Ohio Code 145.11 – Investment powers and fiduciary duties of board
(A) The members of the public employees retirement board shall be the trustees of the funds created by section 145.23 of the Revised Code. The board shall have full power to invest the funds. The board and other fiduciaries shall discharge their duties with respect to the funds solely in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries; for the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to participants and their beneficiaries and defraying reasonable expenses of administering the public employees retirement system; with care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with these matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims; and by diversifying the investments of the system so as to minimize the risk of large losses, unless under the circumstances it is clearly prudent not to do so.
Terms Used In Ohio Code 145.11
- beneficiaries: means the estate or a person or persons who, as the result of the death of a member, contributor, or retirant, qualify for or are receiving some right or benefit under this chapter. See Ohio Code 145.01
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
- state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
To facilitate investment of the funds, the board may establish a partnership, trust, limited liability company, corporation, including a corporation exempt from taxation under the Internal Revenue Code, 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C. 1, as amended, or any other legal entity authorized to transact business in this state.
(B) In exercising its fiduciary responsibility with respect to the investment of the funds, it shall be the intent of the board to give consideration to investments that enhance the general welfare of the state and its citizens where the investments offer quality, return, and safety comparable to other investments currently available to the board. In fulfilling this intent, equal consideration shall also be given to investments otherwise qualifying under this section that involve minority owned and controlled firms and firms owned and controlled by women, either alone or in joint venture with other firms.
The board shall adopt, in regular meeting, policies, objectives, or criteria for the operation of the investment program that include asset allocation targets and ranges, risk factors, asset class benchmarks, time horizons, total return objectives, and performance evaluation guidelines. In adopting policies and criteria for the selection of agents with whom the board may contract for the administration of the funds, the board shall comply with sections 145.114 and 145.116 of the Revised Code and shall also give equal consideration to minority owned and controlled firms, firms owned and controlled by women, and ventures involving minority owned and controlled firms and firms owned and controlled by women that otherwise meet the policies and criteria established by the board. Amendments and additions to the policies and criteria shall be adopted in regular meeting. The board shall publish its policies, objectives, and criteria under this provision no less often than annually and shall make copies available to interested parties.
When reporting on the performance of investments, the board shall comply with the performance presentation standards established by the association for investment management and research.
(C) All investments shall be purchased at current market prices and the evidences of title of the investments shall be placed in the hands of the treasurer of state, who is hereby designated as custodian thereof, or in the hands of the treasurer of state’s authorized agent. Evidences of title of the investments so purchased may be deposited by the treasurer of state for safekeeping with an authorized agent, selected by the treasurer of state, who is a qualified trustee under section 135.18 of the Revised Code. The treasurer of state or the agent shall collect the principal, dividends, distributions, and interest thereon as they become due and payable and place them when so collected into the custodial funds.
The treasurer of state shall pay for investments purchased by the retirement board on receipt of written or electronic instructions from the board or the board’s designated agent authorizing the purchase and pending receipt of the evidence of title of the investment by the treasurer of state or the treasurer of state’s authorized agent. The board may sell investments held by the board, and the treasurer of state or the treasurer of state’s authorized agent shall accept payment from the purchaser and deliver evidence of title of the investment to the purchaser on receipt of written or electronic instructions from the board or the board’s designated agent authorizing the sale, and pending receipt of the moneys for the investments. The amount received shall be placed in the custodial funds. The board and the treasurer of state may enter into agreements to establish procedures for the purchase and sale of investments under this division and the custody of the investments.
(D) No purchase or sale of any investment shall be made under this section except as authorized by the public employees retirement board.
(E) Any statement of financial position distributed by the board shall include the fair value, as of the statement date, of all investments held by the board under this section.