There is hereby created an Ohio war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship board as part of the department of veterans services. The board consists of eight members as follows: the chancellor of higher education or the chancellor's designee; the director of veterans services or the director's designee; one member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker; one member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate; and four members appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a representative of the American Legion, one of whom shall be a representative of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, one of whom shall be a representative of the Disabled American Veterans, and one of whom shall be a representative of the AMVETS. At least ninety days prior to the expiration of the term of office of the representative of a veterans organization appointed by the governor, the governor shall notify the state headquarters of the affected organization of the need for an appointment and request the organization to make at least three nominations. Within sixty days after making the request for nominations, the governor may make the appointment from the nominations received, or may reject all the nominations and request at least three new nominations, from which the governor shall make an appointment within thirty days after making the request for the new nominations. If the governor receives no nominations during this thirty-day period, the governor may appoint any veteran.

Terms of office for the four members appointed by the governor shall be for four years, commencing on the first day of January and ending on the thirty-first day of December, except that the term of the AMVETS representative shall expire December 31, 1998, and the new term that succeeds it shall commence on January 1, 1999, and end on December 31, 2002. Each member shall hold office from the date of the member's appointment until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. The other members shall serve during their terms of office. Any vacancy shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as by original appointment. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of such term. Any appointed member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until the member's successor takes office, or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first. The members of the board shall serve without pay but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses and for other actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, not to exceed ten dollars per day for ten days in any one year to be appropriated out of any moneys in the state treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund.

The chancellor shall act as secretary to the board and shall furnish such clerical and other assistance as may be necessary to the performance of the duties of the board.

The board shall determine the number of scholarships to be made available, receive applications for scholarships, pass upon the eligibility of applicants, decide which applicants are to receive scholarships, and do all other things necessary for the proper administration of this chapter.

The board may apply for, and may receive and accept, grants, and may receive and accept gifts, bequests, and contributions, from public and private sources, including agencies and instrumentalities of the United States and this state, and shall deposit the grants, gifts, bequests, or contributions into the Ohio war orphans and severely disabled veterans' children scholarship donation fund.

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

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.193, HB 280, §1, eff. 3/27/2013.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.184, HB 555, §1, eff. 3/22/2013.

Effective Date: 10-21-1997; 2008 SB289 08-22-2008

Related Legislative Provision: See 129th General AssemblyFile No.39, SB 171, §4 .