(A)

(1) A convention facilities authority shall employ and fix the qualifications, duties, and compensation of employees and enter into contracts for professional services as it may require to conduct the business of the authority, provided that no full-time employees shall be employed until the authority adopts and implements a policy regarding hiring preferences for veterans. The authority at any time may suspend or dismiss any employee or terminate any contract for professional services.

(2) "Veteran" means either of the following:

(a) An individual who has served in the active military or naval service of the United States and who was discharged or released under circumstances other than dishonorable;

(b) An individual who has served as a member of the United States merchant marine and to whom either of the following applies:

(i) The individual has an honorable report of separation from the active duty military service, form DD214 or DD215.

(ii) The individual served in the United States merchant marine between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946, and died on active duty while serving in a war zone during that period of service.

(3) "United States merchant marine" includes the United States army transport service and the United States naval transport service.

(B) A convention facilities authority may provide for the administration and enforcement of the laws of the state by employing special police officers, and may seek the assistance of other appropriate law enforcement officers to enforce its rules and maintain order. Special police officers employed by an authority shall serve as a security force with respect to the property, grounds, buildings, equipment, and facilities under the authority's control to protect the authority's property, suppress nuisances and disturbances and breaches of the peace, and enforce laws for the preservation of good order. In performing their duties, special police officers are vested with the same powers of arrest as police officers are given under divisions (A) and (B) of section 2935.03 of the Revised Code while on the grounds of the authority's facilities, and under division (D) of such section when off of the grounds of the authority's facilities.

Effective Date: 03-17-2000.