(A) The state may transfer to JobsOhio, and JobsOhio may accept the transfer of, all or a portion of the enterprise acquisition project for a transfer price payable by JobsOhio to the state. Any such transfer shall be treated as an absolute conveyance and true sale of the interest in the enterprise acquisition project purported to be conveyed for all purposes, and not as a pledge or other security interest. The characterization of any such transfer as a true sale and absolute conveyance shall not be negated or adversely affected by the acquisition or retention by the state of a residual or reversionary interest in the enterprise acquisition project, the participation of any state officer or employee as a member or officer of, or contracting for staff support to, JobsOhio or any subsidiary of JobsOhio, any regulatory responsibility of an officer or employee of the state, including the authority to collect amounts to be received in connection therewith, the retention of the state of any legal title to or interest in any portion of the enterprise acquisition project for the purpose of regulatory activities, or any characterization of JobsOhio or obligations of JobsOhio under accounting, taxation, or securities regulations, or any other reason whatsoever. An absolute conveyance and true sale or lease shall exist under this section regardless of whether JobsOhio has any recourse against the state or the treatment or characterization of the transfer as a financing for any purpose. Upon and following the transfer, the state shall not have any right, title, or interest in the enterprise acquisition project so transferred other than any residual interest that may be described in the transfer agreement pursuant to the following paragraph and division (D) of this section. Any determination of the fair market value of the enterprise acquisition project reflected in the transfer agreement shall be conclusive and binding on the state and JobsOhio.

Any transfer of the enterprise acquisition project that is a lease or grant of a franchise shall be for a term not to exceed twenty-five years. Any transfer of the enterprise acquisition project that is an assignment and sale, conveyance, or other transfer shall contain a provision that the state shall have the option to have conveyed or transferred back to it, at no cost, the enterprise acquisition project, as it then exists, no later than twenty-five years after the original transfer authorized in the transfer agreement on such other terms as shall be provided in the transfer agreement.

The exercise of the powers granted by this section will be for the benefit of the people of the state. All or any portion of the enterprise acquisition project transferred pursuant to the transfer agreement that would be exempt from real property taxes or assessments or real property taxes or assessments in the absence of such transfer shall, as it may from time to time exist thereafter, remain exempt from real property taxes or assessments levied by the state and its subdivisions to the same extent as if not transferred. The gross receipts and income of JobsOhio derived from the enterprise acquisition project shall be exempt from taxation levied by the state and its subdivisions, including, but not limited to, the taxes levied pursuant to Chapters 718., 5739., 5741., 5747., and 5751. of the Revised Code. Any transfer from the state to JobsOhio of the enterprise acquisition project, or item included or to be included in the project, shall be exempt from the taxes levied pursuant to Chapters 5739. and 5741. of the Revised Code.

(B) The proceeds of any transfer under division (A) of this section may be expended as provided in the transfer agreement for any one or more of the following purposes:

(1) Funding, payment, or defeasance of outstanding bonds issued pursuant to Chapters 151. and 166. of the Revised Code and secured by pledged liquor profits as defined in section 151.40 of the Revised Code;

(2) Deposit into the general revenue fund;

(3) Deposit into the clean Ohio revitalization fund created pursuant to section 122.658 of the Revised Code, the innovation Ohio loan fund created pursuant to section 166.16 of the Revised Code, the research and development loan fund created pursuant to section 166.20 of the Revised Code, and the logistics and distribution infrastructure fund created pursuant to section 166.26 of the Revised Code ;

(4) Conveyance to JobsOhio for the purposes for which it was created.

(C)

(1) The state may covenant, pledge, and agree in the transfer agreement, with and for the benefit of JobsOhio, that it shall maintain statutory authority for the enterprise acquisition project and the revenues of the enterprise acquisition project and not otherwise materially impair any obligations supported by a pledge of revenues of the enterprise acquisition project. The transfer agreement may provide or authorize the manner for determining material impairment of the security for any such outstanding obligations, including by assessing and evaluating the revenues of the enterprise acquisition project.

(2) The director of budget and management, in consultation with the director of commerce, may, without need for any other approval, negotiate terms of any documents, including the transfer agreement, necessary to effect the transfer and the acceptance of the transfer of the enterprise acquisition project. The director of budget and management and the director of commerce shall execute the transfer agreement on behalf of the state. The director of budget and management may also, without need for any other approval, retain or contract for the services of commercial appraisers, underwriters, investment bankers, and financial advisers, as are necessary in the judgment of the director of budget and management to effect the transfer agreement. Any transfer agreement may contain terms and conditions established by the state to carry out and effectuate the purposes of this section, including, without limitation, covenants binding the state in favor of JobsOhio. Any such transfer agreement shall be sufficient to effectuate the transfer without regard to any other laws governing other property sales or financial transactions by the state. The director of budget and management may create any funds or accounts, within or without the state treasury, as are needed for the transactions and activities authorized by this section.

(3) The transfer agreement may authorize JobsOhio, in the ordinary course of doing business, to convey, lease, release, or otherwise dispose of any regular inventory or tangible personal property. Ownership of the interest in the enterprise acquisition project that is transferred to JobsOhio under this section and the transfer agreement shall be maintained in JobsOhio or a nonprofit entity the sole member of which is JobsOhio until the enterprise acquisition project is transferred back to the state pursuant to the second paragraph of division (A) and division (D) of this section.

(D) The transfer agreement may authorize JobsOhio to fix, alter, and collect rentals and other charges for the use and occupancy of all or any portion of the enterprise acquisition project and to lease any portion of the enterprise acquisition project to the state, and shall include a contract with, or the granting of an option to, the state to have the enterprise acquisition project, as it then exists, transferred back to it without charge in accordance with the terms of the transfer agreement after retirement or redemption, or provision therefor, of all obligations supported by a pledge of spirituous liquor profits.

(E) JobsOhio, the director of budget and management, and the director of commerce shall, subject to approval by the controlling board, enter into a contract, which may be part of the transfer agreement, for the continuing operation by the division of liquor control of spirituous liquor distribution and merchandising subject to standards for performance provided in that contract that may relate to or support division (C)(1) of this section. The contract shall establish other terms and conditions for the assignment of duties to, and the provision of advice, services, and other assistance by, the division of liquor control, including providing for the necessary staffing and payment by JobsOhio of appropriate compensation to the division for the performance of such duties and the provision of such advice, services, and other assistance. The division of liquor control shall manage and actively supervise the activities required or authorized under sections 4301.10 and 4301.17 of the Revised Code as those sections exist on September 29, 2011, including, but not limited to, controlling the traffic in intoxicating liquor in this state and fixing the wholesale and retail prices at which the various classes, varieties, and brands of spirituous liquor are sold.

(F) The transfer agreement shall require JobsOhio to pay for the operations of the division of liquor control with regard to the spirituous liquor merchandising operations of the division. The payments from JobsOhio shall be deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the liquor operating services fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury. The fund shall be used to pay for the operations of the division specified in this division.

(G) The transaction and transfer provided for under this section shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Ohio Constitution.

Amended by 133rd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 166, §101.01, eff. 10/17/2019.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.127, HB 487, §101.01, eff. 9/10/2012.

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