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To amend sections 307.051, 307.055, 505.37, 505.375, | 1 |
505.72, 4503.49, 4513.263, 4766.01, 4766.02, | 2 |
4766.03, 4766.04, 4766.05, 4766.06, 4766.07, | 3 |
4766.08, 4766.09, 4766.10, 4766.11, 4766.12, | 4 |
4766.13, and 5503.12 and to enact sections | 5 |
4766.15, 4766.17, 4766.20, and 5111.151 of the | 6 |
Revised Code to authorize the Ohio Ambulance | 7 |
Licensing Board to license private nonemergency | 8 |
medical service organizations that operate | 9 |
ambulette vehicles for the transportation of | 10 |
persons who require the use of a wheelchair and | 11 |
private air medical service organizations that | 12 |
operate air medical transportation, to add four | 13 |
members to the Board, to rename the Board the Ohio | 14 |
Medical Transportation Board, to codify portions | 15 |
of the Ohio Administrative Code dealing with the | 16 |
treatment of certain trusts for purposes of | 17 |
determining an individual's eligibility for | 18 |
medical assistance reimbursable by the Medicaid | 19 |
Program, and to amend the version of section | 20 |
4513.263 of the Revised Code that is scheduled to | 21 |
take effect January 1, 2004, to continue the | 22 |
provisions of this act on and after that effective | 23 |
date. | 24 |
Section 1. That sections 307.051, 307.055, 505.37, 505.375, | 25 |
505.72, 4503.49, 4513.263, 4766.01, 4766.02, 4766.03, 4766.04, | 26 |
4766.05, 4766.06, 4766.07, 4766.08, 4766.09, 4766.10, 4766.11, | 27 |
4766.12, 4766.13, and 5503.12 be amended and sections 4766.15, | 28 |
4766.17, 4766.20, and 5111.151 of the Revised Code be enacted to | 29 |
read as follows: | 30 |
Sec. 307.051. As used in this section, "emergency medical | 31 |
service organization" has the same meaning as in section 4766.01 | 32 |
of the Revised Code. | 33 |
A board of county commissioners, by adoption of an | 34 |
appropriate resolution, may
choose to have the Ohio
| 35 |
36 | |
medical service organization it operates. If a board adopts such a | 37 |
resolution, Chapter 4766. of the Revised Code, except for sections | 38 |
4766.06 and 4766.99 of the Revised Code, applies to the county | 39 |
emergency medical service organization. All rules adopted under | 40 |
the applicable sections of that chapter also apply to the | 41 |
organization. A board, by adoption of an appropriate resolution, | 42 |
may remove its emergency medical service organization from the | 43 |
jurisdiction of the Ohio
| 44 |
transportation board. | 45 |
Sec. 307.055. (A) Subject to the terms and conditions of the | 46 |
joint resolution creating it, each joint emergency medical | 47 |
services district may furnish ambulance services and emergency | 48 |
medical services by one of the following methods: | 49 |
(1) By operating an emergency medical service organization as | 50 |
defined in section 4765.01 of the Revised Code; | 51 |
(2) By contracting for the operation of one or more | 52 |
facilities pursuant to division (C) or (D) of this section; | 53 |
(3) By providing necessary services and equipment to the | 54 |
district either directly or under a contract entered into pursuant | 55 |
to division (B) of this section; | 56 |
(4) By providing service through any combination of methods | 57 |
described in divisions (A)(1) to (3) of this section. | 58 |
(B) In order to obtain ambulance service, to obtain | 59 |
additional ambulance service in times of emergency, or to obtain | 60 |
emergency medical services, a joint emergency medical services | 61 |
district may enter into a contract, for a period not to exceed | 62 |
three years, with one or more counties, townships, municipal | 63 |
corporations, joint fire districts, other governmental units that | 64 |
provide ambulance service or emergency medical services, nonprofit | 65 |
corporations, or private ambulance owners, regardless of whether | 66 |
the entities contracted with are located within or outside this | 67 |
state, upon such terms as are agreed to, to furnish or receive | 68 |
ambulance services or the interchange of ambulance services or | 69 |
emergency medical services within the several territories of the | 70 |
contracting subdivisions, if the contract is first authorized by | 71 |
all boards of trustees and legislative authorities in the | 72 |
territories to be served. | 73 |
Such a contract may provide for a fixed annual charge to be | 74 |
paid at the times agreed upon and stipulated in the contract; or | 75 |
for compensation based on a stipulated price for each run, call, | 76 |
or emergency or based on the elapsed time of service required for | 77 |
each run, call, or emergency, or based on any combination of | 78 |
these. | 79 |
Expenditures of a district for ambulance service or emergency | 80 |
medical service, whether pursuant to contract or otherwise, are | 81 |
lawful expenditures, regardless of whether the district or the | 82 |
party with which it contracts charges an additional fee to users | 83 |
of the service. | 84 |
(C) The board of trustees may enter into a contract with any | 85 |
person, municipal corporation, township, or other political | 86 |
subdivision, and any political subdivision may contract with the | 87 |
board, for the operation and maintenance of emergency medical | 88 |
services facilities regardless of whether the facilities used are | 89 |
owned or leased by the district, by another political subdivision, | 90 |
or by the contractor. | 91 |
(D) The district may purchase, lease, and maintain all | 92 |
materials, buildings, land, and equipment, including vehicles, the | 93 |
board considers necessary for the district. | 94 |
When the board finds, by resolution, that the district has | 95 |
personal property that is not needed for public use, or is | 96 |
obsolete or unfit for the use for which it was acquired, the board | 97 |
may dispose of the property in the same manner as provided in | 98 |
section 307.12 of the Revised Code. | 99 |
(E) Any contract entered into by a joint emergency medical | 100 |
services district shall conform to the same bidding requirements | 101 |
that apply to county contracts under sections 307.86 to 307.92 of | 102 |
the Revised Code. | 103 |
(F) A county participating in a joint district may contribute | 104 |
any of its rights or interests in real or personal property, | 105 |
including money, and may contribute services to the district. Any | 106 |
such contributions shall be made by a written agreement between | 107 |
the contributing county and the district, specifying the | 108 |
contribution as well as the rights of the participating counties | 109 |
in the contributed property. Written agreements shall also be | 110 |
prepared specifying the rights of participating counties in | 111 |
property acquired by the district other than by contribution of a | 112 |
participating county. Written agreements required by this division | 113 |
may be amended only by written agreement of all parties to the | 114 |
original agreement. | 115 |
(G) A district's board of trustees, by adoption of an | 116 |
appropriate
resolution, may choose to have the Ohio
| 117 |
118 | |
medical service organization the district operates. If a board | 119 |
adopts such a resolution, Chapter 4766. of the Revised Code, | 120 |
except for sections 4766.06 and 4766.99 of the Revised Code, | 121 |
applies to the district emergency medical service organization. | 122 |
All rules adopted under the applicable sections of that chapter | 123 |
also apply to the organization. A board, by adoption of an | 124 |
appropriate resolution, may remove the district emergency medical | 125 |
service
organization
from the jurisdiction of the Ohio
| 126 |
127 |
Sec. 505.37. (A) The board of township trustees may | 128 |
establish all necessary rules to guard against the occurrence of | 129 |
fires and to protect the property and lives of the citizens | 130 |
against damage and accidents, and may, with the approval of the | 131 |
specifications by the prosecuting attorney or, if the township has | 132 |
adopted
limited home rule government under
| 133 |
of the Revised Code, with the approval of the specifications by | 134 |
the township's law director, purchase, lease, lease with an option | 135 |
to purchase, or otherwise provide any fire apparatus, mechanical | 136 |
resuscitators, or other equipment, appliances, materials, fire | 137 |
hydrants, and water supply for fire-fighting purposes that seems | 138 |
advisable to the board. The board shall provide for the care and | 139 |
maintenance of fire equipment, and, for these purposes, may | 140 |
purchase, lease, lease with an option to purchase, or construct | 141 |
and maintain necessary buildings, and it may establish and | 142 |
maintain lines of fire-alarm communications within the limits of | 143 |
the township. The board may employ one or more persons to maintain | 144 |
and operate fire-fighting equipment, or it may enter into an | 145 |
agreement with a volunteer fire company for the use and operation | 146 |
of fire-fighting equipment. The board may compensate the members | 147 |
of a volunteer fire company on any basis and in any amount that it | 148 |
considers equitable. | 149 |
(B) The boards of township trustees of any two or more | 150 |
townships, or the legislative authorities of any two or more | 151 |
political subdivisions, or any combination thereof, may, through | 152 |
joint action, unite in the joint purchase, lease, lease with an | 153 |
option to purchase, maintenance, use, and operation of | 154 |
fire-fighting equipment, or for any other purpose designated in | 155 |
sections 505.37 to 505.42 of the Revised Code, and may prorate the | 156 |
expense of the joint action on any terms that are mutually agreed | 157 |
upon. | 158 |
(C) The board of township trustees of any township may, by | 159 |
resolution, whenever it is expedient and necessary to guard | 160 |
against the occurrence of fires or to protect the property and | 161 |
lives of the citizens against damages resulting from their | 162 |
occurrence, create a fire district of any portions of the township | 163 |
that it considers necessary. The board may purchase, lease, lease | 164 |
with an option to purchase, or otherwise provide any fire | 165 |
apparatus, appliances, materials, fire hydrants, and water supply | 166 |
for fire-fighting purposes, or may contract for the fire | 167 |
protection for the fire district as provided in section 9.60 of | 168 |
the Revised Code. The fire district so created shall be given a | 169 |
separate name by which it shall be known. | 170 |
Additional unincorporated territory of the township may be | 171 |
added to a fire district upon the board's adoption of a resolution | 172 |
authorizing the addition. A municipal corporation that is within | 173 |
or adjoining the township may be added to a fire district upon the | 174 |
board's adoption of a resolution authorizing the addition and the | 175 |
municipal legislative authority's adoption of a resolution or | 176 |
ordinance requesting the addition of the municipal corporation to | 177 |
the fire district. | 178 |
If the township fire district imposes a tax, additional | 179 |
unincorporated territory of the township or a municipal | 180 |
corporation that is within or adjoining the township shall become | 181 |
part of the fire district only after all of the following have | 182 |
occurred: | 183 |
(1) Adoption by the board of township trustees of a | 184 |
resolution approving the expansion of the territorial limits of | 185 |
the district and, if the resolution proposes to add a municipal | 186 |
corporation, adoption by the municipal legislative authority of a | 187 |
resolution or ordinance requesting the addition of the municipal | 188 |
corporation to the district; | 189 |
(2) Adoption by the board of township trustees of a | 190 |
resolution recommending the extension of the tax to the additional | 191 |
territory; | 192 |
(3) Approval of the tax by the electors of the territory | 193 |
proposed for addition to the district. | 194 |
Each resolution of the board adopted under division (C)(2) of | 195 |
this section shall state the name of the fire district, a | 196 |
description of the territory to be added, and the rate and | 197 |
termination date of the tax, which shall be the rate and | 198 |
termination date of the tax currently in effect in the fire | 199 |
district. | 200 |
The board of trustees shall certify each resolution adopted | 201 |
under division (C)(2) of this section to the board of elections in | 202 |
accordance with section 5705.19 of the Revised Code. The election | 203 |
required under division (C)(3) of this section shall be held, | 204 |
canvassed, and certified in the manner provided for the submission | 205 |
of tax levies under section 5705.25 of the Revised Code, except | 206 |
that the question appearing on the ballot shall read: | 207 |
"Shall the territory within ........................ | 208 |
(description of the proposed territory to be added) be added to | 209 |
........................ (name) fire district, and a property tax | 210 |
at a rate of taxation not exceeding ...... (here insert tax rate) | 211 |
be in effect for .......... (here insert the number of years the | 212 |
tax is to be in effect or "a continuing period of time," as | 213 |
applicable)?" | 214 |
If the question is approved by at least a majority of the | 215 |
electors voting on it, the joinder shall be effective as of the | 216 |
first day of July of the year following approval, and on that | 217 |
date, the township fire district tax shall be extended to the | 218 |
taxable property within the territory that has been added. If the | 219 |
territory that has been added is a municipal corporation and if it | 220 |
had adopted a tax levy for fire purposes, the levy is terminated | 221 |
on the effective date of the joinder. | 222 |
Any municipal corporation may withdraw from a township fire | 223 |
district created under division (C) of this section by the | 224 |
adoption by the municipal legislative authority of a resolution or | 225 |
ordinance ordering withdrawal. On the first day of July of the | 226 |
year following the adoption of the resolution or ordinance of | 227 |
withdrawal, the municipal corporation withdrawing ceases to be a | 228 |
part of the district, and the power of the fire district to levy a | 229 |
tax upon taxable property in the withdrawing municipal corporation | 230 |
terminates, except that the fire district shall continue to levy | 231 |
and collect taxes for the payment of indebtedness within the | 232 |
territory of the fire district as it was composed at the time the | 233 |
indebtedness was incurred. | 234 |
Upon the withdrawal of any municipal corporation from a | 235 |
township fire district created under division (C) of this section, | 236 |
the county auditor shall ascertain, apportion, and order a | 237 |
division of the funds on hand, moneys and taxes in the process of | 238 |
collection except for taxes levied for the payment of | 239 |
indebtedness, credits, and real and personal property, either in | 240 |
money or in kind, on the basis of the valuation of the respective | 241 |
tax duplicates of the withdrawing municipal corporation and the | 242 |
remaining territory of the fire district. | 243 |
A board of township trustees may remove unincorporated | 244 |
territory of the township from the fire district upon the adoption | 245 |
of a resolution authorizing the removal. On the first day of July | 246 |
of the year following the adoption of the resolution, the | 247 |
unincorporated township territory described in the resolution | 248 |
ceases to be a part of the district, and the power of the fire | 249 |
district to levy a tax upon taxable property in that territory | 250 |
terminates, except that the fire district shall continue to levy | 251 |
and collect taxes for the payment of indebtedness within the | 252 |
territory of the fire district as it was composed at the time the | 253 |
indebtedness was incurred. | 254 |
(D) The board of township trustees of any township, the board | 255 |
of fire district trustees of a fire district created under section | 256 |
505.371 of the Revised Code, or the legislative authority of any | 257 |
municipal corporation may purchase, lease, or lease with an option | 258 |
to purchase the necessary fire-fighting equipment, buildings, and | 259 |
sites for the township, fire district, or municipal corporation | 260 |
and issue securities for that purpose with maximum maturities as | 261 |
provided in section 133.20 of the Revised Code. The board of | 262 |
township trustees, board of fire district trustees, or legislative | 263 |
authority may also construct any buildings necessary to house | 264 |
fire-fighting equipment and issue securities for that purpose with | 265 |
maximum maturities as provided in section 133.20 of the Revised | 266 |
Code. | 267 |
The board of township trustees, board of fire district | 268 |
trustees, or legislative authority may issue the securities of the | 269 |
township, fire district, or municipal corporation, signed by the | 270 |
board or designated officer of the municipal corporation and | 271 |
attested by the signature of the township, fire district, or | 272 |
municipal clerk, covering any deferred payments and payable at the | 273 |
times provided, which securities shall bear interest not to exceed | 274 |
the rate determined as provided in section 9.95 of the Revised | 275 |
Code, and shall not be subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised | 276 |
Code. The legislation authorizing the issuance of the securities | 277 |
shall provide for levying and collecting annually by taxation, | 278 |
amounts sufficient to pay the interest on and principal of the | 279 |
securities. The securities shall be offered for sale on the open | 280 |
market or given to the vendor or contractor if no sale is made. | 281 |
Section 505.40 of the Revised Code does not apply to any | 282 |
securities issued, or any lease with an option to purchase entered | 283 |
into, in accordance with this division. | 284 |
(E) A board of township trustees of any township or a board | 285 |
of fire district trustees of a fire district created under section | 286 |
505.371 of the Revised Code may purchase a policy or policies of | 287 |
liability insurance for the officers, employees, and appointees of | 288 |
the fire department, fire district, or joint fire district | 289 |
governed by the board that includes personal injury liability | 290 |
coverage as to the civil liability of those officers, employees, | 291 |
and appointees for false arrest, detention, or imprisonment, | 292 |
malicious prosecution, libel, slander, defamation or other | 293 |
violation of the right of privacy, wrongful entry or eviction, or | 294 |
other invasion of the right of private occupancy, arising out of | 295 |
the performance of their duties. | 296 |
When a board of township trustees cannot, by deed of gift or | 297 |
by purchase and upon terms it considers reasonable, procure land | 298 |
for a township fire station that is needed in order to respond in | 299 |
reasonable time to a fire or medical emergency, the board may | 300 |
appropriate land for that purpose under sections 163.01 to 163.22 | 301 |
of the Revised Code. If it is necessary to acquire additional | 302 |
adjacent land for enlarging or improving the fire station, the | 303 |
board may purchase, appropriate, or accept a deed of gift for the | 304 |
land for these purposes. | 305 |
(F) As used in this division, "emergency medical service | 306 |
organization" has the same meaning as in section 4766.01 of the | 307 |
Revised Code. | 308 |
A board of township trustees, by adoption of an appropriate | 309 |
resolution, may choose to have the Ohio
| 310 |
medical transportation board license any emergency medical service | 311 |
organization it operates. If the board adopts such a resolution, | 312 |
Chapter 4766. of the Revised Code, except for sections 4766.06 and | 313 |
4766.99 of the Revised Code, applies to the organization. All | 314 |
rules adopted under the applicable sections of that chapter also | 315 |
apply to the organization. A board of township trustees, by | 316 |
adoption of an appropriate resolution, may remove its emergency | 317 |
medical service organization from the jurisdiction of the Ohio | 318 |
319 |
Sec. 505.375. (A) The board of a joint ambulance district | 320 |
created under section 505.71 of the Revised Code and the board of | 321 |
a joint fire district created under section 505.371 of the Revised | 322 |
Code may negotiate in accordance with this section to combine | 323 |
their two joint districts into a single district, called a fire | 324 |
and ambulance district, for the delivery of both fire and | 325 |
ambulance services, if the geographic area covered by the | 326 |
combining joint districts is exactly the same. Both boards shall | 327 |
adopt a joint resolution ratifying the agreement and setting a | 328 |
date on which the fire and ambulance district shall come into | 329 |
being. On that date, the joint fire district and the joint | 330 |
ambulance district shall cease to exist, and the power of each to | 331 |
levy a tax upon taxable property shall terminate, except that any | 332 |
levy of a tax for the payment of indebtedness within the territory | 333 |
of the joint fire or joint ambulance district as it was composed | 334 |
at the time the indebtedness was incurred shall continue to be | 335 |
collected by the successor fire and ambulance district if the | 336 |
indebtedness remains unpaid. | 337 |
All funds and other property of the joint districts that | 338 |
combined into the fire and ambulance district shall become the | 339 |
property of the fire and ambulance district, unless otherwise | 340 |
provided in the negotiated agreement. The agreement shall provide | 341 |
for the settlement of all debts and obligations of the joint | 342 |
districts. | 343 |
(B) The governing body of the fire and ambulance district | 344 |
shall be a board of trustees of at least three but no more than | 345 |
nine members, appointed as provided in the agreement creating the | 346 |
district. Members of the board of trustees may be compensated at a | 347 |
rate not to exceed thirty dollars per meeting for not more than | 348 |
fifteen meetings per year, and may be reimbursed for all necessary | 349 |
expenses incurred, as provided in the agreement creating the | 350 |
district. | 351 |
The board shall employ a clerk and other employees as it | 352 |
considers best, including a fire chief or fire prevention | 353 |
officers, and shall fix their compensation. Neither this section | 354 |
nor any other section of the Revised Code requires, or shall be | 355 |
construed to require, that the fire chief of a fire and ambulance | 356 |
district be a resident of the district. | 357 |
Before entering upon the duties of office, the clerk shall | 358 |
execute a bond, in the amount and with surety to be approved by | 359 |
the board, payable to the state, conditioned for the faithful | 360 |
performance of all of the clerk's official duties. The clerk shall | 361 |
deposit the bond with the presiding officer of the board, who | 362 |
shall file a copy of it, certified by the presiding officer, with | 363 |
the county auditor of the county containing the most territory in | 364 |
the district. | 365 |
The board shall also provide for the appointment of a fiscal | 366 |
officer for the district. The board may also enter into agreements | 367 |
with volunteer fire companies for the use and operation of | 368 |
fire-fighting equipment. Volunteer firefighters acting under such | 369 |
an agreement are subject to the requirements for volunteer | 370 |
firefighters set forth in division (A) of section 505.38 of the | 371 |
Revised Code. | 372 |
Employees of the district shall not be removed from office | 373 |
except as provided by sections 733.35 to 733.39 of the Revised | 374 |
Code, except that, to initiate removal proceedings, the board | 375 |
shall designate a private citizen or, if the employee is employed | 376 |
as a firefighter, the board may designate the fire chief, to | 377 |
investigate, conduct the proceedings, and prepare the necessary | 378 |
charges in conformity with sections 733.35 to 733.39 of the | 379 |
Revised Code, and except that the board shall perform the | 380 |
functions and duties specified for the municipal legislative | 381 |
authority under those sections. The board may pay reasonable | 382 |
compensation to any private citizen hired for services rendered in | 383 |
the matter. | 384 |
No person shall be appointed as a permanent full-time paid | 385 |
member of the district whose duties include fire fighting, or be | 386 |
appointed as a volunteer firefighter, unless that person has | 387 |
received a certificate issued under former section 3303.07 or | 388 |
section 4765.55 of the Revised Code evidencing satisfactory | 389 |
completion of a firefighter training program. The board may send | 390 |
its officers and firefighters to schools of instruction designed | 391 |
to promote the efficiency of firefighters and, if authorized in | 392 |
advance, may pay their necessary expenses from the funds used for | 393 |
the maintenance and operation of the district. | 394 |
The board may choose, by adoption of an appropriate | 395 |
resolution, to have the
Ohio
| 396 |
transportation board license any emergency medical service | 397 |
organization it operates. If the board adopts such a resolution, | 398 |
Chapter 4766. of the Revised Code, except for sections 4766.06 and | 399 |
4766.99 of the Revised Code, applies to the organization. All | 400 |
rules adopted under the applicable sections of that chapter also | 401 |
apply to the organization. The board may likewise, by resolution, | 402 |
remove its emergency medical service organization from the | 403 |
jurisdiction of
the Ohio
| 404 |
transportation board. | 405 |
(C) The board may exercise the following powers: | 406 |
(1) Purchase or otherwise provide any fire apparatus, | 407 |
mechanical resuscitators, or other fire or ambulance equipment, | 408 |
appliances, or materials; fire hydrants; and water supply for | 409 |
fire-fighting purposes that seems advisable to the board; | 410 |
(2) Provide for the care and maintenance of equipment and, | 411 |
for that purpose, purchase, lease, or construct and maintain | 412 |
necessary buildings; | 413 |
(3) Establish and maintain lines of fire-alarm communications | 414 |
within the limits of the district; | 415 |
(4) Appropriate land for a fire station or medical emergency | 416 |
unit needed in order to respond in reasonable time to a fire or | 417 |
medical emergency, in accordance with Chapter 163. of the Revised | 418 |
Code; | 419 |
(5) Purchase, appropriate, or accept a deed or gift of land | 420 |
to enlarge or improve a fire station or medical emergency unit; | 421 |
(6) Purchase, lease, maintain, and use all materials, | 422 |
equipment, vehicles, buildings, and land necessary to perform its | 423 |
duties; | 424 |
(7) Contract for a period not to exceed three years with one | 425 |
or more townships, municipal corporations, counties, joint fire | 426 |
districts, governmental agencies, nonprofit corporations, or | 427 |
private ambulance owners located either within or outside the | 428 |
state, to furnish or receive ambulance services or emergency | 429 |
medical services within the several territories of the contracting | 430 |
parties, if the contract is first authorized by all boards of | 431 |
trustees and legislative authorities concerned; | 432 |
(8) Establish reasonable charges for the use of ambulance or | 433 |
emergency medical services under the same conditions under which a | 434 |
board of fire district trustees may establish those charges under | 435 |
section 505.371 of the Revised Code; | 436 |
(9) Establish all necessary rules to guard against the | 437 |
occurrence of fires and to protect property and lives against | 438 |
damage and accidents; | 439 |
(10) Adopt a standard code pertaining to fire, fire hazards, | 440 |
and fire prevention prepared and promulgated by the state or by a | 441 |
public or private organization that publishes a model or standard | 442 |
code; | 443 |
(11) Provide for charges for false alarms at commercial | 444 |
establishments in the same manner as joint fire districts are | 445 |
authorized to do under section 505.391 of the Revised Code; | 446 |
(12) Issue bonds and other evidences of indebtedness, subject | 447 |
to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, but only after approval by a | 448 |
vote of the electors of the district as provided by section 133.18 | 449 |
of the Revised Code; | 450 |
(13) To provide the services and equipment it considers | 451 |
necessary, levy a sufficient tax, subject to Chapter 5705. of the | 452 |
Revised Code, on all the taxable property in the district. | 453 |
(D) Any municipal corporation or township may join an | 454 |
existing fire and ambulance district by its legislative | 455 |
authority's adoption of a resolution requesting the membership and | 456 |
upon approval of the board of the district. Any municipal | 457 |
corporation or township may withdraw from a district by its | 458 |
legislative authority's adoption of a resolution ordering | 459 |
withdrawal. Upon its withdrawal, the municipal corporation or | 460 |
township ceases to be a part of the district, and the district's | 461 |
power to levy a tax on taxable property in the withdrawing | 462 |
township or municipal corporation terminates, except that the | 463 |
district shall continue to levy and collect taxes for the payment | 464 |
of indebtedness within the territory of the district as it was | 465 |
composed at the time the indebtedness was incurred. | 466 |
Upon the withdrawal of any township or municipal corporation | 467 |
from a district, the county auditor of the county containing the | 468 |
most territory in the district shall ascertain, apportion, and | 469 |
order a division of the funds on hand, including funds in the | 470 |
ambulance and emergency medical services fund, moneys and taxes in | 471 |
the process of collection, except for taxes levied for the payment | 472 |
of indebtedness, credits, and real and personal property on the | 473 |
basis of the valuation of the respective tax duplicates of the | 474 |
withdrawing municipal corporation or township and the remaining | 475 |
territory of the district. | 476 |
(E) As used in this section: | 477 |
(1) "Governmental agency" includes all departments, boards, | 478 |
offices, commissions, agencies, colleges, universities, | 479 |
institutions, and other instrumentalities of this or another | 480 |
state. | 481 |
(2) "Emergency medical service organization" has the same | 482 |
meaning as in section 4766.01 of the Revised Code. | 483 |
Sec. 505.72. (A) The board of trustees of a joint ambulance | 484 |
district shall provide for the employment of such employees as it | 485 |
considers best, and shall fix their compensation. Such employees | 486 |
shall continue in office until removed as provided by sections | 487 |
733.35 to 733.39 of the Revised Code. To initiate removal | 488 |
proceedings, and for such purpose, the board shall designate a | 489 |
private citizen to investigate the conduct and prepare the | 490 |
necessary charges in conformity with sections 733.35 to 733.39 of | 491 |
the Revised Code. The board may pay reasonable compensation to | 492 |
such person for the person's services. | 493 |
In case of the removal of an employee of the district, an | 494 |
appeal may be had from the decision of the board to the court of | 495 |
common pleas of the county in which such district, or part of it, | 496 |
is situated, to determine the sufficiency of the cause of removal. | 497 |
Such appeal from the findings of the board shall be taken within | 498 |
ten days. | 499 |
(B) As used in this division, "emergency medical service | 500 |
organization" has the same meaning as in section 4765.01 of the | 501 |
Revised Code. | 502 |
(1) In order to obtain the services of ambulance service | 503 |
organizations, to obtain additional services from ambulance | 504 |
service organizations in times of emergency, or to obtain the | 505 |
services of emergency medical service organizations, a district | 506 |
may enter into a contract, for a period not to exceed three years, | 507 |
with one or more townships, municipal corporations, joint fire | 508 |
districts, nonprofit corporations, any other governmental unit | 509 |
that provides ambulance services or emergency medical services, or | 510 |
with private ambulance owners, regardless of whether such | 511 |
townships, municipal corporations, joint fire districts, nonprofit | 512 |
corporations, governmental unit, or private ambulance owners are | 513 |
located within or without this state, upon such terms as are | 514 |
agreed to, to furnish or receive services from ambulance or | 515 |
emergency medical service organizations or the interchange of | 516 |
services from ambulance or emergency medical service organizations | 517 |
within the several territories of the contracting subdivisions, if | 518 |
such contract is first authorized by all boards of trustees and | 519 |
legislative authorities concerned. | 520 |
The contract may provide for a fixed annual charge to be paid | 521 |
at the times agreed upon and stipulated in the contract, or for | 522 |
compensation based upon a stipulated price for each run, call, or | 523 |
emergency, or the elapsed time of service required in such run, | 524 |
call, or emergency, or any combination thereof. | 525 |
(2) Expenditures of a district for the services of ambulance | 526 |
service organizations or emergency medical service organizations, | 527 |
whether pursuant to contract or otherwise, are lawful | 528 |
expenditures, regardless of whether the district or the party with | 529 |
which it contracts charges additional fees to users of the | 530 |
services. | 531 |
(3) A district's board of trustees, by adoption of an | 532 |
appropriate
resolution, may choose to have the Ohio
| 533 |
534 | |
medical service organization the district operates. If a board | 535 |
adopts such a resolution, Chapter 4766. of the Revised Code, | 536 |
except for sections 4766.06 and 4766.99 of the Revised Code, | 537 |
applies to the district emergency medical service organization. | 538 |
All rules adopted under the applicable sections of that chapter | 539 |
also apply to the organization. A board, by adoption of an | 540 |
appropriate resolution, may remove the district emergency medical | 541 |
service
organization
from the jurisdiction of the Ohio
| 542 |
543 |
(C) Ambulance services or emergency medical services rendered | 544 |
for a joint ambulance district under this section and section | 545 |
505.71 of the Revised Code shall be deemed services of the | 546 |
district. These sections do not authorize suits against a district | 547 |
or any township or municipal corporation providing or receiving, | 548 |
or contracting to provide or receive, such services under these | 549 |
sections for damages for injury or loss to persons or property or | 550 |
for wrongful death caused by persons providing such services. | 551 |
Sec. 4503.49. (A) As used in this section, "ambulance," | 552 |
"ambulette," "emergency medical service organization," | 553 |
"nonemergency medical service organization," and "nontransport | 554 |
vehicle" have the same meanings as in section 4766.01 of the | 555 |
Revised Code. | 556 |
(B) Each private emergency medical service organization and | 557 |
each private nonemergency medical service organization shall apply | 558 |
to the registrar of motor vehicles for the registration of any | 559 |
ambulance, ambulette, or nontransport vehicle it owns or leases. | 560 |
The application shall be accompanied by a copy of the certificate | 561 |
of
licensure issued to the
organization by the Ohio
| 562 |
563 |
(1) The regular license tax as prescribed under section | 564 |
4503.04 of the Revised Code; | 565 |
(2) Any local license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the | 566 |
Revised Code; | 567 |
(3) An additional fee of seven dollars and fifty cents. The | 568 |
additional fee shall be for the purpose of compensating the bureau | 569 |
of motor vehicles for additional services required to be performed | 570 |
under this section and shall be transmitted by the registrar to | 571 |
the treasurer of state for deposit in the state bureau of motor | 572 |
vehicles fund created by section 4501.25 of the Revised Code. | 573 |
(C) On receipt of a complete application, the registrar shall | 574 |
issue to the applicant the appropriate certificate of registration | 575 |
for the vehicle and do one of the following: | 576 |
(1) Issue a set of license plates with a validation sticker | 577 |
and a set of stickers to be attached to the plates as an | 578 |
identification of the vehicle's classification as an ambulance, | 579 |
ambulette, or nontransport vehicle; | 580 |
(2) Issue a validation sticker alone when so required by | 581 |
section 4503.191 of the Revised Code. | 582 |
Sec. 4513.263. (A) As used in this section and in section | 583 |
4513.99 of the Revised Code: | 584 |
(1) "Automobile" means any commercial tractor, passenger car, | 585 |
commercial car, or truck that is required to be factory-equipped | 586 |
with an occupant restraining device for the operator or any | 587 |
passenger by regulations adopted by the United States secretary of | 588 |
transportation pursuant to the "National Traffic and Motor Vehicle | 589 |
Safety Act of 1966," 80 Stat. 719, 15 U.S.C.A. 1392. | 590 |
(2) "Occupant restraining device" means a seat safety belt, | 591 |
shoulder belt, harness, or other safety device for restraining a | 592 |
person who is an operator of or passenger in an automobile and | 593 |
that satisfies the minimum federal vehicle safety standards | 594 |
established by the United States department of transportation. | 595 |
(3) "Passenger" means any person in an automobile, other than | 596 |
its operator, who is occupying a seating position for which an | 597 |
occupant restraining device is provided. | 598 |
(4) "Commercial tractor," "passenger car," and "commercial | 599 |
car" have the same meanings as in section 4501.01 of the Revised | 600 |
Code. | 601 |
(5) "Vehicle" and "motor vehicle," as used in the definitions | 602 |
of the terms set forth in division (A)(4) of this section, have | 603 |
the same meanings as in section 4511.01 of the Revised Code. | 604 |
(B) No person shall do any of the following: | 605 |
(1) Operate an automobile on any street or highway unless | 606 |
that person is wearing all of the available elements of a properly | 607 |
adjusted occupant restraining device, or operate a school bus that | 608 |
has an occupant restraining device installed for use in its | 609 |
operator's seat unless that person is wearing all of the available | 610 |
elements of the device, as properly adjusted; | 611 |
(2) Operate an automobile on any street or highway unless | 612 |
each passenger in the automobile who is subject to the requirement | 613 |
set forth in division (B)(3) of this section is wearing all of the | 614 |
available elements of a properly adjusted occupant restraining | 615 |
device; | 616 |
(3) Occupy, as a passenger, a seating position on the front | 617 |
seat of an automobile being operated on any street or highway | 618 |
unless that person is wearing all of the available elements of a | 619 |
properly adjusted occupant restraining device; | 620 |
(4) Operate a taxicab on any street or highway unless all | 621 |
factory-equipped occupant restraining devices in the taxicab are | 622 |
maintained in usable form. | 623 |
(C) Division (B)(3) of this section does not apply to a | 624 |
person who is required by section 4511.81 of the Revised Code to | 625 |
be secured in a child restraint device. Division (B)(1) of this | 626 |
section does not apply to a person who is an employee of the | 627 |
United States postal service or of a newspaper home delivery | 628 |
service, during any period in which the person is engaged in the | 629 |
operation of an automobile to deliver mail or newspapers to | 630 |
addressees. Divisions (B)(1) and (3) of this section do not apply | 631 |
to a person who has an affidavit signed by a physician licensed to | 632 |
practice in this state under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code or | 633 |
a chiropractor licensed to practice in this state under Chapter | 634 |
4734. of the Revised Code that states that the person has a | 635 |
physical impairment that makes use of an occupant restraining | 636 |
device impossible or impractical. | 637 |
(D) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no | 638 |
law enforcement officer shall cause an operator of an automobile | 639 |
being operated on any street or highway to stop the automobile for | 640 |
the sole purpose of determining whether a violation of division | 641 |
(B) of this section has been or is being committed or for the sole | 642 |
purpose of issuing a ticket, citation, or summons for a violation | 643 |
of that nature or causing the arrest of or commencing a | 644 |
prosecution of a person for a violation of that nature, and no law | 645 |
enforcement officer shall view the interior or visually inspect | 646 |
any automobile being operated on any street or highway for the | 647 |
sole purpose of determining whether a violation of that nature has | 648 |
been or is being committed. | 649 |
(E) All fines collected for violations of division (B) of | 650 |
this section, or for violations of any ordinance or resolution of | 651 |
a political subdivision that is substantively comparable to that | 652 |
division, shall be forwarded to the treasurer of state for deposit | 653 |
as follows: | 654 |
(1) Eight per cent shall be deposited into the seat belt | 655 |
education fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury, and | 656 |
shall be used by the department of public safety to establish a | 657 |
seat belt education program. | 658 |
(2) Eight per cent shall be deposited into the elementary | 659 |
school program fund, which is hereby created in the state | 660 |
treasury, and shall be used by the department of public safety to | 661 |
establish and administer elementary school programs that encourage | 662 |
seat safety belt use. | 663 |
(3) Two per cent shall be
deposited into the Ohio
| 664 |
665 | |
4766.05 of the Revised Code. | 666 |
(4) Twenty-eight per cent shall be deposited into the trauma | 667 |
and emergency medical services fund, which is hereby created in | 668 |
the state treasury, and shall be used by the department of public | 669 |
safety for the administration of the division of emergency medical | 670 |
services and the state board of emergency medical services. | 671 |
(5) Fifty-four per cent shall be deposited into the trauma | 672 |
and emergency medical services grants fund, which is hereby | 673 |
created in the state treasury, and shall be used by the state | 674 |
board of emergency medical services to make grants, in accordance | 675 |
with section 4765.07 of the Revised Code and rules the board | 676 |
adopts under section 4765.11 of the Revised Code. | 677 |
(F)(1) Subject to division (F)(2) of this section, the | 678 |
failure of a person to wear all of the available elements of a | 679 |
properly adjusted occupant restraining device or to ensure that | 680 |
each passenger of an automobile being operated by the person is | 681 |
wearing all of the available elements of such a device, in | 682 |
violation of division (B) of this section, shall not be considered | 683 |
or used as evidence of negligence or contributory negligence, | 684 |
shall not diminish recovery for damages in any civil action | 685 |
involving the person arising from the ownership, maintenance, or | 686 |
operation of an automobile; shall not be used as a basis for a | 687 |
criminal prosecution of the person other than a prosecution for a | 688 |
violation of this section; and shall not be admissible as evidence | 689 |
in any civil or criminal action involving the person other than a | 690 |
prosecution for a violation of this section. | 691 |
(2) If, at the time of an accident involving a passenger car | 692 |
equipped with occupant restraining devices, any occupant of the | 693 |
passenger car who sustained injury or death was not wearing an | 694 |
available occupant restraining device, was not wearing all of the | 695 |
available elements of such a device, or was not wearing such a | 696 |
device as properly adjusted, then, consistent with the Rules of | 697 |
Evidence, the fact that the occupant was not wearing the available | 698 |
occupant restraining device, was not wearing all of the available | 699 |
elements of such a device, or was not wearing such a device as | 700 |
properly adjusted is admissible in evidence in relation to any | 701 |
claim for relief in a tort action to the extent that the claim for | 702 |
relief satisfies all of the following: | 703 |
(a) It seeks to recover damages for injury or death to the | 704 |
occupant. | 705 |
(b) The defendant in question is the manufacturer, designer, | 706 |
distributor, or seller of the passenger car. | 707 |
(c) The claim for relief against the defendant in question is | 708 |
that the injury or death sustained by the occupant was enhanced or | 709 |
aggravated by some design defect in the passenger car or that the | 710 |
passenger car was not crashworthy. | 711 |
(3) As used in division (F)(2) of this section, "tort action" | 712 |
means a civil action for damages for injury, death, or loss to | 713 |
person or property. "Tort action" includes a product liability | 714 |
claim that is subject to sections 2307.71 to 2307.80 of the | 715 |
Revised Code, but does not include a civil action for damages for | 716 |
a breach of a contract or another agreement between persons. | 717 |
Sec. 4766.01. As used in this chapter: | 718 |
(A) "Advanced life support" means treatment described in | 719 |
section 4765.39 of the Revised Code that a paramedic is certified | 720 |
to perform. | 721 |
(B) "Air medical service organization" means a person that | 722 |
provides air medical transportation to the public. | 723 |
(C) "Air medical transportation" is the use of a rotorcraft | 724 |
air ambulance or fixed wing air ambulance to provide | 725 |
transportation and advanced life support to seriously ill, | 726 |
injured, wounded, or otherwise incapacitated or helpless | 727 |
individuals who require use of a stretcher from airport to airport | 728 |
or from an emergency scene to a hospital or other medical care | 729 |
setting. | 730 |
(D) "Ambulance" means any motor vehicle that is specifically | 731 |
designed, constructed, or modified and equipped and is intended to | 732 |
be used
| 733 |
support, advanced life support, or mobile intensive care unit | 734 |
services and transportation upon the streets or highways of this | 735 |
state of persons who are seriously ill, injured, wounded, or | 736 |
otherwise incapacitated or helpless. "Ambulance" does not include | 737 |
air medical transportation or a vehicle designed and used solely | 738 |
for the transportation of nonstretcher-bound persons, whether | 739 |
hospitalized or handicapped or whether ambulatory or confined to a | 740 |
wheelchair. | 741 |
| 742 |
designed, constructed, or modified and equipped and is intended to | 743 |
be used for transportation upon the streets or highways of this | 744 |
state of persons who require use of a wheelchair. | 745 |
(F) "Basic life support" means treatment described in section | 746 |
4765.37 of the Revised Code that an EMT-basic is certified to | 747 |
perform. | 748 |
| 749 |
described by rule of the Ohio
| 750 |
transportation board as a mass casualty, major emergency, natural | 751 |
disaster, or national emergency. | 752 |
| 753 |
organization that uses EMTs-basic, EMTs-I, or paramedics, or a | 754 |
combination thereof, to provide medical care to victims of illness | 755 |
or injury. An emergency medical service organization includes, but | 756 |
is not limited to, a commercial ambulance service organization, a | 757 |
hospital, and a funeral home. | 758 |
| 759 |
meanings as in section 4765.01 of the Revised Code. | 760 |
| 761 |
operated as a means of air medical transportation. | 762 |
(K) "Intermediate life support" means treatment described in | 763 |
section 4765.38 of the Revised Code that an EMT-I is certified to | 764 |
perform. | 765 |
| 766 |
cannot be resolved through the use of locally available emergency | 767 |
resources. | 768 |
| 769 |
in ten or more persons being injured, incapacitated, made ill, or | 770 |
killed. | 771 |
| 772 |
affecting an individual in such a manner that a need for immediate | 773 |
care is created. | 774 |
(O)(1) "Nonemergency medical service organization" means a | 775 |
person that does both of the following: | 776 |
(a) Provides services to the public on a regular basis for | 777 |
the purpose of transporting individuals who require the use of a | 778 |
wheelchair or are confined to a wheelchair to receive health care | 779 |
services at health care facilities or health care practitioners' | 780 |
offices in nonemergency circumstances; | 781 |
(b) Provides the services for a fee, regardless of whether | 782 |
the fee is paid by the person being transported, a third party | 783 |
payer, as defined in section 3702.51 of the Revised Code, or any | 784 |
other person or government entity. | 785 |
(2) "Nonemergency medical service organization" does not | 786 |
include a health care facility, as defined in section 1751.01 of | 787 |
the Revised Code, that provides ambulette services only to | 788 |
patients of that facility. | 789 |
| 790 |
only for maintaining specialized or intensive care treatment and | 791 |
used primarily for interhospital transports of patients whose | 792 |
conditions require care beyond the scope of a paramedic as | 793 |
provided in section 4765.39 of the Revised Code. | 794 |
| 795 |
by a licensed emergency medical service organization not as an | 796 |
ambulance, but as a vehicle for providing services in conjunction | 797 |
with the ambulances operated by the organization or other | 798 |
emergency medical service organizations. | 799 |
| 800 |
illness or injury needs medical attention, whose physical or | 801 |
mental condition is such that there is imminent danger of loss of | 802 |
life or significant health impairment,
| 803 |
incapacitated or helpless as a result of a physical or mental | 804 |
condition, or whose physical condition requires the use of a | 805 |
wheelchair. | 806 |
(S) "Rotorcraft air ambulance" means a helicopter or other | 807 |
aircraft capable of vertical takeoffs, vertical landings, and | 808 |
hovering. | 809 |
Sec. 4766.02. (A) There is hereby created the Ohio
| 810 |
811 | |
voting members and one nonvoting member who shall be residents of | 812 |
this state and appointed by the governor with the advice and | 813 |
consent of the senate. Except as provided in division (B) of this | 814 |
section, members shall serve terms of two years. One voting member | 815 |
shall be a member of the Ohio ambulance association; two voting | 816 |
members, one of whom shall be a licensed funeral director, shall | 817 |
be owners or operators of private emergency medical service | 818 |
organizations operating in this state; one voting member shall be | 819 |
a consumer of emergency medical services who is not associated | 820 |
with any public or private emergency medical service organization; | 821 |
822 | |
medical service organization; two voting members shall be owners | 823 |
or operators of nonemergency medical service organizations that | 824 |
provide ambulette services only, and two voting members shall be | 825 |
members of the Ohio association of critical care transport, one | 826 |
member representing air-based services and the other representing | 827 |
a ground-based mobile intensive care unit organization. A | 828 |
physician who holds a certificate to practice issued under Chapter | 829 |
4731. of the Revised Code who is a member of the American college | 830 |
of emergency physicians shall serve as the nonvoting member. The | 831 |
board shall annually select from its membership a chair and a | 832 |
vice-chair to act as chair in the chair's absence. | 833 |
(B)
| 834 |
835 | |
Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the | 836 |
expiration date of the term for which the member's predecessor was | 837 |
appointed shall hold office for the remainder of that term. Every | 838 |
member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date | 839 |
of the member's term until the member's successor takes office, or | 840 |
until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first. | 841 |
(C)
| 842 |
the
transaction of business, and the affirmative vote of
| 843 |
five members is required for the board to take any official | 844 |
action. The board, after notice and hearing, may remove a member | 845 |
by majority vote for malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance. | 846 |
Members of the board shall be reimbursed for actual and | 847 |
necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings of the board and | 848 |
in the performance of their official duties. The board may hire | 849 |
such employees as are necessary to enable it to execute its | 850 |
duties. | 851 |
(D) The division of emergency medical services within the | 852 |
department of public safety shall provide the board with office | 853 |
space, but the board shall not be a part of the division or the | 854 |
department. | 855 |
(E) The board is the sole supervisory body regarding the | 856 |
licensing of private ambulance service organizations in this | 857 |
state. | 858 |
(F) The board is the sole supervisory body regarding the | 859 |
licensing of private nonemergency medical service organizations in | 860 |
this state. | 861 |
(G) The board is the sole supervisory body regarding the | 862 |
licensing of private air medical service organizations in this | 863 |
state. | 864 |
Sec. 4766.03. (A) The Ohio
| 865 |
transportation board shall adopt rules, in accordance with Chapter | 866 |
119. of the Revised Code, implementing the requirements of this | 867 |
chapter. The rules shall include provisions relating to the | 868 |
following: | 869 |
(1) Requirements for an emergency medical service | 870 |
organization to receive a permit for an ambulance or nontransport | 871 |
vehicle; | 872 |
(2) Requirements for an emergency medical service | 873 |
organization to receive a license as a basic life-support, | 874 |
intermediate life-support,
| 875 |
intensive care unit organization; | 876 |
(3) Requirements for a nonemergency medical service | 877 |
organization to receive a permit for an ambulette vehicle; | 878 |
(4) Requirements for a nonemergency medical service | 879 |
organization to receive a license for an ambulette service; | 880 |
(5) Requirements for an air medical service organization to | 881 |
receive a permit for a rotorcraft air ambulance or fixed wing air | 882 |
ambulance; | 883 |
(6) Requirements for licensure of air medical service | 884 |
organizations; | 885 |
(7) Forms for applications and renewals of licenses and | 886 |
permits; | 887 |
| 888 |
made by licensed emergency medical service organizations; | 889 |
| 890 |
thereof; | 891 |
| 892 |
aircraft, records, and physical facilities; | 893 |
| 894 |
ambulettes, rotorcraft air ambulances, fixed wing air ambulances, | 895 |
and nontransport vehicles; | 896 |
| 897 |
used by licensed emergency medical service organizations, for | 898 |
ambulette vehicles used by licensed nonemergency medical service | 899 |
organizations, and for rotorcraft air ambulances or fixed wing air | 900 |
ambulances used by licensed air medical service organizations that | 901 |
specify for each type of vehicle or aircraft the types of | 902 |
equipment that must be carried, the communication systems that | 903 |
must be maintained, and the personnel who must staff the vehicle | 904 |
or aircraft; | 905 |
| 906 |
service organization, nonemergency medical service organization, | 907 |
and air medical service organization is authorized to provide; | 908 |
| 909 |
ambulette driver, including grounds for disqualification due to | 910 |
the results of a motor vehicle law violation check, chemical test, | 911 |
or criminal records check. The rule may require that an applicant | 912 |
for employment as an ambulette driver provide a set of | 913 |
fingerprints to law enforcement authorities if the applicant comes | 914 |
under final consideration for employment. | 915 |
(15) Any other rules that the board determines necessary for | 916 |
the implementation and enforcement of this chapter. | 917 |
(B) In the rules for ambulances and nontransport vehicles | 918 |
adopted under division (A) | 919 |
establish requirements that vary according to whether the | 920 |
emergency medical service organization using the vehicles is | 921 |
licensed as a basic life-support, intermediate life-support,
| 922 |
advanced life-support, or mobile intensive care unit organization. | 923 |
(C) A mobile intensive care unit that is not dually certified | 924 |
to provide advanced life-support and meets the requirements of the | 925 |
rules adopted under this section is not required to carry | 926 |
immobilization equipment, including board splint kits, traction | 927 |
splints, backboards, backboard straps, cervical immobilization | 928 |
devices, cervical collars, stairchairs, folding cots, or other | 929 |
types of immobilization equipment determined by the board to be | 930 |
unnecessary for mobile intensive care units. | 931 |
A mobile intensive care unit is exempt from the emergency | 932 |
medical technician staffing requirements of division (B) of | 933 |
section 4765.43 of the Revised Code when it is staffed by at least | 934 |
one physician or registered nurse and another person, designated | 935 |
by a physician, who holds a valid license or certificate to | 936 |
practice in a health care profession, and when at least one of the | 937 |
persons staffing the mobile intensive care unit is a registered | 938 |
nurse whose training meets or exceeds the training required for a | 939 |
paramedic. | 940 |
Sec. 4766.04. (A) Except as otherwise provided in this | 941 |
chapter, no person shall furnish, operate, conduct, maintain, | 942 |
advertise, engage in, or propose or profess to engage in the | 943 |
business or service in this state of transporting persons who are | 944 |
seriously
ill, injured, or otherwise incapacitated
| 945 |
or who require the use of a wheelchair or are confined to a | 946 |
wheelchair unless the person is licensed pursuant to this section. | 947 |
(B) To qualify for a license as a basic life-support, | 948 |
intermediate life-support,
| 949 |
mobile intensive care unit organization, an emergency medical | 950 |
service organization shall do all of the following: | 951 |
(1) Apply for a permit for each ambulance and nontransport | 952 |
vehicle owned or leased as provided in section 4766.07 of the | 953 |
Revised Code; | 954 |
(2) Meet all requirements established in rules adopted by the | 955 |
Ohio
| 956 |
ambulances and nontransport vehicles, including requirements | 957 |
pertaining to equipment, communications systems, staffing, and | 958 |
level of care the particular organization is permitted to render; | 959 |
(3) Maintain the appropriate type and amount of insurance
| 960 |
961 | |
Code; | 962 |
(4) Meet all other requirements established under rules | 963 |
adopted by the board for the particular license. | 964 |
(C) To
| 965 |
service, a nonemergency medical service organization shall do all | 966 |
of the following: | 967 |
(1) Apply for a permit for each ambulette owned or leased as | 968 |
provided in section 4766.07 of the Revised Code; | 969 |
(2) Meet all requirements established in rules adopted by the | 970 |
Ohio medical transportation board regarding ambulettes, including | 971 |
requirements pertaining to equipment, communication systems, | 972 |
staffing, and level of care the organization is permitted to | 973 |
render; | 974 |
(3) Maintain the appropriate type and amount of insurance as | 975 |
specified in section 4766.06 of the Revised Code; | 976 |
(4) Meet all other requirements established under rules | 977 |
adopted by the board for the license. | 978 |
(D) To qualify for a license to provide air medical | 979 |
transportation, an air medical service organization shall do all | 980 |
of the following: | 981 |
(1) Apply for a permit for each rotorcraft air ambulance and | 982 |
fixed wing air ambulance owned or leased as provided in section | 983 |
4766.07 of the Revised Code; | 984 |
(2) Meet all requirements established in rules adopted by the | 985 |
Ohio medical transportation board regarding rotorcraft air | 986 |
ambulances and fixed air ambulances, including requirements | 987 |
pertaining to equipment, communication systems, staffing, and | 988 |
level of care the organization is permitted to render; | 989 |
(3) Maintain the appropriate type and amount of insurance as | 990 |
specified in section 4766.06 of the Revised Code; | 991 |
(4) Meet all other requirements established under rules | 992 |
adopted by the board for the license. | 993 |
(E) An emergency medical service organization that applies | 994 |
for a license as a basic life-support, intermediate life-support, | 995 |
996 | |
organization | 997 |
nonemergency medical service organization that applies for a | 998 |
license to provide ambulette service; or an air medical service | 999 |
organization that applies for a license to provide air medical | 1000 |
transportation shall submit a completed application to the board, | 1001 |
on a form provided by the board for each particular license, | 1002 |
together with the appropriate fees established under section | 1003 |
4766.05 of the Revised Code. The application form shall include | 1004 |
all of the following: | 1005 |
(1) The name and business address of the operator of the | 1006 |
organization for which licensure is sought; | 1007 |
(2) The name under which the applicant will operate the | 1008 |
organization; | 1009 |
(3) A list of the names and addresses of all officers and | 1010 |
directors of the organization; | 1011 |
(4)
| 1012 |
nonemergency medical service organizations, a description of each | 1013 |
vehicle to be used, including the make, model, year of | 1014 |
manufacture, mileage, vehicle identification number, and the color | 1015 |
scheme, insignia, name, monogram, or other distinguishing | 1016 |
characteristics to be used to designate the applicant's vehicle; | 1017 |
(5) For air medical service organizations using fixed wing | 1018 |
air ambulances, a description of each aircraft to be used, | 1019 |
including the make, model, year of manufacture, and aircraft Hobbs | 1020 |
meter hour reading; | 1021 |
(6) For air medical service organizations using rotorcraft | 1022 |
air ambulances, a description of each aircraft to be used, | 1023 |
including the make, model, year of manufacture, aircraft Hobbs | 1024 |
meter hour reading, aircraft identification number, and the color | 1025 |
scheme, insignia, name, monogram, or other distinguishing | 1026 |
characteristics to be used to designate the applicant's rotorcraft | 1027 |
air ambulance; | 1028 |
(7) The location and description of each place from which the | 1029 |
organization will operate; | 1030 |
| 1031 |
the applicant; | 1032 |
| 1033 |
necessary. | 1034 |
| 1035 |
application for licensure as a basic life-support, intermediate | 1036 |
life-support,
| 1037 |
intensive care unit organization; an ambulette service; or an air | 1038 |
medical service organization, the board shall approve or deny the | 1039 |
application. The board shall deny an application if it determines | 1040 |
that the applicant does not meet the requirements of this chapter | 1041 |
or any rules adopted under it. The board shall send notice of the | 1042 |
denial of an application by certified mail to the applicant. The | 1043 |
applicant may request a hearing within ten days after receipt of | 1044 |
the notice. If the board receives a timely request, it shall hold | 1045 |
a hearing in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. | 1046 |
| 1047 |
operate an organization in more than one location under the same | 1048 |
or different identities, the applicant or licensee shall apply for | 1049 |
and meet all requirements for licensure or renewal of a license, | 1050 |
other than payment of a license fee or renewal fee, for operating | 1051 |
the organization at each separate location. An applicant or | 1052 |
licensee that operates or plans to operate under the same | 1053 |
organization identity in separate locations shall pay only a | 1054 |
single license fee. | 1055 |
| 1056 |
to provide ambulette services to the public must apply for a | 1057 |
separate license under division (C) of this section. | 1058 |
(I) Each license issued under this section and each permit | 1059 |
issued under section 4766.07 of the Revised Code expires one year | 1060 |
after the date of issuance and may be renewed in accordance with | 1061 |
the standard renewal procedures of Chapter 4745. of the Revised | 1062 |
Code, except that a license or permit issued in 1998 or in 1999 | 1063 |
prior to
| 1064 |
expire two years after the date of issuance. An application for | 1065 |
renewal shall include the license or permit renewal fee | 1066 |
established under section 4766.05 of the Revised Code. An | 1067 |
applicant for renewal of a permit also shall submit to the board | 1068 |
proof of an annual inspection of the vehicle or aircraft for which | 1069 |
permit renewal is sought. The board shall renew a license if the | 1070 |
applicant meets the requirements for licensure and shall renew a | 1071 |
permit if the applicant and vehicle or aircraft meet the | 1072 |
requirements to maintain a permit for that vehicle or aircraft. | 1073 |
| 1074 |
service responses conducted. The records shall be maintained on | 1075 |
forms prescribed by the board and shall contain information as | 1076 |
specified by rule by the board. | 1077 |
Sec. 4766.05. (A) The Ohio
| 1078 |
transportation board shall establish by rule a license fee, a | 1079 |
permit fee for each ambulance, ambulette, rotorcraft air | 1080 |
ambulance, fixed wing air ambulance, and nontransport vehicle | 1081 |
owned or leased by the licensee that is or will be used as | 1082 |
provided in section 4766.07 of the Revised Code, and fees for | 1083 |
renewals of licenses and permits, taking into consideration the | 1084 |
actual costs incurred by the board in carrying out its duties | 1085 |
under this chapter. However, the fee for each license and each | 1086 |
renewal of a license shall not exceed one hundred dollars, and the | 1087 |
fee for each permit and each renewal of a permit shall not exceed | 1088 |
one hundred dollars for each ambulance, rotorcraft air ambulance, | 1089 |
fixed wing air ambulance, and nontransport vehicle. The fee for | 1090 |
each permit and each renewal of a permit shall be twenty-five | 1091 |
dollars for each ambulette for one year after the effective date | 1092 |
of this amendment. Thereafter, the board shall determine by rule | 1093 |
the fee, which shall not exceed fifty dollars, for each permit and | 1094 |
each renewal of a permit for each ambulette. For purposes of | 1095 |
establishing fees, "actual costs" includes the costs of salaries, | 1096 |
expenses, inspection equipment, supervision, and program | 1097 |
administration. | 1098 |
(B) The board shall deposit all fees and other moneys | 1099 |
collected pursuant to sections 4766.04, 4766.07, and 4766.08 of | 1100 |
the Revised Code in the state treasury to the credit of the | 1101 |
1102 | |
is hereby created. All moneys from the fund shall be used solely | 1103 |
for the salaries and expenses of the board incurred in | 1104 |
implementing and enforcing this chapter. | 1105 |
(C) The board, subject to the approval of the controlling | 1106 |
board, may establish fees in excess of the maximum amounts allowed | 1107 |
under division (A) of this section, but such fees shall not exceed | 1108 |
those maximum amounts by more than fifty per cent. | 1109 |
Sec. 4766.06. (A)(1) Every emergency medical service | 1110 |
organization and nonemergency medical service organization | 1111 |
licensee under this chapter shall furnish adequate evidence of | 1112 |
liability insurance coverage, in an amount of not less than five | 1113 |
hundred thousand dollars per occurrence and not less than five | 1114 |
hundred thousand dollars in the aggregate, for any cause for which | 1115 |
the licensee would be liable. | 1116 |
(2)
| 1117 |
1118 | |
1119 | |
1120 | |
1121 | |
1122 | |
organization licensee under this chapter shall furnish adequate | 1123 |
evidence of liability insurance coverage, in an amount not less | 1124 |
than twenty million dollars per occurrence and not less than | 1125 |
twenty million dollars in the aggregate, for any cause for which | 1126 |
the licensee would be liable. | 1127 |
(B) | 1128 |
(A) of this section, every licensee shall carry bodily injury and | 1129 |
property damage insurance with solvent and responsible insurers | 1130 |
licensed to do business in this state for any loss or damage | 1131 |
resulting from any occurrence arising out of or caused by the | 1132 |
operation or use of any ambulance, ambulette, rotorcraft air | 1133 |
ambulance, fixed wing air ambulance, or nontransport vehicle. The | 1134 |
insurance shall insure each vehicle for the sum of not less than | 1135 |
one hundred thousand dollars for bodily injury to or death of any | 1136 |
one person arising out of any one accident and the sum of not less | 1137 |
than three hundred thousand dollars for bodily injury to or death | 1138 |
of more than one person in any one accident and for the sum of | 1139 |
fifty thousand dollars for damage to property arising from any one | 1140 |
accident. | 1141 |
| 1142 |
1143 | |
1144 | |
1145 | |
1146 | |
1147 |
(C) Each policy or contract of insurance issued shall provide | 1148 |
for the payment and satisfaction of any financial judgment entered | 1149 |
against the licensee and any person operating the vehicle and for | 1150 |
a thirty-day cancellation notice to the board. | 1151 |
Sec. 4766.07. (A) Each emergency medical service | 1152 |
organization, nonemergency medical service organization, and air | 1153 |
medical service organization subject to licensure under this | 1154 |
chapter shall possess a valid permit for each ambulance, | 1155 |
ambulette, rotorcraft air ambulance, fixed wing air ambulance, and | 1156 |
nontransport vehicle it owns or leases that is or will be used by | 1157 |
the licensee to perform the services permitted by the license. | 1158 |
Each licensee and license applicant shall submit the appropriate | 1159 |
fee and an application for a permit for each ambulance, ambulette, | 1160 |
rotorcraft air ambulance, fixed wing air ambulance, and | 1161 |
nontransport vehicle
to
the
Ohio
| 1162 |
transportation board on forms provided by the board. The | 1163 |
application shall include documentation that the vehicle or | 1164 |
aircraft meets the appropriate standards set by the board, that | 1165 |
the vehicle or aircraft has been inspected pursuant to division | 1166 |
(C) of this section, that the permit applicant maintains insurance | 1167 |
1168 | |
Code, and that the vehicle or aircraft and permit applicant meet | 1169 |
any other requirements established under rules adopted by the | 1170 |
board. | 1171 |
(B)(1) Within sixty days after receiving a completed | 1172 |
application for a permit, the board shall issue or deny the | 1173 |
permit. The board shall deny an application if it determines that | 1174 |
the permit applicant
| 1175 |
requirements of this chapter and the rules adopted under it that | 1176 |
apply to permits for ambulances, ambulettes, rotorcraft air | 1177 |
ambulances, fixed wing air ambulances, and nontransport vehicles. | 1178 |
The board shall send notice of the denial of an application by | 1179 |
certified mail to the permit applicant. The permit applicant may | 1180 |
request a hearing within ten days after receipt of the notice. If | 1181 |
the board receives a timely request, it shall hold a hearing in | 1182 |
accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. | 1183 |
(2) If the board issues the vehicle permit for an ambulance, | 1184 |
ambulette, or nontransport vehicle, it also shall issue a decal, | 1185 |
in a form prescribed by rule, to be displayed on the rear window | 1186 |
of the vehicle. The board shall not issue a decal until all of the | 1187 |
requirements for licensure and permit issuance have been met. | 1188 |
(3) If the board issues the aircraft permit for a rotorcraft | 1189 |
air ambulance or fixed wing air ambulance, it also shall issue a | 1190 |
decal, in a form prescribed by rule, to be displayed on the left | 1191 |
fuselage aircraft window in a manner that complies with all | 1192 |
applicable federal aviation regulations. The board shall not issue | 1193 |
a decal until all of the requirements for licensure and permit | 1194 |
issuance have been met. | 1195 |
(C) In addition to any other requirements that the board | 1196 |
establishes by rule, a licensee or license applicant applying for | 1197 |
an initial vehicle or aircraft permit under division (A) of this | 1198 |
section
shall
submit to
| 1199 |
vehicle or aircraft for which the permit is sought. Thereafter, a | 1200 |
licensee
shall annually
submit to
| 1201 |
board each vehicle or aircraft for which a permit has been issued. | 1202 |
(1) The
| 1203 |
inspection of an ambulance, ambulette, or nontransport vehicle to | 1204 |
determine its roadworthiness and compliance with standard motor | 1205 |
vehicle requirements. | 1206 |
(2) The board shall conduct a physical inspection of the | 1207 |
medical equipment, communication system, and interior of an | 1208 |
ambulance to determine the operational condition and safety of the | 1209 |
equipment and the ambulance's interior and to determine whether | 1210 |
the ambulance is in compliance with the federal requirements for | 1211 |
ambulance construction that were in effect at the time the | 1212 |
ambulance was manufactured, as specified by the general services | 1213 |
administration in the various versions of its publication titled | 1214 |
"federal specification for the star-of-life ambulance, | 1215 |
KKK-A-1822." | 1216 |
(3) The board shall conduct a physical inspection of the | 1217 |
equipment, communication system, and interior of an ambulette to | 1218 |
determine the operational condition and safety of the equipment | 1219 |
and the ambulette's interior and to determine whether the | 1220 |
ambulette is in compliance with state requirements for ambulette | 1221 |
construction. The board shall determine by rule requirements for | 1222 |
the equipment, communication system, interior, and construction of | 1223 |
an ambulette. | 1224 |
(4) The board shall conduct a physical inspection of the | 1225 |
medical equipment, communication system, and interior of a | 1226 |
rotorcraft air ambulance or fixed wing air ambulance to determine | 1227 |
the operational condition and safety of the equipment and the | 1228 |
aircraft's interior. | 1229 |
(5) The board
| 1230 |
certificate to the applicant for each vehicle or aircraft that | 1231 |
passes the inspection and may assess a fee for each inspection, as | 1232 |
established by the board. | 1233 |
| 1234 |
1235 | |
coordination of
| 1236 |
The rules may permit the board to contract with a third party to | 1237 |
conduct the inspections required of the board under this section. | 1238 |
Sec. 4766.08. (A) The Ohio
| 1239 |
transportation board may, pursuant to an adjudication conducted in | 1240 |
accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, suspend or | 1241 |
revoke any license or permit or renewal thereof issued under this | 1242 |
chapter for any one or combination of the following causes: | 1243 |
(1) Violation of this chapter or any rule adopted thereunder; | 1244 |
(2) Refusal to permit the board to inspect a vehicle or | 1245 |
aircraft used under the terms of a permit or to inspect the | 1246 |
records or physical facilities of a licensee; | 1247 |
(3) Failure to meet the ambulance, ambulette, rotorcraft air | 1248 |
ambulance, fixed wing air ambulance, and nontransport vehicle | 1249 |
requirements specified in this chapter or the rules adopted | 1250 |
thereunder; | 1251 |
(4) Violation of an order issued by the board; | 1252 |
(5) Failure to comply with any of the terms of an agreement | 1253 |
entered into with the board regarding the suspension or revocation | 1254 |
of a license or permit or the imposition of a penalty under this | 1255 |
section. | 1256 |
(B) If the board determines that the records,
| 1257 |
record-keeping procedures, or physical facilities of a licensee, | 1258 |
or an ambulance, ambulette, rotorcraft air ambulance, fixed wing | 1259 |
air ambulance, or nontransport vehicle for which a valid permit | 1260 |
has been issued, do not meet the standards specified in this | 1261 |
chapter and the rules adopted thereunder, the board shall notify | 1262 |
the licensee of any deficiencies within thirty days of finding the | 1263 |
deficiencies. If the board determines that the deficiencies exist | 1264 |
and they remain uncorrected after thirty days, the board may | 1265 |
suspend the license
| 1266 |
licensee, notwithstanding the suspension under this division, may | 1267 |
operate until all appeals have been exhausted. | 1268 |
(C) At the discretion of the board, a licensee whose license | 1269 |
has been suspended or revoked under this section may be ineligible | 1270 |
to be licensed under this chapter for a period of not more than | 1271 |
three years from the date of the violation, provided that the | 1272 |
board shall make no determination on a period of ineligibility | 1273 |
until all the licensee's appeals relating to the suspension or | 1274 |
revocation have been exhausted. | 1275 |
(D) The board may, in addition to any other action taken | 1276 |
under this section and after a hearing conducted pursuant to | 1277 |
Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, impose a penalty of not more | 1278 |
than fifteen hundred dollars for any violation specified in this | 1279 |
section. The attorney general shall institute a civil action for | 1280 |
the collection of any such penalty imposed. | 1281 |
Sec. 4766.09. This chapter does not apply to any of the | 1282 |
following: | 1283 |
(A) A person rendering services with an ambulance in the | 1284 |
event of a disaster situation when licensees' vehicles based in | 1285 |
the locality of the disaster situation are incapacitated or | 1286 |
insufficient in number to render the services needed; | 1287 |
(B) Any person operating an ambulance, ambulette, rotorcraft | 1288 |
air ambulance, or fixed wing air ambulance outside this state | 1289 |
unless receiving a person within this state for transport to a | 1290 |
location within this state; | 1291 |
(C) A publicly owned or operated emergency medical service | 1292 |
organization and the vehicles it owns or leases and operates, | 1293 |
except as provided in section 307.051, division (G) of section | 1294 |
307.055, division (F) of section 505.37, division (B) of section | 1295 |
505.375, and division (B)(3) of section 505.72 of the Revised | 1296 |
Code; | 1297 |
(D) An ambulance, ambulette, rotorcraft air ambulance, fixed | 1298 |
wing air ambulance, or nontransport vehicle owned or leased and | 1299 |
operated by the federal government; | 1300 |
(E) A publicly owned and operated fire department vehicle; | 1301 |
(F) Emergency vehicles owned by a corporation and operating | 1302 |
only on the corporation's premises, for the sole use by that | 1303 |
corporation; | 1304 |
(G) An ambulance, nontransport vehicle, or other emergency | 1305 |
medical service organization vehicle owned and operated by a | 1306 |
municipal corporation; | 1307 |
(H) A motor vehicle titled in the name of a volunteer rescue | 1308 |
service organization, as defined in section 4503.172 of the | 1309 |
Revised Code; | 1310 |
(I) A public emergency medical service organization; | 1311 |
(J) A fire department, rescue squad, or life squad comprised | 1312 |
of volunteers who provide services without expectation of | 1313 |
remuneration and do not receive payment for services other than | 1314 |
reimbursement for expenses; | 1315 |
(K) A private, nonprofit emergency medical service | 1316 |
organization when fifty per cent or more of its personnel are | 1317 |
volunteers, as defined in section 4765.01 of the Revised Code; | 1318 |
(L) Emergency medical service personnel who are regulated by | 1319 |
the state board of emergency medical services under Chapter 4765. | 1320 |
of the Revised Code; | 1321 |
(M) A public nonemergency medical service organization. | 1322 |
Sec. 4766.10. This chapter does not invalidate any ordinance | 1323 |
or resolution adopted by a municipal corporation that establishes | 1324 |
standards for the licensure of emergency medical service | 1325 |
organizations as basic life-support, intermediate life-support, or | 1326 |
advanced life-support service organizations that have their | 1327 |
principal places of business located within the limits of the | 1328 |
municipal corporation, as long as the licensure standards meet or | 1329 |
exceed the standards established in this chapter and the rules | 1330 |
adopted thereunder. | 1331 |
Emergency medical service organizations licensed by a | 1332 |
municipal corporation are subject to the jurisdiction of the Ohio | 1333 |
1334 | |
they pay to the board for licenses, permits, and renewals thereof | 1335 |
shall not exceed fifty per cent of the fee amounts established by | 1336 |
the board pursuant to section 4766.03 of the Revised Code. The | 1337 |
board may choose to waive the vehicle inspection requirements and | 1338 |
inspection fees, but not the permit fees, for the vehicles of | 1339 |
organizations licensed by a municipal corporation. | 1340 |
Sec. 4766.11. (A) The Ohio
| 1341 |
transportation board may investigate alleged violations of this | 1342 |
chapter or the rules adopted under it and may investigate any | 1343 |
complaints received regarding alleged violations. | 1344 |
In addition to any other remedies available and regardless of | 1345 |
whether an adequate remedy at law exists, the board may apply to | 1346 |
the court of common pleas in the county where a violation of any | 1347 |
provision of this chapter or any rule adopted pursuant thereto is | 1348 |
occurring for a temporary or permanent injunction restraining a | 1349 |
person from continuing to commit that violation. On a showing that | 1350 |
a person has committed a violation, the court shall grant the | 1351 |
injunction. | 1352 |
In conducting an investigation under this section, the board | 1353 |
may issue subpoenas compelling the attendance and testimony of | 1354 |
witnesses and the production of books, records, and other | 1355 |
documents pertaining to the investigation. If a person fails to | 1356 |
obey a subpoena from the board, the board may apply to the court | 1357 |
of common pleas in the county where the investigation is being | 1358 |
conducted for an order compelling the person to comply with the | 1359 |
subpoena. On application by the board, the court shall compel | 1360 |
obedience by attachment proceedings for contempt, as in the case | 1361 |
of disobedience of the requirements of a subpoena from the court | 1362 |
or a refusal to testify therein. | 1363 |
(B) The medical transportation board may suspend a license | 1364 |
issued under this chapter without a prior hearing if it determines | 1365 |
that there is evidence that the license holder is subject to | 1366 |
action under this section and that there is clear and convincing | 1367 |
evidence that continued operation by the license holder presents a | 1368 |
danger of immediate and serious harm to the public. The | 1369 |
chairperson and executive director of the board shall make a | 1370 |
preliminary determination and describe the evidence on which they | 1371 |
made their determination to the board members. The board by | 1372 |
resolution may designate another board member to act in place of | 1373 |
the chairperson or another employee to act in place of the | 1374 |
executive director in the event that the chairperson or executive | 1375 |
director is unavailable or unable to act. Upon review of the | 1376 |
allegations, the board, by the affirmative vote of at least four | 1377 |
of its members, may suspend the license without a hearing. | 1378 |
Any method of communication, including a telephone conference | 1379 |
call, may be utilized for describing the evidence to the board | 1380 |
members, for reviewing the allegations, and for voting on the | 1381 |
suspension. | 1382 |
Immediately following the decision by the board to suspend a | 1383 |
license under this division, the board shall issue a written order | 1384 |
of suspension and cause it to be delivered in accordance with | 1385 |
section 119.07 of the Revised Code. If the license holder subject | 1386 |
to the suspension requests an adjudication hearing by the board, | 1387 |
the date set for the adjudication shall be within fifteen days but | 1388 |
not earlier than seven days after the request unless another date | 1389 |
is agreed to by the license holder and the board. | 1390 |
Any summary suspension imposed under this division remains in | 1391 |
effect, unless reversed by the board, until a final adjudicative | 1392 |
order issued by the board pursuant to this section and Chapter | 1393 |
119. of the Revised Code becomes effective. The board shall issue | 1394 |
its final adjudicative order not less than ninety days after | 1395 |
completion of its adjudication hearing. Failure to issue the order | 1396 |
by that day shall cause the summary suspension order to end, but | 1397 |
such failure shall not affect the validity of any subsequent final | 1398 |
adjudication order. | 1399 |
Sec. 4766.12. If a county, township, joint ambulance | 1400 |
district, or joint emergency medical services district chooses to | 1401 |
have the Ohio
| 1402 |
license its emergency medical service organizations and issue | 1403 |
permits for its vehicles pursuant to this chapter, except as may | 1404 |
be otherwise provided, all provisions of this chapter and all | 1405 |
rules adopted by the board thereunder are fully applicable. | 1406 |
However, a county, township, joint ambulance district, or joint | 1407 |
emergency medical services district is not required to obtain any | 1408 |
type of permit from the board for any of its nontransport | 1409 |
vehicles. | 1410 |
Sec. 4766.13. The Ohio
| 1411 |
transportation board, by endorsement, may license and issue | 1412 |
vehicle permits to an emergency medical service organization or a | 1413 |
nonemergency medical service organization that is regulated by | 1414 |
another state. To qualify for a license and vehicle permits by | 1415 |
endorsement, an organization must submit evidence satisfactory to | 1416 |
the board that it has met standards in another state that are | 1417 |
equal to or more stringent than the standards established by this | 1418 |
chapter and the rules adopted under it. | 1419 |
Sec. 4766.15. (A) An applicant for employment as an | 1420 |
ambulette driver with an organization licensed pursuant to this | 1421 |
chapter shall submit proof to the organization of, or give consent | 1422 |
to the employer to obtain, all of the following: | 1423 |
(1)(a) A valid driver's license issued pursuant to Chapter | 1424 |
4506. or 4507. of the Revised Code, or its equivalent, if the | 1425 |
applicant is a resident of another state; | 1426 |
(b) A recent certified abstract of the applicant's record of | 1427 |
convictions for violations of motor vehicle laws provided by the | 1428 |
registrar of motor vehicles pursuant to section 4509.05 of the | 1429 |
Revised Code, or its equivalent, if the applicant is a resident of | 1430 |
another state. | 1431 |
(2)(a) A certificate of completion of a course in first aid | 1432 |
techniques offered by the American red cross or an equivalent | 1433 |
organization; | 1434 |
(b) A certificate of completion of a course in | 1435 |
cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or its equivalent, offered by an | 1436 |
organization approved by the Ohio medical transportation board. | 1437 |
(3) The result of a chemical test or tests of the applicant's | 1438 |
blood, breath, or urine conducted at a hospital or other | 1439 |
institution approved by the board for the purpose of determining | 1440 |
the alcohol or drug of abuse content of the applicant's blood, | 1441 |
breath, or urine; | 1442 |
(4) The result of a criminal records check conducted by the | 1443 |
bureau of criminal identification and investigation. | 1444 |
(B) An organization may employ an applicant on a temporary | 1445 |
provisional basis pending the completion of all of the | 1446 |
requirements of this section. The length of the provisional period | 1447 |
shall be determined by the board. | 1448 |
(C) An organization licensed pursuant to this chapter shall | 1449 |
use information received pursuant to this section to determine in | 1450 |
accordance with rules adopted by the Ohio medical transportation | 1451 |
board under section 4766.03 of the Revised Code whether an | 1452 |
applicant is disqualified for employment. | 1453 |
No applicant shall be accepted for permanent employment as an | 1454 |
ambulette driver by an organization licensed pursuant to this | 1455 |
chapter until all of the requirements of division (A) of this | 1456 |
section have been met. | 1457 |
Sec. 4766.17. (A) An air medical service organization | 1458 |
licensed under this chapter shall do both of the following: | 1459 |
(1) Use at a minimum both of the following to provide | 1460 |
advanced life support to seriously ill, injured, wounded, or | 1461 |
otherwise incapacitated or helpless individuals who require use of | 1462 |
a stretcher: | 1463 |
(a) A paramedic or registered nurse, both as defined in | 1464 |
section 4765.01 of the Revised Code; | 1465 |
(b) One other person, designated by the medical director of | 1466 |
the air medical service organization, who holds a current, valid | 1467 |
certificate or license to practice a health care profession in | 1468 |
this state. | 1469 |
(2) Employ as a medical director an individual who holds a | 1470 |
current, valid certificate issued under Chapter 4731. of the | 1471 |
Revised Code authorizing the practice of medicine and surgery or | 1472 |
osteopathic medicine and surgery. | 1473 |
(B) The medical director employed by a licensed air medical | 1474 |
service organization pursuant to division (A)(2) of this section | 1475 |
is ultimately responsible for the medical care provided to each | 1476 |
patient by the organization. | 1477 |
Sec. 4766.20. The Ohio medical transportation board may | 1478 |
create committees to review and make recommendations regarding | 1479 |
medical transportation services provided in this state. A | 1480 |
committee created under this section may receive information about | 1481 |
medical transportation services provided in this state from | 1482 |
emergency medical service organizations, nonemergency medical | 1483 |
service organizations, air medical service organizations, experts | 1484 |
in the field of medical transportation, and other entities or | 1485 |
individuals designated by the board. | 1486 |
A committee created under this section shall meet all of the | 1487 |
following requirements: | 1488 |
(A) Be composed of at least one member of the board and any | 1489 |
experts in the field of medical transportation designated by the | 1490 |
board; | 1491 |
(B) Not exceed a total of six members; | 1492 |
(C) Cease to exist at the pleasure of the board; | 1493 |
(D) Meet any other requirements established by the board. | 1494 |
Sec. 5111.151. (A) This section applies to eligibility | 1495 |
determinations for all cases involving medical assistance provided | 1496 |
pursuant to this chapter, qualified medicare beneficiaries, | 1497 |
specified low-income medicare beneficiaries, qualifying | 1498 |
individuals-1, qualifying individuals-2, and medical assistance | 1499 |
for covered families and children. | 1500 |
(B) As used in this section: | 1501 |
(1) "Trust" means any arrangement in which a grantor | 1502 |
transfers real or personal property to a trust with the intention | 1503 |
that it be held, managed, or administered by at least one trustee | 1504 |
for the benefit of the grantor or beneficiaries. "Trust" includes | 1505 |
any legal instrument or device similar to a trust. | 1506 |
(2) "Legal instrument or device similar to a trust" includes, | 1507 |
but is not limited to, escrow accounts, investment accounts, | 1508 |
partnerships, contracts, and other similar arrangements that are | 1509 |
not called trusts under state law but are similar to a trust and | 1510 |
to which all of the following apply: | 1511 |
(a) The property in the trust is held, managed, retained, or | 1512 |
administered by a trustee. | 1513 |
(b) The trustee has an equitable, legal, or fiduciary duty to | 1514 |
hold, manage, retain, or administer the property for the benefit | 1515 |
of the beneficiary. | 1516 |
(c) The trustee holds identifiable property for the | 1517 |
beneficiary. | 1518 |
(3) "Grantor" is a person who creates a trust, including all | 1519 |
of the following: | 1520 |
(a) An individual; | 1521 |
(b) An individual's spouse; | 1522 |
(c) A person, including a court or administrative body, with | 1523 |
legal authority to act in place of or on behalf of an individual | 1524 |
or an individual's spouse; | 1525 |
(d) A person, including a court or administrative body, that | 1526 |
acts at the direction or on request of an individual or the | 1527 |
individual's spouse. | 1528 |
(4) "Beneficiary" is a person or persons, including a | 1529 |
grantor, who benefits in some way from a trust. | 1530 |
(5) "Trustee" is a person who manages a trust's principal and | 1531 |
income for the benefit of the beneficiaries. | 1532 |
(6) "Person" has the same meaning as in section 1.59 of the | 1533 |
Revised Code and includes an individual, corporation, business | 1534 |
trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. | 1535 |
(7) "Applicant" is an individual who applies for medical | 1536 |
assistance benefits or the individual's spouse. | 1537 |
(8) "Recipient" is an individual who receives medical | 1538 |
assistance benefits or the individual's spouse. | 1539 |
(9) "Revocable trust" is a trust that can be revoked by the | 1540 |
grantor or the beneficiary, including all of the following, even | 1541 |
if the terms of the trust state that it is irrevocable: | 1542 |
(a) A trust that provides that the trust can be terminated | 1543 |
only by a court; | 1544 |
(b) A trust that terminates on the happening of an event, but | 1545 |
only if the event occurs at the direction or control of the | 1546 |
grantor, beneficiary, or trustee. | 1547 |
(10) "Irrevocable trust" is a trust that cannot be revoked by | 1548 |
the grantor or terminated by a court and that terminates only on | 1549 |
the occurrence of an event outside of the control or direction of | 1550 |
the beneficiary or grantor. | 1551 |
(11) "Payment" is any disbursal from the principal or income | 1552 |
of the trust, including actual cash, noncash or property | 1553 |
disbursements, or the right to use and occupy real property. | 1554 |
(12) "Payments to or for the benefit of the applicant or | 1555 |
recipient" is a payment to any person resulting in a direct or | 1556 |
indirect benefit to the applicant or recipient. | 1557 |
(13) "Testamentary trust" is a trust that is established by a | 1558 |
will and does not take effect until after the death of the person | 1559 |
who created the trust. | 1560 |
(C) If an applicant or recipient is a beneficiary of a trust, | 1561 |
the county department of job and family services shall determine | 1562 |
what type of trust it is and shall treat the trust in accordance | 1563 |
with the appropriate provisions of this section and rules adopted | 1564 |
by the department of job and family services governing trusts. The | 1565 |
county department of job and family services may determine that | 1566 |
the trust or portion of the trust is one of the following: | 1567 |
(1) A countable resource; | 1568 |
(2) Countable income; | 1569 |
(3) A countable resource and countable income; | 1570 |
(4) Not a countable resource or countable income. | 1571 |
(D)(1) A trust or legal instrument or device similar to a | 1572 |
trust shall be considered a medicaid qualifying trust if all of | 1573 |
the following apply: | 1574 |
(a) The trust was established on or prior to August 10, 1993. | 1575 |
(b) The trust was not established by a will. | 1576 |
(c) The trust was established by an applicant or recipient. | 1577 |
(d) The applicant or recipient is or may become the | 1578 |
beneficiary of all or part of the trust. | 1579 |
(e) Payment from the trust is determined by one or more | 1580 |
trustees who are permitted to exercise any discretion with respect | 1581 |
to the distribution to the applicant or recipient. | 1582 |
(2) If a trust meets the requirement of division (D)(1) of | 1583 |
this section, the amount of the trust that is considered by the | 1584 |
county department of job and family services as an available | 1585 |
resource to the applicant or recipient shall be the maximum amount | 1586 |
of payments permitted under the terms of the trust to be | 1587 |
distributed to the applicant or recipient, assuming the full | 1588 |
exercise of discretion by the trustee or trustees. The maximum | 1589 |
amount shall include only amounts that are permitted to be | 1590 |
distributed but are not distributed from either the income or | 1591 |
principal of the trust. | 1592 |
(3) Amounts that are actually distributed from a Medicaid | 1593 |
qualifying trust to a beneficiary for any purpose shall be treated | 1594 |
in accordance with rules adopted by the department of job and | 1595 |
family services governing income. | 1596 |
(4) Availability of a medicaid qualifying trust shall be | 1597 |
considered without regard to any of the following: | 1598 |
(a) Whether or not the trust is irrevocable or was | 1599 |
established for purposes other than to enable a grantor to qualify | 1600 |
for medicaid, medical assistance for covered families and | 1601 |
children, or as a qualified medicare beneficiary, specified | 1602 |
low-income medicare beneficiary, qualifying individual-1, or | 1603 |
qualifying individual-2; | 1604 |
(b) Whether or not the trustee actually exercises discretion. | 1605 |
(5) If any real or personal property is transferred to a | 1606 |
medicaid qualifying trust that is not distributable to the | 1607 |
applicant or recipient, the transfer shall be considered an | 1608 |
improper transfer of resources and shall be subject to rules | 1609 |
adopted by the department of job and family services governing | 1610 |
improper transfers of resources. | 1611 |
(6) The baseline date for the look-back period for transfers | 1612 |
of assets involving a medicaid qualifying trust shall be the date | 1613 |
on which the applicant or recipient is both institutionalized and | 1614 |
first applies for medical assistance. The following conditions | 1615 |
also apply to look-back periods for transfers of assets involving | 1616 |
medicaid qualifying trusts: | 1617 |
(a) If a medicaid qualifying trust is a revocable trust and a | 1618 |
portion of the trust is distributed to someone other than the | 1619 |
applicant or recipient for the benefit of someone other than the | 1620 |
applicant or recipient, the distribution shall be considered an | 1621 |
improper transfer of resources. The look-back period shall be | 1622 |
sixty months from the baseline date. The transfer shall be | 1623 |
considered to have taken place on the date on which the payment to | 1624 |
someone other than the applicant or recipient was made. | 1625 |
(b) If a medicaid qualifying trust is an irrevocable trust | 1626 |
and a portion of the trust is not distributable to the applicant | 1627 |
or recipient, the trust shall be treated as an improper transfer | 1628 |
of resources. The look-back period shall be sixty months from the | 1629 |
baseline date. The transfer is considered to have been made as of | 1630 |
the later of the date the trust was established or the date on | 1631 |
which payment to the applicant or recipient was foreclosed. The | 1632 |
value of the assets shall not be reduced by any payments from the | 1633 |
trust that may be made from these unavailable assets at a later | 1634 |
date. | 1635 |
(c) If a medicaid qualifying trust is an irrevocable trust | 1636 |
and a portion or all of the trust may be disbursed to or for the | 1637 |
benefit of the applicant or recipient, any payment that is made to | 1638 |
another person other than the applicant or recipient shall be | 1639 |
considered an improper transfer of resources. The look-back period | 1640 |
shall be thirty-six months from the baseline date. The transfer | 1641 |
shall be considered to have been made as of the date of payment to | 1642 |
the other person. | 1643 |
(E)(1) A trust or legal instrument or device similar to a | 1644 |
trust shall be considered a self-settled trust if all of the | 1645 |
following apply: | 1646 |
(a) The trust was established on or after August 11, 1993. | 1647 |
(b) The trust was not established by a will. | 1648 |
(c) The trust was established by an applicant or recipient, | 1649 |
spouse of an applicant or recipient, or a person, including a | 1650 |
court or administrative body, with legal authority to act in place | 1651 |
of or on behalf of an applicant, recipient, or spouse, or acting | 1652 |
at the direction or on request of an applicant, recipient, or | 1653 |
spouse. | 1654 |
(2) A trust that meets the requirements of division (E)(1) of | 1655 |
this section and is a revocable trust shall be treated by the | 1656 |
county department of job and family services as follows: | 1657 |
(a) The corpus of the trust shall be considered a resource | 1658 |
available to the applicant or recipient. | 1659 |
(b) Payments from the trust to or for the benefit of the | 1660 |
applicant or recipient shall be considered unearned income of the | 1661 |
applicant or recipient. | 1662 |
(c) Any other payments from the trust shall be considered an | 1663 |
improper transfer of resources and shall be subject to rules | 1664 |
adopted by the department of job and family services governing | 1665 |
improper transfers of resources. | 1666 |
(3) A trust that meets the requirements of division (E)(1) of | 1667 |
this section and is an irrevocable trust shall be treated by the | 1668 |
county department of job and family services as follows: | 1669 |
(a) If there are any circumstances under which payment from | 1670 |
the trust could be made to or for the benefit of the applicant or | 1671 |
recipient, including a payment that can be made only in the | 1672 |
future, the portion from which payments could be made shall be | 1673 |
considered a resource available to the applicant or recipient. The | 1674 |
county department of job and family services shall not take into | 1675 |
account when payments can be made. | 1676 |
(b) Any payment that is actually made to or for the benefit | 1677 |
of the applicant or recipient from either the corpus or income | 1678 |
shall be considered unearned income. | 1679 |
(c) If a payment is made to someone other than to the | 1680 |
applicant or recipient and the payment is not for the benefit of | 1681 |
the applicant or recipient, the payment shall be considered an | 1682 |
improper transfer of resources and shall be subject to rules | 1683 |
adopted by the department of job and family services governing | 1684 |
improper transfers of resources. | 1685 |
(d) The date of the transfer shall be the later of the date | 1686 |
of establishment of the trust or the date of the occurrence of the | 1687 |
event. | 1688 |
(e) When determining the value of the transferred resource | 1689 |
under this provision, the value of the trust shall be its value on | 1690 |
the date payment to the applicant or recipient was foreclosed. | 1691 |
(f) Any income earned or other resources added subsequent to | 1692 |
the foreclosure date shall be added to the total value of the | 1693 |
trust. | 1694 |
(g) Any payments to or for the benefit of the applicant or | 1695 |
recipient after the foreclosure date but prior to the application | 1696 |
date shall be subtracted from the total value. Any other payments | 1697 |
shall not be subtracted from the value. | 1698 |
(h) Any addition of resources after the foreclosure date | 1699 |
shall be considered a separate transfer. | 1700 |
(4) If a trust is funded with assets of another person or | 1701 |
persons in addition to assets of the applicant or recipient, the | 1702 |
applicable provisions of this section and rules adopted by the | 1703 |
department of job and family services governing trusts shall apply | 1704 |
only to the portion of the trust attributable to the applicant or | 1705 |
recipient. | 1706 |
(5) The availability of a self-settled trust shall be | 1707 |
considered without regard to any of the following: | 1708 |
(a) The purpose for which the trust is established; | 1709 |
(b) Whether the trustees have exercised or may exercise | 1710 |
discretion under the trust; | 1711 |
(c) Any restrictions on when or whether distributions may be | 1712 |
made from the trust; | 1713 |
(d) Any restrictions on the use of distributions from the | 1714 |
trust. | 1715 |
(6) The baseline date for the look-back period for transfers | 1716 |
of assets involving a self-settled trust shall be the date on | 1717 |
which the applicant or recipient is both institutionalized and | 1718 |
first applies for medical assistance. The following conditions | 1719 |
also apply to look-back periods for transfers of assets involving | 1720 |
self-settled trusts: | 1721 |
(a) If a self-settled trust is a revocable trust and a | 1722 |
portion of the trust is distributed to someone other than the | 1723 |
applicant or recipient for the benefit of someone other than the | 1724 |
applicant or recipient, the distribution shall be considered an | 1725 |
improper transfer of resources. The look-back period shall be | 1726 |
sixty months from the baseline date. The transfer shall be | 1727 |
considered to have taken place on the date on which the payment to | 1728 |
someone other than the applicant or recipient was made. | 1729 |
(b) If a self-settled trust is an irrevocable trust and a | 1730 |
portion of the trust is not distributable to the applicant or | 1731 |
recipient, the trust shall be treated as an improper transfer of | 1732 |
resources. The look-back period shall be sixty months from the | 1733 |
baseline date. The transfer is considered to have been made as of | 1734 |
the later of the date the trust was established or the date on | 1735 |
which payment to the applicant or recipient was foreclosed. The | 1736 |
value of these assets shall not be reduced by any payments from | 1737 |
the trust that may be made from these unavailable assets at a | 1738 |
later date. | 1739 |
(c) If a self-settled trust is an irrevocable trust and a | 1740 |
portion or all of the trust may be disbursed to or for the benefit | 1741 |
of the applicant or recipient, any payment that is made to another | 1742 |
person other than the applicant or recipient shall be considered | 1743 |
an improper transfer of resources. The look-back period shall be | 1744 |
thirty-six months from the baseline date. The transfer shall be | 1745 |
considered to have been made as of the date of payment to the | 1746 |
other person. | 1747 |
(F) The principal or income from any of the following shall | 1748 |
be exempt from being counted as a resource by a county department | 1749 |
of job and family services: | 1750 |
(1)(a) A special needs trust that meets all of the following | 1751 |
requirements: | 1752 |
(i) The trust contains assets of an applicant or recipient | 1753 |
under sixty-five years of age and may contain the assets of other | 1754 |
individuals. | 1755 |
(ii) The applicant or recipient is disabled as defined in | 1756 |
rules adopted by the department of job and family services. | 1757 |
(iii) The trust is established for the benefit of the | 1758 |
applicant or recipient by a parent, grandparent, legal guardian, | 1759 |
or a court. | 1760 |
(iv) The trust requires that on the death of the applicant or | 1761 |
recipient the state will receive all amounts remaining in the | 1762 |
trust up to an amount equal to the total amount of medical | 1763 |
assistance paid on behalf of the applicant or recipient. | 1764 |
(b) If a special needs trust meets the requirements of | 1765 |
division (F)(1)(a) of this section and has been established for a | 1766 |
disabled applicant or recipient under sixty-five years of age, the | 1767 |
exemption for the trust granted pursuant to division (F) of this | 1768 |
section shall continue after the disabled applicant or recipient | 1769 |
becomes sixty-five years of age if the applicant or recipient | 1770 |
continues to be disabled as defined in rules adopted by the | 1771 |
department of job and family services. Except for income earned by | 1772 |
the trust, the grantor shall not add to or otherwise augment the | 1773 |
trust after the applicant or recipient attains sixty-five years of | 1774 |
age. An addition or augmentation of the trust by the applicant or | 1775 |
recipient with the applicant's own assets after the applicant or | 1776 |
recipient attains sixty-five years of age shall be treated as an | 1777 |
improper transfer of resources. | 1778 |
(c) Cash distributions to the applicant or recipient shall be | 1779 |
counted as unearned income. All other distributions from the trust | 1780 |
shall be treated as provided in rules adopted by the department of | 1781 |
job and family services governing in-kind income. | 1782 |
(d) Transfers of assets to a special needs trust shall not be | 1783 |
treated as an improper transfer of resources. Assets held prior to | 1784 |
the transfer to the trust shall be considered as countable assets | 1785 |
or countable income or countable assets and income. | 1786 |
(2)(a) A qualifying income trust that meets all of the | 1787 |
following requirements: | 1788 |
(i) The trust is composed only of pension, social security, | 1789 |
and other income to the applicant or recipient, including | 1790 |
accumulated interest in the trust. | 1791 |
(ii) The income is received by the individual and the right | 1792 |
to receive the income is not assigned or transferred to the trust. | 1793 |
(iii) The trust requires that on the death of the applicant | 1794 |
or recipient the state will receive all amounts remaining in the | 1795 |
trust up to an amount equal to the total amount of medical | 1796 |
assistance paid on behalf of the applicant or recipient. | 1797 |
(b) No resources shall be used to establish or augment the | 1798 |
trust. | 1799 |
(c) If an applicant or recipient has irrevocably transferred | 1800 |
or assigned the applicant's or recipient's right to receive income | 1801 |
to the trust, the trust shall not be considered a qualifying | 1802 |
income trust by the county department of job and family services. | 1803 |
(d) Income placed in a qualifying income trust shall not be | 1804 |
counted in determining an applicant's or recipient's eligibility | 1805 |
for medical assistance. The recipient of the funds may place any | 1806 |
income directly into a qualifying income trust without those funds | 1807 |
adversely affecting the applicant's or recipient's eligibility for | 1808 |
medical assistance. Income generated by the trust that remains in | 1809 |
the trust shall not be considered as income to the applicant or | 1810 |
recipient. | 1811 |
(e) All income placed in a qualifying income trust shall be | 1812 |
combined with any countable income not placed in the trust to | 1813 |
arrive at a base income figure to be used for spend down | 1814 |
calculations. | 1815 |
(f) The base income figure shall be used for post-eligibility | 1816 |
deductions, including personal needs allowance, monthly income | 1817 |
allowance, family allowance, and medical expenses not subject to | 1818 |
third party payment. Any income remaining shall be used toward | 1819 |
payment of patient liability. Payments made from a qualifying | 1820 |
income trust shall not be combined with the base income figure for | 1821 |
post-eligibility calculations. | 1822 |
(g) The base income figure shall be used when determining the | 1823 |
spend down budget for the applicant or recipient. Any income | 1824 |
remaining after allowable deductions are permitted as provided | 1825 |
under rules adopted by the department of job and family services | 1826 |
shall be considered the applicant's or recipient's spend down | 1827 |
liability. | 1828 |
(3)(a) A pooled trust that meets all of the following | 1829 |
requirements: | 1830 |
(i) The trust contains the assets of the applicant or | 1831 |
recipient of any age who is disabled as defined in rules adopted | 1832 |
by the department of job and family services. | 1833 |
(ii) The trust is established and managed by a nonprofit | 1834 |
association. | 1835 |
(iii) A separate account is maintained for each beneficiary | 1836 |
of the trust but, for purposes of investment and management of | 1837 |
funds, the trust pools the funds in these accounts. | 1838 |
(iv) Accounts in the trust are established by the applicant | 1839 |
or recipient, the applicant's or recipient's parent, grandparent, | 1840 |
or legal guardian, or a court solely for the benefit of | 1841 |
individuals who are disabled. | 1842 |
(v) The trust requires that, to the extent that any amounts | 1843 |
remaining in the beneficiary's account on the death of the | 1844 |
beneficiary are not retained by the trust, the trust pay to the | 1845 |
state the amounts remaining in the trust up to an amount equal to | 1846 |
the total amount of medical assistance paid on behalf of the | 1847 |
beneficiary. | 1848 |
(b) Cash distributions to the applicant or recipient shall be | 1849 |
counted as unearned income. All other distributions from the trust | 1850 |
shall be treated as provided in rules adopted by the department of | 1851 |
job and family services governing in-kind income. | 1852 |
(c) Transfers of assets to a pooled trust shall not be | 1853 |
treated as an improper transfer of resources. Assets held prior to | 1854 |
the transfer to the trust shall be considered as countable assets, | 1855 |
countable income, or countable assets and income. | 1856 |
(4) A supplemental services trust that meets the requirements | 1857 |
of section 1339.51 of the Revised Code and to which all of the | 1858 |
following apply: | 1859 |
(a) A person may establish a supplemental services trust | 1860 |
pursuant to section 1339.51 of the Revised Code only for another | 1861 |
person who is eligible to receive services through one of the | 1862 |
following agencies: | 1863 |
(i) The department of mental retardation and developmental | 1864 |
disabilities; | 1865 |
(ii) A county board of mental retardation and developmental | 1866 |
disabilities; | 1867 |
(iii) The department of mental health; | 1868 |
(iv) A board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health | 1869 |
services. | 1870 |
(b) A county department of job and family services shall not | 1871 |
determine eligibility for another agency's program. An applicant | 1872 |
or recipient shall do one of the following: | 1873 |
(i) Provide documentation from one of the agencies listed in | 1874 |
division (F)(4)(a) of this section that establishes that the | 1875 |
applicant or recipient was determined to be eligible for services | 1876 |
from the agency at the time of the creation of the trust; | 1877 |
(ii) Provide an order from a court of competent jurisdiction | 1878 |
that states that the applicant or recipient was eligible for | 1879 |
services from one of the agencies listed in division (F)(4)(a) of | 1880 |
this section at the time of the creation of the trust. | 1881 |
(c) At the time the trust is created, the trust principal | 1882 |
does not exceed the maximum amount permitted. The maximum amount | 1883 |
permitted in calendar year 2002 is two hundred fourteen thousand | 1884 |
dollars. Each year thereafter, the maximum amount permitted is the | 1885 |
prior year's amount plus two thousand dollars. | 1886 |
(d) A county department of job and family services shall | 1887 |
review the trust to determine whether it complies with the | 1888 |
provisions of section 1339.51 of the Revised Code. | 1889 |
(e) Payments from supplemental services trusts shall be | 1890 |
exempt as long as the payments are for supplemental services as | 1891 |
defined in rules adopted by the department of job and family | 1892 |
services. All supplemental services shall be purchased by the | 1893 |
trustee and shall not be purchased through direct cash payments to | 1894 |
the beneficiary. | 1895 |
(f) If a trust is represented as a supplemental services | 1896 |
trust and a county department of job and family services | 1897 |
determines that the trust does not meet the requirements provided | 1898 |
in division (F)(4) of this section and section 1339.51 of the | 1899 |
Revised Code, the county department of job and family services | 1900 |
shall not consider it an exempt trust. | 1901 |
(G)(1) A trust or legal instrument or device similar to a | 1902 |
trust shall be considered a trust established by an individual for | 1903 |
the benefit of the applicant or recipient if all of the following | 1904 |
apply: | 1905 |
(a) The trust is created by a person other than the applicant | 1906 |
or recipient. | 1907 |
(b) The trust names the applicant or recipient as a | 1908 |
beneficiary. | 1909 |
(c) The trust is funded with assets or property in which the | 1910 |
applicant or recipient has never held an ownership interest prior | 1911 |
to the establishment of the trust. | 1912 |
(2) Any portion of a trust that meets the requirements of | 1913 |
division (G)(1) of this section shall be an available resource | 1914 |
only if the trust permits the trustee to expend principal, corpus, | 1915 |
or assets of the trust for the applicant's or recipient's medical | 1916 |
care, care, comfort, maintenance, health, welfare, general well | 1917 |
being, or any combination of these purposes. | 1918 |
(3) A trust that meets the requirements of division (G)(1) of | 1919 |
this section shall be considered an available resource even if the | 1920 |
trust contains any of the following types of provisions: | 1921 |
(a) A provision that prohibits the trustee from making | 1922 |
payments that would supplant or replace medical assistance or | 1923 |
other public assistance; | 1924 |
(b) A provision that prohibits the trustee from making | 1925 |
payments that would impact or have an effect on the applicant's or | 1926 |
recipient's right, ability, or opportunity to receive medical | 1927 |
assistance or other public assistance; | 1928 |
(c) A provision that attempts to prevent the trust or its | 1929 |
corpus or principal from being counted as an available resource. | 1930 |
(4) A trust that meets the requirements of division (G)(1) of | 1931 |
this section shall not be counted as an available resource if at | 1932 |
least one of the following circumstances applies: | 1933 |
(a) If a trust contains a clear statement requiring the | 1934 |
trustee to preserve a portion of the trust for another beneficiary | 1935 |
or remainderman, that portion of the trust shall not be counted as | 1936 |
an available resource. Terms of a trust that grant discretion to | 1937 |
preserve a portion of the trust shall not qualify as a clear | 1938 |
statement requiring the trustee to preserve a portion of the | 1939 |
trust. | 1940 |
(b) If a trust contains a clear statement requiring the | 1941 |
trustee to use a portion of the trust for a purpose other than | 1942 |
medical care, care, comfort, maintenance, welfare, or general well | 1943 |
being of the applicant or recipient, that portion of the trust | 1944 |
shall not be counted as an available resource. Terms of a trust | 1945 |
that grant discretion to limit the use of a portion of the trust | 1946 |
shall not qualify as a clear statement requiring the trustee to | 1947 |
use a portion of the trust for a particular purpose. | 1948 |
(c) If a trust contains a clear statement limiting the | 1949 |
trustee to making fixed periodic payments, the trust shall not be | 1950 |
counted as an available resource and payments shall be treated in | 1951 |
accordance with rules adopted by the department of job and family | 1952 |
services governing income. Terms of a trust that grant discretion | 1953 |
to limit payments shall not qualify as a clear statement requiring | 1954 |
the trustee to make fixed periodic payments. | 1955 |
(d) If a trust contains a clear statement that requires the | 1956 |
trustee to terminate the trust if it is counted as an available | 1957 |
resource, the trust shall not be counted as an available resource. | 1958 |
Terms of a trust that grant discretion to terminate the trust do | 1959 |
not qualify as a clear statement requiring the trustee to | 1960 |
terminate the trust. | 1961 |
(e) If a person obtains a judgment from a court of competent | 1962 |
jurisdiction that expressly prevents the trustee from using part | 1963 |
or all of the trust for the medical care, care, comfort, | 1964 |
maintenance, welfare, or general well being of the applicant or | 1965 |
recipient, the trust or that portion of the trust subject to the | 1966 |
court order shall not be counted as a resource. | 1967 |
(f) If a trust is specifically exempt from being counted as | 1968 |
an available resource by a provision of the Revised Code, rules, | 1969 |
or federal law, the trust shall not be counted as a resource. | 1970 |
(g) If an applicant or recipient presents a final judgment | 1971 |
from a court demonstrating that the applicant or recipient was | 1972 |
unsuccessful in a civil action against the trustee to compel | 1973 |
payments from the trust, the trust shall not be counted as an | 1974 |
available resource. | 1975 |
(h) If an applicant or recipient presents a final judgment | 1976 |
from a court demonstrating that in a civil action against the | 1977 |
trustee the applicant or recipient was only able to compel limited | 1978 |
or periodic payments, the trust shall not be counted as an | 1979 |
available resource and payments shall be treated in accordance | 1980 |
with rules adopted by the department of job and family services | 1981 |
governing income. | 1982 |
(i) If an applicant or recipient provides written | 1983 |
documentation showing that the cost of a civil action brought to | 1984 |
compel payments from the trust would be cost prohibitive, the | 1985 |
trust shall not be counted as an available resource. | 1986 |
(5) Any actual payments to the applicant or recipient from a | 1987 |
trust that meet the requirements of division (G)(1) of this | 1988 |
section, including trusts that are not counted as an available | 1989 |
resource, shall be treated as provided in rules adopted by the | 1990 |
department of job and family services governing income. Payments | 1991 |
to any person other than the applicant or recipient shall not be | 1992 |
considered income to the applicant or recipient. Payments from the | 1993 |
trust to a person other than the applicant or recipient shall not | 1994 |
be considered an improper transfer of assets. | 1995 |
Sec. 5503.12. (A) The superintendent of the state highway | 1996 |
patrol, with the approval of the director of public safety, may | 1997 |
authorize the registrar of motor vehicles and designated deputy | 1998 |
registrars to collect inspection and testing fees on behalf of the | 1999 |
state highway patrol. The superintendent and the registrar jointly | 2000 |
shall determine and designate the deputy registrars who shall | 2001 |
collect inspection and testing fees under this section. | 2002 |
(B)(1) In addition to collecting the inspection and testing | 2003 |
fees, the registrar and each designated deputy registrar may | 2004 |
collect and retain a service fee in the amount specified in | 2005 |
division (D) of section 4503.10 of the Revised Code for each | 2006 |
inspection and testing fee collected on behalf of the state | 2007 |
highway patrol. | 2008 |
(2) Each designated deputy registrar, upon receipt of any | 2009 |
inspection and testing fee, shall transmit the fees to the | 2010 |
registrar in the manner prescribed by the registrar. | 2011 |
(3) The registrar shall deposit the inspection and testing | 2012 |
fees collected by and transmitted to the registrar to the credit | 2013 |
of the fund specified by law. | 2014 |
(C) The superintendent, with the approval of the director, | 2015 |
shall establish appropriate procedures to be used by the registrar | 2016 |
and designated deputy registrars for determining proof of payment | 2017 |
of inspection and testing fees. | 2018 |
(D) As used in this section, "inspection and testing fees" | 2019 |
includes the following: | 2020 |
(1) Fees for vehicle inspections conducted under sections | 2021 |
4505.11, 4505.111, 4513.52, 4513.53, 4519.56, and 4519.61 | 2022 |
2023 |
(2) Fees for testing of commercial driver's license | 2024 |
applicants under section 4506.09 of the Revised Code; | 2025 |
(3) Except as may otherwise be specifically provided by law, | 2026 |
any statutory fees for similar vehicle inspections or driver | 2027 |
testing conducted by the state highway patrol that the | 2028 |
superintendent may specify for collection under this section. | 2029 |
Section 2. That existing sections 307.051, 307.055, 505.37, | 2030 |
505.375, 505.72, 4503.49, 4513.263, 4766.01, 4766.02, 4766.03, | 2031 |
4766.04, 4766.05, 4766.06, 4766.07, 4766.08, 4766.09, 4766.10, | 2032 |
4766.11, 4766.12, 4766.13, and 5503.12 of the Revised Code are | 2033 |
hereby repealed. | 2034 |
Section 3. That the version of section 4513.263 of the | 2035 |
Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2004, be | 2036 |
amended to read as follows: | 2037 |
Sec. 4513.263. (A) As used in this section and in section | 2038 |
4513.99 of the Revised Code: | 2039 |
(1) "Automobile" means any commercial tractor, passenger car, | 2040 |
commercial car, or truck that is required to be factory-equipped | 2041 |
with an occupant restraining device for the operator or any | 2042 |
passenger by regulations adopted by the United States secretary of | 2043 |
transportation pursuant to the "National Traffic and Motor Vehicle | 2044 |
Safety Act of 1966," 80 Stat. 719, 15 U.S.C.A. 1392. | 2045 |
(2) "Occupant restraining device" means a seat safety belt, | 2046 |
shoulder belt, harness, or other safety device for restraining a | 2047 |
person who is an operator of or passenger in an automobile and | 2048 |
that satisfies the minimum federal vehicle safety standards | 2049 |
established by the United States department of transportation. | 2050 |
(3) "Passenger" means any person in an automobile, other than | 2051 |
its operator, who is occupying a seating position for which an | 2052 |
occupant restraining device is provided. | 2053 |
(4) "Commercial tractor," "passenger car," and "commercial | 2054 |
car" have the same meanings as in section 4501.01 of the Revised | 2055 |
Code. | 2056 |
(5) "Vehicle" and "motor vehicle," as used in the definitions | 2057 |
of the terms set forth in division (A)(4) of this section, have | 2058 |
the same meanings as in section 4511.01 of the Revised Code. | 2059 |
(B) No person shall do any of the following: | 2060 |
(1) Operate an automobile on any street or highway unless | 2061 |
that person is wearing all of the available elements of a properly | 2062 |
adjusted occupant restraining device, or operate a school bus that | 2063 |
has an occupant restraining device installed for use in its | 2064 |
operator's seat unless that person is wearing all of the available | 2065 |
elements of the device, as properly adjusted; | 2066 |
(2) Operate an automobile on any street or highway unless | 2067 |
each passenger in the automobile who is subject to the requirement | 2068 |
set forth in division (B)(3) of this section is wearing all of the | 2069 |
available elements of a properly adjusted occupant restraining | 2070 |
device; | 2071 |
(3) Occupy, as a passenger, a seating position on the front | 2072 |
seat of an automobile being operated on any street or highway | 2073 |
unless that person is wearing all of the available elements of a | 2074 |
properly adjusted occupant restraining device; | 2075 |
(4) Operate a taxicab on any street or highway unless all | 2076 |
factory-equipped occupant restraining devices in the taxicab are | 2077 |
maintained in usable form. | 2078 |
(C) Division (B)(3) of this section does not apply to a | 2079 |
person who is required by section 4511.81 of the Revised Code to | 2080 |
be secured in a child restraint device. Division (B)(1) of this | 2081 |
section does not apply to a person who is an employee of the | 2082 |
United States postal service or of a newspaper home delivery | 2083 |
service, during any period in which the person is engaged in the | 2084 |
operation of an automobile to deliver mail or newspapers to | 2085 |
addressees. Divisions (B)(1) and (3) of this section do not apply | 2086 |
to a person who has an affidavit signed by a physician licensed to | 2087 |
practice in this state under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code or | 2088 |
a chiropractor licensed to practice in this state under Chapter | 2089 |
4734. of the Revised Code that states that the person has a | 2090 |
physical impairment that makes use of an occupant restraining | 2091 |
device impossible or impractical. | 2092 |
(D) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no | 2093 |
law enforcement officer shall cause an operator of an automobile | 2094 |
being operated on any street or highway to stop the automobile for | 2095 |
the sole purpose of determining whether a violation of division | 2096 |
(B) of this section has been or is being committed or for the sole | 2097 |
purpose of issuing a ticket, citation, or summons for a violation | 2098 |
of that nature or causing the arrest of or commencing a | 2099 |
prosecution of a person for a violation of that nature, and no law | 2100 |
enforcement officer shall view the interior or visually inspect | 2101 |
any automobile being operated on any street or highway for the | 2102 |
sole purpose of determining whether a violation of that nature has | 2103 |
been or is being committed. | 2104 |
(E) All fines collected for violations of division (B) of | 2105 |
this section, or for violations of any ordinance or resolution of | 2106 |
a political subdivision that is substantively comparable to that | 2107 |
division, shall be forwarded to the treasurer of state for deposit | 2108 |
as follows: | 2109 |
(1) Eight per cent shall be deposited into the seat belt | 2110 |
education fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury, and | 2111 |
shall be used by the department of public safety to establish a | 2112 |
seat belt education program. | 2113 |
(2) Eight per cent shall be deposited into the elementary | 2114 |
school program fund, which is hereby created in the state | 2115 |
treasury, and shall be used by the department of public safety to | 2116 |
establish and administer elementary school programs that encourage | 2117 |
seat safety belt use. | 2118 |
(3) Two per cent shall be
deposited into the Ohio
| 2119 |
2120 | |
4766.05 of the Revised Code. | 2121 |
(4) Twenty-eight per cent shall be deposited into the trauma | 2122 |
and emergency medical services fund, which is hereby created in | 2123 |
the state treasury, and shall be used by the department of public | 2124 |
safety for the administration of the division of emergency medical | 2125 |
services and the state board of emergency medical services. | 2126 |
(5) Fifty-four per cent shall be deposited into the trauma | 2127 |
and emergency medical services grants fund, which is hereby | 2128 |
created in the state treasury, and shall be used by the state | 2129 |
board of emergency medical services to make grants, in accordance | 2130 |
with section 4765.07 of the Revised Code and rules the board | 2131 |
adopts under section 4765.11 of the Revised Code. | 2132 |
(F)(1) Subject to division (F)(2) of this section, the | 2133 |
failure of a person to wear all of the available elements of a | 2134 |
properly adjusted occupant restraining device or to ensure that | 2135 |
each passenger of an automobile being operated by the person is | 2136 |
wearing all of the available elements of such a device, in | 2137 |
violation of division (B) of this section, shall not be considered | 2138 |
or used as evidence of negligence or contributory negligence, | 2139 |
shall not diminish recovery for damages in any civil action | 2140 |
involving the person arising from the ownership, maintenance, or | 2141 |
operation of an automobile; shall not be used as a basis for a | 2142 |
criminal prosecution of the person other than a prosecution for a | 2143 |
violation of this section; and shall not be admissible as evidence | 2144 |
in any civil or criminal action involving the person other than a | 2145 |
prosecution for a violation of this section. | 2146 |
(2) If, at the time of an accident involving a passenger car | 2147 |
equipped with occupant restraining devices, any occupant of the | 2148 |
passenger car who sustained injury or death was not wearing an | 2149 |
available occupant restraining device, was not wearing all of the | 2150 |
available elements of such a device, or was not wearing such a | 2151 |
device as properly adjusted, then, consistent with the Rules of | 2152 |
Evidence, the fact that the occupant was not wearing the available | 2153 |
occupant restraining device, was not wearing all of the available | 2154 |
elements of such a device, or was not wearing such a device as | 2155 |
properly adjusted is admissible in evidence in relation to any | 2156 |
claim for relief in a tort action to the extent that the claim for | 2157 |
relief satisfies all of the following: | 2158 |
(a) It seeks to recover damages for injury or death to the | 2159 |
occupant. | 2160 |
(b) The defendant in question is the manufacturer, designer, | 2161 |
distributor, or seller of the passenger car. | 2162 |
(c) The claim for relief against the defendant in question is | 2163 |
that the injury or death sustained by the occupant was enhanced or | 2164 |
aggravated by some design defect in the passenger car or that the | 2165 |
passenger car was not crashworthy. | 2166 |
(3) As used in division (F)(2) of this section, "tort action" | 2167 |
means a civil action for damages for injury, death, or loss to | 2168 |
person or property. "Tort action" includes a product liability | 2169 |
claim that is subject to sections 2307.71 to 2307.80 of the | 2170 |
Revised Code, but does not include a civil action for damages for | 2171 |
a breach of a contract or another agreement between persons. | 2172 |
(G)(1) Whoever violates division (B)(1) of this section shall | 2173 |
be fined thirty dollars. | 2174 |
(2) Whoever violates division (B)(3) of this section shall be | 2175 |
fined twenty dollars. | 2176 |
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this division, whoever | 2177 |
violates division (B)(4) of this section is guilty of a minor | 2178 |
misdemeanor. If the offender previously has been convicted of or | 2179 |
pleaded guilty to a violation of division (B)(4) of this section, | 2180 |
whoever violates division (B)(4) of this section is guilty of a | 2181 |
misdemeanor of the third degree. | 2182 |
Section 4. That the existing version of section 4513.263 of | 2183 |
the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2004, | 2184 |
is hereby repealed. | 2185 |
Section 5. Sections 3 and 4 of this act take effect January | 2186 |
1, 2004. | 2187 |
Section 6. Within 60 days after the effective date of this | 2188 |
act, the Governor shall appoint the additional members of the Ohio | 2189 |
Medical Transportation Board required by section 4766.02 of the | 2190 |
Revised Code, as amended by this act. The terms of the first two | 2191 |
new members shall expire July 5, 2004, and the terms of the second | 2192 |
two new members shall expire on July 5, 2005. Thereafter, the | 2193 |
terms of office shall be as specified in section 4766.02 of the | 2194 |
Revised Code. | 2195 |