To enact section 124.16 of the Revised Code to base the total amount that the administrative departments spend on the salaries or wages of their employees on changes in the Gross Domestic Product of Ohio.

Section 1. That section 124.16 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 124.16. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Employee" means an employee paid in whole or in part by the state.

(2) "Salaries or wages" do not include employee benefits such as paid leave, insurance coverage, or retirement benefits.

(3) "Administrative department" means an administrative department created by section 121.02 of the Revised Code.

(B) Not later than the first day of June of each odd-numbered year, the legislative service commission shall calculate and publish the increase or decrease in the gross domestic product of this state in chained 2000 dollars for the two-year period ending on the immediately preceding thirty-first day of December. The commission also shall calculate and publish the increase or decrease for each calendar year of that two-year period.

(C)(1) Beginning on the first day of July of each odd-numbered year, each administrative department shall decrease the total amount that the administrative department spends on the salaries or wages of its employees in an amount that is not less than the decrease, if there was a decrease, in the gross domestic product of this state for the two-year period that was most recently calculated and published under division (B) of this section.

(2) Beginning on the first day of July of each odd-numbered year, each administrative department may, but is not required to, increase the total amount that the administrative department spends on the salaries or wages of its employees in an amount that is not more than the increase, if there was an increase, in the gross domestic product of this state for the two-year period that was most recently calculated and published under division (B) of this section.