Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 145.053 – Candidate campaign finance statements - donor statement of independent expenditures

(A) As used in this section:
1. (1) "Campaign committee" means a candidate or a combination of two or more persons authorized by a candidate to receive contributions and in-kind contributions and make expenditures on behalf of the candidate.
2. (2) "Candidate" means an individual who has been nominated pursuant to division (C) or (D) of section 145.05 of the Revised Code for election to the public employees retirement board or who is seeking to be elected to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 145.06 of the Revised Code.
3. (3) "Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, transfer of funds or transfer of anything of value including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, which contribution is made, received, or used for the purpose of influencing the results of an election to the public employees retirement board under section 145.05 of the Revised Code, including a special election provided for by section 145.051 of the Revised Code, or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 145.06 of the Revised Code. "Contribution" does not include:
  1. (a) Services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a person;
  2. (b) Ordinary home hospitality;
  3. (c) The personal expenses of a volunteer paid for by that volunteer campaign worker.
4. (4) "Election day" means the following, as appropriate to the situation:
  1. (a) The first Monday in October of a year for which section 145.05 of the Revised Code specifies that an election for a member of the public employees retirement board be held;
  2. (b) If, pursuant to section 145.052 of the Revised Code, no election is held, the first Monday in October of a year that the election would have been held if not for section 145.052 of the Revised Code;
  3. (c) If the election is a special election provided for by section 145.051 of the Revised Code, a day that the board shall specify that is consistent with requirements for a special election established by section 145.051 of the Revised Code.
5. (5) "Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a contribution for the purpose of influencing the results of an election to the public employees retirement board under section 145.05 of the Revised Code, including a special election provided for by section 145.051 of the Revised Code, or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 145.06 of the Revised Code.
6. (6) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by an individual, partnership, or other entity advocating the election or defeat of an identified candidate or candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of any candidate or candidates or of the campaign committee or agent of the candidate or candidates. An independent expenditure shall not be construed as being a contribution. As used in division (A)(6) of this section:
  1. (a) "Advocating" means any communication containing a message advocating election or defeat.
  2. (b) "Identified candidate" means that the name of the candidate appears, a photograph or drawing of the candidate appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by unambiguous reference.
  3. (c) "Made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or the campaign committee or agent of the candidate" means made pursuant to any arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or the candidate's agent prior to the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of the communication. An expenditure is presumed to be so made when it is any of the following:
    1. (i) Based on information about the candidate's plans, projects, or needs provided to the person making the expenditure by the candidate, or by the candidate's campaign committee or agent, with a view toward having an expenditure made;
    2. (ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been, authorized to raise or expend funds, who is, or has been, an officer of the candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has been, receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement from the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee or agent;
    3. (iii) Made by a political party in support of a candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a political party to conduct voter registration or voter education efforts.
  4. (d) "Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate, or means any person who has been placed in a position with the candidate's campaign committee or organization such that it would reasonably appear that in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities the person may authorize expenditures.
7. (7) "In-kind contribution" means anything of value other than money that is used to influence the results of an election to the public employees retirement board under section 145.05 of the Revised Code, including a special election provided for by section 145.051 of the Revised Code, or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 145.06 of the Revised Code, or is transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a candidate and that is made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of the benefited candidate. The financing of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or part, of any broadcast or of any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials prepared by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or their authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to the candidate and an expenditure by the candidate.
8. (8) "Personal expenses" includes ordinary expenses for accommodations, clothing, food, personal motor vehicle or airplane, and home telephone.
(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, each candidate who, or whose campaign committee, receives contributions or in-kind contributions totaling one thousand dollars or more or has expenditures totaling one thousand dollars or more in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to the public employees retirement board shall file with the secretary of state two complete, accurate, and itemized statements setting forth in detail the contributions, in-kind contributions, and expenditures. The statements shall be filed regardless of whether the election is a regular election or, pursuant to section 145.051 of the Revised Code, a special election. The statements shall also be filed regardless of whether, pursuant to section 145.052 of the Revised Code, no election is held. The statements shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code. Every expenditure shall be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement; a canceled check with a notation of the purpose of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of this division. The first statement shall be filed not later than four p.m. on the day that is twelve days before election day. The second statement shall be filed not sooner than the day that is eight days after election day and not later than thirty-eight days after election day. The first statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made to the close of business on the twentieth day before election day. The second statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made during the period beginning on the nineteenth day before election day and ending on the close of business on the seventh day after election day.
(C) Each individual, partnership, or other entity that makes an independent expenditure in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to the public employees retirement board shall file with the secretary of state two complete, accurate, and itemized statements setting forth in detail the independent expenditures. The statements shall be filed regardless of whether the election is a regular election or, pursuant to section 145.051 of the Revised Code, a special election. The statements also shall be filed regardless of whether, pursuant to section 145.052 of the Revised Code, no election is held. The statements shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code. The first statement shall be filed not later than four p.m. on the day that is twelve days before election day. The second statement shall be filed not sooner than the day that is eight days after election day and not later than thirty-eight days after election day. The first statement shall reflect independent expenditures made to the close of business on the twentieth day before election day. The second statement shall reflect independent expenditures made during the period beginning on the nineteenth day before election day and ending on the close of business on the seventh day after election day.
(D) Each candidate who, or whose campaign committee, receives a contribution or in-kind contribution or makes an expenditure in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to fill a vacancy in the public employees retirement board pursuant to section 145.06 of the Revised Code shall file with the secretary of state a complete, accurate, and itemized statement setting forth in detail the contributions, in-kind contributions, and expenditures. The statement shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code. Every expenditure shall be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement; a canceled check with a notation of the purpose of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of this division. The statement shall be filed within thirty-eight days after the day the candidate takes office. The statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made to the close of business on the seventh day after the day the candidate takes office.