Rule 3352-7-15 | Lobbying registration and reporting.
(A) General policy on lobbying registration and reporting. The Ohio Revised Code requires the university to report to the state all expenditures made to, at the request of, for the benefit of, or on the behalf of a decision maker or his/her staff, constituents, family, and friends.
(1) An expenditure is defined as an expense which is to be reimbursed by any university, foundation, rotary, or department account.
(2) A decision maker includes a member of the general assembly, the governor, director of a state department, or a member of the staff of such public official.
(3) A member of the staff is a state employee whose official duties are to formulate policy, to exercise administrative or supervisory authority, or to authorize the expenditure of funds.
(B) Statement of expenditures and procedures.
(1) Employees of the university shall report all such expenditures within the same month of the expenditures to the legislative agent of the university who will be responsible for filing the statement of expenditures with the state on behalf of the university. A registration statement shall also be filed with the state, listing the name of the legislative agent.
(2) Reports to the state must show total expenditures made during a reporting period, the date of each expenditure, and the name of each decision maker who was the recipient of an expenditure. If legislation has been discussed, the bill(s) or resolutions (s) number must also be included. The reporting periods are four month long, ending on the last day of April, August, and December.
(3) Expenditures made to, at the request of, for the benefit of, or on behalf of a decision maker or his/her staff, constituents, family, and friends include but are not limited to:
(a) Food and beverages including the cost of a dinner or a proportionate share of the cost of a dinner, party, or event for the decision maker or individuals referenced in paragraph (A) of this rule.
(b) Entertainment such as tickets to sports events, theater presentations, or concerts.
(c) Lodging and transportation.
(d) Reimbursements for commencement speaker expenses.
(e) Honorariums.
(f) Loans
(g) Gifts of money or any item of value.
(h) Gifts of university chairs.
(i) Articles of clothing such as sweat shirts and caps.
(j) The cost of awards and plaques.
(k) Purchase, sale, or gift of services.
(4) Expenditures that need not be reported are the purchase, sale, or gift of services or any item of value that is available to the general public on the same terms, such as a free concert.
(C) Violations and penalties.
(1) The legislative agent or his/her university can be criminally charged with knowingly failing to register, knowingly failing to file an updated registration statement and/or statement of expenditures, and/or knowingly failing to keep required receipts or maintaining required records.
(2) When a decision maker has sustained damages as a result of the filing of a false statement of expenditures, he/she may bring a civil action against the university or its legislative agent to recover the loss.
Last updated June 11, 2021 at 9:10 AM
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