(A) As used in this section, "license" has the same meaning as in section 3319.31 of the Revised Code.

(B) No employee of a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics school shall do either of the following:

(1) Knowingly make a false report to the chief administrative officer of the school, or the chief administrative officer's designee, alleging misconduct by another employee of the school;

(2) Knowingly cause the chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, to make a false report of the alleged misconduct to the superintendent of public instruction or the state board of education.

(C) Any employee of a STEM school who in good faith reports to the chief administrative officer of the school, or the chief administrative officer's designee, information about alleged misconduct committed by another employee of the school shall be immune from any civil liability that otherwise might be incurred or imposed for injury, death, or loss to person or property as a result of the reporting of that information. If the alleged misconduct involves a person who holds a license but the chief administrative officer is not required to submit a report to the superintendent of public instruction under section 3326.24 of the Revised Code and the chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, in good faith reports the alleged misconduct to the superintendent of public instruction or the state board, the chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, shall be immune from any civil liability that otherwise might be incurred or imposed for injury, death, or loss to person or property as a result of the reporting of that information.

(D)

(1) In any civil action brought against a person in which it is alleged and proved that the person violated division (B) of this section, the court shall award the prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs that the prevailing party incurred in the civil action or as a result of the false report that was the basis of the violation.

(2) If a person is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (B) of this section, if the subject of the false report that was the basis of the violation was charged with any violation of a law or ordinance as a result of the false report, and if the subject of the false report is found not to be guilty of the charges brought against the subject as a result of the false report or those charges are dismissed, the court that sentences the person for the violation of division (B) of this section, as part of the sentence, shall order the person to pay restitution to the subject of the false report, in an amount equal to reasonable attorney's fees and costs that the subject of the false report incurred as a result of or in relation to the charges.

Effective Date: 2008 HB428 09-12-2008.