(A) It is hereby declared to be a public purpose and function of the state to facilitate the conduct of elections by assisting boards of elections in acquiring state capital facilities consisting of voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment certified for use in this state under section 3506.05 of the Revised Code. Those voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment are designated as capital facilities under Chapter 154. of the Revised Code. The treasurer of state is authorized to issue revenue obligations under section 154.24 of the Revised Code to pay all or part of the cost of those state capital facilities as are designated by law.

Boards of elections, due to their responsibilities related to the proper conduct of elections under state law, are designated as state agencies having jurisdiction over those state capital facilities financed in part pursuant to this section and Chapter 154. of the Revised Code. It is hereby determined and declared that voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment financed in part under this section are for the purpose of housing agencies of state government, their functions and equipment.

(B) A county shall contribute to the cost of capital facilities authorized under this section as provided below.

(C) Any lease of capital facilities authorized by this section, the rentals of which are payable in whole or in part from appropriations made by the general assembly, is governed by Chapter 154. of the Revised Code. Such rentals constitute available receipts as defined in section 154.24 of the Revised Code and may be pledged for the payment of bond service charges as provided in Chapter 154. of the Revised Code.

(D) The county voting machine revolving lease/loan fund is hereby created in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of the net proceeds of obligations issued under Chapter 154. of the Revised Code to finance a portion of those state capital facilities described in division (A) of this section, as needed to ensure sufficient moneys to support appropriations from the fund. Lease payments from counties made for those capital facilities financed in part from the fund and interest earnings on the balance in the fund shall be credited to the fund. The fund shall also receive any other authorized transfers of cash. Moneys in the fund shall be used for the purpose of acquiring a portion of additional capital facilities described in division (A) of this section at the request of the applicable board of elections.

Participation in the fund by a board of county commissioners shall be voluntary.

The secretary of state shall administer the county voting machine revolving lease/loan fund in accordance with this section and shall enter into any lease or other agreement with the department of administrative services, the Ohio public facilities commission, or any board of elections necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purposes of this section.

(E) Acquisitions made under this section shall provide not more than fifty per cent of the estimated total cost of a board of county commissioners' purchase of voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment.

The secretary of state shall adopt rules for the implementation of the acquisition and revolving lease/loan program established under this section, which rules shall require that the secretary of state approve any acquisition of voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment using money made available under this section. An acquisition for any one board of county commissioners shall not exceed five million dollars and shall be made only for equipment purchased on or after March 31, 2008. Any costs incurred on or after January 1, 2008, may be considered as the county cost percentage for the purpose of an acquisition made under this section.

Counties shall lease from the secretary of state the capital facilities financed in part from the county voting machine revolving lease/loan fund and may enter into any agreements required under the applicable bond proceedings. All voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment purchased through this fund shall remain the property of the state until all payments under the applicable county lease have been made at which time ownership shall transfer to the county. Costs associated with the maintenance, repair, and operation of the voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment purchased under this section shall be the responsibility of the participating boards of elections and boards of county commissioners.

Such lease may obligate the counties, as using state agencies under Chapter 154. of the Revised Code, to operate the capital facilities for such period of time as may be specified by law and to pay such rent as the secretary of state determines to be appropriate. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, any county may enter into such a lease, and any such lease is legally sufficient to obligate the county for the term stated in the lease. Any such lease constitutes an agreement described in division (D) of section 154.06 of the Revised Code.

(F) As used in this section:

(1) "Automatic tabulating equipment," "marking device," and "voting machine" have the same meanings as in section 3506.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Equipment" has the same meaning as in section 3506.05 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 497, §101.01, eff. 7/1/2014.

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