related by consanguinity or affinity for the purpose of qualifying for a property tax payment linked deposit program.

(2)(b) A unit in a housing cooperative that is occupied as a home, but not owned, by an individual whose domicile is in this state.

(2) The homestead shall include so much of the land surrounding it, not exceeding one acre, as is reasonably necessary for the use of the dwelling or unit as a home. An owner includes a holder of one of the several estates in fee, a vendee in possession under a purchase agreement or a land contract, a mortgagor, a life tenant, one or more tenants with a right of survivorship, tenants in common, and a settlor of a revocable or irrevocable inter vivos trust holding the title to a homestead occupied by the settlor as of right under the trust.

(E) "Housing cooperative" means a housing complex of at least two hundred fifty units that is owned and operated by a nonprofit corporation that issues a share of the corporation's stock to an individual, entitling the individual to live in a unit of the complex, and collects a monthly maintenance fee from the individual to maintain, operate, and pay the taxes of the complex.

(F) "Investing authority" and "public moneys" have the same meanings as in section 135.31 of the Revised Code.

(G) "Lien certificate" means the certificate described in section 135.807 of the Revised Code.

(H) "Old age and survivors benefits received pursuant to the 'Social Security Act'" or "tier I railroad retirement benefits received pursuant to the 'Railroad Retirement Act'" means:

(1) Old age benefits payable under the social security or railroad retirement laws in effect on the last day of the calendar year prior to the year for which a reduced rate loan under a property tax payment linked deposit program is applied for, or, if no such benefits are payable that year, old age benefits payable the first succeeding year in which old age benefits under the social security or railroad retirement laws are payable, except in those cases where a change in social security or railroad retirement benefits results in a reduction in income.

(2) The lesser of:

(a) Survivors benefits payable under the social security or railroad retirement laws in effect on the last day of the calendar year prior to the year for which a reduced rate loan under a property tax payment linked deposit program is applied for, or, if no such benefits are payable that year, survivors benefits payable the first succeeding year in which survivors benefits are payable; or

(b) Old age benefits of the deceased spouse, as determined under division (H)(1) of this section, upon which the surviving spouse's survivors benefits are based under the social security or railroad retirement laws, except in those cases where a change in benefits would cause a reduction in income.

Survivors benefits are those described in division (H)(2)(b) of this section only if the deceased spouse received old age benefits in the year in which the deceased spouse died. If the deceased spouse did not receive old age benefits in the year in which the deceased spouse died, then survivors benefits are those described in division (H)(2)(a) of this section.

(I) "Permanently and totally disabled" means a person who, on the first day of January of the year that a reduced rate loan under a property tax payment linked deposit program is applied for, has some impairment in body or mind that makes the person unable to work at any substantially remunerative employment that the person reasonably is able to perform and that will, with reasonable probability, continue for an indefinite period of at least twelve months without any present indication of recovery therefrom or has been certified as permanently and totally disabled by a state or federal agency having the function of so classifying persons.

(J) "Property tax payment linked deposit program" means a county-wide countywide program authorized under section 135.805 of the Revised Code and established by the board of county commissioners of a county pursuant to that section.

(K) "Sixty-five years of age or older" means a person who has attained age sixty-four prior to the first day of January of the year of application for a reduced rate loan under a property tax payment linked deposit program.

(L) "Total income" means the adjusted gross income of the owner and the owner's spouse for the year preceding the year in which application for a reduced rate loan under a property tax payment linked deposit program is made, as determined under the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C.A. 1, as amended, adjusted as follows:

(1) Subtract the amount of disability benefits included in adjusted gross income, but not to exceed fifty-two hundred dollars;

(2) Add old age and survivors benefits received pursuant to the "Social Security Act" that are not included in adjusted gross income;

(3) Add retirement, pension, annuity, or other retirement payments or benefits not included in adjusted gross income;

(4) Add tier I and tier II railroad retirement benefits received pursuant to the "Railroad Retirement Act," 50 Stat. 307, 45 U.S.C.A. 228;

(5) Add interest on federal, state, and local government obligations;

(6) For a person who received a reduced rate loan under a property tax payment linked deposit program for a prior year on the basis of being permanently and totally disabled and whose current application for a reduced rate loan is made on the basis of age, subtract the following amount:

(a) If the person received disability benefits that were not included in adjusted gross income in the year preceding the first year in which the person applied for a reduced rate loan on the basis of age, subtract an amount equal to the disability benefits the person received in that preceding year, to the extent included in total income in the current year and not subtracted under division (L)(1) of this section in the current year;

(b) If the person received disability benefits that were included in adjusted gross income in the year preceding the first year in which the person applied for a reduced rate loan on the basis of age, subtract an amount equal to the amount of disability benefits that were subtracted pursuant to division (L)(1) of this section in that preceding year, to the extent included in total income in the current year and not subtracted under division (L)(1) of this section in the current year.

Disability benefits that are paid by the department of veterans affairs or a branch of the armed forces of the United States on account of an injury or disability shall not be included in total income.

Sec. 307.695.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Arena" means any structure designed and constructed for the purpose of providing a venue for public entertainment and recreation by the presentation of concerts, sporting and athletic events, and other events and exhibitions, including facilities intended to house or provide a site for one or more athletic or sports teams or activities, spectator facilities, parking facilities, walkways, and auxiliary facilities, real and personal property, property rights, easements, leasehold estates, and interests that may be appropriate for, or used in connection with, the operation of the arena.

(2) "Convention center" means any structure expressly designed and constructed for the purposes of presenting conventions, public meetings, and exhibitions and includes parking facilities that serve the center and any personal property used in connection with any such structure or facilities.

(3) "Eligible county" means a county having a population of at least four hundred thousand but not more than eight hundred thousand according to the 2000 federal decennial census and that directly borders the geographic boundaries of another state.

(4) "Entity" means a nonprofit corporation, a municipal corporation, a port authority created under Chapter 4582. of the Revised Code, or a convention facilities authority created under Chapter 351. of the Revised Code.

(5) "Lodging taxes" means excise taxes levied under division (A)(1), (A)(2), (A)(8), or (C) of section 5739.09 of the Revised Code and the revenues arising therefrom.

(6) "Nonprofit corporation" means a nonprofit corporation that is organized under the laws of this state and that includes within the purposes for which it is incorporated the authorization to lease and operate facilities such as a convention center or an arena or a combination of an arena and convention center.

(7) "Project" means acquiring, constructing, reconstructing, renovating, rehabilitating, expanding, adding to, equipping, furnishing or otherwise improving an arena, a convention center, or a combination of an arena and convention center. For purposes of this section, a project is a permanent improvement for one purpose under Chapter 133. of the Revised Code.

(8) "Project revenues" means money received by a county with a population greater than four hundred thousand wherein the population of the largest city comprises more than one-third one-fourth of that county's population, other than money from taxes or from the proceeds of securities secured by taxes, in connection with, derived from, related to, or resulting from a project, including, but not limited to, rentals and other payments received under a lease or agreement with respect to the project, ticket charges or surcharges for admission to events at a project, charges or surcharges for parking for events at a project, charges for the use of a project or any portion of a project, including suites and seating rights, the sale of naming rights for the project or a portion of the project, unexpended proceeds of any county revenue bonds issued for the project, and any income and profit from the investment of the proceeds of any such revenue bonds or any project revenues.

(9) "Chapter 133. securities," "debt charges," "general obligation," "legislation," "one purpose," "outstanding," "permanent improvement," "person," and "securities" have the meanings given to those terms in section 133.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) A board of county commissioners may enter into an agreement with a convention and visitors' bureau operating in the county under which:

(1) The bureau agrees to construct and equip a convention center in the county and to pledge and contribute from the tax revenues received by it under division (A) of section 5739.09 of the Revised Code, not more than such portion thereof that it is authorized to pledge and contribute for the purpose described in division (C) of this section; and

(2) The board agrees to levy a tax under division (C) of section 5739.09 of the Revised Code and pledge and contribute the revenues therefrom for the purpose described in division (C) of this section.

(C) The purpose of the pledges and contributions described in divisions (B)(1) and (2) of this section is payment of principal, interest, and premium, if any, on bonds and notes issued by or for the benefit of the bureau to finance the construction and equipping of a convention center. The pledges and contributions provided for in the agreement shall be for the period stated in the agreement. Revenues determined from time to time by the board to be needed to cover the real and actual costs of administering the tax imposed by division (C) of section 5739.09 of the Revised Code may not be pledged or contributed. The agreement shall provide that any such bonds and notes shall be secured by a trust agreement between the bureau or other issuer acting for the benefit of the bureau and a corporate trustee that is a trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within or without the state, and the trust agreement shall pledge or assign to the retirement of the bonds or notes, all moneys paid by the county under this section. A tax the revenues from which are pledged under an agreement entered into by a board of county commissioners under this section shall not be subject to diminution by initiative or referendum, or diminution by statute, unless provision is made therein for an adequate substitute therefor reasonably satisfactory to the trustee under the trust agreement that secures the bonds and notes.

(D) A pledge of money by a county under division (B) of this section shall not be indebtedness of the county for purposes of Chapter 133. of the Revised Code.

(E) If the terms of the agreement so provide, the board of county commissioners may acquire and lease real property to the convention bureau as the site of the convention center. The lease shall be on such terms as are set forth in the agreement. The purchase and lease are not subject to the limitations of sections 307.02 and 307.09 of the Revised Code.

(F) In addition to the authority granted to a board of county commissioners under divisions (B) to (E) of this section, a board of county commissioners in a county with a population of one million two hundred thousand or more, or a county with a population greater than four hundred thousand wherein the population of the largest city comprises more than one-third one-fourth of that county's population, may purchase, for cash or by installment payments, enter into lease-purchase agreements for, lease with an option to purchase, lease, construct, enlarge, improve, rebuild, equip, or furnish a convention center.

(G) The board of county commissioners of a county with a population greater than four hundred thousand wherein the population of the largest city comprises more than one-third one-fourth of that county's population may undertake, finance, lease, operate, and maintain a project. For the purposes of this section, leasing includes but is not limited to entering a lease-purchase agreement. The board may lease a project to or from an entity on terms that the board determines to be in the best interest of the county and in furtherance of the public purpose of the project; the lease may be for a term of thirty-five years or less and may provide for an option of the entity or the county to renew the lease for a term of thirty-five years or less. The board may enter into an agreement with an entity with respect to a project on terms that the board determines to be in the best interest of the county and in furtherance of the public purpose of the project. To the extent provided for in an agreement or a lease with an entity, the board may authorize the entity to administer on behalf of the board any contracts for the project. The board may enter into an agreement providing for the sale to a person of naming rights to a project or portion of a project, for a period, for consideration, and on other terms and conditions that the board determines to be in the best interest of the county and in furtherance of the public purpose of the project. The board may enter into an agreement with a person owning or operating a professional athletic or sports team providing for the use by that person of a project or portion of a project for that team's offices, training, practices, and home games for a period, for consideration, and on other terms and conditions that the board determines to be in the best interest of the county and in furtherance of the public purpose of the project. The board may establish ticket charges or surcharges for admission to events at a project, charges or surcharges for parking for events at a project, and charges for the use of a project or any portion of a project, including suites and seating rights, and may, as necessary, enter into agreements related thereto with persons for a period, for consideration, and on other terms and conditions that the board determines to be in the best interest of the county and in furtherance of the public purpose of the project. A lease or agreement authorized by this division is not subject to sections 307.02, 307.09, and 307.12 of the Revised Code.

(H) Notwithstanding any contrary provision in Chapter 5739. of the Revised Code, after adopting a resolution declaring it to be in the best interest of the county to undertake a project as described in division (G) of this section, the board of county commissioners of an eligible county may adopt a resolution enacting or increasing any lodging taxes within the limits specified in Chapter 5739. of the Revised Code with respect to those lodging taxes and amending any prior resolution under which any of its lodging taxes have been imposed in order to provide that those taxes, after deducting the real and actual costs of administering the taxes and any portion of the taxes returned to any municipal corporation or township as provided in division (A)(1) of section 5739.09 of the Revised Code, shall be used by the board for the purposes of undertaking, financing, operating, and maintaining the project, including paying debt charges on any securities issued by the board under division (I) of this section, or to make contributions to the convention and visitors' bureau operating within the county, or to promote, advertise, and market the region in which the county is located, all as the board may determine and make appropriations for from time to time, subject to the terms of any pledge to the payment of debt charges on outstanding general obligation securities or special obligation securities authorized under division (I) of this section. A resolution adopted under division (H) of this section shall be adopted not earlier than January 15, 2007, and not later than January 15, 2008.

A resolution adopted under division (H) of this section may direct the board of elections to submit the question of enacting or increasing lodging taxes, as the case may be, to the electors of the county at a special election held on the date specified by the board in the resolution, provided that the election occurs not less than seventy-five days after a certified copy of the resolution is transmitted to the board of elections and no later than January 15, 2008. A resolution submitted to the electors under this division shall not go into effect unless it is approved by a majority of those voting upon it. A resolution adopted under division (H) of this section that is not submitted to the electors of the county for their approval or disapproval is subject to a referendum as provided in sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code.

A resolution adopted under division (H) of this section takes effect upon its adoption, unless the resolution is submitted to the electors of the county for their approval or disapproval, in which case the resolution takes effect on the date the board of county commissioners receives notification from the board of elections of the affirmative vote. Lodging taxes received after the effective date of the resolution may be used for the purposes described in division (H) of this section, except that lodging taxes that have been pledged to the payment of debt charges on any bonds or notes issued by or for the benefit of a convention and visitors' bureau under division (C) of this section shall be used exclusively for that purpose until such time as the bonds or notes are no longer outstanding under the trust agreement securing those bonds or notes.

(I)(1) The board of county commissioners of a county with a population greater than four hundred thousand wherein the population of the largest city comprises more than one-third one-fourth of that county's population may issue the following securities of the county for the purpose of paying costs of the project, refunding any outstanding county securities issued for that purpose, refunding any outstanding bonds or notes issued by or for the benefit of the bureau under division (C) of this section, or for any combination of those purposes:

(a) General obligation securities issued under Chapter 133. of the Revised Code. The resolution authorizing these securities may include covenants to appropriate annually from lawfully available lodging taxes, and to continue to levy and collect those lodging taxes in, amounts necessary to meet the debt charges on those securities.

(b) Special obligation securities issued under Chapter 133. of the Revised Code that are secured only by lawfully available lodging taxes and any other taxes and revenues pledged to pay the debt charges on those securities, except ad valorem property taxes. The resolution authorizing those securities shall include a pledge of and covenants to appropriate annually from lawfully available lodging taxes and any other taxes and revenues pledged for such purpose, and to continue to collect any of those revenues pledged for such purpose and to levy and collect those lodging taxes and any other taxes pledged for such purpose, in amounts necessary to meet the debt charges on those securities. The pledge is valid and binding from the time the pledge is made, and the lodging taxes so pledged and thereafter received by the county are immediately subject to the lien of the pledge without any physical delivery of the lodging taxes or further act. The lien of any pledge is valid and binding as against all parties having claims of any kind in tort, contract, or otherwise against the county, regardless of whether such parties have notice of the lien. Neither the resolution nor any trust agreement by which a pledge is created or further evidenced is required to be filed or recorded except in the records of the board. The special obligation securities shall contain a statement on their face to the effect that they are not general obligation securities, and, unless paid from other sources, are payable from the pledged lodging taxes.

(c) Revenue securities authorized under section 133.08 of the Revised Code and issued under Chapter 133. of the Revised Code that are secured only by lawfully available project revenues pledged to pay the debt charges on those securities.

(2) The securities described in division (I)(1) of this section are subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code.

(3) Section 133.34 of the Revised Code, except for division (A) of that section, applies to the issuance of any refunding securities authorized under this division. In lieu of division (A) of section 133.34 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners shall establish the maturity date or dates, the interest payable on, and other terms of refunding securities as it considers necessary or appropriate for their issuance, provided that the final maturity of refunding securities shall not exceed by more than ten years the final maturity of any bonds refunded by refunding securities.

(4) The board may not repeal, rescind, or reduce all or any portion of any lodging taxes pledged to the payment of debt charges on any outstanding special obligation securities authorized under this division, and no portion of any lodging taxes that is pledged, or that the board has covenanted to levy, collect, and appropriate annually to pay debt charges on any outstanding securities authorized under this division is subject to repeal, rescission, or reduction by the electorate of the county.

Sec. 322.07.  (A) By resolution the board of county commissioners may prescribe a lower rate for the real property transfer tax levied under section 322.02 of the Revised Code than the uniform rate that is otherwise levied. The lower rate shall apply to any deed conveying a homestead for which the grantor has obtained a certificate of reduction in taxes under section 323.154 of the Revised Code for receiving a reduction in taxes under division (A) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code.

(B) A board of county commissioners that prescribes a lower real property transfer tax rate under division (A) of this section shall prescribe the same lower rate for the manufactured home transfer tax if it levies a manufactured home transfer tax under section 322.06 of the Revised Code. The lower manufactured home transfer tax rate shall apply to any certificate of title conveying a used manufactured or used mobile home for which the grantor has obtained a certificate of receiving a reduction in assessable value under section 4503.067 4503.065 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 323.151.  As used in sections 323.151 to 323.159 of the Revised Code:

(A)(1) "Homestead" means either of the following:

(1)(a) A dwelling, including a unit in a multiple-unit dwelling and a manufactured home or mobile home taxed as real property pursuant to division (B) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code, owned and occupied as a home by an individual whose domicile is in this state and who has not acquired ownership from a person, other than the individual's spouse, related by consanguinity or affinity for the purpose of qualifying for the real property tax reduction provided in section 323.152 of the Revised Code.

(2)(b) A unit in a housing cooperative that is occupied as a home, but not owned, by an individual whose domicile is in this state.

(2) The homestead shall include so much of the land surrounding it, not exceeding one acre, as is reasonably necessary for the use of the dwelling or unit as a home. An owner includes a holder of one of the several estates in fee, a vendee in possession under a purchase agreement or a land contract, a mortgagor, a life tenant, one or more tenants with a right of survivorship, tenants in common, and a settlor of a revocable or irrevocable inter vivos trust holding the title to a homestead occupied by the settlor as of right under the trust. The tax commissioner shall adopt rules for the uniform classification and valuation of real property or portions of real property as homesteads.

(B) "Sixty-five years of age or older" means a person who has attained age sixty-four prior to the first day of January of the year of application for reduction in real estate taxes.

(C) "Permanently and totally disabled" means a person who has, on the first day of January of the year of application for reduction in real estate taxes, some impairment in body or mind that makes the person unable to work at any substantially remunerative employment that the person is reasonably able to perform and that will, with reasonable probability, continue for an indefinite period of at least twelve months without any present indication of recovery therefrom or has been certified as permanently and totally disabled by a state or federal agency having the function of so classifying persons.

(D) "Housing cooperative" means a housing complex of at least two hundred fifty units that is owned and operated by a nonprofit corporation that issues a share of the corporation's stock to an individual, entitling the individual to live in a unit of the complex, and collects a monthly maintenance fee from the individual to maintain, operate, and pay the taxes of the complex.

Sec. 323.152.  In addition to the reduction in taxes required under section 319.302 of the Revised Code, taxes shall be reduced as provided in divisions (A) and (B) of this section.

(A)(1) Division (A) of this section applies to any of the following:

(a) A person who is permanently and totally disabled;

(b) A person who is sixty-five years of age or older;

(c) A person who is the surviving spouse of a deceased person who was permanently and totally disabled or sixty-five years of age or older and who applied and qualified for a reduction in taxes under this division in the year of death, provided the surviving spouse is at least fifty-nine but not sixty-five or more years of age on the date the deceased spouse dies.

(2) Real property taxes on a homestead owned and occupied, or a homestead in a housing cooperative occupied, by a person to whom division (A) of this section applies shall be reduced for each year for which the owner obtains a certificate of reduction from the county auditor under section 323.154 of the Revised Code or for which the occupant obtains a certificate of reduction in accordance with section 323.159 of the Revised Code an application for the reduction has been approved. The reduction shall equal the greater of the reduction granted for the tax year preceding the first tax year to which this section applies pursuant to Section 803.06 of Am. Sub. H.B. 119 of the 127th general assembly, if the taxpayer received a reduction for that preceding tax year, or the product of the following:

(a) Twenty-five thousand dollars of the true value of the property in money;

(b) The assessment percentage established by the tax commissioner under division (B) of section 5715.01 of the Revised Code, not to exceed thirty-five per cent;

(c) The effective tax rate used to calculate the taxes charged against the property for the current year, where "effective tax rate" is defined as in section 323.08 of the Revised Code;

(d) The quantity equal to one minus the sum of the percentage reductions in taxes received by the property for the current tax year under section 319.302 of the Revised Code and division (B) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code.

(B) To provide a partial exemption, real property taxes on any homestead, and manufactured home taxes on any manufactured or mobile home on which a manufactured home tax is assessed pursuant to division (D)(2) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code, shall be reduced for each year for which the owner obtains a certificate of reduction from the county auditor under section 323.154 of the Revised Code an application for the reduction has been approved. The amount of the reduction shall equal two and one-half per cent of the amount of taxes to be levied on the homestead or the manufactured or mobile home after applying section 319.301 of the Revised Code.

(C) The reductions granted by this section do not apply to special assessments or respread of assessments levied against the homestead, and if there is a transfer of ownership subsequent to the filing of an application for a reduction in taxes, such reductions are not forfeited for such year by virtue of such transfer.

(D) The reductions in taxable value referred to in this section shall be applied solely as a factor for the purpose of computing the reduction of taxes under this section and shall not affect the total value of property in any subdivision or taxing district as listed and assessed for taxation on the tax lists and duplicates, or any direct or indirect limitations on indebtedness of a subdivision or taxing district. If after application of sections 5705.31 and 5705.32 of the Revised Code, including the allocation of all levies within the ten-mill limitation to debt charges to the extent therein provided, there would be insufficient funds for payment of debt charges not provided for by levies in excess of the ten-mill limitation, the reduction of taxes provided for in sections 323.151 to 323.159 of the Revised Code shall be proportionately adjusted to the extent necessary to provide such funds from levies within the ten-mill limitation.

(E) No reduction shall be made on the taxes due on the homestead of any person convicted of violating division (C) or (D) or (E) of section 323.153 of the Revised Code for a period of three years following the conviction.

Sec. 323.153.  (A) To obtain a reduction in real property taxes under division (A) or (B) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code or in manufactured home taxes under division (B) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code, the owner shall file an application with the county auditor of the county in which the owner's homestead is located.

To obtain a reduction in real property taxes under division (A) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code, the occupant of a homestead in a housing cooperative shall file an application with the nonprofit corporation that owns and operates the housing cooperative, in accordance with this paragraph. Not later than the first day of March each year, the corporation shall obtain applications from the county auditor's office and provide one to each new occupant. Not later than the first day of May, any occupant who may be eligible for a reduction in taxes under division (A) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code shall submit the completed application to the corporation. Not later than the fifteenth day of May, the corporation shall file all completed applications, and the information required by division (B) of section 323.159 of the Revised Code, with the county auditor of the county in which the occupants' homesteads are located. Continuing applications shall be furnished to an occupant in the manner provided in division (C)(4) of this section.

(1) An application for reduction based upon a physical disability shall be accompanied by a certificate signed by a physician, and an application for reduction based upon a mental disability shall be accompanied by a certificate signed by a physician or psychologist licensed to practice in this state, attesting to the fact that the applicant is permanently and totally disabled. The certificate shall be in a form that the tax commissioner requires and shall include the definition of permanently and totally disabled as set forth in section 323.151 of the Revised Code. An application for reduction based upon a disability certified as permanent and total by a state or federal agency having the function of so classifying persons shall be accompanied by a certificate from that agency.

An application for a reduction under division (A) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code constitutes a continuing application for a reduction in taxes for each year in which the dwelling is the applicant's homestead.

(2) An application for a reduction in taxes under division (B) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code shall be filed only if the homestead or manufactured or mobile home was transferred in the preceding year or did not qualify for and receive the reduction in taxes under that division for the preceding tax year. The application for homesteads transferred in the preceding year shall be incorporated into any form used by the county auditor to administer the tax law in respect to the conveyance of real property pursuant to section 319.20 of the Revised Code or of used manufactured homes or used mobile homes as defined in section 5739.0210 of the Revised Code. The owner of a manufactured or mobile home who has elected under division (D)(4) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code to be taxed under division (D)(2) of that section for the ensuing year may file the application at the time of making that election. The application shall contain a statement that failure by the applicant to affirm on the application that the dwelling on the property conveyed is the applicant's homestead prohibits the owner from receiving the reduction in taxes until a proper application is filed within the period prescribed by division (A)(3) of this section. Such an application constitutes a continuing application for a reduction in taxes for each year in which the dwelling is the applicant's homestead.

(3) Failure to receive a new application filed under division (A)(1) or (2) or notification under division (C) of this section after a certificate of reduction has been issued under section 323.154 of the Revised Code, or failure to receive a new application filed under division (A)(1) or notification under division (C) of this section after a certificate of reduction has been issued under section 323.159 of the Revised Code, an application for reduction has been approved is prima-facie evidence that the original applicant is entitled to the reduction in taxes calculated on the basis of the information contained in the original application. The original application and any subsequent application, including any late application, shall be in the form of a signed statement and shall be filed after the first Monday in January and not later than the first Monday in June. The original application and any subsequent application for a reduction in real property taxes shall be filed in the year for which the reduction is sought. The original application and any subsequent application for a reduction in manufactured home taxes shall be filed in the year preceding the year for which the reduction is sought. The statement shall be on a form, devised and supplied by the tax commissioner, which shall require no more information than is necessary to establish the applicant's eligibility for the reduction in taxes and the amount of the reduction, and, for a certificate of reduction issued under section 323.154 of the Revised Code except for homesteads that are units in a housing cooperative, shall include an affirmation by the applicant that ownership of the homestead was not acquired from a person, other than the applicant's spouse, related to the owner by consanguinity or affinity for the purpose of qualifying for the real property or manufactured home tax reduction provided for in division (A) or (B) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code. The form shall contain a statement that conviction of willfully falsifying information to obtain a reduction in taxes or failing to comply with division (C) of this section results in the revocation of the right to the reduction for a period of three years.

(B) A late application for a tax reduction for the year preceding the year in which an original application is filed, or for a reduction in manufactured home taxes for the year in which an original application is filed, may be filed with the original application. If the county auditor determines the information contained in the late application is correct, the auditor shall determine the amount of the reduction in taxes to which the applicant would have been entitled for the preceding tax year had the applicant's application been timely filed and approved in that year.

The amount of such reduction shall be treated by the auditor as an overpayment of taxes by the applicant and shall be refunded in the manner prescribed in section 5715.22 of the Revised Code for making refunds of overpayments. On the first day of July of each year, the county auditor shall certify the total amount of the reductions in taxes made in the current year under this division to the tax commissioner, who shall treat the full amount thereof as a reduction in taxes for the preceding tax year and shall make reimbursement to the county therefor in the manner prescribed by section 323.156 of the Revised Code, from money appropriated for that purpose.

(C)(1) If, in any year after an application has been filed under division (A)(1) or (2) of this section, the owner does not qualify for a reduction in taxes on the homestead or on the manufactured or mobile home set forth on such application, the owner shall notify the county auditor that the owner is not qualified for a reduction in taxes.

(2) If, in any year after an application has been filed under division (A) of this section, the occupant of a homestead in a housing cooperative does not qualify for a reduction in taxes on the homestead, the occupant shall notify the county auditor that the occupant is not qualified for a reduction in taxes or file a new application under division (A) of this section.

(3) If the county auditor or county treasurer discovers that the owner of property not entitled to the reduction in taxes under division (B) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code failed to notify the county auditor as required by division (C)(1) of this section, a charge shall be imposed against the property in the amount by which taxes were reduced under that division for each tax year the county auditor ascertains that the property was not entitled to the reduction and was owned by the current owner. Interest shall accrue in the manner prescribed by division (B) of section 323.121 or division (G)(2) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code on the amount by which taxes were reduced for each such tax year as if the reduction became delinquent taxes at the close of the last day the second installment of taxes for that tax year could be paid without penalty. The county auditor shall notify the owner, by ordinary mail, of the charge, of the owner's right to appeal the charge, and of the manner in which the owner may appeal. The owner may appeal the imposition of the charge and interest by filing an appeal with the county board of revision not later than the last day prescribed for payment of real and public utility property taxes under section 323.12 of the Revised Code following receipt of the notice and occurring at least ninety days after receipt of the notice. The appeal shall be treated in the same manner as a complaint relating to the valuation or assessment of real property under Chapter 5715. of the Revised Code. The charge and any interest shall be collected as other delinquent taxes.

(4) Each year during January, the county auditor shall furnish by ordinary mail a continuing application to each person issued a certificate of reduction under section 323.154 or 323.159 of the Revised Code with respect to a reduction in taxes receiving a reduction under division (A) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code. The continuing application shall be used to report changes in ownership or, occupancy of the homestead, including changes in or revocation of a revocable inter vivos trust, changes in, disability, and other changes in the information earlier furnished the auditor relative to the reduction in taxes on the property. The continuing application shall be returned to the auditor not later than the first Monday in June; provided, that if such changes do not affect the status of the homestead exemption or the amount of the reduction to which the owner is entitled under division (A) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code or to which the occupant is entitled under section 323.159 of the Revised Code, the application does not need to be returned.

(5) Each year during February, the county auditor, except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, shall furnish by ordinary mail an original application to the owner, as of the first day of January of that year, of a homestead or a manufactured or mobile home that transferred during the preceding calendar year and that qualified for and received a reduction in taxes under division (B) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code for the preceding tax year. In order to receive the reduction under that division, the owner shall file the application with the county auditor not later than the first Monday in June. If the application is not timely filed, the auditor shall not grant a reduction in taxes for the homestead for the current year, and shall notify the owner that the reduction in taxes has not been granted, in the same manner prescribed under section 323.154 of the Revised Code for notification of denial of an application. Failure of an owner to receive an application does not excuse the failure of the owner to file an original application. The county auditor is not required to furnish an application under this paragraph for any homestead for which application has previously been made on a form incorporated into any form used by the county auditor to administer the tax law in respect to the conveyance of real property or of used manufactured homes or used mobile homes, and an owner who previously has applied on such a form is not required to return an application furnished under this paragraph.

(D) No person shall knowingly make a false statement for the purpose of obtaining a reduction in the person's real property or manufactured home taxes under section 323.152 of the Revised Code.

(E) No person shall knowingly fail to notify the county auditor of changes required by division (C) of this section that have the effect of maintaining or securing a reduction in taxes under section 323.152 of the Revised Code.

(F) No person shall knowingly make a false statement or certification attesting to any person's physical or mental condition for purposes of qualifying such person for tax relief pursuant to sections 323.151 to 323.159 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 323.154.  On or before the day the county auditor has completed the duties imposed by sections 319.30 to 319.302 of the Revised Code, the auditor shall issue a certificate of reduction in taxes in triplicate for each person who has complied with section 323.153 of the Revised Code and whose homestead, as defined in division (A)(1) of section 323.151 of the Revised Code, or manufactured or mobile home the auditor finds is entitled to a reduction in real property or manufactured home taxes for that year under section 323.152 of the Revised Code. Except as provided in section 323.159 of the Revised Code, in the case of a homestead entitled to a reduction under division (A) of that section, the certificate shall state the taxable value of the homestead on the first day of January of that year, the total reduction in taxes for that year under that section, the tax rate that is applicable against such homestead for that year, and any other information the tax commissioner requires. In the case of a homestead or a manufactured or mobile home entitled to a reduction under division (B) of that section, the certificate shall state the total amount of the reduction in taxes for that year under that section and any other information the tax commissioner requires. The certificate for reduction in taxes shall be on a form approved by the commissioner. Upon issuance of such a certificate, the county auditor shall forward one copy and the original to the county treasurer and retain one copy. The county auditor also The county auditor shall approve or deny an application for reduction under section 323.152 of the Revised Code and shall so notify the applicant not later than the first Monday in October. Notification shall be provided on a form prescribed by the tax commissioner. If the application is approved, upon issuance of the notification the county auditor shall record the amount of reduction in taxes in the appropriate column on the general tax list and duplicate of real and public utility property and on the manufactured home tax list. If the application is denied, the notification shall inform the applicant of the reasons for the denial.

If an application, late application, or continuing application is not approved, or if the county auditor otherwise determines that a homestead or a manufactured or mobile home does not qualify for a reduction in taxes under division (A) or (B) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code, the auditor shall notify the applicant of the reasons for denial not later than the first Monday in October. If an applicant believes that the application for reduction has been improperly denied or that the reduction is for less than that to which the applicant is entitled, the applicant may file an appeal with the county board of revision not later than the date of closing of the collection for the first half of real and public utility property taxes or manufactured home taxes. The appeal shall be treated in the same manner as a complaint relating to the valuation or assessment of real property under Chapter 5715. of the Revised Code.

Sec. 323.155.  The county treasurer shall retain the original certificate of reduction in taxes issued under section 323.154 of the Revised Code and forward the copy to the person to whom the certificate is issued, along with the tax bill submitted pursuant to section 323.13 of the Revised Code or the advance payment certificate submitted pursuant to section 4503.061 of the Revised Code.

The county treasurer shall retain the original certificate of reduction issued under section 323.159 of the Revised Code and forward a copy to the person to whom the certificate is issued, and a copy to the nonprofit corporation that owns and operates the housing cooperative in which the person is an occupant, along with the corporation's tax bill submitted pursuant to section 323.13 of the Revised Code.

The tax bill prescribed under section 323.131 of the Revised Code shall indicate the net amount of taxes due following the reductions in taxes under sections 319.301, 319.302, and 323.152 of the Revised Code.

Any reduction in taxes under this section 323.152 of the Revised Code shall be disregarded as income or resources in determining eligibility for any program or calculating any payment under Title LI of the Revised Code.

Sec. 323.156.  Within thirty days after a settlement of taxes under divisions (A), (C), and (H) of section 321.24 of the Revised Code, the county treasurer shall certify to the tax commissioner one-half of the total amount of taxes on real property that were reduced pursuant to section 323.152 of the Revised Code for the preceding tax year, and one-half of the total amount of taxes on manufactured and mobile homes that were reduced pursuant to division (B) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code for the current tax year, as evidenced by the certificates of reduction and the tax duplicate certified to the county treasurer by the county auditor. The commissioner, within thirty days of the receipt of such certifications, shall provide for payment to the county treasurer, from the general revenue fund, of the amount certified, which shall be credited upon receipt to the county's undivided income tax fund, and an amount equal to two per cent of the amount by which taxes were reduced, which shall be credited upon receipt to the county general fund as a payment, in addition to the fees and charges authorized by sections 319.54 and 321.26 of the Revised Code, to the county auditor and treasurer for the costs of administering the exemption provided under sections 323.151 to 323.159 of the Revised Code.

Immediately upon receipt of funds into the county undivided income tax fund under this section, the auditor shall distribute the full amount thereof among the taxing districts in the county as though the total had been paid as taxes by each person for whom taxes were reduced under sections 323.151 to 323.159 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 323.159.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Applicant" means the person who occupies a homestead in a housing cooperative.

(2) "Homestead" has the same meaning as in division (A)(2)(1)(b) of section 323.151 of the Revised Code.

(B) Not later than the first day of May each year, any nonprofit corporation that owns and operates a housing cooperative shall determine the amount of property taxes it paid for the housing cooperative for the preceding tax year and shall attribute to each homestead in the housing cooperative a portion of the total property taxes as if the homestead's occupant paid the taxes. The taxes attributed to each homestead shall be based on the percentage that the square footage of the homestead is of the total square footage of the housing cooperative and on other reasonable factors that reflect the value of the homestead. Not later than the fifteenth day of May each year, the corporation shall file this information with the county auditor, along with any applications submitted to it under division (A) of section 323.153 of the Revised Code. No nonprofit corporation that owns and operates a housing cooperative shall fail to file with the county auditor the information required by this division and division (A) of section 323.153 of the Revised Code.

(C) On or before the day the county auditor has completed the duties imposed by sections 319.30 to 319.302 of the Revised Code, the auditor shall issue a certificate of reduction in taxes for each applicant who has complied with section 323.153 of the Revised Code and whose homestead the auditor finds is entitled to a reduction in real property taxes for that year under division (A) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code. The county auditor shall calculate the taxable value of each applicant's homestead as if the homestead was owned by the applicant and shall use the information provided by the nonprofit corporation under division (B) of this section to determine the reduction in taxable value to be attributed to the homestead.

The certificate shall state the taxable value, on the first day of January of that year, attributed to each homestead in the housing cooperative; the reduction in taxable value and reduction in taxes attributed to the homestead; the total amount of the reduction in taxable value for the housing cooperative based on all certificates issued under this section for homesteads in the housing cooperative; the nonprofit corporation's total reduction in taxes for that year under division (A) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code; the tax rate that is applicable against the housing cooperative for that year; and any other information the tax commissioner requires. The county auditor shall prepare three copies of the original certificate. Upon the issuance of such a certificate, the county auditor shall forward two copies and the original to the county treasurer and retain one copy. The county auditor also The county auditor shall approve or deny an application for reduction under division (A) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code and, not later than the first Monday in October, shall so notify the applicant and the nonprofit corporation that owns and operates the housing cooperative. Notification shall be provided on a form prescribed by the tax commissioner. If the application is approved, upon issuance of the notification the county auditor shall record the amount of reduction in taxes in the appropriate column on the general tax list and duplicate of real and public utility property.

(D) On receipt of the notice from the county auditor under division (C) of this section, the nonprofit corporation that owns and operates the housing cooperative shall reduce the monthly maintenance fee for each homestead for which an applicant received a certificate of reduction under this section application for reduction was approved for the year following the year for which the certificate was issued application was approved. The reduction in the monthly maintenance fee shall equal one-twelfth of the reduction in taxes attributed to the homestead by the county auditor under division (C) of this section.

(E) If an application, late application, or continuing application is not approved, or if the county auditor otherwise determines that a homestead does not qualify for a reduction in taxes under division (A) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code, the auditor shall notify the applicant, and the nonprofit corporation that owns and operates the housing cooperative, of the reasons for denial not later than the first Monday in October. If the applicant believes that the application for reduction has been improperly denied, or the nonprofit corporation that owns and operates the housing cooperative believes that the reduction is for less than that to which the housing cooperative is entitled, the applicant or housing cooperative, respectively, may file an appeal with the county board of revision not later than the date of closing of the collection for the first half of real and public utility property taxes. The appeal shall be treated in the same manner as a complaint relating to the valuation or assessment of real property under Chapter 5715. of the Revised Code.

Sec. 3317.16.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "State share percentage" means the percentage calculated for a joint vocational school district as follows:

(a) Calculate the state base cost funding amount for the district under division (B) of this section. If the district would not receive any base cost funding for that year under that division, the district's state share percentage is zero.

(b) If the district would receive base cost funding under that division, divide that base cost amount by an amount equal to the following:

The resultant number is the district's state share percentage.

(2) The "total special education weight" for a joint vocational school district shall be calculated in the same manner as prescribed in division (B)(1) of section 3317.022 of the Revised Code.

(3) The "total vocational education weight" for a joint vocational school district shall be calculated in the same manner as prescribed in division (B)(4) of section 3317.022 of the Revised Code.

(4) The "total recognized valuation" of a joint vocational school district shall be determined by adding the recognized valuations of all its constituent school districts that were subject to the joint vocational school district's tax levies for the applicable fiscal year both the current and preceding tax years.

(5) "Resident district" means the city, local, or exempted village school district in which a student is entitled to attend school under section 3313.64 or 3313.65 of the Revised Code.

(6) "Community school" means a community school established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code.

(B) The department of education shall compute and distribute state base cost funding to each joint vocational school district for the fiscal year in accordance with the following formula:

If the difference obtained under this division is a negative number, the district's computation shall be zero.

(C)(1) The department shall compute and distribute state vocational education additional weighted costs funds to each joint vocational school district in accordance with the following formula:

In each fiscal year, a joint vocational school district receiving funds under division (C)(1) of this section shall spend those funds only for the purposes the department designates as approved for vocational education expenses. Vocational educational expenses approved by the department shall include only expenses connected to the delivery of career-technical programming to career-technical students. The department shall require the joint vocational school district to report data annually so that the department may monitor the district's compliance with the requirements regarding the manner in which funding received under division (C)(1) of this section may be spent.

(2) The department shall compute for each joint vocational school district state funds for vocational education associated services costs in accordance with the following formula:

In any fiscal year, a joint vocational school district receiving funds under division (C)(2) of this section, or through a transfer of funds pursuant to division (L) of section 3317.023 of the Revised Code, shall spend those funds only for the purposes that the department designates as approved for vocational education associated services expenses, which may include such purposes as apprenticeship coordinators, coordinators for other vocational education services, vocational evaluation, and other purposes designated by the department. The department may deny payment under division (C)(2) of this section to any district that the department determines is not operating those services or is using funds paid under division (C)(2) of this section, or through a transfer of funds pursuant to division (L) of section 3317.023 of the Revised Code, for other purposes.

(D)(1) The department shall compute and distribute state special education and related services additional weighted costs funds to each joint vocational school district in accordance with the following formula:

(2)(a) As used in this division, the "personnel allowance" means thirty thousand dollars in fiscal years 2008 and 2009.

(b) For the provision of speech language pathology services to students, including students who do not have individualized education programs prepared for them under Chapter 3323. of the Revised Code, and for no other purpose, the department shall pay each joint vocational school district an amount calculated under the following formula:

(3) In any fiscal year, a joint vocational school district shall spend for purposes that the department designates as approved for special education and related services expenses at least the amount calculated as follows:

The purposes approved by the department for special education expenses shall include, but shall not be limited to, compliance with state rules governing the education of children with disabilities, providing services identified in a student's individualized education program as defined in section 3323.01 of the Revised Code, provision of speech language pathology services, and the portion of the district's overall administrative and overhead costs that are attributable to the district's special education student population.

The department shall require joint vocational school districts to report data annually to allow for monitoring compliance with division (D)(3) of this section. The department shall annually report to the governor and the general assembly the amount of money spent by each joint vocational school district for special education and related services.

(4) In any fiscal year, a joint vocational school district shall spend for the provision of speech language pathology services not less than the sum of the amount calculated under division (D)(1) of this section for the students in the district's category one special education ADM and the amount calculated under division (D)(2) of this section.

(E)(1) If a joint vocational school district's costs for a fiscal year for a student in its categories two through six special education ADM exceed the threshold catastrophic cost for serving the student, as specified in division (C)(3)(b) of section 3317.022 of the Revised Code, the district may submit to the superintendent of public instruction documentation, as prescribed by the superintendent, of all of its costs for that student. Upon submission of documentation for a student of the type and in the manner prescribed, the department shall pay to the district an amount equal to the sum of the following:

(a) One-half of the district's costs for the student in excess of the threshold catastrophic cost;

(b) The product of one-half of the district's costs for the student in excess of the threshold catastrophic cost multiplied by the district's state share percentage.

(2) The district shall only report under division (E)(1) of this section, and the department shall only pay for, the costs of educational expenses and the related services provided to the student in accordance with the student's individualized education program. Any legal fees, court costs, or other costs associated with any cause of action relating to the student may not be included in the amount.

(F) Each fiscal year, the department shall pay each joint vocational school district an amount for adult technical and vocational education and specialized consultants.

(G)(1) A joint vocational school district's local share of special education and related services additional weighted costs equals:

(2) For each student with a disability receiving special education and related services under an individualized education program, as defined in section 3323.01 of the Revised Code, at a joint vocational district, the resident district or, if the student is enrolled in a community school, the community school shall be responsible for the amount of any costs of providing those special education and related services to that student that exceed the sum of the amount calculated for those services attributable to that student under divisions (B), (D), (E), and (G)(1) of this section.

Those excess costs shall be calculated by subtracting the sum of the following from the actual cost to provide special education and related services to the student:

(a) The formula amount;

(b) The product of the formula amount times the applicable multiple specified in section 3317.013 of the Revised Code;

(c) Any funds paid under division (E) of this section for the student;

(d) Any other funds received by the joint vocational school district under this chapter to provide special education and related services to the student, not including the amount calculated under division (G)(2) of this section.

(3) The board of education of the joint vocational school district may report the excess costs calculated under division (G)(2) of this section to the department of education.

(4) If the board of education of the joint vocational school district reports excess costs under division (G)(3) of this section, the department shall pay the amount of excess cost calculated under division (G)(2) of this section to the joint vocational school district and shall deduct that amount as provided in division (G)(4)(a) or (b) of this section, as applicable:

(a) If the student is not enrolled in a community school, the department shall deduct the amount from the account of the student's resident district pursuant to division (M) of section 3317.023 of the Revised Code.

(b) If the student is enrolled in a community school, the department shall deduct the amount from the account of the community school pursuant to section 3314.083 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 4503.065.  (A) This section applies to any of the following:

(1) An individual who is permanently and totally disabled;

(2) An individual who is sixty-five years of age or older;

(3) An individual who is the surviving spouse of a deceased person who was permanently and totally disabled or sixty-five years of age or older and who applied and qualified for a reduction in assessable value under this section in the year of death, provided the surviving spouse is at least fifty-nine but not sixty-five or more years of age on the date the deceased spouse dies.

(B) The manufactured home tax on a manufactured or mobile home that is paid pursuant to division (C) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code and that is owned and occupied as a home by an individual whose domicile is in this state and to whom this section applies, shall be reduced for any tax year for which the owner obtains a certificate of reduction from the county auditor under section 4503.067 of the Revised Code an application for such reduction has been approved, provided the individual did not acquire ownership from a person, other than the individual's spouse, related by consanguinity or affinity for the purpose of qualifying for the reduction. An owner includes a settlor of a revocable or irrevocable inter vivos trust holding the title to a manufactured or mobile home occupied by the settlor as of right under the trust.

(1) For manufactured and mobile homes for which the tax imposed by section 4503.06 of the Revised Code is computed under division (D)(2) of that section, the reduction shall equal the greater of the reduction granted for the tax year preceding the first tax year to which this section applies pursuant to Section 803.06 of Am. Sub. H.B. 119 of the 127th general assembly, if the taxpayer received a reduction for that preceding tax year, or the product of the following:

(a) Twenty-five thousand dollars of the true value of the property in money;

(b) The assessment percentage established by the tax commissioner under division (B) of section 5715.01 of the Revised Code, not to exceed thirty-five per cent;

(c) The effective tax rate used to calculate the taxes charged against the property for the current year, where "effective tax rate" is defined as in section 323.08 of the Revised Code;

(d) The quantity equal to one minus the sum of the percentage reductions in taxes received by the property for the current tax year under section 319.302 of the Revised Code and division (B) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code.

(2) For manufactured and mobile homes for which the tax imposed by section 4503.06 of the Revised Code is computed under division (D)(1) of that section, the reduction shall equal the greater of the reduction granted for the tax year preceding the first tax year to which this section applies pursuant to Section 803.06 of Am. Sub. H.B. 119 of the 127th general assembly, if the taxpayer received a reduction for that preceding tax year, or the product of the following:

(a) Twenty-five thousand dollars of the cost to the owner, or the market value at the time of purchase, whichever is greater, as those terms are used in division (D)(1) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code;

(b) The percentage from the appropriate schedule in division (D)(1)(b) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code;

(c) The assessment percentage of forty per cent used in division (D)(1)(b) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code;

(d) The tax rate of the taxing district in which the home has its situs.

(C) If the owner or the spouse of the owner of a manufactured or mobile home is eligible for a homestead exemption on the land upon which the home is located, the reduction to which the owner or spouse is entitled under this section shall not exceed the difference between the reduction to which the owner or spouse is entitled under division (B) of this section and the amount of the reduction under the homestead exemption.

(D) No reduction shall be made with respect to the home of any person convicted of violating division (C) or (D) of section 4503.066 of the Revised Code for a period of three years following the conviction.

Sec. 4503.066.  (A)(1) To obtain a tax reduction under section 4503.065 of the Revised Code, the owner of the home shall file an application with the county auditor of the county in which the home is located. An application for reduction in taxes based upon a physical disability shall be accompanied by a certificate signed by a physician, and an application for reduction in taxes based upon a mental disability shall be accompanied by a certificate signed by a physician or psychologist licensed to practice in this state. The certificate shall attest to the fact that the applicant is permanently and totally disabled, shall be in a form that the department of taxation requires, and shall include the definition of totally and permanently disabled as set forth in section 4503.064 of the Revised Code. An application for reduction in taxes based upon a disability certified as permanent and total by a state or federal agency having the function of so classifying persons shall be accompanied by a certificate from that agency.

(2) Each application shall constitute a continuing application for a reduction in taxes for each year in which the manufactured or mobile home is occupied by the applicant. Failure to receive a new application or notification under division (B) of this section after a certificate of reduction has been issued under section 4503.067 of the Revised Code an application for reduction has been approved is prima-facie evidence that the original applicant is entitled to the reduction calculated on the basis of the information contained in the original application. The original application and any subsequent application shall be in the form of a signed statement and shall be filed not later than the first Monday in June. The statement shall be on a form, devised and supplied by the tax commissioner, that shall require no more information than is necessary to establish the applicant's eligibility for the reduction in taxes and the amount of the reduction to which the applicant is entitled. The form also shall contain a statement that conviction of willfully falsifying information to obtain a reduction in taxes or failing to comply with division (B) of this section shall result in the revocation of the right to the reduction for a period of three years.

(3) A late application for a reduction in taxes for the year preceding the year for which an original application is filed may be filed with an original application. If the auditor determines that the information contained in the late application is correct, the auditor shall determine both the amount of the reduction in taxes to which the applicant would have been entitled for the current tax year had the application been timely filed and approved in the preceding year, and the amount the taxes levied under section 4503.06 of the Revised Code for the current year would have been reduced as a result of the reduction. When an applicant is permanently and totally disabled on the first day of January of the year in which the applicant files a late application, the auditor, in making the determination of the amounts of the reduction in taxes under division (A)(3) of this section, is not required to determine that the applicant was permanently and totally disabled on the first day of January of the preceding year.

The amount of the reduction in taxes pursuant to a late application shall be treated as an overpayment of taxes by the applicant. The auditor shall credit the amount of the overpayment against the amount of the taxes or penalties then due from the applicant, and, at the next succeeding settlement, the amount of the credit shall be deducted from the amount of any taxes or penalties distributable to the county or any taxing unit in the county that has received the benefit of the taxes or penalties previously overpaid, in proportion to the benefits previously received. If, after the credit has been made, there remains a balance of the overpayment, or if there are no taxes or penalties due from the applicant, the auditor shall refund that balance to the applicant by a warrant drawn on the county treasurer in favor of the applicant. The treasurer shall pay the warrant from the general fund of the county. If there is insufficient money in the general fund to make the payment, the treasurer shall pay the warrant out of any undivided manufactured or mobile home taxes subsequently received by the treasurer for distribution to the county or taxing district in the county that received the benefit of the overpaid taxes, in proportion to the benefits previously received, and the amount paid from the undivided funds shall be deducted from the money otherwise distributable to the county or taxing district in the county at the next or any succeeding distribution. At the next or any succeeding distribution after making the refund, the treasurer shall reimburse the general fund for any payment made from that fund by deducting the amount of that payment from the money distributable to the county or other taxing unit in the county that has received the benefit of the taxes, in proportion to the benefits previously received. On the second Monday in September of each year, the county auditor shall certify the total amount of the reductions in taxes made in the current year under division (A)(3) of this section to the tax commissioner who shall treat that amount as a reduction in taxes for the current tax year and shall make reimbursement to the county of that amount in the manner prescribed in section 4503.068 of the Revised Code, from moneys appropriated for that purpose.

(B) If in any year after for which an application for reduction in taxes has been filed under division (A) of this section approved the owner no longer qualifies for the reduction in taxes for which the owner was issued a certificate, the owner shall notify the county auditor that the owner is not qualified for a reduction in taxes.

During January of each year, the county auditor shall furnish each person issued a certificate of reduction whose application for reduction has been approved, by ordinary mail, a form on which to report any changes in ownership of the home, including changes in or revocation of a revocable inter vivos trust, changes in, occupancy, disability, and other changes in the information earlier furnished the auditor relative to the application.

(C) No person shall knowingly make a false statement for the purpose of obtaining a reduction in taxes under section 4503.065 of the Revised Code.

(D) No person shall knowingly fail to notify the county auditor of any change required by division (B) of this section that has the effect of maintaining or securing a reduction in taxes under section 4503.065 of the Revised Code.

(E) No person shall knowingly make a false statement or certification attesting to any person's physical or mental condition for purposes of qualifying such person for tax relief pursuant to sections 4503.064 to 4503.069 of the Revised Code.

(F) Whoever violates division (C), (D), or (E) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

Sec. 4503.067.  (A) At the same time the tax bill for the first half of the tax year is issued, the county auditor shall issue a certificate of reduction in taxes for a manufactured or mobile home in triplicate for each person who has complied with section 4503.066 of the Revised Code and been found by the auditor to be entitled to a reduction in taxes for the succeeding tax year. The certificate shall set forth the amount of the reduction in taxes calculated under section 4503.065 of the Revised Code. Upon issuance of the certificate, the auditor shall reduce the manufactured home tax levied on the home for the succeeding tax year by the required amount and forward the original and one copy of the certificate to the county treasurer. The auditor shall retain one copy of the certificate. The treasurer shall retain the original certificate and forward the remaining copy to the recipient with the tax bill delivered pursuant to division (D)(6) of section 4503.06 of the Revised Code.

(B) If the application or a continuing application is not approved, the auditor shall notify the applicant of the reasons for denial no later than the first Monday in October. The county auditor shall approve or deny an application for reduction under section 4503.065 of the Revised Code and shall so notify the applicant not later than the first Monday in October. Notification shall be provided on a form prescribed by the tax commissioner. If a person believes that the person's application for reduction in taxes has been improperly denied or is for less than that to which the person is entitled, the person may file an appeal with the county board of revision no later than the thirty-first day of January of the following calendar year. The appeal shall be treated in the same manner as a complaint relating to the valuation or assessment of real property under Chapter 5715. of the Revised Code.

Sec. 4503.068.  On or before the second Monday in September of each year, the county treasurer shall total the amount by which the taxes levied in that year were reduced pursuant to section 4503.067 4503.065 of the Revised Code, and certify that amount to the tax commissioner. Within ninety days of the receipt of the certification, the commissioner shall certify that amount to the director of budget and management and the director shall make two payments from the general revenue fund in favor of the county treasurer. One shall be in the full amount by which taxes were reduced. The other shall be in an amount equal to two per cent of such amount and shall be a payment to the county auditor and county treasurer for the costs of administering sections 4503.064 to 4503.069 of the Revised Code.

Immediately upon receipt of the payment in the full amount by which taxes were reduced, the full amount of the payment shall be distributed among the taxing districts in the county as though it had been received as taxes under section 4503.06 of the Revised Code from each person for whom taxes were reduced under sections 4503.064 to 4503.069 section 4503.065 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 4735.18.  (A) Subject to section 4735.32 of the Revised Code, the superintendent of real estate, upon the superintendent's own motion, may investigate the conduct of any licensee. Subject to section 4735.32 of the Revised Code, the Ohio real estate commission shall, pursuant to section 4735.051 of the Revised Code, impose disciplinary sanctions upon any licensee who, whether or not acting in the licensee's capacity as a real estate broker or salesperson, or in handling the licensee's own property, is found to have been convicted of a felony or a crime of moral turpitude, and shall, pursuant to section 4735.051 of the Revised Code, impose disciplinary sanctions upon any licensee who, in the licensee's capacity as a real estate broker or salesperson, or in handling the licensee's own property, is found guilty of:

(1) Knowingly making any misrepresentation;

(2) Making any false promises with intent to influence, persuade, or induce;

(3) A continued course of misrepresentation or the making of false promises through agents, salespersons, advertising, or otherwise;

(4) Acting for more than one party in a transaction except as permitted by and in compliance with section 4735.71 of the Revised Code;

(5) Failure within a reasonable time to account for or to remit any money coming into the licensee's possession which belongs to others;

(6) Dishonest or illegal dealing, gross negligence, incompetency, or misconduct;

(7)(a) By final adjudication by a court, a violation of any municipal or federal civil rights law relevant to the protection of purchasers or sellers of real estate or, by final adjudication by a court, any unlawful discriminatory practice pertaining to the purchase or sale of real estate prohibited by Chapter 4112. of the Revised Code, provided that such violation arose out of a situation wherein parties were engaged in bona fide efforts to purchase, sell, or lease real estate, in the licensee's practice as a licensed real estate broker or salesperson;

(b) A second or subsequent violation of any unlawful discriminatory practice pertaining to the purchase or sale of real estate prohibited by Chapter 4112. of the Revised Code or any second or subsequent violation of municipal or federal civil rights laws relevant to purchasing or selling real estate whether or not there has been a final adjudication by a court, provided that such violation arose out of a situation wherein parties were engaged in bona fide efforts to purchase, sell, or lease real estate. For any second offense under this division, the commission shall suspend for a minimum of two months or revoke the license of the broker or salesperson. For any subsequent offense, the commission shall revoke the license of the broker or salesperson.

(8) Procuring a license under this chapter, for the licensee or any salesperson by fraud, misrepresentation, or deceit;

(9) Having violated or failed to comply with any provision of sections 4735.51 to 4735.74 of the Revised Code or having willfully disregarded or violated any other provisions of this chapter;

(10) As a real estate broker, having demanded, without reasonable cause, other than from a broker licensed under this chapter, a commission to which the licensee is not entitled, or, as a real estate salesperson, having demanded, without reasonable cause, a commission to which the licensee is not entitled;

(11) Except as permitted under section 4735.20 of the Revised Code, having paid commissions or fees to, or divided commissions or fees with, anyone not licensed as a real estate broker or salesperson under this chapter or anyone not operating as an out-of-state commercial real estate broker or salesperson under section 4735.022 of the Revised Code;

(12) Having falsely represented membership in any real estate professional association of which the licensee is not a member;

(13) Having accepted, given, or charged any undisclosed commission, rebate, or direct profit on expenditures made for a principal;

(14) Having offered anything of value other than the consideration recited in the sales contract as an inducement to a person to enter into a contract for the purchase or sale of real estate or having offered real estate or the improvements on real estate as a prize in a lottery or scheme of chance;

(15) Having acted in the dual capacity of real estate broker and undisclosed principal, or real estate salesperson and undisclosed principal, in any transaction;

(16) Having guaranteed, authorized, or permitted any person to guarantee future profits which may result from the resale of real property;

(17) Having placed a sign on any property offering it for sale or for rent without the consent of the owner or the owner's authorized agent;

(18) Having induced any party to a contract of sale or lease to break such contract for the purpose of substituting in lieu of it a new contract with another principal;

(19) Having negotiated the sale, exchange, or lease of any real property directly with a seller, purchaser, lessor, or tenant knowing that such seller, purchaser, lessor, or tenant is represented by another broker under a written exclusive agency agreement, exclusive right to sell or lease listing agreement, or exclusive purchaser agency agreement with respect to such property except as provided for in section 4735.75 of the Revised Code;

(20) Having offered real property for sale or for lease without the knowledge and consent of the owner or the owner's authorized agent, or on any terms other than those authorized by the owner or the owner's authorized agent;

(21) Having published advertising, whether printed, radio, display, or of any other nature, which was misleading or inaccurate in any material particular, or in any way having misrepresented any properties, terms, values, policies, or services of the business conducted;

(22) Having knowingly withheld from or inserted in any statement of account or invoice any statement that made it inaccurate in any material particular;

(23) Having published or circulated unjustified or unwarranted threats of legal proceedings which tended to or had the effect of harassing competitors or intimidating their customers;

(24) Having failed to keep complete and accurate records of all transactions for a period of three years from the date of the transaction, such records to include copies of listing forms, earnest money receipts, offers to purchase and acceptances of them, records of receipts and disbursements of all funds received by the licensee as broker and incident to the licensee's transactions as such, and records required pursuant to divisions (C)(4) and (5) of section 4735.20 of the Revised Code, and any other instruments or papers related to the performance of any of the acts set forth in the definition of a real estate broker;

(25) Failure of a real estate broker or salesperson to furnish all parties involved in a real estate transaction true copies of all listings and other agreements to which they are a party, at the time each party signs them;

(26) Failure to maintain at all times a special or trust bank account in a depository located in this state. The account shall be noninterest-bearing, separate and distinct from any personal or other account of the broker, and, except as provided in division (A)(27) of this section, shall be used for the deposit and maintenance of all escrow funds, security deposits, and other moneys received by the broker in a fiduciary capacity. The name, account number, if any, and location of the depository wherein such special or trust account is maintained shall be submitted in writing to the superintendent. Checks drawn on such special or trust bank accounts are deemed to meet the conditions imposed by section 1349.21 of the Revised Code. Funds deposited in the trust or special account in connection with a purchase agreement shall be maintained in accordance with section 4735.24 of the Revised Code.

(27) Failure to maintain at all times a special or trust bank account in a depository in this state, to be used exclusively for the deposit and maintenance of all rents, security deposits, escrow funds, and other moneys received by the broker in a fiduciary capacity in the course of managing real property. This account shall be separate and distinct from any other account maintained by the broker. The name, account number, and location of the depository shall be submitted in writing to the superintendent. This account may earn interest, which shall be paid to the property owners on a pro rata basis.

Division (A)(27) of this section does not apply to brokers who are not engaged in the management of real property on behalf of real property owners.

(28) Having failed to put definite expiration dates in all written agency agreements to which the broker is a party;

(29) Having an unsatisfied final judgment in any court of record against the licensee arising out of the licensee's conduct as a licensed broker or salesperson;

(30) Failing to render promptly upon demand a full and complete statement of the expenditures by the broker or salesperson of funds advanced by or on behalf of a party to a real estate transaction to the broker or salesperson for the purpose of performing duties as a licensee under this chapter in conjunction with the real estate transaction;

(31) Failure within a reasonable time, after the receipt of the commission by the broker, to render an accounting to and pay a real estate salesperson the salesperson's earned share of it;

(32) Performing any service for another constituting the practice of law, as determined by any court of law;

(33) Having been adjudicated incompetent for the purpose of holding the license by a court, as provided in section 5122.301 of the Revised Code. A license revoked or suspended under this division shall be reactivated upon proof to the commission of the removal of the disability.

(34) Having authorized or permitted a person to act as an agent in the capacity of a real estate broker, or a real estate salesperson, who was not then licensed as a real estate broker or real estate salesperson under this chapter or who was not then operating as an out-of-state commercial real estate broker or salesperson under section 4735.022 of the Revised Code;

(35) Having knowingly inserted or participated in inserting any materially inaccurate term in a document, including naming a false consideration;

(36) Having failed to inform the licensee's client of the existence of an offer or counteroffer or having failed to present an offer or counteroffer in a timely manner, unless otherwise instructed by the client, provided the instruction of the client does not conflict with any state or federal law.

(B) Whenever the commission, pursuant to section 4735.051 of the Revised Code, imposes disciplinary sanctions for any violation of this section, the commission also may impose such sanctions upon the broker with whom the salesperson is affiliated if the commission finds that the broker had knowledge of the salesperson's actions that violated this section.

(C) The commission shall, pursuant to section 4735.051 of the Revised Code, impose disciplinary sanctions upon any foreign real estate dealer or salesperson who, in that capacity or in handling the dealer's or salesperson's own property, is found guilty of any of the acts or omissions specified or comprehended in division (A) of this section insofar as the acts or omissions pertain to foreign real estate. If the commission imposes such sanctions upon a foreign real estate salesperson for a violation of this section, the commission also may suspend or revoke the license of the foreign real estate dealer with whom the salesperson is affiliated if the commission finds that the dealer had knowledge of the salesperson's actions that violated this section.

(D) The commission may suspend, in whole or in part, the imposition of the penalty of suspension of a license under this section.

(E) The commission immediately shall notify the real estate appraiser board of any disciplinary action taken under this section against a licensee who also is a state-certified real estate appraiser under Chapter 4763. of the Revised Code.

Sec. 4735.24. (A) Except as otherwise provided in this section, when earnest money connected to a real estate purchase agreement is deposited in a real estate broker's trust or special account, the broker shall maintain that money in the account in accordance with the terms of the purchase agreement until one of the following occurs:

(1) The transaction closes and the broker disburses the earnest money to the closing or escrow agent or otherwise disburses the money pursuant to the terms of the purchase agreement.

(2) The parties provide the broker with written instructions that both parties have signed that specify how the broker is to disburse the earnest money and the broker acts pursuant to those instructions.

(3) The broker receives a copy of a final court order that specifies to whom the earnest money is to be awarded and the broker acts pursuant to the court order.

(4) The earnest money becomes unclaimed funds as defined in division (M)(2) of section 169.02 of the Revised Code and, after providing the notice that division (D) of section 169.03 of the Revised Code requires, the broker has reported the unclaimed funds to the director of commerce pursuant to section 169.03 of the Revised Code and has remitted all of the earnest money to the director.

(B) A purchase agreement may provide that in the event of a dispute regarding the disbursement of the earnest money, the broker will return the money to the purchaser without notice to the parties unless, within two years from the date the earnest money was deposited in the broker's trust or special account, the broker has received one of the following:

(1) Written instructions signed by both parties specifying how the money is to be disbursed;

(2) Written notice that a court action to resolve the dispute has been filed.

(C)(1) If the parties dispute the disbursement of the earnest money and the purchase agreement contains the provision described in division (B) of this section, not later than the first day of September following the two year anniversary date of the deposit of the earnest money in the broker's account, the broker shall return the earnest money to the purchaser unless the parties provided the broker with written instructions or a notice of a court action as described in division (B) of this section.

(2) If the broker cannot locate the purchaser at the time the disbursement is due, after providing the notice that division (D) of section 169.03 of the Revised Code requires, the broker shall report the earnest money as unclaimed funds to the director of commerce pursuant to section 169.03 of the Revised Code and remit all of the earnest money to the director.

Sec. 5739.09.  (A)(1) A board of county commissioners may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board, levy an excise tax not to exceed three per cent on transactions by which lodging by a hotel is or is to be furnished to transient guests. The board shall establish all regulations necessary to provide for the administration and allocation of the tax. The regulations may prescribe the time for payment of the tax, and may provide for the imposition of a penalty or interest, or both, for late payments, provided that the penalty does not exceed ten per cent of the amount of tax due, and the rate at which interest accrues does not exceed the rate per annum prescribed pursuant to section 5703.47 of the Revised Code. Except as provided in divisions (A)(2), (3), (4), (5), (6), and (7), and (8) of this section, the regulations shall provide, after deducting the real and actual costs of administering the tax, for the return to each municipal corporation or township that does not levy an excise tax on the transactions, a uniform percentage of the tax collected in the municipal corporation or in the unincorporated portion of the township from each transaction, not to exceed thirty-three and one-third per cent. The remainder of the revenue arising from the tax shall be deposited in a separate fund and shall be spent solely to make contributions to the convention and visitors' bureau operating within the county, including a pledge and contribution of any portion of the remainder pursuant to an agreement authorized by section 307.695 of the Revised Code, provided that if the board of county commissioners of an eligible county as defined in section 307.695 of the Revised Code adopts a resolution amending a resolution levying a tax under this division to provide that the revenue from the tax shall be used by the board as described in division (H) of section 307.695 of the Revised Code, the remainder of the revenue shall be used as described in the resolution making that amendment. Except as provided in division (A)(2), (3), (4), (5), (6), or (7), or (8) or (H) of this section, on and after May 10, 1994, a board of county commissioners may not levy an excise tax pursuant to this division in any municipal corporation or township located wholly or partly within the county that has in effect an ordinance or resolution levying an excise tax pursuant to division (B) of this section. The board of a county that has levied a tax under division (C) of this section may, by resolution adopted within ninety days after July 15, 1985, by a majority of the members of the board, amend the resolution levying a tax under this division to provide for a portion of that tax to be pledged and contributed in accordance with an agreement entered into under section 307.695 of the Revised Code. A tax, any revenue from which is pledged pursuant to such an agreement, shall remain in effect at the rate at which it is imposed for the duration of the period for which the revenue from the tax has been so pledged.

The board of county commissioners of an eligible county as defined in section 307.695 of the Revised Code may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board, amend a resolution levying a tax under this division to provide that the revenue from the tax shall be used by the board as described in division (H) of section 307.695 of the Revised Code, in which case the tax shall remain in effect at the rate at which it was imposed for the duration of any agreement entered into by the board under section 307.695 of the Revised Code, the duration during which any securities issued by the board under that section are outstanding, or the duration of the period during which the board owns a project as defined in section 307.695 of the Revised Code, whichever duration is longest.

(2) A board of county commissioners that levies an excise tax under division (A)(1) of this section on June 30, 1997, at a rate of three per cent, and that has pledged revenue from the tax to an agreement entered into under section 307.695 of the Revised Code or, in the case of the board of county commissioners of an eligible county as defined in section 307.695 of the Revised Code, has amended a resolution levying a tax under division (C) of this section to provide that proceeds from the tax shall be used by the board as described in division (H) of section 307.695 of the Revised Code, may, at any time by a resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board, amend the resolution levying a tax under division (A)(1) of this section to provide for an increase in the rate of that tax up to seven per cent on each transaction; to provide that revenue from the increase in the rate shall be used as described in division (H) of section 307.695 of the Revised Code or be spent solely to make contributions to the convention and visitors' bureau operating within the county to be used specifically for promotion, advertising, and marketing of the region in which the county is located; and to provide that the rate in excess of the three per cent levied under division (A)(1) of this section shall remain in effect at the rate at which it is imposed for the duration of the period during which any agreement is in effect that was entered into under section 307.695 of the Revised Code by the board of county commissioners levying a tax under division (A)(1) of this section, the duration of the period during which any securities issued by the board under division (I) of section 307.695 of the Revised Code are outstanding, or the duration of the period during which the board owns a project as defined in section 307.695 of the Revised Code, whichever duration is longest. The amendment also shall provide that no portion of that revenue need be returned to townships or municipal corporations as would otherwise be required under division (A)(1) of this section.

(3) A board of county commissioners that levies a tax under division (A)(1) of this section on March 18, 1999, at a rate of three per cent may, by resolution adopted not later than forty-five days after March 18, 1999, amend the resolution levying the tax to provide for all of the following:

(a) That the rate of the tax shall be increased by not more than an additional four per cent on each transaction;

(b) That all of the revenue from the increase in the rate shall be pledged and contributed to a convention facilities authority established by the board of county commissioners under Chapter 351. of the Revised Code on or before November 15, 1998, and used to pay costs of constructing, maintaining, operating, and promoting a facility in the county, including paying bonds, or notes issued in anticipation of bonds, as provided by that chapter;

(c) That no portion of the revenue arising from the increase in rate need be returned to municipal corporations or townships as otherwise required under division (A)(1) of this section;

(d) That the increase in rate shall not be subject to diminution by initiative or referendum or by law while any bonds, or notes in anticipation of bonds, issued by the authority under Chapter 351. of the Revised Code to which the revenue is pledged, remain outstanding in accordance with their terms, unless provision is made by law or by the board of county commissioners for an adequate substitute therefor that is satisfactory to the trustee if a trust agreement secures the bonds.

Division (A)(3) of this section does not apply to the board of county commissioners of any county in which a convention center or facility exists or is being constructed on November 15, 1998, or of any county in which a convention facilities authority levies a tax pursuant to section 351.021 of the Revised Code on that date.

As used in division (A)(3) of this section, "cost" and "facility" have the same meanings as in section 351.01 of the Revised Code, and "convention center" has the same meaning as in section 307.695 of the Revised Code.

(4)(a) A board of county commissioners that levies a tax under division (A)(1) of this section on June 30, 2002, at a rate of three per cent may, by resolution adopted not later than September 30, 2002, amend the resolution levying the tax to provide for all of the following:

(i) That the rate of the tax shall be increased by not more than an additional three and one-half per cent on each transaction;

(ii) That all of the revenue from the increase in rate shall be pledged and contributed to a convention facilities authority established by the board of county commissioners under Chapter 351. of the Revised Code on or before May 15, 2002, and be used to pay costs of constructing, expanding, maintaining, operating, or promoting a convention center in the county, including paying bonds, or notes issued in anticipation of bonds, as provided by that chapter;

(iii) That no portion of the revenue arising from the increase in rate need be returned to municipal corporations or townships as otherwise required under division (A)(1) of this section;

(iv) That the increase in rate shall not be subject to diminution by initiative or referendum or by law while any bonds, or notes in anticipation of bonds, issued by the authority under Chapter 351. of the Revised Code to which the revenue is pledged, remain outstanding in accordance with their terms, unless provision is made by law or by the board of county commissioners for an adequate substitute therefor that is satisfactory to the trustee if a trust agreement secures the bonds.

(b) Any board of county commissioners that, pursuant to division (A)(4)(a) of this section, has amended a resolution levying the tax authorized by division (A)(1) of this section may further amend the resolution to provide that the revenue referred to in division (A)(4)(a)(ii) of this section shall be pledged and contributed both to a convention facilities authority to pay the costs of constructing, expanding, maintaining, or operating one or more convention centers in the county, including paying bonds, or notes issued in anticipation of bonds, as provided in Chapter 351. of the Revised Code, and to a convention and visitors' bureau to pay the costs of promoting one or more convention centers in the county.

As used in division (A)(4) of this section, "cost" has the same meaning as in section 351.01 of the Revised Code, and "convention center" has the same meaning as in section 307.695 of the Revised Code.

(5)(a) As used in division (A)(5) of this section:

(i) "Port authority" means a port authority created under Chapter 4582. of the Revised Code.

(ii) "Port authority military-use facility" means port authority facilities on which or adjacent to which is located an installation of the armed forces of the United States, a reserve component thereof, or the national guard and at least part of which is made available for use, for consideration, by the armed forces of the United States, a reserve component thereof, or the national guard.

(b) For the purpose of contributing revenue to pay operating expenses of a port authority that operates a port authority military-use facility, the board of county commissioners of a county that created, participated in the creation of, or has joined such a port authority may do one or both of the following:

(i) Amend a resolution previously adopted under division (A)(1) of this section to designate some or all of the revenue from the tax levied under the resolution to be used for that purpose, notwithstanding that division;

(ii) Amend a resolution previously adopted under division (A)(1) of this section to increase the rate of the tax by not more than an additional two per cent and use the revenue from the increase exclusively for that purpose.

(c) If a board of county commissioners amends a resolution to increase the rate of a tax as authorized in division (A)(5)(b)(ii) of this section, the board also may amend the resolution to specify that the increase in rate of the tax does not apply to "hotels," as otherwise defined in section 5739.01 of the Revised Code, having fewer rooms used for the accommodation of guests than a number of rooms specified by the board.

(6) A board of county commissioners of a county organized under a county charter adopted pursuant to Article X, Section 3, Ohio Constitution, and that levies an excise tax under division (A)(1) of this section at a rate of three per cent and levies an additional excise tax under division (E) of this section at a rate of one and one-half per cent may, by resolution adopted not later than January 1, 2008, by a majority of the members of the board, amend the resolution levying a tax under division (A)(1) of this section to provide for an increase in the rate of that tax by not more than an additional one per cent on transactions by which lodging by a hotel is or is to be furnished to transient guests. Notwithstanding divisions (A)(1) and (E) of this section, the resolution shall provide that all of the revenue from the increase in rate, after deducting the real and actual costs of administering the tax, shall be used to pay the costs of improving, expanding, equipping, financing, or operating a convention center by a convention and visitors' bureau in the county. The increase in rate shall remain in effect for the period specified in the resolution, not to exceed ten years. The increase in rate shall be subject to the regulations adopted under division (A)(1) of this section, except that the resolution may provide that no portion of the revenue from the increase in the rate shall be returned to townships or municipal corporations as would otherwise be required under that division.

(7) Division (A)(7) of this section applies only to a county with a population greater than sixty-five thousand and less than seventy thousand according to the most recent federal decennial census and in which, on December 31, 2006, an excise tax is levied under division (A)(1) of this section at a rate not less than and not greater than three per cent, and in which the most recent increase in the rate of that tax was enacted or took effect in November 1984.

The board of county commissioners of a county to which this division applies, by resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board, may increase the rate of the tax by not more than one per cent on transactions by which lodging by a hotel is or is to be furnished to transient guests. The increase in rate shall be for the purpose of paying expenses deemed necessary by the convention and visitors' bureau operating in the county to promote travel and tourism. The increase in rate shall remain in effect for the period specified in the resolution, not to exceed twenty years, provided that the increase in rate may not continue beyond the time when the purpose for which the increase is levied ceases to exist. If revenue from the increase in rate is pledged to the payment of debt charges on securities, the increase in rate is not subject to diminution by initiative or referendum or by law for so long as the securities are outstanding, unless provision is made by law or by the board of county commissioners for an adequate substitute for that revenue that is satisfactory to the trustee if a trust agreement secures payment of the debt charges. The increase in rate shall be subject to the regulations adopted under division (A)(1) of this section, except that the resolution may provide that no portion of the revenue from the increase in the rate shall be returned to townships or municipal corporations as would otherwise be required under division (A)(1) of this section. A resolution adopted under division (A)(7) of this section is subject to referendum under sections 305.31 to 305.99 of the Revised Code.

(8) A board of county commissioners of a county with a population greater than four hundred thousand that levies an excise tax under division (A)(1) of this section at a rate of three per cent and that levies no other excise tax under this section may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board, amend the resolution levying the tax to provide for all of the following, notwithstanding anything in that division to the contrary:

(a) That the rate of the tax shall be increased by not more than an additional four per cent on each transaction;

(b)(i) That a portion of the revenue from the first three per cent of the tax levied under division (A)(1) of this section may be used for the purposes described in division (A)(8)(c) of this section;

(ii) That all revenue exceeding the revenue from the first three per cent of the tax levied under division (A)(1) of this section shall be used for the purposes of division (A)(8)(c) of this section;

(c) That the revenue described in divisions (A)(8)(b)(i) and (ii) of this section may be used by the board for the purposes of undertaking, financing, or leasing a project, as defined in section 307.695 of the Revised Code, including paying debt charges on any securities issued by the board under division (I) of that section, except that the project financed with such revenue shall be limited to constructing, acquiring, equipping, furnishing, or leasing an arena or convention center, or combination thereof, that does not exist on the effective date of S.B. 306 of the 127th general assembly, subject to the terms of any pledge to the payment of debt charges on outstanding general obligation securities or special obligation securities under division (I) of section 307.695 of the Revised Code;

(d) That the additional rate of tax levied under division (A)(8)(a) of this section shall remain in effect at the rate at which it is imposed for the duration of a period ending on the last day of the thirty-fifth year following the adoption of a resolution under this division, the duration of the period during which any securities issued by the board under division (I) of section 307.695 of the Revised Code are outstanding, or the duration of the period during which the board owns as or leases the arena or convention center, whichever duration is longest.

(B)(1) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation or the board of trustees of a township that is not wholly or partly located in a county that has in effect a resolution levying an excise tax pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section may, by ordinance or resolution, levy an excise tax not to exceed three per cent on transactions by which lodging by a hotel is or is to be furnished to transient guests. The legislative authority of the municipal corporation or the board of trustees of the township shall deposit at least fifty per cent of the revenue from the tax levied pursuant to this division into a separate fund, which shall be spent solely to make contributions to convention and visitors' bureaus operating within the county in which the municipal corporation or township is wholly or partly located, and the balance of that revenue shall be deposited in the general fund. The municipal corporation or township shall establish all regulations necessary to provide for the administration and allocation of the tax. The regulations may prescribe the time for payment of the tax, and may provide for the imposition of a penalty or interest, or both, for late payments, provided that the penalty does not exceed ten per cent of the amount of tax due, and the rate at which interest accrues does not exceed the rate per annum prescribed pursuant to section 5703.47 of the Revised Code. The levy of a tax under this division is in addition to any tax imposed on the same transaction by a municipal corporation or a township as authorized by division (A) of section 5739.08 of the Revised Code.

(2)(a) The legislative authority of the most populous municipal corporation located wholly or partly in a county in which the board of county commissioners has levied a tax under division (A)(4) of this section may amend, on or before September 30, 2002, that municipal corporation's ordinance or resolution that levies an excise tax on transactions by which lodging by a hotel is or is to be furnished to transient guests, to provide for all of the following:

(i) That the rate of the tax shall be increased by not more than an additional one per cent on each transaction;

(ii) That all of the revenue from the increase in rate shall be pledged and contributed to a convention facilities authority established by the board of county commissioners under Chapter 351. of the Revised Code on or before May 15, 2002, and be used to pay costs of constructing, expanding, maintaining, operating, or promoting a convention center in the county, including paying bonds, or notes issued in anticipation of bonds, as provided by that chapter;

(iii) That the increase in rate shall not be subject to diminution by initiative or referendum or by law while any bonds, or notes in anticipation of bonds, issued by the authority under Chapter 351. of the Revised Code to which the revenue is pledged, remain outstanding in accordance with their terms, unless provision is made by law, by the board of county commissioners, or by the legislative authority, for an adequate substitute therefor that is satisfactory to the trustee if a trust agreement secures the bonds.

(b) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation that, pursuant to division (B)(2)(a) of this section, has amended its ordinance or resolution to increase the rate of the tax authorized by division (B)(1) of this section may further amend the ordinance or resolution to provide that the revenue referred to in division (B)(2)(a)(ii) of this section shall be pledged and contributed both to a convention facilities authority to pay the costs of constructing, expanding, maintaining, or operating one or more convention centers in the county, including paying bonds, or notes issued in anticipation of bonds, as provided in Chapter 351. of the Revised Code, and to a convention and visitors' bureau to pay the costs of promoting one or more convention centers in the county.

As used in division (B)(2) of this section, "cost" has the same meaning as in section 351.01 of the Revised Code, and "convention center" has the same meaning as in section 307.695 of the Revised Code.

(C) For the purposes described in section 307.695 of the Revised Code and to cover the costs of administering the tax, a board of county commissioners of a county where a tax imposed under division (A)(1) of this section is in effect may, by resolution adopted within ninety days after July 15, 1985, by a majority of the members of the board, levy an additional excise tax not to exceed three per cent on transactions by which lodging by a hotel is or is to be furnished to transient guests. The tax authorized by this division shall be in addition to any tax that is levied pursuant to division (A) of this section, but it shall not apply to transactions subject to a tax levied by a municipal corporation or township pursuant to the authorization granted by division (A) of section 5739.08 of the Revised Code. The board shall establish all regulations necessary to provide for the administration and allocation of the tax. The regulations may prescribe the time for payment of the tax, and may provide for the imposition of a penalty or interest, or both, for late payments, provided that the penalty does not exceed ten per cent of the amount of tax due, and the rate at which interest accrues does not exceed the rate per annum prescribed pursuant to section 5703.47 of the Revised Code. All revenues arising from the tax shall be expended in accordance with section 307.695 of the Revised Code. The board of county commissioners of an eligible county as defined in section 307.695 of the Revised Code may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board, amend the resolution levying a tax under this division to provide that the revenue from the tax shall be used by the board as described in division (H) of section 307.695 of the Revised Code. A tax imposed under this division shall remain in effect at the rate at which it is imposed for the duration of the period during which any agreement entered into by the board under section 307.695 of the Revised Code is in effect, the duration of the period during which any securities issued by the board under division (I) of section 307.695 of the Revised Code are outstanding, or the duration of the period during which the board owns a project as defined in section 307.695 of the Revised Code, whichever duration is longest.

(D) For the purpose of providing contributions under division (B)(1) of section 307.671 of the Revised Code to enable the acquisition, construction, and equipping of a port authority educational and cultural facility in the county and, to the extent provided for in the cooperative agreement authorized by that section, for the purpose of paying debt service charges on bonds, or notes in anticipation of bonds, described in division (B)(1)(b) of that section, a board of county commissioners, by resolution adopted within ninety days after December 22, 1992, by a majority of the members of the board, may levy an additional excise tax not to exceed one and one-half per cent on transactions by which lodging by a hotel is or is to be furnished to transient guests. The excise tax authorized by this division shall be in addition to any tax that is levied pursuant to divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section, to any excise tax levied pursuant to section 5739.08 of the Revised Code, and to any excise tax levied pursuant to section 351.021 of the Revised Code. The board of county commissioners shall establish all regulations necessary to provide for the administration and allocation of the tax that are not inconsistent with this section or section 307.671 of the Revised Code. The regulations may prescribe the time for payment of the tax, and may provide for the imposition of a penalty or interest, or both, for late payments, provided that the penalty does not exceed ten per cent of the amount of tax due, and the rate at which interest accrues does not exceed the rate per annum prescribed pursuant to section 5703.47 of the Revised Code. All revenues arising from the tax shall be expended in accordance with section 307.671 of the Revised Code and division (D) of this section. The levy of a tax imposed under this division may not commence prior to the first day of the month next following the execution of the cooperative agreement authorized by section 307.671 of the Revised Code by all parties to that agreement. The tax shall remain in effect at the rate at which it is imposed for the period of time described in division (C) of section 307.671 of the Revised Code for which the revenue from the tax has been pledged by the county to the corporation pursuant to that section, but, to any extent provided for in the cooperative agreement, for no lesser period than the period of time required for payment of the debt service charges on bonds, or notes in anticipation of bonds, described in division (B)(1)(b) of that section.

(E) For the purpose of paying the costs of acquiring, constructing, equipping, and improving a municipal educational and cultural facility, including debt service charges on bonds provided for in division (B) of section 307.672 of the Revised Code, and for any additional purposes determined by the county in the resolution levying the tax or amendments to the resolution, including subsequent amendments providing for paying costs of acquiring, constructing, renovating, rehabilitating, equipping, and improving a port authority educational and cultural performing arts facility, as defined in section 307.674 of the Revised Code, and including debt service charges on bonds provided for in division (B) of section 307.674 of the Revised Code, the legislative authority of a county, by resolution adopted within ninety days after June 30, 1993, by a majority of the members of the legislative authority, may levy an additional excise tax not to exceed one and one-half per cent on transactions by which lodging by a hotel is or is to be furnished to transient guests. The excise tax authorized by this division shall be in addition to any tax that is levied pursuant to divisions (A), (B), (C), and (D) of this section, to any excise tax levied pursuant to section 5739.08 of the Revised Code, and to any excise tax levied pursuant to section 351.021 of the Revised Code. The legislative authority of the county shall establish all regulations necessary to provide for the administration and allocation of the tax. The regulations may prescribe the time for payment of the tax, and may provide for the imposition of a penalty or interest, or both, for late payments, provided that the penalty does not exceed ten per cent of the amount of tax due, and the rate at which interest accrues does not exceed the rate per annum prescribed pursuant to section 5703.47 of the Revised Code. All revenues arising from the tax shall be expended in accordance with section 307.672 of the Revised Code and this division. The levy of a tax imposed under this division shall not commence prior to the first day of the month next following the execution of the cooperative agreement authorized by section 307.672 of the Revised Code by all parties to that agreement. The tax shall remain in effect at the rate at which it is imposed for the period of time determined by the legislative authority of the county. That period of time shall not exceed fifteen years, except that the legislative authority of a county with a population of less than two hundred fifty thousand according to the most recent federal decennial census, by resolution adopted by a majority of its members before the original tax expires, may extend the duration of the tax for an additional period of time. The additional period of time by which a legislative authority extends a tax levied under this division shall not exceed fifteen years.

(F) The legislative authority of a county that has levied a tax under division (E) of this section may, by resolution adopted within one hundred eighty days after January 4, 2001, by a majority of the members of the legislative authority, amend the resolution levying a tax under that division to provide for the use of the proceeds of that tax, to the extent that it is no longer needed for its original purpose as determined by the parties to a cooperative agreement amendment pursuant to division (D) of section 307.672 of the Revised Code, to pay costs of acquiring, constructing, renovating, rehabilitating, equipping, and improving a port authority educational and cultural performing arts facility, including debt service charges on bonds provided for in division (B) of section 307.674 of the Revised Code, and to pay all obligations under any guaranty agreements, reimbursement agreements, or other credit enhancement agreements described in division (C) of section 307.674 of the Revised Code. The resolution may also provide for the extension of the tax at the same rate for the longer of the period of time determined by the legislative authority of the county, but not to exceed an additional twenty-five years, or the period of time required to pay all debt service charges on bonds provided for in division (B) of section 307.672 of the Revised Code and on port authority revenue bonds provided for in division (B) of section 307.674 of the Revised Code. All revenues arising from the amendment and extension of the tax shall be expended in accordance with section 307.674 of the Revised Code, this division, and division (E) of this section.

(G) For purposes of a tax levied by a county, township, or municipal corporation under this section or section 5739.08 of the Revised Code, a board of county commissioners, board of township trustees, or the legislative authority of a municipal corporation may adopt a resolution or ordinance at any time specifying that "hotel," as otherwise defined in section 5739.01 of the Revised Code, includes establishments in which fewer than five rooms are used for the accommodation of guests. The resolution or ordinance may apply to a tax imposed pursuant to this section prior to the adoption of the resolution or ordinance if the resolution or ordinance so states, but the tax shall not apply to transactions by which lodging by such an establishment is provided to transient guests prior to the adoption of the resolution or ordinance.

(H)(1) As used in this division:

(a) "Convention facilities authority" has the same meaning as in section 351.01 of the Revised Code.

(b) "Convention center" has the same meaning as in section 307.695 of the Revised Code.

(2) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of division (D) of this section, the legislative authority of a county with a population of one million or more according to the most recent federal decennial census that has levied a tax under division (D) of this section may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the legislative authority, provide for the extension of such levy and may provide that the proceeds of that tax, to the extent that they are no longer needed for their original purpose as defined by a cooperative agreement entered into under section 307.671 of the Revised Code, shall be deposited into the county general revenue fund. The resolution shall provide for the extension of the tax at a rate not to exceed the rate specified in division (D) of this section for a period of time determined by the legislative authority of the county, but not to exceed an additional forty years.

(3) The legislative authority of a county with a population of one million or more that has levied a tax under division (A)(1) of this section may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the legislative authority, increase the rate of the tax levied by such county under division (A)(1) of this section to a rate not to exceed five per cent on transactions by which lodging by a hotel is or is to be furnished to transient guests. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of division (A)(1) of this section, the resolution may provide that all collections resulting from the rate levied in excess of three per cent, after deducting the real and actual costs of administering the tax, shall be deposited in the county general fund.

(4) The legislative authority of a county with a population of one million or more that has levied a tax under division (A)(1) of this section may, by resolution adopted on or before August 30, 2004, by a majority of the members of the legislative authority, provide that all or a portion of the proceeds of the tax levied under division (A)(1) of this section, after deducting the real and actual costs of administering the tax and the amounts required to be returned to townships and municipal corporations with respect to the first three per cent levied under division (A)(1) of this section, shall be deposited in the county general fund, provided that such proceeds shall be used to satisfy any pledges made in connection with an agreement entered into under section 307.695 of the Revised Code.

(5) No amount collected from a tax levied, extended, or required to be deposited in the county general fund under division (H) of this section shall be contributed to a convention facilities authority, corporation, or other entity created after July 1, 2003, for the principal purpose of constructing, improving, expanding, equipping, financing, or operating a convention center unless the mayor of the municipal corporation in which the convention center is to be operated by that convention facilities authority, corporation, or other entity has consented to the creation of that convention facilities authority, corporation, or entity. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 351.04 of the Revised Code, if a tax is levied by a county under division (H) of this section, the board of county commissioners of that county may determine the manner of selection, the qualifications, the number, and terms of office of the members of the board of directors of any convention facilities authority, corporation, or other entity described in division (H)(5) of this section.

(6)(a) No amount collected from a tax levied, extended, or required to be deposited in the county general fund under division (H) of this section may be used for any purpose other than paying the direct and indirect costs of constructing, improving, expanding, equipping, financing, or operating a convention center and for the real and actual costs of administering the tax, unless, prior to the adoption of the resolution of the legislative authority of the county authorizing the levy, extension, increase, or deposit, the county and the mayor of the most populous municipal corporation in that county have entered into an agreement as to the use of such amounts, provided that such agreement has been approved by a majority of the mayors of the other municipal corporations in that county. The agreement shall provide that the amounts to be used for purposes other than paying the convention center or administrative costs described in division (H)(6)(a) of this section be used only for the direct and indirect costs of capital improvements, including the financing of capital improvements.

(b) If the county in which the tax is levied has an association of mayors and city managers, the approval of that association of an agreement described in division (H)(6)(a) of this section shall be considered to be the approval of the majority of the mayors of the other municipal corporations for purposes of that division.

(7) Each year, the auditor of state shall conduct an audit of the uses of any amounts collected from taxes levied, extended, or deposited under division (H) of this section and shall prepare a report of the auditor of state's findings. The auditor of state shall submit the report to the legislative authority of the county that has levied, extended, or deposited the tax, the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the leaders of the minority parties of the house of representatives and the senate.

(I)(1) As used in this division:

(a) "Convention facilities authority" has the same meaning as in section 351.01 of the Revised Code.

(b) "Convention center" has the same meaning as in section 307.695 of the Revised Code.

(2) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of division (D) of this section, the legislative authority of a county with a population of one million two hundred thousand or more according to the most recent federal decennial census or the most recent annual population estimate published or released by the United States census bureau at the time the resolution is adopted placing the levy on the ballot, that has levied a tax under division (D) of this section may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the legislative authority, provide for the extension of such levy and may provide that the proceeds of that tax, to the extent that the proceeds are no longer needed for their original purpose as defined by a cooperative agreement entered into under section 307.671 of the Revised Code and after deducting the real and actual costs of administering the tax, shall be used for paying the direct and indirect costs of constructing, improving, expanding, equipping, financing, or operating a convention center. The resolution shall provide for the extension of the tax at a rate not to exceed the rate specified in division (D) of this section for a period of time determined by the legislative authority of the county, but not to exceed an additional forty years.

(3) The legislative authority of a county with a population of one million two hundred thousand or more that has levied a tax under division (A)(1) of this section may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the legislative authority, increase the rate of the tax levied by such county under division (A)(1) of this section to a rate not to exceed five per cent on transactions by which lodging by a hotel is or is to be furnished to transient guests. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of division (A)(1) of this section, the resolution shall provide that all collections resulting from the rate levied in excess of three per cent, after deducting the real and actual costs of administering the tax, shall be used for paying the direct and indirect costs of constructing, improving, expanding, equipping, financing, or operating a convention center.

(4) The legislative authority of a county with a population of one million two hundred thousand or more that has levied a tax under division (A)(1) of this section may, by resolution adopted on or before July 1, 2008, by a majority of the members of the legislative authority, provide that all or a portion of the proceeds of the tax levied under division (A)(1) of this section, after deducting the real and actual costs of administering the tax and the amounts required to be returned to townships and municipal corporations with respect to the first three per cent levied under division (A)(1) of this section, shall be used to satisfy any pledges made in connection with an agreement entered into under section 307.695 of the Revised Code or shall otherwise be used for paying the direct and indirect costs of constructing, improving, expanding, equipping, financing, or operating a convention center.

(5) Any amount collected from a tax levied or extended under division (I) of this section may be contributed to a convention facilities authority created before July 1, 2005, but no amount collected from a tax levied or extended under division (I) of this section may be contributed to a convention facilities authority, corporation, or other entity created after July 1, 2005, unless the mayor of the municipal corporation in which the convention center is to be operated by that convention facilities authority, corporation, or other entity has consented to the creation of that convention facilities authority, corporation, or entity.

Section 2.  That existing sections 135.804, 307.695, 322.07, 323.151, 323.152, 323.153, 323.154, 323.155, 323.156, 323.159, 3317.16, 4503.065, 4503.066, 4503.067, 4503.068, 4735.18, and 5739.09 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

Section 3.  That the amendment by this act to section 3317.16 of the Revised Code shall first apply to the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, and that the total amount of payments under that section during that fiscal year to any joint vocational school district affected by the amendment shall be calculated as though the amendment had been in effect prior to July 1, 2008.

Section 4.  Section 323.156 of the Revised Code is presented in this act as a composite of the section as amended by both Am. H.B. 595 and Am. Sub. H.B. 672 of the 123rd General Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds that the composite is the resulting version of the section in effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in this act.