(A) There is hereby created the legislative task force on redistricting, reapportionment, and demographic research, consisting of six members. The president of the senate shall appoint three members, not more than two of whom shall be members of the same political party. One member appointed by the president shall not be a member of the general assembly. The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint three members, not more than two of whom shall be members of the same political party. One member appointed by the speaker shall not be a member of the general assembly.

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Appointments to the task force shall be made within forty-five days after the commencement of the first regular session of each general assembly in the manner prescribed in this division. A vacancy on the task force shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment. Members of the task force shall serve on the task force until the appointments are made in the first regular session of the following general assembly or, in the case of task force members who also are general assembly members when appointed, until they are no longer general assembly members.

The president of the senate shall appoint a member of the task force, and the speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint a member of the task force, to serve as co-chairpersons of the task force. The co-chairpersons shall be members of different political parties. The co-chairpersons may enter into any agreements on behalf of the task force and perform any acts that may be necessary or proper for the task force to carry out its powers and duties under this section.

(B) The members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.

(C) The task force shall do all of the following:

(1) Provide such assistance to the general assembly and its committees as requested in order to help the general assembly fulfill its duty to establish districts for the election of representatives to congress;

(2) Provide such assistance to the apportionment board as requested in order to help it fulfill its duty to provide for the apportionment of this state for members of the general assembly. As used in this section, “apportionment board” means the persons designated in Section 1 of Article XI, Ohio Constitution, as being responsible for that apportionment.

(3) Engage in such research studies and other activities as the task force considers necessary or appropriate in the preparation and formulation of a plan for the next apportionment of the state for members of the general assembly and a plan for the next establishment of districts for the election of representatives to congress and in the utilization of census and other demographic and statistical data for policy analysis, program development, and program evaluation purposes for the benefit of the general assembly.

(D) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the task force may do all of the following:

(1) Hire such employees and engage such experts and technical advisors and fix their compensation, and obtain such services, as are necessary for the task force to exercise its duties under this section;

(2) Authorize the providing of such services and the furnishing of such data by the task force to any state agency or political subdivision of this state as the task force may specify, on such terms and conditions as the task force may specify, including the amount of the payment for providing the services and furnishing the data;

(3) Conduct meetings and hearings both within and outside this state and otherwise exercise all of the powers of a standing or select committee of the general assembly;

(4) Request and receive from any state agency or political subdivision of this state such assistance and data as will enable the task force to exercise its powers and duties under this section.