Ohio Revised Code General Provisions § 9.37

(A) As used in this section, “public official” means any elected or appointed officer, employee, or agent of the state, any state institution of higher education, any political subdivision, board, commission, bureau, or other public body established by law. “State institution of higher education” means any state university or college as defined in division (A)(1) of section 3345.12 of the Revised Code, community college, state community college, university branch, or technical college.

(B) Except as provided in divisions (F) and (G) of this section, any public official may make by direct deposit of funds by electronic transfer, if the payee provides a written authorization designating a financial institution and an account number to which the payment is to be credited, any payment such public official is permitted or required by law in the performance of official duties to make by issuing a check or warrant.

(C) Such public official may contract with a financial institution for the services necessary to make direct deposits and draw lump-sum checks or warrants payable to that institution in the amount of the payments to be transferred.

(D) Before making any direct deposit as authorized under this section, the public official shall ascertain that the account from which the payment is to be made contains sufficient funds to cover the amount of the payment.

(E) If the issuance of checks and warrants by a public official requires authorization by a governing board, commission, bureau, or other public body having jurisdiction over the public official, the public official may only make direct deposits and contracts under this section pursuant to a resolution of authorization duly adopted by such governing board, commission, bureau, or other public body.

(F) Pursuant to sections 307.55, 319.16, and 321.15 of the Revised Code, a county auditor may issue, and a county treasurer may redeem, electronic warrants authorizing direct deposit for payment of county obligations in accordance with rules adopted by the director of budget and management pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(G) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation, for public officials of the municipal corporation, a county auditor, for county public officials, or a board of township trustees, for township public officials, may adopt a direct deposit payroll policy under which all public officials of the municipal corporation, all county public officials, or all township public officials, as the case may be, provide a written authorization designating a financial institution and an account number to which payment of the public official's compensation shall be credited under the municipal corporation's, county's, or township's direct deposit payroll policy.  The direct deposit payroll policy adopted by the legislative authority of a municipal corporation, a county auditor, or a board of township trustees may exempt from the direct deposit requirement those municipal, county, or township public officials who cannot provide an account number, or for other reasons specified in the policy.  The written authorization is not a public record under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.