(A) With the approval of the board of education of a joint vocational school district that is in existence, any school district in the county or counties comprising the joint vocational school district or any school district in a county adjacent to a county comprising part of a joint vocational school district may become a part of the joint vocational school district. On the adoption of a resolution of approval by the board of education of the joint vocational school district, it shall advertise a copy of such resolution in a newspaper of general circulation in the school district proposing to become a part of such joint vocational school district once each week for two weeks, or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, immediately following the date of the adoption of such resolution. Such resolution shall not become effective until the later of the sixty-first day after its adoption or until the board of elections certifies the results of an election in favor of joining of the school district to the joint vocational school district if such an election is held under division (B) of this section.

(B) During the sixty-day period following the date of the adoption of a resolution to join a school district to a joint vocational school district under division (A) of this section, the electors of the school district that proposes joining the joint vocational school district may petition for a referendum vote on the resolution. The question whether to approve or disapprove the resolution shall be submitted to the electors of such school district if a number of qualified electors equal to twenty per cent of the number of electors in the school district who voted for the office of governor at the most recent general election for that office sign a petition asking that the question of whether the resolution shall be disapproved be submitted to the electors. The petition shall be filed with the board of elections of the county in which the school district is located. If the school district is located in more than one county, the petition shall be filed with the board of elections of the county in which the majority of the territory of the school district is located. The board shall certify the validity and sufficiency of the signatures on the petition.

The board of elections shall immediately notify the board of education of the joint vocational school district and the board of education of the school district that proposes joining the joint vocational school district that the petition has been filed.

The effect of the resolution shall be stayed until the board of elections certifies the validity and sufficiency of the signatures on the petition. If the board of elections determines that the petition does not contain a sufficient number of valid signatures and sixty days have passed since the adoption of the resolution, the resolution shall become effective.

If the board of elections certifies that the petition contains a sufficient number of valid signatures, the board shall submit the question to the qualified electors of the school district on the day of the next general or primary election held at least ninety days after but no later than six months after the board of elections certifies the validity and sufficiency of signatures on the petition. If there is no general or primary election held at least ninety days after but no later than six months after the board of elections certifies the validity and sufficiency of signatures on the petition, the board shall submit the question to the electors at a special election to be held on the next day specified for special elections in division (D) of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code that occurs at least ninety days after the board certifies the validity and sufficiency of signatures on the petition. The election shall be conducted and canvassed and the results shall be certified in the same manner as in regular elections for the election of members of a board of education.

If a majority of the electors voting on the question disapprove the resolution, the resolution shall not become effective.

(C) If the resolution becomes effective, the board of education of the joint vocational school district shall notify the county auditor of the county in which the school district becoming a part of the joint vocational school district is located, who shall thereupon have any outstanding levy for building purposes, bond retirement, or current expenses in force in the joint vocational school district spread over the territory of the school district becoming a part of the joint vocational school district. On the addition of a city or exempted village school district or an educational service center to the joint vocational school district, pursuant to this section, the board of education of such joint vocational school district shall submit to the state board of education a proposal to enlarge the membership of such board by the addition of one or more persons at least one of whom shall be a member of the board of education or governing board of such additional school district or educational service center, and the term of each such additional member. On the addition of a local school district to the joint vocational school district, pursuant to this section, the board of education of such joint vocational school district may submit to the state board of education a proposal to enlarge the membership of such board by the addition of one or more persons who are members of the educational service center governing board of such additional local school district. On approval by the state board of education additional members shall be added to such joint vocational school district board of education.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.29, HB 48, §1, eff. 7/2/2010.

Effective Date: 09-28-1999 .