To enact sections 5.2288, 5101.91, and 5101.92 of the Revised Code to create the Commission on Violence Against Women and Children, to require the Commission to prepare an annual report, and to designate August as "Prevention of Violence Against Women and Children Month."

Section 1. That sections 5.2288, 5101.91, and 5101.92 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 5.2288.  The month of August is designated as "Prevention of Violence Against Women and Children Month" to increase awareness of and to encourage the prevention of violence against women and children.

Sec. 5101.91.  (A) The commission on violence against women and children shall study the problem of violence against women and children, including emotional, physical, and socio-economic forms of violence, and shall prepare an annual report in which the commission makes recommendations on implementing solutions for the prevention of violence against women and children. The commission also shall promote awareness of methods by which violence against women and children may be prevented. In studying the problem of violence against women and children and in addressing the problem in its report, the commission shall do all of the following:

(1) Determine what factors lead to violence against women and children;

(2) Summarize in the report the initial impact and aftermath of violence against women and children;

(3) Summarize in the report the long-term implications of violence against children;

(4) Gather data for this state regarding missing women and children and violence against women and children, and submit the data in its report;

(5) State in its report the best methods for the timely reporting of and finding missing women and children, and for preventing violence against women and children; and

(6) Identify and suggest in the report changes in the laws of this state and in the policies of state and local government agencies that will reduce the number of missing women and children and will stop violence against women and children.

(B) On or before August 1, 2014, and on or before the first day of August of each year thereafter, the commission shall submit its report to the governor, president and minority leader of the senate, speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives, and chief justice of the supreme court.

Sec. 5101.92. The commission on violence against women and children is hereby established. The commission shall consist of the following members:

(A) One member of the senate appointed by the president of the senate;

(B) One member of the senate appointed by the minority leader of the senate;

(C) One member of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(D) One member of the house of representatives appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives;

(E) The governor, or the governor's designee;

(F) One representative of the judicial branch of government appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court;

(G) The directors of health and of job and family services, and the superintendent of the state highway patrol, or their designees; and

(H) Two representatives of local law enforcement agencies appointed by the governor. These members shall have experience in issues related to missing women or children or violence against women or children.

The appointing authorities shall make initial appointments to the commission on violence against women and children within twenty days after the effective date of this section. Members may be reappointed. Vacancies shall be filled in the manner provided for original appointments and children.

Members appointed under divisions (F) and (H) of this section shall serve terms of two years. A member appointed under those divisions shall serve on the commission from the date of appointment until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. A member appointed under those divisions to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration date of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall serve on the commission for the remainder of that term. A member appointed under those divisions shall continue to serve on the commission subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until the member's successor is appointed or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first.

Members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses.

From among its membership, the commission shall select a chairperson. The chairperson shall select a member of the commission to serve as the commission's secretary. The department of job and family services shall provide staff and other support services as necessary for the commission to fulfill its duties. The director of job and family services shall designate an individual from the department whose duties are to include applying for grants and any other funding for the commission, and to advocate on the federal level for the prevention of violence against women and children.

The commission may accept gifts, grants, donations, contributions, benefits, and other funds from any public agency or private source to carry out any or all of the commission's duties. The funds shall be deposited into the prevention of violence against women and children fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury. All gifts, grants, donations, contributions, benefits, and other funds received by the commission shall be used solely to support the operations of the commission.

All meetings of the commission shall be held at the call of the chairperson, but the commission shall hold its initial meeting not later than sixty days after the effective date of this section. The presence of a majority of the members of the commission constitutes a quorum for the conduct of the commission's business. The concurrence of at least a majority of the members of the commission is necessary for any action to be taken by the commission. All meetings of the commission are public meetings and shall be open to the public at all times.

Except as provided in section 149.43 of the Revised Code and as consistent with the purposes of that section, all documents and records in the possession of the commission are public records.