Ohio Code § 102.01

§ 102.01.

As used in this chapter: (A) “ Compensation ” means money, thing of value, or financial benefit.  “Compensation” does not include reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses

incurred in the performance of official duties. (B) “ Public official or employee ” means any person who is elected or appointed to an office or is an employee of any

public agency.  “Public official or employee” does not include any of the following: (1) A person elected or appointed to the office of precinct, ward, or district committee

member under section 3517.03 of the Revised Code , any presidential elector, or any delegate to a national convention; (2) A person who is a teacher, instructor, professor, or other kind of educator whose

position does not involve the performance of, or authority to perform, administrative

or supervisory functions; (3) An officer, member, or director of an existing qualified nonprofit corporation that

creates a special improvement district under Chapter 1710. of the Revised Code, or

such a person's designee or proxy, when the person is not acting in that role with

respect to a purpose for which the district is created. (C)(1) “ Public agency ” means the general assembly, all courts, any department, division, institution, board,

commission, authority, bureau or other instrumentality of the state, a county, city,

village, or township, the five state retirement systems, or any other governmental

entity. (2) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of division (C)(3)(a) of this section, “ public agency ” includes a regional council of governments established under Chapter 167. of the

Revised Code. (3) “Public agency” does not include any of the following: (a) A department, division, institution, board, commission, authority, or other instrumentality

of the state or a county, municipal corporation, township, or other governmental entity

that functions exclusively for cultural, educational, historical, humanitarian, advisory,

or research purposes;  that does not expend more than ten thousand dollars per calendar

year, excluding salaries and wages of employees;  and whose members are uncompensated; (b) The nonprofit corporation formed under section 187.01 of the Revised Code ; (c) An existing qualified nonprofit corporation that creates a special improvement district

under Chapter 1710. of the Revised Code, when the corporation is not acting with respect

to a purpose for which the district is created. (D) “ Immediate family ” means a spouse residing in the person's household and any dependent child. (E) “ Income ” includes gross income as defined and used in the “Internal Revenue Code of 1986,”

100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C. 1 , as amended, interest and dividends on obligations or securities of any state or

of any political subdivision or authority of any state or political subdivision, and

interest or dividends on obligations of any authority, commission, or instrumentality

of the United States. (F) Except as otherwise provided in division (A) of section 102.08 of the Revised Code , “ appropriate ethics commission ” means: (1) For matters relating to members of the general assembly, employees of the general

assembly, employees of the legislative service commission, and candidates for the

office of member of the general assembly, the joint legislative ethics committee; (2) For matters relating to judicial officers and employees, and candidates for judicial

office, the board of commissioners on grievances and discipline of the supreme court; (3) For matters relating to all other persons, the Ohio ethics commission. (G) “Anything of value” has the same meaning as provided in section 1.03 of the Revised Code and includes, but is not limited to, a contribution as defined in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code . (H) “ Honorarium ” means any payment made in consideration for any speech given, article published,

or attendance at any public or private conference, convention, meeting, social event,

meal, or similar gathering.  “Honorarium” does not include ceremonial gifts or awards that have insignificant

monetary value;  unsolicited gifts of nominal value or trivial items of informational

value;  or earned income from any person, other than a legislative agent, for personal

services that are customarily provided in connection with the practice of a bona fide

business, if that business initially began before the public official or employee

conducting that business was elected or appointed to the public official's or employee's

office or position of employment. (I) “ Employer ” means any person who, directly or indirectly, engages an executive agency lobbyist

or legislative agent. (J) “Executive agency decision,” “executive agency lobbyist,” and “executive agency lobbying

activity” have the same meanings as in section 121.60 of the Revised Code . (K) “Legislation,” “legislative agent,” “financial transaction,” and “actively advocate”

have the same meanings as in section 101.70 of the Revised Code . (L) “Expenditure” has the same meaning as in section 101.70 of the Revised Code when used in relation to activities of a legislative agent, and the same meaning

as in section 121.60 of the Revised Code when used in relation to activities of an executive agency lobbyist.