Section 3773.33. Ohio athletic commission

(A) There is hereby created the Ohio athletic commission. The commission shall consist of five voting members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, not more than three of whom shall be of the same political party, and two nonvoting members, one of whom shall be a member of the senate appointed by and to serve at the pleasure of the president of the senate and one of whom shall be a member of the house of representatives appointed by and to serve at the pleasure of the speaker of the house of representatives. To be eligible for appointment as a voting member, a person shall be a qualified elector and a resident of the state for not less than five years immediately preceding the person's appointment. Two voting members shall be knowledgeable in boxing and mixed martial arts. One commission member shall hold the degree of doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy.

(B) No person shall be appointed to the commission or be an employee of the commission who is licensed, registered, or regulated by the commission. No member shall have any legal or beneficial interest, direct or indirect, pecuniary or otherwise, in any person who is licensed, registered, or regulated by the commission or who participates in prize fights or public boxing or wrestling matches or exhibitions. No member shall participate in any fight, match, or exhibition other than in the member's official capacity as a member of the commission, or as an inspector as authorized in section 3773.52 of the Revised Code.

(C) The governor shall appoint the voting members to the commission. Of the initial appointments, two shall be for terms ending one year after September 3, 1996, two shall be for terms ending two years after September 3, 1996, and one shall be for a term ending three years after September 3, 1996. Thereafter, terms of office shall be for three years, each term ending the same day of the same month of the year as did the term which it succeeds. 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. 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 the term. Any member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until the member's successor takes office.

The governor shall name one voting member as chairperson of the commission at the time of making the appointment of any member for a full term. Three voting members shall constitute a quorum, and the affirmative vote of the majority of voting members shall be necessary for any action taken by the commission. No vacancy on the commission impairs the authority of the remaining members to exercise all powers of the commission.

Voting members, when engaged in commission duties, shall receive a per diem compensation determined in accordance with division (J) of section 124.15 of the Revised Code, and all members shall receive their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.

Each voting member, before entering upon the discharge of the member's duties, shall file a surety bond payable to the treasurer of state in the sum of ten thousand dollars. Each surety bond 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, and filed in the office of the secretary of state.

The governor may remove any voting member for malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office after giving the member a copy of the charges against the member and affording the member an opportunity for a public hearing, at which the member may be represented by counsel, upon not less than ten days' notice. If the member is removed, the governor shall file a complete statement of all charges made against the member and the governor's finding on the charges in the office of the secretary of state, together with a complete report of the proceedings. The governor's decision shall be final.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Effective Date: 09-26-2003