To enact section 101.291 of the Revised Code to establish a Chaplain of the Senate.

Section 1.  That section 101.291 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 101.291.  The president of the senate, with the consent of the senate, shall appoint a chaplain of the senate. The appointment shall be made within thirty days after the first day of the first regular session of a general assembly. The chaplain of the senate shall serve at the pleasure of the senate for the term of the general assembly during which the chaplain is appointed. A chaplain of the senate is entitled to serve multiple terms, but is not entitled to serve successive terms.

A vacancy in the position of chaplain of the senate shall be filled in the manner provided for an original appointment. A chaplain of the senate appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration date of the term for which the chaplain of the senate's predecessor was appointed shall serve at the pleasure of the senate as chaplain of the senate for the remainder of the predecessor's term.

The chaplain of the senate may be from any religious community, body, or organization.

The chaplain of the senate shall open each session of the senate with prayer, and shall provide counseling and spiritual care and counseling for senate members, staff of senate members, and family of senate members. When performing these duties, the chaplain of the senate shall be nonpartisan, nonpolitical, and nondenominational.

The chaplain of the senate may allow a guest chaplain to give an opening prayer before session. A guest chaplain may be from any religious community, body, or organization, and shall be nonpartisan, nonpolitical, and nondenominational while giving an opening prayer before session.

The chaplain of the senate is not entitled to compensation for performing the duties of the position, and is not entitled to reimbursement of expenses incurred in performing the duties of the position.

Section 2.  Within thirty days after the effective date of this section, the President of the Senate, with the consent of the Senate, shall appoint an initial Chaplain of the Senate. The term of the Chaplain of the Senate thus appointed coinicides with the remaining term of the 130th General Assembly.