(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Housing" means housing in a housing project that a metropolitan housing authority operates or manages.

(2) "Law enforcement officer" means a law enforcement officer described in division (K)(1) of section 2901.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) A metropolitan housing authority may provide free housing to a law enforcement officer.

(C) Neither any provision of section 102.03, 102.04, 2921.42, or 2921.43 of the Revised Code nor any other provision of law prohibits any of the following:

(1) A metropolitan housing authority from providing to a law enforcement officer, or a law enforcement officer from accepting from a metropolitan housing authority, free housing;

(2) A public utility from providing to a law enforcement officer who resides in free housing provided by a metropolitan housing authority, or the law enforcement officer from accepting from the public utility, utility services either for free or at a reduced rate, if such utility services are directly related to the free housing;

(3) A financial institution from providing to a law enforcement officer, or a law enforcement officer from accepting from a financial institution, special home loan incentives not available to the general public for the purchase of a personal residence for the law enforcement officer, if the law enforcement officer resides, or has for at least five years resided, in free housing provided to the law enforcement officer by a metropolitan housing authority.

Effective Date: 09-19-1996.