(A) Every holder required to file a report under section 169.03 of the Revised Code shall, at the time of filing, pay to the director of commerce ten per cent of the aggregate amount of unclaimed funds as shown on the report, except for aggregate amounts of fifty dollars or less in which case one hundred per cent shall be paid. The funds may be deposited by the director in the state treasury to the credit of the unclaimed funds trust fund, which is hereby created, or placed with a financial organization. Any interest earned on money in the trust fund shall be credited to the trust fund. The remainder of the aggregate amount of unclaimed funds as shown on the report, plus earnings accrued to date of payment to the director, shall, at the option of the director, be retained by the holder or paid to the director for deposit as agent for the mortgage funds with a financial organization as defined in section 169.01 of the Revised Code, with the funds to be in income-bearing accounts to the credit of the mortgage funds, or the holder may enter into an agreement with the director specifying the obligations of the United States in which funds are to be invested, and agree to pay the interest on the obligations to the state. Holders retaining any funds not in obligations of the United States shall enter into an agreement with the director specifying the classification of income-bearing account in which the funds will be held and pay the state interest on the funds at a rate equal to the prevailing market rate for similar funds. Moneys that the holder is required to pay to the director rather than to retain may be deposited with the treasurer of state, or placed with a financial organization.

Securities and other intangible property transferred to the director shall, within a reasonable time, be converted to cash and the proceeds deposited as provided for other funds.

One-half of the funds evidenced by agreements, in income-bearing accounts, or on deposit with the treasurer of state shall be allocated on the records of the director to the mortgage insurance fund created by section 122.561 of the Revised Code. Out of the remaining half, after allocation of sufficient moneys to the minority business bonding fund to meet the provisions of division (B) of this section, the remainder shall be allocated on the records of the director to the housing development fund created by division (A) of section 175.11 of the Revised Code.

(B) The director shall serve as agent for the director of development and as agent for the Ohio housing finance agency in making deposits and withdrawals and maintaining records pertaining to the minority business bonding fund created by section 122.88 of the Revised Code, the mortgage insurance fund, and the housing development fund created by section 175.11 of the Revised Code. Funds from the mortgage insurance fund are available to the director of development when those funds are to be disbursed to prevent or cure, or upon the occurrence of, a default of a mortgage insured pursuant to section 122.451 of the Revised Code. Funds from the housing development fund are available upon request to the Ohio housing finance agency, in an amount not to exceed the funds allocated on the records of the director, for the purposes of section 175.05 of the Revised Code. Funds from the minority business bonding fund are available to the director of development upon request to pay obligations on bonds the director writes pursuant to section 122.88 of the Revised Code; except that, unless the general assembly authorizes additional amounts, the total maximum amount of moneys that may be allocated to the minority business bonding fund under this division is ten million dollars.

When funds are to be disbursed, the appropriate agency shall call upon the director to transfer the necessary funds to it. The director shall first withdraw the funds paid by the holders and deposited with the treasurer of state or in a financial institution as agent for the funds. Whenever these funds are inadequate to meet the request, the director shall provide for a withdrawal of funds, within a reasonable time and in the amount necessary to meet the request, from financial institutions in which the funds were retained or placed by a holder and from other holders who have retained funds, in an equitable manner as the director prescribes. In the event that the amount to be withdrawn from any one holder is less than five hundred dollars, the amount to be withdrawn is at the director's discretion. The director shall then transfer to the agency the amount of funds requested.

Funds deposited in the unclaimed funds trust fund are subject to call by the director when necessary to pay claims the director allows under section 169.08 of the Revised Code, in accordance with the director's rules, to defray the necessary costs of making publications this chapter requires and to pay other operating and administrative expenses the department of commerce incurs in the administration and enforcement of this chapter.

The unclaimed funds trust fund shall be assessed a proportionate share of the administrative costs of the department of commerce in accordance with procedures the director of commerce prescribes and the director of budget and management approves. The assessment shall be paid from the unclaimed funds trust fund to the division of administration fund.

(C) Earnings on the accounts in financial organizations to the credit of the mortgage funds shall, at the option of the financial organization, be credited to the accounts at times and at rates as earnings are paid on other accounts of the same classification held in the financial organization or paid to the director. The director shall be notified annually, and at other times as the director may request, of the amount of the earnings credited to the accounts. Interest on unclaimed funds a holder retains shall be paid to the director or credited as specified in the agreement under which the organization retains the funds. Interest payable to the director under an agreement to invest unclaimed funds in income-bearing accounts or obligations of the United States shall be paid annually by the holder to the director. Any earnings or interest the director receives under this division shall be deposited in and credited to the mortgage funds.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Effective Date: 06-30-1997; 07-01-2005