(A) The director of development may, to carry out the purposes of division (E) of section 122.04 of the Revised Code:

(1) Establish offices in foreign countries as the director considers appropriate and enter into leases of real property, buildings, and office space that are appropriate for these offices;

(2) Appoint personnel, who shall be in the unclassified civil services, necessary to operate such offices and fix their compensation. The director may enter into contracts with foreign nationals to staff the foreign offices established under this section.

(3) The director may establish United States dollar and foreign currency accounts for the payment of expenses related to the operation and maintenance of the offices established under this section. The director shall establish procedures acceptable to the director of budget and management for the conversion, transfer, and control of United States dollars and foreign currency.

(4) Provide export promotion assistance to Ohio businesses and organize or support missions to foreign countries to promote export of Ohio products and services and to encourage foreign direct investment in Ohio. The director may charge fees to businesses receiving export assistance and to participants in foreign missions sufficient to recover the direct costs of those activities. The director shall adopt, as an internal management rule under section 111.15 of the Revised Code, a procedure for setting the fees and a schedule of fees for services commonly provided by the department. The procedure shall require the director to annually review the established fees.

(5) Do all things necessary and appropriate for the operation of the state's foreign offices.

(B) All contracts entered into under division (A)(2) of this section and any payments of expenses under division (A)(3) of this section related to the operation and maintenance of foreign offices established under this section may be paid in the appropriate foreign currency and are exempt from sections 127.16 and 5147.07 and Chapters 124., 125., and 153. of the Revised Code.

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

Effective Date: 09-29-1999 .