Chapter 102 | Public Officers - Ethics

Section 102.01 | Public officers - ethics definitions.

• Effective: April 7, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 45 - 134th General Assembly

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 any of the following:

(1) 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;

(2) 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;

(3) An officer, member, or director of an existing qualified nonprofit corporation that creates a special improvement district under Chapter 1710. of the Revised Code, or such a person's designee or proxy, when the person is not acting in that role with respect to a purpose for which the district is created.

(C)(1) "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.

(2) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of division (C)(3)(a) of this section, "public agency" includes a regional council of governments established under Chapter 167. of the Revised Code.

(3) "Public agency" does not include any of the following:

(a) 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;

(b) The nonprofit corporation formed under section 187.01 of the Revised Code;

(c) An existing qualified nonprofit corporation that creates a special improvement district under Chapter 1710. of the Revised Code, when the corporation is not acting with respect to a purpose for which the district is created.

(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, and candidates for the office of member of the general assembly, 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.

Last updated February 28, 2023 at 10:45 AM

Section 102.02 | Financial disclosure statement filed with ethics commission.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A)(1) 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 and workforce 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; all members appointed to the Ohio livestock care standards board under section 904.02 of the Revised Code; all entrepreneurs in residence assigned by the LeanOhio office in the department of administrative services under section 125.65 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.

(2) The disclosure statement shall include all of the following:

(a) The name of the person filing the statement and each member of the person's immediate family and all names under which the person or members of the person's immediate family do business;

(b)(i) Subject to divisions (A)(2)(b)(ii) and (iii) 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)(ii) of this section, 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)(b)(i) 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.

(ii) 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)(ii) 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 licensed under section 4731.14 of the Revised Code, if those clients or patients are legislative agents. Division (A)(2)(b)(ii) 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.

(iii) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2)(b)(iii) of this section, division (A)(2)(b)(i) 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)(b)(i) of this section does not require an attorney, physician, or other professional subject to a confidentiality requirement as described in division (A)(2)(b)(iii) 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)(b)(i) of this section does not require an attorney, physician, or other professional subject to a confidentiality requirement as described in division (A)(2)(b)(iii) of this section to disclose in the brief description of the nature of services required by division (A)(2)(b)(i) 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.

(c) 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)(2)(c) 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.

(d) 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;

(e) The names of all persons residing or transacting business in the state to whom the person filing the statement owes, in the person's own name or in the name of any other person, more than one thousand dollars. Division (A)(2)(e) 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 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.

(f) The names of all persons residing or transacting business in the state, other than a depository excluded under division (A)(2)(c) of this section, who owe more than one 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. Division (A)(2)(f) of this section shall not be construed to require the disclosure of clients of attorneys or persons licensed under section 4732.12 of the Revised Code, or patients of persons licensed 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.

(g) 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;

(h) 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 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;

(i) Except as otherwise provided in 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, that are incurred in connection with the person's official duties and that exceed one hundred dollars aggregated per calendar year;

(j) 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.

(3) A person may file a statement required by this section in person, by mail, or by electronic means.

(4) A person who is required to file a statement under this section shall file that statement according to the following deadlines, as applicable:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (A)(4)(b), (c), and (d) of this section, the person shall file the statement not later than the fifteenth day of May of each year.

(b) 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.

(c) 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.

(d) A person who is appointed or employed after the fifteenth day of May, other than a person described in division (A)(4)(c) of this section, shall file an annual statement within ninety days after appointment or employment.

(5) 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.

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

(7) 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 under division (A) of this section. The appropriate ethics commission shall send the public officials or employees written notice of the requirement not less than thirty days before the applicable filing deadline 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.

Disclosure statements filed under this division 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) 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 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) 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) Except as provided in divisions (E)(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:

For state office, except member of the state board of education	$95
For office of member of general assembly	$40
For county office	$60
For city office	$35
For office of member of the state board of education	$35
For office of member of a city, local, exempted village, or cooperative education board of education or educational service center governing board	$30
For position of business manager, treasurer, or superintendent of a city, local, exempted village, joint vocational, or cooperative education school district or educational service center	$30

(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)(1) or (2) or (F) 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)(1) or (F) of this section.

(F) 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)(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) and (F) 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) and (F) 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) 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) and (F) of this section into the joint legislative ethics committee investigative and financial disclosure fund.

(H) 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.

Last updated March 12, 2024 at 2:26 PM

Section 102.021 | Former state officials to report certain financial information.

• Effective: October 17, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly

(A)(1) For the twenty-four-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 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 a statement under this section, except that 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 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 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) 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.

Section 102.022 | Certain financial information substituted in statements of local officials and college and university trustees.

• Effective: September 29, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly

Each person who is an officer or employee of a political subdivision, who receives compensation of less than sixteen thousand dollars a year for holding an office or position of employment with that political subdivision, and who is required to file a statement under section 102.02 of the Revised Code; each member of the 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 statement under section 102.02 of the Revised Code; and each individual set forth in division (B)(2) of section 187.03 of the Revised Code who is required to file a statement under section 102.02 of the Revised Code, shall include in that statement, in place of the information required by divisions (A)(2)(b), (g), (h), and (i) of that section, the following information:

(A) Exclusive of reasonable expenses, identification of every source of income over five hundred dollars received during the preceding calendar year, in the officer's or employee's own name or by any other person for the officer's or employee'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. This division shall not be construed to require the disclosure of clients of attorneys or persons licensed under section 4732.12 of the Revised Code or patients of persons licensed under section 4731.14 of the Revised Code. This division 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 the business or profession.

(B) The source of each gift of over five hundred dollars received by the person in the officer's or employee's own name or by any other person for the officer's or employee'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, received from 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.

Section 102.03 | Representation by present or former public official or employee prohibited.

• Effective: April 4, 2023
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 288 - 134th General Assembly

(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) 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) 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) 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) 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) 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 of the Revised Code, or patients of persons licensed 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.

Last updated March 8, 2023 at 10:52 AM

Section 102.031 | Conflicts of interest of member of general assembly.

• Effective: May 18, 2005
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 181 - 125th General Assembly

(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.

(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 than seventy-five dollars aggregated per calendar year as payment for meals and other food and beverages, other than 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 more than seventy-five 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 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.

Section 102.04 | No compensation to elected or appointed state official other than from agency served.

• Effective: October 20, 1980
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 425 - 113th General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, no person elected or appointed to an office of or employed by the general assembly or any department, division, institution, instrumentality, board, commission, or bureau of the state, excluding the courts, shall receive or agree to receive directly or indirectly compensation other than from the agency with which he serves for any service rendered or to be rendered by him personally in any case, proceeding, application, or other matter that is before the general assembly or any department, division, institution, instrumentality, board, commission, or bureau of the state, excluding the courts.

(B) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, no person elected or appointed to an office of or employed by the general assembly or any department, division, institution, instrumentality, board, commission, or bureau of the state, excluding the courts, shall sell or agree to sell, except through competitive bidding, any goods or services to the general assembly or any department, division, institution, instrumentality, board, commission, or bureau of the state, excluding the courts.

(C) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, no person who is elected or appointed to an office of or employed by a county, township, municipal corporation, or any other governmental entity, excluding the courts, shall receive or agree to receive directly or indirectly compensation other than from the agency with which he serves for any service rendered or to be rendered by him personally in any case, proceeding, application, or other matter which is before any agency, department, board, bureau, commission, or other instrumentality, excluding the courts, of the entity of which he is an officer or employee.

(D) A public official who is appointed to a nonelective office or a public employee shall be exempted from division (A), (B), or (C) of this section if both of the following apply:

(1) The agency to which the official or employee wants to sell the goods or services, or before which the matter that involves the rendering of his services is pending, is an agency other than the one with which he serves;

(2) Prior to rendering the personal services or selling or agreeing to sell the goods or services, he files a statement with the appropriate ethics commission, with the public agency with which he serves, and with the public agency before which the matter is pending or that is purchasing or has agreed to purchase goods or services.

The required statement shall contain the official's or employee's name and home address, the name and mailing address of the public agencies with which he serves and before which the matter is pending or that is purchasing or has agreed to purchase goods or services, and a brief description of the pending matter and of the personal services to be rendered or a brief description of the goods or services to be purchased. The statement shall also contain the public official's or employee's declaration that he disqualifies himself for a period of two years from any participation as such public official or employee in any matter involving any public official or employee of the agency before which the present matter is pending or to which goods or services are to be sold. The two-year period shall run from the date of the most recently filed statement regarding the agency before which the matter was pending or to which the goods or services were to be sold. No person shall be required to file statements under this division with the same public agency regarding a particular matter more than once in a calendar year.

(E) No public official or employee who files a statement or is required to file a statement under division (D) of this section shall knowingly fail to disqualify himself from any participation as a public official or employee of the agency with which he serves in any matter involving any official or employee of an agency before which a matter for which he rendered personal services was pending or of a public agency that purchased or agreed to purchase goods or services.

(F) 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 documents.

Section 102.05 | Ohio ethics commission created.

• Effective: March 2, 1994
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 285 - 120th General Assembly

There is hereby created the Ohio ethics commission consisting of six members, three of whom shall be members of each of the two major political parties, to be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. Within thirty days of the effective date of this section, the governor shall make initial appointments to the commission. Of the initial appointments made to the commission, one shall be for a term ending one year after the effective date of this section, and the other appointments shall be for terms ending two, three, four, five, and six years, respectively, after the effective date of this section. Thereafter, terms of office shall be for six years, each term ending on the same day of the same month of the year as did the term that it succeeds. Each member shall hold office from the date of his appointment until the end of the term for which he was appointed. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of that term.

No person shall be appointed to the commission or shall continue to serve as a member of the commission if the person is subject to section 102.02 of the Revised Code other than by reason of his appointment to the commission or if the person is a legislative agent registered under sections 101.70 to 101.79 of the Revised Code or an executive agency lobbyist registered under sections 121.60 to 121.69 of the Revised Code. Each member shall be paid seventy-five dollars for each meeting held in the discharge of his official duties, except that no member shall be paid more than eighteen hundred dollars in any fiscal year. Each member shall be reimbursed for expenses actually and necessarily incurred in the performance of his official duties.

The commission shall meet within two weeks after all members have been appointed, at a time and place determined by the governor. At its first meeting, the commission shall elect a chairman and other officers that are necessary and shall adopt rules for its procedures. After the first meeting, the commission shall meet at the call of the chairman or upon the written request of a majority of the members. A majority of the members of the commission constitutes a quorum. The commission shall not take any action without the concurrence of a majority of the members of the commission.

The commission may appoint and fix the compensation of an executive director and other technical, professional, and clerical employees that are necessary to carry out the duties of the commission.

The commission may appoint hearing examiners to conduct hearings pursuant to section 102.06 of the Revised Code. The hearing examiners have the same powers and authority in conducting the hearings as is granted to the commission. Within thirty days after the hearing, the hearing examiner shall submit to the commission a written report of his findings of fact and conclusions of law and a recommendation of the action to be taken by the commission. The recommendation of the hearing examiner may be approved, modified, or disapproved by the commission, and no recommendation shall become the findings of the commission until so ordered by the commission. The findings of the commission shall have the same effect as if the hearing had been conducted by the commission. Hearing examiners appointed pursuant to this section shall possess the qualifications the commission requires. Nothing contained in this section shall preclude the commission from appointing a member of the commission to serve as a hearing examiner.

Section 102.06 | Powers and duties of ethics commission.

• Effective: September 10, 2007
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 100 - 127th General Assembly

(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 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 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 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) 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)(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.

Section 102.07 | No divulging of information in disclosure statements.

• Effective: May 12, 1994
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 285, House Bill 492 - 120th General Assembly

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.

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.

The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation.

Section 102.08 | Recommending legislation - advisory opinions.

• Effective: May 12, 1994
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 285, House Bill 492 - 120th General Assembly

(A)(1) Subject to division (A)(2) of this section, the board of commissioners on grievances and discipline of the supreme court and the joint legislative ethics committee may recommend legislation relating to ethics, conflicts of interest, and financial disclosure and shall render advisory opinions with regard to questions concerning these matters for persons for whom it is the appropriate ethics commission.

(2) The board of commissioners on grievances and discipline of the supreme court shall issue advisory opinions only in a manner consistent with Rule V of the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio.

(B) When the board of commissioners on grievances and discipline of the supreme court renders an advisory opinion relating to a special set of circumstances involving ethics, conflict of interest, or financial disclosure under Chapter 102. or section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code, the person to whom the opinion was directed or who was similarly situated may reasonably rely upon the opinion and shall be immune from criminal prosecutions, civil suits, or actions for removal from his office or position of employment for a violation of Chapter 102. or section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code based on facts and circumstances covered by the opinion, if the opinion states there is no violation of Chapter 102. or section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code. Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2) of this section, the board of commissioners on grievances and discipline of the supreme court shall include in every advisory opinion it renders a statement as to whether the set of circumstances described in the opinion constitutes a violation of section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1) When the joint legislative ethics committee renders an advisory opinion that has been publicly sought and that relates to a special set of circumstances involving ethics, conflicts of interest, or financial disclosure under Chapter 102. or section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code, the person to whom the opinion was directed or who was similarly situated may reasonably rely upon such opinion and shall be immune from criminal prosecutions, civil suits, or actions for removal from his office or position of employment for a violation of Chapter 102. or section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code based on the facts and circumstances covered by the opinion, if the opinion states that there is no violation of Chapter 102. or section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code. The joint legislative ethics committee shall include in every advisory opinion it renders a statement as to whether the set of circumstances described in the opinion constitutes a violation of section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code. When the joint legislative ethics committee renders an advisory opinion that has been publicly sought, the advisory opinion is a public record available under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(2) When the joint legislative ethics committee renders a written opinion that has been privately sought and that relates to a special set of circumstances involving ethics, conflicts of interest, or financial disclosure under Chapter 102. or section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code, the written opinion does not have the legal effect of an advisory opinion issued under division (C)(1) of this section. When the joint legislative ethics committee renders a written opinion that has been privately sought, the written opinion is not a public record available under section 149.43 of the Revised Code. The proceedings of the joint legislative ethics committee relating to a written opinion that has been privately sought shall be closed to the public and records relating to these proceedings are not public records available under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

The person to whom a written opinion is issued under division (C)(2) of this section may request the committee to issue the written opinion as an advisory opinion. Upon receiving such a request and with the approval of a majority of the members of the committee, the committee may issue the written opinion as an advisory opinion. If the committee issues the written opinion as an advisory opinion, the advisory opinion has the same legal effect as an advisory opinion issued under division (C)(1) of this section and is a public record available under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(3) The joint legislative ethics committee shall issue an advisory opinion under division (C)(1) of this section or a written opinion under division (C)(2) of this section, whether it is publicly or privately sought, only at a meeting of the committee and only with the approval of a majority of the members of the committee.

(D) The board of commissioners on grievances and discipline of the supreme court and the joint legislative ethics committee shall provide a continuing program of education and information concerning the provisions of Chapter 102. and sections 2921.42 and 2921.43 of the Revised Code and other provisions of law pertaining to ethics, conflicts of interest, and financial disclosure.

(E) The Ohio ethics commission may recommend legislation relating to ethics, conflicts of interest, and financial disclosure and may render advice with regard to questions concerning these matters for persons for whom it is the appropriate ethics commission. When the Ohio ethics commission renders a written formal or staff advisory opinion relating to a special set of circumstances involving ethics, conflict of interest, or financial disclosure under Chapter 102. or section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code, the person to whom the opinion was directed or who was similarly situated may reasonably rely upon the opinion and shall be immune from criminal prosecutions, civil suits, or actions for removal from his office or position of employment for a violation of Chapter 102. or section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code based on facts and circumstances covered by the opinion, if the opinion states there is no violation of Chapter 102. or section 2921.42 or 2921.43 of the Revised Code. The commission shall provide a continuing program of education and information concerning the provisions of Chapter 102. and sections 2921.42 and 2921.43 of the Revised Code and other provisions of law pertaining to ethics, conflicts of interest, and financial disclosure.

The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation.

Section 102.09 | Furnishing financial disclosure form to candidates.

• Effective: March 9, 1999
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 649 - 122nd General Assembly

(A) The secretary of state and the county board of elections shall furnish, to each candidate for elective office who is required to file a financial disclosure statement by section 102.02 of the Revised Code, a financial disclosure form, and shall notify the appropriate ethics commission, within fifteen days of the name of the candidate, and of the subsequent withdrawal, disqualification, or death of the candidate. The candidate shall acknowledge receipt of the financial disclosure form in writing.

(B) The secretary of state and the county board of elections shall furnish to each person who is appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term in an elective office, and who is required to file a financial disclosure statement by section 102.02 of the Revised Code, a financial disclosure form, and shall notify the appropriate ethics commission within fifteen days of being notified by the appointing authority, of the name and position of the public official and the date of appointment. The person shall acknowledge receipt of the financial disclosure form in writing.

(C) The public agency or appointing authority that employs, appoints, or promotes any public official or employee who, as a result of such employment, appointment, or promotion, is required to file a financial disclosure statement by section 102.02 of the Revised Code, shall, within fifteen days of the employment, appointment, or promotion, furnish the public official or employee with a financial disclosure form, and shall notify the appropriate ethics commission of the name and position of the public official or employee and the date of employment, appointment, or promotion. The public official or employee shall acknowledge receipt of the financial disclosure form in writing.

(D) Within fifteen days after any public official or employee begins the performance of official duties, the public agency with which the official or employee serves or the appointing authority shall furnish the official or employee a copy of Chapter 102. and section 2921.42 of the Revised Code, and may furnish such other materials as the appropriate ethics commission prepares for distribution. The official or employee shall acknowledge their receipt in writing. The requirements of this division do not apply at the time of reappointment or reelection.

Section 102.99 | Penalty.

• Effective: April 4, 2023
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 288 - 134th General Assembly

(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 or section 102.021, 102.03, 102.04, or 102.07 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(C) In addition to the penalty provided in division (B) of this section, whoever violates division (M)(1), (2), or (3) of section 102.03 of the Revised Code forfeits the individual's office or employment.

(D) In addition to the penalty provided in division (B) of this section, any person who violates division (F) of section 102.03 of the Revised Code is subject to the following:

(1) The court may prohibit the person from participating in a public contract with any public agency in this state for a period of two years if recommended by the agency by whom the offending public official or employee was employed.

(2) The court may order the person to pay an additional fine equal to the amount of any thing of value given in violation of division (F) of section 102.03 of the Revised Code.

(E) Upon application of the Ohio ethics commission, the court shall order a person who is convicted of a violation of section 102.021, 102.03, or 102.04 of the Revised Code to pay the costs incurred to investigate and prosecute the case. The amount ordered under this division shall not exceed the amount a person unlawfully secured, solicited, or accepted; the amount a person received as improper compensation, as an unlawful honorarium, or from the unlawful sale of goods or services; or the amount otherwise applicable under section 102.021, 102.03, or 102.04 of the Revised Code. These costs are in addition to any other cost or penalty provided in the Revised Code or any other provision of law.

Last updated March 8, 2023 at 10:53 AM