§ 3517.99[Former R.C. 3517.992, amended and renumbered as R.C

3517.99 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Penalties.
Effective: September 30, 2025
Legislation: House Bill 96


Except as otherwise provided in section 3517.991 of the Revised Code:


(A)(1) A candidate whose campaign committee violates division (A), (B), (C), (D), or (V) of section
3517.13 of the Revised Code, or a treasurer of a campaign committee who violates any of those
divisions, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.


(2) Whoever violates division (E) or (X)(5) of section 3517.13 or division (E)(1) of section
3517.1014 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars for each day of
violation.


(B) An entity that violates division (G)(1) of section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not
more than one hundred dollars for each day of violation.


(C) Whoever violates division (G)(2) of section 3517.101, division (G) of section 3517.13, or
division (E)(2) or (3) of section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than ten
thousand dollars or, if the offender is a person who was nominated or elected to public office, shall
forfeit the nomination or the office to which the offender was elected, or both.


(D) Whoever violates division (F) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more
than three times the amount contributed.


(E) Whoever violates division (H) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more
than one hundred dollars.


(F) Whoever violates division (O), (P), or (Q) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code is guilty of a
misdemeanor of the first degree.




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(G) A state or county committee of a political party that violates division (B)(1) of section 3517.18
of the Revised Code as that section existed before its repeal by H.B. 166 of the 133rd general
assembly shall be fined not more than twice the amount of the improper expenditure.


(H) An entity that violates division (H) of section 3517.101 of the Revised Code shall be fined not
more than twice the amount of the improper expenditure or use.


(I)(1) Any individual who violates division (B)(1) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code and
knows that the contribution the individual makes violates that division shall be fined an amount
equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by that division.


(2) Any political action committee that violates division (B)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised
Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount
permitted by that division.


(3) Any campaign committee that violates division (B)(3) or (5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised
Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount
permitted by that division.


(4)(a) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (B)(6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised
Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount transferred or contributed in excess of
the amount permitted by that division, as applicable.


(b) Any state political party, county political party, or state candidate fund of a state political party or
county political party that violates division (B)(6) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be
fined an amount equal to three times the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the amount
permitted by that division, as applicable.


(c) Any political contributing entity that violates division (B)(7) of section 3517.102 of the Revised
Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount
permitted by that division.


(5) Any political party that violates division (B)(4) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be



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fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed in excess of the amount permitted by
that division.


(6) Notwithstanding divisions (I)(1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) of this section, no violation of division (B)
of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not file a complaint
under section 3517.16 of the Revised Code, if the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the
amount permitted by that division meets either of the following conditions:


(a) It is completely refunded within five business days after it is accepted.


(b) It is completely refunded on or before the tenth business day after notification to the recipient of
the excess transfer or contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state that a transfer or
contribution in excess of the permitted amount has been received.


(J)(1) Any campaign committee that violates division (C)(1), (2), (3), or (6) of section 3517.102 of
the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the
amount permitted by that division.


(2)(a) Any county political party that violates division (C)(4)(a)(ii) or (iii) of section 3517.102 of the
Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted.


(b) Any county political party that violates division (C)(4)(a)(i) of section 3517.102 of the Revised
Code shall be fined an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times the amount accepted
in excess of the amount permitted by that division.


(c) Any state political party that violates division (C)(4)(b) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code
shall be fined an amount from its state candidate fund equal to three times the amount accepted in
excess of the amount permitted by that division.


(3) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (C)(5) of section 3517.102 of the Revised
Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the amount
permitted by that division.




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(4) Any political action committee or political contributing entity that violates division (C)(7) of
section 3517.102 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount
accepted in excess of the amount permitted by that division.


(5) Notwithstanding divisions (J)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, no violation of division (C) of
section 3517.102 of the Revised Code occurs, and the secretary of state shall not file a complaint
under section 3517.16 of the Revised Code, if the amount transferred or contributed in excess of the
amount permitted to be accepted by that division meets either of the following conditions:


(a) It is completely refunded within five business days after its acceptance.


(b) It is completely refunded on or before the tenth business day after notification to the recipient of
the excess transfer or contribution by the board of elections or the secretary of state that a transfer or
contribution in excess of the permitted amount has been received.


(K)(1) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (F)(1) of section 3517.102 of the Revised
Code shall be fined twenty-five dollars for each day of violation.


(2) Any legislative campaign fund that violates division (F)(2) of section 3517.102 of the Revised
Code shall give to the treasurer of state for deposit into the state treasury to the credit of the Ohio
election integrity commission fund all excess contributions not disposed of as required by division
(E) of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code.


(L) Whoever violates section 3517.105 of the Revised Code shall be fined one thousand dollars.


(M)(1) Whoever solicits a contribution in violation of section 3517.092 or violates division (B) of
section 3517.09 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.


(2) Whoever knowingly accepts a contribution in violation of division (B) or (C) of section 3517.092
of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in violation
of either of those divisions and shall return to the contributor any amount so accepted. Whoever
unknowingly accepts a contribution in violation of division (B) or (C) of section 3517.092 of the
Revised Code shall return to the contributor any amount so accepted.



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(N) Whoever violates division (S) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount
equal to three times the amount of funds transferred or three times the value of the assets transferred
in violation of that division.


(O) Any campaign committee that accepts a contribution or contributions in violation of section
3517.108 of the Revised Code, uses a contribution in violation of that section, or fails to dispose of
excess contributions in violation of that section shall be fined an amount equal to three times the
amount accepted, used, or kept in violation of that section.


(P) Any political party, state candidate fund, legislative candidate fund, or campaign committee that
violates division (T) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three
times the amount contributed or accepted in violation of that section.


(Q) A treasurer of a committee or another person who violates division (U) of section 3517.13 of the
Revised Code shall be fined not more than two hundred fifty dollars.


(R) Whoever violates division (I) or (J) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be fined not
more than one thousand dollars. Whenever a person is found guilty of violating division (I) or (J) of
section 3517.13 of the Revised Code, the contract awarded in violation of either of those divisions
shall be rescinded if its terms have not yet been performed.


(S) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a campaign committee who
violates section 3517.081 of the Revised Code, and a candidate whose campaign committee violates
or a treasurer of a campaign committee or another person who violates division (C) of section
3517.10 of the Revised Code, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.


(T) A candidate whose campaign committee violates or a treasurer of a committee who violates
division (B) of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code, or a candidate whose campaign committee
violates or a treasurer of a campaign committee or another person who violates division (C) of
section 3517.09 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.


(U) Whoever violates section 3517.20 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than five hundred



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dollars.


(V) Whoever violates section 3517.21 or 3517.22 of the Revised Code shall be imprisoned for not
more than six months or fined not more than five thousand dollars, or both.


(W) Any campaign committee that fails to file the declaration of filing-day finances required by
division (F) of section 3517.109 of the Revised Code shall be fined twenty-five dollars for each day
of violation.


(X)(1) Any campaign committee that fails to dispose of excess funds or excess aggregate
contributions under division (B) of section 3517.109 of the Revised Code in the manner required by
division (C) of that section shall give to the treasurer of state for deposit into the Ohio election
integrity commission fund created under section 111.29 of the Revised Code all funds not disposed
of pursuant to that division.


(2) Any treasurer of a transition fund that fails to dispose of assets remaining in the transition fund as
required under division (H)(1) or (2) of section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code shall give to the
treasurer of state for deposit into the Ohio election integrity commission fund all assets not disposed
of pursuant to that division.


(Y) Any individual, campaign committee, political action committee, political contributing entity,
legislative campaign fund, political party, treasurer of a transition fund, or other entity that violates
any provision of sections 3517.09 to 3517.12 of the Revised Code for which no penalty is provided
for under any other division of this section shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars.


(Z)(1) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(1) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be
fined an amount equal to three times the amount contributed, expended, or promised in violation of
that division or ten thousand dollars, whichever amount is greater.


(2) Whoever knowingly violates division (W)(2) of section 3517.13 of the Revised Code shall be
fined an amount equal to three times the amount solicited or accepted in violation of that division or
ten thousand dollars, whichever amount is greater.




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(AA) Whoever knowingly violates division (C) or (D) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code
shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars plus not more than one thousand dollars for each
day of violation.


(BB)(1) Subject to division (BB)(2) of this section, whoever violates division (H) of section
3517.1011 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount up to three times the amount disbursed for
the direct costs of airing the communication made in violation of that division.


(2) Whoever has been ordered by the Ohio election integrity commission or by a court of competent
jurisdiction to cease making communications in violation of division (H) of section 3517.1011 of the
Revised Code who again violates that division shall be fined an amount equal to three times the
amount disbursed for the direct costs of airing the communication made in violation of that division.


(CC)(1) Any corporation or labor organization that violates division (X)(3)(a) of section 3517.13 of
the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount given in excess of the
amount permitted by that division.


(2) Any state or county political party that violates division (X)(3)(b) of section 3517.13 of the
Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in excess of the
amount permitted by that division.


(DD)(1) Any campaign committee or person who violates division (C)(1)(b) or (c) of section
3517.1014 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount donated in
excess of the amount permitted by that division.


(2) Any officeholder or treasurer of a transition fund who violates division (C)(3)(a) or (b) of section
3517.1014 of the Revised Code shall be fined an amount equal to three times the amount accepted in
excess of the amount permitted by that division.




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