Skip to main content
Back To Top Top Back To Top
The Legislative Service Commission staff updates the Revised Code on an ongoing basis, as it completes its act review of enacted legislation. Updates may be slower during some times of the year, depending on the volume of enacted legislation.

Chapter 150 | Venture Capital Program

 
 
 
Section
Section 150.01 | Venture capital program definitions.
 

(A) As used in this chapter:

(1) "Authority" means the Ohio venture capital authority created under section 150.02 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Issuer" means a port authority organized and existing under applicable provisions of Chapter 4582. of the Revised Code that, pursuant to an agreement entered into under division (E) of section 150.02 of the Revised Code, issues or issued obligations to fund one or more loans to the program fund.

(3) "Lender" means any person that lends money to the program fund as provided in this chapter and includes any issuer and any trustee.

(4) "Loss" means a loss incurred with respect to a lender's loan to the program fund. Such a loss is incurred only if and to the extent a program administrator fails to satisfy its obligations to the lender to make timely payments of principal or interest as provided in the loan agreement between the lender and the program administrator. "Loss" does not include either of the following:

(a) Any loss incurred by the program fund, including a loss attributable to any investment made by a program administrator;

(b) Any loss of the capital required to be provided by a program administrator, or income accruing to that capital, under the agreement entered into under division (B) of section 150.05 of the Revised Code.

(5) "Ohio-based business enterprise" means a person that is engaged in business, that employs at least one individual on a full-time or part-time basis at a place of business in this state, including a person engaged in business if that person is a self-employed individual, and that is in the seed or early stage of business development requiring initial or early stage funding or is an established business enterprise developing new methods or technologies.

(6) "Ohio-based venture capital fund" means a venture capital fund having its principal office in this state, where the majority of the fund's staff are employed and where at least one investment professional is employed who has at least five years of experience in venture capital investment.

(7) "Program fund" means the fund created under section 150.03 of the Revised Code.

(8) "Research and development purposes" has the same meaning as used in Section 2p of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution, and includes the development of sites and facilities in this state for and in support of those research and development purposes.

(9) "Trustee" means a trust company or a bank with corporate trust powers, in either case having a place of business in this state, being a taxpayer under Chapter 5707., 5725., 5726., 5727., 5729., 5733., or 5747 of the Revised Code at the time it may claim and receive a tax credit under division (E) of section 150.07 of the Revised Code, and acting in its capacity as a trustee pursuant to a trust agreement under which an issuer issues obligations to fund loans to the program fund.

(B) The general assembly declares that its purpose in enacting Chapter 150. of the Revised Code is to increase the amount of private investment capital available in this state for Ohio-based business enterprises in the seed or early stages of business development and requiring initial or early stage funding, as well as established Ohio-based business enterprises developing new methods or technologies, including the promotion of research and development purposes, thereby increasing employment, creating additional wealth, and otherwise benefiting the economic welfare of the people of this state. Accordingly, it is the intention of the general assembly that the program fund make investments in support of Ohio-based business enterprises in accordance with the investment policy authorized and required under section 150.03 of the Revised Code, and that the Ohio venture capital authority focus its investment policy principally on venture capital funds investing in such Ohio-based business enterprises. The general assembly finds and determines that this chapter and the investment policy, and actions taken under and consistent therewith, will promote and implement the public purposes of Section 2p of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution.

Section 150.02 | Ohio venture capital authority.
 

(A) There is hereby created the Ohio venture capital authority, which shall exercise the powers and perform the duties prescribed by this chapter. The exercise by the authority of its powers and duties is hereby declared to be an essential state governmental function. The authority is subject to all laws generally applicable to state agencies and public officials, including, but not limited to, Chapter 119. and sections 121.22 and 149.43 of the Revised Code, to the extent those laws do not conflict with this chapter.

(B) The authority shall consist of three members appointed by the governor, one of whom the governor shall select from a list of three nominees provided by the president of the senate, and one of whom the governor shall select from a list of three nominees provided by the speaker of the house of representatives. If the governor rejects all the nominees provided in either list, the governor shall request that the president of the senate or speaker of the house, as the case may be, provide another list of three nominees, and the president or speaker, as the case may be, shall provide another list of three nominees. All nominated and appointed members shall have experience in the field of banking, investments, commercial law, or industry relevant to the purpose of the Ohio venture capital program as stated in section 150.01 of the Revised Code. The director of development and tax commissioner or their designees shall serve as advisors to the authority but shall not be members and shall not vote on any matter before the authority.

Initial appointees to the authority shall serve staggered terms, with one term expiring on January 31, 2004, two terms expiring on January 31, 2005, two terms expiring on January 31, 2006, and two terms expiring on January 31, 2007. The terms of all members serving on the authority on January 31, 2010, expire on that date, and the three appointees appointed pursuant to the amendment of this section by H.B. 1 of the 128th general assembly shall begin their terms February 1, 2010, with one term expiring January 31, 2012, one term expiring January 31, 2013, and one term expiring January 31, 2014. Thereafter, terms of office for all appointees shall be for four years, with each term ending on the same day of the same month as did the term that it succeeds. A vacancy on the authority shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment, except that a person appointed to fill a vacancy shall be appointed to the remainder of the unexpired term. Any appointed member of the authority is eligible for reappointment.

A member of the authority may be removed by the member's appointing authority for misfeasance, malfeasance, willful neglect of duty, or other cause, after notice and a public hearing, unless the notice and hearing are waived in writing by the member.

(C) Members of the authority shall serve without compensation, but shall receive their reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the conduct of authority business. The governor shall designate a member of the authority to serve as chairperson. A majority of the members of the authority constitutes a quorum, and the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present is necessary for any action taken by the authority. A vacancy in the membership of the authority does not impair the right of a quorum to exercise all rights and perform all duties of the authority.

(D) The department of development shall provide the authority with office space and such technical assistance as the authority requires.

(E) The authority and an issuer may cooperate in promoting the public purposes of the Ohio venture capital program as stated in section 150.01 of the Revised Code and may enter into such agreements as the authority and the issuer deem appropriate, with a view to cooperative action and safeguarding of the respective interests of the parties thereto. Such agreements may provide for the rights, duties, and responsibilities of the parties and any limitations thereon, the terms on which any tax credits that may be issued to a trustee for the benefit of the issuer pursuant to division (E) of section 150.07 of the Revised Code are to be issued and claimed, and such other terms as may be mutually satisfactory to the parties including, but not limited to, requirements for reporting, and a plan, prepared by a program administrator and acceptable to the authority and the issuer, designed to evidence and ensure compliance with division (D) of section 150.03 of the Revised Code and Section 2p of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution.

Section 150.03 | Program fund; Investment policy.
 

Within ninety days after April 9, 2003, the authority shall establish, and subsequently may modify as it considers necessary, a written investment policy governing the investment of money from the program fund, which is hereby created. The program fund shall consist of the proceeds of loans acquired by a program administrator. The authority is subject to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code with respect to the establishment or modification of the policy. The policy shall meet all the following requirements:

(A) It is consistent with the purpose of the program stated in section 150.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) Subject to divisions (C), (D), and (E) of this section, it permits the investment of money from the program fund in private, for-profit venture capital funds, including funds of funds, that invest in enterprises in the seed or early stage of business development or established business enterprises developing new methods or technologies, and that demonstrate potential to generate high levels of successful investment performance.

(C) It specifies that a program administrator or fund manager employed by the program administrator shall invest not less than seventy-five per cent of program fund money under its investment authority in Ohio-based venture capital funds.

(D) It specifies both of the following:

(1) That not less than an amount equal to fifty per cent of program fund money invested in any venture capital fund be invested by the venture capital fund in Ohio-based business enterprises;

(2) That, commencing with the first program fund commitment to each venture capital fund, the aggregate amount funded into Ohio-based business enterprises by all venture capital funds to which the program fund has committed be not less than the aggregate amount of all program fund money funded into those venture capital funds.

(E) It specifies that a program administrator or fund manager employed by the program administrator shall not invest money from the program fund in a venture capital fund to the extent that the total amount of program fund money invested in the venture capital fund, when combined with any program fund money invested in a venture capital fund under the same management as that venture capital fund, exceeds the lesser of the following:

(1) Ten million dollars;

(2)(a) In the case of an Ohio-based venture capital fund, fifty per cent of the total amount of capital committed to the fund from all sources, after accounting for capital committed from the program fund;

(b) In the case of any other venture capital fund, twenty per cent of the total amount of capital committed to the fund from all sources, after accounting for capital committed from the program fund.

(F) It specifies that a program administrator or fund manager employed by the program administrator shall not commit capital from the program fund to a venture capital fund until the venture capital fund receives commitment of at least the same amount from other investors in the fund.

(G) It specifies the general conditions a private, for-profit investment fund must meet to be selected as a program administrator under section 150.05 of the Revised Code, including, as a significant selection standard, direct experience managing external or nonproprietary capital in private equity fund of funds formats.

(H) It specifies the criteria the authority must consider when making a determination under division (B)(1) of section 150.04 of the Revised Code.

(I) It includes investment standards and general limitations on allowable investments that the authority considers reasonable and necessary to achieve the purposes of this chapter as stated in division (B) of section 150.01 of the Revised Code, minimize the need for the authority to grant tax credits under section 150.07 of the Revised Code, ensure compliance of the program administrators with all applicable laws of this state and the United States, and ensure the safety and soundness of investments of money from the program fund.

(J) It prohibits the investment of money from the program fund directly in persons other than venture capital funds, except for temporary investment in investment grade debt securities or temporary deposit in interest-bearing accounts or funds pending permanent investment in venture capital funds.

Section 150.04 | Terms and conditions for tax credits; Security against losses.
 

(A) The investment policy established or modified under section 150.03 of the Revised Code shall specify the terms and conditions under which the authority may grant tax credits under section 150.07 of the Revised Code, subject to that section and division (B) of this section, to provide security against lenders' losses.

(B) Nothing in this chapter authorizes the providing of security against losses on any bases other than the following:

(1) The application first of moneys of the Ohio venture capital fund, created under section 150.08 of the Revised Code, that the authority, under the criteria in its investment policy, determines may be expended without adversely affecting the ability of the authority to continue fulfilling the purpose of this chapter as stated in section 150.01 of the Revised Code; and then

(2) The granting of tax credits pursuant to section 150.07 of the Revised Code, but only to the extent moneys under division (B)(1) of this section are insufficient to satisfy lenders' losses and restore money used to pay losses from reserves established and maintained by a trustee on behalf of an issuer to the extent consistent with an agreement between the authority and the issuer entered into under division (E) of section 150.02 of the Revised Code. Tax credits shall not be used initially to establish such a reserve or to fund a reserve with respect to any lender's loan as to which no loss has occurred. This division does not prohibit establishment of a reserve from the proceeds of any loan or any obligations issued under section 4582.71 of the Revised Code or from other sources available to the program fund.

Section 150.05 | Selection of investment funds as program administrators.
 

(A) The authority shall select, as program administrators, not more than two private, for-profit investment funds to acquire loans for the program fund and to invest money in the program fund as prescribed in the investment policy established or modified by the authority in accordance with sections 150.03 and 150.04 of the Revised Code. The authority shall give equal consideration, in selecting these program administrators, to minority owned and controlled investment funds, to funds owned and controlled by women, to ventures involving minority owned and controlled funds, and to ventures involving funds owned and controlled by women that otherwise meet the policies and criteria established by the authority. To be eligible for selection, an investment fund must be incorporated or organized under Chapter 1701., 1705., 1706., 1775., 1776., 1782., or 1783. of the Revised Code, must have an established business presence in this state, and must be capitalized in accordance with any state and federal laws applicable to the issuance or sale of securities.

The authority shall select program administrators only after soliciting and evaluating requests for proposals as prescribed in this section. The authority shall publish a notice of a request for proposals in newspapers of general circulation in this state once each week for two consecutive weeks before a date specified by the authority as the date on which it will begin accepting proposals. The notices shall contain a general description of the subject of the proposed agreement and the location where the request for proposals may be obtained. The request for proposals shall include all the following:

(1) Instructions and information to respondents concerning the submission of proposals, including the name and address of the office where proposals are to be submitted;

(2) Instructions regarding the manner in which respondents may communicate with the authority, including the names, titles, and telephone numbers of the individuals to whom such communications shall be directed;

(3) Description of the performance criteria that will be used to evaluate whether a respondent selected by the authority is satisfying the authority's investment policy;

(4) Description of the factors and criteria to be considered in evaluating respondents' proposals, the relative importance of each factor or criterion, and description of the authority's evaluation procedure;

(5) Description of any documents that may be incorporated by reference into the request for proposals, provided that the request specifies where such documents may be obtained and such documents are readily available to all interested parties.

After the date specified for receiving proposals, the authority shall evaluate submitted proposals. The authority may discuss a respondent's proposal with that respondent to clarify or revise a proposal or the terms of the agreement.

The authority shall choose for review proposals from at least three respondents the authority considers qualified to operate the program in the best interests of the investment policy adopted by the authority. If three or fewer proposals are submitted, the authority shall review each proposal. The authority may cancel a request for proposals at any time before entering into an agreement with a respondent. The authority shall provide respondents fair and equal opportunity for such discussions. The authority may terminate discussions with any respondent upon written notice to the respondent.

(B) After reviewing the chosen proposals, the authority may select not more than two such respondents and enter into a written agreement with each of the selected respondents, provided that at no time shall there be agreements with more than two persons.

The agreement shall do all of the following:

(1) Specify that borrowing and investing by the program administrator will be budgeted to guarantee that no tax credits will be granted during the first four years of the Ohio venture capital program, and will be structured to ensure that payments of principal, interest, or interest equivalent due in any fiscal year, when added to such payments due from any other program administrator, does not exceed twenty million dollars;

(2) Require investment by the program administrator or the fund manager employed by the program administrator to be in compliance with the investment policy established or modified in accordance with sections 150.03 and 150.04 of the Revised Code that is in effect at the time the investment is made, and prohibit the program administrator or fund manager from engaging in any investment activities other than activities to carry out that policy;

(3) Require periodic financial reporting by the program administrator to the authority, which reporting shall include an annual audit by an independent auditor and such other financial reporting as is specified in the agreement or otherwise required by the authority for the purpose of ensuring that the program administrator is carrying out the investment policy;

(4) Specify any like standards or general limitations in addition to or in furtherance of investment standards or limitations that apply pursuant to division (H) of section 150.03 of the Revised Code;

(5) Require the program administrator to apply program fund revenue first to the payment of principal borrowed by the program administrator for investment under the program, then to interest related to that principal, and then to amounts necessary to cover the program administrator's pro rata share required under division (B)(9) of this section; and require the program administrator to pay the authority not less than ninety per cent of the amount by which program fund revenue attributable to investments under the program administrator's investment authority exceeds amounts so applied;

(6) Specify the procedures by which the program administrator shall certify immediately to the authority the necessity for the authority to issue tax credit certificates pursuant to contracts entered into under section 150.07 of the Revised Code;

(7) Specify any general limitations regarding the employment of a fund manager by the program administrator, in addition to an express limitation that the fund manager be a person with demonstrated, substantial, successful experience in the design and management of seed and venture capital investment programs and in capital formation. The fund manager may be, but need not be, an equity owner or affiliate of the program administrator.

(8) Specify the terms and conditions under which the authority or the program administrator may terminate the agreement, including in the circumstance that the program administrator or fund manager violates the investment policy;

(9) Require the program administrator or fund manager employed by the program administrator to provide capital in the form of a loan equal to one per cent of the amount of outstanding loans by lenders to the program fund. The loan from the program administrator or fund manager shall be on the same terms and conditions as loans from other lenders, except that the loan from the program administrator or fund manager shall not be secured by the Ohio venture capital fund or tax credits available to other lenders under division (B) of section 150.04 of the Revised Code. Such capital shall be placed at the same risk as the proceeds from such loans. The program administrator shall receive a pro rata share of the net income, including net loss, from the investment of money from the program fund, but is not entitled to the security against losses provided under section 150.04 of the Revised Code.

Section 150.051 | Annual report regarding minority business enterprises.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Minority business enterprise" has the meaning defined in section 122.71 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Women's business enterprise" means a business, or a partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or joint venture of any kind, that is owned and controlled by women who are United States citizens and residents of this state.

(B) The Ohio venture capital authority shall submit annually to the governor and to the general assembly (under section 101.68 of the Revised Code) a report containing the following information:

(1) The name of each program administrator that is a minority business enterprise or a women's business enterprise with which the authority contracts;

(2) The amount of assets managed by program administrators that are minority business enterprises or women's business enterprises, expressed as a percentage of assets managed by program administrators with which the authority has contracted.

(3) Efforts by the authority to increase utilization of program administrators that are minority business enterprises or women's business enterprises.

Section 150.06 | Status of authority; Construction of program administrator agreement; Executive session.
 

(A) The authority is exempt from the requirements of sections 101.82 to 101.87 of the Revised Code.

(B) The selection of a program administrator and the entering into an agreement under section 150.05 of the Revised Code do not constitute a purchase of services under Chapter 125. of the Revised Code.

(C) Notwithstanding section 121.22 of the Revised Code, the authority may hold an executive session for either of the following purposes, but only after a majority of a quorum of the authority determines, by a roll call vote, to hold the session, and only at a regular or special meeting:

(1) Presenting, reviewing, or discussing proprietary information relating to any person unless that person has consented in writing to disclosure of such information by the authority;

(2) Preparing for, conducting, or reviewing negotiating sessions with any private, for-profit investment fund for the purpose of selecting a program administrator and entering into an agreement under section 150.05 of the Revised Code.

Section 150.07 | Authorizing tax credits.
 

(A) For the purpose stated in section 150.01 of the Revised Code, the authority may authorize a lender to claim one of the refundable tax credits allowed under section 5707.031, 5725.19, 5726.53, 5727.241, 5729.08, 5733.49, or 5747.80 of the Revised Code. The credits shall be authorized by a written contract with the lender. The contract shall specify the terms under which the lender may claim the credit, including the amount of loss, if any, the lender must incur before the lender may claim the credit; specify that the credit shall not exceed the amount of the loss; and specify that the lender may claim the credit only for a loss certified by a program administrator to the authority under the procedures prescribed under division (B)(6) of section 150.05 of the Revised Code. The program administrator shall provide to the authority an estimate of the amount of tax credits, if any, that are likely, in the administrator's reasonable judgment, to be claimed by a lender during the current and next succeeding state fiscal years. The estimate shall be provided at the same time each year that the administrator is required to report the annual audit to the authority under section 150.05 of the Revised Code.

(B) Tax credits may be authorized at any time after the authority establishes the investment policy under section 150.03 of the Revised Code, but a tax credit so authorized may not be claimed before July 1, 2007, or after June 30, 2026, except, with respect to loans made from the proceeds of obligations issued under section 4582.71 of the Revised Code, a tax credit may not be claimed before July 1, 2012, or after June 30, 2036.

(C)(1) Upon receiving certification of a lender's loss from a program administrator pursuant to the procedures in the investment policy, the authority shall issue a tax credit certificate to the lender, except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section.

(2) If the lender is a pass-through entity, as defined in section 5733.04 of the Revised Code, then each equity investor in the lender pass-through entity shall be entitled to claim one of the tax credits allowed under division (A) of this section for that equity investor's taxable year in which or with which ends the taxable year of the lender pass-through entity in an amount based on the equity investor's distributive or proportionate share of the credit amount set forth in the certificate issued by the authority. If all equity investors of the lender pass-through entity are not eligible to claim a credit against the same tax set forth in division (A) of this section, then each equity investor may elect to claim a credit against the tax to which the equity investor is subject to in an amount based on the equity investor's distributive or proportionate share of the credit amount set forth in the certificate issued by the authority.

(3) The certificate shall state the amount of the credit and the calendar year under section 5707.031, 5725.19, 5727.241, or 5729.08, the tax year under section 5726.53 or 5733.49, or the taxable year under section 5747.80 of the Revised Code for which the credit may be claimed. The authority, in conjunction with the tax commissioner, shall develop a system for issuing tax credit certificates for the purpose of verifying that any credit claimed is a credit issued under this section and is properly taken in the year specified in the certificate and in compliance with division (B) of this section.

(D) The authority shall not, in any fiscal year, issue tax credit certificates under this section in a total amount exceeding twenty million dollars. The authority shall not issue tax credit certificates under this section in a total amount exceeding three hundred eighty million dollars.

(E) Notwithstanding any other section of this chapter or any provision of Chapter 5707., 5725., 5726., 5727., 5729., 5733., or 5747. of the Revised Code, if provided by the terms of an agreement entered into by the issuer and the authority under division (E) of section 150.02 of the Revised Code, and subject to the limitations of divisions (B) and (D) of this section, a trustee shall have the right, for the benefit of the issuer, to receive and claim the credits authorized under division (A) of this section solely for the purpose provided for in section 150.04 of the Revised Code, and the trustee shall be entitled to file a tax return, an amended tax return, or an estimated tax return at such times as are permitted or required under the applicable provisions of Chapter 5707., 5725., 5726., 5727., 5729., 5733., or 5747. of the Revised Code for the purpose of claiming credits issued to the trustee. The trustee shall receive the proceeds of such a tax credit for the benefit of the issuer, and shall apply the proceeds solely to satisfy a loss or restore a reserve as provided in section 150.04 of the Revised Code. Nothing in this section shall require a trustee to file a tax return under any chapter for any purpose other than claiming such credits if the trustee is not otherwise required to make such a filing.

The general assembly may from time to time modify or repeal any of the taxes against which the credits authorized under division (A) of this section may be claimed, and may authorize those credits to be claimed for the purposes provided for in section 150.04 of the Revised Code with respect to any other tax imposed by this state; provided, that if any obligations issued under section 4582.71 of the Revised Code are then outstanding and such modification or repeal would have the effect of impairing any covenant made in or pursuant to an agreement under division (E) of section 150.02 of the Revised Code regarding the maintenance or restoration of reserves established and maintained with a trustee consistent with division (B)(2) of section 150.04 of the Revised Code and such agreement, the state shall provide other security to the extent necessary to avoid or offset the impairment of such covenant.

Section 150.08 | Ohio venture capital fund.
 

(A) There is hereby created in the state treasury the Ohio venture capital fund, to which shall be credited all payments received by the authority pursuant to division (B)(5) of section 150.05 of the Revised Code and all interest earned on moneys of the fund.

(B) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, money in the Ohio venture capital fund shall be used exclusively to provide security against losses as authorized under this chapter.

(C) If the amount in the venture capital fund exceeds the amount reasonably necessary to provide security against such losses, the excess may be used, upon appropriation by the general assembly, to provide scholarships or other financial assistance to students enrolled in a course of study in the fields of physical or natural sciences, mathematics, or engineering at an institution of higher education in this state.

Section 150.09 | Immunity.
 

The state, the governor, or a member of the authority is not liable in damages to any person in a civil action for any loss incurred as a result of any investment made by a program administrator or fund manager employed by the program administrator.

Section 150.10 | Annual report - testimony at committee hearings.
 

(A) On the first day of January of the second year after the date of entering into an agreement under section 150.05 of the Revised Code and on the first day of August of each ensuing year, the authority shall file with the clerk of the house of representatives, the clerk of the senate, and the chairpersons of the house and senate standing committees predominantly concerned with economic development a written report on the Ohio venture capital program. The report shall include all the following:

(1) A description of the details of the investment policy established or modified in accordance with sections 150.03 and 150.04 of the Revised Code;

(2) The authority's assessment of the program's achievement of its purpose stated in section 150.01 of the Revised Code;

(3) The value of tax credit certificates issued by the authority under section 150.07 of the Revised Code in each fiscal year ending on or before the preceding thirtieth day of June;

(4) The amount of tax credits claimed pursuant to section 5707.031, 5725.19, 5726.53, 5727.241, 5729.08, 5733.49, or 5747.80 of the Revised Code, as to the respective taxes involved;

(5) The financial status of the Ohio venture capital fund;

(6) The names of venture capital funds in which money from the program fund has been invested and the locations of their principal offices, and the names of the enterprises in which each of those venture capital funds has invested such money and the locations of those enterprises' principal offices;

(7) Any recommendations for modifying the program to better achieve the purpose stated in section 150.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) During each year that a report is issued under division (A) of this section, the chairperson of the authority, or another member of the authority designated by the chairperson as the authority's representative, shall be required to appear in person before the standing committees of the house and senate predominantly concerned with economic development to give testimony concerning the status of the Ohio venture capital program.