(A) As used in this section, "felony" has the same meaning as in section 109.511 of the Revised Code.

(B) Subject to division (C) of this section, the board of trustees of a state university, the board of trustees of the northeast Ohio medical university, the board of trustees of a state community college, and the board of trustees of a technical college or community college district operating a technical or a community college may designate one or more employees of the institution, as a state university law enforcement officer, in accordance with section 109.77 of the Revised Code, and, as state university law enforcement officers, those employees shall take an oath of office, wear the badge of office, serve as peace officers for the college or university, and give bond to the state for the proper and faithful discharge of their duties in the amount that the board of trustees requires.

(C)

(1) The board of trustees of an institution listed in division (B) of this section shall not designate an employee of the institution as a state university law enforcement officer pursuant to that division on a permanent basis, on a temporary basis, for a probationary term, or on other than a permanent basis if the employee previously has been convicted of or has pleaded guilty to a felony.

(2)

(a) The board of trustees shall terminate the employment as a state university law enforcement officer of an employee designated as a state university law enforcement officer under division (B) of this section if that employee does either of the following:

(i) Pleads guilty to a felony;

(ii) Pleads guilty to a misdemeanor pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement as provided in division (D) of section 2929.43 of the Revised Code in which the employee agrees to surrender the certificate awarded to the employee under section 109.77 of the Revised Code.

(b) The board of trustees shall suspend from employment as a state university law enforcement officer an employee designated as a state university law enforcement officer under division (B) of this section if that employee is convicted, after trial, of a felony. If the state university law enforcement officer files an appeal from that conviction and the conviction is upheld by the highest court to which the appeal is taken or if the state university law enforcement officer does not file a timely appeal, the board of trustees shall terminate the employment of that state university law enforcement officer. If the state university law enforcement officer files an appeal that results in that officer's acquittal of the felony or conviction of a misdemeanor, or in the dismissal of the felony charge against that officer, the board of trustees shall reinstate that state university law enforcement officer. A state university law enforcement officer who is reinstated under division (C)(2)(b) of this section shall not receive any back pay unless that officer's conviction of the felony was reversed on appeal, or the felony charge was dismissed, because the court found insufficient evidence to convict the officer of the felony.

(3) Division (C) of this section does not apply regarding an offense that was committed prior to January 1, 1997.

(4) The suspension from employment, or the termination of the employment, of a state university law enforcement officer under division (C)(2) of this section shall be in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.18, HB 139, §1, eff. 4/29/2011.

Effective Date: 01-01-2004; 05-06-2005; 07-01-2006