(A) If a person who files a written record requests an acknowledgment of the filing, the filing office shall send to the person an image of the record showing the number assigned to the record pursuant to division (A)(1) of section 1309.519 of the Revised Code and the date and time of the filing of the record. However, if the person furnishes a copy of the record to the filing office, the filing office instead may:

(1) Note upon the copy the number assigned to the record pursuant to division (A)(1) of section 1309.519 of the Revised Code and the date and time of the filing of the record; and

(2) Send the copy to the person.

(B) If a person files a record other than a written record, the filing office shall communicate to the person an acknowledgment that provides:

(1) The information in the record;

(2) The number assigned to the record pursuant to division (A)(1) of section 1309.519 of the Revised Code; and

(3) The date and time of the filing of the record.

(C) The filing office shall communicate or otherwise make available in a record all of the following information to any person who requests it:

(1) Whether there is on file on a date and time specified by the filing office, but not a date earlier than three business days before the filing office receives the request, any financing statement that:

(a) Designates a particular debtor or, if the request so states, designates a particular debtor at the address specified in the request;

(b) Has not lapsed under section 1309.515 of the Revised Code with respect to all secured parties of record; and

(c) If the request so states, has lapsed under section 1309.515 of the Revised Code and a record of which is maintained by the filing office under division (A) of section 1309.522 of the Revised Code;

(2) The date and time of filing of each financing statement; and

(3) The information provided in each financing statement.

(D) In complying with its duty under division (C) of this section, the filing office may communicate information in any medium. However, if requested, the filing office shall communicate information by issuing a record that can be admitted into evidence in the courts of this state without extrinsic evidence of its authenticity.

(E) The filing office shall perform the acts required by divisions (A) to (D) of this section at the time and in the manner prescribed by the filing-office rule but not later than two business days after the filing office receives the request.

(F)

(1) At least weekly, the filing office shall offer to sell or license to the public on a nonexclusive basis, in bulk, copies of all records filed in it under sections 1309.501 to 1309.527 of the Revised Code, in a medium determined by the secretary of state.

(2) The secretary of state may adopt rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to reasonably limit the number of bulk commercial special extraction requests made by a person for the same records or for updated records during a calendar year. The rules may include provisions for charges to be made for bulk commercial special extraction requests for the actual cost of the secretary of state, plus special extraction costs, plus ten per cent. The secretary of state may charge for expenses for redacting information, the release of which is prohibited by law.

(3) As used in division (F)(2) of this section:

(a) "Actual cost" means the cost of depleted supplies, records storage media costs, actual mailing and alternative delivery costs, or other transmitting costs, and any direct equipment operating and maintenance costs, including actual costs paid to private contractors for copying services.

(b) "Bulk commercial special extraction request" means a request for copies of a record for information in a format other than the format already available, or information that cannot be extracted without examination of all items in a records series, class of records, or data base by a person who intends to use or forward the copies for surveys, marketing, solicitation, or resale for commercial purposes. "Bulk commercial special extraction request" does not include a request by a person who gives assurance to the secretary of state that the person making the request does not intend to use or forward the requested copies for surveys, marketing, solicitation, or resale for commercial purposes.

(c) "Commercial" means profit-seeking production, buying, or selling of any good, service, or other product.

(d) "Special extraction costs" means the cost of the time spent by the lowest paid employee competent to perform the task, the actual amount paid to outside private contractors employed by the secretary of state, or the actual cost incurred to create computer programs to make the special extraction. "Special extraction costs" include any charges paid to a public agency for computer or records services.

(4) For purposes of divisions (F)(2) and (3) of this section, "commercial surveys, marketing, solicitation, or resale" shall be narrowly construed and does not include reporting or gathering news, reporting or gathering information to assist citizen oversight or understanding of the operation or activities of government, or nonprofit educational research.

Effective Date: 07-01-2001 .