(A) There is hereby created in the state treasury the law enforcement assistance fund. The attorney general shall use the fund to pay reimbursements for continuing professional training programs for peace officers and troopers as provided in this section and section 109.803 of the Revised Code, compensation of any employees of the attorney general required to administer those sections, and any other administrative costs incurred by the attorney general to administer those sections.

(B) The attorney general shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code establishing application procedures, standards, and guidelines, and prescribing an application form, for the reimbursement of public appointing authorities for the cost of continuing professional training programs for their peace officers and troopers. The rules shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) A requirement that applications for reimbursement be submitted on a calendar-year basis;

(2) The documentation required to substantiate any costs for which the applicant seeks reimbursement;

(3) Procedures for submitting applications for reimbursement for the cost of continuing professional training programs completed by a peace officer or trooper for whom the executive director of the Ohio peace officer training commission granted pursuant to division (A)(2) of section 109.803 of the Revised Code an extension of the time for compliance with the continuing professional training requirement specified in division (A) of that section and who complied with the requirement prior to the date on which the extension ends;

(4) Any other requirements necessary for the proper administration of the reimbursement program.

(C) The Ohio peace officer training commission shall administer a program for reimbursing public appointing authorities for the costs of continuing professional training programs that are successfully completed by the appointing authority's peace officers or troopers. The commission shall administer the reimbursement program in accordance with rules adopted by the attorney general pursuant to division (B) of this section.

(D) Each public appointing authority may apply each calendar year to the peace officer training commission for reimbursement for the costs of continuing professional training programs that are successfully completed by the appointing authority's peace officers or troopers. Each application shall be made in accordance with, on an application form prescribed in, and be supported by the documentation required by, the rules adopted by the attorney general pursuant to division (B) of this section.

(E)

(1) The Ohio peace officer training commission, in accordance with rules of the attorney general adopted under division (B) of this section, shall review each application for reimbursement made under division (D) of this section to determine if the applicant is entitled to reimbursement for the training programs for which the applicant seeks reimbursement. Except as provided in division (E)(2) of this section, a public appointing authority that complies with division (B) of section 109.761 of the Revised Code and applies under division (D) of this section for reimbursement is entitled to reimbursement for each of the appointing authority's peace officers or troopers who timely complies with the continuing professional training requirement specified in division (A)(1) of section 109.803 of the Revised Code by completing the minimum number of hours of training directed by the Ohio peace officer training commission under that division and with the other requirements described in that division.

(2) If a peace officer or trooper of the public appointing authority for whom the executive director of the commission granted an extension pursuant to division (A)(2) of section 109.803 of the Revised Code complies prior to the date on which the extension ends with the continuing professional training requirement, and if the peace officer or trooper also has complied with the other requirements described in division (A)(1) of section 109.803 of the Revised Code, the public appointing authority is entitled to reimbursement for the training programs completed by that peace officer or trooper. An application for reimbursement of the type described in this division shall be made in accordance with rules adopted by the attorney general pursuant to division (B) of section 109.802 of the Revised Code.

(3) If a public appointing authority that applies under division (D) of this section for reimbursement is entitled to reimbursement under division (E)(1) or (2) of this section for each peace officer and trooper who successfully completes a training program, the commission shall approve reimbursing the appointing authority for the cost of that program. The actual amount of reimbursement for each authorized training program shall be determined by rules adopted by the attorney general under division (B) of this section.

If the public appointing authority is entitled to reimbursement under division (E)(2) of this section, payment of the reimbursement shall not be withheld during the period of the extension granted to the other peace officers or troopers of the authority pursuant to division (A)(2) of section 109.803 of the Revised Code, pending their compliance with the requirement. If the public appointing authority is entitled to reimbursement under division (E)(2) of this section and if one or more of its peace officers or troopers who were granted an extension pursuant to division (A)(2) of section 109.803 of the Revised Code fails to complete prior to the date on which the extension ends the required minimum number of hours of continuing professional training set by the commission under division (A)(1) of section 109.803 of the Revised Code, the failure does not affect the reimbursement made to the public appointing authority, and the public appointing authority is not required to return the reimbursement or any portion of it.

(F) Each public appointing authority that receives funds under this section shall keep those funds separate from any other funds of the appointing authority and shall use those funds only for paying the cost of continuing professional training programs.

(G) As used in this section and section 109.803 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Peace officer" has the same meaning as in section 109.71 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Trooper" means an individual appointed as a state highway patrol trooper under section 5503.01 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Appointing authority" means any agency or entity that appoints a peace officer or trooper.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 10/16/2009.

Effective Date: 03-18-1999; 01-04-2007