Sub. H.B. 48

128th General Assembly

(S. State & Local Gov't & Veterans' Affairs)

 

 

Provides that when an employee is taking leave for an injury, wound, or hospitalization that is of a critical or life-threatening nature, the employee need not give the employer advance notice.

Includes provisions to implement the federal absent voting law:

--Requires absent voter's ballots for individuals who are eligible to vote as uniformed services or overseas voters to be ready and available for use on the 45th day before the day of the election (R.C. 3509.01).

--Generally changes filing deadlines for candidates, questions, and issues from the 75th day to the 90th day before the day of the election and increases by ten days other associated election deadlines (R.C. 3501.02).  Eliminates separate filing deadlines that apply only to presidential primary elections.

--Permits an individual who is eligible to vote as a uniformed services or overseas voter under federal law to request election documents electronically from the office of the Secretary of State and to receive those documents through electronic means (R.C. 3503.191 and 3511.021).

--Requires the Secretary of State to establish a free access system to allow such a person to determine the status of the person's absent voter's ballot request, the person's completed absent voter's ballot, and whether the person's absent voter's ballot was counted (R.C. 3511.021).

--Requires a board of elections to accept and process Federal Write-In Absentee Ballots as required under federal law (R.C. 3511.14).

--Prohibits the Secretary of State or a board of elections from refusing to accept and process a voter registration application, absent voter's ballot application, returned absent voter's ballot, or Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot from an individual who is eligible to vote as a uniformed services or overseas voter under federal law due to any requirements regarding notarization, paper type, paper weight and size, envelope type, or envelope weight and size (R.C. 3501.012).

--Renames "armed service absent voter's ballots" to "uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots," and requires overseas voters who wish to vote absent voter's ballots to vote under that law (Chapter 3511.).

Increases from 40 days before an election to 56 days before an election the time within which an election must be held to fill a vacancy in an elective office, and requires candidates to fill vacancies to be named not later than the 50th day before the day of the election (R.C. 3.02, 1901.10, and 3513.31).

Appropriates $50 million in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 for the purpose of paying the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq conflict veterans bonus.

Authorizes a taxpayer to deduct from adjusted gross income any amounts received during the taxable year as a Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq conflict veterans bonus.

 

 

 

H0048-128.docx/ar

03/24/10