To amend section 5512.04 and to enact sections 122.09 and 166.051 of the Revised Code to require the Director of Development and the Transportation Review Advisory Council, when considering project incentive awards, to provide a point preference to projects located within two miles of a Center of Excellence in Higher Education or located in Ohio Hubs of Innovation and Opportunity or Heritage Ohio Main Street Program communities.

Section 1. That section 5512.04 be amended and sections 122.09 and 166.051 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 122.09. (A) When evaluating projects under this chapter according to any points system established by the director of development, the director shall award an additional number of points equal to one-tenth of the point value the project would have otherwise received if not for this division if the project satisfies any of the following:

(1) The project is located within two miles of a university recognized by the chancellor of the Ohio board of regents as a center of excellence in higher education.

(2) The project is located within an area designated by the director of development as an Ohio hub of innovation and opportunity for aerospace and innovation.

(3) The project is located in a heritage Ohio main street program-member community. The director of development, in the director's sole discretion, shall award points to not more than five projects in such communities.

(B) As used in this section, "heritage Ohio main street program-member community" means a township or municipal corporation that is a member of the heritage Ohio main street program, or in which a nonprofit organization is such a member.

Sec. 166.051. (A) When evaluating projects under this chapter according to any points system established by the director, the director of development shall award an additional number of points equal to one-tenth of the point value the project would have otherwise received if not for this section, if the project satisfies any of the following:

(1) The project is located within two miles of a university recognized by the chancellor of the Ohio board of regents as a center of excellence in higher education.

(2) The project is located within an area designated by the director of development as an Ohio hub of innovation and opportunity for aerospace and innovation.

(3) The project is located in a heritage Ohio main street program-member community. The director of development, in the director's sole discretion, shall award points to not more than five projects in such communities.

(B) As used in this section, "heritage Ohio main street program-member community" has the same meaning as in section 122.09 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 5512.04.  (A) At least once every two years, the director of transportation shall prepare a fiscal forecast predicting or indicating the amount of funding expected to be available for construction of new transportation capacity projects during the period of the forecast. The forecast shall be consistent with the biennial budget approved by the general assembly.

(B) The transportation review advisory council shall develop and approve a list of projects that will not cause spending to significantly exceed the funding predicted to be available by the fiscal forecast. In developing its list of projects, the council shall add to the total number of points scored for any project an additional number of points equal to one-tenth of the point value the project would have otherwise received if not for this section, if the project satisfies any of the following:

(1) The project is located within two miles of a university recognized by the chancellor of the Ohio board of regents as a center of excellence in higher education.

(2) The project is located within an area designated by the director of development as an Ohio hub of innovation and opportunity for aerospace and innovation.

(3) The project is located in a heritage Ohio main street program-member community. The director of development, in the director's sole discretion, shall award points to not more than five projects in such communities.

(C) As used in this section, "heritage Ohio main street program-member community" has the same meaning as in section 122.09 of the Revised Code.

Section 2. That existing section 5512.04 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.