130th Ohio General Assembly
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Sub. S. B. No. 240  As Passed by the Senate
As Passed by the Senate

128th General Assembly
Regular Session
2009-2010
Sub. S. B. No. 240


Senator Husted 

Cosponsors: Senators Grendell, Wagoner, Jones, Cafaro, Faber, Gibbs, Harris, Miller, R., Morano, Sawyer, Schaffer, Smith, Strahorn, Turner, Widener, Wilson, Carey, Kearney 



A BILL
To amend sections 3517.01, 3517.105, 3517.1011, 3517.13, 3517.992, 3599.03, 5727.61, and 5733.27 of the Revised Code to permit domestic corporations and labor organizations to make independent expenditures and electioneering communications in support of or opposition to candidates for nomination or election, to require a domestic corporation or labor organization that makes such expenditures to file related campaign finance statements, to require reporting of independent expenditures only for expenditures of five hundred dollars or more, to require independent expenditures of ten thousand dollars or more to be reported as electioneering communications, and to revise the definition of a political action committee for the purpose of the Campaign Finance Law.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 3517.01, 3517.105, 3517.1011, 3517.13, 3517.992, 3599.03, 5727.61, and 5733.27 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:
Sec. 3517.01.  (A)(1) A political party within the meaning of Title XXXV of the Revised Code is any group of voters that, at the most recent regular state election, polled for its candidate for governor in the state or nominees for presidential electors at least five per cent of the entire vote cast for that office or that filed with the secretary of state, subsequent to any election in which it received less than five per cent of that vote, a petition signed by qualified electors equal in number to at least one per cent of the total vote for governor or nominees for presidential electors at the most recent election, declaring their intention of organizing a political party, the name of which shall be stated in the declaration, and of participating in the succeeding primary election, held in even-numbered years, that occurs more than one hundred twenty days after the date of filing. No such group of electors shall assume a name or designation that is similar, in the opinion of the secretary of state, to that of an existing political party as to confuse or mislead the voters at an election. If any political party fails to cast five per cent of the total vote cast at an election for the office of governor or president, it shall cease to be a political party.
(2) A campaign committee shall be legally liable for any debts, contracts, or expenditures incurred or executed in its name.
(B) Notwithstanding the definitions found in section 3501.01 of the Revised Code, as used in this section and sections 3517.08 to 3517.14, 3517.99, and 3517.992 of the Revised Code:
(1) "Campaign committee" means a candidate or a combination of two or more persons authorized by a candidate under section 3517.081 of the Revised Code to receive contributions and make expenditures.
(2) "Campaign treasurer" means an individual appointed by a candidate under section 3517.081 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in division (H) of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code and also includes any person who, at any time before or after an election, receives contributions or makes expenditures or other use of contributions, has given consent for another to receive contributions or make expenditures or other use of contributions, or appoints a campaign treasurer, for the purpose of bringing about the person's nomination or election to public office. When two persons jointly seek the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, "candidate" means the pair of candidates jointly. "Candidate" does not include candidates for election to the offices of member of a county or state central committee, presidential elector, and delegate to a national convention or conference of a political party.
(4) "Continuing association" means an association, other than a campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, political contributing entity, or labor organization, that is intended to be a permanent organization that has a primary purpose other than supporting or opposing specific candidates, political parties, or ballot issues, and that functions on a regular basis throughout the year. "Continuing association" includes organizations that are determined to be not organized for profit under subsection 501 and that are described in subsection 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(5) "Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds or anything of value, including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, which contribution is made, received, or used for the purpose of influencing the results of an election. Any loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds or of anything of value, including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, political contributing entity, or person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, that is made, received, or used by a state or county political party, other than moneys a state or county political party receives from the Ohio political party fund pursuant to section 3517.17 of the Revised Code and the moneys a state or county political party may receive under sections 3517.101, 3517.1012, and 3517.1013 of the Revised Code, shall be considered to be a "contribution" for the purpose of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and shall be included on a statement of contributions filed under that section.
"Contribution" does not include any of the following:
(a) Services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a person;
(b) Ordinary home hospitality;
(c) The personal expenses of a volunteer paid for by that volunteer campaign worker;
(d) Any gift given to a state or county political party pursuant to section 3517.101 of the Revised Code. As used in division (B)(5)(d) of this section, "political party" means only a major political party;
(e) Any contribution as defined in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code that is made, received, or used to pay the direct costs of producing or airing an electioneering communication;
(f) Any gift given to a state or county political party for the party's restricted fund under division (A)(2) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code;
(g) Any gift given to a state political party for deposit in a Levin account pursuant to section 3517.1013 of the Revised Code. As used in this division, "Levin account" has the same meaning as in that section.
(6) "Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a contribution for the purpose of influencing the results of an election or of making a charitable donation under division (G) of section 3517.08 of the Revised Code. Any disbursement or use of a contribution by a state or county political party is an expenditure and shall be considered either to be made for the purpose of influencing the results of an election or to be made as a charitable donation under division (G) of section 3517.08 of the Revised Code and shall be reported on a statement of expenditures filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. During the thirty days preceding a primary or general election, any disbursement to pay the direct costs of producing or airing a broadcast, cable, or satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified candidate shall be considered to be made for the purpose of influencing the results of that election and shall be reported as an expenditure or as an independent expenditure under section 3517.10 or 3517.105 of the Revised Code, as applicable, except that the information required to be reported regarding contributors for those expenditures or independent expenditures shall be the same as the information required to be reported under divisions (D)(1) and (2) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.
As used in this division, "broadcast, cable, or satellite communication" and "refers to a clearly identified candidate" have the same meanings as in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.
(7) "Personal expenses" includes, but is not limited to, ordinary expenses for accommodations, clothing, food, personal motor vehicle or airplane, and home telephone.
(8) "Political action committee" means a combination of two or more persons, that has more than two thousand five hundred dollars in its treasury and makes aggregate total contributions and expenditures of one thousand dollars or more per calendar year, and the primary or major purpose of which is to support or oppose any candidate, political party, or issue, or to influence the result of any election through express advocacy, and that is not a political party, a campaign committee, a political contributing entity, or a legislative campaign fund. "Political action committee" does not include either of the following:
(a) A a continuing association that makes disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications and that does not engage in express advocacy;
(b) A political club that is formed primarily for social purposes and that consists of one hundred members or less, has officers and periodic meetings, has less than two thousand five hundred dollars in its treasury at all times, and makes an aggregate total contribution of one thousand dollars or less per calendar year.
(9) "Public office" means any state, county, municipal, township, or district office, except an office of a political party, that is filled by an election and the offices of United States senator and representative.
(10) "Anything of value" has the same meaning as in section 1.03 of the Revised Code.
(11) "Beneficiary of a campaign fund" means a candidate, a public official or employee for whose benefit a campaign fund exists, and any other person who has ever been a candidate or public official or employee and for whose benefit a campaign fund exists.
(12) "Campaign fund" means money or other property, including contributions.
(13) "Public official or employee" has the same meaning as in section 102.01 of the Revised Code.
(14) "Caucus" means all of the members of the house of representatives or all of the members of the senate of the general assembly who are members of the same political party.
(15) "Legislative campaign fund" means a fund that is established as an auxiliary of a state political party and associated with one of the houses of the general assembly.
(16) "In-kind contribution" means anything of value other than money that is used to influence the results of an election or is transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, political action committee, or political contributing entity and that is made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of the benefited candidate, committee, fund, party, or entity. The financing of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or part, of any broadcast or of any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials prepared by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or their authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to the candidate and an expenditure by the candidate.
(17) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by a person advocating the election or defeat of an identified candidate or candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of any candidate or candidates or of the campaign committee or agent of the candidate or candidates. As used in division (B)(17) of this section:
(a) "Person" means an individual, partnership, unincorporated business organization or association, political action committee, political contributing entity, separate segregated fund, association, corporation, labor organization, or other organization or group of persons, but not a labor organization or a corporation unless the labor organization or corporation is a political contributing entity.
(b) "Advocating" means any communication containing a message advocating election or defeat.
(c) "Identified candidate" means that the name of the candidate appears, a photograph or drawing of the candidate appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by unambiguous reference.
(d) "Made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or the campaign committee or agent of the candidate" means made pursuant to any arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or the candidate's agent prior to the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of the communication. An expenditure is presumed to be so made when it is any of the following:
(i) Based on information about the candidate's plans, projects, or needs provided to the person making the expenditure by the candidate, or by the candidate's campaign committee or agent, with a view toward having an expenditure made;
(ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been, authorized to raise or expend funds, who is, or has been, an officer of the candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has been, receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement from the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee or agent;
(iii) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code, made by a political party in support of a candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a political party to conduct voter registration or voter education efforts.
(e) "Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate, or means any person who has been placed in a position with the candidate's campaign committee or organization such that it would reasonably appear that in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities the person may authorize expenditures.
(18) "Labor organization" means a labor union; an employee organization; a federation of labor unions, groups, locals, or other employee organizations; an auxiliary of a labor union, employee organization, or federation of labor unions, groups, locals, or other employee organizations; or any other bona fide organization in which employees participate and that exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.
(19) "Separate segregated fund" means a separate segregated fund established pursuant to the Federal Election Campaign Act.
(20) "Federal Election Campaign Act" means the "Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971," 86 Stat. 11, 2 U.S.C.A. 431, et seq., as amended.
(21) "Restricted fund" means the fund a state or county political party must establish under division (A)(1) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code.
(22) "Electioneering communication" has the same meaning as in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.
(23) "Express advocacy" means a communication that contains express words advocating the nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate or that contains express words advocating the adoption or defeat of a question or issue, as determined by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(24) "Political committee" has the same meaning as in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.
(25) "Political contributing entity" means any entity, including a corporation or labor organization, that may lawfully make contributions and expenditures and that is not an individual or a political action committee, continuing association, campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, designated state campaign committee, or state candidate fund. For purposes of this division, "lawfully" means not prohibited by any section of the Revised Code, or authorized by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
Sec. 3517.105.  (A)(1) As used in this section, "public political advertising" means advertising to the general public through a broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, poster, yard sign, or outdoor advertising facility, by direct mail, or by any other means of advertising to the general public.
(2) For purposes of this section and section 3517.20 of the Revised Code, a person is a member of a political action committee if the person makes one or more contributions to that political action committee, and a person is a member of a political contributing entity if the person makes one or more contributions to, or pays dues, membership fees, or other assessments to, that political contributing entity.
(B)(1) Whenever a candidate, a campaign committee, a political action committee or political contributing entity with ten or more members, a corporation, a labor organization, or a legislative campaign fund makes an independent expenditure, or whenever a political action committee or political contributing entity with fewer than ten members makes an independent expenditure in excess of one hundred dollars for a local candidate, in excess of two hundred fifty dollars for a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly, or in excess of five hundred dollars for a statewide candidate, or more for the purpose of financing communications advocating the election or defeat of an identified candidate or solicits without the candidate's express consent a contribution for or against an identified candidate through public political advertising, a statement shall appear or be presented in a clear and conspicuous manner in the advertising that does both of the following:
(a) Clearly indicates that the communication or public political advertising is not authorized by the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee;
(b) Clearly identifies the candidate, campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, corporation, labor organization, or legislative campaign fund that has paid for the communication or public political advertising in accordance with section 3517.20 of the Revised Code.
(2)(a) Whenever Subject to division (B)(2)(c) of this section, whenever any campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, political contributing entity, or political party makes an independent expenditure of five hundred dollars or more in support of or opposition to any candidate, the committee, entity, fund, or party shall report the independent expenditure and identify the candidate on a statement prescribed by the secretary of state and filed by the committee, entity, fund, or party as part of its statement of contributions and expenditures pursuant to division (A) of section 3517.10 and division (A) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code.
(b) Whenever Subject to division (B)(2)(c) of this section, whenever any individual, partnership, corporation, labor organization, or other entity, except a corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, political contributing entity, or political party, makes one or more independent expenditures of five hundred dollars or more in support of or opposition to any candidate, the individual, partnership, corporation, labor organization, or other entity shall file with the secretary of state in the case of a statewide candidate, or with the board of elections in the county in which the candidate files the candidate's petitions for nomination or election for district or local office, not later than the dates specified in divisions (A)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, and, except as otherwise provided in that section, a statement itemizing all independent expenditures made during the period since the close of business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed such statement, if any. The statement shall be made on a form prescribed by the secretary of state or shall be filed by electronic means of transmission pursuant to division (G) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code as authorized or required by that division. The statement shall indicate the date and the amount of each independent expenditure and the candidate on whose behalf it was made and shall be made under penalty of election falsification.
(c) Any independent expenditure of ten thousand dollars or more in support of or opposition to any candidate that is made during the period beginning on the ninetieth day before the primary election and ending on the day of the general election shall be deemed an electioneering communication for the purpose of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code and shall be reported in accordance with the requirements of that section.
(d) If a corporation or labor organization files a statement under division (B)(2)(b) or (c) of this section, the statement also shall identify the source of any amounts the corporation or labor organization received during the period since the close of business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed such statement that, in the aggregate, exceed five thousand dollars and that were not received in the ordinary course of business and were not received in exchange for goods and services provided by the corporation or labor organization.
(C)(1) Whenever a corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, political action committee with ten or more members, or legislative campaign fund makes an independent expenditure, or whenever a political action committee with fewer than ten members makes an independent expenditure in excess of one hundred dollars for a local ballot issue or question, or in excess of five hundred dollars for a statewide ballot issue or question, or more for the purpose of financing communications advocating support of or opposition to an identified ballot issue or question or solicits without the express consent of the ballot issue committee a contribution for or against an identified ballot issue or question through public political advertising, a statement shall appear or be presented in a clear and conspicuous manner in the advertising that does both of the following:
(a) Clearly indicates that the communication or public political advertising is not authorized by the identified ballot issue committee;
(b) Clearly identifies the corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political action committee that has paid for the communication or public political advertising in accordance with section 3517.20 of the Revised Code.
(2)(a) Whenever any corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political action committee makes an independent expenditure of five hundred dollars or more in support of or opposition to any ballot issue or question, the corporation or labor organization shall report the independent expenditure in accordance with division (C) of section 3599.03 of the Revised Code, and the campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or political action committee shall report the independent expenditure and identify the ballot issue or question on a statement prescribed by the secretary of state and filed by the committee, fund, or party as part of its statement of contributions and expenditures pursuant to division (A) of section 3517.10 and division (A) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code.
(b) Whenever any individual, partnership, or other entity, except a corporation, labor organization, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or political party, makes one or more independent expenditures in excess of one of five hundred dollars or more in support of or opposition to any ballot issue or question, the individual, partnership, or other entity shall file with the secretary of state in the case of a statewide ballot issue or question, or with the board of elections in the county that certifies the issue or question for placement on the ballot in the case of a district or local issue or question, not later than the dates specified in divisions (A)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, and, except as otherwise provided in that section, a statement itemizing all independent expenditures made during the period since the close of business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed such statement, if any. The statement shall be made on a form prescribed by the secretary of state or shall be filed by electronic means of transmission pursuant to division (G) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code as authorized or required by that division. The statement shall indicate the date and the amount of each independent expenditure and the ballot issue or question in support of or opposition to which it was made and shall be made under penalty of election falsification.
(3) No person, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, corporation, labor organization, or other organization or association shall use or cause to be used a false or fictitious name in making an independent expenditure in support of or opposition to any candidate or any ballot issue or question. A name is false or fictitious if the person, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, corporation, labor organization, or other organization or association does not actually exist or operate, if the corporation, labor organization, or other organization or association has failed to file a fictitious name or other registration with the secretary of state, if it is required to do so, or if the person, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, or political action committee has failed to file a designation of the appointment of a treasurer, if it is required to do so by division (D)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
(D) Any expenditure by a political party for the purpose of financing communications advocating the election or defeat of a candidate for judicial office shall be deemed to be an independent expenditure subject to the provisions of this section.
Sec. 3517.1011.  (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Address" has the same meaning as in section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Broadcast, cable, or satellite communication" means a communication that is publicly distributed by a television station, radio station, cable television system, or satellite system.
(3) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in section 3501.01 of the Revised Code;.
(4) "Contribution" means any loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds or of anything of value, including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, that is made, received, or used to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications.
(5)(a) "Coordinated electioneering communication" means any electioneering communication that is made pursuant to any arrangement, coordination, or direction by a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee, by an officer, agent, employee, or consultant of a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee, or by a former officer, former agent, former employee, or former consultant of a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee prior to the airing, broadcasting, or cablecasting of the communication. An electioneering communication is presumed to be a "coordinated electioneering communication" when it is either of the following:
(i) Based on information about a candidate's plans, projects, or needs provided to the person making the disbursement by the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, by an officer, agent, employee, or consultant of the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, or by a former officer, former agent, former employee, or former consultant of the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, with a view toward having the communication made;
(ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been, authorized to raise or expend funds on behalf of a candidate or the candidate's campaign committee, who is, or has been, an officer, agent, employee, or consultant of the candidate or of the candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has been, receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement from the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee or from an officer, agent, employee, or consultant of the candidate or of the candidate's campaign committee.
(b) An electioneering communication shall not be presumed to be a "coordinated electioneering communication" under division (A)(5)(a)(ii) of this section if the communication is made through any person who provides a service that does not affect the content of the communication, such as communications placed through the efforts of a media buyer, unless that person also affects the content of the communication.
(6) "Disclosure date" means both of the following:
(a) The first date during any calendar year by which a person makes disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications aggregating in excess of ten thousand dollars;
(b) The same day of the week of each remaining week in the same calendar year as the day of the week of the initial disclosure date established under division (A)(6)(a) of this section, if, during that remaining week, the person makes disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications aggregating in excess of one dollar.
(7)(a) "Electioneering communication" means any broadcast, cable, or satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified candidate and that is made during either of the following periods of time:
(i) If the person becomes a candidate before the day of the primary election at which candidates will be nominated for election to that office, between the date that the person becomes a candidate and the thirtieth day prior to that primary election, and between the date of the primary election and the thirtieth day prior to the general election at which a candidate will be elected to that office;
(ii) If the person becomes a candidate after the day of the primary election at which candidates were nominated for election to that office, between the date of the primary election and the thirtieth day prior to the general election at which a candidate will be elected to that office.
(b) "Electioneering communication" does not include any of the following:
(i) A communication that is publicly disseminated through a means of communication other than a broadcast, cable, or satellite television or radio station. For example, "electioneering communication" does not include communications appearing in print media, including a newspaper or magazine, handbill, brochure, bumper sticker, yard sign, poster, billboard, and other written materials, including mailings; communications over the internet, including electronic mail; or telephone communications.
(ii) A communication that appears in a news story, commentary, public service announcement, bona fide news programming, or editorial distributed through the facilities of any broadcast, cable, or satellite television or radio station, unless those facilities are owned or controlled by any political party, political committee, or candidate;
(iii) A communication that constitutes an expenditure or an independent expenditure under section 3517.01 of the Revised Code;
(iv) A communication that constitutes a candidate debate or forum or that solely promotes a candidate debate or forum and is made by or on behalf of the person sponsoring the debate or forum.
(8) "Filing date" has the same meaning as in section 3517.109 of the Revised Code.
(9) "Immigration and Nationality Act" means the Immigration and Nationality Act, 110 Stat. 309 (1996), 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq., as amended.
(10) "Person" has the same meaning as in section 1.59 of the Revised Code and includes any political organization considered exempt from income taxation under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code.
(11) "Political committee" means any of the following:
(a) Any committee, club, association, or other group of persons that receives contributions aggregating in excess of one thousand dollars during a calendar year or that makes expenditures aggregating in excess of one thousand dollars during a calendar year;
(b) Any separate segregated fund;
(c) Any state, county, or local committee of a political party that does any of the following:
(i) Receives contributions aggregating in excess of five thousand dollars during a calendar year;
(ii) Makes payments that do not constitute contributions or expenditures aggregating in excess of five thousand dollars during a calendar year;
(iii) Makes contributions or expenditures aggregating in excess of one thousand dollars during a calendar year.
(12) "Publicly distributed" means aired, broadcast, cablecast, or otherwise disseminated for a fee.
(13) "Refers to a clearly identified candidate" means that the candidate's name, nickname, photograph, or drawing appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent through an unambiguous reference to the person such as "the chief justice," "the governor," "member of the Ohio senate," "member of the Ohio house of representatives," "county auditor," "mayor," or "township trustee" or through an unambiguous reference to the person's status as a candidate.
(B) For the purposes of this section, a person shall be considered to have made a disbursement if the person has entered into a contract to make the disbursement.
(C) Any person intending to make a disbursement or disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, prior to making the first disbursement for the direct costs of producing or airing an electioneering communication, shall file a notice with the office of the secretary of state that the person is intending to make such disbursements.
(D)(1) Every person that makes a disbursement or disbursements for the direct costs of producing and airing electioneering communications aggregating in excess of ten thousand dollars during any calendar year shall file, within twenty-four hours of each disclosure date, a disclosure of electioneering communications statement containing the following information:
(a) The full name and address of the person making the disbursement, of any person sharing or exercising direction or control over the activities of the person making the disbursement, and of the custodian of the books and accounts of the person making the disbursement;
(b) The principal place of business of the person making the disbursement, if not an individual;
(c) The amount of each disbursement of more than one dollar during the period covered by the statement and the identity of the person to whom the disbursement was made;
(d) The nominations or elections to which the electioneering communications pertain and the names, if known, of the candidates identified or to be identified;
(e) If the disbursements were paid out of a segregated bank account that consists of funds contributed solely by individuals who are United States citizens or nationals or lawfully admitted for permanent residence as defined in section 101(a)(20) of the Immigration and Nationality Act directly to the account for electioneering communications, the information specified in division (D)(2) of this section for all contributors who contributed an aggregate amount of two hundred dollars or more to the segregated bank account and whose contributions were used for making the disbursement or disbursements required to be reported under division (D) of this section during the period covered by the statement. Nothing in this division prohibits or shall be construed to prohibit the use of funds in such a segregated bank account for a purpose other than electioneering communications.
(f) If the disbursements were paid out of funds not described in division (D)(1)(e) of this section, the information specified in division (D)(2) of this section for all contributors who contributed an aggregate amount of two hundred dollars or more to the person making the disbursement and whose contributions were used for making the disbursement or disbursements required to be reported under division (D) of this section during the period covered by the statement.
(2) For each contributor for which information is required to be reported under division (D)(1)(e) or (f) of this section, all of the following shall be reported:
(a) The month, day, and year that the contributor made the contribution or contributions aggregating two hundred dollars or more;
(b)(i) The full name and address of the contributor, and, if the contributor is a political action committee, the registration number assigned to the political action committee under division (D)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code;
(ii) If the contributor is an individual, the name of the individual's current employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the individual's occupation and the name of the individual's business, if any;
(iii) If the contribution is transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and salaries of two or more employees that exceed in the aggregate one hundred dollars during the period specified in division (D)(1)(e) or (f) of this section, as applicable, the full name of the employees' employer and the full name of the labor organization of which the employees are members, if any.
(c) A description of the contribution, if other than money;
(d) The value in dollars and cents of the contribution.
(3) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the secretary of state prescribes pursuant to divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 and division (H)(1) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission, a person shall file the disclosure of electioneering communications statement prescribed under divisions (D)(1) and (2) of this section by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state.
Within five business days after the secretary of state receives a disclosure of electioneering communications statement under this division, the secretary of state shall make available online to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, the contribution and disbursement information in that statement.
If a filed disclosure of electioneering communications statement is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after its examination for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the person shall file by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state any addendum, amendment, or other correction to the statement that provides the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.
Within five business days after the secretary of state receives an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a disclosure of electioneering communications statement or an amended statement by electronic means of transmission under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the contribution and disbursement information in the addendum, amendment, or other correction to the statement or amended statement available online to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code.
(E)(1) Any person who makes a contribution for the purpose of funding the direct costs of producing or airing an electioneering communication under this section shall provide the person's full name and address to the recipient of the contribution at the time the contribution is made.
(2) Any individual who makes a contribution or contributions aggregating two hundred dollars or more for the purpose of funding the direct costs of producing or airing an electioneering communication under this section shall provide the name of the individual's current employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the individual's occupation and the name of the individual's business, if any, to the recipient of the contribution at the time the contribution is made.
(F) In each electioneering communication, a statement shall appear or be presented in a clear and conspicuous manner that does both of the following:
(1) Clearly indicates that the electioneering communication is not authorized by the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee;
(2) Clearly identifies the person making the disbursement for the electioneering communication in accordance with section 3517.20 of the Revised Code.
(G) Any coordinated electioneering communication is an in-kind contribution, subject to the applicable contribution limits prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, to the candidate by the person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing the communication.
(H) No person shall make, during the thirty days preceding a primary election or during the thirty days preceding a general election, any broadcast, cable, or satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified candidate using any contributions received from a corporation or labor organization.
Sec. 3517.13.  (A)(1) No campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall fail to file a complete and accurate statement required under division (A)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
(2) No campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall fail to file a complete and accurate monthly statement, and no campaign committee of a statewide candidate or a candidate for the office of chief justice or justice of the supreme court shall fail to file a complete and accurate two-business-day statement, as required under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
As used in this division, "statewide candidate" has the same meaning as in division (F)(2) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
(B) No campaign committee shall fail to file a complete and accurate statement required under division (A)(1) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
(C) No campaign committee shall fail to file a complete and accurate statement required under division (A)(2) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
(D) No campaign committee shall fail to file a complete and accurate statement required under division (A)(3) or (4) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
(E) No person other than a campaign committee shall knowingly fail to file a statement required under section 3517.10 or 3517.107 of the Revised Code.
(F) No person shall make cash contributions to any person totaling more than one hundred dollars in each primary, special, or general election.
(G)(1) No person shall knowingly conceal or misrepresent contributions given or received, expenditures made, or any other information required to be reported by a provision in sections 3517.08 to 3517.13 and 3517.17 of the Revised Code.
(2)(a) No person shall make a contribution to a campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, political party, or person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications in the name of another person.
(b) A person does not make a contribution in the name of another when either of the following applies:
(i) An individual makes a contribution from a partnership or other unincorporated business account, if the contribution is reported by listing both the name of the partnership or other unincorporated business and the name of the partner or owner making the contribution as required under division (I) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
(ii) A person makes a contribution in that person's spouse's name or in both of their names.
(H) No person within this state, publishing a newspaper or other periodical, shall charge a campaign committee for political advertising a rate in excess of the rate such person would charge if the campaign committee were a general rate advertiser whose advertising was directed to promoting its business within the same area as that encompassed by the particular office that the candidate of the campaign committee is seeking. The rate shall take into account the amount of space used, as well as the type of advertising copy submitted by or on behalf of the campaign committee. All discount privileges otherwise offered by a newspaper or periodical to general rate advertisers shall be available upon equal terms to all campaign committees.
No person within this state, operating a radio or television station or network of stations in this state, shall charge a campaign committee for political broadcasts a rate that exceeds:
(1) During the forty-five days preceding the date of a primary election and during the sixty days preceding the date of a general or special election in which the candidate of the campaign committee is seeking office, the lowest unit charge of the station for the same class and amount of time for the same period;
(2) At any other time, the charges made for comparable use of that station by its other users.
(I) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this section, no agency or department of this state or any political subdivision shall award any contract, other than one let by competitive bidding or a contract incidental to such contract or which is by force account, for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any individual, partnership, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust if the individual has made or the individual's spouse has made, or any partner, shareholder, administrator, executor, or trustee or the spouse of any of them has made, as an individual, within the two previous calendar years, one or more contributions totaling in excess of one thousand dollars to the holder of the public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract or to the public officer's campaign committee.
(J) Subject to divisions (K), (L), (M), and (N) of this section, no agency or department of this state or any political subdivision shall award any contract, other than one let by competitive bidding or a contract incidental to such contract or which is by force account, for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to a corporation or business trust, except a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, if an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust or the spouse of that person has made, as an individual, within the two previous calendar years, taking into consideration only owners for all of that period, one or more contributions totaling in excess of one thousand dollars to the holder of a public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract or to the public officer's campaign committee.
(K) For purposes of divisions (I) and (J) of this section, if a public officer who is responsible for the award of a contract is appointed by the governor, whether or not the appointment is subject to the advice and consent of the senate, excluding members of boards, commissions, committees, authorities, councils, boards of trustees, task forces, and other such entities appointed by the governor, the office of the governor is considered to have ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract.
(L) For purposes of divisions (I) and (J) of this section, if a public officer who is responsible for the award of a contract is appointed by the elected chief executive officer of a municipal corporation, or appointed by the elected chief executive officer of a county operating under an alternative form of county government or county charter, excluding members of boards, commissions, committees, authorities, councils, boards of trustees, task forces, and other such entities appointed by the chief executive officer, the office of the chief executive officer is considered to have ultimate responsibility for the award of the contract.
(M)(1) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to contracts awarded by the board of commissioners of the sinking fund, municipal legislative authorities, boards of education, boards of county commissioners, boards of township trustees, or other boards, commissions, committees, authorities, councils, boards of trustees, task forces, and other such entities created by law, by the supreme court or courts of appeals, by county courts consisting of more than one judge, courts of common pleas consisting of more than one judge, or municipal courts consisting of more than one judge, or by a division of any court if the division consists of more than one judge. This division shall apply to the specified entity only if the members of the entity act collectively in the award of a contract for goods or services.
(2) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to actions of the controlling board.
(N)(1) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section apply to contributions made to the holder of a public office having ultimate responsibility for the award of a contract, or to the public officer's campaign committee, during the time the person holds the office and during any time such person was a candidate for the office. Those divisions do not apply to contributions made to, or to the campaign committee of, a candidate for or holder of the office other than the holder of the office at the time of the award of the contract.
(2) Divisions (I) and (J) of this section do not apply to contributions of a partner, shareholder, administrator, executor, trustee, or owner of more than twenty per cent of a corporation or business trust made before the person held any of those positions or after the person ceased to hold any of those positions in the partnership, association, estate, trust, corporation, or business trust whose eligibility to be awarded a contract is being determined, nor to contributions of the person's spouse made before the person held any of those positions, after the person ceased to hold any of those positions, before the two were married, after the granting of a decree of divorce, dissolution of marriage, or annulment, or after the granting of an order in an action brought solely for legal separation. Those divisions do not apply to contributions of the spouse of an individual whose eligibility to be awarded a contract is being determined made before the two were married, after the granting of a decree of divorce, dissolution of marriage, or annulment, or after the granting of an order in an action brought solely for legal separation.
(O) No beneficiary of a campaign fund or other person shall convert for personal use, and no person shall knowingly give to a beneficiary of a campaign fund or any other person, for the beneficiary's or any other person's personal use, anything of value from the beneficiary's campaign fund, including, without limitation, payments to a beneficiary for services the beneficiary personally performs, except as reimbursement for any of the following:
(1) Legitimate and verifiable prior campaign expenses incurred by the beneficiary;
(2) Legitimate and verifiable ordinary and necessary prior expenses incurred by the beneficiary in connection with duties as the holder of a public office, including, without limitation, expenses incurred through participation in nonpartisan or bipartisan events if the participation of the holder of a public office would normally be expected;
(3) Legitimate and verifiable ordinary and necessary prior expenses incurred by the beneficiary while doing any of the following:
(a) Engaging in activities in support of or opposition to a candidate other than the beneficiary, political party, or ballot issue;
(b) Raising funds for a political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, campaign committee, or other candidate;
(c) Participating in the activities of a political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee;
(d) Attending a political party convention or other political meeting.
For purposes of this division, an expense is incurred whenever a beneficiary has either made payment or is obligated to make payment, as by the use of a credit card or other credit procedure or by the use of goods or services received on account.
(P) No beneficiary of a campaign fund shall knowingly accept, and no person shall knowingly give to the beneficiary of a campaign fund, reimbursement for an expense under division (O) of this section to the extent that the expense previously was reimbursed or paid from another source of funds. If an expense is reimbursed under division (O) of this section and is later paid or reimbursed, wholly or in part, from another source of funds, the beneficiary shall repay the reimbursement received under division (O) of this section to the extent of the payment made or reimbursement received from the other source.
(Q) No candidate or public official or employee shall accept for personal or business use anything of value from a political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee other than the candidate's or public official's or employee's own campaign committee, and no person shall knowingly give to a candidate or public official or employee anything of value from a political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or such a campaign committee, except for the following:
(1) Reimbursement for legitimate and verifiable ordinary and necessary prior expenses not otherwise prohibited by law incurred by the candidate or public official or employee while engaged in any legitimate activity of the political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee. Without limitation, reimbursable expenses under this division include those incurred while doing any of the following:
(a) Engaging in activities in support of or opposition to another candidate, political party, or ballot issue;
(b) Raising funds for a political party, legislative campaign fund, campaign committee, or another candidate;
(c) Attending a political party convention or other political meeting.
(2) Compensation not otherwise prohibited by law for actual and valuable personal services rendered under a written contract to the political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee for any legitimate activity of the political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or such campaign committee.
Reimbursable expenses under this division do not include, and it is a violation of this division for a candidate or public official or employee to accept, or for any person to knowingly give to a candidate or public official or employee from a political party, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee other than the candidate's or public official's or employee's own campaign committee, anything of value for activities primarily related to the candidate's or public official's or employee's own campaign for election, except for contributions to the candidate's or public official's or employee's campaign committee.
For purposes of this division, an expense is incurred whenever a candidate or public official or employee has either made payment or is obligated to make payment, as by the use of a credit card or other credit procedure, or by the use of goods or services on account.
(R)(1) Division (O) or (P) of this section does not prohibit a campaign committee from making direct advance or post payment from contributions to vendors for goods and services for which reimbursement is permitted under division (O) of this section, except that no campaign committee shall pay its candidate or other beneficiary for services personally performed by the candidate or other beneficiary.
(2) If any expense that may be reimbursed under division (O), (P), or (Q) of this section is part of other expenses that may not be paid or reimbursed, the separation of the two types of expenses for the purpose of allocating for payment or reimbursement those expenses that may be paid or reimbursed may be by any reasonable accounting method, considering all of the surrounding circumstances.
(3) For purposes of divisions (O), (P), and (Q) of this section, mileage allowance at a rate not greater than that allowed by the internal revenue service at the time the travel occurs may be paid instead of reimbursement for actual travel expenses allowable.
(S)(1) As used in division (S) of this section:
(a) "State elective office" has the same meaning as in section 3517.092 of the Revised Code.
(b) "Federal office" means a federal office as defined in the Federal Election Campaign Act.
(c) "Federal campaign committee" means a principal campaign committee or authorized committee as defined in the Federal Election Campaign Act.
(2) No person who is a candidate for state elective office and who previously sought nomination or election to a federal office shall transfer any funds or assets from that person's federal campaign committee for nomination or election to the federal office to that person's campaign committee as a candidate for state elective office.
(3) No campaign committee of a person who is a candidate for state elective office and who previously sought nomination or election to a federal office shall accept any funds or assets from that person's federal campaign committee for that person's nomination or election to the federal office.
(T)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(6)(c) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, a state or county political party shall not disburse moneys from any account other than a state candidate fund to make contributions to any of the following:
(a) A state candidate fund;
(b) A legislative campaign fund;
(c) A campaign committee of a candidate for the office of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, attorney general, member of the state board of education, or member of the general assembly.
(2) No state candidate fund, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee of a candidate for any office described in division (T)(1)(c) of this section shall knowingly accept a contribution in violation of division (T)(1) of this section.
(U) No person shall fail to file a statement required under section 3517.12 of the Revised Code.
(V) No campaign committee shall fail to file a statement required under division (K)(3) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
(W)(1) No foreign national shall, directly or indirectly through any other person or entity, make a contribution, expenditure, disbursement for the direct costs of producing and airing electioneering communications, or independent expenditure or promise, either expressly or implicitly, to make a contribution, expenditure, disbursement for the direct costs of producing and airing electioneering communications, or independent expenditure in support of or opposition to a candidate for any elective office in this state, including an office of a political party.
(2) No candidate, campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, state candidate fund, political party, or separate segregated fund shall solicit or accept a contribution, expenditure, disbursement for the direct costs of producing and airing electioneering communications, or independent expenditure from a foreign national. The secretary of state may direct any candidate, committee, entity, fund, or party that accepts a contribution, expenditure, disbursement for the direct costs of producing and airing electioneering communications, or independent expenditure in violation of this division to return the contribution, expenditure, disbursement for the direct costs of producing and airing electioneering communications, or independent expenditure or, if it is not possible to return the contribution, expenditure, disbursement for the direct costs of producing and airing electioneering communications, or independent expenditure, then to return instead the value of it, to the contributor.
(3) As used in division (W) of this section, "foreign national" has the same meaning as in section 441e(b) of the Federal Election Campaign Act.
(X)(1) No state or county political party shall transfer any moneys from its restricted fund to any account of the political party into which contributions may be made or from which contributions or expenditures may be made.
(2)(a) No state or county political party shall deposit a contribution or contributions that it receives into its restricted fund.
(b) No state or county political party shall make a contribution or an expenditure from its restricted fund.
(3)(a) No corporation or labor organization shall make a gift or gifts from the corporation's or labor organization's money or property aggregating more than ten thousand dollars to any one state or county political party for the party's restricted fund in a calendar year.
(b) No state or county political party shall accept a gift or gifts for the party's restricted fund aggregating more than ten thousand dollars from any one corporation or labor organization in a calendar year.
(4) No state or county political party shall transfer any moneys in the party's restricted fund to any other state or county political party.
(5) No state or county political party shall knowingly fail to file a statement required under section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code.
(Y) The administrator of workers' compensation and the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation shall not conduct any business with or award any contract, other than one awarded by competitive bidding, for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to any individual, partnership, association, including, without limitation, a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, estate, or trust, if the individual has made, or the individual's spouse has made, or any partner, shareholder, administrator, executor, or trustee, or the spouses of any of those individuals has made, as an individual, within the two previous calendar years, one or more contributions totaling in excess of one thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor.
(Z) The administrator of workers' compensation and the employees of the bureau of workers' compensation shall not conduct business with or award any contract, other than one awarded by competitive bidding, for the purchase of goods costing more than five hundred dollars or services costing more than five hundred dollars to a corporation or business trust, except a professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, if an owner of more than twenty per cent of the corporation or business trust, or the spouse of the owner, has made, as an individual, within the two previous calendar years, taking into consideration only owners for all of such period, one or more contributions totaling in excess of one thousand dollars to the campaign committee of the governor or lieutenant governor or to the campaign committee of any candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant governor.
(AA)(1) No foreign corporation shall make an independent expenditure, make a disbursement for the direct costs of producing and airing electioneering communications, or make a contribution to another entity for the purpose of funding the direct costs of producing and airing electioneering communications.
(2) For the purpose of division (AA) of this section, the determination of whether a corporation is a foreign corporation shall be made as of the date the independent expenditure, disbursement for the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, or contribution to another entity for the purpose of funding the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications is made.
(3) As used in division (AA) of this section, "foreign corporation" has the same meaning as defined by section 7701 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 7701.
Sec. 3517.992.  This section establishes penalties only with respect to acts or failures to act that occur on and after August 24, 1995.
(A)(1) A candidate whose campaign committee violates division (A), (B), (C), (D), or (V) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, or a treasurer of a campaign committee who violates any of those divisions, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.
(2) Whoever violates division (E) or (X)(5) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.
(B) A political party that violates division (F)(1) of section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.
(C) Whoever violates division (F)(2) of section 3517.101 or division (G) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars or, if the offender is a person who was nominated or elected to public office, shall forfeit the nomination or the office to which the offender was elected, or both.
(D) Whoever violates division (F) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than three times the amount contributed.
(E) Whoever violates division (H) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.
(F) Whoever violates division (O), (P), or (Q) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(G) A state or county committee of a political party that violates division (B)(1) of section 3517.18 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than twice the amount of the improper expenditure.
(H) A state or county political party that violates division (G) of section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than twice the amount of the improper expenditure or use.
(I)(1) Any individual who violates division (B)(1) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code and knows that the contribution the individual makes violates that division shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.
(2) Any political action committee that violates division (B)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.
(3) Any campaign committee that violates division (B)(3) or (5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.
(4)(a) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (B)(6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division, as applicable.
(b) Any state political party, county political party, or state candidate fund of a state political party or county political party that violates division (B)(6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division, as applicable.
(c) Any political contributing entity that violates division (B)(7) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.
(5) Any political party that violates division (B)(4) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.
(6) Notwithstanding divisions (I)(1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) of this section, no violation of division (B) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not refer parties to the Ohio elections commission, if the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division meets either of the following conditions:
(a) It is completely refunded within five business days after it is accepted.
(b) It is completely refunded on or before the tenth business day after notification to the recipient of the excess transfer or contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state that a transfer or contribution in excess of the permitted amount has been received.
(J)(1) Any campaign committee that violates division (C)(1), (2), (3), or (6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.
(2)(a) Any county political party that violates division (C)(4)(a)(ii) or (iii) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted.
(b) Any county political party that violates division (C)(4)(a)(i) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.
(c) Any state political party that violates division (C)(4)(b) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.
(3) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (C)(5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.
(4) Any political action committee or political contributing entity that violates division (C)(7) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.
(5) Notwithstanding divisions (J)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, no violation of division (C) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not refer parties to the Ohio elections commission, if the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted to be accepted by that division meets either of the following conditions:
(a) It is completely refunded within five business days after its acceptance.
(b) It is completely refunded on or before the tenth business day after notification to the recipient of the excess transfer or contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state that a transfer or contribution in excess of the permitted amount has been received.
(K)(1) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (F)(1) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined twenty-five dollars for each day of violation.
(2) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (F)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall give to the treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio elections commission fund all excess contributions not disposed of as required by division (E) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code.
(L) Whoever violates section 3517.105 of the Revised Code shall be fined one thousand dollars.
(M)(1) Whoever solicits a contribution in violation of section 3517.092 or violates division (B) of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(2) Whoever knowingly accepts a contribution in violation of division (B) or (C) of section 3517.092 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in violation of either of those divisions and shall return to the contributor any amount so accepted. Whoever unknowingly accepts a contribution in violation of division (B) or (C) of section 3517.092 of the Revised Code shall return to the contributor any amount so accepted.
(N) Whoever violates division (S) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount of funds transferred or three times the value of the assets transferred in violation of that division.
(O) Any campaign committee that accepts a contribution or contributions in violation of section 3517.108 of the Revised Code, uses a contribution in violation of that section, or fails to dispose of excess contributions in violation of that section shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted, used, or kept in violation of that section.
(P) Any political party, state candidate fund, legislative candidate fund, or campaign committee that violates division (T) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed or accepted in violation of that section.
(Q) A treasurer of a committee or another person who violates division (U) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than two hundred fifty dollars.
(R) Whoever violates division (I) or (J) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars. Whenever a person is found guilty of violating division (I) or (J) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, the contract awarded in violation of either of those divisions shall be rescinded if its terms have not yet been performed.
(S) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a campaign committee who violates section 3517.081 of the Revised Code, and a candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a campaign committee or another person who violates division (C) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.
(T) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a committee who violates division (B) of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code, or a candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a campaign committee or another person who violates division (C) of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.
(U) Whoever violates section 3517.20 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.
(V) Whoever violates section 3517.21 or 3517.22 of the Revised Code shall be imprisoned for not more than six months or fined not more than five thousand dollars, or both.
(W) A campaign committee that is required to file a declaration of no limits under division (D)(2) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code that, before filing that declaration, accepts a contribution or contributions that exceed the limitations prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, shall return that contribution or those contributions to the contributor.
(X) Any campaign committee that fails to file the declaration of filing-day finances required by division (F) of section 3517.109 or the declaration of primary-day finances or declaration of year-end finances required by division (E) of section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code shall be fined twenty-five dollars for each day of violation.
(Y) Any campaign committee that fails to dispose of excess funds or excess aggregate contributions under division (B) of section 3517.109 of the Revised Code in the manner required by division (C) of that section or under division (B) of section 3517.1010 of the Revised Code in the manner required by division (C) of that section shall give to the treasurer of state for deposit into the Ohio elections commission fund created under division (I) of section 3517.152 of the Revised Code all funds not disposed of pursuant to those divisions.
(Z) Any individual, campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, political party, or other entity that violates any provision of sections 3517.09 to 3517.12 of the Revised Code for which no penalty is provided for under any other division of this section shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.
(AA)(1) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(1) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed, expended, or promised in violation of that division or ten thousand dollars, whichever amount is greater.
(2) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(2) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount solicited or accepted in violation of that division or ten thousand dollars, whichever amount is greater.
(BB) Whoever knowingly violates division (C) or (D) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars plus not more than one thousand dollars for each day of violation.
(CC)(1) Subject to division (CC)(2) of this section, whoever violates division (H) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount up to three times the amount disbursed for the direct costs of airing the communication made in violation of that division.
(2) Whoever has been ordered by the Ohio elections commission or by a court of competent jurisdiction to cease making communications in violation of division (H) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code who again violates that division shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount disbursed for the direct costs of airing the communication made in violation of that division.
(DD)(1) Any corporation or labor organization that violates division (X)(3)(a) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount given in excess of the amount permitted by that division.
(2) Any state or county political party that violates division (X)(3)(b) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.
(DD) Whoever knowingly violates division (AA)(1) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount expended, disbursed, or contributed in violation of that division.
Sec. 3599.03.  (A)(1) Except to carry on activities specified in sections 3517.082 and 3517.1011, division (A)(2) of section 3517.1012, division (B) of section 3517.1013, and section 3599.031 of the Revised Code and except as provided in divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this section, no No corporation, no nonprofit corporation, and no labor organization, directly or indirectly, shall pay or use, or offer, advise, consent, or agree to pay or use, the corporation's money or property, or the labor organization's money, including dues, initiation fees, or other assessments paid by members, or property, for or in aid of or opposition to make a contribution to a political party, a candidate for election or nomination to public office, a political action committee including a political action committee of the corporation or labor organization, or a legislative campaign fund, or any organization that supports or opposes any such candidate, or for any partisan political purpose, shall violate any law requiring the filing of an affidavit or statement respecting such use of those funds, or shall pay or use the corporation's or labor organization's money for the expenses of a social fund-raising event for its political action committee if an employee's or labor organization member's right to attend such an event is predicated on the employee's or member's contribution to the corporation's or labor organization's political action committee.
(2) Whoever violates division (A)(1) of this section shall be fined not less than five hundred nor more than five thousand dollars.
(B)(1) No officer, stockholder, attorney, or agent of a corporation or nonprofit corporation, no member, including an officer, attorney, or agent, of a labor organization, and no candidate, political party official, or other individual shall knowingly aid, advise, solicit, or receive money or other property in violation of division (A)(1) of this section.
(2) Whoever violates division (B)(1) of this section shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
(C)(1) A corporation, a nonprofit corporation, or a labor organization may use its funds or property to make an independent expenditure for or in aid of or opposition to a candidate or a proposed or certified ballot issue. Such use of funds or property shall be reported on a form prescribed by the secretary of state. Reports
(2) Reports of independent expenditures regarding a candidate shall be filed under division (B)(2)(b) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code.
(3) Reports of contributions in connection with statewide ballot issues shall be filed with the secretary of state. Reports of contributions in connection with local issues shall be filed with the board of elections of the most populous county of the district in which the issue is submitted or to be submitted to the electors. Reports made pursuant to this division shall be filed by the times specified in divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
(D)(1) Any gift made pursuant to section 3517.101 of the Revised Code does not constitute a violation of this section or of any other section of the Revised Code.
(2) Any gift made pursuant to division (A)(2) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code does not constitute a violation of this section.
(3) Any gift made pursuant to division (B) of section 3517.1013 of the Revised Code does not constitute a violation of this section.
(E) Any compensation or fees paid by a financial institution to a state political party for services rendered pursuant to division (B) of section 3517.19 of the Revised Code do not constitute a violation of this section or of any other section of the Revised Code.
(F)(1) The use by a A nonprofit corporation of that uses its money or property for communicating information for a political purpose specified in division (A) of this section is not a violation of that division required to report that communication as an independent expenditure or an electioneering communication if the stockholders, members, donors, trustees, or officers of the nonprofit corporation are the predominant recipients of the communication.
(2) The placement of a campaign sign on the property of a corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor organization is not a use of property contribution in violation of division (A) of this section by that corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor organization.
(3) The use by a A corporation or labor organization of that uses its money or property for communicating information for a political purpose specified in division (A) of this section is not a violation of that division required to report that communication as an independent expenditure or an electioneering communication if it is not a communication made by mass broadcast such as radio or television or made by advertising in a newspaper of general circulation but is a communication sent exclusively to members, employees, officers, or trustees of that labor organization or shareholders, employees, officers, or directors of that corporation or to members of the immediate families of any such individuals or if the communication intended to be so sent exclusively is unintentionally sent as well to a de minimis number of other individuals.
(G) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of section 4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting agreements between employee organizations and public employers, this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of agreements between labor organizations and public employers that are entered into on or after the effective date of this section March 31, 2005, pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code.
(H) As used in this section, "labor organization" has the same meaning as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 5727.61.  Every public utility required by law to make returns, statements, or reports to the tax commissioner under sections 5727.01 to 5727.62 of the Revised Code shall file therewith, in such form as the commissioner prescribes, an affidavit subscribed and sworn to by a person or officer having knowledge of the facts setting forth that such public utility has not, during the preceding year, except as permitted by sections 3517.082, 3599.03, and 3599.031 under Title XXXV of the Revised Code, directly or indirectly paid, used or offered, consented, or agreed to pay or use any of its money or property for or in aid of or opposition to make a contribution to a political party, a candidate for election or nomination to public office, or a political action committee, or legislative campaign fund, or organization that supports or opposes any such candidate or in any manner used any of its money or property for any partisan political purpose whatever, or for the reimbursement or indemnification of any person for money or property so used. Such forms of affidavit as the commissioner prescribes shall be attached to or made a part of the return, statement, or report required to be made by such public utility under sections 5727.01 to 5727.62 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 5733.27.  Every corporation required by law to make returns, statements, or reports to the tax commissioner shall file therewith, in such form as the commissioner prescribes, an affidavit subscribed and sworn to by a person or officer having knowledge of the facts setting forth that such corporation has not, during the preceding year, except as permitted by sections 3517.082, 3599.03, and 3599.031 under Title XXXV of the Revised Code, directly or indirectly paid, used or offered, consented, or agreed to pay or use any of its money or property for or in aid of or opposition to make a contribution to a political party, a candidate for election or nomination to public office, or a political action committee, or legislative campaign fund, or organization that supports or opposes any such candidate or in any manner used any of its money or property for any partisan political purpose whatever, or for the reimbursement or indemnification of any person for money or property so used. Such forms of affidavit as the commissioner prescribes shall be attached to or made a part of the return, statement, or report required to be made by such corporation.
Section 2. That existing sections 3517.01, 3517.105, 3517.1011, 3517.13, 3517.992, 3599.03, 5727.61, and 5733.27 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
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