OH HB138

Municipal corporations, townships, and counties may establish tourism promotion districts to fund supplemental services and improvements benefiting lodging businesses (hotels) through benefit assessments levied on those businesses within the district

Districts require a request from lodging business owners and can be blocked if owners representing 40% or more of the proposed benefit assessment file written protests before a required public hearing

New districts operate for 3-5 years, renewed districts for up to 10 years, with assessments based on percentage of gross revenue, fixed dollar amounts per transaction, or other methods with a rational relationship to benefits received

A nonprofit district management association, with at least two-thirds of board members being lodging business owners subject to the assessment, administers the funds and selects specific services and improvements to fund

Legislative authorities may dissolve districts for misappropriation of funds or legal violations, and after the first two years, a majority of lodging business owners may request dissolution through a public hearing process