To amend sections 305.31 and 5739.09 of the Revised Code to authorize certain counties to increase their lodging tax by one per cent for the purpose of acquiring real estate to house the offices of a convention and visitors bureau.

Section 1. That sections 305.31 and 5739.09 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 305.31.  The procedure for submitting to a referendum a resolution adopted by a board of county commissioners under division (H) of section 307.695 of the Revised Code that is not submitted to the electors of the county for their approval or disapproval; any resolution adopted by a board of county commissioners pursuant to division (D)(1) of section 307.697, section 322.02, 322.06, or 324.02, sections 1515.22 and 1515.24, division (B)(1) of section 4301.421, section 4504.02, 5739.021, or 5739.026, division (A)(6) of section 5739.09, section 5741.021, or 5741.023, or division (C)(1) of section 5743.024 of the Revised Code; or a rule adopted pursuant to section 307.79 of the Revised Code shall be as prescribed by this section.

Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, when a petition, signed by ten per cent of the number of electors who voted for governor at the most recent general election for the office of governor in the county, is filed with the county auditor within thirty days after the date the resolution is passed or rule is adopted by the board of county commissioners, or is filed within forty-five days after the resolution is passed, in the case of a resolution adopted pursuant to section 5739.021 of the Revised Code that is passed within one year after a resolution adopted pursuant to that section has been rejected or repealed by the electors, requesting that the resolution be submitted to the electors of the county for their approval or rejection, the county auditor shall, after ten days following the filing of the petition, and not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth day before the day of election, transmit a certified copy of the text of the resolution or rule to the board of elections. In the case of a petition requesting that a resolution adopted under division (D)(1) of section 307.697, division (B)(1) of section 4301.421, or division (C)(1) of section 5743.024 of the Revised Code be submitted to electors for their approval or rejection, the petition shall be signed by seven per cent of the number of electors who voted for governor at the most recent election for the office of governor in the county. The county auditor shall transmit the petition to the board together with the certified copy of the resolution or rule. The board shall examine all signatures on the petition to determine the number of electors of the county who signed the petition. The board shall return the petition to the auditor within ten days after receiving it, together with a statement attesting to the number of such electors who signed the petition. The board shall submit the resolution or rule to the electors of the county, for their approval or rejection, at the succeeding general election held in the county in any year, or on the day of the succeeding primary election held in the county in even-numbered years, occurring subsequent to seventy-five days after the auditor certifies the sufficiency and validity of the petition to the board of elections.

No resolution shall go into effect until approved by the majority of those voting upon it. However, a rule shall take effect and remain in effect unless and until a majority of the electors voting on the question of repeal approve the repeal. Sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code do not prevent a county, after the passage of any resolution or adoption of any rule, from proceeding at once to give any notice or make any publication required by the resolution or rule.

The board of county commissioners shall make available to any person, upon request, a certified copy of any resolution or rule subject to the procedure for submitting a referendum under sections 305.31 to 305.42 of the Revised Code beginning on the date the resolution or rule is adopted by the board. The board may charge a fee for the cost of copying the resolution or rule.

As used in this section, "certified copy" means a copy containing a written statement attesting that it is a true and exact reproduction of the original resolution or rule.

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), and (5), and (6) 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. Except as provided in division (A)(2), (3), (4), or (5), or (6) 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.

(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, may amend the resolution levying that tax to provide for an increase in the rate of the tax up to five per cent on each transaction; to provide that revenue from the increase in the rate shall 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; 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; and to 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 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:

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

(b) 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;

(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.

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) Division (A)(6) of this section applies only to a county 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 costs of acquiring real property to be used to house the offices of a convention and visitors bureau operating in the county. 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)(6) of this section is subject to referendum under sections 305.31 to 305.99 of the Revised Code.

(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) 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:

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

(b) 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;

(c) 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.

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 purpose of making the payments authorized by section 307.695 of the Revised Code to construct and equip a convention center in the county 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. A tax imposed under this division 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 pledged pursuant to that section.

(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, but not to 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, or other entity has consented to the creation of that convention facilities authority, corporation, or entity.

Section 2. That existing sections 305.31 and 5739.09 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

Section 3. This act is hereby declared to be an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety. The reason for the necessity is that accelerating the authority conferred by this act will allow a county to immediately proceed to acquire real property needed to house a convention and visitors bureau, which in turn will promote the county's tourism industry, create employment opportunities, and facilitate the county's overall economic growth and development. Therefore, this act goes into immediate effect.