Advanced energy projects and coal research and development

· Transfers the authority of awarding loans and grants for the bill's advanced energy projects from the Third Frontier Commission to the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority (OAQDA) and transfers the authority to award loans, loan guarantees, and grants under the bill's coal research and development program from the Third Frontier Commission to the Ohio Coal Development Office.

Definition of "air quality facility"

· Adds both of the following to the definition of "air quality facility" under law governing the activities of the OAQDA:

(1) Any property, device, or equipment promoting the reduction of emissions of air contaminants into the ambient air through the generation of clean, renewable energy with renewable energy or advanced energy resources;

(2) Any property, device, structure, or equipment necessary for the manufacture and production of equipment described as an air quality facility.

Local Transportation Improvement Program

· Removes all of the following from the bill:

--The intended appropriation for highway capital improvements, supported by the issuance of highway obligations;

--The intended appropriation to be used by the Ohio Public Works Commission for the Local Transportation Improvement Program (LTIP), supported by transfers from the Highway Operating Fund;

--The requirement that the Director of Transportation establish a fee for participation in the Business Logo Sign Program and deposit that money into the Motorist Service Sign Fund;

--The use of turnpike revenue and money transferred from the Motorist Service Sign Fund for transportation purposes in specified districts in the state.

· Provides for a transfer of $200 million from the Budget Stabilization Fund to the LTIP Fund.

Local infrastructure development

· Allows money in the Local Infrastructure Development Fund to be used for broadband initiatives.

Choose Ohio First Co-op/Internship Program

· Provides that of the three Senators appointed by the President of the Senate and of the three Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives to serve on the Choose Ohio First Co-op/Internship Program Advisory Committee, not more than two members from each chamber may be of the same political party.

· Requires that a "cooperative education program," in order to be promoted through the Choose Ohio First Co-op/Internship Program, must be part of an overall degree or certificate program for which a percentage of the total program acceptable to the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents involves cooperative education.

· Requires the Chancellor to consider the extent to which a proposal would increase the likelihood that students would successfully complete their degree or certificate program when determining which programs to award Choose Ohio First Co-op/Internship Program funding.

Historic Building Rehabilitation Tax Credit

· Requires that of the $60 million in newly authorized credits for each of the new application periods, $45 million be reserved for those who applied for the credit but were not approved in the first application period (FY 2008), and provides that if not all of this reserved $45 million is awarded in each new application period, the remainder must be available for other applications in that period.

Third Frontier Commission Biomedical and Bioproduct Advisory Boards

· Replaces the Third Frontier Economic Stimulus Advisory Board advising the Third Frontier Commission on bioproduct and biomedical issues with two separate advisory boards: (1) the Third Frontier Biomedical Advisory Board advising on biomedical issues and (2) the Third Frontier Bioproducts Advisory Board advising on bioproduct issues.

· Permits the Director of Development's designee to serve on both boards, but prohibits dual service by other members of the boards.

Minority outreach

· Requires, in providing awards for logistics and distribution projects, advanced energy projects, and under the Choose Ohio First Co-op/Internship Program, outreach activities aimed at including minorities.

· Requires, for purposes of logistics and distribution projects, advanced energy projects, and under the Ohio Bioproducts Development Program and the Ohio Biomedical Development Program, annual reporting of (1) the details of awards made, (2) the amount of awards those awards made in, and their impact on economically distressed areas, and (3) the status of each funded project.

H0554-127.doc/ss 05/28/08