Section 5537.02 - Ohio turnpike and infrastructure commission(A) There is hereby created a commission to be known on and after July 1, 2013, as the "Ohio turnpike and infrastructure commission." The commission is a body both corporate and politic, constituting an instrumentality of the state, and the exercise by it of the powers conferred by this chapter in the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Ohio turnpike system, and also in entering into agreements with the department of transportation to pay the cost or a portion of the costs of infrastructure projects, are and shall be held to be essential governmental functions of the state, but the commission shall not be immune from liability by reason thereof. Chapter 2744. of the Revised Code applies to the commission and the commission is a political subdivision of the state for purposes of that chapter. The commission is subject to all provisions of law generally applicable to state agencies which do not conflict with this chapter.(B)(1) The commission shall consist of ten members as follows: (a) Six members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, no more than three of whom shall be members of the same political party;(b) The director of transportation, or the director's designee, who shall be a voting member, and the director of budget and management, or the director's designee. The directors or their designees, as applicable, shall serve as ex officio members, without compensation;(c) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate, who shall represent either a district in which is located or through which passes a portion of a turnpike project that is part of the Ohio turnpike system or a district located in the vicinity of a turnpike project that is part of the Ohio turnpike system;(d) One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, who shall represent either a district in which is located or through which passes a portion of a turnpike project that is part of the Ohio turnpike system or a district located in the vicinity of a turnpike project that is part of the Ohio turnpike system.(2) The members appointed by the governor shall be residents of the state, shall have been qualified electors therein for a period of at least five years next preceding their appointment. In making the appointments, the governor may appoint persons who reside in different geographic areas of the state, taking into consideration the various turnpike and infrastructure projects in the state. Members appointed to the commission prior to July 1, 2013, shall serve terms of eight years commencing on the first day of July and ending on the thirtieth day of June. Thereafter, members appointed by the governor shall serve terms of five years commencing on the first day of July and ending on the thirtieth day of June. Those members appointed by the president of the senate or the speaker of the house of representatives shall serve a term of the remainder of the general assembly during which the senator or representative is appointed. Each appointed member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. If a commission member dies or resigns, or if a senator or representative who is a member of the commission ceases to be a senator or representative, or if an ex officio member ceases to hold the applicable office, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as provided in division (B)(1) of this section. Any member who fills a vacancy occurring prior to the end of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall, if appointed by the governor, hold office for the remainder of such term or, if appointed by the president of the senate or the speaker of the house of representatives, shall hold office for the remainder of the term or for a shorter period of time as determined by the president or the speaker. Any member appointed by the governor 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. A member of the commission is eligible for reappointment. Each member of the commission appointed by the governor, before entering upon the member's duties, shall take an oath as provided by Section 7 of Article XV, Ohio Constitution. The governor, the president of the senate, or the speaker of the house of representatives, may at any time remove their respective appointees to the commission for misfeasance, nonfeasance, or malfeasance in office.(3)(a) A member of the commission who is appointed by the president of the senate or the speaker of the house of representatives shall not participate in any vote of the commission. Serving as an appointed member of the commission under divisions (B)(1)(c), (1)(d), or (2) of this section does not constitute grounds for resignation from the senate or the house of representatives under section 101.26 of the Revised Code.(b) The director of budget and management shall not participate in any vote of the commission.(C) The voting members of the commission shall elect one of the voting members as chairperson and another as vice-chairperson, and shall appoint a secretary-treasurer who need not be a member of the commission. Four of the voting members of the commission constitute a quorum, and the affirmative vote of four voting members is necessary for any action taken by the commission. No vacancy in the membership of the commission impairs the rights of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the commission.(D) Each member of the commission appointed by the governor shall give a surety bond to the commission in the penal sum of twenty-five thousand dollars and the secretary-treasurer shall give such a bond in at least the penal sum of fifty thousand dollars. The commission may require any of its officers or employees to file surety bonds including a blanket bond as provided in section 3.06 of the Revised Code. Each such bond shall be in favor of the commission and shall be conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties of the office, executed by a surety company authorized to transact business in this state, approved by the governor, and filed in the office of the secretary of state. The costs of the surety bonds shall be paid or reimbursed by the commission from revenues. Each member of the commission appointed by the governor shall receive an annual salary of five thousand dollars, payable in monthly installments. Each member shall be reimbursed for the member's actual expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of the member's duties. All costs and expenses incurred by the commission in carrying out this chapter shall be payable solely from revenues and state taxes, and no liability or obligation shall be incurred by the commission beyond the extent to which revenues have been provided for pursuant to this chapter.Amended by 131st General Assembly, HB 390,§101.01, eff. 9/28/2016.Amended by 130th General Assembly, HB 51,§101.01, eff. 7/1/2013.Effective Date: 04-05-2001; 2006 HB699 03-29-2007