Create the Ohio International Trade Commission

hb291_02_PH

As Passed by the House

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
Sub. H. B. No. 291

2025-2026

Representatives Mathews, T.,
Santucci

Cosponsors: Representatives
Williams, Newman, Hoops, Claggett, Thomas, D., Brennan, Brownlee,
Daniels, Dovilla, Hiner, John, Lawson-Rowe, McNally, Miller, M.,
Peterson, Sims, Stephens, Synenberg, Tims, White, A., Willis

To
enact
sections
122.67 and 122.671

of the Revised Code
to
create the Ohio International Trade Commission.

BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section
1.
That

sections
122.67 and 122.671

of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec.
122.67.
(A)(1)
The Ohio international trade commission is created. The commission
shall, as between Ohio and up to eight regions designated by the
commission, advance all of the following:

(a)
Multilateral trade and investment;

(b)
Joint research agreements on issues of mutual interest, particularly
regarding electronic and cyber warfare capabilities;

(c)
Business and academic exchanges;

(d)
Creation of an international trade center to facilitate collaboration
between all regions represented in the commission;

(e)
Creation of technology centers to promote collaboration between
academic and business interests;

(f)
Mutual economic support;

(g)
Mutual investment in infrastructure;

(h)
Other issues as determined by the commission.

(2)
The commission shall designate regions by the following process:

(a)
The nonvoting members specified in divisions (B)(4) to (6) of this
section shall propose regions to be designated.

(b)
The commission shall vote upon each region proposed under division
(A)(2)(a) of this section. A region that receives a majority
affirmative vote at a meeting of the commission at which a quorum is
present is designated.

(3)
The commission shall designate up to eight initial regions not later
than ninety days after the effective date of this section. The
commission may designate new regions every four years subsequent to
the initial designations, provided that the total number of different
designated regions represented on the commission is not more than
eight.

(B)
The commission shall consist of the following members:

(1)
One member of the senate who is a member of the majority party,
appointed by the president of the senate, and one member of the
senate who is a member of the minority party, appointed by the
president of the senate in consultation with the minority leader of
the senate, who have knowledge of, or current or past involvement in,
organizations that promote international affairs or have interest in
the well-being of trade relations between this state and the regions
designated pursuant to division (A) of this section;

(2)
One member of the house of representatives who is a member of the
majority party, appointed by the speaker of the house of
representatives, and one member of the house of representatives who
is a member of the minority party, appointed by the speaker of the
house of representatives in consultation with the minority leader of
the house of representatives, who have knowledge of, or current or
past involvement in, organizations that promote international affairs
or have interest in the well-being of trade relations between this
state and the regions designated pursuant to division (A) of this
section;

(3)
Up to eight members appointed by and with the mutual consent of the
nonvoting members specified in divisions (B)(4) to (6) of this
section, with the advice and consent of the senate, who shall consist
of one member for each region designated by the commission pursuant
to division (A) of this section who represents the region-American
communities or interests in this state of the member's respective
region;

(4)
One nonvoting member appointed by the chief executive of the Ohio
chamber of commerce who represents the Ohio chamber of commerce, if
such individual is available;

(5)
One nonvoting member who represents each administrative department,
as defined in section 121.01 of the Revised Code, that has a division
or office dedicated to international trade issues, including the
department of agriculture, appointed by the director of each
respective department.

(C)
Initial members of the commission shall be appointed not later than
ninety days after the effective date of this section. Members of the
commission appointed under divisions (B)(1) and (2) of this section
shall serve terms of two years or for the remainder of the member's
legislative term, whichever is less. Members of the commission
appointed under division (B)(3) of this section shall serve terms of
four years. Any vacancy on the commission shall be filled in the same
manner as the original appointment.

(D)
Members of the commission shall serve without compensation.

(E)(1)
The commission shall meet and hold hearings at the places it
designates throughout the state.

(2)
The voting members of the commission shall select a chairperson from
among the members of the commission by majority vote. The chairperson
may appoint from the commission members of subcommittees and
subcommittee chairpersons at the chairperson's discretion.

(3)
A majority of the members of the commission, excluding nonvoting
members, constitutes a quorum for the transaction of the business of
the commission.

(F)
The commission shall issue both of the following reports:

(1)
Not later than fifteen months after the effective date of this
section, and annually thereafter, a report of its activities during
the preceding year, and any associated findings and recommendations.
The commission shall issue this report to the governor, the president
of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives.

(2)
On February 1, 2026, and annually on the first day of February
thereafter, a report describing each gift, grant, bequest, or other
funding it received in the preceding year, including the source and
amount of the funds received. The commission shall issue this report
to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the
house of representatives, the minority leader of the senate, and the
minority leader of the house of representatives.

(G)
The commission may raise funds through direct solicitation or other
fundraising events alone, or with other groups, and accept gifts,
grants, and bequests from individuals, corporations, foundations,
governmental agencies, and public and private organizations and
institutions. The funds, gifts, grants, or bequests received pursuant
to this section shall be deposited into the Ohio international trade
commission fund, which is created in the state treasury. The
commission shall use the fund to defray the commission's
administrative expenses and to carry out its purposes set forth in
this section and section 122.671 of the Revised Code.

Sec.
122.671.
(A)(1)
The treasurer of state may, on behalf of the Ohio international trade
commission, negotiate the purchase of bonds from regions designated
by the commission pursuant to section 122.67 of the Revised Code
using funds from the international trade commission fund.

(2)
The treasurer of state may purchase a bond pursuant to division
(A)(1) of this section if the bond meets both of the following:

(a)
The bond is rated in one of the three highest categories by two
nationally recognized statistical rating organizations.

(b)
The bond is issued by a foreign nation diplomatically recognized by
the United States government.

(B)
All interest earned from a bond purchased under this section shall be
deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the international
trade commission fund to be used to advance the issues described in
division (A) of section 122.67 of the Revised Code, including by
financing trade trips, grants, loans, and other such activities the
commission deems appropriate to further the goals of the commission.

(C)
The treasurer of state may negotiate to purchase bonds pursuant to
division (A)(1) of this section at below-market interest rates if the
purpose of the bonds is to fund a megaproject in this state.

(D)
As used in this section, "megaproject" has the same meaning
as in section 122.17 of the Revised Code.