To amend sections 101.15, 101.301, 101.34, 101.70, 101.72, 101.73, 101.74, 101.75, 101.78, 101.90, 101.92, 101.93, 101.94, 101.95, 101.98, 102.01, 102.02, 102.021, 102.03, 102.031, 102.06, 102.07, 102.99, 109.54, 121.60, 121.62, 121.63, 121.64, 121.65, 121.68, and 4503.033 of the Revised Code to revise the Ethics Law.

Section 1. That sections 101.15, 101.301, 101.34, 101.70, 101.72, 101.73, 101.74, 101.75, 101.78, 101.90, 101.92, 101.93, 101.94, 101.95, 101.98, 102.01, 102.02, 102.021, 102.03, 102.031, 102.06, 102.07, 102.99, 109.54, 121.60, 121.62, 121.63, 121.64, 121.65, 121.68, and 4503.033 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 101.15.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Caucus" means all of the members of either house of the general assembly who are members of the same political party.

(2) "Committee" means any committee of either house of the general assembly, a joint committee of both houses of the general assembly, including a committee of conference, or a subcommittee of any committee listed in division (A)(2) of this section.

(3) "Meeting" means any prearranged discussion of the public business of a committee by a majority of its members.

(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (F) of this section, all meetings of any committee are declared to be public meetings open to the public at all times. The secretary assigned to the chairperson of the committee shall prepare, file, and maintain the minutes of every regular or special meeting of a committee. The committee, at its next regular or special meeting, shall approve the minutes prepared, filed, and maintained by the secretary, or, if the minutes prepared, filed, and maintained by the secretary require correction before their approval, the committee shall correct and approve the minutes at the next following regular or special meeting. The committee shall make the minutes available for public inspection not later than seven days after the meeting the minutes reflect or not later than the committee's next regular or special meeting, whichever occurs first.

(C) Each committee shall establish a reasonable method whereby any person may determine the time and place of all regularly scheduled meetings and the time, place, and purpose of all special meetings. No committee shall hold a regular or special meeting unless it gives at least twenty-four hours' advance notice to the news media that have requested notification.

The method established by each committee shall provide that, upon request and payment of a reasonable fee, any person may obtain reasonable advance notification of all meetings at which any specific type of public business will be discussed. Provisions for advance notification may include, but are not limited to, mailing the agenda of meetings to all subscribers on a mailing list or mailing notices in self-addressed stamped envelopes provided by the person who desires advance notification.

(D) Any action of a committee relating to a bill or resolution, or any other formal action of a committee, is invalid unless taken in an open meeting of the committee. Any action of a committee relating to a bill or resolution, or any other formal action of a committee, taken in an open meeting is invalid if it results from deliberations in a meeting not open to the public.

(E)(1) Any person may bring an action to enforce this section. An action under this division shall be brought within two years after the date of the alleged violation or threatened violation. Upon proof of a violation or threatened violation of this section in an action brought by any person, the court of common pleas shall issue an injunction to compel the members of the committee to comply with its provisions.

(2)(a) If the court of common pleas issues an injunction under division (E)(1) of this section, the court shall order the committee that it enjoins to pay a civil forfeiture of five hundred dollars to the party that sought the injunction and shall award to that party all court costs and, subject to reduction as described in this division, reasonable attorney's fees. The court, in its discretion, may reduce an award of attorney's fees to the party that sought the injunction or not award attorney's fees to that party if the court determines both of the following:

(i) That, based on the ordinary application of statutory law and case law as it existed at the time of the violation or threatened violation that was the basis of the injunction, a well-informed committee reasonably would believe that the committee was not violating or threatening to violate this section;

(ii) That a well-informed committee reasonably would believe that the conduct or threatened conduct that was the basis of the injunction would serve the public policy that underlies the authority that is asserted as permitting that conduct or threatened conduct.

(b) If the court of common pleas does not issue an injunction under division (E)(1) of this section and the court determines at that time that the bringing of the action was frivolous conduct as defined in division (A) of section 2323.51 of the Revised Code, the court shall award to the committee all court costs and reasonable attorney's fees, as determined by the court.

(3) Irreparable harm and prejudice to the party that sought the injunction shall be conclusively and irrebuttably presumed upon proof of a violation or threatened violation of this section.

(4) A member of a committee who knowingly violates an injunction issued under division (E)(1) of this section may be removed from office by an action brought in the court of common pleas for that purpose by the prosecuting attorney of Franklin county or by the attorney general.

(5) The remedies described in divisions (E)(1) to (4) of this section shall be the exclusive remedies for a violation of this section.

(F) This section does not apply to or affect either of the following:

(1) All meetings of the joint legislative ethics committee created under section 101.34 of the Revised Code other than a meeting that is held for any of the following purposes:

(a) To consider the adoption, amendment, or recission of any rule that the joint legislative ethics committee is authorized to adopt pursuant to division (B)(11) of section 101.34, division (E) of section 101.78, division (B) of section 102.02, or division (E)(D) of section 121.68 of the Revised Code;

(b) To discuss and consider changes to any administrative operation of the joint legislative ethics committee other than any matter described in division (G) of section 121.22 of the Revised Code;

(c) To discuss pending or proposed legislation.

(2) Meetings of a caucus.

(G) For purposes of division (F)(1)(a) of this section, an advisory opinion, written opinion, or decision relative to a complaint is not a rule.

Sec. 101.301.  (A) As used in this section, "caucus" means all of the members of the house of representatives, or all of the members of the senate, who are members of the same political party.

(B) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 2317.021 of the Revised Code, the members of the general assembly who are members of a caucus, and the officers and employees of the general assembly who either serve that caucus or serve the members of the general assembly who are members of that caucus, are clients, for purposes of the attorney-client testimonial privilege specified in division (A) of section 2317.02 of the Revised Code and for purposes of any other statutory or common law attorney-client privilege recognized in this state, of the employee of the house of representatives or senate who serves as the legal counsel for that caucus.

(C) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 2317.021 of the Revised Code, the members, officers, and employees of the general assembly are clients, for purposes of the attorney-client testimonial privilege specified in division (A) of section 2317.02 of the Revised Code and for purposes of any other statutory or common law attorney-client privilege recognized in this state, of the employees of the joint legislative ethics committee who render legal advice to those members, officers, and employees.

Sec. 101.34.  (A) There is hereby created a joint legislative ethics committee to serve the general assembly. The committee shall be composed of twelve members, six each from the two major political parties, and each member shall serve on the committee during the member's term as a member of that general assembly. Six members of the committee shall be members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, not more than three from the same political party, and six members of the committee shall be members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate, not more than three from the same political party. A vacancy in the committee shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as an original appointment. The members of the committee shall be appointed within fifteen days after the first day of the first regular session of each general assembly and the committee shall meet and proceed to recommend an ethics code not later than thirty days after the first day of the first regular session of each general assembly.

In the first regular session of each general assembly, the speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint the chairperson of the committee from among the house members of the committee, and the president of the senate shall appoint the vice-chairperson of the committee from among the senate members of the committee. In the second regular session of each general assembly, the president of the senate shall appoint the chairperson of the committee from among the senate members of the committee, and the speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint the vice-chairperson of the committee from among the house members of the committee. The chairperson, vice-chairperson, and members of the committee shall serve until their respective successors are appointed or until they are no longer members of the general assembly.

The committee shall meet at the call of the chairperson or upon the written request of seven members of the committee.

(B) The joint legislative ethics committee:

(1) Shall recommend a code of ethics that is consistent with law to govern all members and employees of each house of the general assembly and all candidates for the office of member of each house;

(2) May receive and hear any complaint that alleges a breach of any privilege of either house, or misconduct of any member, employee, or candidate, or any violation of the appropriate code of ethics;

(3) May obtain information with respect to any complaint filed pursuant to this section and to that end may enforce the attendance and testimony of witnesses, and the production of books and papers;

(4) May recommend whatever sanction is appropriate with respect to a particular member, employee, or candidate as will best maintain in the minds of the public a good opinion of the conduct and character of members and employees of the general assembly;

(5) May recommend legislation to the general assembly relating to the conduct and ethics of members and employees of and candidates for the general assembly;

(6) Shall employ an executive director for the committee and may employ other staff as the committee determines necessary to assist it in exercising its powers and duties. The executive director and staff of the committee shall be known as the office of legislative inspector general. At least one member of the staff of the committee shall be an attorney at law licensed to practice law in this state. The appointment and removal of the executive director shall require the approval of at least eight members of the committee.

(7) May employ a special counsel to assist the committee in exercising its powers and duties. The appointment and removal of a special counsel shall require the approval of at least eight members of the committee.

(8) Shall act as an advisory body to the general assembly and to individual members, candidates, and employees on questions relating to ethics, possible conflicts of interest, and financial disclosure;

(9) Shall provide for the proper forms on which a statement required or permitted pursuant to section 102.02 or 102.021 of the Revised Code shall be filed and instructions as to the filing of the statement;

(10) Exercise the powers and duties prescribed under sections 101.70 to 101.79, sections 101.90 to 101.98, Chapter 102., and sections 121.60 to 121.69 of the Revised Code;

(11) Adopt, in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code, any rules that are necessary to implement and clarify Chapter 102. and sections 2921.42 and 2921.43 of the Revised Code.

(C) There is hereby created in the state treasury the joint legislative ethics committee fund. All money collected from registration fees and late filing fees prescribed under sections 101.72, 101.92, and 121.62 of the Revised Code shall be deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the fund. Money credited to the fund and any interest and earnings from the fund shall be used solely for the operation of the joint legislative ethics committee and the office of legislative inspector general and for the purchase of data storage and computerization facilities for the statements filed with the committee under sections 101.73, 101.74, 101.93, 101.94, 121.63, and 121.64 of the Revised Code.

(D) The chairperson of the joint legislative ethics committee shall issue a written report, not later than the thirty-first day of January of each year, to the speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives and to the president and minority leader of the senate that lists the number of committee meetings and investigations the committee conducted during the immediately preceding calendar year and the number of advisory opinions it issued during the immediately preceding calendar year.

(E) Any investigative report that contains facts and findings regarding a complaint filed with the joint legislative ethics committee and that is prepared by the staff of the committee or a special counsel to the committee shall become a public record upon its acceptance by a vote of the majority of the members of the committee, except for any names of specific individuals and entities contained in the report. If the committee recommends disciplinary action or reports its findings to the appropriate prosecuting authority for proceedings in prosecution of the violations alleged in the complaint, the investigatory report regarding the complaint shall become a public record in its entirety.

(F)(1) Any file obtained by or in the possession of the former house ethics committee or former senate ethics committee shall become the property of the joint legislative ethics committee. Any such file is confidential if either of the following applies:

(a) It is confidential under section 102.06 of the Revised Code or the legislative code of ethics.

(b) If the file was obtained from the former house ethics committee or from the former senate ethics committee, it was confidential under any statute or any provision of a code of ethics that governed the file.

(2) As used in this division, "file" includes, but is not limited to, evidence, documentation, or any other tangible thing.

(G) There is hereby created in the state treasury the joint legislative ethics committee investigative fund. Investment earnings of the fund shall be credited to the fund. Money in the fund shall be used solely for the operations of the committee in conducting investigations.

Sec. 101.70.  As used in sections 101.70 to 101.79 and 101.99 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Person" means any individual, partnership, trust, estate, business trust, association, or corporation; any labor organization or manufacturer association; any department, commission, board, publicly supported college or university, division, institution, bureau, or other instrumentality of the state; or any county, township, municipal corporation, school district, or other political subdivision of the state. "Person" includes the Ohio casino control commission, a member of the commission, the executive director of the commission, an employee of the commission, and an agent of the commission.

(B) "Legislation" means bills, resolutions, amendments, nominations, and any other matter pending before the general assembly, any matter pending before the controlling board, or the executive approval or veto of any bill acted upon by the general assembly.

(C) "Compensation" means a salary, gift, payment, benefit, subscription, loan, advance, reimbursement, or deposit of money or anything of value; or a contract, promise, or agreement, whether or not legally enforceable, to make compensation.

(D) "Expenditure" means any of the following that is made to, at the request of, for the benefit of, or on behalf of any member of the general assembly, any member of the controlling board, the governor, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, or any member of the staff of any public officer or employee listed in this division official:

(1) A payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, reimbursement, or gift of money, real estate, or anything of value, including, but not limited to, food and beverages, entertainment, lodging, or transportation;

(2) A contract, promise, or agreement to make an expenditure, whether or not legally enforceable;

(3) The purchase, sale, or gift of services or any other thing of value.

"Expenditure" does not include a contribution, gift, or grant to a foundation or other charitable organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under subsection 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. "Expenditure" does not include the purchase, sale, or gift of services or any other thing of value that is available to the general public on the same terms as it is available to the persons listed in this division, or an offer or sale of securities to any person listed in this division that is governed by regulation D, 17 C.F.R. 230.501 to 230.508, adopted under the authority of the "Securities Act of 1933," 48 Stat. 74, 15 U.S.C.A. and following, or that is governed by a comparable provision under state law.

(E) "Actively advocate" means to promote, advocate, or oppose the passage, modification, defeat, or executive approval or veto of any legislation by direct communication with any member of the general assembly, any member of the controlling board, the governor, the director of any department listed in section 121.02 of the Revised Code, or any member of the staff of any public officer or employee listed in this division official. "Actively advocate" does not include the action of any person not engaged by an employer who has a direct interest in legislation if the person, acting under Section 3 of Article I, Ohio Constitution, assembles together with other persons to consult for their common good, instructs a public officer or employee who is listed in this division official, or petitions that public officer or employee official for the redress of grievances.

(F) "Legislative agent" means any individual, except a member of the general assembly, a member of the staff of the general assembly, the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer of state, or auditor of state, who is engaged during at least a portion of the individual's time to actively advocate as one of the individual's main purposes whose direct communication with any public official for the purpose of actively advocating constitutes at least five per cent of the total performance time for which the individual is compensated by a specific employer. An individual engaged by the Ohio casino control commission, a member of the commission, the executive director of the commission, or an employee or agent of the commission to actively advocate is a "legislative agent" even if the individual does not during at least a portion of the individual's time actively advocate as one of the individual's main purposes.

(G) "Employer" means any person who, directly or indirectly, engages a legislative agent.

(H) "Engage" means to make any arrangement, and "engagement" means any arrangement, whereby an individual is employed or retained for compensation to act for or on behalf of an employer to actively advocate.

(I) "Financial transaction" means a transaction or activity that is conducted or undertaken for profit and arises from the joint ownership or the ownership or part ownership in common of any real or personal property or any commercial or business enterprise of whatever form or nature between the following:

(1) A legislative agent, an employer of a legislative agent, or a member of the immediate family of the legislative agent or a legislative agent's employer; and

(2) Any member of the general assembly, any member of the controlling board, the governor, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, or any member of the staff of a public officer or employee listed in division (I)(2) of this section official.

"Financial transaction" does not include any transaction or activity described in division (I) of this section if it is available to the general public on the same terms, or if it is an offer or sale of securities to any person listed in division (I)(2) of this section that is governed by regulation D, 17 C.F.R. 230.501 to 230.508, adopted under the authority of the "Securities Act of 1933," 48 Stat. 74, 15 U.S.C.A. and following, or that is governed by a comparable provision under state law.

(J) "Public official" means a member of the general assembly, a member of the controlling board, the governor, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, or any member of the staff of a public official listed in this division.

(K) "Staff" means any state employee whose official duties are to formulate policy and who exercises administrative or supervisory authority or who authorizes the expenditure of state funds.

Sec. 101.72.  (A) Each legislative agent and employer, within ten days following an engagement of a legislative agent, shall file with the joint legislative ethics committee an initial registration statement showing all of the following:

(1) The name, business address, and occupation of the legislative agent;

(2) The name and business address of the employer and the real party in interest on whose behalf the legislative agent is actively advocating, if it is different from the employer. For the purposes of division (A) of this section, where a trade association or other charitable or fraternal organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under subsection 501(c) of the federal Internal Revenue Code is the employer, the statement need not list the names and addresses of each member of the association or organization, so long as the association or organization itself is listed.

(3) A brief description of the type of legislation to which the engagement relates.

(B) In addition to the initial registration statement required by division (A) of this section, each legislative agent and employer shall file with the joint committee, not later than the last day of January, May, and September of each year, an updated registration statement that confirms the continuing existence of each engagement described in an initial registration statement and that lists the specific bills or resolutions on which the agent actively advocated under that engagement during the period covered by the updated statement, and with it any statement of expenditures required to be filed by section 101.73 of the Revised Code and any details of financial transactions required to be filed by section 101.74 of the Revised Code.

(C) If a legislative agent is engaged by more than one employer, the agent shall file a separate initial and updated registration statement for each engagement. If an employer engages more than one legislative agent, the employer need file only one updated registration statement under division (B) of this section, which shall contain the information required by division (B) of this section regarding all of the legislative agents engaged by the employer.

(D)(1) A change in any information required by division (A)(1), (2), or (B) of this section shall be reflected in the next updated registration statement filed under division (B) of this section.

(2) Within thirty days after the termination of an engagement, the legislative agent who was employed under the engagement shall send written notification of the termination to the joint committee.

(E) A registration fee of twenty-five thirty-five dollars shall be charged for filing an initial registration statement. The state agency of an officer or employee who actively advocates in a fiduciary capacity as a representative of that state agency shall pay the registration fee required under this division. All money collected from registration fees under this division and late filing fees under division (G) of this section shall be deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the joint legislative ethics committee fund created under section 101.34 of the Revised Code.

An officer or employee of a state agency who actively advocates in a fiduciary capacity as a representative of that state agency need not file expenditure statements under section 101.73 of the Revised Code. As used in this division, "state agency" does not include a state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(F) Upon registration pursuant to division (A) of this section, the legislative agent shall be issued a card by the joint committee showing that the legislative agent is registered. The registration card and the legislative agent's registration shall be valid from the date of their issuance until the next thirty-first day of December of an even-numbered year.

(G) The executive director of the joint committee shall be responsible for reviewing each registration statement filed with the joint committee under this section and for determining whether the statement contains all of the information required by this section. If the joint committee determines that the registration statement does not contain all of the required information or that a legislative agent or employer has failed to file a registration statement, the joint committee shall send written notification by certified mail to the person who filed the registration statement regarding the deficiency in the statement or to the person who failed to file the registration statement regarding the failure. Any person so notified by the joint committee shall, not later than fifteen days after receiving the notice, file a registration statement or an amended registration statement that does contain all of the information required by this section. If any person who receives a notice under this division fails to file a registration statement or such an amended registration statement within this fifteen-day period, the joint committee shall assess a late filing fee equal to twelve dollars and fifty cents per day, up to a maximum of one hundred dollars, upon that person. The joint committee may waive the late filing fee for good cause shown.

(H) On or before the fifteenth day of March of each year, the joint committee shall, in the manner and form that it determines, publish a report containing statistical information on the registration statements filed with it under this section during the preceding year.

Sec. 101.73.  (A) Each legislative agent and each employer shall file in the office of the joint legislative ethics committee, with the updated registration statement required by division (B) of section 101.72 of the Revised Code, a statement of expenditures as specified in divisions (B) and (C) of this section. A legislative agent shall file a separate statement of expenditures under this section for each employer engaging the legislative agent.

(B)(1) In addition to the information required by divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section, a statement filed by a legislative agent shall show the total amount of expenditures made by the legislative agent during the reporting period covered by the statement.

(2) If, during a reporting period covered by a statement, an employer or any legislative agent the employer engaged made, either separately or in combination with each other, either directly or indirectly, expenditures to, that, when added to the amount of previous expenditures made by that employer or legislative agent during the same calendar year, exceed a total of one hundred dollars at the request of, for the benefit of, or on behalf of any particular member of the general assembly, any particular member of the controlling board, the governor, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, or any particular member of the staff of any of the public officers or employees listed in division (B)(2) of this section official, then the employer or legislative agent shall also state all of the following regarding those expenditures:

(a)(1) The name of the public officer or employee official to whom, at whose request, for whose benefit, or on whose behalf the expenditures were made;

(b)(2) The total amount of the expenditures made;

(c)(3) A brief description of the expenditures made;

(d)(4) The approximate date the expenditures were made;

(e)(5) The specific items of legislation, if any, for which the expenditures were made and the identity of the client on whose behalf each expenditure was made.

As used in division (B)(2) of this section, "expenditures" does not include expenditures made by a legislative agent as payment for meals and other food and beverages.

(3) If, during a reporting period covered by a statement, a legislative agent made expenditures as payment for meals and other food and beverages, other than for meals and other food and beverages provided to a member of the general assembly at a meeting at which the member participated in a panel, seminar, or speaking engagement or provided to a member of the general assembly at a meeting or convention of a national organization to which any state agency, including, but not limited to, any legislative agency or state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, pays membership dues, that, when added to the amount of previous payments made for meals and other food and beverages by that legislative agent during that same calendar year, exceeded a total of fifty dollars to, at the request of, for the benefit of, or on behalf of any particular member of the general assembly, any particular member of the controlling board, the governor, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, or any particular member of the staff of any of the public officers or employees listed in division (B)(3) of this section, then the legislative agent shall also state all of the following regarding those expenditures:

(a) The name of the public officer or employee to whom, at whose request, for whose benefit, or on whose behalf the expenditures were made;

(b) The total amount of the expenditures made;

(c) A brief description of the expenditures made;

(d) The approximate date the expenditures were made;

(e) The specific items of legislation, if any, for which the expenditures were made and the identity of the client on whose behalf each expenditure was made.

(C) In addition to the information required by divisions division (B)(2) and (3) of this section, a statement filed by an employer shall show the total amount of expenditures made by the employer or legislative agent filing the statement during the period covered by the statement. As used in this section, "expenditures" does not include the expenses of maintaining office facilities or the compensation paid to legislative agents engaged by an employer A statement filed by a legislative agent shall show all legislation regarding which the legislative agent has advocated on behalf of the employer during the period covered by the statement. A statement filed by an employer shall show all legislation regarding which the employer has advocated during the period covered by the statement.

No employer is shall be required to show any expenditure or legislation on a statement filed under this division if the expenditure or legislation is reported on a statement filed under division (B) of this section by a legislative agent engaged by the employer. No legislative agent shall be required to show any expenditure on a statement filed under this division if the expenditure is reported on a statement filed under division (B) of this section by the legislative agent's employer.

(D) Any statement required to be filed under this section shall be filed at the times specified in section 101.72 of the Revised Code. Each statement shall cover expenditures made during the four-calendar-month period that ended on the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which the statement is required to be filed.

(E) No portion of the amount of an expenditure for meals or beverages provided at a dinner, party, or other function sponsored by an employer or legislative agent need be attributed to, or counted toward the amount for, a reporting period specified in division (B)(2) or (3) of this section if the sponsor has invited to the function all the members of either of the following:

(1) The general assembly;

(2) Either house of the general assembly.

However, the amount spent for such function and its date and purpose shall be reported separately on the statement required to be filed under this section and the amount spent for the function shall be added with other expenditures for the purpose of determining the total amount of expenditures reported in the statement under division (B)(1) or (C) of this section.

(F) No portion of the amount of an expenditure made as payment for meals and other food and beverages provided at a meeting at which the public official participated in a panel, seminar, or speaking engagement or provided to a public official at a meeting or convention of a national organization to which any state agency, including, but not limited to, any legislative agency or state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code pays membership dues need be attributed to, or counted toward the amount for, a reporting period specified in division (B) of this section.

However, the total amount spent for such meals and beverages shall be reported separately on the statement required to be filed under this section and the amount spent for the function shall be added with other expenditures for the purpose of determining the total amount of expenditures reported in the statement under division (C) of this section.

(G) If it is impractical or impossible for a legislative agent or employer to determine exact dollar amounts or values of expenditures, reporting of good faith estimates, based upon reasonable accounting procedures, constitutes compliance with this section.

(E)(H) All legislative agents and employers shall retain receipts or maintain records for all expenditures that are required to be reported pursuant to this section. These receipts or records shall be maintained for a period ending on the thirty-first day of December of the second calendar year after the year in which the expenditure was made.

(F)(1)(I) An employer or legislative agent who is required to file an expenditure statement under division (B) or (C) of this section shall deliver a copy notice of the statement, or of the portion showing the expenditure, to the public officer or employee official who is listed in the statement as having received the expenditure or on whose behalf it was made, at least ten days before the date on which the statement is filed.

(2) If, during a reporting period covered by an expenditure statement filed under division (B)(2) of this section, an employer or any legislative agent the employer engaged made, either separately or in combination with each other, either directly or indirectly, expenditures for transportation, lodging, or food and beverages purchased for consumption on the premises in which the food and beverages were sold to, at the request of, for the benefit of, or on behalf of any of the public officers or employees described in division (B)(2) of this section, the employer or legislative agent shall deliver to the public officer or employee a statement that contains all of the nondisputed information prescribed in division (B)(2)(a) through (e) of this section with respect to the expenditures described in division (F)(2) of this section. The statement of expenditures made under division (F)(2) of this section shall be delivered to the public officer or employee to whom, at whose request, for whose benefit, or on whose behalf those expenditures were made on the same day in which a copy of the expenditure statement or of a portion showing the expenditure is delivered to the public officer or employee under division (F)(1) of this section. An employer is not required to show any expenditure on a statement delivered under division (F)(2) of this section if the expenditure is shown on a statement delivered under division (F)(2) of this section by a legislative agent engaged by the employer.

(J) As used in this section, "expenditure" does not include the expenses of maintaining office facilities or the compensation paid to a legislative agent engaged by an employer.

Sec. 101.74.  (A) Any legislative agent who has had any financial transaction with or for the benefit of any member of the general assembly, any member of the controlling board, the governor, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, or any member of the staff of any public officer or employee listed in this division official shall describe the details of the transaction, including the name of the public officer or employee official, the purpose and nature of the transaction, and the date it was made or entered into, in a statement filed with the joint legislative ethics committee with the updated registration statement required by division (B) of section 101.72 of the Revised Code. The statement shall be filed at the times specified in section 101.72 of the Revised Code. Each statement shall describe each financial transaction that occurred during the four-calendar-month period that ended on the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which the statement is required to be filed.

(B) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, any employer who has had any financial transaction with or for the benefit of any member of the general assembly, any member of the controlling board, the governor, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, or any member of the staff of any public officer or employee listed in this division official shall describe the details of the transaction, including the name of the public officer or employee official, the purpose and nature of the transaction, and the date it was made or entered into, in a statement filed with the joint committee with the updated registration statement required by division (B) of section 101.72 of the Revised Code. The statement shall be filed at the times specified in section 101.72 of the Revised Code. Each statement shall describe each financial transaction that occurred during the four-calendar-month period that ended on the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which the statement is required to be filed.

(C) An employer or legislative agent who is required to file a statement describing a financial transaction under this section shall deliver a copy notice of the statement transaction to the public officer or employee official with whom or for whose benefit the transaction was made at least ten days before the date on which the statement is filed.

(D) No employer shall be required to file any statement under this section or to deliver a copy notice of the statement a transaction to a public officer or employee official with whom or for whose benefit the transaction was made if the financial transaction to which the statement pertains is reported by a legislative agent engaged by the employer.

Sec. 101.75.  If a dispute arises between any member of the general assembly, any member of the controlling board, or a member of the staff of the general assembly or controlling board and an employer or legislative agent with respect to an expenditure or financial transaction alleged in any statement to be filed under section 101.73 or 101.74 of the Revised Code, the member, employer, or legislative agent may file a complaint with the joint legislative ethics committee. The committee shall proceed to investigate the complaint as provided for other complaints in section 101.34 of the Revised Code.

The complaint shall be filed at least three days prior to the time the statement is required to be filed with the joint legislative ethics committee. The time for filing a disputed expenditure or financial transaction in any statement of expenditures or the details of a financial transaction that contains a disputed expenditure or financial transaction shall be extended pending the final decision of the joint committee. This extension does not extend the time for filing the nondisputed portions of an expenditure statement or of the details of a financial transaction. The joint committee shall notify the parties of its final decision by certified mail. If the committee decides that the disputed expenditure or financial transaction should be reported, the employer or legislative agent shall include the matter in an amended the statement and. The employer or legislative agent shall file the amended statement not later than ten days after the employer or agent receives notice of the decision of the committee by certified mail.

An employer or legislative agent who files a false statement of expenditures or details of a financial transaction is liable in a civil action to any public officer or employee who sustains damage as a result of the filing or publication of the statement.

Sec. 101.78.  (A) The joint legislative ethics committee shall keep on file the statements required by sections 101.72, 101.73, and 101.74 of the Revised Code. Those statements are public records and open to public inspection, and the joint committee shall computerize publish them so that the information contained in and make them is readily accessible available to the general public on its official web site. The joint committee shall provide copies of the statements to the general public upon request and may charge a reasonable fee not to exceed the cost of copying and delivering each statement.

(B) The joint committee shall prescribe and make available an appropriate form for filing the information required by sections 101.72, 101.73, and 101.74 of the Revised Code. The form shall contain the following notice in boldface type: "ANY PERSON WHO KNOWINGLY FILES A FALSE STATEMENT IS GUILTY OF FALSIFICATION UNDER SECTION 2921.13 OF THE REVISED CODE, WHICH IS A MISDEMEANOR OF THE FIRST DEGREE."

(C) The joint committee shall publish a handbook that explains in clear and concise language sections 101.70 to 101.79 and 101.99 of the Revised Code and make it available free of charge to members of the general assembly, legislative agents, employers, and any other interested persons.

(D) Not later than the last day of February and October of each year, the joint committee shall compile from registration statements filed with it a complete and updated list of registered legislative agents and their employers and distribute the list to each member of the general assembly, each member of the controlling board who is not a member of the general assembly, and the governor. The joint committee shall provide copies of the list to the general public upon request and may charge a reasonable fee not to exceed the cost of copying and delivering the list.

(E) The joint committee may adopt rules as necessary to implement sections 101.70 to 101.79 of the Revised Code, and any such rules it adopts shall be adopted in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 101.90.  As used in sections 101.90 to 101.99 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Person" and "compensation" have the same meanings as in section 101.70 of the Revised Code.

(B) "Expenditure" means any of the following that is made to, at the request of, for the benefit of, or on behalf of a state retirement system, a member of the board of a state retirement system, a state retirement system investment official, or an employee of a state retirement system whose position involves substantial and material exercise of discretion in the investment of retirement system funds:

(1) A payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, reimbursement, or gift of money, real estate, or anything of value, including, but not limited to food and beverages and entertainment;

(2) A contract, promise, or agreement to make an expenditure, whether or not legally enforceable;

(3) The purchase, sale, or gift of services or any other thing of value. "Expenditure" does not include a contribution, gift, or grant to a foundation or other charitable organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under subsection 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. "Expenditure" does not include the purchase, sale, or gift of services or any other thing of value that is available to the general public on the same terms as it is available to the persons listed in this division, or an offer or sale of securities to any person listed in this division that is governed by regulation D, 17 C.F.R. 2301.501 230.501 to 2301.508 230.508, adopted under the authority of the "Securities Act of 1933," 48 Stat. 74, 15 U.S.C.A. and following, or that is governed by a comparable provision under state law.

(C) "Employer" means any person who, directly or indirectly, engages a retirement system lobbyist.

(D) "Engage" means to make any arrangement, and "engagement" means arrangement, whereby an individual is employed or retained for compensation to act for or on behalf of an employer to influence retirement system decisions or to conduct any retirement system lobbying activity.

(E) "Financial transaction" means a transaction or activity that is conducted or undertaken for profit and arises from the joint ownership or the ownership or part ownership in common of any real or personal property or any commercial or business enterprise of whatever form or nature between the following:

(1) A retirement system lobbyist, the retirement system lobbyist's employer, or a member of the immediate family of the retirement system lobbyist or the retirement system lobbyist's employer; and

(2) A state retirement system, a member of a board of a state retirement system, a state retirement system investment official, or an employee of a state retirement system whose position involves substantial and material exercise of discretion in the investment of retirement system funds.

"Financial transaction" does not include any transaction or activity described in division (E) of this section if it is available to the general public on the same terms, or if it is an offer or sale of securities to any person listed in division (E)(2) of this section that is governed by regulation D, 17 C.F.R. 2301.501 230.501 to 2301.508 230.508, adopted under the authority of the "Securities Act of 1933," 48 Stat. 74, 15 U.S.C.A. and following, or that is governed by a comparable provision under state law.

(F) "Retirement system" means the public employees retirement system, Ohio police and fire pension fund, state teachers retirement system, school employees retirement system, and state highway patrol retirement system.

(G) "Retirement system decision" means a decision of a retirement system regarding the investment of retirement system funds. "Retirement system decision" includes the decision by a board of a retirement system to award a contract to an agent or an investment manager.

(H) "Retirement system lobbyist" means any person engaged to influence whose direct communication with retirement system officials or employees for the purpose of influencing retirement system decisions or to conduct conducting retirement system lobbying activity as one of the person's main purposes on a regular and substantial basis constitutes at least twenty-five per cent of the total performance time for which the person is compensated by a specific employer. "Retirement system lobbyist" does not include an elected or appointed officer or employee of a federal or state agency, or political subdivision who attempts to influence or affect executive agency decisions in a fiduciary capacity as a representative of the officer's or employee's agency or political subdivision.

(I) "Retirement system lobbying activity" means contacts made to promote, oppose, reward, or otherwise influence the outcome of a retirement system decision by direct communication with a member of a board of a state retirement system, a state retirement system investment official, or an employee of a state retirement system whose position involves substantial and material exercise of discretion in the investment of retirement system funds. "Lobbying activity" does not include any of the following:

(1) The action of any person having a direct interest in retirement system decisions who, under Section 3 of Article I, Ohio Constitution, assembles together with other persons to consult for their common good, instructs a person listed in the first paragraph of division (I) of this section, or petitions such a person for the redress of grievances;

(2) Contacts made for the sole purpose of gathering information contained in a public record;

(3) Appearances before a retirement system to give testimony.

(J) "Retirement system official" means an officer or employee of a retirement system whose principal duties are to formulate policy or to participate directly or indirectly in the preparation, review, or award of financial arrangements with a retirement system.

(K) "Aggrieved party" means a party entitled to resort to a remedy.

(L) "Staff" means an employee of a retirement system whose position involves substantial and material exercise of discretion in the investment of retirement system funds and who is required under section 102.02 of the Revised Code to file a disclosure statement with the Ohio ethics commission.

Sec. 101.92.  (A) Each retirement system lobbyist and each employer shall file with the joint legislative ethics committee, within ten days following the engagement of a retirement system lobbyist, an initial registration statement showing all of the following:

(1) The name, business address, and occupation of the retirement system lobbyist;

(2) The name and business address of the employer or of the real party in interest on whose behalf the retirement system lobbyist is acting, if it is different from the employer. For the purposes of division (A) of this section, where a trade association or other charitable or fraternal organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under subsection 501(c) of the federal Internal Revenue Code is the employer, the statement need not list the names and addresses of every member of the association or organization, so long as the association or organization itself is listed.

(3) A brief description of the retirement system decision to which the engagement relates;

(4) The name of the retirement system or systems to which the engagement relates.

(B) In addition to the initial registration statement required by division (A) of this section, each retirement system lobbyist and employer shall file with the joint committee, not later than the last day of January, May, and September of each year, an updated registration statement that confirms the continuing existence of each engagement described in an initial registration statement and that lists the specific retirement system decisions that the lobbyist sought to influence under the engagement during the period covered by the updated statement, and with it any statement of expenditures required to be filed by section 101.93 of the Revised Code and any details of financial transactions required to be filed by section 101.94 of the Revised Code.

(C) If a retirement system lobbyist is engaged by more than one employer, the lobbyist shall file a separate initial and updated registration statement for each engagement. If an employer engages more than one retirement system lobbyist, the employer need file only one updated registration statement under division (B) of this section, which shall contain the information required by division (B) of this section regarding all of the retirement system lobbyists engaged by the employer.

(D)(1) A change in any information required by division (A)(1), (2), or (B) of this section shall be reflected in the next updated registration statement filed under division (B) of this section.

(2) Within thirty days following the termination of an engagement, the retirement system lobbyist who was employed under the engagement shall send written notification of the termination to the joint committee.

(E) A registration fee of twenty-five thirty-five dollars shall be charged for filing an initial registration statement. All money collected from registration fees under this division and late filing fees under division (G) of this section shall be deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the joint legislative ethics committee fund created under section 101.34 of the Revised Code.

(F) Upon registration pursuant to this section, a retirement system lobbyist shall be issued a card by the joint committee showing that the lobbyist is registered. The registration card and the retirement system lobbyist's registration shall be valid from the date of their issuance until the next thirty-first day of January December of the an even-numbered year following the year in which the initial registration was filed.

(G) The executive director of the joint committee shall be responsible for reviewing each registration statement filed with the joint committee under this section and for determining whether the statement contains all of the required information. If the joint committee determines that the registration statement does not contain all of the required information or that a retirement system lobbyist or employer has failed to file a registration statement, the joint committee shall send written notification by certified mail to the person who filed the registration statement regarding the deficiency in the statement or to the person who failed to file the registration statement regarding the failure. Any person so notified by the joint committee shall, not later than fifteen days after receiving the notice, file a registration statement or an amended registration statement that contains all of the required information. If any person who receives a notice under this division fails to file a registration statement or such an amended registration statement within this fifteen-day period, the joint committee shall assess a late filing fee equal to twelve dollars and fifty cents per day, up to a maximum fee of one hundred dollars, upon that person. The joint committee may waive the late filing fee for good cause shown.

(H) On or before the fifteenth day of March of each year, the joint committee shall, in the manner and form that it determines, publish a report containing statistical information on the registration statements filed with it under this section during the preceding year.

(I) If an employer who engages a retirement system lobbyist is the recipient of a contract, grant, lease, or other financial arrangement pursuant to which funds of the state or of a retirement system are distributed or allocated, the executive agency or any aggrieved party may consider the failure of the employer or the retirement system lobbyist to comply with this section as a breach of a material condition of the contract, grant, lease, or other financial arrangement.

(J) Retirement system officials may require certification from any person seeking the award of a contract, grant, lease, or financial arrangement that the person and the person's employer are in compliance with this section.

Sec. 101.93.  (A) Each retirement system lobbyist and each employer shall file with the joint legislative ethics committee, with the updated registration statement required by division (B) of section 121.62 of the Revised Code, a statement of expenditures as specified in divisions (B) and (C) of this section. A retirement system lobbyist shall file a separate statement of expenditures under this section for each employer that engages the retirement system lobbyist.

(B)(1) In addition to the information required by divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section, a statement filed by a retirement system lobbyist shall show the total amount of expenditures made during the reporting period covered by the statement by the retirement system lobbyist.

(2) If, during a reporting period covered by a statement, an employer or any retirement system lobbyist the employer engaged made, either separately or in combination with each other, expenditures to, that, when added to the amount of previous expenditures made by that employer or retirement system lobbyist during the same calendar year, exceed a total of one hundred dollars at the request of, for the benefit of, or on behalf of a member of a board of a state retirement system, a state retirement system investment official, or an employee of a state retirement system whose position involves substantial and material exercise of discretion in the investment of retirement system funds the employer or retirement system lobbyist also shall state the name of the member, official, or employee to whom, at whose request, for whose benefit, or on whose behalf the expenditures were made, the total amount of the expenditures made, a brief description of the expenditures made, the approximate date the expenditures were made, the retirement system decision, if any, sought to be influenced, and the identity of the client on whose behalf the expenditure was made.

As used in division (B)(2) of this section, "expenditures" does not include expenditures made by a retirement system lobbyist as payment for meals and other food and beverages.

(3) If, during a reporting period covered by a statement, a retirement system lobbyist made expenditures as payment for meals and other food and beverages, that, when added to the amount of previous payments made for meals and other food and beverages by that retirement system lobbyist during that same calendar year, exceeded a total of fifty dollars to, at the request of, for the benefit of, or on behalf of a member of a board of a state retirement system, a state retirement system investment official, or an employee of a state retirement system whose position involves substantial and material exercise of discretion in the investment of retirement system funds, the retirement system lobbyist shall also state regarding those expenditures the name of the member, official, or employee to whom, at whose request, for whose benefit, or on whose behalf the expenditures were made, the total amount of the expenditures made, a brief description of the expenditures made, the approximate date the expenditures were made, the retirement system decision, if any, sought to be influenced, and the identity of the client on whose behalf the expenditure was made.

(C) In addition to the information required by divisions division (B)(2) and (3) of this section, a statement filed by an employer shall show the total amount of expenditures made by the employer or retirement system lobbyist filing the statement during the period covered by the statement. As used in this section, "expenditures" does not include the expenses of maintaining office facilities, or the compensation paid to retirement system lobbyists engaged to influence retirement system decisions or conduct retirement system lobbying activity A statement filed by a retirement system lobbyist shall show all retirement system decisions the retirement system lobbyist has been engaged to influence on behalf of the employer during the period covered by the statement. A statement filed by an employer shall show all retirement system decisions the employer has engaged the retirement system lobbyist to influence during the period covered by the statement.

No employer shall be required to show any expenditure or retirement system decision on a statement filed under this division if the expenditure or retirement system decision is reported on a statement filed under division (B)(1), (2), or (3) of this section by a retirement system lobbyist engaged by the employer. No retirement system lobbyist shall be required to show any expenditure on a statement filed under this division if the expenditure is reported on a statement filed under division (B) of this section by the retirement system lobbyist's employer.

(D) Any statement required to be filed under this section shall be filed at the times specified in section 121.62 of the Revised Code. Each statement shall cover expenditures made during the four-calendar-month period that ended on the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which the statement is required to be filed.

(E) If it is impractical or impossible for a retirement system lobbyist or employer to determine exact dollar amounts or values of expenditures, reporting of good faith estimates, based on reasonable accounting procedures, constitutes compliance with this division.

(F) Retirement system lobbyists and employers shall retain receipts or maintain records for all expenditures that are required to be reported pursuant to this section. These receipts or records shall be maintained for a period ending on the thirty-first day of December of the second calendar year after the year in which the expenditure was made.

(G)(1) At least ten days before the date on which the statement is filed, each employer or retirement system lobbyist who is required to file an expenditure statement under division (B)(2) or (3) of this section shall deliver a copy notice of the statement, or the portion showing the expenditure, to the member, official, or employee who is listed in the statement as having received the expenditure or on whose behalf it was made.

(2) If, during a reporting period covered by an expenditure statement filed under division (B)(2) of this section, an employer or any retirement system lobbyist the employer engaged made, either separately or in combination with each other, either directly or indirectly, expenditures for food and beverages purchased for consumption on the premises in which the food and beverages were sold to, at the request of, for the benefit or, or on behalf of any of the members, officials, or employees described in division (B)(2) of this section, the employer or retirement system lobbyist shall deliver to the member, official, or employee a statement that contains all of the nondisputed information prescribed in division (B)(2) of this section with respect to the expenditures described in division (G)(2) of this section. The statement of expenditures made under division (G)(2) of this section shall be delivered to the member, official, or employee to whom, at whose request, for whose benefit, or on whose behalf those expenditures were made on the same day in which a copy of the expenditure statement or of a portion showing the expenditure is delivered to the member, official, or employee under division (G)(1) of this section. An employer is not required to show any expenditure on a statement delivered under division (G)(2) of this section if the expenditure is shown on a statement delivered under division (G)(2) of this section by a retirement system lobbyist engaged by the employer.

(H) As used in this section, "expenditure" does not include the expenses of maintaining office facilities or the compensation paid to retirement system lobbyists engaged to influence retirement system decisions or to conduct retirement system lobbying activity.

Sec. 101.94.  (A) Each retirement system lobbyist who has had any financial transaction with or for the benefit of a member of a board of a state retirement system, a state retirement system investment official, or an employee of a state retirement system whose position involves substantial and material exercise of discretion in the investment of retirement system funds shall describe the details of the transaction, including the name of the member, official, or employee, the purpose and nature of the transaction, and the date it was made or entered into, in a statement filed with the joint legislative ethics committee with the updated registration statement required by division (B) of section 101.92 of the Revised Code. The statements shall be filed at the times specified in section 101.92 of the Revised Code. Each statement shall describe each financial transaction that occurred during the four-calendar-month period that ended on the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which the statement is required to be filed.

(B) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, each employer who has had any financial transaction with or for the benefit of a member of a board of a state retirement system, a state retirement system investment official, or an employee of a state retirement system whose position involves substantial and material exercise of discretion in the investment of retirement system funds shall describe the details of the transaction, including the name of the member, official, or employee, the purpose and nature of the transaction, and the date it was made or entered into, in a statement filed with the joint committee with the updated registration statement required by division (B) of section 101.92 of the Revised Code. The statement shall be filed at the times specified in section 101.92 of the Revised Code. Each statement shall describe each financial transaction that occurred during the four-calendar-month period that ended on the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which the statement is required to be filed.

(C) At least ten days before the date on which the statement is filed, each employer or retirement system lobbyist who is required to file a statement describing a financial transaction under this section shall deliver a copy notice of the statement transaction to the member, official, or employee with whom or for whose benefit the transaction was made.

(D) No employer shall be required to file any statement under this section or to deliver a copy notice of the statement transaction to a member, official, or employee with whom or for whose benefit the transaction was made if the financial transaction to which the statement notice pertains is reported by a retirement system lobbyist engaged by the employer.

Sec. 101.95.  If a dispute arises between a member of a board of a state retirement system, a state retirement system investment official, or an employee of a state retirement system whose position involves substantial and material exercise of discretion in the investment of retirement system funds and an employer or retirement system lobbyist with respect to an expenditure or financial transaction alleged in a statement to be filed under section 101.93 or 101.94 of the Revised Code, the member, official, or employee, employer, or retirement system lobbyist may file a complaint with the Ohio ethics commission. The commission shall proceed to investigate the complaint as though it were filed under section 102.06 of the Revised Code.

The complaint shall be filed at least three days prior to the time the statement is required to be filed with the joint legislative ethics committee. The time for filing a disputed expenditure or financial transaction in any statement of expenditures or the details of a financial transaction that contains a disputed expenditure or financial transaction shall be extended pending the final decision of the commission. This extension does not extend the time for filing the nondisputed portions of either type of statement. The commission shall notify the parties of its final decision by certified mail. If the commission decides that the disputed expenditure or financial transaction should be reported, the employer or retirement system lobbyist shall include the matter in an amended the statement and. The employer or retirement system lobbyist shall file the amended statement not later than ten days after receiving notice of the decision of the commission by certified mail.

An employer or retirement system lobbyist who files a false statement of expenditures or details of a financial transaction is liable in a civil action to any member, official, or employee who sustains damage as a result of the filing or publication of the statement.

Sec. 101.98.  (A) The joint legislative ethics committee shall keep on file the statements required by sections 101.92, 101.93, and 101.94 of the Revised Code. These statements are public records and open to public inspection, and the joint committee shall computerize publish them so that the information contained in and make them is readily accessible available to the general public on its official web site. The joint committee shall provide copies of the statements to the general public on request and may charge a reasonable fee not to exceed the cost of copying and delivering the statement.

(B) Not later than the last day of February and October of each year, the joint committee shall compile from the registration statements filed with it a complete and updated list of registered retirement system lobbyists and their employers, and distribute the list to each member of the general assembly, elected executive official, and the director of each retirement system, who shall distribute the list to the appropriate personnel under the director's jurisdiction. The joint committee shall provide copies of the list to the general public on request and may charge a reasonable fee not to exceed the cost of copying and delivering the list.

(C) The joint committee shall prescribe and make available an appropriate form for the filings required by sections 101.92, 101.93, and 101.94 of the Revised Code. The form shall contain the following notice in boldface type: "ANY PERSON WHO KNOWINGLY FILES A FALSE STATEMENT IS GUILTY OF FALSIFICATION UNDER SECTION 2921.13 OF THE REVISED CODE, WHICH IS A MISDEMEANOR OF THE FIRST DEGREE."

(D) The joint committee may adopt rules as necessary to implement sections 101.90 to 101.98 of the Revised Code. The rules shall be adopted in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code.

(E) The joint committee shall publish a handbook that explains in clear and concise language the provisions of sections 101.90 to 101.98 of the Revised Code and make it available free of charge to retirement system lobbyists, employers, and any other interested persons.

Sec. 102.01.  As used in this chapter:

(A) "Compensation" means money, thing of value, or financial benefit. "Compensation" does not include reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties.

(B) "Public official or employee" means any person who is elected or appointed to an office or is an employee of any public agency. "Public official or employee" does not include a person elected or appointed to the office of precinct, ward, or district committee member under section 3517.03 of the Revised Code, any presidential elector, or any delegate to a national convention. "Public official or employee" does not include a person who is a teacher, instructor, professor, or other kind of educator whose position does not involve the performance of, or authority to perform, administrative or supervisory functions.

(C) "Public agency" means the general assembly, all courts, any department, division, institution, board, commission, authority, bureau or other instrumentality of the state, a county, city, village, or township, the five state retirement systems, or any other governmental entity. "Public agency" does not include a department, division, institution, board, commission, authority, or other instrumentality of the state or a county, municipal corporation, township, or other governmental entity that functions exclusively for cultural, educational, historical, humanitarian, advisory, or research purposes; that does not expend more than ten thousand dollars per calendar year, excluding salaries and wages of employees; and whose members are uncompensated. "Public agency" does not include the nonprofit corporation formed under section 187.01 of the Revised Code.

(D) "Immediate family" means a spouse residing in the person's household and any dependent child.

(E) "Income" includes gross income as defined and used in the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C. 1, as amended, interest and dividends on obligations or securities of any state or of any political subdivision or authority of any state or political subdivision, and interest or dividends on obligations of any authority, commission, or instrumentality of the United States.

(F) Except as otherwise provided in division (A) of section 102.08 of the Revised Code, "appropriate ethics commission" means:

(1) For matters relating to members of the general assembly, employees of the general assembly, employees of the legislative service commission, candidates for the office of member of the general assembly, and public members appointed to the Ohio constitutional modernization commission under section 103.63 of the Revised Code, the joint legislative ethics committee;

(2) For matters relating to judicial officers and employees, and candidates for judicial office, the board of commissioners on grievances and discipline of the supreme court;

(3) For matters relating to all other persons, the Ohio ethics commission.

(G) "Anything of value" has the same meaning as provided in section 1.03 of the Revised Code and includes, but is not limited to, a contribution as defined in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.

(H) "Honorarium" means any payment made in consideration for any speech given, article published, or attendance at any public or private conference, convention, meeting, social event, meal, or similar gathering. "Honorarium" does not include ceremonial gifts or awards that have insignificant monetary value; unsolicited gifts of nominal value or trivial items of informational value; or earned income from any person, other than a legislative agent, for personal services that are customarily provided in connection with the practice of a bona fide business, if that business initially began before the public official or employee conducting that business was elected or appointed to the public official's or employee's office or position of employment.

(I) "Employer" means any person who, directly or indirectly, engages an executive agency lobbyist or legislative agent.

(J) "Executive agency decision," "executive agency lobbyist," and "executive agency lobbying activity" have the same meanings as in section 121.60 of the Revised Code.

(K) "Legislation," "legislative agent," "financial transaction," and "actively advocate" have the same meanings as in section 101.70 of the Revised Code.

(L) "Expenditure" has the same meaning as in section 101.70 of the Revised Code when used in relation to activities of a legislative agent, and the same meaning as in section 121.60 of the Revised Code when used in relation to activities of an executive agency lobbyist.

Sec. 102.02.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in division (H) of this section, all of the following shall file with the appropriate ethics commission the disclosure statement described in this division on a form prescribed by the appropriate commission: every person who is elected to or is a candidate for a state, county, or city office and every person who is appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term in such an elective office; all members of the state board of education; the director, assistant directors, deputy directors, division chiefs, or persons of equivalent rank of any administrative department of the state; the president or other chief administrative officer of every state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code; the executive director and the members of the capitol square review and advisory board appointed or employed pursuant to section 105.41 of the Revised Code; all members of the Ohio casino control commission, the executive director of the commission, all professional employees of the commission, and all technical employees of the commission who perform an internal audit function; the individuals set forth in division (B)(2) of section 187.03 of the Revised Code; the chief executive officer and the members of the board of each state retirement system; each employee of a state retirement board who is a state retirement system investment officer licensed pursuant to section 1707.163 of the Revised Code; the members of the Ohio retirement study council appointed pursuant to division (C) of section 171.01 of the Revised Code; employees of the Ohio retirement study council, other than employees who perform purely administrative or clerical functions; the administrator of workers' compensation and each member of the bureau of workers' compensation board of directors; the bureau of workers' compensation director of investments; the chief investment officer of the bureau of workers' compensation; all members of the board of commissioners on grievances and discipline of the supreme court and the ethics commission created under section 102.05 of the Revised Code; every business manager, treasurer, or superintendent of a city, local, exempted village, joint vocational, or cooperative education school district or an educational service center; every person who is elected to or is a candidate for the office of member of a board of education of a city, local, exempted village, joint vocational, or cooperative education school district or of a governing board of an educational service center that has a total student count of twelve thousand or more as most recently determined by the department of education pursuant to section 3317.03 of the Revised Code; every person who is appointed to the board of education of a municipal school district pursuant to division (B) or (F) of section 3311.71 of the Revised Code; all members of the board of directors of a sanitary district that is established under Chapter 6115. of the Revised Code and organized wholly for the purpose of providing a water supply for domestic, municipal, and public use, and that includes two municipal corporations in two counties; every public official or employee who is paid a salary or wage in accordance with schedule C of section 124.15 or schedule E-2 of section 124.152 of the Revised Code; members of the board of trustees and the executive director of the southern Ohio agricultural and community development foundation; all members appointed to the Ohio livestock care standards board under section 904.02 of the Revised Code; and every other public official or employee who is designated by the appropriate ethics commission pursuant to division (B) of this section.

The disclosure statement shall include all of the following:

(1)(a) The name of the person filing the statement, the person's spouse, and each member dependent child of the person's immediate family person who is eighteen years of age or older and all who resides in the person's household;

(b) All names under which the person, spouse, or members of the person's immediate family dependent child who is eighteen years of age or older and who resides in the person's household do business;

(2)(a) Subject to divisions (A)(2)(b) and, (c), and (d) of this section and except as otherwise provided in section 102.022 of the Revised Code, identification of every source of income, other than income from a legislative agent identified in division (A)(2)(b) of this section or income derived by and received in the name of the spouse of the person filing the statement that is not clearly designated for the use and benefit of the person filing the statement, received during the preceding calendar year, in the person's own name or by any other person for the person's use or benefit, by the person filing the statement, and a brief description of the nature of the services for which the income was received. If the person filing the statement is a member of the general assembly, the statement shall identify the amount of every source of income received in accordance with the following ranges of amounts: zero or more, but less than one thousand dollars; one thousand dollars or more, but less than ten thousand dollars; ten thousand dollars or more, but less than twenty-five thousand dollars; twenty-five thousand dollars or more, but less than fifty thousand dollars; fifty thousand dollars or more, but less than one hundred thousand dollars; and one hundred thousand dollars or more. Division (A)(2)(a) of this section shall not be construed to require a person filing the statement who derives income from a business or profession to disclose the individual items of income that constitute the gross income of that business or profession, except for those individual items of income that are attributable to the person's or, if the income is shared with the person, the partner's, solicitation of services or goods or performance, arrangement, or facilitation of services or provision of goods on behalf of the business or profession of clients, including corporate clients, who are legislative agents. A person who files the statement under this section shall disclose the identity of and the amount of income received from a person who the public official or employee knows or has reason to know is doing or seeking to do business of any kind with the public official's or employee's agency.

(b) If the person filing the statement is a member of the general assembly, the statement shall identify every source of income and the amount of that income that was received from a legislative agent during the preceding calendar year, in the person's own name or by any other person for the person's use or benefit, by the person filing the statement, and a brief description of the nature of the services for which the income was received. Division (A)(2)(b) of this section requires the disclosure of clients of attorneys or persons licensed under section 4732.12 of the Revised Code, or patients of persons certified under section 4731.14 of the Revised Code, if those clients or patients are legislative agents. Division (A)(2)(b) of this section requires a person filing the statement who derives income from a business or profession to disclose those individual items of income that constitute the gross income of that business or profession that are received from legislative agents.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2)(c) of this section, division (A)(2)(a) of this section applies to attorneys, physicians, and other persons who engage in the practice of a profession and who, pursuant to a section of the Revised Code, the common law of this state, a code of ethics applicable to the profession, or otherwise, generally are required not to reveal, disclose, or use confidences of clients, patients, or other recipients of professional services except under specified circumstances or generally are required to maintain those types of confidences as privileged communications except under specified circumstances. Division (A)(2)(a) of this section does not require an attorney, physician, or other professional subject to a confidentiality requirement as described in division (A)(2)(c) of this section to disclose the name, other identity, or address of a client, patient, or other recipient of professional services if the disclosure would threaten the client, patient, or other recipient of professional services, would reveal details of the subject matter for which legal, medical, or professional advice or other services were sought, or would reveal an otherwise privileged communication involving the client, patient, or other recipient of professional services. Division (A)(2)(a) of this section does not require an attorney, physician, or other professional subject to a confidentiality requirement as described in division (A)(2)(c) of this section to disclose in the brief description of the nature of services required by division (A)(2)(a) of this section any information pertaining to specific professional services rendered for a client, patient, or other recipient of professional services that would reveal details of the subject matter for which legal, medical, or professional advice was sought or would reveal an otherwise privileged communication involving the client, patient, or other recipient of professional services.

(d) If the person filing the statement received rental income from residential property owned by the person, the statement shall identify only the address of each property that is a source of rental income.

(3) The name of every corporation on file with the secretary of state that is incorporated in this state or holds a certificate of compliance authorizing it to do business in this state, trust, business trust, partnership, or association that transacts business in this state in which the person filing the statement or any other person for the person's use and benefit had during the preceding calendar year an investment of over one thousand dollars at fair market value as of the thirty-first day of December of the preceding calendar year, or the date of disposition, whichever is earlier, or in which the person holds any office or has a fiduciary relationship, and a description of the nature of the investment, office, or relationship. Division (A)(3) of this section does not require disclosure of the name of any bank, savings and loan association, credit union, or building and loan association with which the person filing the statement has a deposit or a withdrawable share account.

(4) All fee simple and leasehold interests to which the person filing the statement holds legal title to or a beneficial interest in real property located within the state, excluding the person's residence and property used primarily for personal recreation;

(5) The names of all persons residing or transacting business in the state to whom the person filing the statement owes owed during the preceding calendar year, in the person's own name or in the name of any other person, more than one five thousand dollars, if the debt was not paid in full within sixty days after the debt was incurred. Division (A)(5) of this section shall not be construed to require the disclosure of debts owed by the person resulting from the ordinary conduct of a business or profession or debts on the person's residence or real property used primarily for personal recreation, except that the superintendent of financial institutions shall disclose the names of all state-chartered savings and loan associations and of all service corporations subject to regulation under division (E)(2) of section 1151.34 of the Revised Code to whom the superintendent in the superintendent's own name or in the name of any other person owes any money, and that the superintendent and any deputy superintendent of banks shall disclose the names of all state-chartered banks and all bank subsidiary corporations subject to regulation under section 1109.44 of the Revised Code to whom the superintendent or deputy superintendent owes any money.

(6) The names of all persons residing or transacting business in the state, other than a depository excluded under division (A)(3) of this section, who owe owed during the preceding calendar year more than one five thousand dollars to the person filing the statement, either in the person's own name or to any person for the person's use or benefit, if the debt was not paid in full within sixty days after the debt was incurred. Division (A)(6) of this section shall not be construed to require the disclosure of clients of attorneys or persons licensed under section 4732.12 or 4732.15 of the Revised Code, or patients of persons certified under section 4731.14 of the Revised Code, nor the disclosure of debts owed to the person resulting from the ordinary conduct of a business or profession.

(7) Except as otherwise provided in section 102.022 of the Revised Code, the source of each gift of over seventy-five dollars, or of each gift of over twenty-five dollars received by a member of the general assembly from a legislative agent, received by the person in the person's own name or by any other person for the person's use or benefit during the preceding calendar year, except gifts received by will or by virtue of section 2105.06 of the Revised Code, or received from spouses, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings, nephews, nieces, uncles, aunts, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, fathers-in-law, mothers-in-law, or any person to whom the person filing the statement stands in loco parentis, or received by way of distribution from any inter vivos or testamentary trust established by a spouse or by an ancestor;

(8) Except as otherwise provided in section 102.022 of the Revised Code, identification of the source and amount of every payment of expenses incurred for travel to destinations inside or outside this state that is received by the person in the person's own name or by any other person for the person's use or benefit and that is incurred in connection with the person's official duties, except for such expenses paid for or reimbursed by the United States government or a state or local government located in the United States and except for expenses for travel to meetings or conventions of a national or state organization to which any state agency, including, but not limited to, any legislative agency or state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, pays membership dues, or any political subdivision or any office or agency of a political subdivision pays membership dues;

(9)(8)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(8)(d) of this section and section 102.022 of the Revised Code, identification of the source of payment of expenses for meals and other food and beverages, other than for meals and other food and beverages provided at a meeting at which the person participated in a panel, seminar, or speaking engagement or at a meeting or convention of a national or state organization to which any state agency, including, but not limited to, any legislative agency or state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, pays membership dues, or any political subdivision or any office or agency of a political subdivision pays membership dues, any expenditures that are incurred received in connection with the person's official duties and that exceed one hundred dollars aggregated per calendar year;

(10) If the disclosure statement is filed by a public official or employee described in division (B)(2) of section 101.73 of the Revised Code or division (B)(2) of section 121.63 of the Revised Code who receives a statement from a legislative agent, executive agency lobbyist, or employer that contains the information described in division (F)(2) of section 101.73 of the Revised Code or division (G)(2) of section 121.63 of the Revised Code, all of the nondisputed information contained in the statement delivered to that public official or employee by the legislative agent, executive agency lobbyist, or employer under division (F)(2) of section 101.73 or (G)(2) of section 121.63 of the Revised Code.

(b) As used in this section, "expenditure" means any of the following that is made to, at the request of, for the benefit of, or on behalf of the person filing the statement:

(i) A payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, reimbursement, or gift of money, real estate, or anything of value, including, but not limited to, food and beverages, entertainment, lodging, transportation, or honorariums;

(ii) A contract, promise, or agreement to make an expenditure, whether or not legally enforceable; or

(iii) The purchase, sale, or gift of services or any other thing of value.

(c) As used in this section, "expenditure" does not include any of the following:

(i) Meals and other food and beverages provided at a meeting at which the person filing the statement participated in a panel, seminar, or speaking engagement or at a meeting or convention of a national or state organization to which any state agency, including, but not limited to, any legislative agency or state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, pays membership dues, or any political subdivision or any office or agency of a political subdivision pays membership dues;

(ii) Gifts received by will or by virtue of section 2105.06 of the Revised Code, or received from spouses, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings, nephews, nieces, uncles, aunts, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, fathers-in-law, mothers-in-law, or any person to whom the person filing the statement stands in loco parentis, or received by way of distribution from any inter vivos or testamentary trust established by a spouse or by an ancestor;

(iii) A contribution, gift, or grant to a foundation or other charitable organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under subsection 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;

(iv) The purchase, sale, or gift of services or any other thing of value that is available to the general public on the same terms as it is available to the person filing the statement; or

(v) An offer or sale of securities to the person filing the statement that is governed by regulation D, 17 C.F.R. 230.501 to 230.508, adopted under the authority of the "Securities Act of 1933," 48 Stat. 74, 15 U.S.C. 77a and following, or that is governed by a comparable provision under state law.

(d) The joint legislative ethics committee and the Ohio ethics commission may, by rule, create exceptions to the reporting requirement described in division (A)(8)(a) of this section. A person filing a statement with the joint legislative ethics committee or the Ohio ethics commission shall not be required to report the source of an expenditure under that division if the expenditure falls under an exception created by the body with which the statement is filed.

A person may file a statement required by this section in person or by mail. A person who is a candidate for elective office shall file the statement no later than the thirtieth day before the primary, special, or general election at which the candidacy is to be voted on, whichever election occurs soonest, except that a person who is a write-in candidate shall file the statement no later than the twentieth day before the earliest election at which the person's candidacy is to be voted on. A person who holds elective office shall file the statement on or before the fifteenth day of April of each year unless the person is a candidate for office. A person who is appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term in an elective office shall file the statement within fifteen days after the person qualifies for office. Other persons shall file an annual statement on or before the fifteenth day of April or, if appointed or employed after that date, within ninety days after appointment or employment. No person shall be required to file with the appropriate ethics commission more than one statement or pay more than one filing fee for any one calendar year.

The appropriate ethics commission, for good cause, may extend for a reasonable time the deadline for filing a statement under this section.

A statement filed under this section is subject to public inspection at locations designated by the appropriate ethics commission except as otherwise provided in this section.

(B) The Ohio ethics commission, the joint legislative ethics committee, and the board of commissioners on grievances and discipline of the supreme court, using the rule-making procedures of Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, may require any class of public officials or employees under its jurisdiction and not specifically excluded by this section whose positions involve a substantial and material exercise of administrative discretion in the formulation of public policy, expenditure of public funds, enforcement of laws and rules of the state or a county or city, or the execution of other public trusts, to file an annual statement on or before the fifteenth day of April under division (A) of this section. The appropriate ethics commission shall send the public officials or employees written notice of the requirement by the fifteenth day of February of each year the filing is required unless the public official or employee is appointed after that date, in which case the notice shall be sent within thirty days after appointment, and the filing shall be made not later than ninety days after appointment.

Except for disclosure statements filed by members of the board of trustees and the executive director of the southern Ohio agricultural and community development foundation, disclosure statements filed under this division or division (E) of this section with the Ohio ethics commission by members of boards, commissions, or bureaus of the state for which no compensation is received other than reasonable and necessary expenses shall be kept confidential. Disclosure statements filed with the Ohio ethics commission under division (A) or (E) of this section by business managers, treasurers, and superintendents of city, local, exempted village, joint vocational, or cooperative education school districts or educational service centers shall be kept confidential, except that any person conducting an audit of any such school district or educational service center pursuant to section 115.56 or Chapter 117. of the Revised Code may examine the disclosure statement of any business manager, treasurer, or superintendent of that school district or educational service center. Disclosure statements filed with the Ohio ethics commission under division (A) or (E) of this section by the individuals set forth in division (B)(2) of section 187.03 of the Revised Code shall be kept confidential. The Ohio ethics commission shall examine each disclosure statement required to be kept confidential to determine whether a potential conflict of interest exists for the person who filed the disclosure statement. A potential conflict of interest exists if the private interests of the person, as indicated by the person's disclosure statement, might interfere with the public interests the person is required to serve in the exercise of the person's authority and duties in the person's office or position of employment. If the commission determines that a potential conflict of interest exists, it shall notify the person who filed the disclosure statement and shall make the portions of the disclosure statement that indicate a potential conflict of interest subject to public inspection in the same manner as is provided for other disclosure statements. Any portion of the disclosure statement that the commission determines does not indicate a potential conflict of interest shall be kept confidential by the commission and shall not be made subject to public inspection, except as is necessary for the enforcement of Chapters 102. and 2921. of the Revised Code and except as otherwise provided in this division.

(C) No person shall knowingly fail to file, on or before the applicable filing deadline established under this section, a statement that is required by this section.

(D) No person shall knowingly file a false statement that is required to be filed under this section.

(E)(1) A person may file an amended disclosure statement under this section not more than one hundred eighty days after the original statement was required to be filed. Upon receiving an amended statement filed under this division, the appropriate ethics commission shall acknowledge receipt of the amended statement and, except as provided in division (E)(3) of this section, shall accept and retain it in the same manner as the original statement.

(2) A person may file an amended disclosure statement under this section more than one hundred eighty days after the original statement was required to be filed only in order to correct an error made in good faith. Upon receiving an amended statement filed under this division, the appropriate ethics commission shall acknowledge receipt of the amended statement. The appropriate ethics commission may accept and retain an amended statement filed under this division in the same manner as the original statement, unless the commission determines that the person filing the amended statement:

(a) Did not make an error in good faith;

(b) Knowingly failed to provide the information required by this section or by section 102.022 of the Revised Code; or

(c) Knowingly filed a false statement under this section.

(3) A person who files an amended disclosure statement under division (E)(1) or (2) of this section shall file with the amended statement a written explanation of the information the person has amended and the reason for the amendment.

(4) The appropriate ethics commission may reject an amended statement filed under division (E)(1) or (2) of this section if any of the additional information submitted in the statement is material to a complaint, charge, or inquiry.

(F)(1) Except as provided in divisions (E)(F)(2) and (3) of this section, the statement required by division (A) or (B) of this section shall be accompanied by a filing fee of sixty dollars.

(2) The statement required by division (A) of this section shall be accompanied by the following filing fee to be paid by the person who is elected or appointed to, or is a candidate for, any of the following offices:

(3) No judge of a court of record or candidate for judge of a court of record, and no referee or magistrate serving a court of record, shall be required to pay the fee required under division (E)(F)(1) or (2) or (F)(G) of this section.

(4) For any public official who is appointed to a nonelective office of the state and for any employee who holds a nonelective position in a public agency of the state, the state agency that is the primary employer of the state official or employee shall pay the fee required under division (E)(F)(1) or (F)(G) of this section.

(F)(G) If a statement required to be filed under this section is not filed by the date on which it is required to be filed, the appropriate ethics commission shall assess the person required to file the statement a late filing fee of ten dollars for each day the statement is not filed, except that the total amount of the late filing fee shall not exceed two hundred fifty dollars.

(G)(H)(1) The appropriate ethics commission other than the Ohio ethics commission and the joint legislative ethics committee shall deposit all fees it receives under divisions (E)(F) and (F)(G) of this section into the general revenue fund of the state.

(2) The Ohio ethics commission shall deposit all receipts, including, but not limited to, fees it receives under divisions (E)(F) and (F)(G) of this section, investigative or other fees, costs, or other funds it receives as a result of court orders, and all moneys it receives from settlements under division (G)(H) of section 102.06 of the Revised Code, into the Ohio ethics commission fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury. All moneys credited to the fund shall be used solely for expenses related to the operation and statutory functions of the commission.

(3) The joint legislative ethics committee shall deposit all receipts it receives from the payment of financial disclosure statement filing fees under divisions (E)(F) and (F)(G) of this section into the joint legislative ethics committee investigative fund.

(H)(I) Division (A) of this section does not apply to a person elected or appointed to the office of precinct, ward, or district committee member under Chapter 3517. of the Revised Code; a presidential elector; a delegate to a national convention; village or township officials and employees; any physician or psychiatrist who is paid a salary or wage in accordance with schedule C of section 124.15 or schedule E-2 of section 124.152 of the Revised Code and whose primary duties do not require the exercise of administrative discretion; or any member of a board, commission, or bureau of any county or city who receives less than one thousand dollars per year for serving in that position.

Sec. 102.021.  (A)(1) For the twenty-four month twelve-month period immediately following the end of the former state elected officer's or staff member's service or public employment, except as provided in division (B) or (D) of this section, each former state elected officer or staff member who filed or was required to file a disclosure statement under section 102.02 of the Revised Code shall file, on or before the deadlines specified in division (D) of this section, with the joint legislative ethics committee a statement that shall include the information described in divisions (A)(2), (3), (4), and (5) of this section, as applicable. The statement shall be filed on a form and in the manner specified by the joint legislative ethics committee. This division does not apply to a state elected officer or staff member who filed or was required to file a disclosure statement under section 102.02 of the Revised Code, who leaves service or public employment, and who takes another position as a state elected officer or staff member who files or is required to file a disclosure statement under that section.

No person shall fail to file, on or before the deadlines specified in division (D) of this section, a statement that is required by this division.

(2) The statement referred to in division (A)(1) of this section shall describe the source of all income received, in the former state elected officer's or staff member's own name or by any other person for the person's use or benefit, and briefly describe the nature of the services for which the income was received if the source of the income was any of the following:

(a) An executive agency lobbyist or a legislative agent;

(b) The employer of an executive agency lobbyist or legislative agent, except that this division does not apply if the employer is any state agency or political subdivision of the state;

(c) Any entity, association, or business that, at any time during the two immediately preceding calendar years, was awarded one or more contracts by one or more state agencies that in the aggregate had a value of one hundred thousand dollars or more, or bid on one or more contracts to be awarded by one or more state agencies that in the aggregate had a value of one hundred thousand dollars or more.

(3) If the former state elected officer or staff member received no income as described in division (A)(2) of this section, the statement referred to in division (A)(1) of this section shall indicate that fact.

(4) If the former state elected officer or staff member directly or indirectly made, either separately or in combination with another, any expenditure or gift for transportation, lodging, or food or beverages to, at the request of, for the benefit of, or on behalf of any public officer or employee, and if the former state elected officer or staff member would be required to report the expenditure or gift in a statement under sections 101.70 to 101.79 or sections 121.60 to 121.69 of the Revised Code, whichever is applicable, if the former state elected officer or staff member was a legislative agent or executive agency lobbyist at the time the expenditure or gift was made, the statement referred to in division (A)(1) of this section shall include all information relative to that gift or expenditure that would be required in a statement under sections 101.70 to 101.79 or sections 121.60 to 121.69 of the Revised Code if the former state elected officer or staff member was a legislative agent or executive agency lobbyist at the time the expenditure or gift was made.

(5) If the former state elected officer or staff member made no expenditure or gift as described in division (A)(4) of this section, the statement referred to in division (A)(1) of this section shall indicate that fact.

(B) If, at any time during the twenty-four month twelve-month period immediately following the end of the former state elected officer's or staff member's service or public employment, a former state elected officer or staff member who filed or was required to file a disclosure statement under section 102.02 of the Revised Code becomes a legislative agent or an executive agency lobbyist, the former state elected officer or staff member shall comply with all registration and filing requirements set forth in sections 101.70 to 101.79 or sections 121.60 to 121.69 of the Revised Code, whichever is applicable, and, the former state elected officer or staff member also shall file a statement under division (A)(1) of this section except that the statement filed under division (A)(1) of this section does not need to include information regarding any income source, expenditure, or gift to the extent that that information was included in any registration or statement filed under sections 101.70 to 101.79 or sections 121.60 to 121.69 of the Revised Code.

(C) Except as otherwise provided in this division, division (A)(2) of this section applies to attorneys, physicians, and other persons who engage in the practice of a profession and who, pursuant to a section of the Revised Code, the common law of this state, a code of ethics applicable to the profession, or otherwise, generally are required not to reveal, disclose, or use confidences of clients, patients, or other recipients of professional services except under specified circumstances or generally are required to maintain those types of confidences as privileged communications except under specified circumstances. Division (A)(2) of this section does not require an attorney, physician, or other professional subject to a confidentiality requirement as described in this division to disclose the name, other identity, or address of a client, patient, or other recipient of professional services if the disclosure would threaten the client, patient, or other recipient of professional services, would reveal details of the subject matter for which legal, medical, or professional advice or other services were sought, or would reveal an otherwise privileged communication involving the client, patient, or other recipient of professional services. Division (A)(2) of this section does not require an attorney, physician, or other professional subject to a confidentiality requirement as described in this division to disclose in the brief description of the nature of services required by division (A)(2) of this section any information pertaining to specific professional services rendered for a client, patient, or other recipient of professional services that would reveal details of the subject matter for which legal, medical, or professional advice was sought or would reveal an otherwise privileged communication involving the client, patient, or other recipient of professional services.

(D)(1) Each state elected officer or staff member who filed or was required to file a disclosure statement under section 102.02 of the Revised Code and who leaves public service or public employment shall file an initial statement under division (A)(1) of this section not later than the day on which the former state elected officer or staff member leaves public service or public employment. The initial statement shall specify whether the person will, or will not, receive any income from a source described in division (A)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this section.

If a person files an initial statement under this division that states that the person will receive income from a source described in division (A)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this section, the person is required to file statements under division (A)(2), (3), (4), or (5) of this section at the times specified in division (D)(2) of this section.

If a person files an initial statement under this division that states that the person will not receive income from a source described in division (A)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this section, except as otherwise provided in this division, the person is not required to file statements under division (A)(2), (4), or (5) of this section or to file subsequent statements under division (A)(3) of this section. If a person files an initial statement under this division that states that the person will not receive income from a source described in division (A)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this section, and, subsequent to the filing of that initial statement, the person receives any income from a source described in division (A)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this section, the person within ten days shall file a statement under division (A)(2) of this section that contains the information described in that division, and the person thereafter shall file statements under division (A)(2), (3), (4), or (5) of this section at the times specified in division (D)(2) of this section.

(2) After the filing of the initial statement under division (D)(1) of this section, each person required to file a statement under division (A)(2), (3), (4), or (5) of this section shall file it on or before the last calendar day of January, May, and September. The statements described in divisions (A)(2), (3), and (5) of this section shall relate to the sources of income the person received in the immediately preceding filing period from each source of income in each of the categories listed in division (A)(2) of this section. The statement described in division (A)(4) of this section shall include any information required to be reported regarding expenditures and gifts of the type described in division (A)(4) of this section occurring since the filing of the immediately preceding statement.

If, pursuant to this division, a person files a statement under division (A)(2) of this section, the person is required to file statements under division (A)(4) of this section, and subsequent statements under division (A)(2), (3), or (5) of this section, at the times specified in this division. In addition, if, subsequent to the filing of the statement under division (A)(2) of this section, the person receives any income from a source described in division (A)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this section that was not listed on the statement filed under division (A)(2) of this section, the person within ten days shall file a statement under division (A)(2) of this section that contains the information described in that division regarding the new income source.

If, pursuant to this division, a person files a statement under division (A)(3) of this section, except as otherwise provided in this division, the person thereafter is not required to file statements under division (A)(2), (4), or (5) of this section, or to file subsequent statements under division (A)(3) of this section. If, subsequent to the filing of the statement under division (A)(3) of this section, the person receives any income from a source described in division (A)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this section, the person within ten days shall file a statement under division (A)(2) of this section that contains the information described in that division regarding the new income source, and the person thereafter shall file statements under division (A)(4) of this section, and subsequent statements under division (A)(2) or (3) of this section, at the times specified in this division.

(3) No fee shall be required for filing an initial a statement under division (D)(1) of this section. The person filing a statement under division (D)(2) of this section that is required to be filed on or before the last calendar day of January, May, and September shall pay a ten dollar filing fee with each such statement not to exceed thirty dollars in any calendar year. The However, the joint legislative ethics committee may charge late fees in the same manner as specified in division (G) of section 101.72 of the Revised Code.

(E) Any state elected officer or staff member who filed or was required to file a disclosure statement under section 102.02 of the Revised Code and who leaves public service or public employment shall provide a forwarding address to the officer's or staff member's last employer, and the employer shall provide the person's name and address to the joint legislative ethics committee. The former elected state officer or staff member shall provide updated forwarding addresses as necessary to the joint legislative ethics committee during the twenty-four month twelve-month period during which division (A)(1) of this section applies. The public agency or appointing authority that was the last employer of a person required to file a statement under division (A)(2) of this section shall furnish to the person a copy of the form needed to complete the initial statement required under division (D)(1) of this section.

(F) During the twenty-four month twelve-month period immediately following the end of the former state elected officer's or staff member's service or public employment, no person required to file a statement under this section shall receive from a source described in division (A)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this section, and no source described in division (A)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this section shall pay to that person, any compensation that is contingent in any way upon the introduction, modification, passage, or defeat of any legislation or the outcome of any executive agency decision.

(G)(1) As used in this section, "state elected officer or staff member" means any elected officer of this state, any staff, as defined in section 101.70 of the Revised Code, or any staff, as defined in section 121.60 of the Revised Code.

(2) As used in this section, "expenditure" has the meaning defined in section 101.70 of the Revised Code when used in relation to activities of a legislative agent, and the meaning defined in section 121.60 of the Revised Code when used in relation to activities of an executive agency lobbyist.

Sec. 102.03.  (A)(1) No present or former public official or employee shall, during public employment or service or for twelve months thereafter, represent a client or act in a representative capacity for any person on any matter in which the public official or employee personally participated as a public official or employee through decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, investigation, or other substantial exercise of administrative discretion.

(2) For twenty-four months after the conclusion of service, no former commissioner or attorney examiner of the public utilities commission shall represent a public utility, as defined in section 4905.02 of the Revised Code, or act in a representative capacity on behalf of such a utility before any state board, commission, or agency.

(3) For twenty-four months after the conclusion of employment or service, no former public official or employee who personally participated as a public official or employee through decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, the development or adoption of solid waste management plans, investigation, inspection, or other substantial exercise of administrative discretion under Chapter 343. or 3734. of the Revised Code shall represent a person who is the owner or operator of a facility, as defined in section 3734.01 of the Revised Code, or who is an applicant for a permit or license for a facility under that chapter, on any matter in which the public official or employee personally participated as a public official or employee.

(4) For a period of one year after the conclusion of employment or service as a member or employee of the general assembly, no former member or employee of the general assembly shall represent, or act in a representative capacity for, any person on any matter before the general assembly, any committee of the general assembly, or the controlling board. Division (A)(4) of this section does not apply to or affect a person who separates from service with the general assembly on or before December 31, 1995. As used in division (A)(4) of this section "person" does not include any state agency or political subdivision of the state.

(5) As used in divisions (A)(1), (2), and (3) of this section, "matter" includes any case, proceeding, application, determination, issue, or question, but does not include the proposal, consideration, or enactment of statutes, rules, ordinances, resolutions, or charter or constitutional amendments. As used in division (A)(4) of this section, "matter" includes the proposal, consideration, or enactment of statutes, resolutions, or constitutional amendments. As used in division (A) of this section, "represent" includes any formal or informal appearance before, or any written or oral communication with, any public agency on behalf of any person.

(6)(5) Nothing contained in division (A) of this section shall prohibit, during such period, a former public official or employee from being retained or employed to represent, assist, or act in a representative capacity for the public agency by which the public official or employee was employed or on which the public official or employee served.

(7)(6) Division (A) of this section shall not be construed to prohibit the performance of ministerial functions, including, but not limited to, the filing or amendment of tax returns, applications for permits and licenses, incorporation papers, and other similar documents.

(8)(7) Division (A) of this section does not prohibit a nonelected public official or employee of a state agency, as defined in section 1.60 of the Revised Code, from becoming a public official or employee of another state agency. Division (A) of this section does not prohibit such an official or employee from representing or acting in a representative capacity for the official's or employee's new state agency on any matter in which the public official or employee personally participated as a public official or employee at the official's or employee's former state agency. However, no public official or employee of a state agency shall, during public employment or for twelve months thereafter, represent or act in a representative capacity for the official's or employee's new state agency on any audit or investigation pertaining to the official's or employee's new state agency in which the public official or employee personally participated at the official's or employee's former state agency through decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, investigation, or other substantial exercise of administrative discretion.

(9)(8) Division (A) of this section does not prohibit a nonelected public official or employee of a political subdivision from becoming a public official or employee of a different department, division, agency, office, or unit of the same political subdivision. Division (A) of this section does not prohibit such an official or employee from representing or acting in a representative capacity for the official's or employee's new department, division, agency, office, or unit on any matter in which the public official or employee personally participated as a public official or employee at the official's or employee's former department, division, agency, office, or unit of the same political subdivision. As used in this division, "political subdivision" means a county, township, municipal corporation, or any other body corporate and politic that is responsible for government activities in a geographic area smaller than that of the state.

(10)(9) No present or former Ohio casino control commission official shall, during public service or for two years thereafter, represent a client, be employed or compensated by a person regulated by the commission, or act in a representative capacity for any person on any matter before or concerning the commission.

No present or former commission employee shall, during public employment or for two years thereafter, represent a client or act in a representative capacity on any matter in which the employee personally participated as a commission employee through decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, investigation, or other substantial exercise of administrative discretion.

(B) No present or former public official or employee shall disclose or use, without appropriate authorization, any information acquired by the public official or employee in the course of the public official's or employee's official duties that is confidential because of statutory provisions, or that has been clearly designated to the public official or employee as confidential when that confidential designation is warranted because of the status of the proceedings or the circumstances under which the information was received and preserving its confidentiality is necessary to the proper conduct of government business.

(C) No public official or employee shall participate within the scope of duties as a public official or employee, except through ministerial functions as defined in division (A) of this section, in any license or rate-making proceeding that directly affects the license or rates of any person, partnership, trust, business trust, corporation, or association in which the public official or employee or immediate family owns or controls more than five per cent. No public official or employee shall participate within the scope of duties as a public official or employee, except through ministerial functions as defined in division (A) of this section, in any license or rate-making proceeding that directly affects the license or rates of any person to whom the public official or employee or immediate family, or a partnership, trust, business trust, corporation, or association of which the public official or employee or the public official's or employee's immediate family owns or controls more than five per cent, has sold goods or services totaling more than one thousand dollars during the preceding year, unless the public official or employee has filed a written statement acknowledging that sale with the clerk or secretary of the public agency and the statement is entered in any public record of the agency's proceedings. This division shall not be construed to require the disclosure of clients of attorneys or persons licensed under section 4732.12 or 4732.15 of the Revised Code, or patients of persons certified under section 4731.14 of the Revised Code.

(D) No public official or employee shall use or authorize the use of the authority or influence of office or employment to secure anything of value or the promise or offer of anything of value that is of such a character as to manifest a substantial and improper influence upon the public official or employee with respect to that person's duties.

(E) No public official or employee shall solicit or accept anything of value that is of such a character as to manifest a substantial and improper influence upon the public official or employee with respect to that person's duties.

(F) No person shall promise or give to a public official or employee anything of value that is of such a character as to manifest a substantial and improper influence upon the public official or employee with respect to that person's duties.

(G) In the absence of bribery or another offense under the Revised Code or a purpose to defraud, contributions made to a campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or political contributing entity on behalf of an elected public officer or other public official or employee who seeks elective office shall be considered to accrue ordinarily to the public official or employee for the purposes of divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this section.

As used in this division, "contributions," "campaign committee," "political party," "legislative campaign fund," "political action committee," and "political contributing entity" have the same meanings as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.

(H)(1) No public official or employee, except for the president or other chief administrative officer of or a member of a board of trustees of a state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, who is required to file a financial disclosure statement under section 102.02 of the Revised Code shall solicit or accept, and no person shall give to that public official or employee, an honorarium. Except as provided in division (H)(2) of this section, this division and divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this section do not prohibit a public official or employee who is required to file a financial disclosure statement under section 102.02 of the Revised Code from accepting and do not prohibit a person from giving to that public official or employee the payment of actual travel expenses, including any expenses incurred in connection with the travel for lodging, and meals, food, and beverages provided to the public official or employee at a meeting at which the public official or employee participates in a panel, seminar, or speaking engagement or provided to the public official or employee at a meeting or convention of a national organization to which any state agency, including, but not limited to, any state legislative agency or state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, pays membership dues. Except as provided in division (H)(2) of this section, this division and divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this section do not prohibit a public official or employee who is not required to file a financial disclosure statement under section 102.02 of the Revised Code from accepting and do not prohibit a person from promising or giving to that public official or employee an honorarium or the payment of travel, meal, and lodging expenses if the honorarium, expenses, or both were paid in recognition of demonstrable business, professional, or esthetic interests of the public official or employee that exist apart from public office or employment, including, but not limited to, such a demonstrable interest in public speaking and were not paid by any person or other entity, or by any representative or association of those persons or entities, that is regulated by, doing business with, or seeking to do business with the department, division, institution, board, commission, authority, bureau, or other instrumentality of the governmental entity with which the public official or employee serves.

(2) No person who is a member of the board of a state retirement system, a state retirement system investment officer, or an employee of a state retirement system whose position involves substantial and material exercise of discretion in the investment of retirement system funds shall solicit or accept, and no person shall give to that board member, officer, or employee, payment of actual travel expenses, including expenses incurred with the travel for lodging, meals, food, and beverages.

(I) A public official or employee may accept travel, meals, and lodging or expenses or reimbursement of expenses for travel, meals, and lodging in connection with conferences, seminars, and similar events related to official duties if the travel, meals, and lodging, expenses, or reimbursement is not of such a character as to manifest a substantial and improper influence upon the public official or employee with respect to that person's duties. The house of representatives and senate, in their code of ethics, and the Ohio ethics commission, under section 111.15 of the Revised Code, may adopt rules setting standards and conditions for the furnishing and acceptance of such travel, meals, and lodging, expenses, or reimbursement.

A person who acts in compliance with this division and any applicable rules adopted under it, or any applicable, similar rules adopted by the supreme court governing judicial officers and employees, does not violate division (D), (E), or (F) of this section. This division does not preclude any person from seeking an advisory opinion from the appropriate ethics commission under section 102.08 of the Revised Code.

(J) For purposes of divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this section, the membership of a public official or employee in an organization shall not be considered, in and of itself, to be of such a character as to manifest a substantial and improper influence on the public official or employee with respect to that person's duties. As used in this division, "organization" means a church or a religious, benevolent, fraternal, or professional organization that is tax exempt under subsection 501(a) and described in subsection 501(c)(3), (4), (8), (10), or (19) of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1986." This division does not apply to a public official or employee who is an employee of an organization, serves as a trustee, director, or officer of an organization, or otherwise holds a fiduciary relationship with an organization. This division does not allow a public official or employee who is a member of an organization to participate, formally or informally, in deliberations, discussions, or voting on a matter or to use the public official's or employee's official position with regard to the interests of the organization on the matter if the public official or employee has assumed a particular responsibility in the organization with respect to the matter or if the matter would affect that person's personal, pecuniary interests.

(K) It is not a violation of this section for a prosecuting attorney to appoint assistants and employees in accordance with division (B) of section 309.06 and section 2921.421 of the Revised Code, for a chief legal officer of a municipal corporation or an official designated as prosecutor in a municipal corporation to appoint assistants and employees in accordance with sections 733.621 and 2921.421 of the Revised Code, for a township law director appointed under section 504.15 of the Revised Code to appoint assistants and employees in accordance with sections 504.151 and 2921.421 of the Revised Code, or for a coroner to appoint assistants and employees in accordance with division (B) of section 313.05 of the Revised Code.

As used in this division, "chief legal officer" has the same meaning as in section 733.621 of the Revised Code.

(L) No present public official or employee with a casino gaming regulatory function shall indirectly invest, by way of an entity the public official or employee has an ownership interest or control in, or directly invest in a casino operator, management company, holding company, casino facility, or gaming-related vendor. No present public official or employee with a casino gaming regulatory function shall directly or indirectly have a financial interest in, have an ownership interest in, be the creditor or hold a debt instrument issued by, or have an interest in a contractual or service relationship with a casino operator, management company, holding company, casino facility, or gaming-related vendor. This section does not prohibit or limit permitted passive investing by the public official or employee.

As used in this division, "passive investing" means investment by the public official or employee by means of a mutual fund in which the public official or employee has no control of the investments or investment decisions. "Casino operator," "holding company," "management company," "casino facility," and "gaming-related vendor" have the same meanings as in section 3772.01 of the Revised Code.

(M) A member of the Ohio casino control commission, the executive director of the commission, or an employee of the commission shall not:

(1) Accept anything of value, including but not limited to a gift, gratuity, emolument, or employment from a casino operator, management company, or other person subject to the jurisdiction of the commission, or from an officer, attorney, agent, or employee of a casino operator, management company, or other person subject to the jurisdiction of the commission;

(2) Solicit, suggest, request, or recommend, directly or indirectly, to a casino operator, management company, or other person subject to the jurisdiction of the commission, or to an officer, attorney, agent, or employee of a casino operator, management company, or other person subject to the jurisdiction of the commission, the appointment of a person to an office, place, position, or employment;

(3) Participate in casino gaming or any other amusement or activity at a casino facility in this state or at an affiliate gaming facility of a licensed casino operator, wherever located. A member of the Ohio casino control commission, the executive director of the commission, or an employee of the commission may participate in any other amusement or activity at a casino facility in this state or at an affiliate gaming facility of a licensed casino operator, wherever located, if the member, executive director, or employee pays the same price as the general public for that amusement or activity.

In addition to the penalty provided in section 102.99 of the Revised Code, whoever violates division (M)(1), (2), or (3) of this section forfeits the individual's office or employment.

Sec. 102.031.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Business associate" means a person with whom a member of the general assembly is conducting or undertaking a financial transaction.

(2) "Contribution" has the same meaning as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Employee" does not include a member of the general assembly whose nonlegislative position of employment does not involve the performance of or the authority to perform administrative or supervisory functions; or whose nonlegislative position of employment, if the member is a public employee, does not involve a substantial and material exercise of administrative discretion in the formulation of public policy, expenditure of public funds, enforcement of laws and rules of the state or a county or city, or execution of other public trusts.

(4) "Expenditure" has the meaning defined in section 101.70 of the Revised Code.

(B) No member of the general assembly shall vote on any legislation that the member knows is then being actively advocated if the member is one of the following with respect to a legislative agent or employer that is then actively advocating on that legislation:

(1) An employee;

(2) A business associate;

(3) A person, other than an employee, who is hired under contract to perform certain services, and that position involves a substantial and material exercise of administrative discretion in the formulation of public policy.

(C) No member of the general assembly shall knowingly accept any of the following from a legislative agent or a person required to file a statement described in division (A)(2) of section 102.021 of the Revised Code:

(1) The payment of any expenses for travel or lodging except as otherwise authorized by division (H) of section 102.03 of the Revised Code;

(2) More Expenditures of more than seventy-five two hundred fifty dollars aggregated per calendar year as payment for meals and other food and beverages, other than any contribution and other than expenditures for those meals and other food and beverages provided to the member at a meeting at which the member participates in a panel, seminar, or speaking engagement, at a meeting or convention of a national organization to which any state agency, including, but not limited to, any legislative agency or state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, pays membership dues, or at a dinner, party, or function to which all members of the general assembly or all members of either house of the general assembly are invited;

(3) A gift of any amount in the form of cash or the equivalent of cash, or a gift of any other thing of value whose value exceeds seventy-five dollars. As used in division (C)(3) of this section, "gift" does not include any contribution or any gifts of meals and other food and beverages or the payment of expenses incurred for travel to destinations either inside or outside this state that is received by a member of the general assembly and that is incurred in connection with the member's official duties.

(D) It is not a violation of division (C)(2) of this section if, within sixty days after receiving notice from a legislative agent that the legislative agent has provided a member of the general assembly with expenditures of more than seventy-five two hundred fifty dollars aggregated in a calendar year as payment for meals and other food and beverages, the member of the general assembly returns to that legislative agent the amount received that exceeds seventy-five two hundred fifty dollars.

(E) The joint legislative ethics committee may impose a fine of not more than one thousand dollars upon a member of the general assembly who violates division (B) of this section.

Sec. 102.06.  (A) The appropriate ethics commission shall receive and may initiate complaints against persons subject to this chapter concerning conduct alleged to be in violation of this chapter or section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code. All complaints except those by the commission shall be by affidavit made on personal knowledge, subject to the penalties of perjury. Complaints by the commission shall be by affidavit, based upon reasonable cause to believe that a violation has occurred.

(B) The appropriate ethics commission shall investigate complaints, may investigate charges presented to it, and may request further information, including the specific amount of income from a source, from any person filing with the commission a statement required by section 102.02 or 102.021 of the Revised Code, if the information sought is directly relevant to a complaint or charges received by the commission pursuant to this section. This information is confidential, except that the commission, in its discretion, may share information gathered in the course of any investigation with, or disclose the information to, the inspector general, any appropriate prosecuting authority, any law enforcement agency, or any other appropriate ethics commission. If the accused person is a member of the public employees retirement board, state teachers retirement board, school employees retirement board, board of trustees of the Ohio police and fire pension fund, or state highway patrol retirement board, or is a member of the bureau of workers' compensation board of directors, the appropriate ethics commission, in its discretion, also may share information gathered in the course of an investigation with, or disclose the information to, the attorney general and the auditor of state. The person so requested shall furnish the information to the commission, unless within fifteen days from the date of the request the person files an action for declaratory judgment challenging the legitimacy of the request in the court of common pleas of the county of the person's residence, the person's place of employment, or Franklin county. The requested information need not be furnished to the commission during the pendency of the judicial proceedings. Proceedings of the commission in connection with the declaratory judgment action shall be kept confidential except as otherwise provided by this section. Before the commission proceeds to take any formal action against a person who is the subject of an investigation based on charges presented to the commission, a complaint shall be filed against the person. If the commission finds that a complaint is not frivolous, and there is reasonable cause to believe that the facts alleged in a complaint constitute a violation of division (B) or (C) of section 102.07 or section 102.02, 102.021, 102.03, 102.04, 102.07, 2921.42, or 2921.43 of the Revised Code, it shall hold a hearing. If the commission does not so find, it shall dismiss the complaint and notify the accused person in writing of the dismissal of the complaint. The commission shall not make a report of its finding unless the accused person requests a report. Upon the request of the accused person, the commission shall make a public report of its finding. The person against whom the complaint is directed shall be given reasonable notice by certified mail of the date, time, and place of the hearing and a statement of the charges and the law directly involved and shall be given the opportunity to be represented by counsel, to have counsel appointed for the person if the person is unable to afford counsel without undue hardship, to examine the evidence against the person, to produce evidence and to call and subpoena witnesses in the person's defense, to confront the person's accusers, and to cross-examine witnesses. The commission shall have a stenographic record made of the hearing. The hearing shall be closed to the public.

(C)(1)(a) If, upon the basis of the hearing, the appropriate ethics commission finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the facts alleged in the complaint are true and constitute a violation of division (B) or (C) of section 102.07 or section 102.02, 102.021, 102.03, 102.04, 102.07, 2921.42, or 2921.43 of the Revised Code, it shall report its findings to the appropriate prosecuting authority for proceedings in prosecution of the violation and to the appointing or employing authority of the accused. If the accused person is a member of the public employees retirement board, state teachers retirement board, school employees retirement board, board of trustees of the Ohio police and fire pension fund, or state highway patrol retirement board, the commission also shall report its findings to the Ohio retirement study council.

(b) If the Ohio ethics commission reports its findings to the appropriate prosecuting authority under division (C)(1)(a) of this section and the prosecuting authority has not initiated any official action on those findings within ninety days after receiving the commission's report of them, the commission may publicly comment that no official action has been taken on its findings, except that the commission shall make no comment in violation of the Rules of Criminal Procedure or about any indictment that has been sealed pursuant to any law or those rules. The commission shall make no comment regarding the merits of its findings. As used in division (C)(1)(b) of this section, "official action" means prosecution, closure after investigation, or grand jury action resulting in a true bill of indictment or no true bill of indictment.

(2) If the appropriate ethics commission does not find by a preponderance of the evidence that the facts alleged in the complaint are true and constitute a violation of division (B) or (C) of section 102.07 or section 102.02, 102.021, 102.03, 102.04, 102.07, 2921.42, or 2921.43 of the Revised Code or if the commission has not scheduled a hearing within ninety days after the complaint is filed or has not finally disposed of the complaint within six months after it has been heard, it shall dismiss the complaint and notify the accused person in writing of the dismissal of the complaint. The commission shall not make a report of its finding unless the accused person requests a report. Upon the request of the accused person, the commission shall make a public report of the finding, but in this case all evidence and the record of the hearing shall remain confidential unless the accused person also requests that the evidence and record be made public. Upon request by the accused person, the commission shall make the evidence and the record available for public inspection.

(D) The appropriate ethics commission, or a member of the commission, may administer oaths, and the commission may issue subpoenas to any person in the state compelling the attendance of witnesses and the production of relevant papers, books, accounts, and records. The commission shall issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents upon the request of an accused person. Section 101.42 of the Revised Code shall govern the issuance of these subpoenas insofar as applicable. Upon the refusal of any person to obey a subpoena or to be sworn or to answer as a witness, the commission may apply to the court of common pleas of Franklin county under section 2705.03 of the Revised Code. The court shall hold proceedings in accordance with Chapter 2705. of the Revised Code. The commission or the accused person may take the depositions of witnesses residing within or without the state in the same manner as prescribed by law for the taking of depositions in civil actions in the court of common pleas.

(E) At least once each year, the Ohio ethics commission shall report on its activities of the immediately preceding year to the majority and minority leaders of the senate and house of representatives of the general assembly. The report shall indicate the total number of complaints received, initiated, and investigated by the commission, the total number of complaints for which formal hearings were held, and the total number of complaints for which formal prosecution was recommended or requested by the commission. The report also shall indicate the nature of the inappropriate conduct alleged in each complaint and the governmental entity with which any employee or official that is the subject of a complaint was employed at the time of the alleged inappropriate conduct.

(F) The Ohio ethics commission shall maintain a list of all executive agencies. The commission shall provide copies of the list to the general public on request and may charge a reasonable fee not to exceed the cost of copying and delivering the document.

(G) All papers, records, affidavits, and documents upon any complaint, inquiry, or investigation relating to the proceedings of the appropriate ethics commission shall be sealed and are private and confidential, except as otherwise provided in this section and section 102.07 of the Revised Code.

(G)(H)(1) When a complaint or charge is before it, the Ohio ethics commission or the appropriate prosecuting authority, in consultation with the person filing the complaint or charge, the accused, and any other person the commission or prosecuting authority considers necessary, may compromise or settle the complaint or charge with the agreement of the accused. The compromise or settlement may include mediation, restitution, rescission of affected contracts, forfeiture of any benefits resulting from a violation or potential violation of law, resignation of a public official or employee, or any other relief that is agreed upon between the commission or prosecuting authority and the accused.

(2) Any settlement agreement entered into under division (G)(1) of this section shall be in writing and be accompanied by a statement of the findings of the commission or prosecuting authority and the reasons for entering into the agreement. The commission or prosecuting authority shall retain the agreement and statement in the commission's or prosecuting authority's office and, in the commission's or prosecuting authority's discretion, may make the agreement, the statement, and any supporting information public, unless the agreement provides otherwise.

(3) If a settlement agreement is breached by the accused, the commission or prosecuting authority, in the commission's or prosecuting authority's discretion, may rescind the agreement and reinstitute any investigation, hearing, or prosecution of the accused. No information obtained from the accused in reaching the settlement that is not otherwise discoverable from the accused shall be used in any proceeding before the commission or by the appropriate prosecuting authority in prosecuting the violation. Notwithstanding any other section of the Revised Code, if a settlement agreement is breached, any statute of limitations for a violation of this chapter or section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code is tolled from the date the complaint or charge is filed until the date the settlement agreement is breached.

Sec. 102.07.  (A) Beginning with disclosure statements required to be filed for calendar year 2012, the Ohio ethics commission shall publish and make available to the public on its official web site each disclosure statement filed with the commission by a person who is elected to, a candidate for, or appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term in any elective office listed in division (A) of section 102.02 of the Revised Code, except for statements that are required to be kept confidential under division (B) of that section.

(B) No member, employee, or agent of the Ohio ethics commission, board of commissioners on grievances and discipline of the supreme court, or joint legislative ethics committee shall divulge any information or any books, papers, or documents presented to the commission, joint legislative ethics committee, or board of commissioners on grievances and discipline without the consent, in writing, of the appropriate ethics commission, unless such books, papers, or documents were presented at a public hearing, except as provided in section 102.06 of the Revised Code.

(C) No person shall divulge information that appears on a disclosure statement and is required to be kept confidential under division (B) of section 102.02 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 102.99.  (A) Whoever violates division (C) of section 102.02 or division (C) of section 102.031 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

(B) Whoever violates division (D) of section 102.02, division (B) or (C) of section 102.07, or section 102.021, 102.03, or 102.04, or 102.07 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Sec. 109.54.  (A) The bureau of criminal identification and investigation may investigate any criminal activity in this state that is of statewide or intercounty concern when requested by local authorities and may aid federal authorities, when requested, in their investigation of any criminal activity in this state. The bureau may investigate any criminal activity in this state related to the conduct of elections when requested by the secretary of state. The bureau may assist the Ohio ethics commission and the joint legislative ethics committee in investigating violations of sections 102.02, 102.021, 102.03, 102.031, 102.04, 2921.42, and 2921.43 of the Revised Code, upon request by the agency having the appropriate investigative jurisdiction. The bureau may investigate any criminal activity in this state involving drug abuse or illegal drug distribution prohibited under Chapter 3719. or 4729. of the Revised Code. The superintendent and any agent of the bureau may participate, as the director of an organized crime task force established under section 177.02 of the Revised Code or as a member of the investigatory staff of a task force established under that section, in an investigation of organized criminal activity anywhere within this state under sections 177.01 to 177.03 of the Revised Code.

(B) The bureau may provide any trained investigative personnel and specialized equipment that are requested by any sheriff or chief of police, by the authorized designee of any sheriff or chief of police, or by any other authorized law enforcement officer to aid and assist the officer in the investigation and solution of any crime or the control of any criminal activity occurring within the officer's jurisdiction. This assistance shall be furnished by the bureau without disturbing or impairing any of the existing law enforcement authority or the prerogatives of local law enforcement authorities or officers. Investigators provided pursuant to this section, or engaged in an investigation pursuant to section 109.83 of the Revised Code, may go armed in the same manner as sheriffs and regularly appointed police officers under section 2923.12 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1) The bureau shall obtain recording equipment that can be used to record depositions of the type described in division (A) of section 2152.81 and division (A) of section 2945.481 of the Revised Code, or testimony of the type described in division (D) of section 2152.81 and division (D) of section 2945.481 or in division (C) of section 2937.11 of the Revised Code, shall obtain closed circuit equipment that can be used to televise testimony of the type described in division (C) of section 2152.81 and division (C) of section 2945.481 or in division (B) of section 2937.11 of the Revised Code, and shall provide the equipment, upon request, to any court for use in recording any deposition or testimony of one of those types or in televising the testimony in accordance with the applicable division.

(2) The bureau shall obtain the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of persons who are experienced in questioning children in relation to an investigation of a violation of section 2905.03, 2905.05, 2907.02, 2907.03, 2907.04, 2907.05, 2907.06, 2907.07, 2907.09, 2907.21, 2907.23, 2907.24, 2907.31, 2907.32, 2907.321, 2907.322, 2907.323, or 2919.22 of the Revised Code or an offense of violence and shall maintain a list of those names, addresses, and telephone numbers. The list shall include a classification of the names, addresses, and telephone numbers by appellate district. Upon request, the bureau shall provide any county sheriff, chief of police, prosecuting attorney, village solicitor, city director of law, or similar chief legal officer with the name, address, and telephone number of any person contained in the list.

Sec. 121.60.  As used in sections 121.60 to 121.69 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Person" and "compensation" have the same meanings as in section 101.70 of the Revised Code.

(B) "Expenditure" means any of the following that is made to, at the request of, for the benefit of, or on behalf of an elected executive official, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, an executive agency official, or a member of the staff of any public officer or employee listed in this division:

(1) A payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, reimbursement, or gift of money, real estate, or anything of value, including, but not limited to, food and beverages, entertainment, lodging, transportation, or honorariums;

(2) A contract, promise, or agreement to make an expenditure, whether or not legally enforceable;

(3) The purchase, sale, or gift of services or any other thing of value. "Expenditure" does not include a contribution, gift, or grant to a foundation or other charitable organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under subsection 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. "Expenditure" does not include the purchase, sale, or gift of services or any other thing of value that is available to the general public on the same terms as it is available to the persons listed in this division, or an offer or sale of securities to any person listed in this division that is governed by regulation D, 17 C.F.R. 230.501 to 230.508, adopted under the authority of the "Securities Act of 1933," 48 Stat. 74, 15 U.S.C.A. and following, or that is governed by a comparable provision under state law.

(C) "Employer" means any person who, directly or indirectly, engages an executive agency lobbyist.

(D) "Engage" means to make any arrangement, and "engagement" means arrangement, whereby an individual is employed or retained for compensation to act for or on behalf of an employer to influence executive agency decisions or to conduct any executive agency lobbying activity.

(E) "Financial transaction" means a transaction or activity that is conducted or undertaken for profit and arises from the joint ownership or the ownership or part ownership in common of any real or personal property or any commercial or business enterprise of whatever form or nature between the following:

(1) An executive agency lobbyist, the executive agency lobbyist's employer, or a member of the immediate family of the executive agency lobbyist or the executive agency lobbyist's employer; and

(2) Any elected executive official, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, an executive agency official, or any member of the staff of a public officer or employee listed in division (E)(2) of this section.

"Financial transaction" does not include any transaction or activity described in division (E) of this section if it is available to the general public on the same terms, or if it is an offer or sale of securities to any person listed in division (E)(2) of this section that is governed by regulation D, 17 C.F.R. 230.501 to 230.508, adopted under the authority of the "Securities Act of 1933," 48 Stat. 74, 15 U.S.C.A. and following, or that is governed by a comparable provision under state law.

(F) "Executive agency" means the office of an elected executive official, a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, or any other state agency, department, board, or commission controlled or directed by an elected executive official or otherwise subject to an elected executive official's authority. For the purposes of sections 121.60 to 121.69 of the Revised Code only, "executive agency" includes the nonprofit corporation formed under section 187.01 of the Revised Code. "Executive agency" does not include any court, the general assembly, or the controlling board.

(G) "Executive agency decision" means a decision of an executive agency regarding the expenditure of funds of the state or of an executive agency with respect to the award of a contract, grant, lease, or other financial arrangement under which such funds are distributed or allocated, or a regulatory decision of an executive agency or any board or commission of the state. "Executive agency decision" does not include either of the following:

(1) A purchasing decision for which a vendor has filed a statement certifying that the vendor has not made campaign contributions in an amount such that section 3517.13 of the Revised Code would invalidate the decision, if that vendor has not engaged an executive agency lobbyist;

(2) The award of a competitively bid contract for which bid specifications were prepared and for which at least three eligible competitive bids were received by the executive agency.

(H) "Executive agency lobbyist" means any person engaged to influence whose direct communication with executive agency officials or employees for the purpose of influencing executive agency decisions or to conduct conducting executive agency lobbying activity as one of the person's main purposes on a regular and substantial basis constitutes at least twenty-five per cent of the total performance time for which the person is compensated by a specific employer. "Executive agency lobbyist" does not include an elected or appointed officer or employee of a federal or state agency, state college, state university, or political subdivision who attempts to influence or affect executive agency decisions in a fiduciary capacity as a representative of the officer's or employee's agency, college, university, or political subdivision.

(I) "Executive agency lobbying activity" means contacts made to promote, oppose, or otherwise influence the outcome of an executive agency decision by direct communication with any person described in division (E)(2) of this section, or the Ohio casino control commission. "Lobbying activity" does not include any of the following:

(1) The action of any person having a direct interest in executive agency decisions who, under Section 3 of Article I, Ohio Constitution, assembles together with other persons to consult for their common good, instructs a person listed in the first paragraph of division (I) of this section, or petitions such a person for the redress of grievances;

(2) Contacts made for the sole purpose of gathering information contained in a public record;

(3) Appearances before an executive agency to give testimony.

(J) "Executive agency official" means an officer or employee of an executive agency whose principal duties are to formulate policy or to participate directly or indirectly in the preparation, review, or award of contracts, grants, leases, or other financial arrangements with an executive agency.

(K) "Aggrieved party" means a party entitled to resort to a remedy.

(L) "Elected executive official" means the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, and the attorney general.

(M) "Staff" means any officer or employee of an executive agency whose official duties are to formulate policy and who exercises administrative or supervisory authority or who authorizes the expenditure of state funds.

Sec. 121.62.  (A) Each executive agency lobbyist and each employer shall file with the joint legislative ethics committee, within ten days following the engagement of an executive agency lobbyist, an initial registration statement showing all of the following:

(1) The name, business address, and occupation of the executive agency lobbyist;

(2) The name and business address of the employer or of the real party in interest on whose behalf the executive agency lobbyist is acting, if it is different from the employer. For the purposes of division (A) of this section, where a trade association or other charitable or fraternal organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under subsection 501(c) of the federal Internal Revenue Code is the employer, the statement need not list the names and addresses of every member of the association or organization, so long as the association or organization itself is listed.

(3) A brief description of the executive agency decision to which the engagement relates;

(4) The name of the executive agency or agencies to which the engagement relates.

(B) In addition to the initial registration statement required by division (A) of this section, each executive agency lobbyist and employer shall file with the joint committee, not later than the last day of January, May, and September of each year, an updated registration statement that confirms the continuing existence of each engagement described in an initial registration statement and that lists the specific executive agency decisions that the lobbyist sought to influence under the engagement during the period covered by the updated statement, and with it any statement of expenditures required to be filed by section 121.63 of the Revised Code and any details of financial transactions required to be filed by section 121.64 of the Revised Code.

(C) If an executive agency lobbyist is engaged by more than one employer, the lobbyist shall file a separate initial and updated registration statement for each engagement. If an employer engages more than one executive agency lobbyist, the employer need file only one updated registration statement under division (B) of this section, which shall contain the information required by division (B) of this section regarding all of the executive agency lobbyists engaged by the employer.

(D)(1) A change in any information required by division (A)(1), (2), or (B) of this section shall be reflected in the next updated registration statement filed under division (B) of this section.

(2) Within thirty days following the termination of an engagement, the executive agency lobbyist who was employed under the engagement shall send written notification of the termination to the joint committee.

(E) A registration fee of twenty-five thirty-five dollars shall be charged for filing an initial registration statement. All money collected from registration fees under this division and late filing fees under division (G) of this section shall be deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the joint legislative ethics committee fund created under section 101.34 of the Revised Code.

(F) Upon registration pursuant to this section, an executive agency lobbyist shall be issued a card by the joint committee showing that the lobbyist is registered. The registration card and the executive agency lobbyist's registration shall be valid from the date of their issuance until the next thirty-first day of January December of the an even-numbered year following the year in which the initial registration was filed.

(G) The executive director of the joint committee shall be responsible for reviewing each registration statement filed with the joint committee under this section and for determining whether the statement contains all of the required information. If the joint committee determines that the registration statement does not contain all of the required information or that an executive agency lobbyist or employer has failed to file a registration statement, the joint committee shall send written notification by certified mail to the person who filed the registration statement regarding the deficiency in the statement or to the person who failed to file the registration statement regarding the failure. Any person so notified by the joint committee shall, not later than fifteen days after receiving the notice, file a registration statement or an amended registration statement that contains all of the required information. If any person who receives a notice under this division fails to file a registration statement or such an amended registration statement within this fifteen-day period, the joint committee shall assess a late filing fee equal to twelve dollars and fifty cents per day, up to a maximum fee of one hundred dollars, upon that person. The joint committee may waive the late filing fee for good cause shown.

(H) On or before the fifteenth day of March of each year, the joint committee shall, in the manner and form that it determines, publish a report containing statistical information on the registration statements filed with it under this section during the preceding year.

(I) If an employer who engages an executive agency lobbyist is the recipient of a contract, grant, lease, or other financial arrangement pursuant to which funds of the state or of an executive agency are distributed or allocated, the executive agency or any aggrieved party may consider the failure of the employer or the executive agency lobbyist to comply with this section as a breach of a material condition of the contract, grant, lease, or other financial arrangement.

(J) Executive agency officials may require certification from any person seeking the award of a contract, grant, lease, or financial arrangement that the person and the person's employer are in compliance with this section.

Sec. 121.63.  (A) Each executive agency lobbyist and each employer shall file with the joint legislative ethics committee, with the updated registration statement required by division (B) of section 121.62 of the Revised Code, a statement of expenditures as specified in divisions (B) and (C) of this section. An executive agency lobbyist shall file a separate statement of expenditures under this section for each employer that engages the executive agency lobbyist.

(B)(1) In addition to the information required by divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section, a statement filed by an executive agency lobbyist shall show the total amount of expenditures made during the reporting period covered by the statement by the executive agency lobbyist.

(2) If, during a reporting period covered by a statement, an employer or any executive agency lobbyist the employer engaged made, either separately or in combination with each other, expenditures to, that, when added to the amount of previous expenditures made by that employer or executive agency lobbyist during the same calendar year, exceed a total of one hundred dollars at the request of, for the benefit of, or on behalf of a particular elected executive official, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, a particular executive agency official, or a particular member of the staff of any public officer listed in division (B)(2) of this section, the employer or executive agency lobbyist also shall state the name of the public officer or employee to whom, at whose request, for whose benefit, or on whose behalf the expenditures were made, the total amount of the expenditures made, a brief description of the expenditures made, the approximate date the expenditures were made, the executive agency decision, if any, sought to be influenced, and the identity of the client on whose behalf the expenditure was made.

As used in division (B)(2) of this section, "expenditures" does not include expenditures made by an executive agency lobbyist as payment for meals and other food and beverages.

(3) If, during a reporting period covered by a statement, an executive agency lobbyist made expenditures as payment for meals and other food and beverages, other than for meals and other food and beverages provided at a meeting at which the person participated in a panel, seminar, or speaking engagement or at a meeting or convention of a national organization to which any state agency, including, but not limited to, any legislative agency or state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, pays membership dues, that, when added to the amount of previous payments made for meals and other food and beverages by that executive agency lobbyist during that same calendar year, exceeded a total of fifty dollars to, at the request of, for the benefit of, or on behalf of a particular elected executive official, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, a particular executive agency official, or any particular member of the staff of any of the public officers or employees listed in division (B)(3) of this section, then the executive agency lobbyist shall also state regarding those expenditures the name of the public officer or employee to whom, at whose request, for whose benefit, or on whose behalf the expenditures were made, the total amount of the expenditures made, a brief description of the expenditures made, the approximate date the expenditures were made, the executive agency decision, if any, sought to be influenced, and the identity of the client on whose behalf the expenditure was made.

(C) In addition to the information required by divisions division (B)(2) and (3) of this section, a statement filed by an employer shall show the total amount of expenditures made by the an employer or executive agency lobbyist filing the statement during the period covered by the statement. As used in this section, "expenditures" does not include the expenses of maintaining office facilities, or the compensation paid to executive agency lobbyists engaged to influence executive agency decisions or conduct executive agency lobbying activity A statement filed by an executive agency lobbyist shall show all executive agency decisions that the executive agency lobbyist has sought to influence on behalf of the employer during the period covered by the statement. A statement filed by an employer shall show all executive agency decisions that the employer has sought to influence during the period covered by the statement.

No employer shall be required to show any expenditure or executive agency decision on a statement filed under this division if the expenditure or executive agency decision is reported on a statement filed under division (B)(1), (2), or (3) of this section by an executive agency lobbyist engaged by the employer. No executive agency lobbyist shall be required to show any expenditure on a statement filed under this division if the expenditure is reported on a statement filed under division (B) of this section by the executive agency lobbyist's employer.

(D) Any statement required to be filed under this section shall be filed at the times specified in section 121.62 of the Revised Code. Each statement shall cover expenditures made during the four-calendar-month period that ended on the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which the statement is required to be filed.

(E) If it is impractical or impossible for an executive agency lobbyist or employer to determine exact dollar amounts or values of expenditures, reporting of good faith estimates, based on reasonable accounting procedures, constitutes compliance with this division.

(F) Executive agency lobbyists and employers shall retain receipts or maintain records for all expenditures that are required to be reported pursuant to this section. These receipts or records shall be maintained for a period ending on the thirty-first day of December of the second calendar year after the year in which the expenditure was made.

(G)(1) At least ten days before the date on which the statement is filed, each employer or executive agency lobbyist who is required to file an expenditure statement under division (B)(2) or (3) of this section shall deliver a copy notice of the statement, or the portion showing the expenditure, to the public officer or employee who is listed in the statement as having received the expenditure or on whose behalf it was made.

(2) If, during a reporting period covered by an expenditure statement filed under division (B)(2) of this section, an employer or any executive agency lobbyist the employer engaged made, either separately or in combination with each other, either directly or indirectly, expenditures for an honorarium or for transportation, lodging, or food and beverages purchased for consumption on the premises in which the food and beverages were sold to, at the request of, for the benefit or, or on behalf of any of the public officers or employees described in division (B)(2) of this section, the employer or executive agency lobbyist shall deliver to the public officer or employee a statement that contains all of the nondisputed information prescribed in division (B)(2) of this section with respect to the expenditures described in division (G)(2) of this section. The statement of expenditures made under division (G)(2) of this section shall be delivered to the public officer or employee to whom, at whose request, for whose benefit, or on whose behalf those expenditures were made on the same day in which a copy of the expenditure statement or of a portion showing the expenditure is delivered to the public officer or employee under division (G)(1) of this section. An employer is not required to show any expenditure on a statement delivered under division (G)(2) of this section if the expenditure is shown on a statement delivered under division (G)(2) of this section by a legislative agent engaged by the employer.

(H) As used in this section, "expenditure" does not include the expenses of maintaining office facilities or the compensation paid to executive agency lobbyists engaged to influence executive agency decisions or to conduct executive agency lobbying activity.

Sec. 121.64.  (A) Each executive agency lobbyist who has had any financial transaction with or for the benefit of an elected executive official, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, an executive agency official, or any member of the staff of any of the public officers or employees listed in this division shall describe the details of the transaction, including the name of the public officer or employee, the purpose and nature of the transaction, and the date it was made or entered into, in a statement filed with the joint legislative ethics committee with the updated registration statement required by division (B) of section 121.62 of the Revised Code. The statements shall be filed at the times specified in section 121.62 of the Revised Code. Each statement shall describe each financial transaction that occurred during the four-calendar-month period that ended on the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which the statement is required to be filed.

(B) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, each employer who has had any financial transaction with or for the benefit of an elected executive official, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, an executive agency official, or any member of the staff of any of the public officers or employees listed in this division shall describe the details of the transaction, including the name of the public officer or employee, the purpose and nature of the transaction, and the date it was made or entered into, in a statement filed with the joint committee with the updated registration statement required by division (B) of section 121.62 of the Revised Code. The statement shall be filed at the times specified in section 121.62 of the Revised Code. Each statement shall describe each financial transaction that occurred during the four-calendar-month period that ended on the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which the statement is required to be filed.

(C) At least ten days before the date on which the statement is filed, each employer or executive agency lobbyist who is required to file a statement describing a financial transaction under this section shall deliver a copy notice of the statement transaction to the public officer or employee with whom or for whose benefit the transaction was made.

(D) No employer shall be required to file any statement under this section or to deliver a copy notice of the statement transaction to a public officer or employee with whom or for whose benefit the transaction was made if the financial transaction to which the statement pertains is reported by an executive agency lobbyist engaged by the employer.

Sec. 121.65.  If a dispute arises between an elected executive official, the director of a department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, an executive agency official, or any member of the staff of any public officer or employee listed in this division and an employer or executive agency lobbyist with respect to an expenditure or financial transaction alleged in a statement to be filed under section 121.63 or 121.64 of the Revised Code, the public officer or employee, employer, or executive agency lobbyist may file a complaint with the Ohio ethics commission. The commission shall proceed to investigate the complaint as though it were filed under section 102.06 of the Revised Code.

The complaint shall be filed at least three days prior to the time the statement is required to be filed with the joint legislative ethics committee. The time for filing a disputed expenditure or financial transaction in any statement of expenditures or the details of a financial transaction that contains a disputed expenditure or financial transaction shall be extended pending the final decision of the commission. This extension does not extend the time for filing the nondisputed portions of either type of statement. The commission shall notify the parties of its final decision by certified mail. If the commission decides that the disputed expenditure or financial transaction should be reported, the employer or executive agency lobbyist shall include the matter in an amended the statement and. The employer or executive agency lobbyist shall file the amended statement not later than ten days after receiving notice of the decision of the commission by certified mail.

An employer or executive agency lobbyist who files a false statement of expenditures or details of a financial transaction is liable in a civil action to any public officer or employee who sustains damage as a result of the filing or publication of the statement.

Sec. 121.68.  (A) The joint legislative ethics committee shall keep on file the statements required by sections 121.62, 121.63, and 121.64 of the Revised Code. These statements are public records and open to public inspection, and the joint committee shall computerize publish them so that the information contained in and make them is readily accessible available to the general public on its official web site. The joint committee shall provide copies of the statements to the general public on request and may charge a reasonable fee not to exceed the cost of copying and delivering the statement.

(B) Not later than the last day of February and October of each year, the joint committee shall compile from the registration statements filed with it a complete and updated list of registered executive agency lobbyists and their employers, and distribute the list to each elected executive official and the director of each department created under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, who shall distribute the list to the appropriate personnel under his jurisdiction. The joint committee shall provide copies of the list to the general public upon request and may charge a reasonable fee not to exceed the cost of copying and delivering the list.

(C) The joint committee shall maintain a list of all executive agencies. The joint committee shall provide copies of the list to the general public on request and may charge a reasonable fee not to exceed the cost of copying and delivering the document.

(D) The joint committee shall prescribe and make available an appropriate form for the filings required by sections 121.62, 121.63, and 121.64 of the Revised Code. The form shall contain the following notice in boldface type: "ANY PERSON WHO KNOWINGLY FILES A FALSE STATEMENT IS GUILTY OF FALSIFICATION UNDER SECTION 2921.13 OF THE REVISED CODE, WHICH IS A MISDEMEANOR OF THE FIRST DEGREE."

(E)(D) The joint committee may adopt rules as necessary to implement sections 121.60 to 121.69 of the Revised Code, and any such rules it adopts shall be adopted in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code.

(F)(E) The joint committee shall publish a handbook that explains in clear and concise language the provisions of sections 121.60 to 121.69 of the Revised Code and make it available free of charge to executive agency lobbyists, employers, and any other interested persons.

Sec. 4503.033.  (A) Annually, on or before the thirty-first day of January, every deputy registrar shall file with the registrar of motor vehicles on a form prescribed by the registrar, a statement disclosing all of the following:

(1) The name of the person filing the statement, and, if applicable, of his the person's spouse and of members of his the person's immediate family;

(2) Any contribution made within the previous calendar year by the person and, if applicable, by his the person's spouse and by members of his the person's immediate family to each of the following:

(a) Any political party;

(b) Any candidate for the office of governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer of state, auditor of state, member of the senate or house of representatives of the general assembly, or to the campaign committee of any such candidate.

(3) The month, day, and year in which the contribution was made;

(4) The full name and address of each person, political party, or campaign committee to which a contribution was made;

(5) The value in dollars and cents of the contribution.

(B) No person shall knowingly fail to file, on or before the filing deadline under this section, a statement that is required by division (A) of this section.

(C) No person shall knowingly make a false statement in a statement that is required to be filed under division (A) of this section.

(D) On and after March 2, 1994, the statement required by division (A) of this section shall be accompanied by a filing fee of twenty-five dollars. If the statement required by division (A) of this section is not filed by the date on which it is required to be filed, the registrar of motor vehicles shall assess a late filing fee as prescribed in division (F)(G) of section 102.02 of the Revised Code. The registrar shall deposit all fees he receives under this division into the general revenue fund of the state.

(E) Not later than the date a deputy registrar is required to file a statement under division (A) of this section, the deputy registrar shall file a copy of the statement with the office of the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall keep the copies of all statements filed with his the office of the secretary of state under this division only for the purpose of making them available for public inspection.

(F) Whoever violates division (B) of this section shall be fined one thousand dollars. Whoever violates division (C) of this section shall be fined ten thousand dollars.

Section 2.  That existing sections 101.15, 101.301, 101.34, 101.70, 101.72, 101.73, 101.74, 101.75, 101.78, 101.90, 101.92, 101.93, 101.94, 101.95, 101.98, 102.01, 102.02, 102.021, 102.03, 102.031, 102.06, 102.07, 102.99, 109.54, 121.60, 121.62, 121.63, 121.64, 121.65, 121.68, and 4503.033 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

Section 3.  Sections 101.72, 101.92, and 121.62 of the Revised Code, as amended by this act, take effect December 1, 2014.

Section 4.  Section 102.07 of the Revised Code is presented in this act as a composite of the section as amended by both Am. Sub. H.B. 285 and Am. Sub. H.B. 492 of the 120th General Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds that the composite is the resulting version of the section in effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in this act.