To amend section 5747.113 and to enact section 149.308 of the Revised Code to allow taxpayers to contribute a portion of their income tax refunds to the Ohio Historical Society.

Section 1. That section 5747.113 be amended and section 149.308 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 149.308. There is hereby created in the state treasury the Ohio historical society income tax contribution fund, which shall consist of money contributed to it under section 5747.113 of the Revised Code and of contributions made directly to it. Any person may contribute directly to the fund in addition to or independently of the income tax refund contribution system established in section 5747.113 of the Revised Code.

The Ohio historical society shall use money credited to the fund in furtherance of the public functions with which the society is charged under section 149.30 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 5747.113. (A) Any taxpayer claiming a refund under section 5747.11 of the Revised Code for taxable years ending on or after October 14, 1983, who wishes to contribute any part of the taxpayer's refund to the natural areas and preserves fund created in section 1517.11 of the Revised Code, the nongame and endangered wildlife fund created in section 1531.26 of the Revised Code, the military injury relief fund created in section 5101.98 of the Revised Code, the Ohio historical society income tax contribution fund created in section 149.308 of the Revised Code, or all of those funds, may designate on the taxpayer's income tax return the amount that the taxpayer wishes to contribute to the fund or funds. A designated contribution is irrevocable upon the filing of the return and shall be made in the full amount designated if the refund found due the taxpayer upon the initial processing of the taxpayer's return, after any deductions including those required by section 5747.12 of the Revised Code, is greater than or equal to the designated contribution. If the refund due as initially determined is less than the designated contribution, the contribution shall be made in the full amount of the refund. The tax commissioner shall subtract the amount of the contribution from the amount of the refund initially found due the taxpayer and shall certify the difference to the director of budget and management and treasurer of state for payment to the taxpayer in accordance with section 5747.11 of the Revised Code. For the purpose of any subsequent determination of the taxpayer's net tax payment, the contribution shall be considered a part of the refund paid to the taxpayer.

(B) The tax commissioner shall provide a space on the income tax return form in which a taxpayer may indicate that the taxpayer wishes to make a donation in accordance with this section. The tax commissioner shall also print in the instructions accompanying the income tax return form a description of the purposes for which the natural areas and preserves fund, the nongame and endangered wildlife fund, and the military injury relief fund, and the Ohio historical society income tax contribution fund were created and the use of moneys from the income tax refund contribution system established in this section. No person shall designate on the person's income tax return any part of a refund claimed under section 5747.11 of the Revised Code as a contribution to any fund other than the natural areas and preserves fund, the nongame and endangered wildlife fund, the military injury relief fund, or all of those funds the Ohio historical society income tax contribution fund.

(C) The money collected under the income tax refund contribution system established in this section shall be deposited by the tax commissioner into the natural areas and preserves fund, the nongame and endangered wildlife fund, and the military injury relief fund, and the Ohio historical society income tax contribution fund in the amounts designated on the tax returns.

(D) No later than the thirtieth day of September each year, the tax commissioner shall determine the total amount contributed to each fund under this section during the preceding eight months, any adjustments to prior months, and the cost to the department of taxation of administering the income tax refund contribution system during that eight-month period. The commissioner shall make an additional determination no later than the thirty-first day of January of each year of the total amount contributed to each fund under this section during the preceding four calendar months, any adjustments to prior years made during that four-month period, and the cost to the department of taxation of administering the income tax contribution system during that period. The cost of administering the income tax contribution system shall be certified by the tax commissioner to the director of budget and management, who shall transfer an amount equal to one-third one-fourth of such administrative costs from the natural areas and preserves fund, one-third one-fourth of such costs from the nongame and endangered wildlife fund, and one-third one-fourth of such costs from the military injury relief fund, and one-fourth of such costs from the Ohio historical society income tax contribution fund to the litter control and natural resource tax administration fund, which is hereby created, provided that the moneys that the department receives to pay the cost of administering the income tax refund contribution system in any year shall not exceed two and one-half per cent of the total amount contributed under that system during that year.

(E)(1) The director of natural resources, in January of every odd-numbered year, shall report to the general assembly on the effectiveness of the income tax refund contribution system as it pertains to the natural areas and preserves fund and the nongame and endangered wildlife fund. The report shall include the amount of money contributed to each fund in each of the previous five years, the amount of money contributed directly to each fund in addition to or independently of the income tax refund contribution system in each of the previous five years, and the purposes for which the money was expended.

(2) The director of job and family services and the director of the Ohio historical society, in January of every odd-numbered year, each shall report to the general assembly on the effectiveness of the income tax refund contribution system as it pertains to the military injury relief fund and the Ohio historical society income tax contribution fund, respectively. The report shall include the amount of money contributed to the fund in each of the previous five years, the amount of money contributed directly to the fund in addition to or independently of the income tax refund contribution system in each of the previous five years, and the purposes for which the money was expended.

Section 2. That existing section 5747.113 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.

Section 3. The amendment by this act of section 5747.113 of the Revised Code applies to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2007.