For the purposes of this chapter, the director of the Ohio coal development office may:

(A) With the advice of the technical advisory committee created in section 1551.35 of the Revised Code and the approval of the director of development, make loans, guarantee loans, and make grants to persons doing business in this state or to educational or scientific institutions located in this state for coal research and development projects by any such person or educational or scientific institution and adopt rules under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code for making such loans, guarantees, and grants.

(B) In making loans, loan guarantees, and grants under division (A) of this section and section 1555.04 of the Revised Code, the director of the office shall ensure that an adequate portion of the total amount of those loans, loan guarantees, and grants, as determined by the director with the advice of the technical advisory committee, is used for conducting research on fundamental scientific problems related to the utilization of Ohio coal and shall ensure, to the maximum feasible extent, joint financial participation by the federal government or other investors or interested parties in conjunction with any such loan, loan guarantee, or grant. The director, in each grant agreement or contract under division (A) of this section, loan contract or agreement under this division or section 1555.04 of the Revised Code, and contract of guarantee under section 1555.05 of the Revised Code, shall require that the facility or project be maintained and kept in good condition and repair by the person or educational or scientific institution to whom the grant or loan was made or for whom the guarantee was made.

(C) From time to time, with the advice of the technical advisory committee and the approval of the director of development, request the issuance of coal research and development general obligations under section 151.07 of the Revised Code, for any of the purposes set forth in Section 15 of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution, and subject to the limitations therein upon the aggregate total amount of obligations that may be outstanding at any time.

(D) Include as a condition of any loan, loan guarantee, or grant contract or agreement with any such person or educational or scientific institution that the director of the office receive, in addition to payments of principal and interest on any such loan or service charges for any such guarantee, as appropriate, as authorized by Section 15 of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution, a reasonable royalty or portion of the income or profits arising out of the developments, discoveries, or inventions, including patents or copyrights, that result in whole or in part from coal research and development projects conducted under any such contract or agreement, in such amounts and for such period of years as may be negotiated and provided by the contract or agreement in advance of the making of the grant, loan, or loan guarantee. Moneys received by the director of the office under this section may be credited to the coal research and development bond service fund or used to make additional loans, loan guarantees, grants, or agreements under this section.

(E) Employ managers, superintendents, and other employees and retain or contract with consulting engineers, financial consultants, accounting experts, architects, and such other consultants and independent contractors as are necessary in the judgment of the director of the office to carry out this chapter, and fix the compensation thereof.

(F) Receive and accept from any federal agency, subject to the approval of the governor, grants for or in aid of the construction or operation of any coal research and development project or for coal research and development, and receive and accept aid or contributions from any source of money, property, labor, or other things of value, to be held, used, and applied only for the purposes for which such grants and contributions are made.

(G) Purchase fire and extended coverage and liability insurance for any coal research and development project, insurance protecting the office and its officers and employees against liability for damage to property or injury to or death of persons arising from its operations, and any other insurance the director of the office determines necessary or proper under this chapter. Any moneys received by the director from the proceeds of any such insurance with respect to a coal research and development project and any moneys received by the director from the proceeds of any settlement, judgment, foreclosure, or other insurance with respect to a coal research and development project or facility shall be credited to the coal research and development bond service fund.

(H) In the exercise of the powers of the director of the office under this chapter, call to the director's assistance, temporarily, from time to time, any engineers, technical experts, financial experts, and other employees in any state department, agency, or commission, or in the Ohio state university, or other educational institutions financed wholly or partially by this state for purposes of assisting the director of the office with reviewing and evaluating applications for financial assistance under this chapter, monitoring performance of coal research and development projects receiving financial assistance under this chapter, and reviewing and evaluating the progress and findings of those projects. Such engineers, experts, and employees shall not receive any additional compensation over that which they receive from the department, agency, commission, or educational institution by which they are employed, but they shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred while working under the direction of the director.

(I) Do all acts necessary or proper to carry out the powers expressly granted in this chapter.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.127, HB 487, §101.01, eff. 9/10/2012.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 6/30/2011.

Effective Date: 06-26-2003; 2008 HB554 06-12-2008