Bill Text: OH HB225 | 2011-2012 | 129th General Assembly | Enrolled


Bill Title: To vest in county auditors responsibility for reviewing and approving property tax exemption applications for some publicly owned property, to authorize legislative authorities of municipal corporations, county auditors, and boards of township trustees to adopt a direct deposit payroll policy, to clarify that a board of township trustees may offer deferred compensation plans or programs to the township's officers and employees, to authorize regional councils of government to operate a 9-1-1 public safety answering point, to authorize counties and townships to increase the amount credited to "rainy day" reserve balance accounts to one-sixth of the expenditures made in the preceding fiscal year from the fund in which the reserve balance account is established, to authorize the Hocking, Ross, and Vinton Counties' boards of county commissioners to form a pilot joint county department of job and family services, to modify state and county investment authority law, to prohibit centralized-services purchases using moneys from the Real Estate Assessment Fund, to exempt funds subject to the Tax Commissioner's rules governing expenditures from the Real Estate Assessment Fund from county quarterly spending plans, to limit the involvement of county officers and their responsibilities in intergovernmental shared services agreements, to authorize county contracting authorities to give notice of requests for proposals and receive proposals through a secure electronic system, to permit tax complaints to be filed electronically, to authorize a county or township to offer any qualified benefit available under a cafeteria plan, and to offer a health and wellness benefit program, to its officers and employees, and to make changes to the New Community Authority Law.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 49-15)

Status: (Passed) 2012-03-22 - Effective Date [HB225 Detail]

Download: Ohio-2011-HB225-Enrolled.html
(129th General Assembly)
(Substitute House Bill Number 225)



AN ACT
To amend sections 9.37, 9.482, 135.01, 135.143, 135.35, 167.03, 305.171, 305.23, 307.862, 307.88, 329.01, 330.04, 349.01, 349.03, 349.04, 349.06, 349.14, 505.603, 3917.04, 4931.41, 4931.43, 4931.44, 4931.45, 4931.49, 4931.50, 4931.64, 4931.65, 4931.66, 5101.01, 5705.13, 5705.392, 5713.07, 5713.08, 5713.081, 5713.082, 5715.13, 5715.27, and 5717.02 and to enact sections 113.43, 148.061, 329.40, 329.41, 329.42, 329.43, 329.44, 329.45, and 329.46 of the Revised Code to vest in county auditors responsibility for reviewing and approving property tax exemption applications for some publicly owned property, to authorize legislative authorities of municipal corporations, county auditors, and boards of township trustees to adopt a direct deposit payroll policy, to clarify that a board of township trustees may offer deferred compensation plans or programs to the township's officers and employees, to authorize regional councils of government to operate a 9-1-1 public safety answering point, to authorize counties and townships to increase the amount credited to "rainy day" reserve balance accounts to one-sixth of the expenditures made in the preceding fiscal year from the fund in which the reserve balance account is established, to authorize the Hocking, Ross, and Vinton Counties' boards of county commissioners to form a pilot joint county department of job and family services, to modify state and county investment authority law, to prohibit centralized-services purchases using moneys from the Real Estate Assessment Fund, to exempt funds subject to the Tax Commissioner's rules governing expenditures from the Real Estate Assessment Fund from county quarterly spending plans, to limit the involvement of county officers and their responsibilities in intergovernmental shared services agreements, to authorize county contracting authorities to give notice of requests for proposals and receive proposals through a secure electronic system, to permit tax complaints to be filed electronically, to authorize a county or township to offer any qualified benefit available under a cafeteria plan, and to offer a health and wellness benefit program, to its officers and employees, and to make changes to the New Community Authority Law.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:

SECTION 1. That sections 9.37, 9.482, 135.01, 135.143, 135.35, 167.03, 305.171, 305.23, 307.862, 307.88, 329.01, 330.04, 349.01, 349.03, 349.04, 349.06, 349.14, 505.603, 3917.04, 4931.41, 4931.43, 4931.44, 4931.45, 4931.49, 4931.50, 4931.64, 4931.65, 4931.66, 5101.01, 5705.13, 5705.392, 5713.07, 5713.08, 5713.081, 5713.082, 5715.13, 5715.27, and 5717.02 be amended and sections 113.43, 148.061, 329.40, 329.41, 329.42, 329.43, 329.44, 329.45, and 329.46 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 9.37.  (A) As used in this section, "public official" means any elected or appointed officer, employee, or agent of the state, any state institution of higher education, any political subdivision, board, commission, bureau, or other public body established by law. "State institution of higher education" means any state university or college as defined in division (A)(1) of section 3345.12 of the Revised Code, community college, state community college, university branch, or technical college.

(B) Except as provided in division divisions (F) and (G) of this section, any public official may make by direct deposit of funds by electronic transfer, if the payee provides a written authorization designating a financial institution and an account number to which the payment is to be credited, any payment such public official is permitted or required by law in the performance of official duties to make by issuing a check or warrant.

(C) Such public official may contract with a financial institution for the services necessary to make direct deposits and draw lump-sum checks or warrants payable to that institution in the amount of the payments to be transferred.

(D) Before making any direct deposit as authorized under this section, the public official shall ascertain that the account from which the payment is to be made contains sufficient funds to cover the amount of the payment.

(E) If the issuance of checks and warrants by a public official requires authorization by a governing board, commission, bureau, or other public body having jurisdiction over the public official, the public official may only make direct deposits and contracts under this section pursuant to a resolution of authorization duly adopted by such governing board, commission, bureau, or other public body.

(F) Pursuant to sections 307.55, 319.16, and 321.15 of the Revised Code, a county auditor may issue, and a county treasurer may redeem, electronic warrants authorizing direct deposit for payment of county obligations in accordance with rules adopted by the director of budget and management pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(G) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation, for employees of the municipal corporation, a county auditor, for county employees, or a board of township trustees, for township employees, may adopt a direct deposit payroll policy under which all employees of the municipal corporation, all county employees, or all township employees, as the case may be, provide a written authorization designating a financial institution and an account number to which payment of the employee's compensation shall be credited under the municipal corporation's, county's, or township's direct deposit payroll policy. The direct deposit payroll policy adopted by the legislative authority of a municipal corporation, a county auditor, or a board of township trustees may exempt from the direct deposit requirement those municipal, county, or township employees who cannot provide an account number, or for other reasons specified in the policy. The written authorization is not a public record under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 9.482. (A) As used in this section, "political subdivision" has the meaning defined in section 2744.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) When authorized by their respective legislative authorities, a political subdivision may enter into an agreement with another political subdivision whereby a contracting political subdivision agrees to exercise any power, perform any function, or render any service for another contracting recipient political subdivision that the contracting recipient political subdivision is otherwise legally authorized to exercise, perform, or render.

In the absence in the agreement of provisions determining by what officer, office, department, agency, or other authority the powers and duties of a contracting political subdivision shall be exercised or performed, the legislative authority of the contracting political subdivision shall determine and assign the powers and duties.

An agreement shall not suspend the possession by a contracting recipient political subdivision of any power or function that is exercised or performed on its behalf by another contracting political subdivision under the agreement.

A political subdivision shall not enter into an agreement to levy any tax or to exercise, with regard to public moneys, any investment powers, perform any investment function, or render any investment service on behalf of a contracting subdivision. Nothing in this paragraph prohibits a political subdivision from entering into an agreement to collect, administer, or enforce any tax on behalf of another political subdivision or to limit the authority of political subdivisions to create and operate joint economic development zones or joint economic development districts as provided in sections 715.69 to 715.83 of the Revised Code.

(C) No county elected officer may be required to exercise any power, perform any function, or render any service under an agreement entered into under this section without the written consent of the county elected officer. No county may enter into an agreement under this section for the exercise, performance, or rendering of any statutory powers, functions, or services of any county elected officer without the written consent of the county elected officer.

(D) No power shall be exercised, no function shall be performed, and no service shall be rendered by a contracting political subdivision pursuant to an agreement entered into under this section within a political subdivision that is not a party to the agreement, without first obtaining the written consent of the political subdivision that is not a party to the agreement and within which the power is to be exercised, a function is to be performed, or a service is to be rendered.

(D)(E) Chapter 2744. of the Revised Code, insofar as it applies to the operation of a political subdivision, applies to the political subdivisions that are parties to an agreement and to their employees when they are rendering a service outside the boundaries of their employing political subdivision under the agreement. Employees acting outside the boundaries of their employing political subdivision while providing a service under an agreement may participate in any pension or indemnity fund established by the political subdivision to the same extent as while they are acting within the boundaries of the political subdivision, and are entitled to all the rights and benefits of Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code to the same extent as while they are performing a service within the boundaries of the political subdivision.

Sec. 113.43.  The treasurer of state shall make available to the public, on the treasurer of state's internet web site, the county investment advisory committee reports prepared under division (L) of section 135.35 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 135.01.  Except as otherwise provided in sections 135.14, 135.143, and 135.181 of the Revised Code, as used in sections 135.01 to 135.21 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Active deposit" means a public deposit necessary to meet current demands on the treasury, and that is deposited in any of the following:

(1) A commercial account that is payable or withdrawable, in whole or in part, on demand;

(2) A negotiable order of withdrawal account as authorized in the "Consumer Checking Account Equity Act of 1980," 94 Stat. 146, 12 U.S.C.A. 1832(a);

(3) A money market deposit account as authorized in the "Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982," 96 Stat. 1501, 12 U.S.C. 3503.

(B) "Auditor" includes the auditor of state and the auditor, or officer exercising the functions of an auditor, of any subdivision.

(C) "Capital funds" means the sum of the following: the par value of the outstanding common capital stock, the par value of the outstanding preferred capital stock, the aggregate par value of all outstanding capital notes and debentures, and the surplus. In the case of an institution having offices in more than one county, the capital funds of such institution, for the purposes of sections 135.01 to 135.21 of the Revised Code, relative to the deposit of the public moneys of the subdivisions in one such county, shall be considered to be that proportion of the capital funds of the institution that is represented by the ratio that the deposit liabilities of such institution originating at the office located in the county bears to the total deposit liabilities of the institution.

(D) "Governing board" means, in the case of the state, the state board of deposit; in the case of all school districts and educational service centers except as otherwise provided in this section, the board of education or governing board of a service center, and when the case so requires, the board of commissioners of the sinking fund; in the case of a municipal corporation, the legislative authority, and when the case so requires, the board of trustees of the sinking fund; in the case of a township, the board of township trustees; in the case of a union or joint institution or enterprise of two or more subdivisions not having a treasurer, the board of directors or trustees thereof; and in the case of any other subdivision electing or appointing a treasurer, the directors, trustees, or other similar officers of such subdivision. The governing board of a subdivision electing or appointing a treasurer shall be the governing board of all other subdivisions for which such treasurer is authorized by law to act. In the case of a county school financing district that levies a tax pursuant to section 5705.215 of the Revised Code, the county board of education that serves as its taxing authority shall operate as a governing board. Any other county board of education shall operate as a governing board unless it adopts a resolution designating the board of county commissioners as the governing board for the county school district.

(E) "Inactive deposit" means a public deposit other than an interim deposit or an active deposit.

(F) "Interim deposit" means a deposit of interim moneys. "Interim moneys" means public moneys in the treasury of the state or any subdivision after the award of inactive deposits has been made in accordance with section 135.07 of the Revised Code, which moneys are in excess of the aggregate amount of the inactive deposits as estimated by the governing board prior to the period of designation and which the treasurer or governing board finds should not be deposited as active or inactive deposits for the reason that such moneys will not be needed for immediate use but will be needed before the end of the period of designation.

(G) "Permissible rate of interest" means a rate of interest that all eligible institutions mentioned in section 135.03 of the Revised Code are permitted to pay by law or valid regulations.

(H) "Warrant clearance account" means an account established by the treasurer of state for the deposit of active state moneys outside the city of Columbus, such account being for the exclusive purpose of clearing state warrants through the banking system to the treasurer.

(I) "Public deposit" means public moneys deposited in a public depository pursuant to sections 135.01 to 135.21 of the Revised Code.

(J) "Public depository" means an institution which receives or holds any public deposits.

(K) "Public moneys" means all moneys in the treasury of the state or any subdivision of the state, or moneys coming lawfully into the possession or custody of the treasurer of state or of the treasurer of any subdivision. "Public moneys of the state" includes all such moneys coming lawfully into the possession of the treasurer of state; and "public moneys of a subdivision" includes all such moneys coming lawfully into the possession of the treasurer of the subdivision.

(L) "Subdivision" means any municipal corporation, except one which has adopted a charter under Article XVIII, Ohio Constitution, and the charter or ordinances of the chartered municipal corporation set forth special provisions respecting the deposit or investment of its public moneys, or any school district or educational service center, a county school financing district, township, municipal or school district sinking fund, special taxing or assessment district, or other district or local authority electing or appointing a treasurer, except a county. In the case of a school district or educational service center, special taxing or assessment district, or other local authority for which a treasurer, elected or appointed primarily as the treasurer of a subdivision, is authorized or required by law to act as ex officio treasurer, the subdivision for which such a treasurer has been primarily elected or appointed shall be considered to be the "subdivision." The term also includes a union or joint institution or enterprise of two or more subdivisions, that is not authorized to elect or appoint a treasurer, and for which no ex officio treasurer is provided by law.

(M) "Treasurer" means, in the case of the state, the treasurer of state and in the case of any subdivision, the treasurer, or officer exercising the functions of a treasurer, of such subdivision. In the case of a board of trustees of the sinking fund of a municipal corporation, the board of commissioners of the sinking fund of a school district, or a board of directors or trustees of any union or joint institution or enterprise of two or more subdivisions not having a treasurer, such term means such board of trustees of the sinking fund, board of commissioners of the sinking fund, or board of directors or trustees.

(N) "Treasury investment board" of a municipal corporation means the mayor or other chief executive officer, the village solicitor or city director of law, and the auditor or other chief fiscal officer.

(O) "No-load money market mutual fund" means a no-load money market mutual fund to which all of the following apply:

(1) The fund is registered as an investment company under the "Investment Company Act of 1940," 54 Stat. 789, 15 U.S.C.A. 80a-1 to 80a-64;

(2) The fund has the highest letter or numerical rating provided by at least one nationally recognized standard rating service;

(3) The fund does not include any investment in a derivative. As used in division (O)(3) of this section, "derivative" means a financial instrument or contract or obligation whose value or return is based upon or linked to another asset or index, or both, separate from the financial instrument, contract, or obligation itself. Any security, obligation, trust account, or other instrument that is created from an issue of the United States treasury or is created from an obligation of a federal agency or instrumentality or is created from both is considered a derivative instrument. An eligible investment described in section 135.14 or 135.35 of the Revised Code with a variable interest rate payment, based upon a single interest payment or single index comprised of other investments provided for in division (B)(1) or (2) of section 135.14 of the Revised Code, is not a derivative, provided that such variable rate investment has a maximum maturity of two years.

Sec. 135.143.  (A) The treasurer of state may invest or execute transactions for any part or all of the interim funds of the state in the following classifications of obligations:

(1) United States treasury bills, notes, bonds, or any other obligations or securities issued by the United States treasury or any other obligation guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States;

(2) Bonds, notes, debentures, or any other obligations or securities issued by any federal government agency or instrumentality;

(3) Bonds and other direct obligations of the state of Ohio issued by the treasurer of state and of the Ohio public facilities commission, the Ohio building authority, and the Ohio housing finance agency;

(4)(a) Written repurchase agreements with any eligible Ohio financial institution that is a member of the federal reserve system or federal home loan bank or any recognized United States government securities dealer, under the terms of which agreement the treasurer of state purchases and the eligible financial institution or dealer agrees unconditionally to repurchase any of the securities that are listed in division (A)(1), (2), or (6) of this section and that will mature or are redeemable within ten years from the date of purchase. The market value of securities subject to these transactions must exceed the principal value of the repurchase agreement by an amount specified by the treasurer of state, and the securities must be delivered into the custody of the treasurer of state or the qualified trustee or agent designated by the treasurer of state. The agreement shall contain the requirement that for each transaction pursuant to the agreement, the participating institution or dealer shall provide all of the following information:

(i) The par value of the securities;

(ii) The type, rate, and maturity date of the securities;

(iii) A numerical identifier generally accepted in the securities industry that designates the securities.

(b) The treasurer of state also may sell any securities, listed in division (A)(1), (2), or (6) of this section, regardless of maturity or time of redemption of the securities, under the same terms and conditions for repurchase, provided that the securities have been fully paid for and are owned by the treasurer of state at the time of the sale.

(5) Securities lending agreements with any eligible financial institution that is a member of the federal reserve system or federal home loan bank or any recognized United States government securities dealer, under the terms of which agreements the treasurer of state lends securities and the eligible financial institution or dealer agrees to simultaneously exchange similar securities or cash, equal value for equal value.

Securities and cash received as collateral for a securities lending agreement are not interim funds of the state. The investment of cash collateral received pursuant to a securities lending agreement may be invested only in such instruments specified by the treasurer of state in accordance with a written investment policy.

(6) Various forms of commercial paper issued by any corporation that is incorporated under the laws of the United States or a state, which notes are rated at the time of purchase in the two highest categories by two nationally recognized rating agencies, provided that the total amount invested under this section in any commercial paper at any time shall not exceed twenty-five per cent of the state's total average portfolio, as determined and calculated by the treasurer of state;

(7) Bankers acceptances, maturing in two hundred seventy days or less, which are eligible for purchase by the federal reserve system, provided that the total amount invested in bankers acceptances at any time shall not exceed ten per cent of the state's total average portfolio, as determined and calculated by the treasurer of state;

(8) Certificates of deposit in eligible institutions applying for interim moneys as provided in section 135.08 of the Revised Code, including linked deposits as provided in sections 135.61 to 135.67 of the Revised Code, agricultural linked deposits as provided in sections 135.71 to 135.76 of the Revised Code, and housing linked deposits as provided in sections 135.81 to 135.87 of the Revised Code;

(9) The state treasurer's investment pool authorized under section 135.45 of the Revised Code;

(10) Debt interests, other than commercial paper described in division (A)(6) of this section, rated at the time of purchase in the three highest categories by two nationally recognized rating agencies and issued by corporations that are incorporated under the laws of the United States or a state, or issued by foreign nations diplomatically recognized by the United States government, or any instrument based on, derived from, or related to such interests, provided that:

(a) The investments in debt interests shall not exceed in the aggregate twenty-five per cent of the state's portfolio;

(b) The investments in debt interests issued by foreign nations shall not exceed in the aggregate one per cent of the state's portfolio;

(c) The investments in the debt interests of a single issuer shall not exceed in the aggregate one-half of one per cent of the state's portfolio, except that debt interests of a single issuer that is a foreign nation shall not exceed in the aggregate one per cent of the state's portfolio.

The treasurer of state shall invest under division (A)(10) of this section in a debt interest issued by a foreign nation only if the debt interest is backed by the full faith and credit of that foreign nation, and provided that all interest and principal shall be denominated and payable in United States funds.

For purposes of division (A)(10) of this section, a debt interest is rated in the three highest categories by two nationally recognized rating agencies if either the debt interest itself or the issuer of the debt interest is rated, or is implicitly rated, at the time of purchase in the three highest categories by two nationally recognized rating agencies.

For purposes of division (A)(10) of this section, the "state's portfolio" means the state's total average portfolio, as determined and calculated by the treasurer of state.

(11) No-load money market mutual funds consisting exclusively of obligations described in division (A)(1), (2), or (6) of this section and repurchase agreements secured by such obligations.

(12) Obligations of a board of education issued under authority of section 133.10 or 133.301 political subdivision issued under Chapter 133. of the Revised Code and identified in an agreement described in division (G) of this section.

(B) Whenever, during a period of designation, the treasurer of state classifies public moneys as interim moneys, the treasurer of state shall notify the state board of deposit of such action. The notification shall be given within thirty days after such classification and, in the event the state board of deposit does not concur in such classification or in the investments or deposits made under this section, the board may order the treasurer of state to sell or liquidate any of the investments or deposits, and any such order shall specifically describe the investments or deposits and fix the date upon which they are to be sold or liquidated. Investments or deposits so ordered to be sold or liquidated shall be sold or liquidated for cash by the treasurer of state on the date fixed in such order at the then current market price. Neither the treasurer of state nor the members of the state board of deposit shall be held accountable for any loss occasioned by sales or liquidations of investments or deposits at prices lower than their cost. Any loss or expense incurred in making these sales or liquidations is payable as other expenses of the treasurer's office.

(C) If any securities or obligations invested in by the treasurer of state pursuant to this section are registrable either as to principal or interest, or both, such securities or obligations shall be registered in the name of the treasurer of state.

(D) The treasurer of state is responsible for the safekeeping of all securities or obligations under this section. Any such securities or obligations may be deposited for safekeeping as provided in section 113.05 of the Revised Code.

(E) Interest earned on any investments or deposits authorized by this section shall be collected by the treasurer of state and credited by the treasurer of state to the proper fund of the state.

(F) Whenever investments or deposits acquired under this section mature and become due and payable, the treasurer of state shall present them for payment according to their tenor, and shall collect the moneys payable thereon. The moneys so collected shall be treated as public moneys subject to sections 135.01 to 135.21 of the Revised Code.

(G) The treasurer of state and any board of education political subdivision issuing obligations referred to in division (A)(12) of this section, which obligations mature within one year from the original date of issuance, may enter into an agreement providing for:

(1) The purchase of those obligations by the treasurer of state on terms and subject to conditions set forth in the agreement;

(2) The payment by the board of education political subdivision to the treasurer of state of a reasonable fee as consideration for the agreement of the treasurer of state to purchase those obligations; provided, however, that the treasurer of state shall not be authorized to enter into any such agreement with the a board of education of a school district that has an outstanding obligation with respect to a loan received under authority of section 3313.483 of the Revised Code.

(H) For purposes of division (G) of this section, a fee shall not be considered reasonable unless it is set to recover only the direct costs and, a reasonable estimate of the indirect costs associated with the purchasing of obligations of a school board political subdivision under division (G) of this section and any reselling of the obligations or any interest in the obligations, including interests in a fund comprised of the obligations, and the administration thereof. No money from the general revenue fund shall be used to subsidize the purchase or resale of these obligations.

(I) All money collected by the treasurer of state from the fee imposed by division (G) of this section shall be deposited to the credit of the state school board political subdivision obligations fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury. Money credited to the fund shall be used solely to pay the treasurer of state's direct and indirect costs associated with purchasing and reselling obligations of a board of education political subdivision under division (G) of this section.

(J) As used in this section, "political subdivision" means a county, township, municipal corporation, or board of education of a school district.

Sec. 135.35.  (A) The investing authority shall deposit or invest any part or all of the county's inactive moneys and shall invest all of the money in the county public library fund when required by section 135.352 of the Revised Code. The following classifications of securities and obligations are eligible for such deposit or investment:

(1) United States treasury bills, notes, bonds, or any other obligation or security issued by the United States treasury, any other obligation guaranteed as to principal or interest by the United States, or any book entry, zero-coupon United States treasury security that is a direct obligation of the United States.

Nothing in the classification of eligible securities and obligations set forth in divisions (A)(2) to (11) of this section shall be construed to authorize any investment in stripped principal or interest obligations of such eligible securities and obligations.

(2) Bonds, notes, debentures, or any other obligations or securities issued by any federal government agency or instrumentality, including but not limited to, the federal national mortgage association, federal home loan bank, federal farm credit bank, federal home loan mortgage corporation, government national mortgage association, and student loan marketing association. All federal agency securities shall be direct issuances of federal government agencies or instrumentalities.

(3) Time certificates of deposit or savings or deposit accounts, including, but not limited to, passbook accounts, in any eligible institution mentioned in section 135.32 of the Revised Code;

(4) Bonds and other obligations of this state or the political subdivisions of this state, provided that such political subdivisions are located wholly or partly within the same county as the investing authority;

(5) No-load money market mutual funds consisting exclusively of obligations described in division (A)(1) or (2) of this section and repurchase agreements secured by such obligations, provided that investments in securities described in this division are made only through eligible institutions mentioned in section 135.32 of the Revised Code;

(6) The Ohio subdivision's fund as provided in section 135.45 of the Revised Code;

(7) Securities lending agreements with any eligible institution mentioned in section 135.32 of the Revised Code that is a member of the federal reserve system or federal home loan bank or with any recognized United States government securities dealer meeting the description in division (J)(1) of this section, under the terms of which agreements the investing authority lends securities and the eligible institution or dealer agrees to simultaneously exchange similar securities or cash, equal value for equal value.

Securities and cash received as collateral for a securities lending agreement are not inactive moneys of the county or moneys of a county public library fund. The investment of cash collateral received pursuant to a securities lending agreement may be invested only in instruments specified by the investing authority in the written investment policy described in division (K) of this section.

(8) Up to twenty-five per cent of the county's total average portfolio in either of the following investments:

(a) Commercial paper notes issued by an entity that is defined in division (D) of section 1705.01 of the Revised Code and that has assets exceeding five hundred million dollars, to which notes all of the following apply:

(i) The notes are rated at the time of purchase in the highest classification established by at least two nationally recognized standard rating services.

(ii) The aggregate value of the notes does not exceed ten per cent of the aggregate value of the outstanding commercial paper of the issuing corporation.

(iii) The notes mature not later than two hundred seventy days after purchase.

(b) Bankers acceptances of banks that are insured by the federal deposit insurance corporation and to which both of the following apply:

(i) The obligations are eligible for purchase by the federal reserve system.

(ii) The obligations mature not later than one hundred eighty days after purchase.

No investment shall be made pursuant to division (A)(8) of this section unless the investing authority has completed additional training for making the investments authorized by division (A)(8) of this section. The type and amount of additional training shall be approved by the auditor of state and may be conducted by or provided under the supervision of the auditor of state.

(9) Up to fifteen per cent of the county's total average portfolio in notes issued by corporations that are incorporated under the laws of the United States and that are operating within the United States, or by depository institutions that are doing business under authority granted by the United States or any state and that are operating within the United States, provided both of the following apply:

(a) The notes are rated in the second highest or higher category by at least two nationally recognized standard rating services at the time of purchase.

(b) The notes mature not later than two years after purchase.

(10) No-load money market mutual funds rated in the highest category at the time of purchase by at least one nationally recognized standard rating service and consisting exclusively of obligations described in division (A)(1), (2), or (6) of section 135.143 of the Revised Code;

(11) Debt interests rated at the time of purchase in the three highest categories by two nationally recognized standard rating services and issued by foreign nations diplomatically recognized by the United States government. All interest and principal shall be denominated and payable in United States funds. The investments made under division (A)(11) of this section shall not exceed in the aggregate one per cent of a county's total average portfolio.

The investing authority shall invest under division (A)(11) of this section in a debt interest issued by a foreign nation only if the debt interest is backed by the full faith and credit of that foreign nation, there is no prior history of default, and the debt interest matures not later than five years after purchase. For purposes of division (A)(11) of this section, a debt interest is rated in the three highest categories by two nationally recognized standard rating services if either the debt interest itself or the issuer of the debt interest is rated, or is implicitly rated, at the time of purchase in the three highest categories by two nationally recognized standard rating services.

(12) A current unpaid or delinquent tax line of credit authorized under division (G) of section 135.341 of the Revised Code, provided that all of the conditions for entering into such a line of credit under that division are satisfied, or bonds and other obligations of a county land reutilization corporation organized under Chapter 1724. of the Revised Code, if the county land reutilization corporation is located wholly or partly within the same county as the investing authority.

(B) Nothing in the classifications of eligible obligations and securities set forth in divisions (A)(1) to (11) of this section shall be construed to authorize investment in a derivative, and no investing authority shall invest any county inactive moneys or any moneys in a county public library fund in a derivative. For purposes of this division, "derivative" means a financial instrument or contract or obligation whose value or return is based upon or linked to another asset or index, or both, separate from the financial instrument, contract, or obligation itself. Any security, obligation, trust account, or other instrument that is created from an issue of the United States treasury or is created from an obligation of a federal agency or instrumentality or is created from both is considered a derivative instrument. An eligible investment described in this section with a variable interest rate payment, based upon a single interest payment or single index comprised of other eligible investments provided for in division (A)(1) or (2) of this section, is not a derivative, provided that such variable rate investment has a maximum maturity of two years. A treasury inflation-protected security shall not be considered a derivative, provided the security matures not later than five years after purchase.

(C) Except as provided in division divisions (D) and (O) of this section, any investment made pursuant to this section must mature within five ten years from the date of settlement, unless the investment is matched to a specific obligation or debt of the county or to a specific obligation or debt of a political subdivision of this state located wholly or partly within the county, and the investment is specifically approved by the investment advisory committee.

(D) The investing authority may also enter into a written repurchase agreement with any eligible institution mentioned in section 135.32 of the Revised Code or any eligible securities dealer pursuant to division (J) of this section, under the terms of which agreement the investing authority purchases and the eligible institution or dealer agrees unconditionally to repurchase any of the securities listed in divisions (B)(1) to (5), except letters of credit described in division (B)(2), of section 135.18 of the Revised Code. The market value of securities subject to an overnight written repurchase agreement must exceed the principal value of the overnight written repurchase agreement by at least two per cent. A written repurchase agreement must exceed the principal value of the overnight written repurchase agreement, by at least two per cent. A written repurchase agreement shall not exceed thirty days, and the market value of securities subject to a written repurchase agreement must exceed the principal value of the written repurchase agreement by at least two per cent and be marked to market daily. All securities purchased pursuant to this division shall be delivered into the custody of the investing authority or the qualified custodian of the investing authority or an agent designated by the investing authority. A written repurchase agreement with an eligible securities dealer shall be transacted on a delivery versus payment basis. The agreement shall contain the requirement that for each transaction pursuant to the agreement the participating institution shall provide all of the following information:

(1) The par value of the securities;

(2) The type, rate, and maturity date of the securities;

(3) A numerical identifier generally accepted in the securities industry that designates the securities.

No investing authority shall enter into a written repurchase agreement under the terms of which the investing authority agrees to sell securities owned by the county to a purchaser and agrees with that purchaser to unconditionally repurchase those securities.

(E) No investing authority shall make an investment under this section, unless the investing authority, at the time of making the investment, reasonably expects that the investment can be held until its maturity. The investing authority's written investment policy shall specify the conditions under which an investment may be redeemed or sold prior to maturity.

(F) No investing authority shall pay a county's inactive moneys or moneys of a county public library fund into a fund established by another subdivision, treasurer, governing board, or investing authority, if that fund was established by the subdivision, treasurer, governing board, or investing authority for the purpose of investing or depositing the public moneys of other subdivisions. This division does not apply to the payment of public moneys into either of the following:

(1) The Ohio subdivision's fund pursuant to division (A)(6) of this section;

(2) A fund created solely for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, owning, leasing, or operating municipal utilities pursuant to the authority provided under section 715.02 of the Revised Code or Section 4 of Article XVIII, Ohio Constitution.

For purposes of division (F) of this section, "subdivision" includes a county.

(G) The use of leverage, in which the county uses its current investment assets as collateral for the purpose of purchasing other assets, is prohibited. The issuance of taxable notes for the purpose of arbitrage is prohibited. Contracting to sell securities not owned by the county, for the purpose of purchasing such securities on the speculation that bond prices will decline, is prohibited.

(H) Any securities, certificates of deposit, deposit accounts, or any other documents evidencing deposits or investments made under authority of this section shall be issued in the name of the county with the county treasurer or investing authority as the designated payee. If any such deposits or investments are registrable either as to principal or interest, or both, they shall be registered in the name of the treasurer.

(I) The investing authority shall be responsible for the safekeeping of all documents evidencing a deposit or investment acquired under this section, including, but not limited to, safekeeping receipts evidencing securities deposited with a qualified trustee, as provided in section 135.37 of the Revised Code, and documents confirming the purchase of securities under any repurchase agreement under this section shall be deposited with a qualified trustee, provided, however, that the qualified trustee shall be required to report to the investing authority, auditor of state, or an authorized outside auditor at any time upon request as to the identity, market value, and location of the document evidencing each security, and that if the participating institution is a designated depository of the county for the current period of designation, the securities that are the subject of the repurchase agreement may be delivered to the treasurer or held in trust by the participating institution on behalf of the investing authority.

Upon the expiration of the term of office of an investing authority or in the event of a vacancy in the office for any reason, the officer or the officer's legal representative shall transfer and deliver to the officer's successor all documents mentioned in this division for which the officer has been responsible for safekeeping. For all such documents transferred and delivered, the officer shall be credited with, and the officer's successor shall be charged with, the amount of moneys evidenced by such documents.

(J)(1) All investments, except for investments in securities described in divisions (A)(5), (6), and (12) of this section, shall be made only through a member of the national association of securities dealers, through a bank, savings bank, or savings and loan association regulated by the superintendent of financial institutions, or through an institution regulated by the comptroller of the currency, federal deposit insurance corporation, or board of governors of the federal reserve system.

(2) Payment for investments shall be made only upon the delivery of securities representing such investments to the treasurer, investing authority, or qualified trustee. If the securities transferred are not represented by a certificate, payment shall be made only upon receipt of confirmation of transfer from the custodian by the treasurer, governing board, or qualified trustee.

(K)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (K)(2) of this section, no investing authority shall make an investment or deposit under this section, unless there is on file with the auditor of state a written investment policy approved by the investing authority. The policy shall require that all entities conducting investment business with the investing authority shall sign the investment policy of that investing authority. All brokers, dealers, and financial institutions, described in division (J)(1) of this section, initiating transactions with the investing authority by giving advice or making investment recommendations shall sign the investing authority's investment policy thereby acknowledging their agreement to abide by the policy's contents. All brokers, dealers, and financial institutions, described in division (J)(1) of this section, executing transactions initiated by the investing authority, having read the policy's contents, shall sign the investment policy thereby acknowledging their comprehension and receipt.

(2) If a written investment policy described in division (K)(1) of this section is not filed on behalf of the county with the auditor of state, the investing authority of that county shall invest the county's inactive moneys and moneys of the county public library fund only in time certificates of deposits or savings or deposit accounts pursuant to division (A)(3) of this section, no-load money market mutual funds pursuant to division (A)(5) of this section, or the Ohio subdivision's fund pursuant to division (A)(6) of this section.

(L)(1) The investing authority shall establish and maintain an inventory of all obligations and securities acquired by the investing authority pursuant to this section. The inventory shall include a description of each obligation or security, including type, cost, par value, maturity date, settlement date, and any coupon rate.

(2) The investing authority shall also keep a complete record of all purchases and sales of the obligations and securities made pursuant to this section.

(3) The investing authority shall maintain a monthly portfolio report and issue a copy of the monthly portfolio report describing such investments to the county investment advisory committee, detailing the current inventory of all obligations and securities, all transactions during the month that affected the inventory, any income received from the obligations and securities, and any investment expenses paid, and stating the names of any persons effecting transactions on behalf of the investing authority.

(4) The monthly portfolio report shall be a public record and available for inspection under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(5) The inventory and the monthly portfolio report shall be filed with the board of county commissioners. The monthly portfolio report also shall be filed with the treasurer of state.

(M) An investing authority may enter into a written investment or deposit agreement that includes a provision under which the parties agree to submit to nonbinding arbitration to settle any controversy that may arise out of the agreement, including any controversy pertaining to losses of public moneys resulting from investment or deposit. The arbitration provision shall be set forth entirely in the agreement, and the agreement shall include a conspicuous notice to the parties that any party to the arbitration may apply to the court of common pleas of the county in which the arbitration was held for an order to vacate, modify, or correct the award. Any such party may also apply to the court for an order to change venue to a court of common pleas located more than one hundred miles from the county in which the investing authority is located.

For purposes of this division, "investment or deposit agreement" means any agreement between an investing authority and a person, under which agreement the person agrees to invest, deposit, or otherwise manage, on behalf of the investing authority, a county's inactive moneys or moneys in a county public library fund, or agrees to provide investment advice to the investing authority.

(N) An investment held in the county portfolio on September 27, 1996, that was a legal investment under the law as it existed before September 27, 1996, may be held until maturity, or if the investment does not have a maturity date the investment may be held until five years from September 27, 1996, regardless of whether the investment would qualify as a legal investment under the terms of this section as amended.

(O) Upon a majority affirmative vote of the county investment advisory committee in support of such action, an investment authority may invest up to twenty-five per cent of the county's total average portfolio of investments made under this section in securities and obligations that mature on a date that is more than ten years from the date of settlement.

Sec. 148.061. In addition to the program of deferred compensation that may be offered under this chapter, a board of township trustees may offer to all of the officers and employees of the township plans or programs for deferring compensation designed for favorable tax treatment of the compensation so deferred. A plan or program shall present a reasonable number of options to the township's officers and employees for the investment of the deferred funds that will assure the desired tax treatment of the funds.

Any income deferred under a plan or program shall continue to be included as regular compensation for the purpose of computing the contributions to and benefits from each officer's or employee's retirement system, but shall not be included in the computation of any federal and state income taxes withheld on behalf of the officer or employee.

Sec. 167.03.  (A) The council shall have the power to:

(1) Study such area governmental problems common to two or more members of the council as it deems appropriate, including but not limited to matters affecting health, safety, welfare, education, economic conditions, and regional development;

(2) Promote cooperative arrangements and coordinate action among its members, and between its members and other agencies of local or state governments, whether or not within Ohio, and the federal government;

(3) Make recommendations for review and action to the members and other public agencies that perform functions within the region;

(4) Promote cooperative agreements and contracts among its members or other governmental agencies and private persons, corporations, or agencies;

(5) Operate a public safety answering point in accordance with sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code;

(6) Perform planning directly by personnel of the council, or under contracts between the council and other public or private planning agencies.

(B) The council may:

(1) Review, evaluate, comment upon, and make recommendations, relative to the planning and programming, and the location, financing, and scheduling of public facility projects within the region and affecting the development of the area;

(2) Act as an areawide agency to perform comprehensive planning for the programming, locating, financing, and scheduling of public facility projects within the region and affecting the development of the area and for other proposed land development or uses, which projects or uses have public metropolitan wide or interjurisdictional significance;

(3) Act as an agency for coordinating, based on metropolitan wide comprehensive planning and programming, local public policies, and activities affecting the development of the region or area.

(C) The council may, by appropriate action of the governing bodies of the members, perform such other functions and duties as are performed or capable of performance by the members and necessary or desirable for dealing with problems of mutual concern.

(D) The authority granted to the council by this section or in any agreement by the members thereof shall not displace any existing municipal, county, regional, or other planning commission or planning agency in the exercise of its statutory powers.

Sec. 305.171.  The following applies until the department of administrative services implements for counties the health care plans under section 9.901 of the Revised Code. If those plans do not include or address any benefits listed in division (A) of this section, the following provisions continue in effect for those benefits.

(A) The board of county commissioners of any county may contract for, purchase, or otherwise procure and pay all or any part of the cost of group any of the following insurance, coverage, or benefits issued by an insurance company or administered by a board of county commissioners or a contractor, for county officers and employees and their immediate dependents from the funds or budgets from which the county officers or employees are compensated for services:

(1) Group insurance policies that may provide benefits any of the following:

(a) Benefits including, but not limited to, hospitalization, surgical care, major medical care, disability, dental care, eye care, medical care, hearing aids, or prescription drugs, and that may provide sickness;

(b) Sickness and accident insurance, group;

(c) Group legal services, or group;

(d) Group life insurance, or a.

(2) Any other qualified benefit available under section 125 of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 26 U.S.C. 125;

(3) A health and wellness benefit program through which the county provides a benefit or incentive to county officers, employees, and their immediate dependents to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including, but not limited to, programs to encourage healthy eating and nutrition, exercise and physical activity, weight control or the elimination of obesity, and cessation of smoking or alcohol use.

(4) Any combination of any of the foregoing types of insurance or, coverage, for county officers and employees and their immediate dependents from the funds or budgets from which the county officers or employees are compensated for services, issued by an insurance company or benefits.

(B) The board of county commissioners also may negotiate and contract for any plan or plans of health care services with health insuring corporations holding a certificate of authority under Chapter 1751. of the Revised Code, provided that each county officer or employee shall be permitted to do both of the following:

(1) Exercise an option between a plan offered by an insurance company and a plan or plans offered by health insuring corporations under this division, on the condition that the county officer or employee shall pay any amount by which the cost of the plan chosen by the county officer or employee pursuant to this division exceeds the cost of the plan offered under division (A) of this section;

(2) Change from one of the plans to another at a time each year as determined by the board.

(C) Section 307.86 of the Revised Code does not apply to the purchase of benefits for county officers or employees under divisions (A) and (B) of this section when those benefits are provided through a jointly administered health and welfare trust fund in which the county or contracting authority and a collective bargaining representative of the county employees or contracting authority agree to participate.

(D) The board of trustees of a jointly administered trust fund that receives contributions pursuant to collective bargaining agreements entered into between the board of county commissioners of any county and a collective bargaining representative of the employees of the county may provide for self-insurance of all risk in the provision of fringe benefits, and may provide through the self-insurance method specific fringe benefits as authorized by the rules of the board of trustees of the jointly administered trust fund. The fringe benefits may include, but are not limited to, hospitalization, surgical care, major medical care, disability, dental care, vision care, medical care, hearing aids, prescription drugs, group life insurance, sickness and accident insurance, group legal services, or a combination of any of the foregoing types of insurance or coverage, for county employees and their dependents.

(E) The board of county commissioners may provide the benefits described in divisions (A) to (D) of this section through an individual self-insurance program or a joint self-insurance program as provided in section 9.833 of the Revised Code.

(F) When a board of county commissioners offers health benefits authorized under this section to a county officer or employee, the board may offer the benefits through a cafeteria plan meeting the requirements of section 125 of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C.A. 125, as amended, and, as part of that plan, may offer the county officer or employee the option of receiving a cash payment in any form permissible under such cafeteria plans. A cash payment made to a county officer or employee under this division shall not exceed twenty-five per cent of the cost of premiums or payments that otherwise would be paid by the board for benefits for the county officer or employee under a policy or plan.

(G) The board of county commissioners may establish a policy authorizing any county appointing authority to make a cash payment to any county officer or employee in lieu of providing a benefit authorized under this section if the county officer or employee elects to take the cash payment instead of the offered benefit. A cash payment made to a county officer or employee under this division shall not exceed twenty-five per cent of the cost of premiums or payments that otherwise would be paid by the board for benefits for the county officer or employee under an offered policy or plan.

(H) No cash payment in lieu of a health benefit shall be made to a county officer or employee under division (F) or (G) of this section unless the county officer or employee signs a statement affirming that the county officer or employee is covered under another health insurance or health care policy, contract, or plan, and setting forth the name of the employer, if any, that sponsors the coverage, the name of the carrier that provides the coverage, and the identifying number of the policy, contract, or plan.

(I) The legislative authority of a county-operated municipal court, after consultation with the judges, or the clerk and deputy clerks, of the municipal court, shall negotiate and contract for, purchase, or otherwise procure, and pay the costs, premiums, or charges for, group health care coverage for the judges, and group health care coverage for the clerk and deputy clerks, in accordance with section 1901.111 or 1901.312 of the Revised Code.

(J) As used in this section:

(1) "County officer or employee" includes, but is not limited to, a member or employee of the county board of elections.

(2) "County-operated municipal court" and "legislative authority" have the same meanings as in section 1901.03 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Health care coverage" has the same meaning as in section 1901.111 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 305.23.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "County office" means the offices of the county commissioner, county auditor, county treasurer, county engineer, county recorder, county prosecuting attorney, county sheriff, county coroner, county park district, veterans service commission, clerk of the juvenile court, clerks of court for all divisions of the courts of common pleas, including the clerk of the court of common pleas, clerk of a county-operated municipal court, and clerk of a county court, and any agency, department, or division under the authority of, or receiving funding in whole or in part from, any of those county offices.

(2) "Human resources" means any and all functions relating to human resource management, including civil service, employee benefits administration, collective bargaining, labor relations, risk management, workers' compensation, unemployment compensation, and any human resource management function required by state or federal law, but "human resources" does not authorize a board of county commissioners to adopt a resolution establishing a centralized human resource service that requires any county office to conform to any classification and compensation plan, position descriptions, or organizational structure; to determine the rate of compensation of any employee appointed by the appointing authority of a county office or the salary ranges for positions of a county office within the aggregate limits set in the appropriation resolution of the board of county commissioners; to determine the number of or the terms of employment of any employee appointed by the appointing authority of a county office within the aggregate limits set in the board's appropriation resolution; or to exercise powers relating to the hiring, qualifications, evaluation, suspension, demotion, disciplinary action, layoff, furloughing, establishment of a modified work-week schedule, or the termination of any employee appointed by the appointing authority of any county office.

(B) Subject to division (C) of this section, a board of county commissioners may adopt a resolution establishing centralized purchasing, printing, transportation, vehicle maintenance, human resources, revenue collection, and mail operation services for a county office. Before adopting a resolution under this section, the board of county commissioners, in a written notice, shall inform any other county office that will be impacted by the resolution of the board's desire to establish a centralized service or services. The written notice shall include a statement that provides the rationale and the estimated savings anticipated for centralizing a service or services. In addition, the board may request any other county office to serve as the agent and responsible party for administering a centralized service or services. That county office may enter into an agreement with the board of county commissioners to administer the centralized service or services under such terms and conditions as are included in the agreement, but nothing in this section authorizes the board of county commissioners to require a county office to serve as the agent and responsible party for administering a centralized service or services at the board's request.

A resolution establishing a centralized service or services shall specify all of the following:

(1) The name of the county office that will be the agent and responsible party for administering a centralized service or services, and if the agent and responsible party is not the board of county commissioners, the designation of the county office that has entered into an agreement under division (B) of this section with the board to be the agent and responsible party;

(2) Which county offices are required to use the centralized services;

(3) If not all of the centralized services, which centralized service each county office must use;

(4) A list of rates and charges the county office shall pay for the centralized services;

(5) The date upon which each county office specified in the resolution shall begin using the centralized services.

Not later than ten days after a resolution is adopted under this section, the clerk of the board of county commissioners shall send a copy of the resolution to each county office that is specified in the resolution.

(C) A board of county commissioners shall not adopt a resolution that establishes a centralized service or services regarding any of the following:

(1) Purchases made for contract services with moneys from the special fund designated as "general fund moneys to supplement the equipment needs of the county recorder" under section 317.321 of the Revised Code, from the real estate assessment fund established under section 325.31 of the Revised Code, or from the funds that are paid out of the general fund of the county under sections 325.071 and 325.12 of the Revised Code;

(2) Purchases made with moneys from the real estate assessment fund established under section 325.31 of the Revised Code;

(3) Purchases of financial software used by the county auditor;

(3)(4) The printing of county property tax bills;

(4)(5) The collection of any taxes, assessments, and fees the county treasurer is required by law to collect;

(5)(6) Purchases of software used by the county recorder.

(D) Nothing in this section authorizes the board of county commissioners to have control or authority over funds that are received directly by a county office under another section of the Revised Code, or to control, or have authority regarding, the expenditure or use of such funds.

Sec. 307.862.  (A) When a county contracting authority uses competitive sealed proposals pursuant to section 307.86 of the Revised Code, the county contracting authority shall do all of the following:

(1) Develop factors and criteria to receive and evaluate each proposal, specify the relative importance of each factor or criterion in writing, and describe the evaluation procedures the contracting authority shall follow when awarding a contract to an offeror.

(2) Solicit competitive sealed proposals through a request for proposals;

(3) Include, at a minimum, all of the information described in division (B) of this section in the request for proposals;

(4) Give notice of the request for proposals in the same manner that notice must be given for competitive bidding pursuant to section 307.87 of the Revised Code;. The county contracting authority also may give notice of the request for proposals and receive proposals through a uniform, interactive, and secure electronic system in a manner consistent with Chapter 1306. of the Revised Code.

(5) Open proposals that the contracting authority receives in a manner that prevents the disclosure of contents of competing offers to competing offerors;

(6) Rank each proposal using the factors and criteria the contracting authority develops pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section;

(7) If necessary, conduct discussions with offerors for the purpose of ensuring full understanding of, and responsiveness to, the requirements specified in the request for proposals, and accord fair and equal treatment with respect to any opportunity for discussion with offerors to provide any clarification, correction, or revision of proposals;

(8) If the contracting authority determines that discussions described in division (A)(7) of this section are necessary, avoid disclosing any information derived from proposals submitted by competing offerors during those discussions;

(9) Negotiate with the offeror who submits the proposal that the contracting authority determines is the most advantageous to the county based on the rankings performed by the contracting authority pursuant to division (A)(6) of this section and including any adjustment to those rankings based on discussions conducted pursuant to division (A)(7) of this section;

(10) Conduct negotiations with only one offeror at a time;

(11) Except as provided in division (F) of this section, award a contract in accordance with division (E) of this section.

(B) A contracting authority shall include, at a minimum, all of the following information in the contracting authority's request for proposals:

(1) The name and address of the department, office, institution, board, or commission that is requesting to purchase supplies, services, or both;

(2) Instructions for offerors to follow when submitting proposals;

(3) Instructions governing communications between an offeror and the contracting authority, including, but not limited to, the name, title, and telephone number of the person to whom questions concerning the request for proposals should be directed;

(4) A description of the scope of work that the contracting authority requests an offeror to perform or supplies the contracting authority plans to purchase;

(5) To the extent possible, a description of the performance criteria the contracting authority shall require an offeror to satisfy, including but not limited to, the quantity of the supplies, services, or both, to be purchased; the requirements the contracting authority shall follow for inspection and acceptance of the supplies, services, or both; and the delivery schedule for each such supply or service;

(6) The factors and criteria the contracting authority shall consider in evaluating proposals received;

(7) Any terms and conditions that the contracting authority is required by law to include in the contract the contracting authority awards, including any requirement for a bond and the amount required for that bond;

(8) The date and time by which, and the place to which an offeror must deliver the offeror's proposal to the contracting authority in order to be considered for the contract;

(9) A list of any documents that the contracting authority incorporates by reference in the request for proposals, provided that the contracting authority specifies in the request for proposals that the documents are readily available to all offerors and the location where an offeror may obtain those documents;

(10) A statement that includes all of the following information:

(a) That the contracting authority reserves the right to reject any proposal in which the offeror takes exception to the terms and conditions of the request for proposals; fails to meet the terms and conditions of the request for proposals, including but not limited to, the standards, specifications, and requirements specified in the request for proposals; or submits prices that the contracting authority considers to be excessive, compared to existing market conditions, or determines exceed the available funds of the contracting authority;

(b) That the contracting authority reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any proposal that the county contracting authority has determined, using the factors and criteria the contracting authority develops pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section, would not be in the best interest of the county;

(c) That the contracting authority may conduct discussions with offerors who submit proposals for the purpose of clarifications or corrections regarding a proposal to ensure full understanding of, and responsiveness to, the requirements specified in the request for proposals.

(11) Information concerning any potential partial or multiple party awards that the contracting authority may include in the contract, and a description of the supplies, services, or both that may be subject to a partial award or multiple awards;

(12) Any additional information the contracting authority considers necessary for its purposes in determining to whom to award the contract.

(C) In order to ensure fair and impartial evaluation, proposals and any documents or other records related to a subsequent negotiation for a final contract that would otherwise be available for public inspection and copying under section 149.43 of the Revised Code shall not be available until after the award of the contract.

(D) An offeror may withdraw the offeror's proposal at any time prior to the award of a contract. A contracting authority may terminate negotiations with an offeror at any time during the negotiation process if the offeror fails to provide the necessary information for negotiations in a timely manner or fails to negotiate in good faith. If the contracting authority terminates negotiations with an offeror, the contracting authority shall negotiate with the offeror whose proposal is ranked the next most advantageous to the county according to the factors and criteria developed pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section.

(E) A county contracting authority may award a contract to the offeror whose proposal is determined to be the most advantageous to the county, taking into consideration the evaluation factors and criteria developed pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section and set forth in the request for proposals. A contracting authority may award a contract in whole or in part to one or more offerors. The contracting authority shall include a written statement in the contract file stating the basis on which the award is made.

The contracting authority shall send a written notice to the offeror to whom it wishes to award the contract and shall make that notice available to the public. Within a reasonable time period after the award is made, the contracting authority shall notify all other offerors that the contract has been awarded to another offeror.

(F) A contracting authority may cancel or reissue a request for proposals if any of the following apply:

(1) The supplies or services offered through all of the proposals submitted to the contracting authority are not in compliance with the requirements, specifications, and terms and conditions set forth in the request for proposals;

(2) The prices submitted by the offerors are excessive compared to existing market conditions or exceed the available funds of the contracting authority;

(3) The contracting authority determines that award of a contract would not be in the best interest of the county.

(G) A county contracting authority shall not use competitive sealed proposals for contracts for construction, design, demolition, alteration, repair, or reconstruction of a building, highway, drainage system, water system, road, street, alley, sewer, ditch, sewage disposal plant, waterworks, and all other structures or works of any nature by a county contracting authority.

(H) Nothing in this section limits a county contracting authority's ability to award a contract under this section through the use of a uniform, interactive, and secure electronic system.

Sec. 307.88.  (A) Bids submitted pursuant to sections 307.86 to 307.92 of the Revised Code shall be in a form prescribed by the contracting authority and filed in a sealed envelope in the manner and at the time and place mentioned in the notice. The bids received shall be opened and tabulated at the time stated in the notice. Each bid shall contain the full name of each person submitting the bid. If the bid is in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars and for a contract for the construction, demolition, alteration, repair, or reconstruction of an improvement, it shall meet the requirements of section 153.54 of the Revised Code. If the bid is in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars and for any other contract authorized by sections 307.86 to 307.92 of the Revised Code, it shall be accompanied by a bond or certified check, cashier's check, or money order on a solvent bank or savings and loan association in a reasonable amount stated in the notice but not to exceed five per cent of the bid, conditioned that the bidder, if the bidder's bid is accepted, shall execute a contract in conformity to the invitation and the bid.

(B) The board of county commissioners, by a unanimous vote of the entire board, may permit a contracting authority to exempt a bid from any or all of the requirements of section 153.54 of the Revised Code if the estimated cost is twenty-five thousand dollars or less. If the board exempts a bid from any but not all of those requirements, the bid notice published in the newspaper pursuant to section 307.87 of the Revised Code shall state the specific bid guaranty requirements that apply. If the board exempts a bid from all requirements of section 153.54 of the Revised Code, the notice shall state that none of the requirements of that section apply.

Sec. 329.01.  In each county, except as provided in section 329.40 of the Revised Code, there shall be a county department of job and family services which, when so established, shall be governed by this chapter. The department shall consist of a county director of job and family services appointed by the board of county commissioners, and such assistants and other employees as are necessary for the efficient performance of the functions of the county department. Before entering upon the discharge of the director's official duties, the director shall give a bond, conditioned for the faithful performance of those official duties, in such sum as fixed by the board. The director may require any assistant or employee under the director's jurisdiction to give a bond in such sum as determined by the board. All bonds given under this section shall be with a surety or bonding company authorized to do business in this state, conditioned for the faithful performance of the duties of such director, assistant, or employee. The expense or premium for any bond required by this section shall be paid from the appropriation for administrative expenses of the department. Such bond shall be deposited with the county treasurer and kept in the treasurer's office.

As used in the Revised Code:

(A) "County department of job and family services" means the county department of job and family services established under this section, including an entity designated a county department of job and family services under section 307.981 of the Revised Code, or the joint county department of job and family services established under section 329.40 of the Revised Code.

(B) "County director of job and family services" means the county director of job and family services appointed under this section or under section 329.41 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 329.40.  (A)(1) The boards of county commissioners of the counties of Hocking, Ross, and Vinton, by entering into a written agreement, may form a joint county department of job and family services to perform the duties, provide the services, and operate the programs required under this chapter. The formation of this joint county department of job and family services is a pilot project. The agreement shall be ratified by resolution of the board of county commissioners of each county that entered into the agreement. Each board of county commissioners that enters into the agreement shall give notice of the agreement to the Ohio department of job and family services at least ninety days before the agreement's effective date. The agreement shall take effect not earlier than the first day of the calendar quarter following the ninety-day notice period. The director of job and family services shall adopt, as an internal management rule under section 111.15 of the Revised Code, the form in which the notice shall be given.

(2) The boards of county commissioners of the counties forming the joint county department shall constitute, collectively, the board of directors of the joint county department of job and family services. On the effective date of the agreement, the board of directors shall take control of and manage the joint county department subject to this chapter and all other sections of the Revised Code that govern the authority and responsibilities of a single board of county commissioners in the operation of a single county department of job and family services.

(B)(1) The agreement to establish the joint county department shall specify all of the following:

(a) The obligations of each board of county commissioners in operating the joint county department, including requiring each board to provide state, federal, and county funds to the operation of the joint county department and the schedule for provision of those funds;

(b) How and which facilities, equipment, and personnel will be shared;

(c) Procedures for the division of resources and obligations should a county or counties withdraw from the joint county department, or should the department cease to exist;

(d) Any contributions of participating counties establishing the joint county department and the rights of those counties in lands or personal property, or rights or interests therein, contributed to or otherwise acquired by the joint county department.

(2) The agreement to establish the joint county department may set forth any or all of the following:

(a) Quality, timeliness, and other standards to be met by each county;

(b) Which family service programs and functions are to be included in the joint county department;

(c) Procedures for the operation of the board of directors, including procedures governing the frequency of meetings and the number of members of the board required to constitute a quorum to take action;

(d) Any other procedures or standards necessary for the joint county department to perform its duties and operate efficiently.

(C) The agreement may be amended by a majority vote of the board of directors of the joint county department, but no amendment shall divest a participating county of any right or interest in lands or personal property without its consent.

(D) Costs incurred in operating the joint county department shall be paid from a joint general fund created by the board of directors, except as may be otherwise provided in the agreement.

Sec. 329.41.  (A) The board of directors of the joint county department of job and family services formed under section 329.40 of the Revised Code shall appoint and fix the compensation of a director of the department. The director shall serve at the pleasure of the board of directors. Under the direction and control of the board, the director shall have full charge of the department as set forth in section 329.02 of the Revised Code for the director of a single county department of job and family services.

(B) The board of directors may appoint up to three administrators to oversee services provided by the joint county department. Administrators shall be in the unclassified service.

(C) Employees of the joint county department of job and family services shall be appointed by the director of the joint county department and, except as provided in this section, shall be in the classified service. The employees of the joint county department shall be considered county employees for the purposes of Chapter 124. of the Revised Code and other provisions of state law applicable to county employees. Instead of or in addition to appointing these employees, the board of directors may agree to use the employees of one or more of the counties that formed the joint county department in the service of the joint county department and to share in their compensation in any manner that may be agreed upon.

(D) Notwithstanding any other section of the Revised Code, if an employee's separation from county service occurs in connection with a county joining or withdrawing from the joint county department of job and family services, the board of county commissioners that initially appointed the employee shall have no obligation to pay any compensation with respect to unused vacation or sick leave accrued to the credit of the employee if the employee accepts employment with the joint county department or a withdrawing county. At the effective time of separation from county service, the joint county department or the withdrawing county, as the case may be, shall assume such unused vacation and sick leave accrued to the employee's credit.

Sec. 329.42.  The county auditor of the county with the largest population that formed the joint county department of job and family services under section 329.40 of the Revised Code shall serve as the fiscal officer of the joint county department, and the county treasurer of that county shall serve as the treasurer of the joint county department, unless the counties that formed the joint county department agree to appoint the county auditor and county treasurer of another county that formed the department. In either case, these county officers shall perform any applicable duties for the joint county department as each typically performs for the county of which the individual is an officer. The board of directors of the joint county department may pay to that county any amount agreed upon by the board of directors and the board of county commissioners of that county to reimburse the county for the costs that are properly allocable to the service of its officers as fiscal officer and treasurer of the joint county department.

Sec. 329.43.  (A) The prosecuting attorney of the county with the largest population that formed the joint county department of job and family services under section 329.40 of the Revised Code shall serve as the legal advisor of the board of directors of the joint county department, unless the counties that formed the joint county department agree to appoint the prosecuting attorney of another county that formed the joint county department as legal advisor of the board. The board of directors may pay to the county of the prosecuting attorney who is the legal advisor of the board any amount agreed upon by the board of directors and the board of county commissioners of that county to reimburse that county for the costs that are properly allocable to the service of its prosecuting attorney as the legal advisor of the board of directors.

(B) The prosecuting attorney shall provide such services to the board of directors as are required or authorized to be provided to other county boards under Chapter 309. of the Revised Code.

(C)(1) If the board of directors of the joint county department wishes to employ other legal counsel on an annual basis to serve as the board's legal advisor in place of the prosecuting attorney, the board may do so with the agreement of the prosecuting attorney. If the prosecuting attorney does not agree, the board of directors may apply to the court of common pleas of the county with the largest population that formed the joint county department for authority to employ other legal counsel on an annual basis.

(2) If the board of directors of the joint county department wishes to employ other legal counsel to represent or advise the board on a particular matter in place of the prosecuting attorney, the board may do so with the agreement of the prosecuting attorney. If the prosecuting attorney does not agree, the board of directors may apply to the court of common pleas of the county with the largest population that formed the joint county department for authority to employ other legal counsel for that particular matter.

(3) The prosecuting attorney who is the legal advisor of the board of directors shall be given notice of an application filed under division (C)(1) or (2) of this section and shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard. After the hearing, the court may authorize the board of directors to employ other legal counsel on an annual basis or for a particular matter only if it finds that the prosecuting attorney refuses or is unable to provide the legal services that the board requires. If the board of directors employs other legal counsel on an annual basis or for a particular matter, the board may not require the prosecuting attorney to provide legal advice, opinions, or other legal services during the period or to the extent that the board employs the other legal counsel.

Sec. 329.44.  (A) A board of directors of the joint county department of job and family services formed under section 329.40 of the Revised Code may acquire, by purchase or lease, real property, equipment, and systems to improve, maintain, or operate family service programs within the territory served by the joint county department. A board of county commissioners may acquire, within its county, real property or any estate, interest, or right therein, by appropriation or any other method, for use by the joint county department in connection with its provision of services. Appropriation proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 163. of the Revised Code.

(B) A board of county commissioners that formed the joint county department may contribute lands or rights or interests therein, money, other personal property or rights or interests therein, or services to the joint county department. The board of county commissioners may issue bonds or bond anticipation notes of the county to pay the cost of acquiring real property and of constructing, modifying, or upgrading a facility to house employees of the joint county department. The board of directors of the joint county department may reimburse the county for the use of such a facility if it is required to do so under the agreement entered into under section 329.40 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 329.45.  (A)(1) A board of county commissioners may pass a resolution requesting to withdraw from the agreement establishing the joint county department of job and family services formed under section 329.40 of the Revised Code. Upon adopting such a resolution, the board of county commissioners shall deliver a copy of the resolution to the board of directors of the joint county department. Upon receiving the resolution, the board of directors shall deliver written notice of the requested withdrawal to the boards of county commissioners of the other county or counties that formed the joint county department. Within thirty days after receiving the notice, each of those boards of county commissioners shall adopt a resolution either accepting the withdrawal or objecting to the withdrawal, and shall deliver a copy of the resolution to the board of directors.

(2) If any of the boards of county commissioners that formed the joint county department adopts a resolution objecting to the requested withdrawal, the board of directors shall deliver written notice of the objection to each other board of county commissioners of the counties that formed the joint county department, including the board of county commissioners of the county proposing withdrawal, and shall schedule a meeting of the board of directors to be held within thirty days to discuss the objection. After the meeting, the board of directors shall determine whether the county requesting withdrawal desires to proceed with the withdrawal and, if the county does, the board of directors shall accept the withdrawal. Not later than thirty days after the determination was made, the board of directors shall deliver written notice of the withdrawal to the boards of county commissioners that formed the joint county department and to the board of county commissioners that requested withdrawal, and shall commence the withdrawal process under this section.

(3) If all of the boards of county commissioners that formed the joint county department, except for the board of county commissioners requesting the withdrawal, each adopt a resolution accepting the withdrawal, the board of directors shall declare the withdrawal to be accepted. Not later than thirty days after the declaration, the board of directors shall deliver written notice of the withdrawal to all of the boards of county commissioners that formed the joint county department, including the board of county commissioners of the county requesting withdrawal, and shall commence the withdrawal process under this section.

(4) The board of directors shall give notice to the Ohio department of job and family services of the withdrawal of a county under this section at least ninety days before the withdrawal becomes final. The director of job and family services shall adopt, as an internal management rule under section 111.15 of the Revised Code, the form in which the notice shall be given.

(5) If a county requesting to withdraw decides to remain as a party to the agreement establishing the joint county department, the board of county commissioners of that county shall rescind its original resolution requesting withdrawal and shall deliver a copy of the rescission to the board of directors of the joint county department within thirty days after adopting the rescission.

(B) If a county withdraws from the agreement under this section, the board of directors shall ascertain, apportion, and order a division of the funds on hand, credits, and real and personal property of the joint county department, either in money or in kind, on an equitable basis between the joint county department and the withdrawing county according to the agreement entered into under section 329.40 of the Revised Code and consistent with any prior contributions of the withdrawing county to the joint county department. Any debt incurred individually shall remain the responsibility of that county, unless otherwise specified in the agreement establishing the joint county department.

(C) A withdrawal becomes final not earlier than the first day of the calendar quarter following the ninety-day notice period required by division (A)(4) of this section. On and after that day, the withdrawing county ceases to be a part of the joint county department, and its members of the board of directors shall cease to be members of that board.

(D) If the withdrawal of one or more counties would leave only one county participating in the joint county department, the board of directors shall ascertain, apportion, and order a final division of the funds on hand, credits, and real and personal property of the joint county department. On and after the day on which the latest withdrawal of a county becomes final, the joint county department is dissolved. When the joint county department is dissolved and any indebtedness remains unpaid, the boards of county commissioners that formed the joint county department shall pay the indebtedness of the joint county department in the amounts established by the agreement at the time the indebtedness was incurred.

Sec. 329.46.  (A) A board of county commissioners that formed the joint county department of job and family services under section 329.40 of the Revised Code, by adopting a resolution, may propose the removal of another county that formed the joint county department. The board of county commissioners shall send a copy of such a resolution to the board of directors of the joint county department. Within ten days after receiving the copy of the resolution, the board of directors shall send a copy of the resolution to each board of county commissioners that formed the joint county department, except the board of county commissioners proposing removal. Within thirty days after sending a copy of the resolution, the board of directors shall hold a hearing at which any county commissioner whose county formed the joint county department may present arguments for or against the removal. At the hearing, approval or disapproval of the removal shall be determined by a two-thirds vote of the county commissioners of the counties that formed the joint county department, with the exception of the county commissioners of the county proposed for removal.

(B) The board of directors of the joint county department of job and family services, by adopting a resolution by a majority vote of the members of the board, may propose removal of a county that formed the joint county department. Within ten days after adopting such a resolution, the board of directors shall send a copy of the resolution to the board of county commissioners of each county that formed the joint county department, including the board of county commissioners of the county proposed for removal. Within thirty days after sending the copy of the resolution, the board of directors shall hold a hearing at which any member of the board may present arguments for or against the removal. At this hearing, approval or disapproval of the resolution proposing removal shall be determined by a two-thirds vote of the members of the board of directors, with the exception of the board members who represent the county proposed for removal.

(C) If removal of a county is approved under this section, the board of directors shall give written notice of the approval to the Ohio department of job and family services at least ninety days before the removal takes effect. The director of job and family services shall adopt, as an internal management rule under section 111.15 of the Revised Code, the form in which the notice shall be given.

(D) Removal of a county under this section shall take effect not earlier than the first day of the calendar quarter following the ninety-day notice period required by division (C) of this section.

(E) If, at any time, the county proposed for removal under division (A) or (B) of this section notifies the board of directors, by a majority vote of that county's board of county commissioners, that it chooses to withdraw from the joint county department, the withdrawal procedure established under section 329.45 of the Revised Code shall be put immediately into motion.

Sec. 330.04.  If, for the purpose of Chapter 6301. of the Revised Code, a county is the type of local area defined in division (A)(2) of section 6301.01 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners serving the county shall adopt a resolution establishing or designating a workforce development agency to provide workforce development activities for the county. The board shall adopt the resolution not later than July 1, 2000.

The board may establish or designate any of the following as the workforce development agency:

(A) The county department of job and family services;

(B) A separate agency under the direct control of the board and administered by an official appointed by the board;

(C) An entity serving the county on the effective date of this section in a capacity similar to the capacity in which a workforce development agency is to serve the county on and after the effective date of this section;

(D) An entity located in or outside the county that provides workforce development activities in the county on the effective date of this section;

(E) Any private or government entity designated under section 307.981 of the Revised Code;

(F) The joint county department of job and family services established under section 329.40 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 349.01.  As used in this chapter:

(A) "New community" means a community or an addition to an existing community planned pursuant to this chapter so that it includes facilities for the conduct of industrial, commercial, residential, cultural, educational, and recreational activities, and designed in accordance with planning concepts for the placement of utility, open space, and other supportive facilities.

In the case of a new community authority established on or within three years after the effective date of this amendment and before January 1, 2012 H.B. 225 of the 129th general assembly, "new community" may mean a community or development of property planned under this chapter in relation to an existing community so that the community includes facilities for the conduct of community activities, and is designed in accordance with planning concepts for the placement of utility, open space, and other supportive facilities for the community.

(B) "New community development program" means a program for the development of a new community characterized by well-balanced and diversified land use patterns and which includes land acquisition and land development, the acquisition, construction, operation, and maintenance of community facilities, and the provision of services authorized in this chapter.

In the case of a new community authority established on or within three years after the effective date of this amendment and before January 1, 2012 H.B. 225 of the 129th general assembly, a new community development program may take into account any existing community in relation to which a new community is developed for purposes of being characterized by well-balanced and diversified land use patterns.

(C) "New community district" means the area of land described by the developer in the petition as set forth in division (A) of section 349.03 of the Revised Code for development as a new community and any lands added to the district by amendment of the resolution establishing the community authority.

(D) "New community authority" means a body corporate and politic in this state, established pursuant to section 349.03 of the Revised Code and governed by a board of trustees as provided in section 349.04 of the Revised Code.

(E) "Developer" means any person, organized for carrying out a new community development program who owns or controls, through leases of at least seventy-five years' duration, options, or contracts to purchase, the land within a new community district, or any municipal corporation, county, or port authority that owns the land within a new community district, or has the ability to acquire such land, either by voluntary acquisition or condemnation in order to eliminate slum, blighted, and deteriorated or deteriorating areas and to prevent the recurrence thereof. In the case of a new community authority established on or within three years after the effective date of this amendment and before January 1, 2012 H.B. 225 of the 129th general assembly, "developer" may mean a person, municipal corporation, county, or port authority that controls land within a new community district through leases of at least forty years' duration.

(F) "Organizational board of commissioners" means, if the new community district is located in only one county, the board of county commissioners of such county; if located in more than one county, a board consisting of the members of the board of county commissioners of each of the counties in which the district is located, provided that action of such board shall require a majority vote of the members of each separate board of county commissioners; or, if more than half of the new community district is located within the boundaries of the most populous municipal corporation of a county, the legislative authority of the municipal corporation.

(G) "Land acquisition" means the acquisition of real property and interests in real property as part of a new community development program.

(H) "Land development" means the process of clearing and grading land, making, installing, or constructing water distribution systems, sewers, sewage collection systems, steam, gas, and electric lines, roads, streets, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, storm drainage facilities, and other installations or work, whether within or without the new community district, and the construction of community facilities.

(I)(1) "Community facilities" means all real property, buildings, structures, or other facilities, including related fixtures, equipment, and furnishings, to be owned, operated, financed, constructed, and maintained under this chapter, including public, community, village, neighborhood, or town buildings, centers and plazas, auditoriums, day care centers, recreation halls, educational facilities, hospital facilities as defined in section 140.01 of the Revised Code, recreational facilities, natural resource facilities, including parks and other open space land, lakes and streams, cultural facilities, community streets, pathway and bikeway systems, pedestrian underpasses and overpasses, lighting facilities, design amenities, or other community facilities, and buildings needed in connection with water supply or sewage disposal installations or steam, gas, or electric lines or installation.

(2) In the case of a new community authority established on or within three years after the effective date of this amendment and before January 1, 2012 H.B. 225 of the 129th general assembly, "community facilities" may mean, in addition to the facilities authorized in division (I)(1) of this section, any community facilities that are owned, operated, financed, constructed, or maintained for, relating to, or in furtherance of community activities, including, but not limited to, town buildings or other facilities, health care facilities including, but limited to, hospital facilities, and off-street parking facilities.

(J) "Cost" as applied to a new community development program means all costs related to land acquisition and land development, the acquisition, construction, maintenance, and operation of community facilities and offices of the community authority, and of providing furnishings and equipment therefor, financing charges including interest prior to and during construction and for the duration of the new community development program, planning expenses, engineering expenses, administrative expenses including working capital, and all other expenses necessary and incident to the carrying forward of the new community development program.

(K) "Income source" means any and all sources of income to the community authority, including community development charges of which the new community authority is the beneficiary as provided in section 349.07 of the Revised Code, rentals, user fees and other charges received by the new community authority, any gift or grant received, any moneys received from any funds invested by or on behalf of the new community authority, and proceeds from the sale or lease of land and community facilities.

(L) "Community development charge" means:

(1) A dollar amount which shall be determined on the basis of the assessed valuation of real property or interests in real property in a new community district sold, leased, or otherwise conveyed by the developer or the new community authority, the income of the residents of such property subject to such charge under section 349.07 of the Revised Code, if such property is devoted to residential uses or to the profits of any business, a uniform fee on each parcel of such real property originally sold, leased, or otherwise conveyed by the developer or new community authority, or any combination of the foregoing bases.

(2) For a new community authority that is established on or within three years after the effective date of this amendment and before January 1, 2012 H.B. 225 of the 129th general assembly, "community development charge" includes, in addition to the charges authorized in division (L)(1) of this section, a charge determined on the basis of all or a part of the income of the residents of real property within the new community district if such property is devoted to residential uses, or all or a part of the profits, gross receipts, or other revenues of any business operating in the new community district.

(M) "Proximate city" means any city that, as of the date of filing of the petition under section 349.03 of the Revised Code, is the city with the greatest population located in the county in which the proposed new community district is located, is the city with the greatest population located in an adjoining county if any portion of such city is within five miles of any part of the boundaries of such district, or exercises extraterritorial subdivision authority under section 711.09 of the Revised Code with respect to any part of such district.

In the case of a new community authority that is established within three years after the effective date of H.B. 225 of the 129th general assembly, "proximate city" may mean a municipal corporation in which, at the time of filing the petition under section 349.03 of the Revised Code, any portion of the proposed new community district is located, or, if at the time of that filing more than one-half of the proposed district is contained within a joint economic development district created under sections 715.70 to 715.83 of the Revised Code, the township containing the greatest portion of the territory of the joint economic development district.

(N) "Community activities" means cultural, educational, governmental, recreational, residential, industrial, commercial, distribution and research activities, or any combination thereof that includes residential activities.

Sec. 349.03.  (A) Proceedings for the organization of a new community authority shall be initiated by a petition filed by the developer in the office of the clerk of the board of county commissioners of one of the counties in which all or part of the proposed new community district is located. Such petition shall be signed by the developer and may be signed by each proximate city. The legislative authorities of each such proximate city shall act in behalf of such city. Such petition shall contain:

(1) The name of the proposed new community authority;

(2) The address where the principal office of the authority will be located or the manner in which the location will be selected;

(3) A map and a full and accurate description of the boundaries of the new community district together with a description of the properties within such boundaries, if any, which will not be included in the new community district. Unless the district is wholly contained within municipalities, the

The total acreage included in such district shall not be less than one thousand acres, all of which acreage shall be owned by, or under the control through leases of at least seventy-five years' duration, options, or contracts to purchase, of the developer, if the developer is a private entity. Such acreage unless one of the following applies:

(a) The district is wholly contained within municipal corporations.

(b) In the case of a new community authority that is established within three years after the effective date of H.B. 225 of the 129th general assembly, more than one-half of the proposed district is, at the time of filing the petition under section 349.03 of the Revised Code, contained within a joint economic development district created under sections 715.70 to 715.83 of the Revised Code.

The acreage included in a proposed district shall be developable as one functionally interrelated community. In the case of a new community authority established on or after the effective date of this amendment July 7, 2010, and before January 1, 2012, such leases may be of not less than forty years' duration, and the acreage may be developable so that the community is one functionally interrelated community.

(4) A statement setting forth the zoning regulations proposed for zoning the area within the boundaries of the new community district for comprehensive development as a new community, and if the area has been zoned for such development, a certified copy of the applicable zoning regulations therefor;

(5) A current plan indicating the proposed development program for the new community district, the land acquisition and land development activities, community facilities, services proposed to be undertaken by the new community authority under such program, the proposed method of financing such activities and services, including a description of the bases, timing, and manner of collecting any proposed community development charges, and the projected total residential population of, and employment within, the new community;

(6) A suggested number of members, consistent with section 349.04 of the Revised Code, for the board of trustees;

(7) A preliminary economic feasibility analysis, including the area development pattern and demand, location and proposed new community district size, present and future socio-economic conditions, public services provision, financial plan, and the developer's management capability;

(8) A statement that the development will comply with all applicable environmental laws and regulations.

Upon the filing of such petition, the organizational board of commissioners shall determine whether such petition complies with the requirements of this section as to form and substance. The board in subsequent proceedings may at any time permit the petition to be amended in form and substance to conform to the facts by correcting any errors in the description of the proposed new community district or in any other particular.

Upon the determination of the organizational board of commissioners that a sufficient petition has been filed in accordance with this section, the board shall fix the time and place of a hearing on the petition for the establishment of the proposed new community authority. Such hearing shall be held not less than ninety-five nor more than one hundred fifteen days after the petition filing date, except that if the petition has been signed by all proximate cities, such hearing shall be held not less than thirty nor more than forty-five days after the petition filing date. The clerk of the board of county commissioners with which the petition was filed shall give notice thereof by publication once each week for three consecutive weeks, or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, in a newspaper of general circulation in any county of which a portion is within the proposed new community district. Such clerk shall also give written notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing and furnish a certified copy of the petition to the clerk of the legislative authority of each proximate city which has not signed such petition. In the event that the legislative authority of a proximate city which did not sign the petition does not approve by ordinance, resolution, or motion the establishment of the proposed new community authority and does not deliver such ordinance, resolution, or motion to the clerk of the board of county commissioners with which the petition was filed within ninety days following the date of the first publication of the notice of the public hearing, the organizational board of commissioners shall cancel such public hearing and terminate the proceedings for the establishment of the new community authority.

Upon the hearing, if the organizational board of commissioners determines by resolution that the proposed new community district will be conducive to the public health, safety, convenience, and welfare, and is intended to result in the development of a new community, the board shall by its resolution, entered of record in its journal and the journal of the board of county commissioners with which the petition was filed, declare the new community authority to be organized and a body politic and corporate with the corporate name designated in the resolution, and define the boundary of the new community district. In addition, the resolution shall provide the method of selecting the board of trustees of the new community authority and fix the surety for their bonds in accordance with section 349.04 of the Revised Code.

If the organizational board of commissioners finds that the establishment of the district will not be conducive to the public health, safety, convenience, or welfare, or is not intended to result in the development of a new community, it shall reject the petition thereby terminating the proceedings for the establishment of the new community authority.

(B) At any time after the creation of a new community authority, the developer may file an application with the clerk of the board of county commissioners of the county in which the original petition was filed, setting forth a general description of territory it desires to add or to delete from such district, that such change will be conducive to the public health, safety, convenience, and welfare, and will be consistent with the development of a new community and will not jeopardize the plan of the new community. If the developer is not a municipal corporation, port authority, or county, all of such an addition to such a district shall be owned by, or under the control through leases of at least seventy-five years' duration, options, or contracts to purchase, of the developer. In the case of a new community authority established on or after the effective date of this amendment July 7, 2010, and before January 1, 2012, such leases may be of not less than forty years' duration. Upon the filing of the application, the organizational board of commissioners shall follow the same procedure as required by this section in relation to the petition for the establishment of the proposed new community.

(C) If all or any part of the new community district is annexed to one or more existing municipal corporations, their legislative authorities may appoint persons to replace any appointed citizen member of the board of trustees. The number of such trustees to be replaced by the municipal corporation shall be the number, rounded to the lowest integer, bearing the proportionate relationship to the number of existing appointed citizen members as the acreage of the new community district within such municipal corporation bears to the total acreage of the new community district. If any such municipal corporation chooses to replace an appointed citizen member, it shall do so by ordinance, the term of the trustee being replaced shall terminate thirty days from the date of passage of such ordinance, and the trustee to be replaced shall be determined by lot. Each newly appointed member shall assume the term of the member's predecessor.

Sec. 349.04.  The following method of selecting a board of trustees is deemed to be a compelling state interest. Within ten days after the new community authority has been established, as provided in section 349.03 of the Revised Code, an initial board of trustees shall be appointed as follows;: the organizational board of commissioners shall appoint by resolution at least three, but not more than six, citizen members of the board of trustees to represent the interests of present and future residents of the new community district and one member to serve as a representative of local government, and the developer shall appoint a number of members equal to the number of citizen members to serve as representatives of the developer. In the case of a new community authority established on or within three years after the effective date of this amendment and before January 1, 2012 H.B. 225 of the 129th general assembly, the citizen members may represent present and future employers within the new community district and any present or future residents of the district.

Members shall serve two-year overlapping terms, with two of each of the initial citizen and developer members appointed to serve initial one year terms. The organizational board of commissioners shall adopt, by further resolution adopted within one year of such resolution establishing such initial board of trustees adopt, a method for selection of successor members thereof which determines the projected total population of the projected new community and meets the following criteria:

(A) The appointed citizen members shall be replaced by elected citizen members according to a schedule established by the organizational board of commissioners calculated to achieve one such replacement each time the new community district gains a proportion, having a numerator of one and a denominator of twice the number of citizen members, of its projected total population until such time as all of the appointed citizen members are replaced.

(B) Representatives of the developer shall be replaced by elected citizen members according to a schedule established by the organizational board of commissioners calculated to achieve one such replacement each time the new community district gains a proportion, having a numerator of one and a denominator equal to the number of developer members, of its projected total population until such time as all of the developer's representatives are replaced.

(C) The representative of local government shall be replaced by an elected citizen member at the time the new community district gains three-quarters of its projected total population.

Elected citizen members of the board of trustees shall be elected by a majority of the residents of the new community district voting at elections held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in December of each year. Each citizen member except an appointed citizen member shall be a qualified elector who resides within the new community district. In the case of a new community authority established on or for which a petition is filed within three years after the effective date of this amendment and before January 1, 2012 H.B. 225 of the 129th general assembly, the organizational board of directors commissioners, by resolution, may adopt an alternative method of selection of selecting or electing successor members of the board of trustees. If the alternative method provides for the election of citizen members, the elections may be held at the times and in the manner provided in the petition or in a resolution of the organizational board of commissioners, and the elected citizen members shall be qualified electors who resides reside in the new community district.

Citizen members shall not be employees of or have financial interest in the developer. If a vacancy occurs in the office of a member other than a member appointed by the developer, the organizational board of commissioners may appoint a successor member for the remainder of the unexpired term. Any appointed member of the board of trustees may at any time be removed by the organizational board of commissioners for misfeasance, nonfeasance, or malfeasance in office. Members appointed by the developer may also at any time be removed by the developer without a showing of cause.

Each member of the board of trustees, before entering upon official duties, shall take and subscribe to an oath before an officer authorized to administer oaths in Ohio that the member will honestly and faithfully perform the duties of the member's office. Such oath shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the board of county commissioners in which the petition was filed. Upon taking the oath, the board of trustees shall elect one of its number as chairperson and another as vice-chairperson, and shall appoint suitable persons as secretary and treasurer who need not be members of the board. The treasurer shall be the fiscal officer of the authority. The board shall adopt by-laws governing the administration of the affairs of the new community authority. Each member of the board shall post a bond for the faithful performance of official duties and give surety therefor in such amount, but not less than ten thousand dollars, as the resolution creating such board shall prescribe.

All of the powers of the new community authority shall be exercised by its board of trustees, but without relief of such responsibility, such powers may be delegated to committees of the board or its officers and employees in accordance with its by-laws. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum, and a concurrence of a majority of a quorum in any matter within the board's duties is sufficient for its determination, provided a quorum is present when such concurrence is had and a majority of those members constituting such quorum are trustees not appointed by the developer. All trustees shall be empowered to vote on all matters within the authority of the board of trustees, and no vote by a member appointed by the developer shall be construed to give rise to civil or criminal liability for conflict of interest on the part of public officials.

Sec. 349.06.  In furtherance of the purposes of this chapter, a new community authority may:

(A) Acquire by purchase, lease, gift, or otherwise, on such terms and in such manner as it considers proper, real and personal property or any estate, interest, or right therein, within or without the new community district;

(B) Improve, maintain, sell, lease or otherwise dispose of real and personal property and community facilities, on such terms and in such manner as it considers proper;

(C) Landscape and otherwise aesthetically improve areas within the new community district, including but not limited to maintenance, landscaping and other community improvement services;

(D) Provide, engage in, or otherwise sponsor recreational, educational, health, social, vocational, cultural, beautification, and amusement activities and related services primarily for residents of the district. In the case of a new community authority established on or within three years after the effective date of this amendment and before January 1, 2012 H.B. 225 of the 129th general assembly, such activities and services may be for residents of, visitors to, employees working within, or employers operating businesses in the district, or any combination thereof.

(E) Fix, alter, impose, collect and receive service and user fees, rentals, and other charges to cover all costs in carrying out the new community development program;

(F) Adopt, modify, and enforce reasonable rules and regulations governing the use of community facilities;

(G) Employ such managers, administrative officers, agents, engineers, architects, attorneys, contractors, sub-contractors, and employees as may be appropriate in the exercise of the rights, powers and duties conferred upon it, prescribe the duties and compensation for such persons, require bonds to be given by any such persons and by officers of the authority for the faithful performance of their duties, and fix the amount and surety therefor; and pay the same;

(H) Sue and be sued in its corporate name;

(I) Make and enter into all contracts and agreements and execute all instruments relating to a new community development program, including contracts with the developer and other persons or entities related thereto for land acquisition and land development; acquisition, construction, and maintenance of community facilities; the provision of community services and management and coordinating services; with federal, state, interstate, regional, and local agencies and political subdivisions or combinations thereof in connection with the financing of such program, and with any municipal corporation or other public body, or combination thereof, providing for the acquisition, construction, improvement, extension, maintenance or operation of joint lands or facilities or for the provision of any services or activities relating to and in furtherance of a new community development program, including the creation of or participation in a regional transit authority created pursuant to the Revised Code;

(J) Apply for and accept grants, loans or commitments of guarantee or insurance including any guarantees of community authority bonds and notes, from the United States, the state, or other public body or other sources, and provide any consideration which may be required in order to obtain such grants, loans or contracts of guarantee or insurance. Such loans or contracts of guarantee or insurance may be evidenced by the issuance of bonds as provided in section 349.08 of the Revised Code;

(K) Procure insurance against loss to it by reason of damage to its properties resulting from fire, theft, accident, or other casualties, or by reason of its liability for any damages to persons or property occurring in the construction or operation of facilities or areas under its jurisdiction or the conduct of its activities;

(L) Maintain such funds or reserves as it considers necessary for the efficient performance of its duties;

(M) Enter agreements with the boards of education of any school districts in which all or part of the new community district lies, whereby the community authority may acquire property for, may construct and equip, and may sell, lease, dedicate, with or without consideration, or otherwise transfer lands, schools, classrooms, or other facilities, whether or not within the new community district, from the authority to the school district for school and related purposes;

(N) Prepare plans for acquisition and development of lands and facilities, and enter into agreements with city, county, or regional planning commissions to perform or obtain all or any part of planning services for the new community district;

(O) Engage in planning for the new community district, which may be predominantly residential and open space, and prepare or approve a development plan or plans therefor, and engage in land acquisitions and land development in accordance with such plan or plans;

(P) Issue new community authority bonds and notes and community authority refunding bonds, payable solely from the income source provided in section 349.08 of the Revised Code, unless the bonds are refunded by refunding bonds, for the purpose of paying any part of the cost as applied to the new community development program or parts thereof;

(Q) Enforce any covenants running with the land of which the new community authority is the beneficiary, including but not limited to the collection by any and all appropriate means of any community development charge deemed to be a covenant running with the land and enforceable by the new community authority pursuant to section 349.07 of the Revised Code; and to waive, reduce, or terminate any community development charge of which it is the beneficiary to the extent not needed for any of the purposes provided in section 349.07 of the Revised Code, the procedure for which shall be provided in such covenants, and if new community authority bonds have been issued pledging any such community development charge, to the extent not prohibited in the resolution authorizing the issuance of such new community authority bonds or the trust agreement or indenture of mortgage securing the bonds;

(R) Appropriate for its use, under sections 163.01 to 163.22 of the Revised Code, any land, easement, rights, rights-of-way, franchises, or other property in the new community district required by the authority for community facilities. The authority may not so appropriate any land, easement, rights, rights-of-way, franchises, or other property that is not included in the new community district.

(S) In the case of a new community authority established on or within three years after the effective date of this amendment and before January 1, 2012 H.B. 225 of the 129th general assembly, enter into any agreements as may be necessary, appropriate, or useful to support a new community development program, including, but not limited to, cooperative agreements or other agreements with political subdivisions for services, materials, or products; for the administration, calculation, or collection of community development charges; or for sharing of revenue derived from community development charges, community facilities, or other sources. The agreements may be made with or without consideration as the parties determine.

Sec. 349.14.  Except as provided in section 349.03 of the Revised Code, or as otherwise provided in a resolution adopted by the organizational board of commissioners, of a new community authority established on or within three years after the effective date of this amendment and before January 1, 2012 H.B. 225 of the 129th general assembly, a new community authority organized under this chapter may be dissolved only on the vote of a majority of the voters of the new community district at a special election called by the board of trustees on the question of dissolution. Such an election may be called only after the board has determined that the new community development program has been completed, when no community authority bonds or notes are outstanding, and other legal indebtedness of the authority has been discharged or provided for, and only after there has been filed with the board of trustees a petition requesting such election, signed by a number of qualified electors residing in the new community district equal to not less than eight per cent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor in the new community district at the most recent general election at which a governor was elected. If a majority of the votes cast favor dissolution, the board of trustees shall, by resolution, declare the authority dissolved and thereupon the community authority shall be dissolved. A certified copy of the resolution shall, within fifteen days after its adoption, be filed with the clerk of the board of county commissioners of the county in which the petition for the organization of the new community authority was filed.

Upon dissolution of a new community authority, the powers thereof shall cease to exist. Any property of the new community authority which that is located within the corporate limits of a municipality shall vest in that municipal corporation and all other property of the community authority shall vest in the county in which said property is located. In the case of a new community authority established within three years after the effective date of H.B. 225 of the 129th general assembly, such property not vested in a municipal corporation may also be vested in the township where the property is located, or with the developer of the new community authority or the developer's designee, as provided in a resolution adopted by the organizational board of commissioners. Any vesting of property in a township or county shall be subject to acceptance of the property by resolution of the board of township trustees or board of county commissioners, as applicable. If the board of township trustees or board of county commissioners declines to accept the property, the property vests with the developer or the developer's designee. Any funds of the community authority at the time of dissolution shall be transferred to the municipal corporation and county or township, as provided in a resolution, in which the new community district is located in the proportion to the assessed valuation of taxable real property of the new community authority within such municipal corporation and county or township as said valuation appears on the current assessment rolls.

Sec. 505.603.  The following applies until the department of administrative services implements for townships the health care plans under section 9.901 of the Revised Code. If those plans do not include or address any benefits incorporated in this section, the following provisions continue in effect for those benefits.

(A) In addition to or in lieu of providing benefits to township officers and employees under section 505.60, 505.601, or 505.602 of the Revised Code, a board of township trustees may offer benefits to officers and employees through a cafeteria plan that meets the requirements of section 125 of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C.A. 125, as amended, after first adopting a policy authorizing an officer or employee to receive a cash payment in lieu of a benefit otherwise offered to township officers or employees under any of those sections, but only if the cash payment does not exceed twenty-five per cent of the cost of premiums or payments that otherwise would be paid by the board for benefits for the officer or employee under an offered policy, contract, or plan. No cash payment in lieu of a benefit shall be made pursuant to this section unless the officer or employee signs a statement affirming that the officer or employee is covered under another health insurance or health care policy, contract, or plan in the case of a health benefit, or a life insurance policy in the case of a life insurance benefit, and setting forth the name of the employer, if any, that sponsors the coverage, the name of the carrier that provides the coverage, and an identifying number of the applicable policy, contract, or plan.

(B) In addition to providing the benefits to township officers and employees under section 505.60, 505.601, or 505.602 of the Revised Code, a board of township trustees may offer a health and wellness benefit program through which the township provides a benefit or incentive to township officers, employees, and their immediate dependents to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including, but not limited to, programs to encourage healthy eating and nutrition, exercise and physical activity, weight control or the elimination of obesity, and cessation of smoking or alcohol use.

(C) The township fiscal officer may deduct from a township employee's salary or wages the amount authorized to be paid by the employee for one or more qualified benefits available under section 125 of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 26 U.S.C. 125, and under the sections listed in division (B) of this section, if the employee authorizes in writing that the township fiscal officer may deduct that amount from the employee's salary or wages, and the benefit is offered to the employee on a group basis and at least ten per cent of the township employees voluntarily elect to participate in the receipt of that benefit. The township fiscal officer may issue warrants for amounts deducted under this division to pay program administrators or other insurers for benefits authorized under this section or those sections listed in division (B) of this section.

Sec. 3917.04.  (A)(1) If any employee of a political subdivision or district of this state, or of an institution supported in whole or in part by public funds, authorizes in writing the proper officer of the political subdivision, district, or institution, of which the individual is an employee to deduct from the employee's salary or wages the premium or portion of the premium agreed to be paid by the employee to an insurer authorized to do business in the state for life, endowment, accident, health, or health and accident insurance, annuities, or hospitalization insurance, or salary savings plan, the political subdivision, district, or institution of which the individual is an employee may deduct from the employee's salary or wages the premium or portion of the premium agreed to be paid by that employee and pay it to the insurer, provided that life, endowment, accident, health, health and accident, and hospitalization insurance is offered to the employee on a group basis and also that at least ten per cent of the employees at any institution, or of any political subdivision, or in any department, agency, bureau, district, commission, or board voluntarily elect to participate in that group insurance.

Division (A)(1) of this section does not apply to employees paid by warrant of the director of budget and management.

(2) The proper officer of a political subdivision, district, or institution of which an individual is an employee may issue warrants covering salary or wage deductions that have been authorized by the employee in favor of the insurer and in the amount so authorized by the employee.

(B)(1) The department of administrative services shall only offer employees paid by warrant of the director of budget and management voluntary supplemental benefit plans that are selected through a state-administered request for proposals process. If an employee authorizes the director of administrative services, in writing, to deduct the premium or a portion of the premium agreed to be paid by the employee to a voluntary supplemental benefit plan provider from the employee's salary or wages, the director may deduct this amount from the employee's salary or wages and pay it to the provider. Only those employees enrolled in a voluntary supplemental benefit plan on or before the effective date of this amendment June 30, 2006, may continue to participate in a plan that was not selected through a state-administered request for proposals process.

(2) The director of budget and management may issue warrants covering salary or wage deductions that have been authorized by employees paid by warrant of the director in favor of the voluntary supplemental benefit plan provider in the amount authorized by those employees.

(C) A county auditor may deduct from a county employee's salary or wages the amount authorized to be paid by the employee for one or more qualified benefits available under section 125 of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 26 U.S.C. 125, and other benefits authorized under section 305.171 of the Revised Code, if the employee authorizes in writing that the county auditor may deduct that amount from the employee's salary or wages, and the benefit is offered to the employee on a group basis and at least ten per cent of the county employees voluntarily elect to participate in the receipt of that benefit.

The county auditor may issue warrants for amounts deducted under this division to pay program administrators or other insurers for benefits authorized under this section.

Sec. 4931.41.  (A)(1) A countywide 9-1-1 system shall include all of the territory of the townships and municipal corporations in the county and any portion of such a municipal corporation that extends into an adjacent county.

(2) The system shall exclude any territory served by a wireline service provider that is not capable of reasonably meeting the technical and economic requirements of providing the wireline telephone network portion of the countywide system for that territory. The system shall exclude from enhanced 9-1-1 any territory served by a wireline service provider that is not capable of reasonably meeting the technical and economic requirements of providing the wireline telephone network portion of enhanced 9-1-1 for that territory. If a 9-1-1 planning committee and a wireline service provider do not agree on whether the provider is so capable, the committee shall notify the public utilities commission, and the commission shall determine whether the wireline service provider is so capable. The committee shall ascertain whether such disagreement exists before making its implementation proposal under division (A) of section 4931.43 of the Revised Code. The commission's determination shall be in the form of an order. No final plan shall require a wireline service provider to provide the wireline telephone network portion of a 9-1-1 system that the commission has determined the provider is not reasonably capable of providing.

(B) A countywide 9-1-1 system may be a basic or enhanced 9-1-1 system, or a combination of the two, and shall be for the purpose of providing both wireline 9-1-1 and wireless 9-1-1.

(C) Every emergency service provider that provides emergency service within the territory of a countywide 9-1-1 system shall participate in the countywide system.

(D)(1) Each public safety answering point shall be operated by a subdivision or a regional council of governments and shall be operated constantly.

(2) A subdivision or a regional council of governments that operates a public safety answering point shall pay all of the costs associated with establishing, equipping, furnishing, operating, and maintaining that facility and shall allocate those costs among itself and the subdivisions served by the answering point based on the allocation formula in a final plan. The wireline service provider or other entity that provides or maintains the customer premises equipment shall bill the operating subdivision or the operating regional council of governments for the cost of providing such equipment, or its maintenance. A wireless service provider and a subdivision or regional council of governments operating a public safety answering point may enter into a service agreement for providing wireless enhanced 9-1-1 pursuant to a final plan adopted under sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code.

(E) Except to the extent provided in a final plan that provides for funding of a 9-1-1 system in part through charges imposed under section 4931.51 of the Revised Code, each subdivision served by a public safety answering point shall pay the subdivision or regional council of governments that operates the answering point the amount computed in accordance with the allocation formula set forth in the final plan.

(F) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the purchase or other acquisition, installation, and maintenance of the telephone network for a 9-1-1 system and the purchase or other acquisition, installation, and maintenance of customer premises equipment at a public safety answering point made in compliance with a final plan or an agreement under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code, including customer premises equipment used to provide wireless enhanced 9-1-1, are not subject to any requirement of competitive bidding.

(G) Each emergency service provider participating in a countywide 9-1-1 system shall maintain a telephone number in addition to 9-1-1.

(H) Whenever a final plan provides for the implementation of basic 9-1-1, the planning committee shall so notify the public utilities commission, which shall determine whether the wireline service providers serving the territory covered by the plan are capable of reasonably meeting the technical and economic requirements of providing the wireline telephone network portion of an enhanced 9-1-1 system. The determination shall be made solely for purposes of division (C)(2) of section 4931.47 of the Revised Code.

(I) If the public safety answering point personnel reasonably determine that a 9-1-1 call is not an emergency, the personnel shall provide the caller with the telephone number of an appropriate subdivision agency as applicable.

(J) A final plan adopted under sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code, or an agreement under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code, may provide that, by further agreement included in the plan or agreement, the state highway patrol or one or more public safety answering points of another 9-1-1 system is the public safety answering point or points for the provision of wireline or wireless 9-1-1 for all or part of the territory of the 9-1-1 system established under the plan or agreement. In that event, the subdivision for which the wireline or wireless 9-1-1 is provided as named in the agreement shall be deemed the subdivision operating the public safety answering point or points for purposes of sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code, except that, for the purpose of division (D)(2) of this section, that subdivision shall pay only so much of the costs of establishing, equipping, furnishing, operating, or maintaining any such public safety answering point as are specified in the agreement with the patrol or other system.

(K) A final plan for the provision of wireless enhanced 9-1-1 shall provide that any wireless 9-1-1 calls routed to a state highway patrol-operated public safety answering point by default, due to a wireless service provider so routing all such calls of its subscribers without prior permission, are instead to be routed as provided under the plan. Upon the implementation of countywide wireless enhanced 9-1-1 pursuant to a final plan, the state highway patrol shall cease any functioning as a public safety answering point providing wireless 9-1-1 within the territory covered by the countywide 9-1-1 system so established, unless the patrol functions as a public safety answering point providing wireless enhanced 9-1-1 pursuant to an agreement included in the plan as authorized under division (J) of this section.

Sec. 4931.43.  (A) The 9-1-1 planning committee shall prepare a proposal on the implementation of a countywide 9-1-1 system and shall hold a public meeting on the proposal to explain the system to and receive comments from public officials. At least thirty but not more than sixty days before the meeting, the committee shall send a copy of the implementation proposal and written notice of the meeting:

(1) By certified mail, to the board of county commissioners, the legislative authority of each municipal corporation in the county, and to the board of trustees of each township in the county; and

(2) To the board of trustees, directors, or park commissioners of each subdivision that will be served by a public safety answering point under the plan.

(B) The proposal and the final plan adopted by the committee shall specify:

(1) Which telephone companies serving customers in the county and, as authorized in division (A)(1) of section 4931.41 of the Revised Code, in an adjacent county will participate in the 9-1-1 system;

(2) The location and number of public safety answering points; how they will be connected to a company's telephone network; from what geographic territory each will receive 9-1-1 calls; whether basic or enhanced 9-1-1 service will be provided within such territory; what subdivisions will be served by the answering point; and whether an answering point will respond to calls by directly dispatching an emergency service provider, by relaying a message to the appropriate provider, or by transferring the call to the appropriate provider;

(3) Which subdivision or regional council of governments will establish, equip, furnish, operate, and maintain a particular public safety answering point;

(4) A projection of the initial cost of establishing, equipping, and furnishing and of the annual cost of the first five years of operating and maintaining each public safety answering point;

(5) Whether the cost of establishing, equipping, furnishing, operating, or maintaining each public safety answering point should be funded through charges imposed under section 4931.51 of the Revised Code or will be allocated among the subdivisions served by the answering point and, if any such cost is to be allocated, the formula for so allocating it;

(6) How each emergency service provider will respond to a misdirected call.

(C) Following the meeting required by this section, the 9-1-1 planning committee may modify the implementation proposal and, no later than nine months after the resolution authorized by section 4931.42 of the Revised Code is adopted, may adopt, by majority vote, a final plan for implementing a countywide 9-1-1 system. If a planning committee and wireline service provider do not agree on whether the wireline service provider is capable of providing the wireline telephone network as described under division (A) of section 4931.41 of the Revised Code and the planning committee refers that question to the public utilities commission, the commission may extend the nine-month deadline established by this division to twelve months. Immediately on completion of the plan, the committee shall send a copy of the final plan:

(1) By certified mail to the board of county commissioners of the county, to the legislative authority of each municipal corporation in the county, and to the board of township trustees of each township in the county; and

(2) To the board of trustees, directors, or park commissioners of each subdivision that will be served by a public safety answering point under the plan.

(D) If the committee has not adopted a final plan on or before the deadline in division (C) of this section, the committee shall cease to exist. A new 9-1-1 planning committee may be convened in the manner established in section 4931.42 of the Revised Code to develop an implementation proposal and final plan in accordance with the requirements of sections 4931.42 to 4931.44 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 4931.44.  (A) Within sixty days after receipt of the final plan pursuant to division (C) of section 4931.43 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners of the county and the legislative authority of each municipal corporation in the county and of each township whose territory is proposed to be included in a countywide 9-1-1 system shall act by resolution to approve or disapprove the plan, except that, with respect to a final plan that provides for funding of the 9-1-1 system in part through charges imposed under section 4931.51 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners shall not act by resolution to approve or disapprove the plan until after a resolution adopted under section 4931.51 of the Revised Code has become effective as provided in division (D) of that section. A municipal corporation or township whose territory is proposed to be included in the system includes any municipal corporation or township in which a part of its territory is excluded pursuant to division (A)(2) of section 4931.41 of the Revised Code. Each such authority immediately shall notify the board of county commissioners in writing of its approval or disapproval of the final plan. Failure by a board or legislative authority to notify the board of county commissioners of approval or disapproval within such sixty-day period shall be deemed disapproval by the board or authority.

(B) As used in this division, "county's population" excludes the population of any municipal corporation or township that, under the plan, is completely excluded from 9-1-1 service in the county's final plan. A countywide plan is effective if all of the following entities approve the plan in accordance with this section:

(1) The board of county commissioners;

(2) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation that contains at least thirty per cent of the county's population, if any;

(3) The legislative authorities of municipal corporations and townships that contain at least sixty per cent of the county's population or, if the plan has been approved by a municipal corporation that contains at least sixty per cent of the county's population, by the legislative authorities of municipal corporations and townships that contain at least seventy-five per cent of the county's population.

(C) After a countywide plan approved in accordance with this section is adopted, all of the telephone companies and, subdivisions, and regional councils of governments included in the plan are subject to the specific requirements of the plan and to sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 4931.45.  (A) An amended final plan is required for any of the following purposes:

(1) Expanding the territory included in the countywide 9-1-1 system;

(2) Upgrading any part or all of a system from basic to enhanced wireline 9-1-1;

(3) Adjusting the territory served by a public safety answering point;

(4) Permitting a regional council of governments to operate a public safety answering point;

(5) Represcribing the funding of public safety answering points as between the alternatives set forth in division (B)(5) of section 4931.43 of the Revised Code;

(5)(6) Providing for wireless enhanced 9-1-1;

(6)(7) Adding a telephone company as a participant in a countywide 9-1-1 system after the implementation of wireline 9-1-1 or wireless enhanced 9-1-1;

(7)(8) Providing that the state highway patrol or one or more public safety answering points of another 9-1-1 system function as a public safety answering point or points for the provision of wireline or wireless 9-1-1 for all or part of the territory of the system established under the final plan, as contemplated under division (J) of section 4931.41 of the Revised Code;

(8)(9) Making any other necessary adjustments to the plan.

(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (C) of this section, a final plan shall be amended in the manner provided for adopting a final plan under sections 4931.42 to 4931.44 of the Revised Code, including convening a 9-1-1 planning committee and developing a proposed amended plan prior to adopting an amended final plan.

(C)(1) To amend a final plan for the purpose described in division (A)(6)(7) of this section, an entity that wishes to be added as a participant in a 9-1-1 system shall file a written letter of that intent with the board of county commissioners of the county that approved the final plan. The final plan is deemed amended upon the filing of that letter. The entity that files the letter shall send written notice of that filing to all subdivisions, regional councils of governments, and telephone companies participating in the system.

(2) An amendment to a final plan for a purpose set forth in division (A)(1), (3), (5)(6), or (8)(9) of this section may be made by an addendum approved by a majority of the 9-1-1 planning committee. The board of county commissioners shall call a meeting of the 9-1-1 planning committee for the purpose of considering an addendum pursuant to this division.

(3) Adoption of any resolution under section 4931.51 of the Revised Code pursuant to a final plan that both has been adopted and provides for funding through charges imposed under that section is not an amendment of a final plan for the purpose of this division.

(D) When a final plan is amended for a purpose described in division (A)(1), (2), or (6)(7) of this section, sections 4931.47 and 5733.55 of the Revised Code apply with respect to the receipt of the nonrecurring and recurring rates and charges for the wireline telephone network portion of the 9-1-1 system.

Sec. 4931.49.  (A)(1) The state, the state highway patrol, or a subdivision, or a regional council of governments participating in a 9-1-1 system established under sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code and any officer, agent, employee, or independent contractor of the state, the state highway patrol, or such a participating subdivision or regional council of governments is not liable in damages in a civil action for injuries, death, or loss to persons or property arising from any act or omission, except willful or wanton misconduct, in connection with developing, adopting, or approving any final plan or any agreement made under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code or otherwise bringing into operation the 9-1-1 system pursuant to sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code.

(2) The Ohio 9-1-1 council, the wireless 9-1-1 advisory board, and any member of that council or board are not liable in damages in a civil action for injuries, death, or loss to persons or property arising from any act or omission, except willful or wanton misconduct, in connection with the development or operation of a 9-1-1 system established under sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code.

(B) Except as otherwise provided in section 4765.49 of the Revised Code, an individual who gives emergency instructions through a 9-1-1 system established under sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code, and the principals for whom the person acts, including both employers and independent contractors, public and private, and an individual who follows emergency instructions and the principals for whom that person acts, including both employers and independent contractors, public and private, are not liable in damages in a civil action for injuries, death, or loss to persons or property arising from the issuance or following of emergency instructions, except where the issuance or following of the instructions constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.

(C) Except for willful or wanton misconduct, a telephone company, and any other installer, maintainer, or provider, through the sale or otherwise, of customer premises equipment, and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, and suppliers are not liable in damages in a civil action for injuries, death, or loss to persons or property incurred by any person resulting from any of the following:

(1) Such an entity's or its officers', directors', employees', agents', or suppliers' participation in or acts or omissions in connection with participating in or developing, maintaining, or operating a 9-1-1 system, whether that system is established pursuant to sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code or otherwise in accordance with schedules regarding 9-1-1 systems filed with the public utilities commission pursuant to section 4905.30 of the Revised Code by a telephone company that is a wireline service provider;

(2) Such an entity's or its officers', directors', employees', agents', or suppliers' provision of assistance to a public utility, municipal utility, or state or local government as authorized by divisions (F)(4) and (5) of this section.

(D) No person shall knowingly use the telephone number of a 9-1-1 system established under sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code to report an emergency if the person knows that no emergency exists.

(E) No person shall knowingly use a 9-1-1 system for a purpose other than obtaining emergency service.

(F) No person shall disclose or use any information concerning telephone numbers, addresses, or names obtained from the data base that serves the public safety answering point of a 9-1-1 system established under sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code, except for any of the following purposes or under any of the following circumstances:

(1) For the purpose of the 9-1-1 system;

(2) For the purpose of responding to an emergency call to an emergency service provider;

(3) In the circumstance of the inadvertent disclosure of such information due solely to technology of the wireline telephone network portion of the 9-1-1 system not allowing access to the data base to be restricted to 9-1-1 specific answering lines at a public safety answering point;

(4) In the circumstance of access to a data base being given by a telephone company that is a wireline service provider to a public utility or municipal utility in handling customer calls in times of public emergency or service outages. The charge, terms, and conditions for the disclosure or use of such information for the purpose of such access to a data base shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the public utilities commission.

(5) In the circumstance of access to a data base given by a telephone company that is a wireline service provider to a state and local government in warning of a public emergency, as determined by the public utilities commission. The charge, terms, and conditions for the disclosure or use of that information for the purpose of access to a data base is subject to the jurisdiction of the public utilities commission.

Sec. 4931.50. (A) The attorney general, upon request of the public utilities commission or on the attorney general's own initiative, shall begin proceedings against a telephone company that is a wireline service provider to enforce compliance with sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code or with the terms, conditions, requirements, or specifications of a final plan or of an agreement under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code as to wireline or wireless 9-1-1.

(B) The attorney general, upon the attorney general's own initiative, or any prosecutor, upon the prosecutor's initiative, shall begin proceedings against a subdivision or a regional council of governments as to wireline or wireless 9-1-1 to enforce compliance with sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code or with the terms, conditions, requirements, or specifications of a final plan or of an agreement under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code as to wireline or wireless 9-1-1.

Sec. 4931.64. (A) Prior to the first disbursement under this section and annually thereafter not later than the twenty-fifth day of January, until the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund is depleted, the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator shall do both of the following for the purposes of division (B) of this section:

(1) Determine, for a county that has adopted a final plan under sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code for the provision of wireless enhanced 9-1-1 within the territory covered by the countywide 9-1-1 system established under the plan, the number of wireless telephone numbers assigned to wireless service subscribers that have billing addresses within the county. That number shall be adjusted between any two counties so that the number of wireless telephone numbers assigned to wireless service subscribers who have billing addresses within any portion of a municipal corporation that territorially lies primarily in one of the two counties but extends into the other county is added to the number already determined for that primary county and subtracted for the other county.

(2) Determine each county's proportionate share of the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund for the ensuing calendar year on the basis set forth in division (B) of this section; estimate the ensuing calendar year's fund balance; compute each such county's estimated proceeds for the ensuing calendar year based on its proportionate share and the estimated fund balance; and certify such amount of proceeds to the county auditor of each such county.

(B) The Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator, in accordance with this division and not later than the last day of each month, shall disburse the amount credited as remittances to the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund during the second preceding month, plus any accrued interest on the fund. Such a disbursement shall be paid to each county treasurer. The amount to be so disbursed monthly to a particular county shall be a proportionate share of the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund balance based on the ratio between the following:

(1) The number of wireless telephone numbers determined for the county by the coordinator pursuant to division (A) of this section;

(2) The total number of wireless telephone numbers assigned to subscribers who have billing addresses within this state. To the extent that the fund balance permits, the disbursements to each county shall total at least ninety thousand dollars annually.

(C)(1) Each county that has not adopted a final plan for the provision of wireless enhanced 9-1-1 under sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code shall be deemed as having done so for the purposes of making the determinations under divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this section.

(2) For each county described in division (C)(1) of this section, the coordinator shall retain in the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund an amount equal to what would otherwise be paid as the county's disbursements under division (B) of this section if it had adopted such a final plan, plus any related accrued interest, to be set aside for that county. If the board of county commissioners notifies the coordinator prior to January 1, 2010, that a final plan for the provision of wireless enhanced 9-1-1 has been adopted, the coordinator shall disburse and pay to the county treasurer, not later than the last day of the month following the month the notification is made, the total amount so set aside for the county plus any related accrued interest. As of January 1, 2010, any money and interest so retained and not disbursed as authorized under this division shall be available for disbursement only as provided in division (B) of this section.

(D) Immediately upon receipt by a county treasurer of a disbursement under division (B) or (C) of this section, the county shall disburse, in accordance with the allocation formula set forth in the final plan, the amount the county so received to any other subdivisions in the county and any regional councils of governments in the county that pay the costs of a public safety answering point providing wireless enhanced 9-1-1 under the plan.

(E) Nothing in sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code affects the authority of a subdivision operating or served by a public safety answering point of a 9-1-1 system or a regional council of governments operating a public safety answering point of a 9-1-1 system to use, as provided in the final plan for the system or in an agreement under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code, any other authorized revenue of the subdivision or the regional council of governments for the purposes of providing basic or enhanced 9-1-1.

Sec. 4931.65.  Except as otherwise provided in section 4931.651 of the Revised Code:

(A) A countywide 9-1-1 system receiving a disbursement under section 4931.64 of the Revised Code shall provide countywide wireless enhanced 9-1-1 in accordance with sections 4931.40 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code beginning as soon as reasonably possible after receipt of the first disbursement or, if that service is already implemented, shall continue to provide such service. Except as provided in divisions (B) and (C) of this section, a disbursement shall be used solely for the purpose of paying either or both of the following:

(1) Any costs of designing, upgrading, purchasing, leasing, programming, installing, testing, or maintaining the necessary data, hardware, software, and trunking required for the public safety answering point or points of the 9-1-1 system to provide wireless enhanced 9-1-1, which costs are incurred before or on or after May 6, 2005, and consist of such additional costs of the 9-1-1 system over and above any costs incurred to provide wireline 9-1-1 or to otherwise provide wireless enhanced 9-1-1. Annually, up to twenty-five thousand dollars of the disbursements received on or after January 1, 2009, may be applied to data, hardware, and software that automatically alerts personnel receiving a 9-1-1 call that a person at the subscriber's address or telephone number may have a mental or physical disability, of which that personnel shall inform the appropriate emergency service provider. On or after the provision of technical and operational standards pursuant to division (D)(1) of section 4931.68 of the Revised Code, a regional council of governments operating a public safety answering point or a subdivision shall consider the standards before incurring any costs described in this division.

(2) Any costs of training the staff of the public safety answering point or points to provide wireless enhanced 9-1-1, which costs are incurred before or on or after May 6, 2005.

(B) Beginning one year following the imposition of the wireless 9-1-1 charge under section 4931.61 of the Revised Code, a subdivision or a regional council of governments that certifies to the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator that it has paid the costs described in divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this section and is providing countywide wireless enhanced 9-1-1 may use disbursements received under section 4931.64 of the Revised Code to pay any of its personnel costs of one or more public safety answering points providing countywide wireless enhanced 9-1-1.

(C) After receiving its April 2013, disbursement under section 4931.64 of the Revised Code, a regional council of governments operating a public safety answering point or a subdivision may use any remaining balance of disbursements it received under that section to pay any of its costs of providing countywide wireless 9-1-1, including the personnel costs of one or more public safety answering points providing that service.

(D) The costs described in divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section may include any such costs payable pursuant to an agreement under division (J) of section 4931.41 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 4931.66.  (A)(1) A telephone company, the state highway patrol as described in division (J) of section 4931.41 of the Revised Code, and each subdivision or regional council of governments operating one or more public safety answering points for a countywide system providing wireless 9-1-1, shall provide the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator with such information as the coordinator requests for the purposes of carrying out the coordinator's duties under sections 4931.60 to 4931.70 of the Revised Code, including, but not limited to, duties regarding the collection of the wireless 9-1-1 charge and regarding the provision of a report or recommendation under section 4931.70 of the Revised Code.

(2) A wireless service provider shall provide an official, employee, agent, or representative of a subdivision or regional council of governments operating a public safety answering point, or of the state highway patrol as described in division (J) of section 4931.41 of the Revised Code, with such technical, service, and location information as the official, employee, agent, or representative requests for the purpose of providing wireless 9-1-1.

(3) A subdivision or regional council of governments operating one or more public safety answering points of a 9-1-1 system, and a telephone company, shall provide to the Ohio 9-1-1 council such information as the council requires for the purpose of carrying out its duties under division (D) of section 4931.68 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1) Any information provided under division (A) of this section that consists of trade secrets as defined in section 1333.61 of the Revised Code or of information regarding the customers, revenues, expenses, or network information of a telephone company shall be confidential and does not constitute a public record for the purpose of section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(2) The public utilities commission, the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator, and any official, employee, agent, or representative of the commission, of the state highway patrol as described in division (J) of section 4931.41 of the Revised Code, or of a subdivision or regional council of governments operating a public safety answering point, while acting or claiming to act in the capacity of the commission or coordinator or such official, employee, agent, or representative, shall not disclose any information provided under division (A) of this section regarding a telephone company's customers, revenues, expenses, or network information. Nothing in division (B)(2) of this section precludes any such information from being aggregated and included in any report required under section 4931.70 or division (D)(2) of section 4931.69 of the Revised Code, provided the aggregated information does not identify the number of any particular company's customers or the amount of its revenues or expenses or identify a particular company as to any network information.

Sec. 5101.01. (A) As used in the Revised Code, the "department of public welfare" and the "department of human services" mean the department of job and family services and the "director of public welfare" and the "director of human services" mean the director of job and family services. Whenever the department or director of public welfare or the department or director of human services is referred to or designated in any statute, rule, contract, grant, or other document, the reference or designation shall be deemed to refer to the department or director of job and family services, as the case may be.

(B) As used in this chapter of the Revised Code:

(1) References to counties or to county departments of job and family services include the joint county department of job and family services established under section 329.40 of the Revised Code.

(2) References to boards of county commissioners include boards of directors of the joint department of job and family services established under section 329.40 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 5705.13.  (A) A taxing authority of a subdivision, by resolution or ordinance, may establish reserve balance accounts to accumulate currently available resources for the following purposes:

(1) To stabilize subdivision budgets against cyclical changes in revenues and expenditures;

(2) Except as otherwise provided by this section, to provide for the payment of claims and deductibles under a an individual or joint self-insurance program for the subdivision, if the subdivision is permitted by law to establish such a program;

(3) To provide for the payment of claims, assessments, and deductibles under a self-insurance program, individual retrospective ratings plan, group rating plan, group retrospective rating plan, medical only program, deductible plan, or large deductible plan for workers' compensation.

The ordinance or resolution establishing a reserve balance account shall state the purpose for which the account is established, the fund in which the account is to be established, and the total amount of money to be reserved in the account.

A subdivision that participates in a risk-sharing pool, by which governments pool risks and funds and share in the costs of losses, shall not establish a reserve balance account to provide self-insurance for the subdivision.

Not more than one reserve balance account may be established for each of the purposes permitted under divisions (A)(2) and (3) of this section. Money to the credit of a reserve balance account may be expended only for the purpose for which the account was established.

A reserve balance account established for the purpose described in division (A)(1) of this section may be established in the general fund or in one or more special funds for operating purposes of the subdivision. The amount of money to be reserved in such an account in any fiscal year shall not exceed five per cent of the revenue credited in the preceding fiscal year to the fund in which the account is established, or, in the case of a reserve balance account of a county or of a township, the greater of that amount or one-sixth of the expenditures during the preceding fiscal year from the fund in which the account is established. Subject to division (G) of section 5705.29 of the Revised Code, any reserve balance in an account established under division (A)(1) of this section shall not be considered part of the unencumbered balance or revenue of the subdivision under division (A) of section 5705.35 or division (A)(1) of section 5705.36 of the Revised Code.

At any time, a taxing authority of a subdivision, by resolution or ordinance, may reduce or eliminate the reserve balance in a reserve balance account established for the purpose described in division (A)(1) of this section.

A reserve balance account established for the purpose described in division (A)(2) or (3) of this section shall be established in the general fund of the subdivision or by the establishment of a separate internal service fund established to account for the operation of the an individual or joint self-insurance or retrospective ratings plan program described in division (A)(2) of this section or a workers' compensation program or plan described in division (A)(3) of this section, and shall be based on sound actuarial principles. The total amount of money in a reserve balance account for self-insurance may be expressed in dollars or as the amount determined to represent an adequate reserve according to sound actuarial principles.

A taxing authority of a subdivision, by resolution or ordinance, may rescind a reserve balance account established under this division. If a reserve balance account is rescinded, money that has accumulated in the account shall be transferred to the fund or funds from which the money originally was transferred.

(B) A taxing authority of a subdivision, by resolution or ordinance, may establish a special revenue fund for the purpose of accumulating resources for the payment of accumulated sick leave and vacation leave, and for payments in lieu of taking compensatory time off, upon the termination of employment or the retirement of officers and employees of the subdivision. The special revenue fund may also accumulate resources for payment of salaries during any fiscal year when the number of pay periods exceeds the usual and customary number of pay periods. Notwithstanding sections 5705.14, 5705.15, and 5705.16 of the Revised Code, the taxing authority, by resolution or ordinance, may transfer money to the special revenue fund from any other fund of the subdivision from which such payments may lawfully be made. The taxing authority, by resolution or ordinance, may rescind a special revenue fund established under this division. If a special revenue fund is rescinded, money that has accumulated in the fund shall be transferred to the fund or funds from which the money originally was transferred.

(C) A taxing authority of a subdivision, by resolution or ordinance, may establish a capital projects fund for the purpose of accumulating resources for the acquisition, construction, or improvement of fixed assets of the subdivision. For the purposes of this section, "fixed assets" includes motor vehicles. More than one capital projects fund may be established and may exist at any time. The ordinance or resolution shall identify the source of the money to be used to acquire, construct, or improve the fixed assets identified in the resolution or ordinance, the amount of money to be accumulated for that purpose, the period of time over which that amount is to be accumulated, and the fixed assets that the taxing authority intends to acquire, construct, or improve with the money to be accumulated in the fund.

A taxing authority of a subdivision shall not accumulate money in a capital projects fund for more than ten years after the resolution or ordinance establishing the fund is adopted. If the subdivision has not entered into a contract for the acquisition, construction, or improvement of fixed assets for which money was accumulated in such a fund before the end of that ten-year period, the fiscal officer of the subdivision shall transfer all money in the fund to the fund or funds from which that money originally was transferred or the fund that originally was intended to receive the money.

A taxing authority of a subdivision, by resolution or ordinance, may rescind a capital projects fund. If a capital projects fund is rescinded, money that has accumulated in the fund shall be transferred to the fund or funds from which the money originally was transferred.

Notwithstanding sections 5705.14, 5705.15, and 5705.16 of the Revised Code, the taxing authority of a subdivision, by resolution or ordinance, may transfer money to the capital projects fund from any other fund of the subdivision that may lawfully be used for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, or improving the fixed assets identified in the resolution or ordinance.

Sec. 5705.392.  (A) A board of county commissioners may adopt as a part of its annual appropriation measure a spending plan, or in the case of an amended appropriation measure, an amended spending plan, setting forth a quarterly schedule of expenses and expenditures of all appropriations for the fiscal year from the county general fund. The spending plan shall be classified to set forth separately a quarterly schedule of expenses and expenditures for each office, department, and division, and within each, the amount appropriated for personal services. Each office, department, and division shall be limited in its expenses and expenditures of moneys appropriated from the general fund during any quarter by the schedule established in the spending plan. The schedule established in the spending plan shall serve as a limitation during a quarter on the making of contracts and giving of orders involving the expenditure of money during that quarter for purposes of division (D) of section 5705.41 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1) A board of county commissioners, by resolution, may adopt a spending plan or an amended spending plan setting forth separately a quarterly schedule of expenses and expenditures of appropriations from any county fund, except as provided in division (C) of this section, for the second half of a fiscal year and any subsequent fiscal year, for any county office, department, or division that has spent or encumbered more than six-tenths of the amount appropriated for personal services and payrolls during the first half of any fiscal year.

(2) During any fiscal year, a board of county commissioners, by resolution, may adopt a spending plan or an amended spending plan setting forth separately a quarterly schedule of expenses and expenditures of appropriations from any county fund, except as provided in division (C) of this section, for any county office, department, or division that, during the previous fiscal year, spent one hundred ten per cent or more of the total amount appropriated for personal services and payrolls by the board in its annual appropriation measure required by section 5705.38 of the Revised Code. The spending plan or amended spending plan shall remain in effect two fiscal years, or until the county officer of the office for which the plan was adopted is no longer in office, including terms of office to which the county officer is re-elected, whichever is later.

(3) At least thirty days before adopting a resolution under division (B)(1) or (2) of this section, the board of county commissioners shall provide written notice to each county office, department, or division for which it intends to adopt a spending plan or an amended spending plan. The notice shall be sent by regular first class mail or provided by personal service, and shall include a copy of the proposed spending plan or proposed amended spending plan. The county office, department, or division may meet with the board at any regular session of the board to comment on the notice, or to express concerns or ask questions about the proposed spending plan or proposed amended spending plan.

(C) Division (B) of this section shall not apply to any fund that is subject to rules adopted by the tax commissioner under division (O) of section 5703.05 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 5713.07.  The county auditor, at the time of making the assessment of real property subject to taxation, shall enter in a separate list pertinent descriptions of all burying grounds, public schoolhouses, houses used exclusively for public worship, institutions of purely public charity, real property used exclusively for a home for the aged, as defined in section 5701.13 of the Revised Code, public buildings and property used exclusively for any public purpose, and any other property, with the lot or tract of land on which such house, institution, public building, or other property is situated, and which have been exempted from taxation by either the tax commissioner or auditor under section 5715.27 of the Revised Code or by the housing officer under section 3735.67 of the Revised Code. The auditor shall value such houses, buildings, property, and lots and tracts of land at their taxable value in the same manner as the auditor is required to value other real property, designating in each case the township, municipal corporation, and number of the school district, or the name or designation of the school, religious society, or institution to which each house, lot, or tract belongs. If such property is held and used for other public purposes, the auditor shall state by whom or how it is held.

Sec. 5713.08.  (A) The county auditor shall make a list of all real and personal property in the auditor's county that is exempted from taxation. Such list shall show the name of the owner, the value of the property exempted, and a statement in brief form of the ground on which such exemption has been granted. It shall be corrected annually by adding thereto the items of property which have been exempted during the year, and by striking therefrom the items which in the opinion of the auditor have lost their right of exemption and which have been reentered on the taxable list, but no property shall be struck from the exempt property list solely because the property has been conveyed to a single member limited liability company with a nonprofit purpose from its nonprofit member or because the property has been conveyed by a single member limited liability company with a nonprofit purpose to its nonprofit member. No additions shall be made to such exempt lists and no additional items of property shall be exempted from taxation without the consent of the tax commissioner as is provided for in section 5715.27 of the Revised Code or without the consent of the housing officer under section 3735.67 of the Revised Code, except for property exempted by the auditor under that section or qualifying agricultural real property, as defined in section 5709.28 of the Revised Code, that is enrolled in an agriculture security area that is exempt under that section. The commissioner may revise at any time the list in every county so that no property is improperly or illegally exempted from taxation. The auditor shall follow the orders of the commissioner given under this section. An abstract of such list shall be filed annually with the commissioner, on a form approved by the commissioner, and a copy thereof shall be kept on file in the office of each auditor for public inspection.

An application for exemption of property shall include a certificate executed by the county treasurer certifying one of the following:

(1) That all taxes, interest, and penalties levied and assessed against the property sought to be exempted have been paid in full for all of the tax years preceding the tax year for which the application for exemption is filed, except for such taxes, interest, and penalties that may be remitted under division (C) of this section;

(2) That the applicant has entered into a valid delinquent tax contract with the county treasurer pursuant to division (A) of section 323.31 of the Revised Code to pay all of the delinquent taxes, interest, and penalties charged against the property, except for such taxes, interest, and penalties that may be remitted under division (C) of this section. If the auditor receives notice under section 323.31 of the Revised Code that such a written delinquent tax contract has become void, the auditor shall strike such property from the list of exempted property and reenter such property on the taxable list. If property is removed from the exempt list because a written delinquent tax contract has become void, current taxes shall first be extended against that property on the general tax list and duplicate of real and public utility property for the tax year in which the auditor receives the notice required by division (A) of section 323.31 of the Revised Code that the delinquent tax contract has become void or, if that notice is not timely made, for the tax year in which falls the latest date by which the treasurer is required by such section to give such notice. A county auditor shall not remove from any tax list and duplicate the amount of any unpaid delinquent taxes, assessments, interest, or penalties owed on property that is placed on the exempt list pursuant to this division.

(3) That a tax certificate has been issued under section 5721.32 or 5721.33 of the Revised Code with respect to the property that is the subject of the application, and the tax certificate is outstanding.

(B) If the treasurer's certificate is not included with the application or the certificate reflects unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest that may not be remitted, the tax commissioner or county auditor with whom the application was filed shall notify the property owner of that fact, and the applicant shall be given sixty days from the date that notification was mailed in which to provide the tax commissioner or county auditor with a corrected treasurer's certificate. If a corrected treasurer's certificate is not received within the time permitted, the tax commissioner or county auditor does not have authority to consider the tax exemption application.

(C) Any taxes, interest, and penalties which have become a lien after the property was first used for the exempt purpose, but in no case prior to the date of acquisition of the title to the property by the applicant, may be remitted by the commissioner or county auditor, except as is provided in division (A) of section 5713.081 of the Revised Code.

(D) Real property acquired by the state in fee simple is exempt from taxation from the date of acquisition of title or date of possession, whichever is the earlier date, provided that all taxes, interest, and penalties as provided in the apportionment provisions of section 319.20 of the Revised Code have been paid to the date of acquisition of title or date of possession by the state, whichever is earlier. The proportionate amount of taxes that are a lien but not yet determined, assessed, and levied for the year in which the property is acquired, shall be remitted by the county auditor for the balance of the year from date of acquisition of title or date of possession, whichever is earlier. This section shall not be construed to authorize the exemption of such property from taxation or the remission of taxes, interest, and penalties thereon until all private use has terminated.

Sec. 5713.081. (A) No application for real property tax exemption and tax remission shall be filed with, or considered by, the tax commissioner or county auditor in which tax remission is requested for more than three tax years, and the commissioner or auditor shall not remit more than three years' taxes, penalties, and interest.

(B) All taxes, penalties, and interest, that have been delinquent for more than three years, appearing on the general tax list and duplicate of real property which have been levied and assessed against parcels of real property owned by the state, any political subdivision, or any other entity whose ownership of real property would constitute public ownership, shall be collected by the county auditor of the county where the real property is located. Such The auditor shall deduct from each distribution made by the auditor, the amount necessary to pay the tax delinquency from any revenues or funds to the credit of the state, any political subdivision, or any other entity whose ownership of real property would constitute public ownership thereof, passing under the auditor's control, or which come into the auditor's possession, and such deductions shall be made on a continuing basis until all delinquent taxes, penalties, and interest noted in this section have been paid.

(C) As used in division (B) of this section, "political subdivision" includes townships, municipalities, counties, school districts, boards of education, all state and municipal universities, park boards, and any other entity whose ownership of real property would constitute public ownership.

Sec. 5713.082.  (A) Whenever the county auditor reenters an item of property to the tax list as provided in section 5713.08 of the Revised Code and there has been no conveyance of the property between separate entities, the auditor shall send notice by certified mail to the owner of the property that it is now subject to property taxation as a result of such action. The auditor shall send the notice at the same time the auditor certifies the real property tax duplicate to the county treasurer. The notice shall describe the property and indicate that the owner may reapply for tax exemption by filing an application for exemption as provided in section 5715.27 of the Revised Code, and that failure to file such an application within the proper time period will result in the owner having to pay the taxes even if the property continued to be used for an exempt purpose.

(B) If the auditor failed to send the notice required by this section, and if the owner of the property subsequently files an application for tax exemption for the property for the current tax year, the tax commissioner or county auditor may grant exemption to the property, and the commissioner or auditor shall remit all taxes and penalties for each prior year since the property was reentered on the tax list, notwithstanding the provisions of division (A) of section 5713.081 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 5715.13.  The (A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, the county board of revision shall not decrease any valuation unless a party affected thereby or who is authorized to file a complaint under section 5715.19 of the Revised Code makes and files with the board a written application therefor, verified by oath, showing the facts upon which it is claimed such decrease should be made.

(B) The county board of revision may authorize a policy for the filing of an electronic complaint under section 5715.19 of the Revised Code and the filing of an electronic application therefor under this section, subject to the approval of the tax commissioner. An electronic complaint need not be sworn to, but shall contain an electronic verification and shall be subscribed to by the person filing the complaint: "I declare under penalties of perjury that this complaint has been examined by me and to the best of my knowledge and belief is true, correct, and complete."

Sec. 5715.27.  (A)(1) Except as provided in division (A)(2) of this section and in section 3735.67 of the Revised Code, the owner, a vendee in possession under a purchase agreement or a land contract, the beneficiary of a trust, or a lessee for an initial term of not less than thirty years of any property may file an application with the tax commissioner, on forms prescribed by the commissioner, requesting that such property be exempted from taxation and that taxes, interest, and penalties be remitted as provided in division (C) of section 5713.08 of the Revised Code.

(2) If the property that is the subject of the application for exemption is any of the following, the application shall be filed with the county auditor of the county in which the property is listed for taxation:

(a) A public road or highway;

(b) Property belonging to the federal government of the United States;

(c) Additions or other improvements to an existing building or structure that belongs to the state or a political subdivision, as defined in section 5713.081 of the Revised Code, and that is exempted from taxation as property used exclusively for a public purpose;

(d) Property of the boards of trustees and of the housing commissions of the state universities, the northeastern Ohio universities college of medicine, and of the state to be exempted under section 3345.17 of the Revised Code.

(B) The board of education of any school district may request the tax commissioner or county auditor to provide it with notification of applications for exemption from taxation for property located within that district. If so requested, the commissioner or auditor shall send to the board on a monthly basis reports that contain sufficient information to enable the board to identify each property that is the subject of an exemption application, including, but not limited to, the name of the property owner or applicant, the address of the property, and the auditor's parcel number. The commissioner or auditor shall mail the reports by the fifteenth day of the month following the end of the month in which the commissioner or auditor receives the applications for exemption.

(C) A board of education that has requested notification under division (B) of this section may, with respect to any application for exemption of property located in the district and included in the commissioner's or auditor's most recent report provided under that division, file a statement with the commissioner or auditor and with the applicant indicating its intent to submit evidence and participate in any hearing on the application. The statements shall be filed prior to the first day of the third month following the end of the month in which that application was docketed by the commissioner or auditor. A statement filed in compliance with this division entitles the district to submit evidence and to participate in any hearing on the property and makes the district a party for purposes of sections 5717.02 to 5717.04 of the Revised Code in any appeal of the commissioner's or auditor's decision to the board of tax appeals.

(D) The commissioner or auditor shall not hold a hearing on or grant or deny an application for exemption of property in a school district whose board of education has requested notification under division (B) of this section until the end of the period within which the board may submit a statement with respect to that application under division (C) of this section. The commissioner or auditor may act upon an application at any time prior to that date upon receipt of a written waiver from each such board of education, or, in the case of exemptions authorized by section 725.02, 1728.10, 5709.40, 5709.41, 5709.411, 5709.62, 5709.63, 5709.632, 5709.73, 5709.78, 5709.84, or 5709.88 of the Revised Code, upon the request of the property owner. Failure of a board of education to receive the report required in division (B) of this section shall not void an action of the commissioner or auditor with respect to any application. The commissioner or auditor may extend the time for filing a statement under division (C) of this section.

(E) A complaint may also be filed with the commissioner or auditor by any person, board, or officer authorized by section 5715.19 of the Revised Code to file complaints with the county board of revision against the continued exemption of any property granted exemption by the commissioner or auditor under this section.

(F) An application for exemption and a complaint against exemption shall be filed prior to the thirty-first day of December of the tax year for which exemption is requested or for which the liability of the property to taxation in that year is requested. The commissioner or auditor shall consider such application or complaint in accordance with procedures established by the commissioner, determine whether the property is subject to taxation or exempt therefrom, and, if the commissioner makes the determination, certify the commissioner's findings determination to the auditor, who. Upon making the determination or receiving the commissioner's determination, the auditor shall correct the tax list and duplicate accordingly. If a tax certificate has been sold under section 5721.32 or 5721.33 of the Revised Code with respect to property for which an exemption has been requested, the tax commissioner or auditor shall also certify the findings to the county treasurer of the county in which the property is located.

(G) Applications and complaints, and documents of any kind related to applications and complaints, filed with the tax commissioner or county auditor under this section, are public records within the meaning of section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(H) If the commissioner or auditor determines that the use of property or other facts relevant to the taxability of property that is the subject of an application for exemption or a complaint under this section has changed while the application or complaint was pending, the commissioner or auditor may make the determination under division (F) of this section separately for each tax year beginning with the year in which the application or complaint was filed or the year for which remission of taxes under division (C) of section 5713.08 of the Revised Code was requested, and including each subsequent tax year during which the application or complaint is pending before the commissioner or auditor.

Sec. 5717.02.  (A) Except as otherwise provided by law, appeals from final determinations by the tax commissioner of any preliminary, amended, or final tax assessments, reassessments, valuations, determinations, findings, computations, or orders made by the commissioner may be taken to the board of tax appeals by the taxpayer, by the person to whom notice of the tax assessment, reassessment, valuation, determination, finding, computation, or order by the commissioner is required by law to be given, by the director of budget and management if the revenues affected by such that decision would accrue primarily to the state treasury, or by the county auditors of the counties to the undivided general tax funds of which the revenues affected by such that decision would primarily accrue. Appeals from the redetermination by the director of development under division (B) of section 5709.64 or division (A) of section 5709.66 of the Revised Code may be taken to the board of tax appeals by the enterprise to which notice of the redetermination is required by law to be given. Appeals from a decision of the tax commissioner or county auditor concerning an application for a property tax exemption may be taken to the board of tax appeals by the applicant or by a school district that filed a statement concerning such that application under division (C) of section 5715.27 of the Revised Code. Appeals from a redetermination by the director of job and family services under section 5733.42 of the Revised Code may be taken by the person to which the notice of the redetermination is required by law to be given under that section.

Such (B) The appeals shall be taken by the filing of a notice of appeal with the board, and with the tax commissioner if the tax commissioner's action is the subject of the appeal, with the county auditor if the county auditor's action is the subject of the appeal, with the director of development if that director's action is the subject of the appeal, or with the director of job and family services if that director's action is the subject of the appeal. The notice of appeal shall be filed within sixty days after service of the notice of the tax assessment, reassessment, valuation, determination, finding, computation, or order by the commissioner, property tax exemption determination by the commissioner or the county auditor, or redetermination by the director has been given as provided in section 5703.37, 5709.64, 5709.66, or 5733.42 of the Revised Code. The notice of such appeal may be filed in person or by certified mail, express mail, or authorized delivery service. If the notice of such appeal is filed by certified mail, express mail, or authorized delivery service as provided in section 5703.056 of the Revised Code, the date of the United States postmark placed on the sender's receipt by the postal service or the date of receipt recorded by the authorized delivery service shall be treated as the date of filing. The notice of appeal shall have attached thereto to it and incorporated therein in it by reference a true copy of the notice sent by the commissioner, county auditor, or director to the taxpayer, enterprise, or other person of the final determination or redetermination complained of, and shall also specify the errors therein complained of, but failure to attach a copy of such that notice and to incorporate it by reference in the notice of appeal does not invalidate the appeal.

(C) Upon the filing of a notice of appeal, the tax commissioner, county auditor, or the director, as appropriate, shall certify to the board a transcript of the record of the proceedings before the commissioner, auditor, or director, together with all evidence considered by the commissioner, auditor, or director in connection therewith with the proceedings. Such Those appeals or applications may be heard by the board at its office in Columbus or in the county where the appellant resides, or it may cause its examiners to conduct such the hearings and to report to it their findings for affirmation or rejection.

(D) The board may order the appeal to be heard upon the record and the evidence certified to it by the commissioner, county auditor, or director, but upon the application of any interested party the board shall order the hearing of additional evidence, and it may make such an investigation concerning the appeal as that it considers proper.

SECTION 2. That existing sections 9.37, 9.482, 135.01, 135.143, 135.35, 167.03, 305.171, 305.23, 307.862, 307.88, 329.01, 330.04, 349.01, 349.03, 349.04, 349.06, 349.14, 505.603, 3917.04, 4931.41, 4931.43, 4931.44, 4931.45, 4931.49, 4931.50, 4931.64, 4931.65, 4931.66, 5101.01, 5705.13, 5705.392, 5713.07, 5713.08, 5713.081, 5713.082, 5715.13, 5715.27, and 5717.02 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

SECTION 3. The amendments to Chapter 349. of the Revised Code enacted by this act apply to any proceedings commenced after the amendments' effective date, and, so far as their provisions support the actions taken, also apply to proceedings that on their effective date are pending, in progress, or completed, notwithstanding the applicable law previously in effect or any provision to the contrary in a prior resolution, ordinance, order, advertisement, notice, or other proceeding. Any proceedings pending or in progress on the effective date of those amendments shall be deemed to have been taken in conformity with the amendment.

The authority provided in the amendments to Chapter 349. of the Revised Code of this act provide additional and supplemental provisions for the subject matter that may also be the subject of other laws, and is supplemental to and not in derogation of any similar authority provided by, derived from, or implied by, the Ohio Constitution, or any other law, including laws amended by this act, or any charter, order, resolution, or ordinance, and no inference shall be drawn to negate the authority thereunder by reason of express provisions contained in the amendments to Chapter 349. of the Revised Code enacted by this act.

SECTION 4. The amendments by this act to sections 5713.07, 5713.08, 5713.081, 5713.082, 5715.27, and 5717.02 of the Revised Code apply to applications for exemptions filed for tax year 2011 or thereafter.

SECTION 5.  Section 5713.08 of the Revised Code is presented in this act as a composite of the section as amended by both Sub. H.B. 160 and Sub. H.B. 289 of the 127th General Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds that the composite is the resulting version of the section in effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in this act.

feedback