Bill Text: OH HB24 | 2009-2010 | 128th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: To permit individuals elected or appointed to state office to establish transition funds to receive donations and to make expenditures for transition activities and inaugural celebrations.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 31-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-02-18 - To Elections & Ethics [HB24 Detail]

Download: Ohio-2009-HB24-Introduced.html

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As Introduced

128th General Assembly Regular Session 2009-2010

H. B. No. 24

Representative Batchelder 

Cosponsors: Representatives Adams, J., Amstutz, Bacon, Balderson, Boose, Bubp, Burke, Combs, Daniels, Derickson, Gardner, Goodwin, Grossman, Hackett, Hall, Hite, Hottinger, Huffman, Jones, Jordan, Martin, McClain, Mecklenborg, Morgan, Ruhl, Sears, Stautberg, Stebelton, Uecker, Zehringer 

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A BILL

To amend sections 3517.01, 3517.10, 3517.106,

1

3517.11, 3517.153, 3517.154, 3517.992, and 3599.03

2

and to enact section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code

3

to permit individuals elected or appointed to

4

state office to establish transition funds to

5

receive donations and to make expenditures for

6

transition activities and inaugural celebrations.

7

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1.  That sections 3517.01, 3517.10, 3517.106,	8
3517.11, 3517.153, 3517.154, 3517.992, and 3599.03 be amended and	9
section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as	10
follows:	11

Sec. 3517.01.  (A)(1) A political party within the meaning of	12
Title XXXV of the Revised Code is any group of voters that, at the	13
most recent regular state election, polled for its candidate for	14
governor in the state or nominees for presidential electors at	15
least five per cent of the entire vote cast for that office or	16
that filed with the secretary of state, subsequent to any election	17
in which it received less than five per cent of that vote, a	18
petition signed by qualified electors equal in number to at least	19
one per cent of the total vote for governor or nominees for	20
presidential electors at the most recent election, declaring their	21
intention of organizing a political party, the name of which shall	22
be stated in the declaration, and of participating in the	23
succeeding primary election, held in even-numbered years, that	24
occurs more than one hundred twenty days after the date of filing.	25
No such group of electors shall assume a name or designation that	26
is similar, in the opinion of the secretary of state, to that of	27
an existing political party as to confuse or mislead the voters at	28
an election. If any political party fails to cast five per cent of	29
the total vote cast at an election for the office of governor or	30
president, it shall cease to be a political party.	31

(2) A campaign committee shall be legally liable for any	32
debts, contracts, or expenditures incurred or executed in its	33
name.	34

(B) Notwithstanding the definitions found in section 3501.01	35
of the Revised Code, as used in this section and sections 3517.08	36
to 3517.14, 3517.99, and 3517.992 of the Revised Code:	37

(1) "Campaign committee" means a candidate or a combination	38
of two or more persons authorized by a candidate under section	39
3517.081 of the Revised Code to receive contributions and make	40
expenditures.	41

(2) "Campaign treasurer" means an individual appointed by a	42
candidate under section 3517.081 of the Revised Code.	43

(3) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in division (H) of	44
section 3501.01 of the Revised Code and also includes any person	45
who, at any time before or after an election, receives	46
contributions or makes expenditures or other use of contributions,	47
has given consent for another to receive contributions or make	48
expenditures or other use of contributions, or appoints a campaign	49
treasurer, for the purpose of bringing about the person's	50
nomination or election to public office. When two persons jointly	51
seek the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, "candidate"	52
means the pair of candidates jointly. "Candidate" does not include	53
candidates for election to the offices of member of a county or	54
state central committee, presidential elector, and delegate to a	55
national convention or conference of a political party.	56

(4) "Continuing association" means an association, other than	57
a campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund,	58
political contributing entity, or labor organization, that is	59
intended to be a permanent organization that has a primary purpose	60
other than supporting or opposing specific candidates, political	61
parties, or ballot issues, and that functions on a regular basis	62
throughout the year. "Continuing association" includes	63
organizations that are determined to be not organized for profit	64
under subsection 501 and that are described in subsection	65
501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.	66

(5) "Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness	67
of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds	68
or anything of value, including a transfer of funds from an inter	69
vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment	70
by any person other than the person to whom the services are	71
rendered for the personal services of another person, which	72
contribution is made, received, or used for the purpose of	73
influencing the results of an election. Any loan, gift, deposit,	74
forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or	75
transfer of funds or of anything of value, including a transfer of	76
funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's	77
estate, and the payment by any campaign committee, political	78
action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party,	79
political contributing entity, or person other than the person to	80
whom the services are rendered for the personal services of	81
another person, that is made, received, or used by a state or	82
county political party, other than moneys a state or county	83
political party receives from the Ohio political party fund	84
pursuant to section 3517.17 of the Revised Code and the moneys a	85
state or county political party may receive under sections	86
3517.101, 3517.1012, and 3517.1013 of the Revised Code, shall be	87
considered to be a "contribution" for the purpose of section	88
3517.10 of the Revised Code and shall be included on a statement	89
of contributions filed under that section.	90

"Contribution" does not include any of the following:

91

(a) Services provided without compensation by individuals	92
volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a person;	93

(b) Ordinary home hospitality;

94

(c) The personal expenses of a volunteer paid for by that	95
volunteer campaign worker;	96

(d) Any gift given to a state or county political party	97
pursuant to section 3517.101 of the Revised Code. As used in	98
division (B)(5)(d) of this section, "political party" means only a	99
major political party;	100

(e) Any contribution as defined in section 3517.1011 of the	101
Revised Code that is made, received, or used to pay the direct	102
costs of producing or airing an electioneering communication;	103

(f) Any gift given to a state or county political party for	104
the party's restricted fund under division (A)(2) of section	105
3517.1012 of the Revised Code;	106

(g) Any gift given to a state political party for deposit in	107
a Levin account pursuant to section 3517.1013 of the Revised Code.	108
As used in this division, "Levin account" has the same meaning as	109
in that section.	110

(h) Any donation given to a transition fund under section	111
3517.1014 of the Revised Code.	112

(6) "Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a	113
contribution for the purpose of influencing the results of an	114
election or of making a charitable donation under division (G) of	115
section 3517.08 of the Revised Code. Any disbursement or use of a	116
contribution by a state or county political party is an	117
expenditure and shall be considered either to be made for the	118
purpose of influencing the results of an election or to be made as	119
a charitable donation under division (G) of section 3517.08 of the	120
Revised Code and shall be reported on a statement of expenditures	121
filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. During the thirty	122
days preceding a primary or general election, any disbursement to	123
pay the direct costs of producing or airing a broadcast, cable, or	124
satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified	125
candidate shall be considered to be made for the purpose of	126
influencing the results of that election and shall be reported as	127
an expenditure or as an independent expenditure under section	128
3517.10 or 3517.105 of the Revised Code, as applicable, except	129
that the information required to be reported regarding	130
contributors for those expenditures or independent expenditures	131
shall be the same as the information required to be reported under	132
divisions (D)(1) and (2) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.	133

As used in this division, "broadcast, cable, or satellite	134
communication" and "refers to a clearly identified candidate" have	135
the same meanings as in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.	136

(7) "Personal expenses" includes, but is not limited to,	137
ordinary expenses for accommodations, clothing, food, personal	138
motor vehicle or airplane, and home telephone.	139

(8) "Political action committee" means a combination of two	140
or more persons, the primary or major purpose of which is to	141
support or oppose any candidate, political party, or issue, or to	142
influence the result of any election through express advocacy, and	143
that is not a political party, a campaign committee, a political	144
contributing entity, or a legislative campaign fund. "Political	145
action committee" does not include either of the following:	146

(a) A continuing association that makes disbursements for the	147
direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications	148
and that does not engage in express advocacy;	149

(b) A political club that is formed primarily for social	150
purposes and that consists of one hundred members or less, has	151
officers and periodic meetings, has less than two thousand five	152
hundred dollars in its treasury at all times, and makes an	153
aggregate total contribution of one thousand dollars or less per	154
calendar year.	155

(9) "Public office" means any state, county, municipal,	156
township, or district office, except an office of a political	157
party, that is filled by an election and the offices of United	158
States senator and representative.	159

(10) "Anything of value" has the same meaning as in section	160
1.03 of the Revised Code.	161

(11) "Beneficiary of a campaign fund" means a candidate, a	162
public official or employee for whose benefit a campaign fund	163
exists, and any other person who has ever been a candidate or	164
public official or employee and for whose benefit a campaign fund	165
exists.	166

(12) "Campaign fund" means money or other property, including	167
contributions.	168

(13) "Public official or employee" has the same meaning as in	169
section 102.01 of the Revised Code.	170

(14) "Caucus" means all of the members of the house of	171
representatives or all of the members of the senate of the general	172
assembly who are members of the same political party.	173

(15) "Legislative campaign fund" means a fund that is	174
established as an auxiliary of a state political party and	175
associated with one of the houses of the general assembly.	176

(16) "In-kind contribution" means anything of value other	177
than money that is used to influence the results of an election or	178
is transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a	179
candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund,	180
political party, political action committee, or political	181
contributing entity and that is made with the consent of, in	182
coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request	183
or suggestion of the benefited candidate, committee, fund, party,	184
or entity. The financing of the dissemination, distribution, or	185
republication, in whole or part, of any broadcast or of any	186
written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials prepared by	187
the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or their	188
authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to the candidate and	189
an expenditure by the candidate.	190

(17) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by a	191
person advocating the election or defeat of an identified	192
candidate or candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in	193
coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request	194
or suggestion of any candidate or candidates or of the campaign	195
committee or agent of the candidate or candidates. As used in	196
division (B)(17) of this section:	197

(a) "Person" means an individual, partnership, unincorporated	198
business organization or association, political action committee,	199
political contributing entity, separate segregated fund,	200
association, or other organization or group of persons, but not a	201
labor organization or a corporation unless the labor organization	202
or corporation is a political contributing entity.	203

(b) "Advocating" means any communication containing a message	204
advocating election or defeat.	205

(c) "Identified candidate" means that the name of the	206
candidate appears, a photograph or drawing of the candidate	207
appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by	208
unambiguous reference.	209

(d) "Made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with,	210
or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or the campaign	211
committee or agent of the candidate" means made pursuant to any	212
arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the	213
candidate's campaign committee, or the candidate's agent prior to	214
the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of the	215
communication. An expenditure is presumed to be so made when it is	216
any of the following:	217

(i) Based on information about the candidate's plans,	218
projects, or needs provided to the person making the expenditure	219
by the candidate, or by the candidate's campaign committee or	220
agent, with a view toward having an expenditure made;	221

(ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been,	222
authorized to raise or expend funds, who is, or has been, an	223
officer of the candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has	224
been, receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement from the	225
candidate or the candidate's campaign committee or agent;	226

(iii) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of section	227
3517.105 of the Revised Code, made by a political party in support	228
of a candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a political	229
party to conduct voter registration or voter education efforts.	230

(e) "Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written	231
authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the	232
making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate, or means any	233
person who has been placed in a position with the candidate's	234
campaign committee or organization such that it would reasonably	235
appear that in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities	236
the person may authorize expenditures.	237

(18) "Labor organization" means a labor union; an employee	238
organization; a federation of labor unions, groups, locals, or	239
other employee organizations; an auxiliary of a labor union,	240
employee organization, or federation of labor unions, groups,	241
locals, or other employee organizations; or any other bona fide	242
organization in which employees participate and that exists for	243
the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers	244
concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, hours, and other	245
terms and conditions of employment.	246

(19) "Separate segregated fund" means a separate segregated	247
fund established pursuant to the Federal Election Campaign Act.	248

(20) "Federal Election Campaign Act" means the "Federal	249
Election Campaign Act of 1971," 86 Stat. 11, 2 U.S.C.A. 431, et	250
seq., as amended.	251

(21) "Restricted fund" means the fund a state or county	252
political party must establish under division (A)(1) of section	253
3517.1012 of the Revised Code.	254

(22) "Electioneering communication" has the same meaning as	255
in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.	256

(23) "Express advocacy" means a communication that contains	257
express words advocating the nomination, election, or defeat of a	258
candidate or that contains express words advocating the adoption	259
or defeat of a question or issue, as determined by a final	260
judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.	261

(24) "Political committee" has the same meaning as in section	262
3517.1011 of the Revised Code.	263

(25) "Political contributing entity" means any entity,	264
including a corporation or labor organization, that may lawfully	265
make contributions and expenditures and that is not an individual	266
or a political action committee, continuing association, campaign	267
committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, designated	268
state campaign committee, or state candidate fund. For purposes of	269
this division, "lawfully" means not prohibited by any section of	270
the Revised Code, or authorized by a final judgment of a court of	271
competent jurisdiction.	272

Sec. 3517.10.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in this	273
division, every campaign committee, political action committee,	274
legislative campaign fund, political party, and political	275
contributing entity that made or received a contribution or made	276
an expenditure in connection with the nomination or election of	277
any candidate or in connection with any ballot issue or question	278
at any election held or to be held in this state shall file, on a	279
form prescribed under this section or by electronic means of	280
transmission as provided in this section and section 3517.106 of	281
the Revised Code, a full, true, and itemized statement, made under	282
penalty of election falsification, setting forth in detail the	283
contributions and expenditures, not later than four p.m. of the	284
following dates:	285

(1) The twelfth day before the election to reflect	286
contributions received and expenditures made from the close of	287
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed	288
statement, if any, to the close of business on the twentieth day	289
before the election;	290

(2) The thirty-eighth day after the election to reflect the	291
contributions received and expenditures made from the close of	292
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed	293
statement, if any, to the close of business on the seventh day	294
before the filing of the statement;	295

(3) The last business day of January of every year to reflect	296
the contributions received and expenditures made from the close of	297
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed	298
statement, if any, to the close of business on the last day of	299
December of the previous year;	300

(4) The last business day of July of every year to reflect	301
the contributions received and expenditures made from the close of	302
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed	303
statement, if any, to the close of business on the last day of	304
June of that year.	305

A campaign committee shall only be required to file the	306
statements prescribed under divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this	307
section in connection with the nomination or election of the	308
committee's candidate.	309

The statement required under division (A)(1) of this section	310
shall not be required of any campaign committee, political action	311
committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or	312
political contributing entity that has received contributions of	313
less than one thousand dollars and has made expenditures of less	314
than one thousand dollars at the close of business on the	315
twentieth day before the election. Those contributions and	316
expenditures shall be reported in the statement required under	317
division (A)(2) of this section.	318

If an election to select candidates to appear on the general	319
election ballot is held within sixty days before a general	320
election, the campaign committee of a successful candidate in the	321
earlier election may file the statement required by division	322
(A)(1) of this section for the general election instead of the	323
statement required by division (A)(2) of this section for the	324
earlier election if the pregeneral election statement reflects the	325
status of contributions and expenditures for the period twenty	326
days before the earlier election to twenty days before the general	327
election.	328

If a person becomes a candidate less than twenty days before	329
an election, the candidate's campaign committee is not required to	330
file the statement required by division (A)(1) of this section.	331

No statement under division (A)(3) of this section shall be	332
required for any year in which a campaign committee, political	333
action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or	334
political contributing entity is required to file a postgeneral	335
election statement under division (A)(2) of this section. However,	336
a statement under division (A)(3) of this section may be filed, at	337
the option of the campaign committee, political action committee,	338
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political	339
contributing entity.	340

No campaign committee of a candidate for the office of chief	341
justice or justice of the supreme court, and no campaign committee	342
of a candidate for the office of judge of any court in this state,	343
shall be required to file a statement under division (A)(4) of	344
this section.	345

Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph and in the	346
next paragraph of this section, the only campaign committees	347
required to file a statement under division (A)(4) of this section	348
are the campaign committee of a statewide candidate and the	349
campaign committee of a candidate for county office. The campaign	350
committee of a candidate for any other nonjudicial office is	351
required to file a statement under division (A)(4) of this section	352
if that campaign committee receives, during that period,	353
contributions exceeding ten thousand dollars.	354

No statement under division (A)(4) of this section shall be	355
required of a campaign committee, a political action committee, a	356
legislative campaign fund, a political party, or a political	357
contributing entity for any year in which the campaign committee,	358
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political	359
party, or political contributing entity is required to file a	360
postprimary election statement under division (A)(2) of this	361
section. However, a statement under division (A)(4) of this	362
section may be filed at the option of the campaign committee,	363
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political	364
party, or political contributing entity.	365

No statement under division (A)(3) or (4) of this section	366
shall be required if the campaign committee, political action	367
committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or	368
political contributing entity has no contributions that it has	369
received and no expenditures that it has made since the last date	370
reflected in its last previously filed statement. However, the	371
campaign committee, political action committee, legislative	372
campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity	373
shall file a statement to that effect, on a form prescribed under	374
this section and made under penalty of election falsification, on	375
the date required in division (A)(3) or (4) of this section, as	376
applicable.	377

The campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall file a	378
monthly statement of contributions received during each of the	379
months of July, August, and September in the year of the general	380
election in which the candidate seeks office. The campaign	381
committee of a statewide candidate shall file the monthly	382
statement not later than three business days after the last day of	383
the month covered by the statement. During the period beginning on	384
the nineteenth day before the general election in which a	385
statewide candidate seeks election to office and extending through	386
the day of that general election, each time the campaign committee	387
of the joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant	388
governor or of a candidate for the office of secretary of state,	389
auditor of state, treasurer of state, or attorney general receives	390
a contribution from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount	391
of contributions received from that contributor during that period	392
to equal or exceed ten thousand dollars and each time the campaign	393
committee of a candidate for the office of chief justice or	394
justice of the supreme court receives a contribution from a	395
contributor that causes the aggregate amount of contributions	396
received from that contributor during that period to exceed ten	397
thousand dollars, the campaign committee shall file a	398
two-business-day statement reflecting that contribution. During	399
the period beginning on the nineteenth day before a primary	400
election in which a candidate for statewide office seeks	401
nomination to office and extending through the day of that primary	402
election, each time either the campaign committee of a statewide	403
candidate in that primary election that files a notice under	404
division (C)(1) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code or the	405
campaign committee of a statewide candidate in that primary	406
election to which, in accordance with division (D) of section	407
3517.103 of the Revised Code, the contribution limitations	408
prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code no longer apply	409
receives a contribution from a contributor that causes the	410
aggregate amount of contributions received from that contributor	411
during that period to exceed ten thousand dollars, the campaign	412
committee shall file a two-business-day statement reflecting that	413
contribution. Contributions reported on a two-business-day	414
statement required to be filed by a campaign committee of a	415
statewide candidate in a primary election shall also be included	416
in the postprimary election statement required to be filed by that	417
campaign committee under division (A)(2) of this section. A	418
two-business-day statement required by this paragraph shall be	419
filed not later than two business days after receipt of the	420
contribution. The statements required by this paragraph shall be	421
filed in addition to any other statements required by this	422
section.	423

Subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested,	424
and verified the successful operation of any system the secretary	425
of state prescribes pursuant to divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of	426
this section and division (H)(1) of section 3517.106 of the	427
Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by	428
electronic means of transmission, a campaign committee of a	429
statewide candidate shall file a two-business-day statement under	430
the preceding paragraph by electronic means of transmission if the	431
campaign committee is required to file a pre-election,	432
postelection, or monthly statement of contributions and	433
expenditures by electronic means of transmission under this	434
section or section 3517.106 of the Revised Code.	435

If a campaign committee or political action committee has no	436
balance on hand and no outstanding obligations and desires to	437
terminate itself, it shall file a statement to that effect, on a	438
form prescribed under this section and made under penalty of	439
election falsification, with the official with whom it files a	440
statement under division (A) of this section after filing a final	441
statement of contributions and a final statement of expenditures,	442
if contributions have been received or expenditures made since the	443
period reflected in its last previously filed statement.	444

(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(7) of this	445
section, each statement required by division (A) of this section	446
shall contain the following information:	447

(1) The full name and address of each campaign committee,	448
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political	449
party, or political contributing entity, including any treasurer	450
of the committee, fund, party, or entity, filing a contribution	451
and expenditure statement;	452

(2)(a) In the case of a campaign committee, the candidate's	453
full name and address;	454

(b) In the case of a political action committee, the	455
registration number assigned to the committee under division	456
(D)(1) of this section.	457

(3) The date of the election and whether it was or will be a	458
general, primary, or special election;	459

(4) A statement of contributions received, which shall	460
include the following information:	461

(a) The month, day, and year of the contribution;

462

(b)(i) The full name and address of each person, political	463
party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political	464
action committee, or political contributing entity from whom	465
contributions are received and the registration number assigned to	466
the political action committee under division (D)(1) of this	467
section. The requirement of filing the full address does not apply	468
to any statement filed by a state or local committee of a	469
political party, to a finance committee of such committee, or to a	470
committee recognized by a state or local committee as its	471
fund-raising auxiliary. Notwithstanding division (F) of this	472
section, the requirement of filing the full address shall be	473
considered as being met if the address filed is the same address	474
the contributor provided under division (E)(1) of this section.	475

(ii) If a political action committee, political contributing	476
entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party that is	477
required to file campaign finance statements by electronic means	478
of transmission under section 3517.106 of the Revised Code or a	479
campaign committee of a statewide candidate or candidate for the	480
office of member of the general assembly receives a contribution	481
from an individual that exceeds one hundred dollars, the name of	482
the individual's current employer, if any, or, if the individual	483
is self-employed, the individual's occupation and the name of the	484
individual's business, if any;	485

(iii) If a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or	486
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly	487
receives a contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031	488
of the Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and	489
salaries of two or more employees that exceeds in the aggregate	490
one hundred dollars during any one filing period under division	491
(A)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section, the full name of the	492
employees' employer and the full name of the labor organization of	493
which the employees are members, if any.	494

(c) A description of the contribution received, if other than	495
money;	496

(d) The value in dollars and cents of the contribution;

497

(e) A separately itemized account of all contributions and	498
expenditures regardless of the amount, except a receipt of a	499
contribution from a person in the sum of twenty-five dollars or	500
less at one social or fund-raising activity and a receipt of a	501
contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031 of the	502
Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and salaries of	503
employees if the contribution from the amount deducted from the	504
wages and salary of any one employee is twenty-five dollars or	505
less aggregated in a calendar year. An account of the total	506
contributions from each social or fund-raising activity shall	507
include a description of and the value of each in-kind	508
contribution received at that activity from any person who made	509
one or more such contributions whose aggregate value exceeded two	510
hundred fifty dollars and shall be listed separately, together	511
with the expenses incurred and paid in connection with that	512
activity. A campaign committee, political action committee,	513
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political	514
contributing entity shall keep records of contributions from each	515
person in the amount of twenty-five dollars or less at one social	516
or fund-raising activity and contributions from amounts deducted	517
under section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from the wages and	518
salary of each employee in the amount of twenty-five dollars or	519
less aggregated in a calendar year. No continuing association that	520
is recognized by a state or local committee of a political party	521
as an auxiliary of the party and that makes a contribution from	522
funds derived solely from regular dues paid by members of the	523
auxiliary shall be required to list the name or address of any	524
members who paid those dues.	525

Contributions that are other income shall be itemized	526
separately from all other contributions. The information required	527
under division (B)(4) of this section shall be provided for all	528
other income itemized. As used in this paragraph, "other income"	529
means a loan, investment income, or interest income.	530

(f) In the case of a campaign committee of a state elected	531
officer, if a person doing business with the state elected officer	532
in the officer's official capacity makes a contribution to the	533
campaign committee of that officer, the information required under	534
division (B)(4) of this section in regard to that contribution,	535
which shall be filed together with and considered a part of the	536
committee's statement of contributions as required under division	537
(A) of this section but shall be filed on a separate form provided	538
by the secretary of state. As used in this division:	539

(i) "State elected officer" has the same meaning as in	540
section 3517.092 of the Revised Code.	541

(ii) "Person doing business" means a person or an officer of	542
an entity who enters into one or more contracts with a state	543
elected officer or anyone authorized to enter into contracts on	544
behalf of that officer to receive payments for goods or services,	545
if the payments total, in the aggregate, more than five thousand	546
dollars during a calendar year.	547

(5) A statement of expenditures which shall include the	548
following information:	549

(a) The month, day, and year of the expenditure;

550

(b) The full name and address of each person, political	551
party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political	552
action committee, or political contributing entity to whom the	553
expenditure was made and the registration number assigned to the	554
political action committee under division (D)(1) of this section;	555

(c) The object or purpose for which the expenditure was made;

556

(d) The amount of each expenditure.

557

(C)(1) The statement of contributions and expenditures shall	558
be signed by the person completing the form. If a statement of	559
contributions and expenditures is filed by electronic means of	560
transmission pursuant to this section or section 3517.106 of the	561
Revised Code, the electronic signature of the person who executes	562
the statement and transmits the statement by electronic means of	563
transmission, as provided in division (H) of section 3517.106 of	564
the Revised Code, shall be attached to or associated with the	565
statement and shall be binding on all persons and for all purposes	566
under the campaign finance reporting law as if the signature had	567
been handwritten in ink on a printed form.	568

(2) The person filing the statement, under penalty of	569
election falsification, shall include with it a list of each	570
anonymous contribution, the circumstances under which it was	571
received, and the reason it cannot be attributed to a specific	572
donor.	573

(3) Each statement of a campaign committee of a candidate who	574
holds public office shall contain a designation of each	575
contributor who is an employee in any unit or department under the	576
candidate's direct supervision and control. In a space provided in	577
the statement, the person filing the statement shall affirm that	578
each such contribution was voluntarily made.	579

(4) A campaign committee that did not receive contributions	580
or make expenditures in connection with the nomination or election	581
of its candidate shall file a statement to that effect, on a form	582
prescribed under this section and made under penalty of election	583
falsification, on the date required in division (A)(2) of this	584
section.	585

(5) The campaign committee of any person who attempts to	586
become a candidate and who, for any reason, does not become	587
certified in accordance with Title XXXV of the Revised Code for	588
placement on the official ballot of a primary, general, or special	589
election to be held in this state, and who, at any time prior to	590
or after an election, receives contributions or makes	591
expenditures, or has given consent for another to receive	592
contributions or make expenditures, for the purpose of bringing	593
about the person's nomination or election to public office, shall	594
file the statement or statements prescribed by this section and a	595
termination statement, if applicable. Division (C)(5) of this	596
section does not apply to any person with respect to an election	597
to the offices of member of a county or state central committee,	598
presidential elector, or delegate to a national convention or	599
conference of a political party.	600

(6)(a) The statements required to be filed under this section	601
shall specify the balance in the hands of the campaign committee,	602
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political	603
party, or political contributing entity and the disposition	604
intended to be made of that balance.	605

(b) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form for all	606
statements required to be filed under this section and shall	607
furnish the forms to the boards of elections in the several	608
counties. The boards of elections shall supply printed copies of	609
those forms without charge. The secretary of state shall prescribe	610
the appropriate methodology, protocol, and data file structure for	611
statements required or permitted to be filed by electronic means	612
of transmission under division (A) of this section, divisions (E),	613
(F), and (G) of section 3517.106, division (D) of section	614
3517.1011, division (B) of section 3517.1012, and division (C) of	615
section 3517.1013, and divisions (D) and (H) of section 3517.1014	616
of the Revised Code. Subject to division (A) of this section,	617
divisions (E), (F), and (G) of section 3517.106, division (D) of	618
section 3517.1011, division (B) of section 3517.1012, and division	619
(C) of section 3517.1013, and divisions (D) and (H) of section	620
3517.1014 of the Revised Code, the statements required to be	621
stored on computer by the secretary of state under division (B) of	622
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code shall be filed in whatever	623
format the secretary of state considers necessary to enable the	624
secretary of state to store the information contained in the	625
statements on computer. Any such format shall be of a type and	626
nature that is readily available to whoever is required to file	627
the statements in that format.	628

(c) The secretary of state shall assess the need for training	629
regarding the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic	630
means of transmission and regarding associated technologies for	631
candidates, campaign committees, political action committees,	632
legislative campaign funds, political parties, or political	633
contributing entities, for individuals, partnerships, or other	634
entities, or for persons making disbursements to pay the direct	635
costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, or for	636
treasurers of transition funds, required or permitted to file	637
statements by electronic means of transmission under this section	638
or section 3517.105, 3517.106, 3517.1011, 3517.1012, or 3517.1013,	639
or 3517.1014 of the Revised Code. If, in the opinion of the	640
secretary of state, training in these areas is necessary, the	641
secretary of state shall arrange for the provision of voluntary	642
training programs for candidates, campaign committees, political	643
action committees, legislative campaign funds, political parties,	644
or political contributing entities, for individuals, partnerships,	645
and other entities, or for persons making disbursements to pay the	646
direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications,	647
or for treasurers of transition funds, as appropriate.	648

(7) Each monthly statement and each two-business-day	649
statement required by division (A) of this section shall contain	650
the information required by divisions (B)(1) to (4), (C)(2), and,	651
if appropriate, (C)(3) of this section. Each statement shall be	652
signed as required by division (C)(1) of this section.	653

(D)(1) Prior to receiving a contribution or making an	654
expenditure, every campaign committee, political action committee,	655
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political	656
contributing entity shall appoint a treasurer and shall file, on a	657
form prescribed by the secretary of state, a designation of that	658
appointment, including the full name and address of the treasurer	659
and of the campaign committee, political action committee,	660
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political	661
contributing entity. That designation shall be filed with the	662
official with whom the campaign committee, political action	663
committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or	664
political contributing entity is required to file statements under	665
section 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The name of a campaign	666
committee shall include at least the last name of the campaign	667
committee's candidate. If two or more candidates are the	668
beneficiaries of a single campaign committee under division (B) of	669
section 3517.081 of the Revised Code, the name of the campaign	670
committee shall include at least the last name of each candidate	671
who is a beneficiary of that campaign committee. The secretary of	672
state shall assign a registration number to each political action	673
committee that files a designation of the appointment of a	674
treasurer under this division if the political action committee is	675
required by division (A)(1) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code	676
to file the statements prescribed by this section with the	677
secretary of state.	678

(2) The treasurer appointed under division (D)(1) of this	679
section shall keep a strict account of all contributions, from	680
whom received and the purpose for which they were disbursed.	681

(3)(a) Except as otherwise provided in section 3517.108 of	682
the Revised Code, a campaign committee shall deposit all monetary	683
contributions received by the committee into an account separate	684
from a personal or business account of the candidate or campaign	685
committee.	686

(b) A political action committee shall deposit all monetary	687
contributions received by the committee into an account separate	688
from all other funds.	689

(c) A state or county political party may establish a state	690
candidate fund that is separate from an account that contains the	691
public moneys received from the Ohio political party fund under	692
section 3517.17 of the Revised Code and from all other funds. A	693
state or county political party may deposit into its state	694
candidate fund any amounts of monetary contributions that are made	695
to or accepted by the political party subject to the applicable	696
limitations, if any, prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised	697
Code. A state or county political party shall deposit all other	698
monetary contributions received by the party into one or more	699
accounts that are separate from its state candidate fund and from	700
its account that contains the public moneys received from the Ohio	701
political party fund under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code.	702

(d) Each state political party shall have only one	703
legislative campaign fund for each house of the general assembly.	704
Each such fund shall be separate from any other funds or accounts	705
of that state party. A legislative campaign fund is authorized to	706
receive contributions and make expenditures for the primary	707
purpose of furthering the election of candidates who are members	708
of that political party to the house of the general assembly with	709
which that legislative campaign fund is associated. Each	710
legislative campaign fund shall be administered and controlled in	711
a manner designated by the caucus. As used in this division,	712
"caucus" has the same meaning as in section 3517.01 of the Revised	713
Code and includes, as an ex officio member, the chairperson of the	714
state political party with which the caucus is associated or that	715
chairperson's designee.	716

(4) Every expenditure in excess of twenty-five dollars shall	717
be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the	718
expenditure, that shall be filed with the statement of	719
expenditures. A canceled check with a notation of the purpose of	720
the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of division	721
(D)(4) of this section.	722

(5) The secretary of state or the board of elections, as the	723
case may be, shall issue a receipt for each statement filed under	724
this section and shall preserve a copy of the receipt for a period	725
of at least six years. All statements filed under this section	726
shall be open to public inspection in the office where they are	727
filed and shall be carefully preserved for a period of at least	728
six years after the year in which they are filed.	729

(6) The secretary of state, by rule adopted pursuant to	730
section 3517.23 of the Revised Code, shall prescribe both of the	731
following:	732

(a) The manner of immediately acknowledging, with date and	733
time received, and preserving the receipt of statements that are	734
transmitted by electronic means of transmission to the secretary	735
of state pursuant to this section or section 3517.106, 3517.1011,	736
3517.1012, or 3517.1013, or 3517.1014 of the Revised Code;	737

(b) The manner of preserving the contribution and	738
expenditure, contribution and disbursement, deposit and	739
disbursement, or gift and disbursement, or donation and	740
disbursement information in the statements described in division	741
(D)(6)(a) of this section. The secretary of state shall preserve	742
the contribution and expenditure, contribution and disbursement,	743
deposit and disbursement, or gift and disbursement, or donation	744
and disbursement information in those statements for at least ten	745
years after the year in which they are filed by electronic means	746
of transmission.	747

(7) The secretary of state, pursuant to division (I) of	748
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, shall make available online	749
to the public through the internet the contribution and	750
expenditure, contribution and disbursement, deposit and	751
disbursement, or gift and disbursement, or donation and	752
disbursement information in all statements, all addenda,	753
amendments, or other corrections to statements, and all amended	754
statements filed with the secretary of state by electronic or	755
other means of transmission under this section, division (B)(2)(b)	756
or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105, or section 3517.106, 3517.1011,	757
3517.1012, 3517.1013, 3517.1014, or 3517.11 of the Revised Code.	758
The secretary of state may remove the information from the	759
internet after a reasonable period of time.	760

(E)(1) Any person, political party, campaign committee,	761
legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or	762
political contributing entity that makes a contribution in	763
connection with the nomination or election of any candidate or in	764
connection with any ballot issue or question at any election held	765
or to be held in this state shall provide its full name and	766
address to the recipient of the contribution at the time the	767
contribution is made. The political action committee also shall	768
provide the registration number assigned to the committee under	769
division (D)(1) of this section to the recipient of the	770
contribution at the time the contribution is made.	771

(2) Any individual who makes a contribution that exceeds one	772
hundred dollars to a political action committee, political	773
contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party	774
or to a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or candidate	775
for the office of member of the general assembly shall provide the	776
name of the individual's current employer, if any, or, if the	777
individual is self-employed, the individual's occupation and the	778
name of the individual's business, if any, to the recipient of the	779
contribution at the time the contribution is made. Sections	780
3599.39 and 3599.40 of the Revised Code do not apply to division	781
(E)(2) of this section.	782

(3) If a campaign committee shows that it has exercised its	783
best efforts to obtain, maintain, and submit the information	784
required under divisions (B)(4)(b)(ii) and (iii) of this section,	785
that committee is considered to have met the requirements of those	786
divisions. A campaign committee shall not be considered to have	787
exercised its best efforts unless, in connection with written	788
solicitations, it regularly includes a written request for the	789
information required under division (B)(4)(b)(ii) of this section	790
from the contributor or the information required under division	791
(B)(4)(b)(iii) of this section from whoever transmits the	792
contribution.	793

(4) Any check that a political action committee uses to make	794
a contribution or an expenditure shall contain the full name and	795
address of the committee and the registration number assigned to	796
the committee under division (D)(1) of this section.	797

(F) As used in this section:

798

(1)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (F)(1) of	799
this section, "address" means all of the following if they exist:	800
apartment number, street, road, or highway name and number, rural	801
delivery route number, city or village, state, and zip code as	802
used in a person's post-office address, but not post-office box.	803

(b) Except as otherwise provided in division (F)(1) of this	804
section, if an address is required in this section, a post-office	805
box and office, room, or suite number may be included in addition	806
to, but not in lieu of, an apartment, street, road, or highway	807
name and number.	808

(c) If an address is required in this section, a campaign	809
committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund,	810
political party, or political contributing entity may use the	811
business or residence address of its treasurer or deputy	812
treasurer. The post-office box number of the campaign committee,	813
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political	814
party, or political contributing entity may be used in addition to	815
that address.	816

(d) For the sole purpose of a campaign committee's reporting	817
of contributions on a statement of contributions received under	818
division (B)(4) of this section, "address" has one of the	819
following meanings at the option of the campaign committee:	820

(i) The same meaning as in division (F)(1)(a) of this	821
section;	822

(ii) All of the following, if they exist: the contributor's	823
post-office box number and city or village, state, and zip code as	824
used in the contributor's post-office address.	825

(e) As used with regard to the reporting under this section	826
of any expenditure, "address" means all of the following if they	827
exist: apartment number, street, road, or highway name and number,	828
rural delivery route number, city or village, state, and zip code	829
as used in a person's post-office address, or post-office box. If	830
an address concerning any expenditure is required in this section,	831
a campaign committee, political action committee, legislative	832
campaign fund, political party, or political contributing entity	833
may use the business or residence address of its treasurer or	834
deputy treasurer or its post-office box number.	835

(2) "Statewide candidate" means the joint candidates for the	836
offices of governor and lieutenant governor or a candidate for the	837
office of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of	838
state, attorney general, member of the state board of education,	839
chief justice of the supreme court, or justice of the supreme	840
court.	841

(3) "Candidate for county office" means a candidate for the	842
office of county auditor, county treasurer, clerk of the court of	843
common pleas, judge of the court of common pleas, sheriff, county	844
recorder, county engineer, county commissioner, prosecuting	845
attorney, or coroner.	846

(G) An independent expenditure shall be reported whenever and	847
in the same manner that an expenditure is required to be reported	848
under this section and shall be reported pursuant to division	849
(B)(2)(a) or (C)(2)(a) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code.	850

(H)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(2) of	851
this section, if, during the combined pre-election and	852
postelection reporting periods for an election, a campaign	853
committee has received contributions of five hundred dollars or	854
less and has made expenditures in the total amount of five hundred	855
dollars or less, it may file a statement to that effect, under	856
penalty of election falsification, in lieu of the statement	857
required by division (A)(2) of this section. The statement shall	858
indicate the total amount of contributions received and the total	859
amount of expenditures made during those combined reporting	860
periods.	861

(2) In the case of a successful candidate at a primary	862
election, if either the total contributions received by or the	863
total expenditures made by the candidate's campaign committee	864
during the preprimary, postprimary, pregeneral, and postgeneral	865
election periods combined equal more than five hundred dollars,	866
the campaign committee may file the statement under division	867
(H)(1) of this section only for the primary election. The first	868
statement that the campaign committee files in regard to the	869
general election shall reflect all contributions received and all	870
expenditures made during the preprimary and postprimary election	871
periods.	872

(3) Divisions (H)(1) and (2) of this section do not apply if	873
a campaign committee receives contributions or makes expenditures	874
prior to the first day of January of the year of the election at	875
which the candidate seeks nomination or election to office or if	876
the campaign committee does not file a termination statement with	877
its postprimary election statement in the case of an unsuccessful	878
primary election candidate or with its postgeneral election	879
statement in the case of other candidates.	880

(I) In the case of a contribution made by a partner of a	881
partnership or an owner or a member of another unincorporated	882
business from any funds of the partnership or other unincorporated	883
business, all of the following apply:	884

(1) The recipient of the contribution shall report the	885
contribution by listing both the partnership or other	886
unincorporated business and the name of the partner, owner, or	887
member making the contribution.	888

(2) In reporting the contribution, the recipient of the	889
contribution shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon the	890
information provided by the partnership or other unincorporated	891
business, provided that the information includes one of the	892
following:	893

(a) The name of each partner, owner, or member as of the date	894
of the contribution or contributions, and a statement that the	895
total contributions are to be allocated equally among all of the	896
partners, owners, or members; or	897

(b) The name of each partner, owner, or member as of the date	898
of the contribution or contributions who is participating in the	899
contribution or contributions, and a statement that the	900
contribution or contributions are to be allocated to those	901
individuals in accordance with the information provided by the	902
partnership or other unincorporated business to the recipient of	903
the contribution.	904

(3) For purposes of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, the	905
contribution shall be considered to have been made by the partner,	906
owner, or member reported under division (I)(1) of this section.	907

(4) No contribution from a partner of a partnership or an	908
owner or a member of another unincorporated business shall be	909
accepted from any funds of the partnership or other unincorporated	910
business unless the recipient reports the contribution under	911
division (I)(1) of this section together with the information	912
provided under division (I)(2) of this section.	913

(5) No partnership or other unincorporated business shall	914
make a contribution or contributions solely in the name of the	915
partnership or other unincorporated business.	916

(6) As used in division (I) of this section, "partnership or	917
other unincorporated business" includes, but is not limited to, a	918
cooperative, a sole proprietorship, a general partnership, a	919
limited partnership, a limited partnership association, a limited	920
liability partnership, and a limited liability company.	921

(J) A candidate shall have only one campaign committee at any	922
given time for all of the offices for which the person is a	923
candidate or holds office.	924

(K)(1) In addition to filing a designation of appointment of	925
a treasurer under division (D)(1) of this section, the campaign	926
committee of any candidate for an elected municipal office that	927
pays an annual amount of compensation of five thousand dollars or	928
less, the campaign committee of any candidate for member of a	929
board of education except member of the state board of education,	930
or the campaign committee of any candidate for township trustee or	931
township fiscal officer may sign, under penalty of election	932
falsification, a certificate attesting that the committee will not	933
accept contributions during an election period that exceed in the	934
aggregate two thousand dollars from all contributors and one	935
hundred dollars from any one individual, and that the campaign	936
committee will not make expenditures during an election period	937
that exceed in the aggregate two thousand dollars.	938

The certificate shall be on a form prescribed by the	939
secretary of state and shall be filed not later than ten days	940
after the candidate files a declaration of candidacy and petition,	941
a nominating petition, or a declaration of intent to be a write-in	942
candidate.	943

(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (K)(3) of this	944
section, a campaign committee that files a certificate under	945
division (K)(1) of this section is not required to file the	946
statements required by division (A) of this section.	947

(3) If, after filing a certificate under division (K)(1) of	948
this section, a campaign committee exceeds any of the limitations	949
described in that division during an election period, the	950
certificate is void and thereafter the campaign committee shall	951
file the statements required by division (A) of this section. If	952
the campaign committee has not previously filed a statement, then	953
on the first statement the campaign committee is required to file	954
under division (A) of this section after the committee's	955
certificate is void, the committee shall report all contributions	956
received and expenditures made from the time the candidate filed	957
the candidate's declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating	958
petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate.	959

(4) As used in division (K) of this section, "election	960
period" means the period of time beginning on the day a person	961
files a declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating	962
petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate	963
through the day of the election at which the person seeks	964
nomination to office if the person is not elected to office, or,	965
if the candidate was nominated in a primary election, the day of	966
the election at which the candidate seeks office.	967

(L) A political contributing entity that receives	968
contributions from the dues, membership fees, or other assessments	969
of its members or from its officers, shareholders, and employees	970
may report the aggregate amount of contributions received from	971
those contributors and the number of individuals making those	972
contributions, for each filing period under divisions (A)(1), (2),	973
(3), and (4) of this section, rather than reporting information as	974
required under division (B)(4) of this section, including, when	975
applicable, the name of the current employer, if any, of a	976
contributor whose contribution exceeds one hundred dollars or, if	977
such a contributor is self-employed, the contributor's occupation	978
and the name of the contributor's business, if any. Division	979
(B)(4) of this section applies to a political contributing entity	980
with regard to contributions it receives from all other	981
contributors.	982

Sec. 3517.106.  (A) As used in this section:

983

(1) "Statewide office" means any of the offices of governor,	984
lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of state,	985
treasurer of state, attorney general, chief justice of the supreme	986
court, and justice of the supreme court.	987

(2) "Addendum to a statement" includes an amendment or other	988
correction to that statement.	989

(B)(1) The secretary of state shall store on computer the	990
information contained in statements of contributions and	991
expenditures and monthly statements required to be filed under	992
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and in statements of	993
independent expenditures required to be filed under section	994
3517.105 of the Revised Code by any of the following:	995

(a) The campaign committees of candidates for statewide	996
office;	997

(b) The political action committees and political	998
contributing entities described in division (A)(1) of section	999
3517.11 of the Revised Code;	1000

(c) Legislative campaign funds;

1001

(d) State political parties;

1002

(e) Individuals, partnerships, corporations, labor	1003
organizations, or other entities that make independent	1004
expenditures in support of or opposition to a statewide candidate	1005
or a statewide ballot issue or question;	1006

(f) The campaign committees of candidates for the office of	1007
member of the general assembly;	1008

(g) County political parties, with respect to their state	1009
candidate funds.	1010

(2) The secretary of state shall store on computer the	1011
information contained in disclosure of electioneering	1012
communications statements required to be filed under section	1013
3517.1011 of the Revised Code.	1014

(3) The secretary of state shall store on computer the	1015
information contained in deposit and disbursement statements	1016
required to be filed with the office of the secretary of state	1017
under section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code.	1018

(4) The secretary of state shall store on computer the gift	1019
and disbursement information contained in statements required to	1020
be filed with the office of the secretary of state under section	1021
3517.1013 of the Revised Code.	1022

(5) The secretary of state shall store on computer the	1023
information contained in donation and disbursement statements	1024
required to be filed with the office of the secretary of state	1025
under section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code.	1026

(C)(1) The secretary of state shall make available to the	1027
campaign committees, political action committees, political	1028
contributing entities, legislative campaign funds, political	1029
parties, individuals, partnerships, corporations, labor	1030
organizations, treasurers of transition funds, and other entities	1031
described in division (B) of this section, and to members of the	1032
news media and other interested persons, for a reasonable fee,	1033
computer programs that are compatible with the secretary of	1034
state's method of storing the information contained in the	1035
statements.	1036

(2) The secretary of state shall make the information	1037
required to be stored under division (B) of this section available	1038
on computer at the secretary of state's office so that, to the	1039
maximum extent feasible, individuals may obtain at the secretary	1040
of state's office any part or all of that information for any	1041
given year, subject to the limitation expressed in division (D) of	1042
this section.	1043

(D) The secretary of state shall keep the information stored	1044
on computer under division (B) of this section for at least six	1045
years.	1046

(E)(1) Subject to division (L) of this section and subject to	1047
the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified	1048
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state	1049
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and	1050
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised	1051
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic	1052
means of transmission, the campaign committee of each candidate	1053
for statewide office may file the statements prescribed by section	1054
3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of transmission	1055
or, if the total amount of the contributions received or the total	1056
amount of the expenditures made by the campaign committee for the	1057
applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of	1058
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars,	1059
shall file those statements by electronic means of transmission.	1060

Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five	1061
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a	1062
candidate for statewide office is received by the secretary of	1063
state by electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary	1064
of state shall make available online to the public through the	1065
internet, as provided in division (I) of this section, the	1066
contribution and expenditure information in that statement. The	1067
secretary of state shall not make available online to the public	1068
through the internet any contribution or expenditure information	1069
contained in a statement for any candidate until the secretary of	1070
state is able to make available online to the public through the	1071
internet the contribution and expenditure information for all	1072
candidates for a particular office, or until the applicable filing	1073
deadline for that statement has passed, whichever is sooner. As	1074
soon as the secretary of state has available all of the	1075
contribution and expenditure information for all candidates for a	1076
particular office, or as soon as the applicable filing deadline	1077
for a statement has passed, whichever is sooner, the secretary of	1078
state shall simultaneously make available online to the public	1079
through the internet the information for all candidates for that	1080
office.	1081

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	1082
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	1083
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	1084
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the campaign	1085
committee shall file by electronic means of transmission any	1086
addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary	1087
to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the	1088
secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.	1089

Within five business days after the secretary of state	1090
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for statewide	1091
office an addendum to the statement or an amended statement by	1092
electronic or other means of transmission under this division or	1093
division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the	1094
secretary of state shall make the contribution and expenditure	1095
information in the addendum or amended statement available online	1096
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of	1097
this section.	1098

(2) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,	1099
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the	1100
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this	1101
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of	1102
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by	1103
electronic means of transmission, a political action committee and	1104
a political contributing entity described in division (B)(1)(b) of	1105
this section, a legislative campaign fund, and a state political	1106
party may file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the	1107
Revised Code by electronic means of transmission or, if the total	1108
amount of the contributions received or the total amount of the	1109
expenditures made by the political action committee, political	1110
contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or state political	1111
party for the applicable reporting period as specified in division	1112
(A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand	1113
dollars, shall file those statements by electronic means of	1114
transmission.	1115

Within five business days after a statement filed by a	1116
political action committee or a political contributing entity	1117
described in division (B)(1)(b) of this section, a legislative	1118
campaign fund, or a state political party is received by the	1119
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,	1120
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public	1121
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,	1122
the contribution and expenditure information in that statement.	1123

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	1124
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	1125
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	1126
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the political	1127
action committee, political contributing entity, legislative	1128
campaign fund, or state political party shall file by electronic	1129
means of transmission any addendum to the statement that provides	1130
the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or,	1131
if required by the secretary of state under that division, an	1132
amended statement.	1133

Within five business days after the secretary of state	1134
receives from a political action committee or a political	1135
contributing entity described in division (B)(1)(b) of this	1136
section, a legislative campaign fund, or a state political party	1137
an addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic	1138
or other means of transmission under this division or division	1139
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of	1140
state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in	1141
the addendum or amended statement available online to the public	1142
through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.	1143

(3) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,	1144
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the	1145
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this	1146
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of	1147
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by	1148
electronic means of transmission, a county political party shall	1149
file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised	1150
Code with respect to its state candidate fund by electronic means	1151
of transmission to the office of the secretary of state.	1152

Within five business days after a statement filed by a county	1153
political party with respect to its state candidate fund is	1154
received by the secretary of state by electronic means of	1155
transmission, the secretary of state shall make available online	1156
to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) of	1157
this section, the contribution and expenditure information in that	1158
statement.	1159

If a statement is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after	1160
the examination of the statement for completeness and accuracy	1161
pursuant to division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised	1162
Code, a county political party shall file by electronic means of	1163
transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the	1164
information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if	1165
required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended	1166
statement.	1167

Within five business days after the secretary of state	1168
receives from a county political party an addendum to the	1169
statement or an amended statement by electronic means of	1170
transmission under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section	1171
3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the	1172
contribution and expenditure information in the addendum or	1173
amended statement available online to the public through the	1174
internet as provided in division (I) of this section.	1175

(F)(1) Subject to division (L) of this section and subject to	1176
the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified	1177
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state	1178
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and	1179
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised	1180
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic	1181
means of transmission, a campaign committee of a candidate for the	1182
office of member of the general assembly or a campaign committee	1183
of a candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals may	1184
file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised	1185
Code in accordance with division (A)(2) of section 3517.11 of the	1186
Revised Code or by electronic means of transmission to the office	1187
of the secretary of state or, if the total amount of the	1188
contributions received by the campaign committee for the	1189
applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of	1190
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars,	1191
shall file those statements by electronic means of transmission to	1192
the office of the secretary of state.	1193

Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five	1194
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a	1195
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or a	1196
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a	1197
court of appeals is received by the secretary of state by	1198
electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary of state	1199
shall make available online to the public through the internet, as	1200
provided in division (I) of this section, the contribution and	1201
expenditure information in that statement. The secretary of state	1202
shall not make available online to the public through the internet	1203
any contribution or expenditure information contained in a	1204
statement for any candidate until the secretary of state is able	1205
to make available online to the public through the internet the	1206
contribution and expenditure information for all candidates for a	1207
particular office, or until the applicable filing deadline for	1208
that statement has passed, whichever is sooner. As soon as the	1209
secretary of state has available all of the contribution and	1210
expenditure information for all candidates for a particular	1211
office, or as soon as the applicable filing deadline for a	1212
statement has passed, whichever is sooner, the secretary of state	1213
shall simultaneously make available online to the public through	1214
the internet the information for all candidates for that office.	1215

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	1216
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	1217
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	1218
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the campaign	1219
committee shall file by electronic means of transmission to the	1220
office of the secretary of state any addendum to the statement	1221
that provides the information necessary to complete or correct the	1222
statement or, if required by the secretary of state under that	1223
division, an amended statement.	1224

Within five business days after the secretary of state	1225
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for the office	1226
of member of the general assembly or a campaign committee of a	1227
candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals an	1228
addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic or	1229
other means of transmission under this division or division	1230
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of	1231
state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in	1232
the addendum or amended statement available online to the public	1233
through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.	1234

(2) If a statement, addendum, or amended statement is not	1235
filed by electronic means of transmission to the office of the	1236
secretary of state but is filed by printed version only under	1237
division (A)(2) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code with the	1238
appropriate board of elections, the campaign committee of a	1239
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or a	1240
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of judge of a	1241
court of appeals shall file two copies of the printed version of	1242
the statement, addendum, or amended statement with the board of	1243
elections. The board of elections shall send one of those copies	1244
by certified mail to the secretary of state before the close of	1245
business on the day the board of elections receives the statement,	1246
addendum, or amended statement.	1247

(G) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,	1248
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the	1249
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this	1250
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of	1251
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by	1252
electronic means of transmission, any individual, partnership, or	1253
other entity that makes independent expenditures in support of or	1254
opposition to a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot issue or	1255
question as provided in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section	1256
3517.105 of the Revised Code may file the statement specified in	1257
that division by electronic means of transmission or, if the total	1258
amount of independent expenditures made during the reporting	1259
period under that division exceeds ten thousand dollars, shall	1260
file the statement specified in that division by electronic means	1261
of transmission.	1262

Within five business days after a statement filed by an	1263
individual, partnership, or other entity is received by the	1264
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,	1265
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public	1266
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,	1267
the expenditure information in that statement.	1268

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	1269
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	1270
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	1271
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the individual,	1272
partnership, or other entity shall file by electronic means of	1273
transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the	1274
information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if	1275
required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended	1276
statement.	1277

Within five business days after the secretary of state	1278
receives from an individual, partnership, or other entity	1279
described in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105	1280
of the Revised Code an addendum to the statement or an amended	1281
statement by electronic or other means of transmission under this	1282
division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised	1283
Code, the secretary of state shall make the expenditure	1284
information in the addendum or amended statement available online	1285
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of	1286
this section.	1287

(H)(1) The secretary of state, by rule adopted pursuant to	1288
section 3517.23 of the Revised Code, shall prescribe one or more	1289
techniques by which a person who executes and transmits by	1290
electronic means a statement of contributions and expenditures, a	1291
statement of independent expenditures, a disclosure of	1292
electioneering communications statement, a deposit and	1293
disbursement statement, or a gift and disbursement statement, or a	1294
donation and disbursement statement, an addendum to any of those	1295
statements, an amended statement of contributions and	1296
expenditures, an amended statement of independent expenditures,	1297
an amended disclosure of electioneering communications statement,	1298
an amended deposit and disbursement statement, or an amended gift	1299
and disbursement statement, or an amended donation and	1300
disbursement statement, under this section or section 3517.10,	1301
3517.105, 3517.1011, 3517.1012, or 3517.1013, or 3517.1014 of the	1302
Revised Code shall electronically sign the statement, addendum,	1303
or amended statement. Any technique prescribed by the secretary	1304
of state pursuant to this division shall create an electronic	1305
signature that satisfies all of the following:	1306

(a) It is unique to the signer.

1307

(b) It objectively identifies the signer.

1308

(c) It involves the use of a signature device or other means	1309
or method that is under the sole control of the signer and that	1310
cannot be readily duplicated or compromised.	1311

(d) It is created and linked to the electronic record to	1312
which it relates in a manner that, if the record or signature is	1313
intentionally or unintentionally changed after signing, the	1314
electronic signature is invalidated.	1315

(2) An electronic signature prescribed by the secretary of	1316
state under division (H)(1) of this section shall be attached to	1317
or associated with the statement of contributions and	1318
expenditures, the statement of independent expenditures, the	1319
disclosure of electioneering communications statement, the deposit	1320
and disbursement statement, or the gift and disbursement	1321
statement, or the donation and disbursement statement, the	1322
addendum to any of those statements, the amended statement of	1323
contributions and expenditures, the amended statement of	1324
independent expenditures, the amended disclosure of	1325
electioneering communications statement, the amended deposit and	1326
disbursement statement, or the amended gift and disbursement	1327
statement, or the amended donation and disbursement statement that	1328
is executed and transmitted by electronic means by the person to	1329
whom the electronic signature is attributed. The electronic	1330
signature that is attached to or associated with the statement,	1331
addendum, or amended statement under this division shall be	1332
binding on all persons and for all purposes under the campaign	1333
finance reporting law as if the signature had been handwritten in	1334
ink on a printed form.	1335

(I) The secretary of state shall make the contribution and	1336
expenditure, the contribution and disbursement, the deposit and	1337
disbursement, or the gift and disbursement, or the donation and	1338
disbursement information in all statements, all addenda to the	1339
statements, and all amended statements that are filed with the	1340
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission	1341
under this section or section 3517.10, 3517.105, 3517.1011,	1342
3517.1012, 3517.1013, 3517.1014, or 3517.11 of the Revised Code	1343
available online to the public by any means that are searchable,	1344
viewable, and accessible through the internet.	1345

(J)(1) As used in this division, "library" means a library	1346
that is open to the public and that is one of the following:	1347

(a) A library that is maintained and regulated under section	1348
715.13 of the Revised Code;	1349

(b) A library that is created, maintained, and regulated	1350
under Chapter 3375. of the Revised Code.	1351

(2) The secretary of state shall notify all libraries of the	1352
location on the internet at which the contribution and	1353
expenditure, contribution and disbursement, deposit and	1354
disbursement, or gift and disbursement, or donation and	1355
disbursement information in campaign finance statements required	1356
to be made available online to the public through the internet	1357
pursuant to division (I) of this section may be accessed.	1358

If that location is part of the world wide web and if the	1359
secretary of state has notified a library of that world wide web	1360
location as required by this division, the library shall include a	1361
link to that world wide web location on each internet-connected	1362
computer it maintains that is accessible to the public.	1363

(3) If the system the secretary of state prescribes for the	1364
filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of	1365
transmission pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and	1366
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised	1367
Code includes filing those statements through the internet via the	1368
world wide web, the secretary of state shall notify all libraries	1369
of the world wide web location at which those statements may be	1370
filed.	1371

If those statements may be filed through the internet via the	1372
world wide web and if the secretary of state has notified a	1373
library of that world wide web location as required by this	1374
division, the library shall include a link to that world wide web	1375
location on each internet-connected computer it maintains that is	1376
accessible to the public.	1377

(K) It is an affirmative defense to a complaint or charge	1378
brought against any campaign committee, political action	1379
committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign	1380
fund, or political party, any individual, partnership, or other	1381
entity, or any person making disbursements to pay the direct costs	1382
of producing or airing electioneering communications, or any	1383
treasurer of a transition fund, for the failure to file by	1384
electronic means of transmission a campaign finance statement as	1385
required by this section or section 3517.10, 3517.105, 3517.1011,	1386
3517.1012, or 3517.1013, or 3517.1014 of the Revised Code that	1387
all of the following apply to the campaign committee, political	1388
action committee, political contributing entity, legislative	1389
campaign fund, or political party, the individual, partnership,	1390
or other entity, or the person making disbursements to pay the	1391
direct costs of producing or airing electioneering	1392
communications, or the treasurer of a transition fund that failed	1393
to so file:	1394

(1) The campaign committee, political action committee,	1395
political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or	1396
political party, the individual, partnership, or other entity, or	1397
the person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of	1398
producing or airing electioneering communications, or the	1399
treasurer of a transition fund attempted to file by electronic	1400
means of transmission the required statement prior to the deadline	1401
set forth in the applicable section.	1402

(2) The campaign committee, political action committee,	1403
political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or	1404
political party, the individual, partnership, or other entity, or	1405
the person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of	1406
producing or airing electioneering communications, or the	1407
treasurer of a transition fund was unable to file by electronic	1408
means of transmission due to an expected or unexpected shutdown of	1409
the whole or part of the electronic campaign finance	1410
statement-filing system, such as for maintenance or because of	1411
hardware, software, or network connection failure.	1412

(3) The campaign committee, political action committee,	1413
political contributing entity, legislative campaign fund, or	1414
political party, the individual, partnership, or other entity, or	1415
the person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of	1416
producing or airing electioneering communications, or the	1417
treasurer of a transition fund filed by electronic means of	1418
transmission the required statement within a reasonable period of	1419
time after being unable to so file it under the circumstance	1420
described in division (K)(2) of this section.	1421

(L)(1) The secretary of state shall adopt rules pursuant to	1422
Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to permit a campaign committee of	1423
a candidate for statewide office that makes expenditures of less	1424
than twenty-five thousand dollars during the filing period or a	1425
campaign committee for the office of member of the general	1426
assembly or the office of judge of a court of appeals that would	1427
otherwise be required to file campaign finance statements by	1428
electronic means of transmission under division (E) or (F) of this	1429
section to file those statements by paper with the office of the	1430
secretary of state. Those rules shall provide for all of the	1431
following:	1432

(a) An eligible campaign committee that wishes to file a	1433
campaign finance statement by paper instead of by electronic means	1434
of transmission shall file the statement on paper with the office	1435
of the secretary of state not sooner than twenty-four hours after	1436
the end of the filing period set forth in section 3517.10 of the	1437
Revised Code that is covered by the applicable statement.	1438

(b) The statement shall be accompanied by a fee, the amount	1439
of which the secretary of state shall determine by rule. The	1440
amount of the fee established under this division shall not exceed	1441
the data entry and data verification costs the secretary of state	1442
will incur to convert the information on the statement to an	1443
electronic format as required under division (I) of this section.	1444

(c) The secretary of state shall arrange for the information	1445
in campaign finance statements filed pursuant to division (L) of	1446
this section to be made available online to the public through the	1447
internet in the same manner, and at the same times, as information	1448
is made available under divisions (E), (F), and (I) of this	1449
section for candidates whose campaign committees file those	1450
statements by electronic means of transmission.	1451

(d) The candidate of an eligible campaign committee that	1452
intends to file a campaign finance statement pursuant to division	1453
(L) of this section shall file a notice indicating that the	1454
candidate's campaign committee intends to so file and stating that	1455
filing the statement by electronic means of transmission would	1456
constitute a hardship for the candidate or for the eligible	1457
campaign committee.	1458

(e) An eligible campaign committee that files a campaign	1459
finance statement on paper pursuant to division (L) of this	1460
section shall review the contribution and information made	1461
available online by the secretary of state with respect to that	1462
paper filing and shall notify the secretary of state of any errors	1463
with respect to that filing that appear in the data made available	1464
on that web site.	1465

(f) If an eligible campaign committee whose candidate has	1466
filed a notice in accordance with rules adopted under division	1467
(L)(1)(d) of this section subsequently fails to file that	1468
statement on paper by the applicable deadline established in rules	1469
adopted under division (L)(1)(a) of this section, penalties for	1470
the late filing of the campaign finance statement shall apply to	1471
that campaign committee for each day after that paper filing	1472
deadline, as if the campaign committee had filed the statement	1473
after the applicable deadline set forth in division (A) of section	1474
3517.10 of the Revised Code.	1475

(2) The process for permitting campaign committees that would	1476
otherwise be required to file campaign finance statements by	1477
electronic means of transmission to file those statements on paper	1478
with the office of the secretary of state that is required to be	1479
developed under division (L)(1) of this section shall be in effect	1480
and available for use by eligible campaign committees for all	1481
campaign finance statements that are required to be filed on or	1482
after June 30, 2005. Notwithstanding any provision of the Revised	1483
Code to the contrary, if the process the secretary of state is	1484
required to develop under division (L)(1) of this section is not	1485
in effect and available for use on and after June 30, 2005, all	1486
penalties for the failure of campaign committees to file campaign	1487
finance statements by electronic means of transmission shall be	1488
suspended until such time as that process is in effect and	1489
available for use.	1490

(3) Notwithstanding any provision of the Revised Code to the	1491
contrary, any eligible campaign committee that files campaign	1492
finance statements on paper with the office of the secretary of	1493
state pursuant to division (L)(1) of this section shall be deemed	1494
to have filed those campaign finance statements by electronic	1495
means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state.	1496

Sec. 3517.1014. (A) As used in this section:

1497

(1) "Donation" means a gift, subscription, loan, advance, or	1498
deposit of money, or anything of value that is specifically	1499
designated and used to defray any costs incurred for transition	1500
activities and inaugural celebrations and that is not used for the	1501
purpose of directly influencing the election of any candidate for	1502
any office.	1503

(2) "Costs incurred for transition activities and inaugural	1504
celebrations" means legitimate and verifiable costs that are	1505
incurred for ordinary and necessary activities associated with	1506
either of the following:	1507

(a) The transfer of power or authority from one state	1508
officeholder to another following a general or special election or	1509
appointment to office;	1510

(b) Ceremonies, events, or activities commemorating the	1511
commencement of a term or the commencement of an unexpired term of	1512
a state officeholder.	1513

"Costs incurred for transition activities and inaugural	1514
celebrations" includes, but is not limited to, costs incurred for	1515
office expenses; salaries for transition personnel; consulting	1516
fees; and food, beverages, entertainment, and incidental gifts at	1517
an inaugural celebration.	1518

(3) "State officeholder" means a person who has been elected	1519
or appointed to a statewide office.	1520

(4) "Statewide office" means the joint offices of governor	1521
and lieutenant governor or the office of secretary of state,	1522
auditor of state, treasurer of state, or attorney general.	1523

(B)(1) A state officeholder may establish a transition fund	1524
to receive donations and to pay costs incurred for transition	1525
activities and inaugural celebrations. The state officeholder	1526
shall file a statement with the secretary of state establishing	1527
the fund and designating a treasurer for the fund. The secretary	1528
of state shall specify, by rule, the form of the statement.	1529

(2) A state officeholder may establish a transition fund:

1530

(a) After the unofficial results of the election at which the	1531
person seeks election to statewide office have been announced, if	1532
the number of ballots outstanding for that election are	1533
insufficient to change the unofficial election results;	1534

(b) After the canvass of the election returns has been	1535
completed for the election at which the person seeks election to	1536
statewide office, if the number of ballots outstanding for that	1537
election after the unofficial results of the election were	1538
announced were sufficient to potentially change the unofficial	1539
election results;	1540

(c) After the person has been appointed to fill a vacancy in	1541
an unexpired term of a statewide office.	1542

(C)(1) Any person, including a for-profit corporation, may	1543
make a donation to a transition fund.	1544

(2) No state officeholder shall accept a donation unless both	1545
of the following apply:	1546

(a) The state officeholder has established a transition fund	1547
under division (B) of this section; and	1548

(b) The donation is deposited to the credit of that fund.

1549

(D)(1) The treasurer of a transition fund shall keep a strict	1550
account of all donations to the fund and all disbursements from	1551
the fund.	1552

(2) The treasurer of a transition fund shall file, by	1553
electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of	1554
state, a full, true, and itemized statement describing each	1555
donation received and each disbursement made from the fund not	1556
later than seven days after the donation was received or the	1557
disbursement was made.	1558

(3) Each statement required under division (D)(2) of this	1559
section shall contain the following information:	1560

(a) The full name and address of the treasurer filing the	1561
statement and the full name and address of the state officeholder	1562
who is the beneficiary of the transition fund;	1563

(b) If the statement is reporting a donation to the	1564
transition fund, a description of the donation received, which	1565
shall include all of the following:	1566

(i) The month, day, and year on which the donation was	1567
received;	1568

(ii) The full name and address of each donor;

1569

(iii) The nature of the donation, if other than money;

1570

(iv) The value of the donation in dollars and cents.

1571

(c) If the statement is reporting a disbursement from the	1572
transition fund, a description of the disbursement, which shall	1573
include all of the following:	1574

(i) The name and address of the recipient of the	1575
disbursement;	1576

(ii) The date of the disbursement;

1577

(iii) The amount of the disbursement;

1578

(iv) The purpose for which the disbursement was made.

1579

(E)(1) No treasurer of a transition fund shall knowingly fail	1580
to file a statement required to be filed under this section.	1581

(2) No treasurer of a transition fund shall knowingly fail to	1582
report, or shall knowingly misrepresent, a donation required to be	1583
reported on a statement required to be filed under this section.	1584

(3) No treasurer of a transition fund shall knowingly fail to	1585
report, or shall knowingly misrepresent, a disbursement required	1586
to be reported on a statement required to be filed under this	1587
section.	1588

(F) Upon request, the secretary of state shall issue a	1589
receipt for each statement filed under this section. The secretary	1590
of state shall maintain a record of the filing for at least ten	1591
years. All statements filed under this section shall be open to	1592
public inspection in the office in which they are filed.	1593

(G)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(1) of	1594
this section, no treasurer of a transition fund shall make a	1595
disbursement from the fund for a purpose other than to pay costs	1596
incurred for transition activities and inaugural celebrations.	1597

(2) No treasurer of a transition fund shall make a	1598
disbursement from the fund to make a contribution to a campaign	1599
committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund,	1600
political party, or political contributing entity.	1601

(3) No treasurer of a transition fund shall make a	1602
disbursement from the fund to reimburse any personal expenses of	1603
the beneficiary of the transition fund, except to reimburse the	1604
beneficiary of the transition fund for costs incurred for	1605
transition activities and inaugural celebrations.	1606

(H)(1) After the payment of all costs incurred for transition	1607
activities and inaugural celebrations, the treasurer of the	1608
transition fund shall dispose of any assets remaining in the	1609
transition fund prior to the sixtieth day after the day the state	1610
officeholder takes office by doing any of the following:	1611

(a) Giving the amount to the treasurer of state for deposit	1612
into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio elections	1613
commission fund created by division (I) of section 3517.152 of the	1614
Revised Code;	1615

(b) Giving the amount to individuals who made donations to	1616
that transition fund as a refund of all or part of their	1617
donations;	1618

(c) Giving the amount to a corporation that is exempt from	1619
federal income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in	1620
subsection 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.	1621

(2) Not later than sixty-seven days after the day the state	1622
officeholder takes office, the treasurer of the transition fund	1623
shall file a final statement of donations and disbursements under	1624
division (D) of this section describing the disbursements made	1625
under division (H)(1) of this section. Upon the filing of that	1626
statement, the transition fund shall cease to exist.	1627

Sec. 3517.11.  (A)(1) Campaign committees of candidates for	1628
statewide office or the state board of education, political action	1629
committees or political contributing entities that make	1630
contributions to campaign committees of candidates that are	1631
required to file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of	1632
the Revised Code with the secretary of state, political action	1633
committees or political contributing entities that make	1634
contributions to campaign committees of candidates for member of	1635
the general assembly, political action committees or political	1636
contributing entities that make contributions to state and	1637
national political parties and to legislative campaign funds,	1638
political action committees or political contributing entities	1639
that receive contributions or make expenditures in connection with	1640
a statewide ballot issue, political action committees or political	1641
contributing entities that make contributions to other political	1642
action committees or political contributing entities, political	1643
parties, and campaign committees, except as set forth in division	1644
(A)(3) of this section, legislative campaign funds, and state and	1645
national political parties shall file the statements prescribed by	1646
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the secretary of state.	1647

(2)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (F) of	1648
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, campaign committees of	1649
candidates for all other offices shall file the statements	1650
prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the board	1651
of elections where their candidates are required to file their	1652
petitions or other papers for nomination or election.	1653

(b) A campaign committee of a candidate for office of member	1654
of the general assembly or a campaign committee of a candidate for	1655
the office of judge of a court of appeals shall file two copies of	1656
the printed version of any statement, addendum, or amended	1657
statement if the committee does not file pursuant to division	1658
(F)(1) or (L) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code but files by	1659
printed version only with the appropriate board of elections. The	1660
board of elections shall send one of those copies by certified	1661
mail to the secretary of state before the close of business on	1662
the day the board of elections receives the statement, addendum,	1663
or amended statement.	1664

(3) Political action committees or political contributing	1665
entities that only contribute to a county political party,	1666
contribute to campaign committees of candidates whose nomination	1667
or election is to be submitted only to electors within a county,	1668
subdivision, or district, excluding candidates for member of the	1669
general assembly, and receive contributions or make expenditures	1670
in connection with ballot questions or issues to be submitted only	1671
to electors within a county, subdivision, or district shall file	1672
the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code	1673
with the board of elections in that county or in the county	1674
contained in whole or part within the subdivision or district	1675
having a population greater than that of any other county	1676
contained in whole or part within that subdivision or district, as	1677
the case may be.	1678

(4) Except as otherwise provided in division (E)(3) of	1679
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code with respect to state	1680
candidate funds, county political parties shall file the	1681
statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with	1682
the board of elections of their respective counties.	1683

(B)(1) The official with whom petitions and other papers for	1684
nomination or election to public office are filed shall furnish	1685
each candidate at the time of that filing a copy of sections	1686
3517.01, 3517.08 to 3517.11, 3517.13 to 3517.993, 3599.03, and	1687
3599.031 of the Revised Code and any other materials that the	1688
secretary of state may require. Each candidate receiving the	1689
materials shall acknowledge their receipt in writing.	1690

(2) On or before the tenth day before the dates on which	1691
statements are required to be filed by section 3517.10 of the	1692
Revised Code, every candidate subject to the provisions of this	1693
section and sections 3517.10 and 3517.106 of the Revised Code	1694
shall be notified of the requirements and applicable penalties of	1695
those sections. The secretary of state, by certified mail, return	1696
receipt requested, shall notify all candidates required to file	1697
those statements with the secretary of state's office. The board	1698
of elections of every county shall notify by first class mail any	1699
candidate who has personally appeared at the office of the board	1700
on or before the tenth day before the statements are required to	1701
be filed and signed a form, to be provided by the secretary of	1702
state, attesting that the candidate has been notified of the	1703
candidate's obligations under the campaign finance law. The board	1704
shall forward the completed form to the secretary of state. The	1705
board shall use certified mail, return receipt requested, to	1706
notify all other candidates required to file those statements with	1707
it.	1708

(3)(a) Any statement required to be filed under sections	1709
3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code that is found to be	1710
incomplete or inaccurate by the officer to whom it is submitted	1711
shall be accepted on a conditional basis, and the person who filed	1712
it shall be notified by certified mail as to the incomplete or	1713
inaccurate nature of the statement. The secretary of state may	1714
examine statements filed for candidates for the office of member	1715
of the general assembly and candidates for the office of judge of	1716
a court of appeals for completeness and accuracy. The secretary of	1717
state shall examine for completeness and accuracy statements that	1718
campaign committees of candidates for the office of member of the	1719
general assembly and campaign committees of candidates for the	1720
office of judge of a court of appeals file pursuant to division	1721
(F) or (L) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code. If an officer	1722
at the board of elections where a statement filed for a candidate	1723
for the office of member of the general assembly or for a	1724
candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals was	1725
submitted finds the statement to be incomplete or inaccurate, the	1726
officer shall immediately notify the secretary of state of its	1727
incomplete or inaccurate nature. If either an officer at the board	1728
of elections or the secretary of state finds a statement filed for	1729
a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly or	1730
for a candidate for the office of judge of a court of appeals to	1731
be incomplete or inaccurate, only the secretary of state shall	1732
send the notification as to the incomplete or inaccurate nature of	1733
the statement.	1734

Within twenty-one days after receipt of the notice, in the	1735
case of a pre-election statement, a postelection statement, a	1736
monthly statement, an annual statement, or a semiannual statement	1737
prescribed by section 3517.10, an annual statement prescribed by	1738
section 3517.101, or a statement prescribed by division (B)(2)(b)	1739
or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105 or section 3517.107 of the	1740
Revised Code, the recipient shall file an addendum, amendment, or	1741
other correction to the statement providing the information	1742
necessary to complete or correct the statement. The secretary of	1743
state may require that, in lieu of filing an addendum, amendment,	1744
or other correction to a statement that is filed by electronic	1745
means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state	1746
pursuant to section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, the recipient of	1747
the notice described in this division file by electronic means of	1748
transmission an amended statement that incorporates the	1749
information necessary to complete or correct the statement.	1750

The secretary of state shall determine by rule when an	1751
addendum, amendment, or other correction to any of the following	1752
or when an amended statement of any of the following shall be	1753
filed:	1754

(i) A two-business-day statement prescribed by section	1755
3517.10 of the Revised Code;	1756

(ii) A disclosure of electioneering communications statement	1757
prescribed by division (D) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised	1758
Code;	1759

(iii) A deposit and disbursement statement prescribed under	1760
division (B) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code;	1761

(iv) A gift and disbursement statement prescribed under	1762
section 3517.1013 of the Revised Code;	1763

(v) A donation and disbursement statement prescribed under	1764
section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code.	1765

An addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement	1766
that is filed by electronic means of transmission pursuant to	1767
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code shall be filed in the same	1768
manner as the statement.	1769

The provisions of sections 3517.10, 3517.106, 3517.1011,	1770
3517.1012, and 3517.1013, and 3517.1014 of the Revised Code	1771
pertaining to the filing of statements of contributions and	1772
expenditures, statements of independent expenditures, disclosure	1773
of electioneering communications statements, deposit and	1774
disbursement statements, and gift and disbursement statements,	1775
and donation and disbursement statements by electronic means of	1776
transmission apply to the filing of addenda, amendments, or other	1777
corrections to those statements by electronic means of	1778
transmission and the filing of amended statements by electronic	1779
means of transmission.	1780

(b) Within five business days after the secretary of state	1781
receives, by electronic or other means of transmission, an	1782
addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement or an	1783
amended statement under division (B)(3)(a) of this section, the	1784
secretary of state, pursuant to divisions (E), (F), (G), and (I)	1785
of section 3517.106 or division (D) of section 3517.1011 of the	1786
Revised Code, shall make the contribution and expenditure,	1787
contribution and disbursement, deposit and disbursement, or gift	1788
and disbursement, or donation and disbursement information in that	1789
addendum, amendment, correction, or amended statement available	1790
online to the public through the internet.	1791

(4)(a) The secretary of state or the board of elections shall	1792
examine all statements for compliance with sections 3517.08 to	1793
3517.17 of the Revised Code.	1794

(b) The secretary of state may contract with an individual or	1795
entity not associated with the secretary of state and experienced	1796
in interpreting the campaign finance law of this state to conduct	1797
examinations of statements filed by any statewide candidate, as	1798
defined in section 3517.103 of the Revised Code.	1799

(c) The examination shall be conducted by a person or entity	1800
qualified to conduct it. The results of the examination shall be	1801
available to the public, and, when the examination is conducted by	1802
an individual or entity not associated with the secretary of	1803
state, the results of the examination shall be reported to the	1804
secretary of state.	1805

(C)(1) In the event of a failure to file or a late filing of	1806
a statement required to be filed under sections 3517.081 to	1807
3517.17 of the Revised Code, or if a filed statement or any	1808
addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement or any	1809
amended statement, if an addendum, amendment, or other correction	1810
or an amended statement is required to be filed, is incomplete or	1811
inaccurate or appears to disclose a failure to comply with or a	1812
violation of law, the official whose duty it is to examine the	1813
statement shall promptly file a complaint with the Ohio elections	1814
commission under section 3517.153 of the Revised Code if the law	1815
is one over which the commission has jurisdiction to hear	1816
complaints, or the official shall promptly report the failure or	1817
violation to the board of elections and the board shall promptly	1818
report it to the prosecuting attorney in accordance with division	1819
(J) of section 3501.11 of the Revised Code. If the official files	1820
a complaint with the commission, the commission shall proceed in	1821
accordance with sections 3517.154 to 3517.157 of the Revised Code.	1822

(2) For purposes of division (C)(1) of this section, a	1823
statement or an addendum, amendment, or other correction to a	1824
statement or an amended statement required to be filed under	1825
sections 3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code is incomplete or	1826
inaccurate under this section if the statement, addendum,	1827
amendment, other correction, or amended statement fails to	1828
disclose substantially all contributions or, gifts, or donations	1829
that are received or deposits that are made that are required to	1830
be reported under sections 3517.10, 3517.107, 3517.108,	1831
3517.1011, 3517.1012, and 3517.1013, and 3517.1014 of the Revised	1832
Code or if the statement, addendum, amendment, other correction,	1833
or amended statement fails to disclose at least ninety per cent	1834
of the total contributions or, gifts, or donations received or	1835
deposits made or of the total expenditures or disbursements made	1836
during the reporting period.	1837

(D) No certificate of nomination or election shall be issued	1838
to a person, and no person elected to an office shall enter upon	1839
the performance of the duties of that office, until that person or	1840
that person's campaign committee, as appropriate, has fully	1841
complied with this section and sections 3517.08, 3517.081,	1842
3517.10, and 3517.13 of the Revised Code.	1843

Sec. 3517.153.  (A) Upon the filing of a complaint with the	1844
Ohio elections commission, which shall be made by affidavit of any	1845
person, on personal knowledge, and subject to the penalties for	1846
perjury, or upon the filing of a complaint made by the secretary	1847
of state or an official at the board of elections, setting forth a	1848
failure to comply with or a violation of any provision in sections	1849
3517.08 to 3517.13, 3517.17, 3517.18, 3517.20 to 3517.22, 3599.03,	1850
or 3599.031 of the Revised Code, the commission shall proceed in	1851
accordance with sections 3517.154 to 3517.157 of the Revised Code.	1852

(B) The commission shall prescribe the form for complaints	1853
made under division (A) of this section. The secretary of state	1854
and boards of elections shall furnish the information that the	1855
commission requests. The commission or a member of the commission	1856
may administer oaths, and the commission may issue subpoenas to	1857
any person in the state compelling the attendance of witnesses and	1858
the production of relevant papers, books, accounts, and reports.	1859
Section 101.42 of the Revised Code governs the issuance of	1860
subpoenas insofar as applicable. Upon the refusal of any person to	1861
obey a subpoena or to be sworn or to answer as a witness, the	1862
commission may apply to the court of common pleas of Franklin	1863
county under section 2705.03 of the Revised Code. The court shall	1864
hold proceedings in accordance with Chapter 2705. of the Revised	1865
Code.	1866

(C) No prosecution shall commence for a violation of a	1867
provision in sections 3517.08 to 3517.13, 3517.17, 3517.18,	1868
3517.20 to 3517.22, 3599.03, or 3599.031 of the Revised Code	1869
unless a complaint has been filed with the commission under this	1870
section and all proceedings of the commission or a panel of the	1871
commission, as appropriate, under sections 3517.154 to 3517.157 of	1872
the Revised Code are completed.	1873

(D) The commission may recommend legislation and render	1874
advisory opinions concerning sections 3517.08, 3517.082, 3517.092,	1875
3517.102, 3517.103, 3517.105, 3517.1014, 3517.13, 3517.18, 3517.20	1876
to 3517.22, 3599.03, and 3599.031 of the Revised Code for persons	1877
over whose acts it has or may have jurisdiction. When the	1878
commission renders an advisory opinion relating to a specific set	1879
of circumstances involving any of those sections stating that	1880
there is no violation of a provision in those sections, the person	1881
to whom the opinion is directed or a person who is similarly	1882
situated may reasonably rely on the opinion and is immune from	1883
criminal prosecution and a civil action, including, without	1884
limitation, a civil action for removal from public office or	1885
employment, based on facts and circumstances covered by the	1886
opinion.	1887

(E) The commission shall establish a web site on which it	1888
shall post, at a minimum, all decisions and advisory opinions	1889
issued by the commission and copies of each election law as it is	1890
amended by the general assembly. The commission shall update the	1891
web site regularly to reflect any changes to those decisions and	1892
advisory opinions and any new decisions and advisory opinions.	1893

Sec. 3517.154.  (A)(1) The full-time attorney for the Ohio	1894
elections commission shall review each complaint filed with the	1895
commission under section 3517.153 of the Revised Code, shall	1896
determine the nature of the complaint, and, unless division	1897
(A)(2)(a) of this section requires that the complaint receive an	1898
automatic expedited hearing, shall make a recommendation to the	1899
commission for its disposition, in accordance with this section.	1900
The attorney shall make the determination and the recommendation,	1901
if required, not later than one business day after the complaint	1902
is filed.	1903

(2)(a) If the attorney determines that the complaint sets	1904
forth a violation of division (B) of section 3517.21 or division	1905
(B) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code and that the complaint	1906
is filed during one of the periods of time specified in division	1907
(B)(1) of section 3517.156 of the Revised Code, or that the	1908
complaint sets forth a violation of section 3517.103 of the	1909
Revised Code or a violation described in division (D) of section	1910
3517.1010 of the Revised Code, the complaint shall receive an	1911
automatic expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised	1912
Code.	1913

(b) If the attorney determines that the complaint sets forth	1914
a failure to comply with or a violation of division (G), (I), (J),	1915
(O), (P), or (Q) of section 3517.13, division (A) of section	1916
3517.21, or division (A) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code	1917
and that the complaint is filed during one of the periods of time	1918
specified in division (B)(1) of section 3517.156 of the Revised	1919
Code, the attorney shall recommend to the commission that the	1920
complaint receive an expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of	1921
the Revised Code, and the complaint shall receive such a hearing.	1922

(c) If the attorney determines that the complaint sets forth	1923
a failure to comply with or a violation of a section of the	1924
Revised Code over which the commission has jurisdiction to hear	1925
complaints other than the sections described in divisions	1926
(A)(2)(a) and (b) of this section, and unless the attorney makes a	1927
determination as provided for in division (A)(3) of this section,	1928
the attorney shall recommend to the commission that the complaint	1929
be submitted to the commission under section 3517.155 of the	1930
Revised Code. After the attorney makes that recommendation, the	1931
attorney shall notify all parties to the complaint of the	1932
attorney's recommendation.	1933

(3)(a) If a complaint sets forth a failure to comply with or	1934
a violation of a section of the Revised Code over which the	1935
commission has jurisdiction to hear complaints other than the	1936
sections described in divisions (A)(2)(a) and (b) of this section	1937
and if the complaint is filed during one of the periods of time	1938
specified in division (B)(1) of section 3517.156 of the Revised	1939
Code, the attorney may determine that the complaint should receive	1940
an expedited hearing under that section. The attorney shall make	1941
that determination by considering one or more of the following:	1942

(i) The number of prior failures to comply with or violations	1943
of Title XXXV of the Revised Code that the person or entity	1944
against whom the complaint has been brought has committed and any	1945
prior penalties the commission has imposed on the person or	1946
entity;	1947

(ii) If the complaint involves a statement required to be	1948
filed under section 3517.10, division (E) of section 3517.102, or	1949
section 3517.103, 3517.105, 3517.107, 3517.108, 3517.109,	1950
3517.1011, or 3517.1012, or 3517.1014 of the Revised Code or an	1951
addendum required to be filed under section 3517.11 of the Revised	1952
Code that is filed late, how late the filing is and how much time	1953
has elapsed between the deadline for filing the statement or	1954
addendum and the filing of the complaint;	1955

(iii) If the complaint involves contributions and	1956
expenditures, contributions and disbursements, deposits and	1957
disbursements, or gifts and disbursements, or donations and	1958
disbursements required to be reported under section 3517.10,	1959
division (E) of section 3517.102, or section 3517.105, 3517.107,	1960
3517.108, 3517.109, 3517.1011, 3517.1012, or 3517.1013, or	1961
3517.1014 of the Revised Code that are either not reported or	1962
reported late, the number of contributions and expenditures,	1963
contributions and disbursements, deposits and disbursements, or	1964
gifts and disbursements, or donations and disbursements not	1965
reported or how late they were reported;	1966

(iv) If the complaint involves contributions required to be	1967
reported by a campaign committee under section 3517.10, division	1968
(E) of section 3517.102, or section 3517.105, 3517.107, 3517.108,	1969
or 3517.109 of the Revised Code that are not reported, whether any	1970
of the contributors of the contributions not reported have a	1971
personal or professional relationship with the campaign	1972
committee's candidate;	1973

(v) If the complaint involves a statement required to be	1974
filed under section 3517.10, division (E) of section 3517.102, or	1975
section 3517.103, 3517.105, 3517.107, 3517.108, 3517.109,	1976
3517.1011, 3517.1012, or 3517.1013, or 3517.1014 of the Revised	1977
Code that is incomplete, the degree to which it is incomplete;	1978

(vi) If the complaint involves the receipt of contributions	1979
in violation of section 3599.03 of the Revised Code, the dollar	1980
amount and number of contributions received in violation of that	1981
section;	1982

(vii) If the complaint involves a failure to make the	1983
identification or a misstatement of the identification required	1984
under section 3517.105 or 3517.20 of the Revised Code, whether the	1985
failure or misstatement was purposely made;	1986

(viii) If the complaint sets forth a failure to comply with	1987
or a violation of a section of the Revised Code described in	1988
division (A)(2)(c) of this section, whether the person or entity	1989
against whom the complaint has been made has committed more than	1990
one such failure or violation within a reasonable amount of time,	1991
or whether the cumulative nature of the failures or violations	1992
indicates a systematic disregard for the law.	1993

(b) Prior to making a determination under division (A)(3)(a)	1994
of this section that the complaint should receive an expedited	1995
hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised Code, the attorney	1996
shall take into consideration the number of panels of the	1997
commission that have cases pending before them and the number of	1998
cases pending before the panels and shall not make a determination	1999
that will place an undue burden on a panel of the commission.	2000

(c) If the attorney determines that the complaint should	2001
receive an expedited hearing under section 3517.156 of the Revised	2002
Code, the attorney shall recommend to the commission that the	2003
complaint receive an expedited hearing, and, if a majority of the	2004
members of the commission agrees with the recommendation, the	2005
complaint shall receive an expedited hearing under that section.	2006

(4) The attorney may join two or more complaints if the	2007
attorney determines that the allegations in each complaint are of	2008
the same or similar character, are based on the same act or	2009
failure to act, or are based on two or more acts or failures to	2010
act constituting parts of a common scheme or plan. If one	2011
complaint contains two or more allegations, the attorney may	2012
separate the allegations if they are not of the same or similar	2013
character, if they are not based on the same act or failure to	2014
act, or if they are not based on two or more acts or failures to	2015
act constituting parts of a common scheme or plan. If the attorney	2016
separates the allegations in a complaint, the attorney may make	2017
separate recommendations under division (A)(2) or (3) of this	2018
section for each allegation.	2019

(B) Whenever a person or other entity files a complaint with	2020
the commission setting forth a failure to comply with or a	2021
violation of a section of the Revised Code as described in	2022
division (A)(2)(c) of this section and the complaint is filed	2023
during one of the periods of time specified in division (B)(1) of	2024
section 3517.156 of the Revised Code, the person or entity may	2025
request an expedited hearing under that section at the time the	2026
complaint is filed. The attorney for the commission shall inform	2027
the members of the commission of that request at the time the	2028
attorney makes a recommendation under division (A) of this	2029
section. The commission may grant the request for an expedited	2030
hearing under this division if it determines that an expedited	2031
hearing is practicable.	2032

Sec. 3517.992.  This section establishes penalties only with	2033
respect to acts or failures to act that occur on and after August	2034
24, 1995.	2035

(A)(1) A candidate whose campaign committee violates division	2036
(A), (B), (C), (D), or (V) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code,	2037
or a treasurer of a campaign committee who violates any of those	2038
divisions, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for	2039
each day of violation.	2040

(2) Whoever violates division (E) or (X)(5) of section	2041
3517.13 or division (E)(1) of section 3517.1014 of the Revised	2042
Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day	2043
of violation.	2044

(B) A political party that violates division (F)(1) of	2045
section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than	2046
one hundred dollars for each day of violation.	2047

(C) Whoever violates division (F)(2) of section 3517.101 or,	2048
division (G) of section 3517.13, or division (E)(2) or (3) of	2049
section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than	2050
ten thousand dollars or, if the offender is a person who was	2051
nominated or elected to public office, shall forfeit the	2052
nomination or the office to which the offender was elected, or	2053
both.	2054

(D) Whoever violates division (F) of section 3517.13 of the	2055
Revised Code shall be fined not more than three times the amount	2056
contributed.	2057

(E) Whoever violates division (H) of section 3517.13 of the	2058
Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.	2059

(F) Whoever violates division (O), (P), or (Q) of section	2060
3517.13 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the	2061
first degree.	2062

(G) A state or county committee of a political party that	2063
violates division (B)(1) of section 3517.18 of the Revised Code	2064
shall be fined not more than twice the amount of the improper	2065
expenditure.	2066

(H) A state or county political party that violates division	2067
(G) of section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not	2068
more than twice the amount of the improper expenditure or use.	2069

(I)(1) Any individual who violates division (B)(1) of section	2070
3517.102 of the Revised Code and knows that the contribution the	2071
individual makes violates that division shall be fined an amount	2072
equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the	2073
amount permitted by that division.	2074

(2) Any political action committee that violates division	2075
(B)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an	2076
amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of	2077
the amount permitted by that division.	2078

(3) Any campaign committee that violates division (B)(3) or	2079
(5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an	2080
amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of	2081
the amount permitted by that division.	2082

(4)(a) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division	2083
(B)(6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an	2084
amount equal to three times the amount transferred or contributed	2085
in excess of the amount permitted by that division, as applicable.	2086

(b) Any state political party, county political party, or	2087
state candidate fund of a state political party or county	2088
political party that violates division (B)(6) of section 3517.102	2089
of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times	2090
the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount	2091
permitted by that division, as applicable.	2092

(c) Any political contributing entity that violates division	2093
(B)(7) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an	2094
amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of	2095
the amount permitted by that division.	2096

(5) Any political party that violates division (B)(4) of	2097
section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount	2098
equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the	2099
amount permitted by that division.	2100

(6) Notwithstanding divisions (I)(1), (2), (3), (4), and (5)	2101
of this section, no violation of division (B) of section 3517.102	2102
of the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not	2103
refer parties to the Ohio elections commission, if the amount	2104
transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted by	2105
that division meets either of the following conditions:	2106

(a) It is completely refunded within five business days after	2107
it is accepted.	2108

(b) It is completely refunded on or before the tenth business	2109
day after notification to the recipient of the excess transfer or	2110
contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state	2111
that a transfer or contribution in excess of the permitted amount	2112
has been received.	2113

(J)(1) Any campaign committee that violates division (C)(1),	2114
(2), (3), or (6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be	2115
fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess	2116
of the amount permitted by that division.	2117

(2)(a) Any county political party that violates division	2118
(C)(4)(a)(ii) or (iii) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code	2119
shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted.	2120

(b) Any county political party that violates division	2121
(C)(4)(a)(i) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be	2122
fined an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times	2123
the amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that	2124
division.	2125

(c) Any state political party that violates division	2126
(C)(4)(b) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined	2127
an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times the	2128
amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that	2129
division.	2130

(3) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division	2131
(C)(5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an	2132
amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the	2133
amount permitted by that division.	2134

(4) Any political action committee or political contributing	2135
entity that violates division (C)(7) of section 3517.102 of the	2136
Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the	2137
amount accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that	2138
division.	2139

(5) Notwithstanding divisions (J)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of	2140
this section, no violation of division (C) of section 3517.102 of	2141
the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not	2142
refer parties to the Ohio elections commission, if the amount	2143
transferred or contributed in excess of the amount permitted to be	2144
accepted by that division meets either of the following	2145
conditions:	2146

(a) It is completely refunded within five business days after	2147
its acceptance.	2148

(b) It is completely refunded on or before the tenth business	2149
day after notification to the recipient of the excess transfer or	2150
contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state	2151
that a transfer or contribution in excess of the permitted amount	2152
has been received.	2153

(K)(1) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division	2154
(F)(1) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined	2155
twenty-five dollars for each day of violation.	2156

(2) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division	2157
(F)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall give to the	2158
treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the	2159
credit of the Ohio elections commission fund all excess	2160
contributions not disposed of as required by division (E) of	2161
section 3517.102 of the Revised Code.	2162

(L) Whoever violates section 3517.105 of the Revised Code	2163
shall be fined one thousand dollars.	2164

(M)(1) Whoever solicits a contribution in violation of	2165
section 3517.092 or violates division (B) of section 3517.09 of	2166
the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.	2167

(2) Whoever knowingly accepts a contribution in violation of	2168
division (B) or (C) of section 3517.092 of the Revised Code shall	2169
be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in	2170
violation of either of those divisions and shall return to the	2171
contributor any amount so accepted. Whoever unknowingly accepts a	2172
contribution in violation of division (B) or (C) of section	2173
3517.092 of the Revised Code shall return to the contributor any	2174
amount so accepted.	2175

(N) Whoever violates division (S) of section 3517.13 of the	2176
Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the	2177
amount of funds transferred or three times the value of the assets	2178
transferred in violation of that division.	2179

(O) Any campaign committee that accepts a contribution or	2180
contributions in violation of section 3517.108 of the Revised	2181
Code, uses a contribution in violation of that section, or fails	2182
to dispose of excess contributions in violation of that section	2183
shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted,	2184
used, or kept in violation of that section.	2185

(P) Any political party, state candidate fund, legislative	2186
candidate fund, or campaign committee that violates division (T)	2187
of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount	2188
equal to three times the amount contributed or accepted in	2189
violation of that section.	2190

(Q) A treasurer of a committee or another person who violates	2191
division (U) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined	2192
not more than two hundred fifty dollars.	2193

(R) Whoever violates division (I) or (J) of section 3517.13	2194
of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand	2195
dollars. Whenever a person is found guilty of violating division	2196
(I) or (J) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, the contract	2197
awarded in violation of either of those divisions shall be	2198
rescinded if its terms have not yet been performed.	2199

(S) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a	2200
treasurer of a campaign committee who violates section 3517.081 of	2201
the Revised Code, and a candidate whose campaign committee	2202
violates or a treasurer of a campaign committee or another person	2203
who violates division (C) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code,	2204
shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.	2205

(T) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a	2206
treasurer of a committee who violates division (B) of section	2207
3517.09 of the Revised Code, or a candidate whose campaign	2208
committee violates or a treasurer of a campaign committee or	2209
another person who violates division (C) of section 3517.09 of the	2210
Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.	2211

(U) Whoever violates section 3517.20 of the Revised Code	2212
shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.	2213

(V) Whoever violates section 3517.21 or 3517.22 of the	2214
Revised Code shall be imprisoned for not more than six months or	2215
fined not more than five thousand dollars, or both.	2216

(W) A campaign committee that is required to file a	2217
declaration of no limits under division (D)(2) of section 3517.103	2218
of the Revised Code that, before filing that declaration, accepts	2219
a contribution or contributions that exceed the limitations	2220
prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code, shall return	2221
that contribution or those contributions to the contributor.	2222

(X) Any campaign committee that fails to file the declaration	2223
of filing-day finances required by division (F) of section	2224
3517.109 or the declaration of primary-day finances or declaration	2225
of year-end finances required by division (E) of section 3517.1010	2226
of the Revised Code shall be fined twenty-five dollars for each	2227
day of violation.	2228

(Y)(1) Any campaign committee that fails to dispose of excess	2229
funds or excess aggregate contributions under division (B) of	2230
section 3517.109 of the Revised Code in the manner required by	2231
division (C) of that section or under division (B) of section	2232
3517.1010 of the Revised Code in the manner required by division	2233
(C) of that section shall give to the treasurer of state for	2234
deposit into the Ohio elections commission fund created under	2235
division (I) of section 3517.152 of the Revised Code all funds not	2236
disposed of pursuant to those divisions.	2237

(2) Any treasurer of a transition fund that fails to dispose	2238
of assets remaining in the transition fund as required under	2239
division (H)(1) of section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code shall	2240
give to the treasurer of state for deposit into the Ohio elections	2241
commission fund all assets not disposed of pursuant to that	2242
division.	2243

(Z) Any individual, campaign committee, political action	2244
committee, political contributing entity, legislative campaign	2245
fund, political party, treasurer of a transition fund, or other	2246
entity that violates any provision of sections 3517.09 to 3517.12	2247
of the Revised Code for which no penalty is provided for under any	2248
other division of this section shall be fined not more than one	2249
thousand dollars.	2250

(AA)(1) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(1) of section	2251
3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to	2252
three times the amount contributed, expended, or promised in	2253
violation of that division or ten thousand dollars, whichever	2254
amount is greater.	2255

(2) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(2) of section	2256
3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to	2257
three times the amount solicited or accepted in violation of that	2258
division or ten thousand dollars, whichever amount is greater.	2259

(BB) Whoever knowingly violates division (C) or (D) of	2260
section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than	2261
ten thousand dollars plus not more than one thousand dollars for	2262
each day of violation.	2263

(CC)(1) Subject to division (CC)(2) of this section, whoever	2264
violates division (H) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code	2265
shall be fined an amount up to three times the amount disbursed	2266
for the direct costs of airing the communication made in violation	2267
of that division.	2268

(2) Whoever has been ordered by the Ohio elections commission	2269
or by a court of competent jurisdiction to cease making	2270
communications in violation of division (H) of section 3517.1011	2271
of the Revised Code who again violates that division shall be	2272
fined an amount equal to three times the amount disbursed for the	2273
direct costs of airing the communication made in violation of that	2274
division.	2275

(DD)(1) Any corporation or labor organization that violates	2276
division (X)(3)(a) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be	2277
fined an amount equal to three times the amount given in excess of	2278
the amount permitted by that division.	2279

(2) Any state or county political party that violates	2280
division (X)(3)(b) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be	2281
fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess	2282
of the amount permitted by that division.	2283

Sec. 3599.03.  (A)(1) Except to carry on activities specified	2284
in sections 3517.082 and 3517.1011, division (A)(2) of section	2285
3517.1012, division (B) of section 3517.1013, division (C)(1) of	2286
section 3517.1014, and section 3599.031 of the Revised Code and	2287
except as provided in divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this section,	2288
no corporation, no nonprofit corporation, and no labor	2289
organization, directly or indirectly, shall pay or use, or offer,	2290
advise, consent, or agree to pay or use, the corporation's money	2291
or property, or the labor organization's money, including dues,	2292
initiation fees, or other assessments paid by members, or	2293
property, for or in aid of or opposition to a political party, a	2294
candidate for election or nomination to public office, a political	2295
action committee including a political action committee of the	2296
corporation or labor organization, a legislative campaign fund, or	2297
any organization that supports or opposes any such candidate, or	2298
for any partisan political purpose, shall violate any law	2299
requiring the filing of an affidavit or statement respecting such	2300
use of those funds, or shall pay or use the corporation's or labor	2301
organization's money for the expenses of a social fund-raising	2302
event for its political action committee if an employee's or labor	2303
organization member's right to attend such an event is predicated	2304
on the employee's or member's contribution to the corporation's or	2305
labor organization's political action committee.	2306

(2) Whoever violates division (A)(1) of this section shall be	2307
fined not less than five hundred nor more than five thousand	2308
dollars.	2309

(B)(1) No officer, stockholder, attorney, or agent of a	2310
corporation or nonprofit corporation, no member, including an	2311
officer, attorney, or agent, of a labor organization, and no	2312
candidate, political party official, or other individual shall	2313
knowingly aid, advise, solicit, or receive money or other property	2314
in violation of division (A)(1) of this section.	2315

(2) Whoever violates division (B)(1) of this section shall be	2316
fined not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more	2317
than one year, or both.	2318

(C) A corporation, a nonprofit corporation, or a labor	2319
organization may use its funds or property for or in aid of or	2320
opposition to a proposed or certified ballot issue. Such use of	2321
funds or property shall be reported on a form prescribed by the	2322
secretary of state. Reports of contributions in connection with	2323
statewide ballot issues shall be filed with the secretary of	2324
state. Reports of contributions in connection with local issues	2325
shall be filed with the board of elections of the most populous	2326
county of the district in which the issue is submitted or to be	2327
submitted to the electors. Reports made pursuant to this division	2328
shall be filed by the times specified in divisions (A)(1) and (2)	2329
of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.	2330

(D)(1) Any gift made pursuant to section 3517.101 of the	2331
Revised Code does not constitute a violation of this section or of	2332
any other section of the Revised Code.	2333

(2) Any gift made pursuant to division (A)(2) of section	2334
3517.1012 of the Revised Code does not constitute a violation of	2335
this section.	2336

(3) Any gift made pursuant to division (B) of section	2337
3517.1013 of the Revised Code does not constitute a violation of	2338
this section.	2339

(4) Any donation made pursuant to division (C)(1) of section	2340
3517.1014 of the Revised Code does not constitute a violation of	2341
this section.	2342

(E) Any compensation or fees paid by a financial institution	2343
to a state political party for services rendered pursuant to	2344
division (B) of section 3517.19 of the Revised Code do not	2345
constitute a violation of this section or of any other section of	2346
the Revised Code.	2347

(F)(1) The use by a nonprofit corporation of its money or	2348
property for communicating information for a purpose specified in	2349
division (A) of this section is not a violation of that division	2350
if the stockholders, members, donors, trustees, or officers of the	2351
nonprofit corporation are the predominant recipients of the	2352
communication.	2353

(2) The placement of a campaign sign on the property of a	2354
corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor organization is not a	2355
use of property in violation of division (A) of this section by	2356
that corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor organization.	2357

(3) The use by a corporation or labor organization of its	2358
money or property for communicating information for a purpose	2359
specified in division (A) of this section is not a violation of	2360
that division if it is not a communication made by mass broadcast	2361
such as radio or television or made by advertising in a newspaper	2362
of general circulation but is a communication sent exclusively to	2363
members, employees, officers, or trustees of that labor	2364
organization or shareholders, employees, officers, or directors of	2365
that corporation or to members of the immediate families of any	2366
such individuals or if the communication intended to be so sent	2367
exclusively is unintentionally sent as well to a de minimis number	2368
of other individuals.	2369

(G) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of section	2370
4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting	2371
agreements between employee organizations and public employers,	2372
this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of	2373
agreements between labor organizations and public employers that	2374
are entered into on or after the effective date of this section	2375
March 31, 2005, pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code.	2376

(H) As used in this section, "labor organization" has the	2377
same meaning as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.	2378

Section 2.  That existing sections 3517.01, 3517.10,	2379
3517.106, 3517.11, 3517.153, 3517.154, 3517.992, and 3599.03 of	2380
the Revised Code are hereby repealed.	2381