As Reported by the House Judiciary Committee

126th General Assembly
Regular Session
2005-2006
Sub. S. B. No. 117


Senators Mallory, Dann, Fedor, Jacobson, Miller, R., Schuler, Amstutz, Zurz, Armbruster, Brady, Clancy, Fingerhut, Goodman, Hagan, Jordan, Mumper, Niehaus, Padgett, Schuring, Wachtmann, Wilson, Harris, Spada, Cates 



A BILL
To amend sections 1345.09, 2307.60, 2307.71, 2307.73, 1
and 2317.02 of the Revised Code to specify the 2
nature of damages that may be recovered in certain 3
actions based on unfair or deceptive sales 4
practices, to provide that a final judgment, 5
entered after a trial or upon a plea of guilty in 6
certain criminal actions generally precludes the 7
offender from denying any fact essential to 8
sustain that judgment when entered in evidence in 9
a civil proceeding that is based on the criminal 10
act, to make an exception to the attorney-client 11
privilege for communications related to an 12
attorney's aiding or furthering an ongoing or 13
future commission of bad faith by a client that is 14
an insurance company, to prohibit the use of 15
enterprise theories of liability against 16
manufacturers in product liability claims, and to 17
include public nuisance claims under the 18
definition of product liability claims.19


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1. That sections 1345.09, 2307.60, 2307.71, 2307.73, 20
and 2317.02 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:21

       Sec. 1345.09.  For a violation of Chapter 1345. of the22
Revised Code, a consumer has a cause of action and is entitled to23
relief as follows:24

       (A) Where the violation was an act prohibited by section25
1345.02, 1345.03, or 1345.031 of the Revised Code, the consumer 26
may, in an individual action, rescind the transaction or recover 27
the consumer's actual economic damages plus an amount not 28
exceeding five thousand dollars in noneconomic damages.29

       (B) Where the violation was an act or practice declared to be 30
deceptive or unconscionable by rule adopted under division (B)(2) 31
of section 1345.05 of the Revised Code before the consumer32
transaction on which the action is based, or an act or practice33
determined by a court of this state to violate section 1345.02,34
1345.03, or 1345.031 of the Revised Code and committed after the 35
decision containing the determination has been made available for 36
public inspection under division (A)(3) of section 1345.05 of the37
Revised Code, the consumer may rescind the transaction or recover, 38
but not in a class action, three times the amount of the 39
consumer's actual economic damages or two hundred dollars, 40
whichever is greater, plus an amount not exceeding five thousand 41
dollars in noneconomic damages or recover damages or other 42
appropriate relief in a class action under Civil Rule 23, as 43
amended.44

       (C)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2) of 45
this section, in any action for rescission, revocation of the46
consumer transaction must occur within a reasonable time after the 47
consumer discovers or should have discovered the ground for it and 48
before any substantial change in condition of the subject of the 49
consumer transaction.50

       (2) If a consumer transaction between a loan officer, 51
mortgage broker, or nonbank mortgage lender and a customer is in 52
connection with a residential mortgage, revocation of the consumer 53
transaction in an action for rescission is only available to a 54
consumer in an individual action, and shall occur for no reason 55
other than one or more of the reasons set forth in the "Truth in 56
Lending Act," 82 Stat. 146 (1968), 15 U.S.C. 1635, not later than 57
the time limit within which the right of rescission under section 58
125(f) of the "Truth in Lending Act" expires.59

       (D) Any consumer may seek a declaratory judgment, an60
injunction, or other appropriate relief against an act or practice 61
that violates this chapter.62

       (E) When a consumer commences an individual action for a63
declaratory judgment or an injunction or a class action under this 64
section, the clerk of court shall immediately mail a copy of the 65
complaint to the attorney general. Upon timely application, the 66
attorney general may be permitted to intervene in any private67
action or appeal pending under this section. When a judgment under 68
this section becomes final, the clerk of court shall mail a copy 69
of the judgment including supporting opinions to the attorney 70
general for inclusion in the public file maintained under division 71
(A)(3) of section 1345.05 of the Revised Code.72

       (F) The court may award to the prevailing party a reasonable 73
attorney's fee limited to the work reasonably performed, if either 74
of the following apply:75

       (1) The consumer complaining of the act or practice that76
violated this chapter has brought or maintained an action that is77
groundless, and the consumer filed or maintained the action in bad 78
faith;79

       (2) The supplier has knowingly committed an act or practice 80
that violates this chapter.81

       (G) As used in this section, "actual economic damages" means 82
damages for direct, incidental, or consequential pecuniary losses 83
resulting from a violation of Chapter 1345. of the Revised Code 84
and does not include damages for noneconomic loss as defined in 85
section 2315.18 of the Revised Code.86

       (H) Nothing in this section shall preclude a consumer from 87
also proceeding with a cause of action under any other theory of 88
law.89

       Sec. 2307.60. (A)(1) Anyone injured in person or property by90
a criminal act has, and may recover full damages in, a civil91
action unless specifically excepted by law, may recover the costs92
of maintaining the civil action and attorney's fees if authorized93
by any provision of the Rules of Civil Procedure or another94
section of the Revised Code or under the common law of this state,95
and may recover punitive or exemplary damages if authorized by96
section 2315.21 or another section of the Revised Code. No record97
of a conviction, unless obtained by confession in open court,98
shall be used as evidence in a civil action brought pursuant to99
division (A) of this section.100

       (2) A final judgment of a trial court that has not been 101
reversed on appeal or otherwise set aside, nullified, or vacated, 102
entered after a trial or upon a plea of guilty, but not upon a 103
plea of no contest or the equivalent plea from another 104
jurisdiction, that adjudges an offender guilty of an offense of 105
violence, when entered as evidence in any subsequent civil 106
proceeding based on the criminal act, shall preclude the offender 107
from denying in the subsequent civil proceeding any fact essential 108
to sustaining that judgment, unless the offender can demonstrate 109
that extraordinary circumstances prevented the offender from 110
having a full and fair opportunity to litigate the issue in the 111
criminal proceeding or other extraordinary circumstances justify 112
affording the offender an opportunity to relitigate the issue. The 113
offender may introduce evidence of the offender's pending appeal 114
of the final judgment of the trial court, if applicable, and the 115
court may consider that evidence in determining the liability of 116
the offender.117

       (B)(1) As used in division (B) of this section, "tort action"118
means a civil action for damages for injury, death, or loss to119
person or property other than a civil action for damages for a120
breach of contract or another agreement between persons. "Tort121
action" includes, but is not limited to, a product liability122
claim, as defined in section 2307.71 of the Revised Code, and an 123
asbestos claim, as defined in section 2307.91 of the Revised Code, 124
an action for wrongful death under Chapter 2125. of the Revised 125
Code, and an action based on derivative claims for relief.126

       (2) Recovery on a claim for relief in a tort action is barred127
to any person or the person's legal representative if the person128
has been convicted of or has pleaded guilty to a felony, or to a129
misdemeanor that is an offense of violence, arising out of130
criminal conduct that was a proximate cause of the injury or loss131
for which relief is claimed in the action.132

       (3) Division (B) of this section does not apply to civil133
claims based upon alleged intentionally tortious conduct, alleged134
violations of the United States Constitution, or alleged135
violations of statutes of the United States pertaining to civil136
rights.137

       Sec. 2307.71. (A) As used in sections 2307.71 to 2307.80 of138
the Revised Code:139

       (1) "Claimant" means either of the following:140

       (a) A person who asserts a product liability claim or on141
whose behalf such a claim is asserted;142

       (b) If a product liability claim is asserted on behalf of the 143
surviving spouse, children, parents, or other next of kin of a144
decedent or on behalf of the estate of a decedent, whether as a145
claim in a wrongful death action under Chapter 2125. of the146
Revised Code or as a survivorship claim, whichever of the147
following is appropriate:148

       (i) The decedent, if the reference is to the person who149
allegedly sustained harm or economic loss for which, or in150
connection with which, compensatory damages or punitive or151
exemplary damages are sought to be recovered;152

       (ii) The personal representative of the decedent or the153
estate of the decedent, if the reference is to the person who is154
asserting or has asserted the product liability claim.155

       (2) "Economic loss" means direct, incidental, or156
consequential pecuniary loss, including, but not limited to,157
damage to the product in question, and nonphysical damage to158
property other than that product. Harm is not "economic loss."159

       (3) "Environment" means only navigable waters, surface water,160
ground water, drinking water supplies, land surface, subsurface161
strata, and air.162

       (4) "Ethical drug" means a prescription drug that is163
prescribed or dispensed by a physician or any other person who is164
legally authorized to prescribe or dispense a prescription drug.165

       (5) "Ethical medical device" means a medical device that is166
prescribed, dispensed, or implanted by a physician or any other167
person who is legally authorized to prescribe, dispense, or168
implant a medical device and that is regulated under the "Federal169
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act," 52 Stat. 1040, 21 U.S.C. 301-392,170
as amended.171

       (6) "Foreseeable risk" means a risk of harm that satisfies172
both of the following:173

       (a) It is associated with an intended or reasonably174
foreseeable use, modification, or alteration of a product in175
question.176

       (b) It is a risk that the manufacturer in question should177
recognize while exercising both of the following:178

       (i) The attention, perception, memory, knowledge, and179
intelligence that a reasonable manufacturer should possess;180

       (ii) Any superior attention, perception, memory, knowledge,181
or intelligence that the manufacturer in question possesses.182

       (7) "Harm" means death, physical injury to person, serious183
emotional distress, or physical damage to property other than the184
product in question. Economic loss is not "harm."185

       (8) "Hazardous or toxic substances" include, but are not186
limited to, hazardous waste as defined in section 3734.01 of the187
Revised Code, hazardous waste as specified in the rules of the188
director of environmental protection pursuant to division (A) of189
section 3734.12 of the Revised Code, hazardous substances as190
defined in section 3716.01 of the Revised Code, and hazardous191
substances, pollutants, and contaminants as defined in or by192
regulations adopted pursuant to the "Comprehensive Environmental193
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980," 94 Stat. 2767,194
42 U.S.C. 9601, as amended.195

       (9) "Manufacturer" means a person engaged in a business to196
design, formulate, produce, create, make, construct, assemble, or197
rebuild a product or a component of a product.198

       (10) "Person" has the same meaning as in division (C) of199
section 1.59 of the Revised Code and also includes governmental200
entities.201

       (11) "Physician" means a person who is licensed to practice202
medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery by the203
state medical board.204

       (12)(a) "Product" means, subject to division (A)(12)(b) of 205
this section, any object, substance, mixture, or raw material that206
constitutes tangible personal property and that satisfies all of207
the following:208

       (i) It is capable of delivery itself, or as an assembled209
whole in a mixed or combined state, or as a component or210
ingredient.211

       (ii) It is produced, manufactured, or supplied for212
introduction into trade or commerce.213

       (iii) It is intended for sale or lease to persons for214
commercial or personal use.215

       (b) "Product" does not include human tissue, blood, or216
organs.217

       (13) "Product liability claim" means a claim or cause of 218
action that is asserted in a civil action pursuant to sections 219
2307.71 to 2307.80 of the Revised Code and that seeks to recover 220
compensatory damages from a manufacturer or supplier for death, 221
physical injury to person, emotional distress, or physical damage 222
to property other than the product in question, that allegedly 223
arose from any of the following:224

       (a) The design, formulation, production, construction,225
creation, assembly, rebuilding, testing, or marketing of that226
product;227

       (b) Any warning or instruction, or lack of warning or228
instruction, associated with that product;229

       (c) Any failure of that product to conform to any relevant230
representation or warranty.231

       "Product liability claim" also includes any public nuisance 232
claim or cause of action at common law in which it is alleged that 233
the design, manufacture, supply, marketing, distribution, 234
promotion, advertising, labeling, or sale of a product 235
unreasonably interferes with a right common to the general public.236

       (14) "Representation" means an express representation of a237
material fact concerning the character, quality, or safety of a238
product.239

       (15)(a) "Supplier" means, subject to division (A)(15)(b) of240
this section, either of the following:241

       (i) A person that, in the course of a business conducted for242
the purpose, sells, distributes, leases, prepares, blends,243
packages, labels, or otherwise participates in the placing of a244
product in the stream of commerce;245

       (ii) A person that, in the course of a business conducted for246
the purpose, installs, repairs, or maintains any aspect of a247
product that allegedly causes harm.248

       (b) "Supplier" does not include any of the following:249

       (i) A manufacturer;250

       (ii) A seller of real property;251

       (iii) A provider of professional services who, incidental to252
a professional transaction the essence of which is the furnishing253
of judgment, skill, or services, sells or uses a product;254

       (iv) Any person who acts only in a financial capacity with255
respect to the sale of a product, or who leases a product under a256
lease arrangement in which the selection, possession, maintenance,257
and operation of the product are controlled by a person other than258
the lessor.259

       (16) "Unavoidably unsafe" means that, in the state of260
technical, scientific, and medical knowledge at the time a product261
in question left the control of its manufacturer, an aspect of262
that product was incapable of being made safe.263

       (B) Sections 2307.71 to 2307.80 of the Revised Code are 264
intended to abrogate all common law product liability claims or265
causes of action.266

       Sec. 2307.73.  (A) A manufacturer is subject to liability for 267
compensatory damages based on a product liability claim only if 268
the claimant establishes, by a preponderance of the evidence, both269
all of the following:270

       (1) Subject to division (B) of this section, the 271
manufacturer's product in question was defective in manufacture or 272
construction as described in section 2307.74 of the Revised Code, 273
was defective in design or formulation as described in section 274
2307.75 of the Revised Code, was defective due to inadequate 275
warning or instruction as described in section 2307.76 of the 276
Revised Code, or was defective because it did not conform to a 277
representation made by its manufacturer as described in section 278
2307.77 of the Revised Code;279

       (2) A defective aspect of the manufacturer's product in 280
question as described in division (A)(1) of this section was a 281
proximate cause of harm for which the claimant seeks to recover282
compensatory damages;283

       (3) The manufacturer designed, formulated, produced, 284
constructed, created, assembled, or rebuilt the actual product 285
that was the cause of harm for which the claimant seeks to recover 286
compensatory damages.287

       (B) If a claimant is unable because athe manufacturer's288
product in question was destroyed to establish by direct evidence 289
that the manufacturer's product in question was defective or if a 290
claimant otherwise is unable to establish by direct evidence that 291
athe manufacturer's product in question was defective, then, 292
consistent with the Rules of Evidence, it shall be sufficient for 293
the claimant to present circumstantial or other competent evidence 294
that establishes, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the 295
manufacturer's product in question was defective in any one of the 296
four respects specified in division (A)(1) of this section.297

       (C) Proof that a manufacturer designed, formulated, produced, 298
constructed, created, assembled, or rebuilt the type of product in 299
question is not proof that the manufacturer designed, formulated, 300
produced, constructed, created, assembled, or rebuilt the actual 301
defective product in the product liability claim. A manufacturer 302
may not be held liable in a product liability action based on 303
market share, enterprise, or industrywide liability.304

       Sec. 2317.02.  The following persons shall not testify in305
certain respects:306

       (A)(1) An attorney, concerning a communication made to the307
attorney by a client in that relation or the attorney's advice to308
a client, except that the attorney may testify by express consent309
of the client or, if the client is deceased, by the express310
consent of the surviving spouse or the executor or administrator311
of the estate of the deceased client. However, if the client 312
voluntarily testifies or is deemed by section 2151.421 of the 313
Revised Code to have waived any testimonial privilege under this 314
division, the attorney may be compelled to testify on the same 315
subject.316

       The testimonial privilege established under this division 317
does not apply concerning a communication between a client who has 318
since died and the deceased client's attorney if the communication 319
is relevant to a dispute between parties who claim through that 320
deceased client, regardless of whether the claims are by testate 321
or intestate succession or by inter vivos transaction, and the 322
dispute addresses the competency of the deceased client when the 323
deceased client executed a document that is the basis of the 324
dispute or whether the deceased client was a victim of fraud, 325
undue influence, or duress when the deceased client executed a 326
document that is the basis of the dispute.327

       (2) An attorney, concerning a communication made to the 328
attorney by a client in that relationship or the attorney's advice 329
to a client, except that if the client is an insurance company, 330
the attorney may be compelled to testify, subject to an in camera 331
inspection by a court, about communications made by the client to 332
the attorney or by the attorney to the client that are related to 333
the attorney's aiding or furthering an ongoing or future 334
commission of bad faith by the client, if the party seeking 335
disclosure of the communications has made a prima facie showing of 336
bad faith, fraud, or criminal misconduct by the client.337

       (B)(1) A physician or a dentist concerning a communication338
made to the physician or dentist by a patient in that relation or339
the physician's or dentist's advice to a patient, except as340
otherwise provided in this division, division (B)(2), and division341
(B)(3) of this section, and except that, if the patient is deemed342
by section 2151.421 of the Revised Code to have waived any343
testimonial privilege under this division, the physician may be344
compelled to testify on the same subject.345

       The testimonial privilege established under this division346
does not apply, and a physician or dentist may testify or may be347
compelled to testify, in any of the following circumstances:348

       (a) In any civil action, in accordance with the discovery349
provisions of the Rules of Civil Procedure in connection with a350
civil action, or in connection with a claim under Chapter 4123. of351
the Revised Code, under any of the following circumstances:352

       (i) If the patient or the guardian or other legal353
representative of the patient gives express consent;354

       (ii) If the patient is deceased, the spouse of the patient or 355
the executor or administrator of the patient's estate gives356
express consent;357

       (iii) If a medical claim, dental claim, chiropractic claim,358
or optometric claim, as defined in section 2305.113 of the Revised359
Code, an action for wrongful death, any other type of civil360
action, or a claim under Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code is361
filed by the patient, the personal representative of the estate of362
the patient if deceased, or the patient's guardian or other legal363
representative.364

       (b) In any civil action concerning court-ordered treatment or 365
services received by a patient, if the court-ordered treatment or 366
services were ordered as part of a case plan journalized under367
section 2151.412 of the Revised Code or the court-ordered368
treatment or services are necessary or relevant to dependency,369
neglect, or abuse or temporary or permanent custody proceedings370
under Chapter 2151. of the Revised Code.371

       (c) In any criminal action concerning any test or the results 372
of any test that determines the presence or concentration of 373
alcohol, a drug of abuse, a combination of them, a controlled 374
substance, or a metabolite of a controlled substance in the 375
patient's whole blood, blood serum or plasma, breath, urine, or 376
other bodily substance at any time relevant to the criminal 377
offense in question.378

       (d) In any criminal action against a physician or dentist. In 379
such an action, the testimonial privilege established under this 380
division does not prohibit the admission into evidence, in381
accordance with the Rules of Evidence, of a patient's medical or382
dental records or other communications between a patient and the383
physician or dentist that are related to the action and obtained384
by subpoena, search warrant, or other lawful means. A court that385
permits or compels a physician or dentist to testify in such an386
action or permits the introduction into evidence of patient387
records or other communications in such an action shall require388
that appropriate measures be taken to ensure that the389
confidentiality of any patient named or otherwise identified in390
the records is maintained. Measures to ensure confidentiality that 391
may be taken by the court include sealing its records or deleting 392
specific information from its records.393

       (e)(i) If the communication was between a patient who has 394
since died and the deceased patient's physician or dentist, the 395
communication is relevant to a dispute between parties who claim 396
through that deceased patient, regardless of whether the claims 397
are by testate or intestate succession or by inter vivos 398
transaction, and the dispute addresses the competency of the 399
deceased patient when the deceased patient executed a document 400
that is the basis of the dispute or whether the deceased patient 401
was a victim of fraud, undue influence, or duress when the 402
deceased patient executed a document that is the basis of the 403
dispute.404

       (ii) If neither the spouse of a patient nor the executor or 405
administrator of that patient's estate gives consent under 406
division (B)(1)(a)(ii) of this section, testimony or the 407
disclosure of the patient's medical records by a physician, 408
dentist, or other health care provider under division (B)(1)(e)(i) 409
of this section is a permitted use or disclosure of protected 410
health information, as defined in 45 C.F.R. 160.103, and an 411
authorization or opportunity to be heard shall not be required.412

       (iii) Division (B)(1)(e)(i) of this section does not require 413
a mental health professional to disclose psychotherapy notes, as 414
defined in 45 C.F.R. 164.501.415

       (iv) An interested person who objects to testimony or 416
disclosure under division (B)(1)(e)(i) of this section may seek a 417
protective order pursuant to Civil Rule 26.418

       (v) A person to whom protected health information is 419
disclosed under division (B)(1)(e)(i) of this section shall not 420
use or disclose the protected health information for any purpose 421
other than the litigation or proceeding for which the information 422
was requested and shall return the protected health information to 423
the covered entity or destroy the protected health information, 424
including all copies made, at the conclusion of the litigation or 425
proceeding.426

       (2)(a) If any law enforcement officer submits a written427
statement to a health care provider that states that an official428
criminal investigation has begun regarding a specified person or429
that a criminal action or proceeding has been commenced against a430
specified person, that requests the provider to supply to the431
officer copies of any records the provider possesses that pertain432
to any test or the results of any test administered to the433
specified person to determine the presence or concentration of434
alcohol, a drug of abuse, a combination of them, a controlled 435
substance, or a metabolite of a controlled substance in the 436
person's whole blood, blood serum or plasma, breath, or urine at 437
any time relevant to the criminal offense in question, and that 438
conforms to section 2317.022 of the Revised Code, the provider, 439
except to the extent specifically prohibited by any law of this 440
state or of the United States, shall supply to the officer a copy 441
of any of the requested records the provider possesses. If the 442
health care provider does not possess any of the requested 443
records, the provider shall give the officer a written statement 444
that indicates that the provider does not possess any of the 445
requested records.446

       (b) If a health care provider possesses any records of the447
type described in division (B)(2)(a) of this section regarding the448
person in question at any time relevant to the criminal offense in449
question, in lieu of personally testifying as to the results of450
the test in question, the custodian of the records may submit a451
certified copy of the records, and, upon its submission, the452
certified copy is qualified as authentic evidence and may be453
admitted as evidence in accordance with the Rules of Evidence.454
Division (A) of section 2317.422 of the Revised Code does not455
apply to any certified copy of records submitted in accordance456
with this division. Nothing in this division shall be construed to 457
limit the right of any party to call as a witness the person who458
administered the test to which the records pertain, the person459
under whose supervision the test was administered, the custodian460
of the records, the person who made the records, or the person461
under whose supervision the records were made.462

       (3)(a) If the testimonial privilege described in division463
(B)(1) of this section does not apply as provided in division464
(B)(1)(a)(iii) of this section, a physician or dentist may be465
compelled to testify or to submit to discovery under the Rules of466
Civil Procedure only as to a communication made to the physician467
or dentist by the patient in question in that relation, or the468
physician's or dentist's advice to the patient in question, that469
related causally or historically to physical or mental injuries470
that are relevant to issues in the medical claim, dental claim,471
chiropractic claim, or optometric claim, action for wrongful472
death, other civil action, or claim under Chapter 4123. of the473
Revised Code.474

       (b) If the testimonial privilege described in division (B)(1) 475
of this section does not apply to a physician or dentist as476
provided in division (B)(1)(c) of this section, the physician or477
dentist, in lieu of personally testifying as to the results of the478
test in question, may submit a certified copy of those results,479
and, upon its submission, the certified copy is qualified as480
authentic evidence and may be admitted as evidence in accordance481
with the Rules of Evidence. Division (A) of section 2317.422 of482
the Revised Code does not apply to any certified copy of results483
submitted in accordance with this division. Nothing in this484
division shall be construed to limit the right of any party to485
call as a witness the person who administered the test in486
question, the person under whose supervision the test was487
administered, the custodian of the results of the test, the person488
who compiled the results, or the person under whose supervision489
the results were compiled.490

       (4) The testimonial privilege described in division (B)(1) of 491
this section is not waived when a communication is made by a492
physician to a pharmacist or when there is communication between a493
patient and a pharmacist in furtherance of the physician-patient494
relation.495

       (5)(a) As used in divisions (B)(1) to (4) of this section,496
"communication" means acquiring, recording, or transmitting any497
information, in any manner, concerning any facts, opinions, or498
statements necessary to enable a physician or dentist to diagnose,499
treat, prescribe, or act for a patient. A "communication" may500
include, but is not limited to, any medical or dental, office, or501
hospital communication such as a record, chart, letter,502
memorandum, laboratory test and results, x-ray, photograph,503
financial statement, diagnosis, or prognosis.504

       (b) As used in division (B)(2) of this section, "health care505
provider" means a hospital, ambulatory care facility, long-term506
care facility, pharmacy, emergency facility, or health care507
practitioner.508

       (c) As used in division (B)(5)(b) of this section:509

       (i) "Ambulatory care facility" means a facility that provides510
medical, diagnostic, or surgical treatment to patients who do not511
require hospitalization, including a dialysis center, ambulatory512
surgical facility, cardiac catheterization facility, diagnostic513
imaging center, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy center, home514
health agency, inpatient hospice, birthing center, radiation515
therapy center, emergency facility, and an urgent care center.516
"Ambulatory health care facility" does not include the private517
office of a physician or dentist, whether the office is for an518
individual or group practice.519

       (ii) "Emergency facility" means a hospital emergency520
department or any other facility that provides emergency medical521
services.522

       (iii) "Health care practitioner" has the same meaning as in523
section 4769.01 of the Revised Code.524

       (iv) "Hospital" has the same meaning as in section 3727.01 of525
the Revised Code.526

       (v) "Long-term care facility" means a nursing home,527
residential care facility, or home for the aging, as those terms528
are defined in section 3721.01 of the Revised Code; an adult care529
facility, as defined in section 3722.01 of the Revised Code; a530
nursing facility or intermediate care facility for the mentally531
retarded, as those terms are defined in section 5111.20 of the532
Revised Code; a facility or portion of a facility certified as a533
skilled nursing facility under Title XVIII of the "Social Security534
Act," 49 Stat. 286 (1965), 42 U.S.C.A. 1395, as amended.535

       (vi) "Pharmacy" has the same meaning as in section 4729.01 of536
the Revised Code.537

       (d) As used in divisions (B)(1) and (B)(2) of this section, 538
"drug of abuse" has the same meaning as in section 4506.01 of the 539
Revised Code.540

       (6) Divisions (B)(1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) of this section541
apply to doctors of medicine, doctors of osteopathic medicine,542
doctors of podiatry, and dentists.543

       (7) Nothing in divisions (B)(1) to (6) of this section544
affects, or shall be construed as affecting, the immunity from545
civil liability conferred by section 307.628 of the Revised Code 546
or the immunity from civil liability conferred by section 2305.33 547
of the Revised Code upon physicians who report an employee's use 548
of a drug of abuse, or a condition of an employee other than one549
involving the use of a drug of abuse, to the employer of the550
employee in accordance with division (B) of that section. As used551
in division (B)(7) of this section, "employee," "employer," and552
"physician" have the same meanings as in section 2305.33 of the553
Revised Code.554

       (C)(1) A cleric, when the cleric remains accountable to the 555
authority of that cleric's church, denomination, or sect, 556
concerning a confession made, or any information confidentially 557
communicated, to the cleric for a religious counseling purpose in 558
the cleric's professional character. The cleric may testify by559
express consent of the person making the communication, except560
when the disclosure of the information is in violation of a sacred561
trust and except that, if the person voluntarily testifies or is 562
deemed by division (A)(4)(c) of section 2151.421 of the Revised 563
Code to have waived any testimonial privilege under this division, 564
the cleric may be compelled to testify on the same subject except 565
when disclosure of the information is in violation of a sacred 566
trust.567

       (2) As used in division (C) of this section:568

        (a) "Cleric" means a member of the clergy, rabbi, priest, 569
Christian scienceScience practitioner, or regularly ordained, 570
accredited, or licensed minister of an established and legally 571
cognizable church, denomination, or sect.572

        (b) "Sacred trust" means a confession or confidential 573
communication made to a cleric in the cleric's ecclesiastical 574
capacity in the course of discipline enjoined by the church to 575
which the cleric belongs, including, but not limited to, the 576
Catholic Church, if both of the following apply:577

        (i) The confession or confidential communication was made 578
directly to the cleric.579

        (ii) The confession or confidential communication was made in 580
the manner and context that places the cleric specifically and 581
strictly under a level of confidentiality that is considered 582
inviolate by canon law or church doctrine.583

       (D) Husband or wife, concerning any communication made by one 584
to the other, or an act done by either in the presence of the585
other, during coverture, unless the communication was made, or act586
done, in the known presence or hearing of a third person competent587
to be a witness; and such rule is the same if the marital relation588
has ceased to exist;589

       (E) A person who assigns a claim or interest, concerning any590
matter in respect to which the person would not, if a party, be591
permitted to testify;592

       (F) A person who, if a party, would be restricted under593
section 2317.03 of the Revised Code, when the property or thing is594
sold or transferred by an executor, administrator, guardian,595
trustee, heir, devisee, or legatee, shall be restricted in the596
same manner in any action or proceeding concerning the property or597
thing.598

       (G)(1) A school guidance counselor who holds a valid educator 599
license from the state board of education as provided for in 600
section 3319.22 of the Revised Code, a person licensed under601
Chapter 4757. of the Revised Code as a professional clinical602
counselor, professional counselor, social worker, independent603
social worker, marriage and family therapist or independent 604
marriage and family therapist, or registered under Chapter 4757. 605
of the Revised Code as a social work assistant concerning a 606
confidential communication received from a client in that relation 607
or the person's advice to a client unless any of the following 608
applies:609

       (a) The communication or advice indicates clear and present610
danger to the client or other persons. For the purposes of this611
division, cases in which there are indications of present or past612
child abuse or neglect of the client constitute a clear and613
present danger.614

       (b) The client gives express consent to the testimony.615

       (c) If the client is deceased, the surviving spouse or the616
executor or administrator of the estate of the deceased client617
gives express consent.618

       (d) The client voluntarily testifies, in which case the619
school guidance counselor or person licensed or registered under620
Chapter 4757. of the Revised Code may be compelled to testify on621
the same subject.622

       (e) The court in camera determines that the information623
communicated by the client is not germane to the counselor-client, 624
marriage and family therapist-client, or social worker-client 625
relationship.626

       (f) A court, in an action brought against a school, its627
administration, or any of its personnel by the client, rules after628
an in-camera inspection that the testimony of the school guidance629
counselor is relevant to that action.630

       (g) The testimony is sought in a civil action and concerns631
court-ordered treatment or services received by a patient as part632
of a case plan journalized under section 2151.412 of the Revised633
Code or the court-ordered treatment or services are necessary or634
relevant to dependency, neglect, or abuse or temporary or635
permanent custody proceedings under Chapter 2151. of the Revised636
Code.637

       (2) Nothing in division (G)(1) of this section shall relieve638
a school guidance counselor or a person licensed or registered639
under Chapter 4757. of the Revised Code from the requirement to640
report information concerning child abuse or neglect under section641
2151.421 of the Revised Code.642

       (H) A mediator acting under a mediation order issued under643
division (A) of section 3109.052 of the Revised Code or otherwise644
issued in any proceeding for divorce, dissolution, legal645
separation, annulment, or the allocation of parental rights and646
responsibilities for the care of children, in any action or647
proceeding, other than a criminal, delinquency, child abuse, child648
neglect, or dependent child action or proceeding, that is brought649
by or against either parent who takes part in mediation in650
accordance with the order and that pertains to the mediation651
process, to any information discussed or presented in the652
mediation process, to the allocation of parental rights and653
responsibilities for the care of the parents' children, or to the654
awarding of parenting time rights in relation to their children;655

       (I) A communications assistant, acting within the scope of656
the communication assistant's authority, when providing657
telecommunications relay service pursuant to section 4931.35 of658
the Revised Code or Title II of the "Communications Act of 1934,"659
104 Stat. 366 (1990), 47 U.S.C. 225, concerning a communication660
made through a telecommunications relay service. Nothing in this661
section shall limit the obligation of a communications assistant662
to divulge information or testify when mandated by federal law or663
regulation or pursuant to subpoena in a criminal proceeding.664

       Nothing in this section shall limit any immunity or privilege665
granted under federal law or regulation.666

       (J)(1) A chiropractor in a civil proceeding concerning a667
communication made to the chiropractor by a patient in that668
relation or the chiropractor's advice to a patient, except as669
otherwise provided in this division. The testimonial privilege670
established under this division does not apply, and a chiropractor671
may testify or may be compelled to testify, in any civil action,672
in accordance with the discovery provisions of the Rules of Civil673
Procedure in connection with a civil action, or in connection with674
a claim under Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code, under any of the675
following circumstances:676

       (a) If the patient or the guardian or other legal677
representative of the patient gives express consent.678

       (b) If the patient is deceased, the spouse of the patient or679
the executor or administrator of the patient's estate gives680
express consent.681

       (c) If a medical claim, dental claim, chiropractic claim, or682
optometric claim, as defined in section 2305.113 of the Revised683
Code, an action for wrongful death, any other type of civil684
action, or a claim under Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code is685
filed by the patient, the personal representative of the estate of686
the patient if deceased, or the patient's guardian or other legal687
representative.688

       (2) If the testimonial privilege described in division (J)(1) 689
of this section does not apply as provided in division (J)(1)(c) 690
of this section, a chiropractor may be compelled to testify or to 691
submit to discovery under the Rules of Civil Procedure only as to 692
a communication made to the chiropractor by the patient in 693
question in that relation, or the chiropractor's advice to the694
patient in question, that related causally or historically to695
physical or mental injuries that are relevant to issues in the696
medical claim, dental claim, chiropractic claim, or optometric697
claim, action for wrongful death, other civil action, or claim698
under Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code.699

       (3) The testimonial privilege established under this division 700
does not apply, and a chiropractor may testify or be compelled to 701
testify, in any criminal action or administrative proceeding.702

       (4) As used in this division, "communication" means703
acquiring, recording, or transmitting any information, in any704
manner, concerning any facts, opinions, or statements necessary to705
enable a chiropractor to diagnose, treat, or act for a patient. A706
communication may include, but is not limited to, any707
chiropractic, office, or hospital communication such as a record,708
chart, letter, memorandum, laboratory test and results, x-ray,709
photograph, financial statement, diagnosis, or prognosis.710

       (K)(1) Except as provided under division (K)(2) of this 711
section, a critical incident stress management team member 712
concerning a communication received from an individual who 713
receives crisis response services from the team member, or the 714
team member's advice to the individual, during a debriefing 715
session.716

        (2) The testimonial privilege established under division 717
(K)(1) of this section does not apply if any of the following are 718
true:719

        (a) The communication or advice indicates clear and present 720
danger to the individual who receives crisis response services or 721
to other persons. For purposes of this division, cases in which 722
there are indications of present or past child abuse or neglect of 723
the individual constitute a clear and present danger.724

        (b) The individual who received crisis response services 725
gives express consent to the testimony.726

       (c) If the individual who received crisis response services 727
is deceased, the surviving spouse or the executor or administrator 728
of the estate of the deceased individual gives express consent.729

        (d) The individual who received crisis response services 730
voluntarily testifies, in which case the team member may be 731
compelled to testify on the same subject.732

        (e) The court in camera determines that the information 733
communicated by the individual who received crisis response 734
services is not germane to the relationship between the individual 735
and the team member.736

       (f) The communication or advice pertains or is related to any 737
criminal act.738

       (3) As used in division (K) of this section:739

       (a) "Crisis response services" means consultation, risk 740
assessment, referral, and on-site crisis intervention services 741
provided by a critical incident stress management team to 742
individuals affected by crisis or disaster.743

       (b) "Critical incident stress management team member" or 744
"team member" means an individual specially trained to provide 745
crisis response services as a member of an organized community or 746
local crisis response team that holds membership in the Ohio 747
critical incident stress management network.748

       (c) "Debriefing session" means a session at which crisis 749
response services are rendered by a critical incident stress 750
management team member during or after a crisis or disaster.751

       (L)(1) Subject to division (L)(2) of this section and except752
as provided in division (L)(3) of this section, an employee753
assistance professional, concerning a communication made to the754
employee assistance professional by a client in the employee755
assistance professional's official capacity as an employee756
assistance professional.757

        (2) Division (L)(1) of this section applies to an employee758
assistance professional who meets either or both of the following759
requirements:760

        (a) Is certified by the employee assistance certification761
commission to engage in the employee assistance profession;762

        (b) Has education, training, and experience in all of the763
following:764

        (i) Providing workplace-based services designed to address765
employer and employee productivity issues;766

        (ii) Providing assistance to employees and employees'767
dependents in identifying and finding the means to resolve768
personal problems that affect the employees or the employees'769
performance;770

       (iii) Identifying and resolving productivity problems771
associated with an employee's concerns about any of the following772
matters: health, marriage, family, finances, substance abuse or773
other addiction, workplace, law, and emotional issues;774

       (iv) Selecting and evaluating available community resources;775

        (v) Making appropriate referrals;776

        (vi) Local and national employee assistance agreements;777

        (vii) Client confidentiality.778

        (3) Division (L)(1) of this section does not apply to any of 779
the following:780

        (a) A criminal action or proceeding involving an offense781
under sections 2903.01 to 2903.06 of the Revised Code if the782
employee assistance professional's disclosure or testimony relates783
directly to the facts or immediate circumstances of the offense;784

        (b) A communication made by a client to an employee785
assistance professional that reveals the contemplation or786
commission of a crime or serious, harmful act;787

        (c) A communication that is made by a client who is an788
unemancipated minor or an adult adjudicated to be incompetent and789
indicates that the client was the victim of a crime or abuse;790

       (d) A civil proceeding to determine an individual's mental791
competency or a criminal action in which a plea of not guilty by792
reason of insanity is entered;793

        (e) A civil or criminal malpractice action brought against794
the employee assistance professional;795

        (f) When the employee assistance professional has the express 796
consent of the client or, if the client is deceased or disabled, 797
the client's legal representative;798

        (g) When the testimonial privilege otherwise provided by799
division (L)(1) of this section is abrogated under law.800

       Section 2. That existing sections 1345.09, 2307.60, 2307.71, 801
2307.73, and 2317.02 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.802

       Section 3. The General Assembly declares its intent that the 803
amendments made by this act to sections 2307.71 and 2307.73 of the 804
Revised Code are not intended to be substantive but are intended 805
to clarify the General Assembly's original intent in enacting the 806
Ohio Product Liability Act, sections 2307.71 to 2307.80 of the 807
Revised Code, as initially expressed in Section 3 of Am. Sub. S.B. 808
80 of the 125th General Assembly, to abrogate all common law 809
product liability causes of action including common law public 810
nuisance causes of action, regardless of how the claim is 811
described, styled, captioned, characterized, or designated, 812
including claims against a manufacturer or supplier for a public 813
nuisance allegedly caused by a manufacturer's or supplier's 814
product.815

       Section 4. The General Assembly declares its intent that the 816
amendments made by this act to section 2307.73 of the Revised Code 817
are intended to clarify that section 2307.73 of the Revised Code 818
is intended to follow the Ohio Supreme Court's holdings in 819
Sutowski v. Eli Lilly & Co. (1998), 82 Ohio St.3d 347, and in 820
Horton v. Harwick Chemical Corp. (1995), 73 Ohio St. 3d 679, that 821
a plaintiff in a product liability claim must identify the 822
particular manufacturer of the product that allegedly caused the 823
plaintiff's harm in order to maintain the claim.824

       Section 5.  Section 1345.09 of the Revised Code, as amended 825
by this act, shall take effect on July 1, 2007, and shall apply to 826
actions commenced on or after that date and, to the extent 827
permitted under the constitutions of this state and of the United 828
States, to cases pending on that date.829

       Section 6. The General Assembly declares that the 830
attorney-client privilege is a substantial right and that it is 831
the public policy of Ohio that all communications between an 832
attorney and a client in that relation are worthy of the 833
protection of privilege, and further that where it is alleged that 834
the attorney aided or furthered an ongoing or future commission of 835
insurance bad faith by the client, that the party seeking waiver 836
of the privilege must make a prima facie showing that the 837
privilege should be waived and the court should conduct an in 838
camera inspection of disputed communications. The common law 839
established in Boone v. Vanliner Ins. Co. (2001), 91 Ohio St.3d 840
209, Moskovitz v. Mt. Sinai Med. Ctr. (1994), 69 Ohio St.3d 638, 841
and Peyko v. Frederick (1986), 25 Ohio St.3d 164, is modified 842
accordingly to provide for judicial review regarding the 843
privilege.844

       Section 7.  Section 2317.02 of the Revised Code is presented 845
in this act as a composite of the section as amended by Sub. H.B. 846
144, Sub. S.B. 8, and Am. Sub. S.B. 17 of the 126th General 847
Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in 848
division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments 849
are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous 850
operation, finds that the composite is the resulting version of 851
the section in effect prior to the effective date of the section 852
as presented in this act.853