130th Ohio General Assembly
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Sub. S. B. No. 154  As Reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee
As Reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee

126th General Assembly
Regular Session
2005-2006
Sub. S. B. No. 154


Senator Wachtmann 



A BILL
To amend sections 1.64, 1751.01, 2305.113, 2925.02, 2925.03, 2925.11, 2925.12, 2925.14, 2925.23, 2925.36, 3327.10, 3331.02, 3719.06, 3719.81, 4723.481, 4723.50, 4729.01, 4729.51, 4730.01, 4730.02, 4730.03, 4730.05, 4730.06, 4730.07, 4730.10, 4730.11, 4730.12, 4730.16, 4730.18, 4730.19, 4730.21, 4730.22, 4730.25, 4730.26, 4730.27, 4730.28, 4730.31, 4730.32, 4730.33, 4730.34, 4731.141, and 5903.12; to amend, for the purpose of adopting new section numbers as indicated in parentheses, sections 4730.11 (4730.12), 4730.12 (4730.14), and 4730.18 (4730.15); to enact new sections 4730.11, 4730.17, and 4730.18 and sections 4730.08, 4730.081, 4730.09, 4730.091, 4730.13, 4730.20, 4730.38, 4730.39, 4730.40, 4730.401, and 4730.41 to 4730.52; and to repeal sections 4730.15 and 4730.17 of the Revised Code to revise the laws regarding the practice of physician assistants, including the establishment of physician-delegated prescriptive authority, and to modify the authority of advanced practice nurses to furnish supplies of drugs to patients.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 1.64, 1751.01, 2305.113, 2925.02, 2925.03, 2925.11, 2925.12, 2925.14, 2925.23, 2925.36, 3327.10, 3331.02, 3719.06, 3719.81, 4723.481, 4723.50, 4729.01, 4729.51, 4730.01, 4730.02, 4730.03, 4730.05, 4730.06, 4730.07, 4730.10, 4730.11, 4730.12, 4730.16, 4730.18, 4730.19, 4730.21, 4730.22, 4730.25, 4730.26, 4730.27, 4730.28, 4730.31, 4730.32, 4730.33, 4730.34, 4731.141, and 5903.12 be amended; sections 4730.11 (4730.12), 4730.12 (4730.14), and 4730.18 (4730.15) be amended for the purpose of adopting new section numbers, as indicated in parentheses; and new sections 4730.11, 4730.17, and 4730.18 and sections 4730.08, 4730.081, 4730.09, 4730.091, 4730.13, 4730.20, 4730.38, 4730.39, 4730.40, 4730.401, 4730.41, 4730.42, 4730.43, 4730.44, 4730.45, 4730.46, 4730.47, 4730.48, 4730.49, 4730.50, 4730.51, and 4730.52 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 1.64. As used in the Revised Code:
(A) "Certified nurse-midwife" means a registered nurse who holds a valid certificate of authority issued under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code that authorizes the practice of nursing as a certified nurse-midwife in accordance with section 4723.43 of the Revised Code and rules adopted by the board of nursing.
(B) "Certified nurse practitioner" means a registered nurse who holds a valid certificate of authority issued under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code that authorizes the practice of nursing as a certified nurse practitioner in accordance with section 4723.43 of the Revised Code and rules adopted by the board of nursing.
(C) "Clinical nurse specialist" means a registered nurse who holds a valid certificate of authority issued under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code that authorizes the practice of nursing as a clinical nurse specialist in accordance with section 4723.43 of the Revised Code and rules adopted by the board of nursing.
(D) "Physician assistant" means an individual who holds a valid certificate of authority to practice issued under Chapter 4730. of the Revised Code authorizing the individual to provide services as a physician assistant to patients under the supervision, control, and direction of one or more physicians.
Sec. 1751.01.  As used in this chapter:
(A) "Basic health care services" means the following services when medically necessary:
(1) Physician's services, except when such services are supplemental under division (B) of this section;
(2) Inpatient hospital services;
(3) Outpatient medical services;
(4) Emergency health services;
(5) Urgent care services;
(6) Diagnostic laboratory services and diagnostic and therapeutic radiologic services;
(7) Preventive health care services, including, but not limited to, voluntary family planning services, infertility services, periodic physical examinations, prenatal obstetrical care, and well-child care.
"Basic health care services" does not include experimental procedures.
A health insuring corporation shall not offer coverage for a health care service, defined as a basic health care service by this division, unless it offers coverage for all listed basic health care services. However, this requirement does not apply to the coverage of beneficiaries enrolled in Title XVIII of the "Social Security Act," 49 Stat. 620 (1935), 42 U.S.C.A. 301, as amended, pursuant to a medicare contract, or to the coverage of beneficiaries enrolled in the federal employee health benefits program pursuant to 5 U.S.C.A. 8905, or to the coverage of beneficiaries enrolled in Title XIX of the "Social Security Act," 49 Stat. 620 (1935), 42 U.S.C.A. 301, as amended, known as the medical assistance program or medicaid, provided by the department of job and family services under Chapter 5111. of the Revised Code, or to the coverage of beneficiaries under any federal health care program regulated by a federal regulatory body, or to the coverage of beneficiaries under any contract covering officers or employees of the state that has been entered into by the department of administrative services.
(B) "Supplemental health care services" means any health care services other than basic health care services that a health insuring corporation may offer, alone or in combination with either basic health care services or other supplemental health care services, and includes:
(1) Services of facilities for intermediate or long-term care, or both;
(2) Dental care services;
(3) Vision care and optometric services including lenses and frames;
(4) Podiatric care or foot care services;
(5) Mental health services including psychological services;
(6) Short-term outpatient evaluative and crisis-intervention mental health services;
(7) Medical or psychological treatment and referral services for alcohol and drug abuse or addiction;
(8) Home health services;
(9) Prescription drug services;
(10) Nursing services;
(11) Services of a dietitian licensed under Chapter 4759. of the Revised Code;
(12) Physical therapy services;
(13) Chiropractic services;
(14) Any other category of services approved by the superintendent of insurance.
(C) "Specialty health care services" means one of the supplemental health care services listed in division (B)(1) to (13) of this section, when provided by a health insuring corporation on an outpatient-only basis and not in combination with other supplemental health care services.
(D) "Closed panel plan" means a health care plan that requires enrollees to use participating providers.
(E) "Compensation" means remuneration for the provision of health care services, determined on other than a fee-for-service or discounted-fee-for-service basis.
(F) "Contractual periodic prepayment" means the formula for determining the premium rate for all subscribers of a health insuring corporation.
(G) "Corporation" means a corporation formed under Chapter 1701. or 1702. of the Revised Code or the similar laws of another state.
(H) "Emergency health services" means those health care services that must be available on a seven-days-per-week, twenty-four-hours-per-day basis in order to prevent jeopardy to an enrollee's health status that would occur if such services were not received as soon as possible, and includes, where appropriate, provisions for transportation and indemnity payments or service agreements for out-of-area coverage.
(I) "Enrollee" means any natural person who is entitled to receive health care benefits provided by a health insuring corporation.
(J) "Evidence of coverage" means any certificate, agreement, policy, or contract issued to a subscriber that sets out the coverage and other rights to which such person is entitled under a health care plan.
(K) "Health care facility" means any facility, except a health care practitioner's office, that provides preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, acute convalescent, rehabilitation, mental health, mental retardation, intermediate care, or skilled nursing services.
(L) "Health care services" means basic, supplemental, and specialty health care services.
(M) "Health delivery network" means any group of providers or health care facilities, or both, or any representative thereof, that have entered into an agreement to offer health care services in a panel rather than on an individual basis.
(N) "Health insuring corporation" means a corporation, as defined in division (G) of this section, that, pursuant to a policy, contract, certificate, or agreement, pays for, reimburses, or provides, delivers, arranges for, or otherwise makes available, basic health care services, supplemental health care services, or specialty health care services, or a combination of basic health care services and either supplemental health care services or specialty health care services, through either an open panel plan or a closed panel plan.
"Health insuring corporation" does not include a limited liability company formed pursuant to Chapter 1705. of the Revised Code, an insurer licensed under Title XXXIX of the Revised Code if that insurer offers only open panel plans under which all providers and health care facilities participating receive their compensation directly from the insurer, a corporation formed by or on behalf of a political subdivision or a department, office, or institution of the state, or a public entity formed by or on behalf of a board of county commissioners, a county board of mental retardation and developmental disabilities, an alcohol and drug addiction services board, a board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services, or a community mental health board, as those terms are used in Chapters 340. and 5126. of the Revised Code. Except as provided by division (D) of section 1751.02 of the Revised Code, or as otherwise provided by law, no board, commission, agency, or other entity under the control of a political subdivision may accept insurance risk in providing for health care services. However, nothing in this division shall be construed as prohibiting such entities from purchasing the services of a health insuring corporation or a third-party administrator licensed under Chapter 3959. of the Revised Code.
(O) "Intermediary organization" means a health delivery network or other entity that contracts with licensed health insuring corporations or self-insured employers, or both, to provide health care services, and that enters into contractual arrangements with other entities for the provision of health care services for the purpose of fulfilling the terms of its contracts with the health insuring corporations and self-insured employers.
(P) "Intermediate care" means residential care above the level of room and board for patients who require personal assistance and health-related services, but who do not require skilled nursing care.
(Q) "Medical record" means the personal information that relates to an individual's physical or mental condition, medical history, or medical treatment.
(R)(1) "Open panel plan" means a health care plan that provides incentives for enrollees to use participating providers and that also allows enrollees to use providers that are not participating providers.
(2) No health insuring corporation may offer an open panel plan, unless the health insuring corporation is also licensed as an insurer under Title XXXIX of the Revised Code, the health insuring corporation, on June 4, 1997, holds a certificate of authority or license to operate under Chapter 1736. or 1740. of the Revised Code, or an insurer licensed under Title XXXIX of the Revised Code is responsible for the out-of-network risk as evidenced by both an evidence of coverage filing under section 1751.11 of the Revised Code and a policy and certificate filing under section 3923.02 of the Revised Code.
(S) "Panel" means a group of providers or health care facilities that have joined together to deliver health care services through a contractual arrangement with a health insuring corporation, employer group, or other payor.
(T) "Person" has the same meaning as in section 1.59 of the Revised Code, and, unless the context otherwise requires, includes any insurance company holding a certificate of authority under Title XXXIX of the Revised Code, any subsidiary and affiliate of an insurance company, and any government agency.
(U) "Premium rate" means any set fee regularly paid by a subscriber to a health insuring corporation. A "premium rate" does not include a one-time membership fee, an annual administrative fee, or a nominal access fee, paid to a managed health care system under which the recipient of health care services remains solely responsible for any charges accessed for those services by the provider or health care facility.
(V) "Primary care provider" means a provider that is designated by a health insuring corporation to supervise, coordinate, or provide initial care or continuing care to an enrollee, and that may be required by the health insuring corporation to initiate a referral for specialty care and to maintain supervision of the health care services rendered to the enrollee.
(W) "Provider" means any natural person or partnership of natural persons who are licensed, certified, accredited, or otherwise authorized in this state to furnish health care services, or any professional association organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, provided that nothing in this chapter or other provisions of law shall be construed to preclude a health insuring corporation, health care practitioner, or organized health care group associated with a health insuring corporation from employing certified nurse practitioners, certified nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives, dietitians, physicians' physician assistants, dental assistants, dental hygienists, optometric technicians, or other allied health personnel who are licensed, certified, accredited, or otherwise authorized in this state to furnish health care services.
(X) "Provider sponsored organization" means a corporation, as defined in division (G) of this section, that is at least eighty per cent owned or controlled by one or more hospitals, as defined in section 3727.01 of the Revised Code, or one or more physicians licensed to practice medicine or surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code, or any combination of such physicians and hospitals. Such control is presumed to exist if at least eighty per cent of the voting rights or governance rights of a provider sponsored organization are directly or indirectly owned, controlled, or otherwise held by any combination of the physicians and hospitals described in this division.
(Y) "Solicitation document" means the written materials provided to prospective subscribers or enrollees, or both, and used for advertising and marketing to induce enrollment in the health care plans of a health insuring corporation.
(Z) "Subscriber" means a person who is responsible for making payments to a health insuring corporation for participation in a health care plan, or an enrollee whose employment or other status is the basis of eligibility for enrollment in a health insuring corporation.
(AA) "Urgent care services" means those health care services that are appropriately provided for an unforeseen condition of a kind that usually requires medical attention without delay but that does not pose a threat to the life, limb, or permanent health of the injured or ill person, and may include such health care services provided out of the health insuring corporation's approved service area pursuant to indemnity payments or service agreements.
Sec. 2305.113. (A) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an action upon a medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim shall be commenced within one year after the cause of action accrued.
(B)(1) If prior to the expiration of the one-year period specified in division (A) of this section, a claimant who allegedly possesses a medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim gives to the person who is the subject of that claim written notice that the claimant is considering bringing an action upon that claim, that action may be commenced against the person notified at any time within one hundred eighty days after the notice is so given.
(2) An insurance company shall not consider the existence or nonexistence of a written notice described in division (B)(1) of this section in setting the liability insurance premium rates that the company may charge the company's insured person who is notified by that written notice.
(C) Except as to persons within the age of minority or of unsound mind as provided by section 2305.16 of the Revised Code, and except as provided in division (D) of this section, both of the following apply:
(1) No action upon a medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim shall be commenced more than four years after the occurrence of the act or omission constituting the alleged basis of the medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim.
(2) If an action upon a medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim is not commenced within four years after the occurrence of the act or omission constituting the alleged basis of the medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim, then, any action upon that claim is barred.
(D)(1) If a person making a medical claim, dental claim, optometric claim, or chiropractic claim, in the exercise of reasonable care and diligence, could not have discovered the injury resulting from the act or omission constituting the alleged basis of the claim within three years after the occurrence of the act or omission, but, in the exercise of reasonable care and diligence, discovers the injury resulting from that act or omission before the expiration of the four-year period specified in division (C)(1) of this section, the person may commence an action upon the claim not later than one year after the person discovers the injury resulting from that act or omission.
(2) If the alleged basis of a medical claim, dental claim, optometric claim, or chiropractic claim is the occurrence of an act or omission that involves a foreign object that is left in the body of the person making the claim, the person may commence an action upon the claim not later than one year after the person discovered the foreign object or not later than one year after the person, with reasonable care and diligence, should have discovered the foreign object.
(3) A person who commences an action upon a medical claim, dental claim, optometric claim, or chiropractic claim under the circumstances described in division (D)(1) or (2) of this section has the affirmative burden of proving, by clear and convincing evidence, that the person, with reasonable care and diligence, could not have discovered the injury resulting from the act or omission constituting the alleged basis of the claim within the three-year period described in division (D)(1) of this section or within the one-year period described in division (D)(2) of this section, whichever is applicable.
(E) As used in this section:
(1) "Hospital" includes any person, corporation, association, board, or authority that is responsible for the operation of any hospital licensed or registered in the state, including, but not limited to, those that are owned or operated by the state, political subdivisions, any person, any corporation, or any combination of the state, political subdivisions, persons, and corporations. "Hospital" also includes any person, corporation, association, board, entity, or authority that is responsible for the operation of any clinic that employs a full-time staff of physicians practicing in more than one recognized medical specialty and rendering advice, diagnosis, care, and treatment to individuals. "Hospital" does not include any hospital operated by the government of the United States or any of its branches.
(2) "Physician" means a person who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery by the state medical board or a person who otherwise is authorized to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in this state.
(3) "Medical claim" means any claim that is asserted in any civil action against a physician, podiatrist, hospital, home, or residential facility, against any employee or agent of a physician, podiatrist, hospital, home, or residential facility, or against a licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, advanced practice nurse, physical therapist, physician assistant, emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-intermediate, or emergency medical technician-paramedic, and that arises out of the medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of any person. "Medical claim" includes the following:
(a) Derivative claims for relief that arise from the medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of a person;
(b) Claims that arise out of the medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of any person and to which either of the following applies:
(i) The claim results from acts or omissions in providing medical care.
(ii) The claim results from the hiring, training, supervision, retention, or termination of caregivers providing medical diagnosis, care, or treatment.
(c) Claims that arise out of the medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of any person and that are brought under section 3721.17 of the Revised Code.
(4) "Podiatrist" means any person who is licensed to practice podiatric medicine and surgery by the state medical board.
(5) "Dentist" means any person who is licensed to practice dentistry by the state dental board.
(6) "Dental claim" means any claim that is asserted in any civil action against a dentist, or against any employee or agent of a dentist, and that arises out of a dental operation or the dental diagnosis, care, or treatment of any person. "Dental claim" includes derivative claims for relief that arise from a dental operation or the dental diagnosis, care, or treatment of a person.
(7) "Derivative claims for relief" include, but are not limited to, claims of a parent, guardian, custodian, or spouse of an individual who was the subject of any medical diagnosis, care, or treatment, dental diagnosis, care, or treatment, dental operation, optometric diagnosis, care, or treatment, or chiropractic diagnosis, care, or treatment, that arise from that diagnosis, care, treatment, or operation, and that seek the recovery of damages for any of the following:
(a) Loss of society, consortium, companionship, care, assistance, attention, protection, advice, guidance, counsel, instruction, training, or education, or any other intangible loss that was sustained by the parent, guardian, custodian, or spouse;
(b) Expenditures of the parent, guardian, custodian, or spouse for medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic care or treatment, for rehabilitation services, or for other care, treatment, services, products, or accommodations provided to the individual who was the subject of the medical diagnosis, care, or treatment, the dental diagnosis, care, or treatment, the dental operation, the optometric diagnosis, care, or treatment, or the chiropractic diagnosis, care, or treatment.
(8) "Registered nurse" means any person who is licensed to practice nursing as a registered nurse by the board of nursing.
(9) "Chiropractic claim" means any claim that is asserted in any civil action against a chiropractor, or against any employee or agent of a chiropractor, and that arises out of the chiropractic diagnosis, care, or treatment of any person. "Chiropractic claim" includes derivative claims for relief that arise from the chiropractic diagnosis, care, or treatment of a person.
(10) "Chiropractor" means any person who is licensed to practice chiropractic by the state chiropractic board.
(11) "Optometric claim" means any claim that is asserted in any civil action against an optometrist, or against any employee or agent of an optometrist, and that arises out of the optometric diagnosis, care, or treatment of any person. "Optometric claim" includes derivative claims for relief that arise from the optometric diagnosis, care, or treatment of a person.
(12) "Optometrist" means any person licensed to practice optometry by the state board of optometry.
(13) "Physical therapist" means any person who is licensed to practice physical therapy under Chapter 4755. of the Revised Code.
(14) "Home" has the same meaning as in section 3721.10 of the Revised Code.
(15) "Residential facility" means a facility licensed under section 5123.19 of the Revised Code.
(16) "Advanced practice nurse" means any certified nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified registered nurse anesthetist, or certified nurse-midwife who holds a certificate of authority issued by the board of nursing under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code.
(17) "Licensed practical nurse" means any person who is licensed to practice nursing as a licensed practical nurse by the board of nursing pursuant to Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code.
(18) "Physician assistant" means any person who holds a valid certificate of registration or temporary certificate of registration to practice issued pursuant to Chapter 4730. of the Revised Code.
(19) "Emergency medical technician-basic," "emergency medical technician-intermediate," and "emergency medical technician-paramedic" means any person who is certified under Chapter 4765. of the Revised Code as an emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-intermediate, or emergency medical technician-paramedic, whichever is applicable.
Sec. 2925.02.  (A) No person shall knowingly do any of the following:
(1) By force, threat, or deception, administer to another or induce or cause another to use a controlled substance;
(2) By any means, administer or furnish to another or induce or cause another to use a controlled substance with purpose to cause serious physical harm to the other person, or with purpose to cause the other person to become drug dependent;
(3) By any means, administer or furnish to another or induce or cause another to use a controlled substance, and thereby cause serious physical harm to the other person, or cause the other person to become drug dependent;
(4) By any means, do any of the following:
(a) Furnish or administer a controlled substance to a juvenile who is at least two years the offender's junior, when the offender knows the age of the juvenile or is reckless in that regard;
(b) Induce or cause a juvenile who is at least two years the offender's junior to use a controlled substance, when the offender knows the age of the juvenile or is reckless in that regard;
(c) Induce or cause a juvenile who is at least two years the offender's junior to commit a felony drug abuse offense, when the offender knows the age of the juvenile or is reckless in that regard;
(d) Use a juvenile, whether or not the offender knows the age of the juvenile, to perform any surveillance activity that is intended to prevent the detection of the offender or any other person in the commission of a felony drug abuse offense or to prevent the arrest of the offender or any other person for the commission of a felony drug abuse offense.
(B) Division (A)(1), (3), or (4) of this section does not apply to manufacturers, wholesalers, licensed health professionals authorized to prescribe drugs, pharmacists, owners of pharmacies, and other persons whose conduct is in accordance with Chapters 3719., 4715., 4723., 4729., 4730., 4731., and 4741. of the Revised Code.
(C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of corrupting another with drugs. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the drug involved is any compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule I or II, with the exception of marihuana, corrupting another with drugs is a felony of the second degree, and, subject to division (E) of this section, the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree. If the drug involved is any compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule I or II, with the exception of marihuana, and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school, corrupting another with drugs is a felony of the first degree, and, subject to division (E) of this section, the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the drug involved is any compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule III, IV, or V, corrupting another with drugs is a felony of the second degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense. If the drug involved is any compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule III, IV, or V and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school, corrupting another with drugs is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the drug involved is marihuana, corrupting another with drugs is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender. If the drug involved is marihuana and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school, corrupting another with drugs is a felony of the third degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(D) In addition to any prison term authorized or required by division (C) or (E) of this section and sections 2929.13 and 2929.14 of the Revised Code and in addition to any other sanction imposed for the offense under this section or sections 2929.11 to 2929.18 of the Revised Code, the court that sentences an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (A) of this section or the clerk of that court shall do all of the following that are applicable regarding the offender:
(1)(a) If the violation is a felony of the first, second, or third degree, the court shall impose upon the offender the mandatory fine specified for the offense under division (B)(1) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code unless, as specified in that division, the court determines that the offender is indigent.
(b) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 3719.21 of the Revised Code, any mandatory fine imposed pursuant to division (D)(1)(a) of this section and any fine imposed for a violation of this section pursuant to division (A) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code shall be paid by the clerk of the court in accordance with and subject to the requirements of, and shall be used as specified in, division (F) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code.
(c) If a person is charged with any violation of this section that is a felony of the first, second, or third degree, posts bail, and forfeits the bail, the forfeited bail shall be paid by the clerk of the court pursuant to division (D)(1)(b) of this section as if it were a fine imposed for a violation of this section.
(2) The court shall suspend for not less than six months nor more than five years the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit. If an offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit is suspended pursuant to this division, the offender, at any time after the expiration of two years from the day on which the offender's sentence was imposed or from the day on which the offender finally was released from a prison term under the sentence, whichever is later, may file a motion with the sentencing court requesting termination of the suspension. Upon the filing of the motion and the court's finding of good cause for the termination, the court may terminate the suspension.
(3) If the offender is a professionally licensed person , in addition to any other sanction imposed for a violation of this section, the court immediately shall comply with section 2925.38 of the Revised Code.
(E) Notwithstanding the prison term otherwise authorized or required for the offense under division (C) of this section and sections 2929.13 and 2929.14 of the Revised Code, if the violation of division (A) of this section involves the sale, offer to sell, or possession of a schedule I or II controlled substance, with the exception of marihuana, and if the court imposing sentence upon the offender finds that the offender as a result of the violation is a major drug offender and is guilty of a specification of the type described in section 2941.1410 of the Revised Code, the court, in lieu of the prison term that otherwise is authorized or required, shall impose upon the offender the mandatory prison term specified in division (D)(3)(a) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code and may impose an additional prison term under division (D)(3)(b) of that section.
Sec. 2925.03.  (A) No person shall knowingly do any of the following:
(1) Sell or offer to sell a controlled substance;
(2) Prepare for shipment, ship, transport, deliver, prepare for distribution, or distribute a controlled substance, when the offender knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the controlled substance is intended for sale or resale by the offender or another person.
(B) This section does not apply to any of the following:
(1) Manufacturers, licensed health professionals authorized to prescribe drugs, pharmacists, owners of pharmacies, and other persons whose conduct is in accordance with Chapters 3719., 4715., 4723., 4729., 4730., 4731., and 4741. of the Revised Code;
(2) If the offense involves an anabolic steroid, any person who is conducting or participating in a research project involving the use of an anabolic steroid if the project has been approved by the United States food and drug administration;
(3) Any person who sells, offers for sale, prescribes, dispenses, or administers for livestock or other nonhuman species an anabolic steroid that is expressly intended for administration through implants to livestock or other nonhuman species and approved for that purpose under the "Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act," 52 Stat. 1040 (1938), 21 U.S.C.A. 301, as amended, and is sold, offered for sale, prescribed, dispensed, or administered for that purpose in accordance with that act.
(C) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of one of the following:
(1) If the drug involved in the violation is any compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule I or schedule II, with the exception of marihuana, cocaine, L.S.D., heroin, and hashish, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of aggravated trafficking in drugs. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(1)(b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) of this section, aggravated trafficking in drugs is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(1)(c), (d), (e), or (f) of this section, if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, aggravated trafficking in drugs is a felony of the third degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds the bulk amount but is less than five times the bulk amount, aggravated trafficking in drugs is a felony of the third degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the third degree. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, aggravated trafficking in drugs is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five times the bulk amount but is less than fifty times the bulk amount, aggravated trafficking in drugs is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, aggravated trafficking in drugs is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(e) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds fifty times the bulk amount but is less than one hundred times the bulk amount and regardless of whether the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, aggravated trafficking in drugs is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(f) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one hundred times the bulk amount and regardless of whether the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, aggravated trafficking in drugs is a felony of the first degree, the offender is a major drug offender, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the first degree and may impose an additional prison term prescribed for a major drug offender under division (D)(3)(b) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code.
(2) If the drug involved in the violation is any compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule III, IV, or V, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of trafficking in drugs. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2)(b), (c), (d), or (e) of this section, trafficking in drugs is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2)(c), (d), or (e) of this section, if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in drugs is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds the bulk amount but is less than five times the bulk amount, trafficking in drugs is a felony of the fourth degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in drugs is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five times the bulk amount but is less than fifty times the bulk amount, trafficking in drugs is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in drugs is a felony of the second degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.
(e) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds fifty times the bulk amount, trafficking in drugs is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree. If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds fifty times the bulk amount and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in drugs is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(3) If the drug involved in the violation is marihuana or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance containing marihuana other than hashish, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of trafficking in marihuana. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(3)(b), (c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this section, trafficking in marihuana is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(3)(c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this section, if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in marihuana is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds two hundred grams but is less than one thousand grams, trafficking in marihuana is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in marihuana is a felony of the third degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one thousand grams but is less than five thousand grams, trafficking in marihuana is a felony of the third degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in marihuana is a felony of the second degree, and there is a presumption that a prison term shall be imposed for the offense.
(e) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five thousand grams but is less than twenty thousand grams, trafficking in marihuana is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption that a prison term shall be imposed for the offense. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in marihuana is a felony of the second degree, and there is a presumption that a prison term shall be imposed for the offense.
(f) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds twenty thousand grams, trafficking in marihuana is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the second degree. If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds twenty thousand grams and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in marihuana is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(g) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the offense involves a gift of twenty grams or less of marihuana, trafficking in marihuana is a minor misdemeanor upon a first offense and a misdemeanor of the third degree upon a subsequent offense. If the offense involves a gift of twenty grams or less of marihuana and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in marihuana is a misdemeanor of the third degree.
(4) If the drug involved in the violation is cocaine or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance containing cocaine, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of trafficking in cocaine. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(4)(b), (c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this section, trafficking in cocaine is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(4)(c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this section, if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in cocaine is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five grams but is less than ten grams of cocaine that is not crack cocaine or equals or exceeds one gram but is less than five grams of crack cocaine, trafficking in cocaine is a felony of the fourth degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense. If the amount of the drug involved is within one of those ranges and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in cocaine is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds ten grams but is less than one hundred grams of cocaine that is not crack cocaine or equals or exceeds five grams but is less than ten grams of crack cocaine, trafficking in cocaine is a felony of the third degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the third degree. If the amount of the drug involved is within one of those ranges and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in cocaine is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(e) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one hundred grams but is less than five hundred grams of cocaine that is not crack cocaine or equals or exceeds ten grams but is less than twenty-five grams of crack cocaine, trafficking in cocaine is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree. If the amount of the drug involved is within one of those ranges and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in cocaine is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(f) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five hundred grams but is less than one thousand grams of cocaine that is not crack cocaine or equals or exceeds twenty-five grams but is less than one hundred grams of crack cocaine and regardless of whether the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in cocaine is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(g) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one thousand grams of cocaine that is not crack cocaine or equals or exceeds one hundred grams of crack cocaine and regardless of whether the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in cocaine is a felony of the first degree, the offender is a major drug offender, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the first degree and may impose an additional mandatory prison term prescribed for a major drug offender under division (D)(3)(b) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code.
(5) If the drug involved in the violation is L.S.D. or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance containing L.S.D., whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of trafficking in L.S.D. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(5)(b), (c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this section, trafficking in L.S.D. is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(5)(c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this section, if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in L.S.D. is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds ten unit doses but is less than fifty unit doses of L.S.D. in a solid form or equals or exceeds one gram but is less than five grams of L.S.D. in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, trafficking in L.S.D. is a felony of the fourth degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in L.S.D. is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds fifty unit doses but is less than two hundred fifty unit doses of L.S.D. in a solid form or equals or exceeds five grams but is less than twenty-five grams of L.S.D. in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, trafficking in L.S.D. is a felony of the third degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the third degree. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in L.S.D. is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(e) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds two hundred fifty unit doses but is less than one thousand unit doses of L.S.D. in a solid form or equals or exceeds twenty-five grams but is less than one hundred grams of L.S.D. in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, trafficking in L.S.D. is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in L.S.D. is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(f) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one thousand unit doses but is less than five thousand unit doses of L.S.D. in a solid form or equals or exceeds one hundred grams but is less than five hundred grams of L.S.D. in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form and regardless of whether the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in L.S.D. is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(g) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five thousand unit doses of L.S.D. in a solid form or equals or exceeds five hundred grams of L.S.D. in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form and regardless of whether the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in L.S.D. is a felony of the first degree, the offender is a major drug offender, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the first degree and may impose an additional mandatory prison term prescribed for a major drug offender under division (D)(3)(b) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code.
(6) If the drug involved in the violation is heroin or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance containing heroin, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of trafficking in heroin. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(6)(b), (c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this section, trafficking in heroin is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(6)(c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this section, if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in heroin is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds ten unit doses but is less than fifty unit doses or equals or exceeds one gram but is less than five grams, trafficking in heroin is a felony of the fourth degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in heroin is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds fifty unit doses but is less than one hundred unit doses or equals or exceeds five grams but is less than ten grams, trafficking in heroin is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in heroin is a felony of the second degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.
(e) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one hundred unit doses but is less than five hundred unit doses or equals or exceeds ten grams but is less than fifty grams, trafficking in heroin is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in heroin is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(f) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five hundred unit doses but is less than two thousand five hundred unit doses or equals or exceeds fifty grams but is less than two hundred fifty grams and regardless of whether the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in heroin is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(g) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds two thousand five hundred unit doses or equals or exceeds two hundred fifty grams and regardless of whether the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in heroin is a felony of the first degree, the offender is a major drug offender, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the first degree and may impose an additional mandatory prison term prescribed for a major drug offender under division (D)(3)(b) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code.
(7) If the drug involved in the violation is hashish or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance containing hashish, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of trafficking in hashish. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(7)(b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) of this section, trafficking in hashish is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(7)(c), (d), (e), or (f) of this section, if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in hashish is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds ten grams but is less than fifty grams of hashish in a solid form or equals or exceeds two grams but is less than ten grams of hashish in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, trafficking in hashish is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in hashish is a felony of the third degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds fifty grams but is less than two hundred fifty grams of hashish in a solid form or equals or exceeds ten grams but is less than fifty grams of hashish in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, trafficking in hashish is a felony of the third degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in hashish is a felony of the second degree, and there is a presumption that a prison term shall be imposed for the offense.
(e) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds two hundred fifty grams but is less than one thousand grams of hashish in a solid form or equals or exceeds fifty grams but is less than two hundred grams of hashish in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, trafficking in hashish is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption that a prison term shall be imposed for the offense. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in hashish is a felony of the second degree, and there is a presumption that a prison term shall be imposed for the offense.
(f) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one thousand grams of hashish in a solid form or equals or exceeds two hundred grams of hashish in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, trafficking in hashish is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the second degree. If the amount of the drug involved is within that range and if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, trafficking in hashish is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(D) In addition to any prison term authorized or required by division (C) of this section and sections 2929.13 and 2929.14 of the Revised Code, and in addition to any other sanction imposed for the offense under this section or sections 2929.11 to 2929.18 of the Revised Code, the court that sentences an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (A) of this section shall do all of the following that are applicable regarding the offender:
(1) If the violation of division (A) of this section is a felony of the first, second, or third degree, the court shall impose upon the offender the mandatory fine specified for the offense under division (B)(1) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code unless, as specified in that division, the court determines that the offender is indigent. Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(1) of this section, a mandatory fine or any other fine imposed for a violation of this section is subject to division (F) of this section. If a person is charged with a violation of this section that is a felony of the first, second, or third degree, posts bail, and forfeits the bail, the clerk of the court shall pay the forfeited bail pursuant to divisions (D)(1) and (F) of this section, as if the forfeited bail was a fine imposed for a violation of this section. If any amount of the forfeited bail remains after that payment and if a fine is imposed under division (H)(1) of this section, the clerk of the court shall pay the remaining amount of the forfeited bail pursuant to divisions (H)(2) and (3) of this section, as if that remaining amount was a fine imposed under division (H)(1) of this section.
(2) The court shall suspend the driver's or commercial driver's license or permit of the offender in accordance with division (G) of this section.
(3) If the offender is a professionally licensed person, the court immediately shall comply with section 2925.38 of the Revised Code.
(E) When a person is charged with the sale of or offer to sell a bulk amount or a multiple of a bulk amount of a controlled substance, the jury, or the court trying the accused, shall determine the amount of the controlled substance involved at the time of the offense and, if a guilty verdict is returned, shall return the findings as part of the verdict. In any such case, it is unnecessary to find and return the exact amount of the controlled substance involved, and it is sufficient if the finding and return is to the effect that the amount of the controlled substance involved is the requisite amount, or that the amount of the controlled substance involved is less than the requisite amount.
(F)(1) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 3719.21 of the Revised Code and except as provided in division (H) of this section, the clerk of the court shall pay any mandatory fine imposed pursuant to division (D)(1) of this section and any fine other than a mandatory fine that is imposed for a violation of this section pursuant to division (A) or (B)(5) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code to the county, township, municipal corporation, park district, as created pursuant to section 511.18 or 1545.04 of the Revised Code, or state law enforcement agencies in this state that primarily were responsible for or involved in making the arrest of, and in prosecuting, the offender. However, the clerk shall not pay a mandatory fine so imposed to a law enforcement agency unless the agency has adopted a written internal control policy under division (F)(2) of this section that addresses the use of the fine moneys that it receives. Each agency shall use the mandatory fines so paid to subsidize the agency's law enforcement efforts that pertain to drug offenses, in accordance with the written internal control policy adopted by the recipient agency under division (F)(2) of this section.
(2)(a) Prior to receiving any fine moneys under division (F)(1) of this section or division (B)(5) of section 2925.42 of the Revised Code, a law enforcement agency shall adopt a written internal control policy that addresses the agency's use and disposition of all fine moneys so received and that provides for the keeping of detailed financial records of the receipts of those fine moneys, the general types of expenditures made out of those fine moneys, and the specific amount of each general type of expenditure. The policy shall not provide for or permit the identification of any specific expenditure that is made in an ongoing investigation. All financial records of the receipts of those fine moneys, the general types of expenditures made out of those fine moneys, and the specific amount of each general type of expenditure by an agency are public records open for inspection under section 149.43 of the Revised Code. Additionally, a written internal control policy adopted under this division is such a public record, and the agency that adopted it shall comply with it.
(b) Each law enforcement agency that receives in any calendar year any fine moneys under division (F)(1) of this section or division (B)(5) of section 2925.42 of the Revised Code shall prepare a report covering the calendar year that cumulates all of the information contained in all of the public financial records kept by the agency pursuant to division (F)(2)(a) of this section for that calendar year, and shall send a copy of the cumulative report, no later than the first day of March in the calendar year following the calendar year covered by the report, to the attorney general. Each report received by the attorney general is a public record open for inspection under section 149.43 of the Revised Code. Not later than the fifteenth day of April in the calendar year in which the reports are received, the attorney general shall send to the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives a written notification that does all of the following:
(i) Indicates that the attorney general has received from law enforcement agencies reports of the type described in this division that cover the previous calendar year and indicates that the reports were received under this division;
(ii) Indicates that the reports are open for inspection under section 149.43 of the Revised Code;
(iii) Indicates that the attorney general will provide a copy of any or all of the reports to the president of the senate or the speaker of the house of representatives upon request.
(3) As used in division (F) of this section:
(a) "Law enforcement agencies" includes, but is not limited to, the state board of pharmacy and the office of a prosecutor.
(b) "Prosecutor" has the same meaning as in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code.
(G) When required under division (D)(2) of this section or any other provision of this chapter, the court shall suspend for not less than six months or more than five years the driver's or commercial driver's license or permit of any person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to any violation of this section or any other specified provision of this chapter. If an offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit is suspended pursuant to this division, the offender, at any time after the expiration of two years from the day on which the offender's sentence was imposed or from the day on which the offender finally was released from a prison term under the sentence, whichever is later, may file a motion with the sentencing court requesting termination of the suspension; upon the filing of such a motion and the court's finding of good cause for the termination, the court may terminate the suspension.
(H)(1) In addition to any prison term authorized or required by division (C) of this section and sections 2929.13 and 2929.14 of the Revised Code, in addition to any other penalty or sanction imposed for the offense under this section or sections 2929.11 to 2929.18 of the Revised Code, and in addition to the forfeiture of property in connection with the offense as prescribed in sections 2925.42 to 2925.45 of the Revised Code, the court that sentences an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (A) of this section may impose upon the offender an additional fine specified for the offense in division (B)(4) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code. A fine imposed under division (H)(1) of this section is not subject to division (F) of this section and shall be used solely for the support of one or more eligible alcohol and drug addiction programs in accordance with divisions (H)(2) and (3) of this section.
(2) The court that imposes a fine under division (H)(1) of this section shall specify in the judgment that imposes the fine one or more eligible alcohol and drug addiction programs for the support of which the fine money is to be used. No alcohol and drug addiction program shall receive or use money paid or collected in satisfaction of a fine imposed under division (H)(1) of this section unless the program is specified in the judgment that imposes the fine. No alcohol and drug addiction program shall be specified in the judgment unless the program is an eligible alcohol and drug addiction program and, except as otherwise provided in division (H)(2) of this section, unless the program is located in the county in which the court that imposes the fine is located or in a county that is immediately contiguous to the county in which that court is located. If no eligible alcohol and drug addiction program is located in any of those counties, the judgment may specify an eligible alcohol and drug addiction program that is located anywhere within this state.
(3) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 3719.21 of the Revised Code, the clerk of the court shall pay any fine imposed under division (H)(1) of this section to the eligible alcohol and drug addiction program specified pursuant to division (H)(2) of this section in the judgment. The eligible alcohol and drug addiction program that receives the fine moneys shall use the moneys only for the alcohol and drug addiction services identified in the application for certification under section 3793.06 of the Revised Code or in the application for a license under section 3793.11 of the Revised Code filed with the department of alcohol and drug addiction services by the alcohol and drug addiction program specified in the judgment.
(4) Each alcohol and drug addiction program that receives in a calendar year any fine moneys under division (H)(3) of this section shall file an annual report covering that calendar year with the court of common pleas and the board of county commissioners of the county in which the program is located, with the court of common pleas and the board of county commissioners of each county from which the program received the moneys if that county is different from the county in which the program is located, and with the attorney general. The alcohol and drug addiction program shall file the report no later than the first day of March in the calendar year following the calendar year in which the program received the fine moneys. The report shall include statistics on the number of persons served by the alcohol and drug addiction program, identify the types of alcohol and drug addiction services provided to those persons, and include a specific accounting of the purposes for which the fine moneys received were used. No information contained in the report shall identify, or enable a person to determine the identity of, any person served by the alcohol and drug addiction program. Each report received by a court of common pleas, a board of county commissioners, or the attorney general is a public record open for inspection under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.
(5) As used in divisions (H)(1) to (5) of this section:
(a) "Alcohol and drug addiction program" and "alcohol and drug addiction services" have the same meanings as in section 3793.01 of the Revised Code.
(b) "Eligible alcohol and drug addiction program" means an alcohol and drug addiction program that is certified under section 3793.06 of the Revised Code or licensed under section 3793.11 of the Revised Code by the department of alcohol and drug addiction services.
Sec. 2925.11.  (A) No person shall knowingly obtain, possess, or use a controlled substance.
(B) This section does not apply to any of the following:
(1) Manufacturers, licensed health professionals authorized to prescribe drugs, pharmacists, owners of pharmacies, and other persons whose conduct was in accordance with Chapters 3719., 4715., 4723., 4729., 4730., 4731., and 4741. of the Revised Code;
(2) If the offense involves an anabolic steroid, any person who is conducting or participating in a research project involving the use of an anabolic steroid if the project has been approved by the United States food and drug administration;
(3) Any person who sells, offers for sale, prescribes, dispenses, or administers for livestock or other nonhuman species an anabolic steroid that is expressly intended for administration through implants to livestock or other nonhuman species and approved for that purpose under the "Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act," 52 Stat. 1040 (1938), 21 U.S.C.A. 301, as amended, and is sold, offered for sale, prescribed, dispensed, or administered for that purpose in accordance with that act;
(4) Any person who obtained the controlled substance pursuant to a prescription issued by a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs.
(C) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of one of the following:
(1) If the drug involved in the violation is a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule I or II, with the exception of marihuana, cocaine, L.S.D., heroin, and hashish, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of aggravated possession of drugs. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(1)(b), (c), (d), or (e) of this section, aggravated possession of drugs is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (B) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(b) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds the bulk amount but is less than five times the bulk amount, aggravated possession of drugs is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.
(c) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five times the bulk amount but is less than fifty times the bulk amount, aggravated possession of drugs is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(d) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds fifty times the bulk amount but is less than one hundred times the bulk amount, aggravated possession of drugs is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(e) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one hundred times the bulk amount, aggravated possession of drugs is a felony of the first degree, the offender is a major drug offender, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the first degree and may impose an additional mandatory prison term prescribed for a major drug offender under division (D)(3)(b) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code.
(2) If the drug involved in the violation is a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule III, IV, or V, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of possession of drugs. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2)(b), (c), or (d) of this section, possession of drugs is a misdemeanor of the third degree or, if the offender previously has been convicted of a drug abuse offense, a misdemeanor of the second degree. If the drug involved in the violation is an anabolic steroid included in schedule III and if the offense is a misdemeanor of the third degree under this division, in lieu of sentencing the offender to a term of imprisonment in a detention facility, the court may place the offender under a community control sanction, as defined in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code, that requires the offender to perform supervised community service work pursuant to division (B) of section 2951.02 of the Revised Code.
(b) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds the bulk amount but is less than five times the bulk amount, possession of drugs is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(c) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five times the bulk amount but is less than fifty times the bulk amount, possession of drugs is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.
(d) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds fifty times the bulk amount, possession of drugs is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose upon the offender as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(3) If the drug involved in the violation is marihuana or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance containing marihuana other than hashish, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of possession of marihuana. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(3)(b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) of this section, possession of marihuana is a minor misdemeanor.
(b) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one hundred grams but is less than two hundred grams, possession of marihuana is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(c) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds two hundred grams but is less than one thousand grams, possession of marihuana is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (B) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(d) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one thousand grams but is less than five thousand grams, possession of marihuana is a felony of the third degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(e) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five thousand grams but is less than twenty thousand grams, possession of marihuana is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption that a prison term shall be imposed for the offense.
(f) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds twenty thousand grams, possession of marihuana is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(4) If the drug involved in the violation is cocaine or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance containing cocaine, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of possession of cocaine. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(4)(b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) of this section, possession of cocaine is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (B) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(b) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five grams but is less than twenty-five grams of cocaine that is not crack cocaine or equals or exceeds one gram but is less than five grams of crack cocaine, possession of cocaine is a felony of the fourth degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.
(c) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds twenty-five grams but is less than one hundred grams of cocaine that is not crack cocaine or equals or exceeds five grams but is less than ten grams of crack cocaine, possession of cocaine is a felony of the third degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the third degree.
(d) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one hundred grams but is less than five hundred grams of cocaine that is not crack cocaine or equals or exceeds ten grams but is less than twenty-five grams of crack cocaine, possession of cocaine is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(e) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five hundred grams but is less than one thousand grams of cocaine that is not crack cocaine or equals or exceeds twenty-five grams but is less than one hundred grams of crack cocaine, possession of cocaine is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(f) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one thousand grams of cocaine that is not crack cocaine or equals or exceeds one hundred grams of crack cocaine, possession of cocaine is a felony of the first degree, the offender is a major drug offender, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the first degree and may impose an additional mandatory prison term prescribed for a major drug offender under division (D)(3)(b) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code.
(5) If the drug involved in the violation is L.S.D., whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of possession of L.S.D. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(5)(b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) of this section, possession of L.S.D. is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (B) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(b) If the amount of L.S.D. involved equals or exceeds ten unit doses but is less than fifty unit doses of L.S.D. in a solid form or equals or exceeds one gram but is less than five grams of L.S.D. in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, possession of L.S.D. is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(c) If the amount of L.S.D. involved equals or exceeds fifty unit doses, but is less than two hundred fifty unit doses of L.S.D. in a solid form or equals or exceeds five grams but is less than twenty-five grams of L.S.D. in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, possession of L.S.D. is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.
(d) If the amount of L.S.D. involved equals or exceeds two hundred fifty unit doses but is less than one thousand unit doses of L.S.D. in a solid form or equals or exceeds twenty-five grams but is less than one hundred grams of L.S.D. in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, possession of L.S.D. is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(e) If the amount of L.S.D. involved equals or exceeds one thousand unit doses but is less than five thousand unit doses of L.S.D. in a solid form or equals or exceeds one hundred grams but is less than five hundred grams of L.S.D. in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, possession of L.S.D. is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(f) If the amount of L.S.D. involved equals or exceeds five thousand unit doses of L.S.D. in a solid form or equals or exceeds five hundred grams of L.S.D. in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, possession of L.S.D. is a felony of the first degree, the offender is a major drug offender, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the first degree and may impose an additional mandatory prison term prescribed for a major drug offender under division (D)(3)(b) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code.
(6) If the drug involved in the violation is heroin or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance containing heroin, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of possession of heroin. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(6)(b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) of this section, possession of heroin is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (B) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(b) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds ten unit doses but is less than fifty unit doses or equals or exceeds one gram but is less than five grams, possession of heroin is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(c) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds fifty unit doses but is less than one hundred unit doses or equals or exceeds five grams but is less than ten grams, possession of heroin is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption for a prison term for the offense.
(d) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one hundred unit doses but is less than five hundred unit doses or equals or exceeds ten grams but is less than fifty grams, possession of heroin is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(e) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five hundred unit doses but is less than two thousand five hundred unit doses or equals or exceeds fifty grams but is less than two hundred fifty grams, possession of heroin is a felony of the first degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree.
(f) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds two thousand five hundred unit doses or equals or exceeds two hundred fifty grams, possession of heroin is a felony of the first degree, the offender is a major drug offender, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the first degree and may impose an additional mandatory prison term prescribed for a major drug offender under division (D)(3)(b) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code.
(7) If the drug involved in the violation is hashish or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance containing hashish, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of possession of hashish. The penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(7)(b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) of this section, possession of hashish is a minor misdemeanor.
(b) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds five grams but is less than ten grams of hashish in a solid form or equals or exceeds one gram but is less than two grams of hashish in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, possession of hashish is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(c) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds ten grams but is less than fifty grams of hashish in a solid form or equals or exceeds two grams but is less than ten grams of hashish in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, possession of hashish is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (B) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(d) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds fifty grams but is less than two hundred fifty grams of hashish in a solid form or equals or exceeds ten grams but is less than fifty grams of hashish in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, possession of hashish is a felony of the third degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(e) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds two hundred fifty grams but is less than one thousand grams of hashish in a solid form or equals or exceeds fifty grams but is less than two hundred grams of hashish in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, possession of hashish is a felony of the third degree, and there is a presumption that a prison term shall be imposed for the offense.
(f) If the amount of the drug involved equals or exceeds one thousand grams of hashish in a solid form or equals or exceeds two hundred grams of hashish in a liquid concentrate, liquid extract, or liquid distillate form, possession of hashish is a felony of the second degree, and the court shall impose as a mandatory prison term the maximum prison term prescribed for a felony of the second degree.
(D) Arrest or conviction for a minor misdemeanor violation of this section does not constitute a criminal record and need not be reported by the person so arrested or convicted in response to any inquiries about the person's criminal record, including any inquiries contained in any application for employment, license, or other right or privilege, or made in connection with the person's appearance as a witness.
(E) In addition to any prison term or jail term authorized or required by division (C) of this section and sections 2929.13, 2929.14, 2929.22, 2929.24, and 2929.25 of the Revised Code and in addition to any other sanction that is imposed for the offense under this section, sections 2929.11 to 2929.18, or sections 2929.21 to 2929.28 of the Revised Code, the court that sentences an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (A) of this section shall do all of the following that are applicable regarding the offender:
(1)(a) If the violation is a felony of the first, second, or third degree, the court shall impose upon the offender the mandatory fine specified for the offense under division (B)(1) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code unless, as specified in that division, the court determines that the offender is indigent.
(b) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 3719.21 of the Revised Code, the clerk of the court shall pay a mandatory fine or other fine imposed for a violation of this section pursuant to division (A) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code in accordance with and subject to the requirements of division (F) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code. The agency that receives the fine shall use the fine as specified in division (F) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code.
(c) If a person is charged with a violation of this section that is a felony of the first, second, or third degree, posts bail, and forfeits the bail, the clerk shall pay the forfeited bail pursuant to division (E)(1)(b) of this section as if it were a mandatory fine imposed under division (E)(1)(a) of this section.
(2) The court shall suspend for not less than six months or more than five years the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit.
(3) If the offender is a professionally licensed person, in addition to any other sanction imposed for a violation of this section, the court immediately shall comply with section 2925.38 of the Revised Code.
(F) It is an affirmative defense, as provided in section 2901.05 of the Revised Code, to a charge of a fourth degree felony violation under this section that the controlled substance that gave rise to the charge is in an amount, is in a form, is prepared, compounded, or mixed with substances that are not controlled substances in a manner, or is possessed under any other circumstances, that indicate that the substance was possessed solely for personal use. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this section, if, in accordance with section 2901.05 of the Revised Code, an accused who is charged with a fourth degree felony violation of division (C)(2), (4), (5), or (6) of this section sustains the burden of going forward with evidence of and establishes by a preponderance of the evidence the affirmative defense described in this division, the accused may be prosecuted for and may plead guilty to or be convicted of a misdemeanor violation of division (C)(2) of this section or a fifth degree felony violation of division (C)(4), (5), or (6) of this section respectively.
(G) When a person is charged with possessing a bulk amount or multiple of a bulk amount, division (E) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code applies regarding the determination of the amount of the controlled substance involved at the time of the offense.
Sec. 2925.12.  (A) No person shall knowingly make, obtain, possess, or use any instrument, article, or thing the customary and primary purpose of which is for the administration or use of a dangerous drug, other than marihuana, when the instrument involved is a hypodermic or syringe, whether or not of crude or extemporized manufacture or assembly, and the instrument, article, or thing involved has been used by the offender to unlawfully administer or use a dangerous drug, other than marihuana, or to prepare a dangerous drug, other than marihuana, for unlawful administration or use.
(B) This section does not apply to manufacturers, licensed health professionals authorized to prescribe drugs, pharmacists, owners of pharmacies, and other persons whose conduct was in accordance with Chapters 3719., 4715., 4723., 4729., 4730., 4731., and 4741. of the Revised Code.
(C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of possessing drug abuse instruments, a misdemeanor of the second degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of a drug abuse offense, a violation of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(D) In addition to any other sanction imposed upon an offender for a violation of this section, the court shall suspend for not less than six months or more than five years the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit. If the offender is a professionally licensed person, in addition to any other sanction imposed for a violation of this section, the court immediately shall comply with section 2925.38 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 2925.14.  (A) As used in this section, "drug paraphernalia" means any equipment, product, or material of any kind that is used by the offender, intended by the offender for use, or designed for use, in propagating, cultivating, growing, harvesting, manufacturing, compounding, converting, producing, processing, preparing, testing, analyzing, packaging, repackaging, storing, containing, concealing, injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing into the human body, a controlled substance in violation of this chapter. "Drug paraphernalia" includes, but is not limited to, any of the following equipment, products, or materials that are used by the offender, intended by the offender for use, or designed by the offender for use, in any of the following manners:
(1) A kit for propagating, cultivating, growing, or harvesting any species of a plant that is a controlled substance or from which a controlled substance can be derived;
(2) A kit for manufacturing, compounding, converting, producing, processing, or preparing a controlled substance;
(3) Any object, instrument, or device for manufacturing, compounding, converting, producing, processing, or preparing methamphetamine or any salt, isomer, or salt of an isomer of methamphetamine;
(4) An isomerization device for increasing the potency of any species of a plant that is a controlled substance;
(5) Testing equipment for identifying, or analyzing the strength, effectiveness, or purity of, a controlled substance;
(6) A scale or balance for weighing or measuring a controlled substance;
(7) A diluent or adulterant, such as quinine hydrochloride, mannitol, mannite, dextrose, or lactose, for cutting a controlled substance;
(8) A separation gin or sifter for removing twigs and seeds from, or otherwise cleaning or refining, marihuana;
(9) A blender, bowl, container, spoon, or mixing device for compounding a controlled substance;
(10) A capsule, balloon, envelope, or container for packaging small quantities of a controlled substance;
(11) A container or device for storing or concealing a controlled substance;
(12) A hypodermic syringe, needle, or instrument for parenterally injecting a controlled substance into the human body;
(13) An object, instrument, or device for ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing into the human body, marihuana, cocaine, hashish, or hashish oil, such as a metal, wooden, acrylic, glass, stone, plastic, or ceramic pipe, with or without a screen, permanent screen, hashish head, or punctured metal bowl; water pipe; carburetion tube or device; smoking or carburetion mask; roach clip or similar object used to hold burning material, such as a marihuana cigarette, that has become too small or too short to be held in the hand; miniature cocaine spoon, or cocaine vial; chamber pipe; carburetor pipe; electric pipe; air driver pipe; chillum; bong; or ice pipe or chiller.
(B) In determining if any equipment, product, or material is drug paraphernalia, a court or law enforcement officer shall consider, in addition to other relevant factors, the following:
(1) Any statement by the owner, or by anyone in control, of the equipment, product, or material, concerning its use;
(2) The proximity in time or space of the equipment, product, or material, or of the act relating to the equipment, product, or material, to a violation of any provision of this chapter;
(3) The proximity of the equipment, product, or material to any controlled substance;
(4) The existence of any residue of a controlled substance on the equipment, product, or material;
(5) Direct or circumstantial evidence of the intent of the owner, or of anyone in control, of the equipment, product, or material, to deliver it to any person whom the owner or person in control of the equipment, product, or material knows intends to use the object to facilitate a violation of any provision of this chapter. A finding that the owner, or anyone in control, of the equipment, product, or material, is not guilty of a violation of any other provision of this chapter does not prevent a finding that the equipment, product, or material was intended or designed by the offender for use as drug paraphernalia.
(6) Any oral or written instruction provided with the equipment, product, or material concerning its use;
(7) Any descriptive material accompanying the equipment, product, or material and explaining or depicting its use;
(8) National or local advertising concerning the use of the equipment, product, or material;
(9) The manner and circumstances in which the equipment, product, or material is displayed for sale;
(10) Direct or circumstantial evidence of the ratio of the sales of the equipment, product, or material to the total sales of the business enterprise;
(11) The existence and scope of legitimate uses of the equipment, product, or material in the community;
(12) Expert testimony concerning the use of the equipment, product, or material.
(C)(1) No person shall knowingly use, or possess with purpose to use, drug paraphernalia.
(2) No person shall knowingly sell, or possess or manufacture with purpose to sell, drug paraphernalia, if the person knows or reasonably should know that the equipment, product, or material will be used as drug paraphernalia.
(3) No person shall place an advertisement in any newspaper, magazine, handbill, or other publication that is published and printed and circulates primarily within this state, if the person knows that the purpose of the advertisement is to promote the illegal sale in this state of the equipment, product, or material that the offender intended or designed for use as drug paraphernalia.
(D) This section does not apply to manufacturers, licensed health professionals authorized to prescribe drugs, pharmacists, owners of pharmacies, and other persons whose conduct is in accordance with Chapters 3719., 4715., 4723., 4729., 4730., 4731., and 4741. of the Revised Code. This section shall not be construed to prohibit the possession or use of a hypodermic as authorized by section 3719.172 of the Revised Code.
(E) Notwithstanding sections 2933.42 and 2933.43 of the Revised Code, any drug paraphernalia that was used, possessed, sold, or manufactured in a violation of this section shall be seized, after a conviction for that violation shall be forfeited, and upon forfeiture shall be disposed of pursuant to division (D)(8) of section 2933.41 of the Revised Code.
(F)(1) Whoever violates division (C)(1) of this section is guilty of illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(2) Except as provided in division (F)(3) of this section, whoever violates division (C)(2) of this section is guilty of dealing in drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor of the second degree.
(3) Whoever violates division (C)(2) of this section by selling drug paraphernalia to a juvenile is guilty of selling drug paraphernalia to juveniles, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(4) Whoever violates division (C)(3) of this section is guilty of illegal advertising of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor of the second degree.
(G) In addition to any other sanction imposed upon an offender for a violation of this section, the court shall suspend for not less than six months or more than five years the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit. If the offender is a professionally licensed person, in addition to any other sanction imposed for a violation of this section, the court immediately shall comply with section 2925.38 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 2925.23.  (A) No person shall knowingly make a false statement in any prescription, order, report, or record required by Chapter 3719. or 4729. of the Revised Code.
(B) No person shall intentionally make, utter, or sell, or knowingly possess any of the following that is a false or forged:
(1) Prescription;
(2) Uncompleted preprinted prescription blank used for writing a prescription;
(3) Official written order;
(4) License for a terminal distributor of dangerous drugs as required in section 4729.60 of the Revised Code;
(5) Registration certificate for a wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs as required in section 4729.60 of the Revised Code.
(C) No person, by theft as defined in section 2913.02 of the Revised Code, shall acquire any of the following:
(1) A prescription;
(2) An uncompleted preprinted prescription blank used for writing a prescription;
(3) An official written order;
(4) A blank official written order;
(5) A license or blank license for a terminal distributor of dangerous drugs as required in section 4729.60 of the Revised Code;
(6) A registration certificate or blank registration certificate for a wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs as required in section 4729.60 of the Revised Code.
(D) No person shall knowingly make or affix any false or forged label to a package or receptacle containing any dangerous drugs.
(E) Divisions (A) and (D) of this section do not apply to licensed health professionals authorized to prescribe drugs, pharmacists, owners of pharmacies, and other persons whose conduct is in accordance with Chapters 3719., 4715., 4723., 4725., 4729., 4730., 4731., and 4741. of the Revised Code.
(F) Whoever violates this section is guilty of illegal processing of drug documents. If the offender violates division (B)(2), (4), or (5) or division (C)(2), (4), (5), or (6) of this section, illegal processing of drug documents is a felony of the fifth degree. If the offender violates division (A), division (B)(1) or (3), division (C)(1) or (3), or division (D) of this section, the penalty for illegal processing of drug documents shall be determined as follows:
(1) If the drug involved is a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule I or II, with the exception of marihuana, illegal processing of drug documents is a felony of the fourth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(2) If the drug involved is a dangerous drug or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule III, IV, or V or is marihuana, illegal processing of drug documents is a felony of the fifth degree, and division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(G) In addition to any prison term authorized or required by division (F) of this section and sections 2929.13 and 2929.14 of the Revised Code and in addition to any other sanction imposed for the offense under this section or sections 2929.11 to 2929.18 of the Revised Code, the court that sentences an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to any violation of divisions (A) to (D) of this section shall do both of the following:
(1) The court shall suspend for not less than six months or more than five years the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit.
(2) If the offender is a professionally licensed person, in addition to any other sanction imposed for a violation of this section, the court immediately shall comply with section 2925.38 of the Revised Code.
(H) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 3719.21 of the Revised Code, the clerk of court shall pay a fine imposed for a violation of this section pursuant to division (A) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code in accordance with and subject to the requirements of division (F) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code. The agency that receives the fine shall use the fine as specified in division (F) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 2925.36.  (A) No person shall knowingly furnish another a sample drug.
(B) Division (A) of this section does not apply to manufacturers, wholesalers, pharmacists, owners of pharmacies, licensed health professionals authorized to prescribe drugs, and other persons whose conduct is in accordance with Chapters 3719., 4715., 4723., 4725., 4729., 4730., 4731., and 4741. of the Revised Code.
(C)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of illegal dispensing of drug samples.
(2) If the drug involved in the offense is a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule I or II, with the exception of marihuana, the penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2)(b) of this section, illegal dispensing of drug samples is a felony of the fifth degree, and, subject to division (E) of this section, division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(b) If the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, illegal dispensing of drug samples is a felony of the fourth degree, and, subject to division (E) of this section, division (C) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code applies in determining whether to impose a prison term on the offender.
(3) If the drug involved in the offense is a dangerous drug or a compound, mixture, preparation, or substance included in schedule III, IV, or V, or is marihuana, the penalty for the offense shall be determined as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(3)(b) of this section, illegal dispensing of drug samples is a misdemeanor of the second degree.
(b) If the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, illegal dispensing of drug samples is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(D) In addition to any prison term authorized or required by division (C) or (E) of this section and sections 2929.13 and 2929.14 of the Revised Code and in addition to any other sanction imposed for the offense under this section or sections 2929.11 to 2929.18 of the Revised Code, the court that sentences an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (A) of this section shall do both of the following:
(1) The court shall suspend for not less than six months or more than five years the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit.
(2) If the offender is a professionally licensed person, in addition to any other sanction imposed for a violation of this section, the court immediately shall comply with section 2925.38 of the Revised Code.
(E) Notwithstanding the prison term authorized or required by division (C) of this section and sections 2929.13 and 2929.14 of the Revised Code, if the violation of division (A) of this section involves the sale, offer to sell, or possession of a schedule I or II controlled substance, with the exception of marihuana, and if the court imposing sentence upon the offender finds that the offender as a result of the violation is a major drug offender and is guilty of a specification of the type described in section 2941.1410 of the Revised Code, the court, in lieu of the prison term otherwise authorized or required, shall impose upon the offender the mandatory prison term specified in division (D)(3)(a) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code and may impose an additional prison term under division (D)(3)(b) of that section.
(F) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 3719.21 of the Revised Code, the clerk of the court shall pay a fine imposed for a violation of this section pursuant to division (A) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code in accordance with and subject to the requirements of division (F) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code. The agency that receives the fine shall use the fine as specified in division (F) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 3327.10.  (A) No person shall be employed as driver of a school bus or motor van, owned and operated by any school district or educational service center or privately owned and operated under contract with any school district or service center in this state, who has not received a certificate from the educational service center governing board in case such person is employed by a service center or by a local school district under the supervision of the service center governing board, or by the superintendent of schools, in case such person is employed by the board of a city or exempted village school district, certifying that such person is at least eighteen years of age and is of good moral character and is qualified physically and otherwise for such position. The service center governing board or the superintendent, as the case may be, shall provide for an annual physical examination that conforms with rules adopted by the state board of education of each driver to ascertain the driver's physical fitness for such employment. Any certificate may be revoked by the authority granting the same on proof that the holder has been guilty of failing to comply with division (D)(1) of this section, or upon a conviction or a guilty plea for a violation, or any other action, that results in a loss or suspension of driving rights. Failure to comply with such division may be cause for disciplinary action or termination of employment under division (C) of section 3319.081, or section 124.34 of the Revised Code.
(B) No person shall be employed as driver of a school bus or motor van not subject to the rules of the department of education pursuant to division (A) of this section who has not received a certificate from the school administrator or contractor certifying that such person is at least eighteen years of age, is of good moral character, and is qualified physically and otherwise for such position. Each driver shall have an annual physical examination which conforms to the state highway patrol rules, ascertaining the driver's physical fitness for such employment. The examination shall be performed by one of the following:
(1) A person licensed under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code or by another state to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery;
(2) A physician assistant, a;
(3) A certified nurse practitioner, a;
(4) A clinical nurse specialist, or a;
(5) A certified nurse-midwife.
Any written documentation of the physical examination shall be completed by the individual who performed the examination.
Any certificate may be revoked by the authority granting the same on proof that the holder has been guilty of failing to comply with division (D)(2) of this section.
(C) Any person who drives a school bus or motor van must give satisfactory and sufficient bond except a driver who is an employee of a school district and who drives a bus or motor van owned by the school district.
(D) No person employed as driver of a school bus or motor van under this section who is convicted of a traffic violation or who has had the person's commercial driver's license suspended shall drive a school bus or motor van until the person has filed a written notice of the conviction or suspension, as follows:
(1) If the person is employed under division (A) of this section, the person shall file the notice with the superintendent, or a person designated by the superintendent, of the school district for which the person drives a school bus or motor van as an employee or drives a privately owned and operated school bus or motor van under contract.
(2) If employed under division (B) of this section, the person shall file the notice with the employing school administrator or contractor, or a person designated by the administrator or contractor.
(E) In addition to resulting in possible revocation of a certificate as authorized by divisions (A) and (B) of this section, violation of division (D) of this section is a minor misdemeanor.
Sec. 3331.02. (A) The superintendent of schools or the chief administrative officer, as appropriate pursuant to section 3331.01 of the Revised Code, shall not issue an age and schooling certificate until the superintendent or chief administrative officer has received, examined, approved, and filed the following papers duly executed:
(1) The written pledge or promise of the person, partnership, or corporation to legally employ the child, and for this purpose work performed by a minor, directly and exclusively for the benefit of such minor's parent, in the farm home or on the farm of such parent is legal employment, irrespective of any contract of employment, or the absence thereof, to permit the child to attend school as provided in section 3321.08 of the Revised Code, and give notice of the nonuse of an age and schooling certificate within five days from the date of the child's withdrawal or dismissal from the service of that person, partnership, or corporation, giving the reasons for such withdrawal or dismissal;
(2) The child's school record or notification. As used in this division, a "school record" means documents properly filled out and signed by the person in charge of the school which the child last attended, giving the recorded age of the child, the child's address, standing in studies, rating in conduct, and attendance in days during the school year of the child's last attendance; "notification" means the information submitted to the superintendent by the parent of a child excused from attendance at school pursuant to division (A)(2) of section 3321.04 of the Revised Code, as the notification is required by rules adopted by the department of education.
(3) Evidence of the age of the child as follows:
(a) A certified copy of an original birth record or a certification of birth, issued in accordance with Chapter 3705. of the Revised Code, or by an officer charged with the duty of recording births in another state or country, shall be conclusive evidence of the age of the child;
(b) In the absence of such birth record or certification of birth, a passport, or duly attested transcript thereof, showing the date and place of birth of the child, filed with a register of passports at a port of entry of the United States; or an attested transcript of the certificate of birth or baptism or other religious record, showing the date and place of birth of the child, shall be conclusive evidence of the age of the child;
(c) In case none of the above proofs of age can be produced, other documentary evidence, except the affidavit of the parent, guardian, or custodian, satisfactory to the superintendent or chief administrative officer may be accepted in lieu thereof;
(d) In case no documentary proof of age can be procured, the superintendent or chief administrative officer may receive and file an application signed by the parent, guardian, or custodian of the child that a medical certificate be secured to establish the sufficiency of the age of the child, which application shall state the alleged age of the child, the place and date of birth, the child's present residence, and such further facts as may be of assistance in determining the age of the child, and shall certify that the person signing the application is unable to obtain any of the documentary proofs specified in divisions (A)(3)(a), (b), and (c) of this section; and if the superintendent or chief administrative officer is satisfied that a reasonable effort to procure such documentary proof has been without success such application shall be granted and the certificate of the school physician or if there be none, of a physician, a physician assistant, a clinical nurse specialist, or a certified nurse practitioner employed by the board of education, that said physician, physician assistant, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse practitioner is satisfied that the child is above the age required for an age and schooling certificate as stated in section 3331.01 of the Revised Code, shall be accepted as sufficient evidence of age;
(4) A certificate, including an athletic certificate of examination, from a physician licensed pursuant to Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code, a physician assistant licensed pursuant to Chapter 4730. of the Revised Code, a physician assistant, a clinical nurse specialist, or a certified nurse practitioner, or from the district health commissioner, showing after a thorough examination that the child is physically fit to be employed in such occupations as are not prohibited by law for a boy or girl, as the case may be, under eighteen years of age; but a certificate with "limited" written, printed, marked, or stamped thereon may be furnished by such physician, physician assistant, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse practitioner and accepted by the superintendent or chief administrative officer in issuing a "limited" age and schooling certificate provided in section 3331.06 of the Revised Code, showing that the child is physically fit to be employed in some particular occupation not prohibited by law for a boy or girl of such child's age, as the case may be, even if the child's complete physical ability to engage in such occupation cannot be vouched for.
(B)(1) Except as provided in division (B)(2) of this section, a physical fitness certificate described in division (A)(4) of this section is valid for purposes of that division while the child remains employed in job duties of a similar nature as the job duties for which the child last was issued an age and schooling certificate. The superintendent or chief administrative officer who issues an age and schooling certificate shall determine whether job duties are similar for purposes of this division.
(2) A "limited" physical fitness certificate described in division (A)(4) of this section is valid for one year.
(C) The superintendent of schools or the chief administrative officer shall require a child who resides out of this state to file all the information required under division (A) of this section. The superintendent of schools or the chief administrative officer shall evaluate the information filed and determine whether to issue the age and schooling certificate using the same standards as those the superintendent or officer uses for in-state children.
Sec. 3719.06.  (A)(1) A licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs, if acting in the course of professional practice, in accordance with the laws regulating the professional's practice, and in accordance with rules adopted by the state board of pharmacy, may, except as provided in division (A)(2) or (3) of this section, do the following:
(a) Prescribe schedule II, III, IV, and V controlled substances;
(b) Administer or personally furnish to patients schedule II, III, IV, and V controlled substances;
(c) Cause schedule II, III, IV, and V controlled substances to be administered under the prescriber's direction and supervision.
(2) A licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs who is a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner is subject to both of the following:
(a) A schedule II controlled substance may be prescribed only for a patient with a terminal condition, as defined in section 2133.01 of the Revised Code, only if the nurse's collaborating physician initially prescribed the substance for the patient, and only in an amount that does not exceed the amount necessary for the patient's use in a single, twenty-four-hour period.
(b) No schedule II controlled substance shall be personally furnished to any patient.
(3) A licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs who is a physician assistant shall not prescribe or personally furnish to patients any controlled substance that is not included in the physician-delegated prescriptive authority granted to the physician assistant in accordance with Chapter 4730. of the Revised Code.
(B) No licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs shall prescribe, administer, or personally furnish a schedule III anabolic steroid for the purpose of human muscle building or enhancing human athletic performance and no pharmacist shall dispense a schedule III anabolic steroid for either purpose, unless it has been approved for that purpose under the "Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act," 52 Stat. 1040 (1938), 21 U.S.C.A. 301, as amended.
(C) Each written prescription shall be properly executed, dated, and signed by the prescriber on the day when issued and shall bear the full name and address of the person for whom, or the owner of the animal for which, the controlled substance is prescribed and the full name, address, and registry number under the federal drug abuse control laws of the prescriber. If the prescription is for an animal, it shall state the species of the animal for which the controlled substance is prescribed.
Sec. 3719.81.  (A) As used in this section, "sample drug" has the same meaning as in section 2925.01 of the Revised Code.
(B) A person may furnish another a sample drug, if all of the following apply:
(1) The sample drug is furnished free of charge by a manufacturer, manufacturer's representative, or wholesale dealer in pharmaceuticals to a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs, or is furnished free of charge by such a professional to a patient for use as medication;
(2) The sample drug is in the original container in which it was placed by the manufacturer, and the container is plainly marked as a sample;
(3) Prior to its being furnished, the sample drug has been stored under the proper conditions to prevent its deterioration or contamination;
(4) If the sample drug is of a type which deteriorates with time, the sample container is plainly marked with the date beyond which the sample drug is unsafe to use, and the date has not expired on the sample furnished. Compliance with the labeling requirements of the "Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act," 52 Stat. 1040 (1938), 21 U.S.C.A. 301, as amended, shall be deemed compliance with this section.
(5) The sample drug is distributed, stored, or discarded in such a way that the sample drug may not be acquired or used by any unauthorized person, or by any person, including a child, for whom it may present a health or safety hazard.
(C) Division (B) of this section does not do any of the following:
(1) Apply to or restrict the furnishing of any sample of a nonnarcotic substance if the substance may, under the "Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act" and under the laws of this state, otherwise be lawfully sold over the counter without a prescription;
(2) Authorize a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs who is a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner to furnish a sample drug that is not a drug the nurse is authorized to prescribe;
(3) Authorize an, optometrist, or physician assistant to furnish a sample drug that is not a drug the optometrist professional is authorized to prescribe.
(4)(3) Prohibit a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs, manufacturer of dangerous drugs, wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs, or representative of a manufacturer of dangerous drugs from furnishing a sample drug to a charitable pharmacy in accordance with section 3719.811 of the Revised Code.
(5)(4) Prohibit a pharmacist working, whether or not for compensation, in a charitable pharmacy from dispensing a sample drug to a person in accordance with section 3719.811 of the Revised Code.
(D) The state board of pharmacy shall, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, adopt rules as necessary to give effect to this section.
Sec. 4723.481.  Under a certificate to prescribe issued under section 4723.48 of the Revised Code, a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner is subject to all of the following:
(A) The nurse shall not prescribe any drug or therapeutic device that is not included in the types of drugs and devices listed on the formulary established in rules adopted under section 4723.50 of the Revised Code.
(B) The nurse's prescriptive authority shall not exceed the prescriptive authority of the collaborating physician or podiatrist.
(C) The nurse may prescribe a schedule II controlled substance as specified in division (A)(2) of section 3719.06 of the Revised Code, but shall not prescribe a schedule II controlled substance in collaboration with a podiatrist.
(D) The nurse may personally furnish to a patient a sample of any drug or therapeutic device included in the types of drugs and devices listed on the formulary, subject to all of the following:
(1) The amount of the sample furnished shall not exceed a seventy-two-hour supply, except when the minimum available quantity of the sample is packaged in an amount that is greater than a seventy-two-hour supply, in which case the nurse may furnish the sample in the packaged amount.
(2) No charge may be imposed for the sample or for furnishing it.
(3) Samples of controlled substances may not be personally furnished.
(E) The nurse may personally furnish to a patient a complete or partial supply of a drug or therapeutic device included in the types of drugs and devices listed on the formulary, subject to all of the following:
(1) The nurse shall personally furnish only antibiotics, antifungals, scabicides, contraceptives, and prenatal vitamins, antihypertensives, drugs and devices used in the treatment of diabetes, drugs and devices used in the treatment of asthma, and drugs used in the treatment of dyslipidemia.
(2) The nurse shall not furnish the drugs and devices in locations other than a health department operated by the board of health of a city or general health district or the authority having the duties of a board of health under section 3709.05 of the Revised Code, a federally funded comprehensive primary care clinic, or a nonprofit health care clinic or program.
(3) The nurse shall comply with all safety standards for personally furnishing supplies of drugs and devices, as established in rules adopted under section 4723.50 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4723.50.  (A) In accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, the board of nursing shall adopt rules as necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter pertaining to the authority of clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse-midwives, and certified nurse practitioners to prescribe drugs and therapeutic devices and the issuance and renewal of certificates to prescribe. Initial rules shall be adopted not later than twenty months after the effective date of this section.
The board shall adopt rules that are consistent with the recommendations the board receives from the committee on prescriptive governance pursuant to section 4723.492 of the Revised Code. After reviewing a recommendation submitted by the committee, the board may either adopt the recommendation as a rule or ask the committee to reconsider and resubmit the recommendation. The board shall not adopt any rule that does not conform to a recommendation made by the committee.
(B) The board shall adopt rules under this section that do the following:
(1) Establish a formulary listing the types of drugs and therapeutic devices that may be prescribed by a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner. The formulary may include controlled substances, as defined in section 3719.01 of the Revised Code. The formulary shall not permit the prescribing of any drug or device to perform or induce an abortion.
(2) Establish safety standards to be followed by a nurse when personally furnishing to patients complete or partial supplies of antibiotics, antifungals, scabicides, contraceptives, and prenatal vitamins, antihypertensives, drugs and devices used in the treatment of diabetes, drugs and devices used in the treatment of asthma, and drugs used in the treatment of dyslipidemia.
(3) Establish criteria for the components of the standard care arrangements described in section 4723.431 of the Revised Code that apply to a nurse's authority to prescribe. The rules shall be consistent with that section and include all of the following:
(a) Quality assurance standards;
(b) Standards for periodic review by a collaborating physician or podiatrist of the records of patients treated by the nurse;
(c) Acceptable travel time between the location at which the nurse is engaging in the prescribing components of the nurse's practice and the location of the nurse's collaborating physician or podiatrist;
(d) Any other criteria recommended by the committee on prescriptive governance.
(4) Establish standards and procedures for issuance and renewal of a certificate to prescribe, including specification of any additional information the board may require under division (A)(4) of section 4723.482 or division (B)(3) of section 4723.484 of the Revised Code;
(5) Establish requirements for board approval of the instruction in advanced pharmacology and related topics required by section 4723.482 of the Revised Code;
(6) Establish standards and procedures for the appropriate conduct of an externship required by division (B)(1) of section 4723.484 of the Revised Code, including the following:
(a) Standards and procedures to be used in evaluating a nurse's participation in an externship. Regardless of the method of evaluation used, a nurse shall not be required to participate in an externship longer than one thousand eight hundred hours.
(b) Standards and procedures for the supervision that a physician must provide during an externship, including supervision provided by working with the nurse and supervision provided by making timely reviews of the records of patients treated by the nurse. The manner in which supervision must be provided may vary according to the location where the nurse is practicing and with the nurse's level of experience.
Sec. 4729.01. As used in this chapter:
(A) "Pharmacy," except when used in a context that refers to the practice of pharmacy, means any area, room, rooms, place of business, department, or portion of any of the foregoing where the practice of pharmacy is conducted.
(B) "Practice of pharmacy" means providing pharmacist care requiring specialized knowledge, judgment, and skill derived from the principles of biological, chemical, behavioral, social, pharmaceutical, and clinical sciences. As used in this division, "pharmacist care" includes the following:
(1) Interpreting prescriptions;
(2) Dispensing drugs and drug therapy related devices;
(3) Compounding drugs;
(4) Counseling individuals with regard to their drug therapy, recommending drug therapy related devices, and assisting in the selection of drugs and appliances for treatment of common diseases and injuries and providing instruction in the proper use of the drugs and appliances;
(5) Performing drug regimen reviews with individuals by discussing all of the drugs that the individual is taking and explaining the interactions of the drugs;
(6) Performing drug utilization reviews with licensed health professionals authorized to prescribe drugs when the pharmacist determines that an individual with a prescription has a drug regimen that warrants additional discussion with the prescriber;
(7) Advising an individual and the health care professionals treating an individual with regard to the individual's drug therapy;
(8) Acting pursuant to a consult agreement with a physician authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery, if an agreement has been established with the physician;
(9) Administering the adult immunizations specified in section 4729.41 of the Revised Code, if the pharmacist has met the requirements of that section.
(C) "Compounding" means the preparation, mixing, assembling, packaging, and labeling of one or more drugs in any of the following circumstances:
(1) Pursuant to a prescription issued by a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs;
(2) Pursuant to the modification of a prescription made in accordance with a consult agreement;
(3) As an incident to research, teaching activities, or chemical analysis;
(4) In anticipation of orders for drugs pursuant to prescriptions, based on routine, regularly observed dispensing patterns;
(5) Pursuant to a request made by a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs for a drug that is to be used by the professional for the purpose of direct administration to patients in the course of the professional's practice, if all of the following apply:
(a) At the time the request is made, the drug is not commercially available regardless of the reason that the drug is not available, including the absence of a manufacturer for the drug or the lack of a readily available supply of the drug from a manufacturer.
(b) A limited quantity of the drug is compounded and provided to the professional.
(c) The drug is compounded and provided to the professional as an occasional exception to the normal practice of dispensing drugs pursuant to patient-specific prescriptions.
(D) "Consult agreement" means an agreement to manage an individual's drug therapy that has been entered into by a pharmacist and a physician authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery.
(E) "Drug" means:
(1) Any article recognized in the United States pharmacopoeia and national formulary, or any supplement to them, intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in humans or animals;
(2) Any other article intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in humans or animals;
(3) Any article, other than food, intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of humans or animals;
(4) Any article intended for use as a component of any article specified in division (E)(1), (2), or (3) of this section; but does not include devices or their components, parts, or accessories.
(F) "Dangerous drug" means any of the following:
(1) Any drug to which either of the following applies:
(a) Under the "Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act," 52 Stat. 1040 (1938), 21 U.S.C.A. 301, as amended, the drug is required to bear a label containing the legend "Caution: Federal law prohibits dispensing without prescription" or "Caution: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian" or any similar restrictive statement, or the drug may be dispensed only upon a prescription;
(b) Under Chapter 3715. or 3719. of the Revised Code, the drug may be dispensed only upon a prescription.
(2) Any drug that contains a schedule V controlled substance and that is exempt from Chapter 3719. of the Revised Code or to which that chapter does not apply;
(3) Any drug intended for administration by injection into the human body other than through a natural orifice of the human body.
(G) "Federal drug abuse control laws" has the same meaning as in section 3719.01 of the Revised Code.
(H) "Prescription" means a written, electronic, or oral order for drugs or combinations or mixtures of drugs to be used by a particular individual or for treating a particular animal, issued by a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs.
(I) "Licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs" or "prescriber" means an individual who is authorized by law to prescribe drugs or dangerous drugs or drug therapy related devices in the course of the individual's professional practice, including only the following:
(1) A dentist licensed under Chapter 4715. of the Revised Code;
(2) A clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner who holds a certificate to prescribe issued under section 4723.48 of the Revised Code;
(3) An optometrist licensed under Chapter 4725. of the Revised Code to practice optometry under a therapeutic pharmaceutical agents certificate;
(4) A physician authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatry;
(5) A physician assistant who holds a certificate to prescribe issued under Chapter 4730. of the Revised Code;
(6) A veterinarian licensed under Chapter 4741. of the Revised Code.
(J) "Sale" and "sell" include delivery, transfer, barter, exchange, or gift, or offer therefor, and each such transaction made by any person, whether as principal proprietor, agent, or employee.
(K) "Wholesale sale" and "sale at wholesale" mean any sale in which the purpose of the purchaser is to resell the article purchased or received by the purchaser.
(L) "Retail sale" and "sale at retail" mean any sale other than a wholesale sale or sale at wholesale.
(M) "Retail seller" means any person that sells any dangerous drug to consumers without assuming control over and responsibility for its administration. Mere advice or instructions regarding administration do not constitute control or establish responsibility.
(N) "Price information" means the price charged for a prescription for a particular drug product and, in an easily understandable manner, all of the following:
(1) The proprietary name of the drug product;
(2) The established (generic) name of the drug product;
(3) The strength of the drug product if the product contains a single active ingredient or if the drug product contains more than one active ingredient and a relevant strength can be associated with the product without indicating each active ingredient. The established name and quantity of each active ingredient are required if such a relevant strength cannot be so associated with a drug product containing more than one ingredient.
(4) The dosage form;
(5) The price charged for a specific quantity of the drug product. The stated price shall include all charges to the consumer, including, but not limited to, the cost of the drug product, professional fees, handling fees, if any, and a statement identifying professional services routinely furnished by the pharmacy. Any mailing fees and delivery fees may be stated separately without repetition. The information shall not be false or misleading.
(O) "Wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs" means a person engaged in the sale of dangerous drugs at wholesale and includes any agent or employee of such a person authorized by the person to engage in the sale of dangerous drugs at wholesale.
(P) "Manufacturer of dangerous drugs" means a person, other than a pharmacist, who manufactures dangerous drugs and who is engaged in the sale of those dangerous drugs within this state.
(Q) "Terminal distributor of dangerous drugs" means a person who is engaged in the sale of dangerous drugs at retail, or any person, other than a wholesale distributor or a pharmacist, who has possession, custody, or control of dangerous drugs for any purpose other than for that person's own use and consumption, and includes pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, and laboratories and all other persons who procure dangerous drugs for sale or other distribution by or under the supervision of a pharmacist or licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs.
(R) "Promote to the public" means disseminating a representation to the public in any manner or by any means, other than by labeling, for the purpose of inducing, or that is likely to induce, directly or indirectly, the purchase of a dangerous drug at retail.
(S) "Person" includes any individual, partnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation, the state, any political subdivision of the state, and any district, department, or agency of the state or its political subdivisions.
(T) "Finished dosage form" has the same meaning as in section 3715.01 of the Revised Code.
(U) "Generically equivalent drug" has the same meaning as in section 3715.01 of the Revised Code.
(V) "Animal shelter" means a facility operated by a humane society or any society organized under Chapter 1717. of the Revised Code or a dog pound operated pursuant to Chapter 955. of the Revised Code.
(W) "Food" has the same meaning as in section 3715.01 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4729.51.  (A) No person other than a registered wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs shall possess for sale, sell, distribute, or deliver, at wholesale, dangerous drugs, except as follows:
(1) A pharmacist who is a licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs or who is employed by a licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs may make occasional sales of dangerous drugs at wholesale;
(2) A licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs having more than one establishment or place may transfer or deliver dangerous drugs from one establishment or place for which a license has been issued to the terminal distributor to another establishment or place for which a license has been issued to the terminal distributor if the license issued for each establishment or place is in effect at the time of the transfer or delivery.
(B)(1) No registered wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs shall possess for sale, or sell, at wholesale, dangerous drugs to any person other than the following:
(a) A licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs;
(b) An optometrist licensed under Chapter 4725. of the Revised Code who holds a topical ocular pharmaceutical agents certificate;
(c) A registered wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs;
(d) A manufacturer of dangerous drugs;
(e) A licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs, subject to division (B)(2) of this section;
(f) Carriers or warehousers for the purpose of carriage or storage;
(g) Terminal or wholesale distributors of dangerous drugs who are not engaged in the sale of dangerous drugs within this state;
(h) An individual who holds a current license, certificate, or registration issued under Title 47 of the Revised Code and has been certified to conduct diabetes education by a national certifying body specified in rules adopted by the state board of pharmacy under section 4729.68 of the Revised Code, but only with respect to insulin that will be used for the purpose of diabetes education and only if diabetes education is within the individual's scope of practice under statutes and rules regulating the individual's profession;
(i) An individual who holds a valid certificate issued by a nationally recognized S.C.U.B.A. diving certifying organization approved by the pharmacy board in rule, but only with respect to medical oxygen that will be used for the purpose of emergency care or treatment at the scene of a diving emergency.
(2) No registered wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs shall possess dangerous drugs for sale at wholesale, or sell such drugs at wholesale, to a licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs, except to:
(a) A terminal distributor who has a category I license, only dangerous drugs described in category I, as defined in division (A)(1) of section 4729.54 of the Revised Code;
(b) A terminal distributor who has a category II license, only dangerous drugs described in category I and category II, as defined in divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 4729.54 of the Revised Code;
(c) A terminal distributor who has a category III license, dangerous drugs described in category I, category II, and category III, as defined in divisions (A)(1), (2), and (3) of section 4729.54 of the Revised Code;
(d) A terminal distributor who has a limited category I, II, or III license, only the dangerous drugs specified in the certificate furnished by the terminal distributor in accordance with section 4729.60 of the Revised Code.
(C)(1) Except as provided in division (C)(4) of this section, no person shall sell, at retail, dangerous drugs.
(2) Except as provided in division (C)(4) of this section, no person shall possess for sale, at retail, dangerous drugs.
(3) Except as provided in division (C)(4) of this section, no person shall possess dangerous drugs.
(4) Divisions (C)(1), (2), and (3) of this section do not apply to a registered wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs, a licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs, or a person who possesses, or possesses for sale or sells, at retail, a dangerous drug in accordance with Chapters 3719., 4715., 4723., 4725., 4729., 4730., 4731., and 4741. of the Revised Code.
Divisions (C)(1), (2), and (3) of this section do not apply to an individual who holds a current license, certificate, or registration issued under Title XLVII of the Revised Code and has been certified to conduct diabetes education by a national certifying body specified in rules adopted by the state board of pharmacy under section 4729.68 of the Revised Code, but only to the extent that the individual possesses insulin or personally supplies insulin solely for the purpose of diabetes education and only if diabetes education is within the individual's scope of practice under statutes and rules regulating the individual's profession.
Divisions (C)(1), (2), and (3) of this section do not apply to an individual who holds a valid certificate issued by a nationally recognized S.C.U.B.A. diving certifying organization approved by the pharmacy board in rule, but only to the extent that the individual possesses medical oxygen or personally supplies medical oxygen for the purpose of emergency care or treatment at the scene of a diving emergency.
(D) No licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs shall purchase for the purpose of resale dangerous drugs from any person other than a registered wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs, except as follows:
(1) A licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs may make occasional purchases of dangerous drugs for resale from a pharmacist who is a licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs or who is employed by a licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs;
(2) A licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs having more than one establishment or place may transfer or receive dangerous drugs from one establishment or place for which a license has been issued to the terminal distributor to another establishment or place for which a license has been issued to the terminal distributor if the license issued for each establishment or place is in effect at the time of the transfer or receipt.
(E) No licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs shall engage in the sale or other distribution of dangerous drugs at retail or maintain possession, custody, or control of dangerous drugs for any purpose other than the distributor's personal use or consumption, at any establishment or place other than that or those described in the license issued by the board of pharmacy to such terminal distributor.
(F) Nothing in this section shall be construed to interfere with the performance of official duties by any law enforcement official authorized by municipal, county, state, or federal law to collect samples of any drug, regardless of its nature or in whose possession it may be.
Sec. 4730.01.  As used in this chapter:
(A) "Physician assistant" means a skilled person qualified by academic and clinical training to provide services to patients as a physician assistant under the supervision, control, and direction of one or more physicians who are responsible for the physician assistant's performance.
(B) "Physician" means an individual who is authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatry podiatric medicine and surgery.
(C) "Health care facility" means any of the following:
(1) A hospital registered with the department of health under section 3701.07 of the Revised Code;
(2) A health care facility licensed by the department of health under section 3702.30 of the Revised Code;
(3) Any other facility designated by the state medical board in rules adopted pursuant to division (B)(2) of section 4730.08 of the Revised Code.
(D) "Special services" means the health care services that a physician assistant may be authorized to provide under the special services portion of a physician supervisory plan approved under section 4730.17 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.02.  (A) No person shall hold himself or herself that person out as being able to function as a physician assistant, or use any words or letters indicating or implying that the person is a physician assistant, without a current, valid certificate of registration or temporary certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant issued pursuant to this chapter.
(B) No person shall practice as a physician assistant without the supervision, control, and direction of a physician.
(C) No physician person shall act as the supervising physician of a physician assistant without having received the state medical board's approval of a physician assistant utilization plan and approval of a supervision agreement entered into with the physician assistant.
(D) No person shall practice as a physician assistant without having entered into a supervision agreement that has been approved by the state medical board.
(E) No person acting as the supervising physician of a physician assistant shall authorize a the physician assistant to perform services as a physician assistant in a manner that if either of the following is the case:
(1) The services are not within the physician's normal course of practice and expertise;
(2) The services are inconsistent with the standard or supplemental physician assistant utilization supervisory plan under approved by the state medical board for the supervising physician or the policies of the health care facility in which that the physician and physician assistant practices are practicing.
(F) No person shall practice as a physician assistant in a manner that is inconsistent with the standard or supplemental physician assistant utilization supervisory plan approved for the physician who is responsible for supervising the physician assistant or the policies of the health care facility in which the physician assistant is practicing.
(G) No person practicing as a physician assistant shall prescribe any drug or device to perform or induce an abortion, or otherwise perform or induce an abortion.
(H) No physician assistant may person shall advertise to provide services as a physician assistant, except for the purpose of seeking employment.
(H)(I) No person practicing as a physician assistant shall fail to wear at all times when on duty a placard, plate, or other device identifying himself or herself that person as a "physician assistant."
Sec. 4730.03.  Nothing in this chapter shall:
(A) Be construed to affect or interfere with the performance of duties of any medical personnel in active service in the army, navy, coast guard, marine corps, air force, public health service, or marine hospital service of the United States while so serving;
(B) Prevent any person from performing any of the services a physician assistant may be authorized to perform, if the person's professional scope of practice established under any other chapter of the Revised Code authorizes the person to perform the services;
(C) Prohibit a physician from delegating responsibilities to any nurse or other qualified person who does not registered hold a certificate to practice as a physician assistant, provided such an that the individual does not hold himself or herself the individual out to be a physician assistant;
(D) Be construed as authorizing a physician assistant independently to order or direct the execution of procedures or techniques by a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse in the care and treatment of a person in any setting, except to the extent that the physician assistant is authorized to do so by the physician supervisory plan approved under section 4730.17 of the Revised Code for the physician who is responsible for supervising the physician assistant or the policies of the health care facility in which the physician assistant is practicing;
(E) Authorize a physician assistant to administer, monitor, or maintain an anesthetic, except for the administration of a regional anesthetic, such as a "digital block," that is administered in connection with the care and suturing of minor lacerations;
(F) Authorize a physician assistant to engage in the practice of optometry, except to the extent that the physician assistant is authorized by a supervising physician through a physician assistant utilization plan approved by the state medical board under section 4730.18 of the Revised Code acting in accordance with this chapter to perform routine visual screening, provide medical care prior to or following eye surgery, or assist in the care of diseases of the eye;
(F) Be construed as authorizing a physician assistant to prescribe any drug or device to perform or induce an abortion, or as otherwise authorizing a physician assistant to perform or induce an abortion.
Sec. 4730.05. (A) There is hereby created the physician assistant policy committee of the state medical board, consisting. The president of the board shall appoint the members of the committee. The committee shall consist of the seven members to be appointed by the president of the board. Three specified in divisions (A)(1) to (3) of this section. When the committee is developing or revising policy and procedures for physician-delegated prescriptive authority for physician assistants, the committee shall include the two additional members specified in division (A)(4) of this section.
(1) Three members of the committee shall be physicians. Of the physician members, one shall be a member of the state medical board, one shall be appointed from a list of five physicians recommended by the Ohio state medical association, and one shall be appointed from a list of five physicians recommended by the Ohio osteopathic association. At all times, the physician membership of the committee shall include at least one physician who is a supervising physician of a physician assistant, preferably with at least two years' experience as a supervising physician. Three
(2) Three members shall be physician assistants appointed from a list of five individuals recommended by the Ohio association of physician assistants. One
(3) One member, who is not affiliated with any health care profession, shall be appointed to represent the interests of consumers.
(4) The two additional members, appointed to serve only when the committee is developing or revising policy and procedures for physician-delegated prescriptive authority for physician assistants, shall be pharmacists. Of these members, one shall be appointed from a list of five clinical pharmacists recommended by the Ohio pharmacists association and one shall be appointed from the pharmacist members of the state board of pharmacy, preferably from among the members who are clinical pharmacists.
The pharmacist members shall have voting privileges only for purposes of developing or revising policy and procedures for physician-delegated prescriptive authority for physician assistants. Presence of the pharmacist members shall not be required for the transaction of any other business.
(B) Terms of office shall be for two years, with each term ending on the same day of the same month as did the term that it succeeds. Each member shall hold office from the date of being appointed until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. Members may be reappointed, except that a member may not be appointed to serve more than three consecutive terms. As vacancies occur, a successor shall be appointed who has the qualifications the vacancy requires. A member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which a predecessor was appointed shall hold office as a member for the remainder of that term. A member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until a successor takes office or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first.
(C) Each member of the committee shall receive an amount fixed pursuant to division (J) of section 124.15 of the Revised Code for each day employed in the discharge of official duties as a member, and shall also receive necessary and actual expenses incurred in the performance of official duties as a member.
(D) The committee members specified in divisions (A)(1) to (3) of this section by a majority vote shall elect a chairperson by a majority vote of the committee from among those members. The committee members may elect a new chairperson at any time.
(E) The state medical board may appoint assistants, clerical staff, or other employees as necessary for the committee to perform its duties adequately.
(F) The committee shall meet at least four times a year and at such other times as may be necessary to carry out its responsibilities.
Sec. 4730.06.  (A) The physician assistant policy committee of the state medical board shall review, and may shall submit to the board recommendations to the board concerning, all of the following:
(1) Education and registration requirements Requirements for issuance of certificates to practice as a physician assistants assistant, including the educational requirements that must be met to receive a certificate to practice;
(2) Existing and proposed rules pertaining to the practice of physician assistants, the supervisory relationship between physician assistants and supervising physicians, and the administration and enforcement of this chapter;
(3) Physician-delegated prescriptive authority for physician assistants, in accordance with section 4730.38 of the Revised Code;
(4) Application procedures and forms for certificates of registration for to practice as a physician assistants assistant, standard and supplemental physician assistant utilization physician supervisory plans, and supervision agreements;
(4) Registration and renewal fees (5) Fees required by this chapter for issuance and renewal of certificates to practice as a physician assistant;
(5)(6) Criteria to be included in applications submitted to the board for approval of physician supervisory plans, including criteria to be included in applications for approval to delegate to physician assistants the performance of special services;
(7) Criteria to be included in standard and supplemental utilization plans and in supervision agreements submitted to the board for approval and renewal of the board's approval;
(6) Adoption of model standard utilization plans;
(7)(8) Any issue the board asks the committee to consider.
(B) In addition to the matters that are required to be reviewed under division (A) of this section, the committee may review, and may submit to the board recommendations concerning, either or both of the following:
(1) Quality assurance activities to be performed by a supervising physician and physician assistant under a quality assurance system established pursuant to division (F) of section 4730.21 of the Revised Code;
(2) The development and approval of one or more model physician supervisory plans and one or more models for a special services portion of the one or more model physician supervisory plans. The committee may submit recommendations for model plans that reflect various medical specialties.
(C) The board shall take into consideration all recommendations submitted by the committee. Not later than ninety days after receiving a recommendation from the committee, the board shall approve or disapprove the recommendation and notify the committee of its decision. If a recommendation is disapproved, the board shall inform the committee of its reasons for making that decision. The committee may resubmit the recommendation after addressing the concerns expressed by the board and modifying the disapproved recommendation accordingly. Not later than ninety days after receiving a resubmitted recommendation, the board shall approve or disapprove the recommendation. There is no limit on the number of times the committee may resubmit a recommendation for consideration by the board. It is not necessary for the committee to make a recommendation before
(D)(1) Except as provided in division (D)(2) of this section, the board may not take action regarding a particular matter that is subject to the committee's review under division (A) or (B) of this section unless the committee has made a recommendation to the board concerning the matter.
(2) If the board submits to the committee a request for a recommendation regarding a matter that is subject to the committee's review under division (A) or (B) of this section, and the committee does not provide a recommendation before the sixty-first day after the request is submitted, the board may take action regarding the matter without a recommendation.
Sec. 4730.07.  In addition to rules that are specifically required or authorized by this chapter to be adopted, the state medical board may, subject to division (D) of section 4730.06 of the Revised Code, adopt any other rules necessary to govern the practice of physician assistants, the supervisory relationship between physician assistants and supervising physicians, and the administration and enforcement of this chapter. Rules adopted under this section shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.08. (A) A certificate to practice as a physician assistant issued under this chapter authorizes the holder to practice as a physician assistant, subject to all of the following:
(1) The physician assistant shall practice only under the supervision, control, and direction of a physician with whom the physician assistant has entered into a supervision agreement approved by the state medical board under section 4730.17 of the Revised Code.
(2) When the physician assistant practices outside a health care facility, the physician assistant shall practice in accordance with the physician supervisory plan approved under section 4730.17 of the Revised Code for the physician who is responsible for supervising the physician assistant.
(3) When the physician assistant practices within a health care facility, the physician assistant shall practice in accordance with the policies of the health care facility.
(B) For purposes of division (A) of this section and all other provisions of this chapter pertaining to the practice of a physician assistant under the policies of a health care facility, both of the following apply:
(1) A physician who is supervising a physician assistant within a health care facility may impose limitations on the physician assistant's practice that are in addition to any limitations applicable under the policies of the facility.
(2) The state medical board may, subject to division (D) of section 4730.06 of the Revised Code, adopt rules designating facilities to be included as health care facilities that are in addition to the facilities specified in divisions (C)(1) and (2) of section 4730.01 of the Revised Code. The rules adopted shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.081. For purposes of the Revised Code and any rules adopted under it, a certificate to practice as a physician assistant issued under this chapter constitutes the state's licensure of the certificate holder to practice as a physician assistant. The certificate holder may present the certificate as evidence of the state's licensure of the holder to any health care insurer, accrediting body, or other entity that requires evidence of licensure by a government entity to be recognized or authorized to practice as a physician assistant.
Sec. 4730.09. (A) Under a physician supervisory plan approved under section 4730.17 of the Revised Code, a physician assistant may provide any or all of the following services without approval by the state medical board as special services:
(1) Obtaining comprehensive patient histories;
(2) Performing physical examinations, including audiometry screening, routine visual screening, and pelvic, rectal, and genital-urinary examinations, when indicated;
(3) Ordering, performing, or ordering and performing routine diagnostic procedures, as indicated;
(4) Identifying normal and abnormal findings on histories, physical examinations, and commonly performed diagnostic studies;
(5) Assessing patients and developing and implementing treatment plans for patients;
(6) Monitoring the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions;
(7) Exercising physician-delegated prescriptive authority pursuant to a certificate to prescribe issued under this chapter;
(8) Carrying out or relaying the supervising physician's orders for the administration of medication, to the extent permitted by law;
(9) Providing patient education;
(10) Instituting and changing orders on patient charts;
(11) Performing developmental screening examinations on children with regard to neurological, motor, and mental functions;
(12) Performing wound care management, suturing minor lacerations and removing the sutures, and incision and drainage of uncomplicated superficial abscesses;
(13) Removing superficial foreign bodies;
(14) Administering intravenous fluids;
(15) Inserting a foley or cudae catheter into the urinary bladder and removing the catheter;
(16) Removing intrauterine devices;
(17) Performing biopsies of superficial lesions;
(18) Making appropriate referrals as directed by the supervising physician;
(19) Removing norplant capsules;
(20) Performing penile duplex ultrasound;
(21) Changing of a tracheostomy;
(22) Performing bone marrow aspirations from the posterior iliac crest;
(23) Performing bone marrow biopsies from the posterior iliac crest;
(24) Performing cystograms;
(25) Performing nephrostograms after physician placement of nephrostomy tubes;
(26) Fitting or inserting family planning devices, including intrauterine devices, diaphragms, and cervical caps;
(27) Removing cervical polyps;
(28) Performing nerve conduction testing;
(29) Performing endometrial biopsies;
(30) Inserting filiform and follower catheters;
(31) Performing arthrocentesis of the knee;
(32) Performing knee joint injections;
(33) Performing endotracheal intubation with successful completion of an advanced cardiac life support course;
(34) Performing lumbar punctures;
(35) In accordance with rules adopted by the board, using light-based medical devices for the purpose of hair removal;
(36) Administering, monitoring, or maintaining local anesthesia, as defined in section 4730.091 of the Revised Code;
(37) Performing other services that are within the supervising physician's normal course of practice and expertise, if the services are included in any model physician supervisory plan approved under section 4730.06 of the Revised Code or the services are designated by the board by rule or other means as services that are not subject to approval as special services.
(B) Under the policies of a health care facility, the services a physician assistant may provide are limited to the services the facility has authorized the physician assistant to provide for the facility. The services a health care facility may authorize a physician assistant to provide for the facility include the following:
(1) Any or all of the services specified in division (A) of this section;
(2) Assisting in surgery in the health care facility;
(3) Any other services permitted by the policies of the health care facility, except that the facility may not authorize a physician assistant to perform a service that is prohibited by this chapter.
Sec. 4730.091. (A) As used in this section, "local anesthesia" means the injection of a drug or combination of drugs to stop or prevent a painful sensation in a circumscribed area of the body where a painful procedure is to be performed. "Local anesthesia" includes only local infiltration anesthesia, digital blocks, and pudendal blocks.
(B) A physician assistant may administer, monitor, or maintain local anesthesia as a component of a procedure the physician assistant is performing or as a separate service when the procedure requiring local anesthesia is to be performed by the physician assistant's supervising physician or another person. A physician assistant shall not administer, monitor, or maintain any other form of anesthesia, including regional anesthesia or any systemic sedation, regardless of whether the physician assistant is practicing under a physician supervisory plan or the policies of a health care facility.
Sec. 4730.10.  (A) An individual seeking a certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant shall file with the state medical board a written application on a form prescribed and supplied by the board. The application shall include all of the following:
(1) The applicant's name, residential address, business address, if any, and social security number;
(2) Satisfactory proof that the applicant is at least eighteen years of meets the age and of good moral character requirements specified in divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 4730.11 of the Revised Code;
(2) The status of the applicant with respect to eligibility for and application to take, or satisfactory completion of, the examination of the national commission for certification of physician assistants or a successor organization that is recognized by the board;
(3) Effective January 1, 2008, except as provided in division (B) of section 4730.11 of the Revised Code, satisfactory proof that the applicant meets one of the educational requirements specified in division (A)(4) of section 4730.11 of the Revised Code;
(4) Any other information the board requires.
(B) The board shall review all applications received under this section. The board shall determine whether an applicant meets the requirements to receive a certificate of registration not later than sixty days after receiving a complete application. The affirmative vote of not fewer than six members of the board is required to determine that an applicant meets the requirements for a certificate.
A certificate of registration shall not be issued to an applicant unless the applicant is certified by the national commission on certification of physician assistants or a successor organization that is recognized by the board, except that the board may issue a temporary certificate of registration to an applicant who has not yet taken the examination of the commission or its successor organization but is eligible for and has made application to take the examination. A temporary certificate shall be valid only until the results of the next examinations are available to the board.
(C) At the time of making application for a certificate of registration to practice, the applicant shall pay the board a fee of one hundred dollars, no part of which shall be returned. Such fees shall be deposited in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.11.  (A) For an individual to be eligible to receive a certificate to practice as a physician assistant, all of the following apply:
(1) The applicant shall be at least eighteen years of age.
(2) The applicant shall be of good moral character.
(3) The applicant shall hold current certification by the national commission on certification of physician assistants or a successor organization that is recognized by the state medical board.
(4) Effective January 1, 2008, except as provided in division (B) of this section, the applicant shall meet one of the following educational requirements:
(a) The applicant shall hold a master's or higher degree that was obtained from a program accredited by the accreditation review commission on education for the physician assistant or a predecessor or successor organization recognized by the board;
(b) The applicant shall hold a degree other than a master's or higher degree that was obtained from a program accredited by the accreditation review commission on education for the physician assistant or a predecessor or successor organization recognized by the board and shall hold a master's or higher degree in a course of study with clinical relevance to the practice of physician assistants that was obtained from a program accredited by a regional or specialized and professional accrediting agency recognized by the council for higher education accreditation.
(B) It is not necessary for an applicant to hold a master's or higher degree as a condition of receiving a certificate to practice as a physician assistant if the applicant presents evidence satisfactory to the board of holding a current, valid license or other form of authority to practice as a physician assistant that was issued by another jurisdiction prior to January 1, 2008.
(C) This section does not require an individual to obtain a master's or higher degree as a condition of retaining or renewing a certificate to practice as a physician assistant if either of the following is the case:
(1) Prior to January 1, 2008, the individual received a certificate to practice as a physician assistant under this chapter without holding a master's or higher degree.
(2) On or after January 1, 2008, the individual received a certificate to practice as a physician assistant under this chapter on the basis of holding a license issued in another jurisdiction, as specified in division (B) of this section.
Sec. 4730.11 4730.12 If the (A) The state medical board shall review all applications received under section 4730.10 of the Revised Code for certificates to practice as a physician assistant. Not later than sixty days after receiving a complete application, the board shall determine whether an applicant meets the requirements to receive a certificate to practice, as specified in section 4730.11 of the Revised Code. An affirmative vote of not fewer than six members of the board is required to determine that an applicant meets the requirements to receive a certificate to practice as a physician assistant.
(B) If the board determines under section 4730.10 of the Revised Code that an applicant meets the requirements for a to receive the certificate of registration as a physician assistant, the secretary of the board shall register the applicant as a physician assistant and issue to the applicant a certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant. The certificate shall expire biennially and may be renewed in accordance with section 4730.12 of the Revised Code.
Upon application by the holder of a certificate of registration, the board shall issue a duplicate certificate to replace one that is missing or damaged, to reflect a name change, or for any other reasonable cause. The fee for a duplicate certificate shall be thirty-five dollars.
Sec. 4730.13.  Upon application by the holder of a certificate to practice as a physician assistant, the state medical board shall issue a duplicate certificate to replace one that is missing or damaged, to reflect a name change, or for any other reasonable cause. The fee for a duplicate certificate shall be thirty-five dollars. All fees collected under this section shall be deposited in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.12 4730.14 (A) A certificate to practice as a physician assistant shall expire biennially and may be renewed in accordance with this section. A person seeking to renew a certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant shall, on or before the thirty-first day of January of each even-numbered year, apply for renewal of the certificate. The state medical board shall send renewal notices at least one month prior to the expiration date.
Applications shall be submitted to the board on forms the board shall prescribe and furnish. Each application shall be accompanied by a biennial renewal fee of fifty dollars. The board shall deposit the fees in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.
The applicant shall report any criminal offense that constitutes grounds for refusing to issue a certificate of registration to practice under section 4730.25 of the Revised Code to which the applicant has pleaded guilty, of which the applicant has been found guilty, or for which the applicant has been found eligible for treatment intervention in lieu of conviction, since last signing an application for a certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant.
(B) To be eligible for renewal, a physician assistant must shall certify to the board both of the following:
(1) That the physician assistant has maintained certification by the national commission on certification of physician assistants or a successor organization that is recognized by the board by meeting the standards to hold current certification from the commission or its successor, including completion of continuing medical education requirements and passing periodic recertification examinations;
(2) Except as provided in division (D)(F) of this section and section 5903.12 of the Revised Code, that the physician assistant has completed during the current registration certification period not less than one hundred hours of continuing medical education acceptable to the board. The
(C) The board shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code specifying the types of continuing medical education that must be completed to fulfill the board's requirements under division (B)(2) of this section. The Except when additional continuing medical education is required to renew a certificate to prescribe, as specified in section 4730.49 of the Revised Code, the board shall not adopt rules that require a physician assistant to complete in any registration certification period more than one hundred hours of continuing medical education acceptable to the board. In fulfilling the board's requirements, a physician assistant may use continuing medical education courses or programs completed to maintain certification by the national commission on certification of physician assistants or a successor organization that is recognized by the board if the standards for acceptable courses and programs of the commission or its successor are at least equivalent to the standards established by the board.
(C)(D) If an applicant submits a complete renewal application and qualifies for renewal pursuant to division (B) of this section, the board shall issue to the applicant a renewed certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant. The
(E) The board may require a random sample of physician assistants to submit materials documenting certification by the national commission on certification of physician assistants or a successor organization that is required recognized by the board and completion of the required number of hours of continuing medical education.
(D)(F) The board shall provide for pro rata reductions by month of the number of hours of continuing education that must be completed for individuals who are in their first registration certification period, who have been disabled due to illness or accident, or who have been absent from the country. The board shall adopt rules, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, as necessary to implement this division.
(E)(G)(1) A certificate of registration to practice that is not renewed on or before its expiration date is automatically suspended on its expiration date. The state medical Continued practice after suspension of the certificate shall be considered as practicing in violation of division (A) of section 4730.02 of the Revised Code.
(2) If a certificate has been suspended pursuant to division (G)(1) of this section for two years or less, it may be reinstated. The board shall reinstate a certificate suspended for failure to renew upon an applicant's submission of the biennial renewal fee, the any applicable monetary penalty, and certification by signature of the applicant that the applicant has completed the number of hours of continuing education necessary to have a certificate reinstated have been completed, as specified in rules the board shall adopt in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. The
If a certificate has been suspended pursuant to division (G)(1) of this division for more than two years, it may be restored. In accordance with section 4730.28 of the Revised Code, the board may restore a certificate suspended for failure to renew upon an applicant's submission of a restoration application, the biennial renewal fee, and any applicable monetary penalty.
The penalty for reinstatement shall be twenty-five dollars if the certificate has been suspended for two years or less and the penalty for restoration shall be fifty dollars if the certificate has been suspended for more than two years. The board shall deposit penalties in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.
(F)(H) If an individual certifies that the individual has completed the number of hours and type of continuing medical education required for renewal or reinstatement of a certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant, and the board finds through a random sample conducted under division (C)(E) of this section or through any other means that the individual did not complete the requisite continuing medical education, the board may impose a civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars. The board's finding shall be made pursuant to an adjudication under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code and by an affirmative vote of not fewer than six members.
A civil penalty imposed under this division may be in addition to or in lieu of any other action the board may take under section 4730.25 of the Revised Code. The board shall deposit civil penalties in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.18 4730.15 (A) A physician seeking to supervise one or more physician assistants through a physician supervisory plan shall submit to the state medical board an application for approval of a physician assistant utilization supervisory plan. The physician shall provide all information determined by the board to be necessary to process the application. The physician may include in the application the names, business addresses, and business telephone numbers of at least two physicians who have agreed to act as alternate supervising physicians during periods in which the physician will be unable to provide supervision in accordance with section 4730.21 of the Revised Code.
Application for approval of a physician assistant utilization supervisory plan shall be made on a form prescribed and furnished by the board. Each application shall include a copy of the proposed plan. The proposed plan may be based on any model physician supervisory plan approved under section 4730.06 of the Revised Code. If the plan includes a special services portion, that portion may be based on any model special services portion approved under section 4730.06 of the Revised Code.
The board shall develop a form that may be used when two or more physicians wish to apply at the same time for approval of the same type of physician assistant utilization supervisory plan. When making simultaneous applications with these forms this form, the physicians are required to include only one copy of the proposed plan with all of their applications. Subsequent to the filing of simultaneous applications, a physician who seeks to join the physicians who filed simultaneous applications may apply for approval of the same type of physician assistant utilization supervisory plan by using the forms form developed by the board for simultaneous applications. The physician shall identify the plan for which approval is sought. Identification of the plan fulfills the requirement for filing a copy of the plan.
Each application for approval filed separately shall be accompanied by a fee of seventy-five dollars. Applications filed simultaneously shall be accompanied by a fee of seventy-five dollars per physician, up to a maximum of seven hundred fifty dollars. An application from a physician who seeks to join physicians who filed simultaneous applications shall include a fee of seventy-five dollars, unless the fees paid by the physicians in the group have reached the maximum of seven hundred fifty dollars. Fees shall be deposited in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.
(B) To be approved by the board, a standard utilization plan must meet the requirements of section 4730.16 of the Revised Code and any applicable rules adopted by the board. To be approved, a supplemental utilization plan must meet the requirements of section 4730.17 of the Revised Code and any applicable rules adopted by the board.
On receipt of a complete application, the board shall process the application as follows:
(1) If an application is for approval of a standard utilization plan, the board shall approve or disapprove the application and notify the applicant of its decision not later than sixty days after receiving the application.
(2) If an application is for approval of a supplemental utilization plan, the board shall submit the application to the physician assistant policy committee. The committee shall review the application and form a recommendation as to whether the board should approve or disapprove the plan. The committee shall submit its recommendation to the board not later than sixty days after receiving the application. Not later than sixty days after receiving the committee's recommendation, the board shall review the application, approve or disapprove the supplemental utilization plan, and notify the applicant of its decision.
(C) A standard or supplemental utilization plan approved by the board is valid until the physician notifies the board that the plan should be canceled or until the plan is replaced by a new utilization plan.
Sec. 4730.16.  (A) A standard physician assistant utilization plan shall To be eligible for approval by the state medical board under section 4730.17 of the Revised Code, a physician supervisory plan shall meet the requirements of any applicable rules adopted by the board and shall specify all of the following:
(1)(A) The responsibilities to be fulfilled by the physician supervising a physician assistant under the plan;
(2)(B) The responsibilities to be fulfilled by a physician assistant when performing services under the plan;
(3)(C) Circumstances under which a physician assistant is required to refer a patient to the supervising physician;
(4)(D) Procedures to be followed by a physician assistant when writing medical orders, including prescriptions written in the exercise of the physician-delegated prescriptive authority granted to the physician assistant;
(5) Procedures to be followed when a supervising physician is not on the premises but a patient requires immediate attention
(E) Any special services that the physician may delegate to a physician assistant.
(B) The types of services a supervising physician may authorize a physician assistant to perform under a standard utilization plan are limited to the following:
(1) Obtaining comprehensive patient histories;
(2) Performing physical examinations, including pelvic and rectal examinations when indicated;
(3) Assessing patients, ordering and performing routine diagnostic procedures, developing treatment plans for patients, and implementing treatment plans that have been reviewed and approved by the supervising physician;
(4) Monitoring the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions;
(5) Assisting in surgery in a hospital, as defined in section 3727.01 of the Revised Code, or an outpatient surgical care center affiliated with the hospital if the center meets the same credential, quality assurance, and utilization review standards as the hospital;
(6) Providing instruction to meet patient needs;
(7) Instituting and changing orders on patient charts as directed by the supervising physician;
(8) Carrying out or relaying the supervising physician's orders for medication, to the extent permitted under laws pertaining to drugs.
Sec. 4730.17.  (A) On receipt of a complete application for approval of a physician supervisory plan submitted under section 4730.15 of the Revised Code, the state medical board shall process the application as follows:
(1) Not later than sixty days after receiving the application, the board shall approve or disapprove the plan or that portion of the plan under which one or more physician assistants will be authorized to perform the services specified in division (A) of section 4730.09 of the Revised Code. The board shall provide written notice of its decision to the applicant.
(2) If the applicant is seeking approval of a physician supervisory plan under which the supervising physician will delegate to one or more physician assistants the performance of special services, the board shall submit the special services portion of the plan to the board's physician assistant policy committee at the committee's next regularly scheduled meeting.
The committee shall review the special services portion of the physician supervisory plan and form a recommendation as to whether the board should approve or disapprove inclusion of all or some of the special services in the plan. The committee, on a case-by-case basis, may request documentation from the applicant certifying that additional education and training will have been provided to or obtained by each physician assistant who is given authority to perform the special services to ensure that the physician assistant is qualified to perform the services. The committee shall submit its recommendation for approval or disapproval to the board not later than sixty days after receiving the special services portion of the plan.
Not later than sixty days after receiving the committee's recommendation, the board shall approve or disapprove the special services portion of the physician supervisory plan. The board shall provide written notice of its decision to the applicant and the committee.
(B) After a physician supervisory plan has been approved, the holder of the plan may apply for an addendum to the plan for authorization to delegate to one or more physician assistants the performance of a special service that was not included at the time the plan was approved. An application for an addendum to an approved physician supervisory plan shall be submitted in the same manner that an application for approval of an original plan is submitted under section 4730.15 of the Revised Code. The application shall be processed in same manner that an application for approval of an original physician supervisory plan is processed under division (A) of this section.
(C) A physician supervisory plan approved under this section is valid until the supervising physician for whom the plan was approved, or the group of supervising physicians for which the plan was approved, notifies the board that the plan should be canceled or replaced.
Sec. 4730.18.  Before initiating supervision of one or more physician assistants under a physician supervisory plan or the policies of a health care facility, a physician shall obtain approval from the state medical board under section 4730.19 of the Revised Code of a supervision agreement between the physician and each physician assistant who will be supervised.
A physician seeking approval of a supervision agreement shall submit an application to the board on a form the board shall prescribe and furnish. The application shall list each physician assistant who will be supervised. Each application shall be accompanied by a fee of twenty-five dollars. Fees shall be deposited in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.19.  (A) Prior to initiating supervision of one or more physician assistants under a standard or supplemental physician assistant utilization plan, a physician must receive the state medical board's approval of a supervision agreement between the physician and each physician assistant who will be supervised. A physician seeking approval of a supervision agreement shall submit an application to the board on a form the board shall prescribe and furnish. The application shall list each physician assistant who will be supervised. Each application shall be accompanied by a fee of twenty-five dollars. Fees shall be deposited in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.
(B) To For a supervision agreement to be approved by the board, a all of the following apply:
(1) The supervision agreement must shall specify that the physician agrees to supervise the physician assistant and the physician assistant agrees to practice in accordance with the conditions specified in the physician assistant utilization supervisory plan approved for that physician or the policies of the health care facility in which the supervising physician and physician assistant are practicing. The
(2) The agreement must shall be signed by the physician and the physician assistant. The
(3) The physician assistant must shall hold a current certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant and.
(4) If a physician supervisory plan applies to the physician assistant's practice, the physician must have received approval of a shall hold an approved physician assistant utilization supervisory plan. If
(5) If the physician intends to grant physician-delegated prescriptive authority to a physician assistant, the physician assistant shall hold a certificate to prescribe issued under this chapter.
(6) If the physician holds approval of more than one physician assistant utilization supervisory plan, the agreement must shall specify the plan under which the physician assistant will practice. If these conditions are
(B) The board shall review each application received. If the board finds that the requirements specified in division (A) of this section have been met and the applicant has paid the fee is paid specified in section 4730.18 of the Revised Code, the board shall issue a letter to approve the supervision agreement and notify the supervising physician acknowledging its of the board's approval of the supervision agreement. If physician-delegated prescriptive authority will be granted to more than one physician assistant under the supervision agreement, the board shall specify in the notice that its approval is specific to each physician assistant. The board shall provide notice of its approval of a supervision agreement not later than thirty days after the board receives a complete application for approval.
(C) After a supervision agreement is approved, a physician may apply to the board for approval to initiate supervision of a physician assistant who is not listed on the agreement. If There is no fee for applying for the addition of a physician assistant to a supervision agreement.
To receive the board's approval of the addition to the supervision agreement, the physician assistant holds shall hold a current certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant. If the physician intends to grant physician-delegated prescriptive authority to the physician assistant, the physician assistant shall hold a current certificate to prescribe. If these requirements are met, the board shall issue a letter to notify the physician acknowledging of its approval of the addition to the supervision agreement. The board shall provide notice of its approval not later than thirty days after the board receives a complete application for approval.
There is no fee for applying for additions to a supervision agreement under this division.
(D) The board's approval of a supervision agreement expires on the thirty-first day of January of each odd-numbered year. The board may renew its approval of a supervision agreement if the supervising physician submits to the board a signed statement on a form prescribed and provided by the board specifying that the physician seeks to continue supervising one or more physician assistants and the board determines that each physician assistant who will be supervised holds a valid certificate of registration. The statement shall be accompanied by a fee of twenty-five dollars. All fees shall be deposited in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.20. (A) The state medical board's approval of a supervision agreement expires on the thirty-first day of January of each odd-numbered year and may be renewed. A supervising physician seeking renewal of the board's approval of a supervision agreement shall submit to the board an application for renewal on forms prescribed and furnished by the board. The application shall be accompanied by a renewal fee of twenty-five dollars. Renewal fees shall be deposited in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.
(B) For the board's approval of a supervision agreement to be renewed under this section, all of the following apply:
(1) The applicant shall submit a signed statement on a form prescribed by the board specifying that the physician intends to continue supervising the one or more physician assistants specified in the agreement.
(2) Each of the physician assistants specified in the agreement shall hold a current certificate to practice as a physician assistant.
(3) If physician-delegated prescriptive authority will be granted to one or more physician assistants under the supervision agreement, each of the physician assistants shall hold a valid certificate to prescribe issued under this chapter.
(C) The board shall renew its approval of the supervision agreement if the fee has been paid and the requirements specified in division (B) of this section have been met.
Sec. 4730.21.  (A) The supervising physician of a physician assistant exercises oversight supervision, control, and direction of the physician assistant. In supervising a physician assistant, the supervising physician shall do all of the following apply:
(1) Be Except when the on-site supervision requirements specified in section 4730.45 of the Revised Code are applicable, the supervising physician shall be continuously available for direct communication with the physician assistant by either of the following means:
(a) Being physically present at the location where the physician assistant is practicing;
(b) Being readily available to the physician assistant through some means of telecommunication and being in a location that under normal conditions is not more than sixty minutes travel time away from the location where the physician assistant is practicing.
(2) Personally The supervising physician shall personally and actively review the physician assistant's professional activities;.
(3) Regularly The supervising physician shall regularly review the condition of the patients treated by the physician assistant;.
(4) Regularly The supervising physician shall ensure that the quality assurance system established pursuant to division (F) of this section is implemented and maintained.
(5) The supervising physician shall regularly perform any other reviews of the physician assistant that the supervising physician considers necessary.
(B) A physician may enter into supervision agreements with any number of physician assistants, but the physician may not supervise more than two physician assistants at any one time. A physician assistant may enter into supervision agreements with any number of supervising physicians, but when practicing under the supervision of a particular physician, the physician assistant's scope of practice is subject to the limitations of the utilization physician supervisory plan that has been approved under section 4730.17 of the Revised Code for that physician or the policies of the health care facility in which the physician and physician assistant are practicing.
When a supervision agreement between a physician assistant and a supervising physician is terminated, the physician and the physician assistant shall notify the state medical board. The notice shall be submitted not later than two week days after the agreement is terminated. The notice must include an explanation of the reasons for terminating the agreement.
(C) A supervising physician may authorize a physician assistant to perform a service only if the service is included in authorized under the physician assistant utilization supervisory plan approved for that physician and or the policies of the health care facility in which the physician and physician assistant are practicing. A supervising physician may authorize a physician assistant to perform a service only if the physician is satisfied that the physician assistant is capable of competently performing the service. A supervising physician shall not authorize a physician assistant to perform any service that is beyond the physician's or the physician assistant's expertise or normal course of practice and expertise.
(D) A patient new to a physician's practice may be seen by a physician assistant only when a supervising physician is on the premises, except in those situations specified in a standard or supplemental utilization plan under which the presence of the physician is not necessary. A patient new to a physician's practice or an established patient of a physician with a new condition shall be seen and personally evaluated by a supervising physician prior to initiation of any treatment plan proposed by a physician assistant for the new patient or the established patient's new condition. (1) A supervising physician may authorize a physician assistant to practice in any setting within which the supervising physician routinely practices. When a
(2) In the case of a health care facility with an emergency department, if the supervising physician authorizes a physician assistant to practice routinely practices in a the facility's emergency department, the supervising physician shall provide on-site supervision of the physician assistant when the physician assistant practices in the emergency department. If the supervising physician does not routinely practice in the facility's emergency department, the supervising physician may, on occasion, send the physician assistant to the facility's emergency department to assess and manage a patient. In supervising the physician assistant's assessment and management of the patient, the supervising physician shall determine the appropriate level of supervision in compliance with the requirements of divisions (A) to (C) of this section, except that the supervising physician must be available to go to the emergency department to personally evaluate the patient and, at the request of an emergency department physician, the supervising physician shall go to the emergency department to personally evaluate the patient.
(E) Each time a physician assistant writes a medical order, including prescriptions written in the exercise of physician-delegated prescriptive authority, the physician assistant shall sign the form on which the order is written and record on the form the time and date that the order is written. When writing a medical order, the physician assistant shall use forms that clearly identify the physician under whose supervision the physician assistant is authorized to write the order. The
supervising physician named on the order shall review each medical order written by the physician assistant not later than twenty-four hours after the order is written, unless the supervising physician's utilization plan specifically authorizes a longer period of time for review. After reviewing an order, the supervising physician shall countersign the order if the supervising physician determines that the order is appropriate. Countersignature by the supervising physician is necessary before any
person may execute the physician assistant's order, except in situations in which a patient requires immediate attention and any other circumstances specified in a supplemental utilization plan under which countersignature is not necessary. The supervising physician shall review each medical order executed without countersignature not later than twenty-four hours after the order is written
(F)(1) The supervising physician of a physician assistant shall establish a quality assurance system to be used in supervising the physician assistant. All or part of the system may be applied to other physician assistants who are supervised by the supervising physician. The system shall be developed in consultation with each physician assistant to be supervised by the physician.
(2) In establishing the quality assurance system, the supervising physician shall describe a process to be used for all of the following:
(a) Routine review by the physician of selected patient record entries made by the physician assistant and selected medical orders issued by the physician assistant;
(b) Discussion of complex cases;
(c) Discussion of new medical developments relevant to the practice of the physician and physician assistant;
(d) Performance of any quality assurance activities required in rules adopted by state medical board pursuant to any recommendations made by the physician assistant policy committee under section 4730.06 of the Revised Code;
(e) Performance of any other quality assurance activities that the supervising physician considers to be appropriate.
(3) The supervising physician and physician assistant shall keep records of their quality assurance activities. On request, the records shall be made available to the board and any health care professional working with the supervising physician and physician assistant.
Sec. 4730.22.  (A) A physician assistant's supervising physician assumes legal liability for the services provided by the physician assistant.
The physician is not liable for any services provided by the physician assistant after their supervision agreement is terminated.
(B) When any a health care facility permits physician assistants to practice within that facility or any other health care facility under its control, the health care facility shall make reasonable efforts to explain to each individual who may work with a particular physician assistant the scope of that physician assistant's practice as determined by each supervising physician's physician assistant utilization plan and any policies maintained by the facility regarding the practice of physician assistants within the facility. The appropriate credentialing body within the health care facility shall provide, on request of an individual practicing in the facility with a physician assistant, a copy of the facility's policies on the practice of physician assistants within the facility and a copy of each physician assistant utilization supervisory plan and supervision agreement applicable to the physician assistant.
An individual who follows the orders of a physician assistant practicing in a health care facility is not subject to disciplinary action by any administrative agency that governs that individual's conduct and is not liable in damages in a civil action for injury, death, or loss to person or property resulting from the individual's acts or omissions in the performance of any procedure, treatment, or other health care service if the individual reasonably believed that the physician assistant was acting within the proper scope of practice or was relaying medical orders from a supervising physician, unless the act or omission constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.
Sec. 4730.25.  (A) The state medical board, by an affirmative vote of not fewer than six members, may revoke or may refuse to grant a certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant or a certificate to prescribe to a person found by the board to have committed fraud, misrepresentation, or deception in applying for or securing the certificate.
(B) The board, by an affirmative vote of not fewer than six members, shall, to the extent permitted by law, limit, revoke, or suspend an individual's certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant or certificate to prescribe, refuse to issue a certificate to an applicant, refuse to reinstate a certificate, or reprimand or place on probation the holder of a certificate for any of the following reasons:
(1) Failure to practice in accordance with the conditions under which the supervising physician's supervision agreement with the physician assistant was approved, including the requirement that when practicing under a particular supervising physician, the physician assistant must practice only according to the standard or supplemental utilization physician supervisory plan the board approved for that physician or the policies of the health care facility in which the supervising physician and physician assistant are practicing;
(2) Failure to comply with the requirements of this chapter, Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code, or any rules adopted by the board;
(3) Violating or attempting to violate, directly or indirectly, or assisting in or abetting the violation of, or conspiring to violate, any provision of this chapter, Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code, or the rules adopted by the board;
(4) Inability to practice according to acceptable and prevailing standards of care by reason of mental illness or physical illness, including physical deterioration that adversely affects cognitive, motor, or perceptive skills;
(5) Impairment of ability to practice according to acceptable and prevailing standards of care because of habitual or excessive use or abuse of drugs, alcohol, or other substances that impair ability to practice;
(6) Administering drugs for purposes other than those authorized under this chapter;
(7) Willfully betraying a professional confidence;
(8) Making a false, fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading statement in soliciting or advertising for employment as a physician assistant; in connection with any solicitation or advertisement for patients,; in relation to the practice of medicine as it pertains to physician assistants,; or in securing or attempting to secure a certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant, a certificate to prescribe, or approval of a supervision agreement.
As used in this division, "false, fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading statement" means a statement that includes a misrepresentation of fact, is likely to mislead or deceive because of a failure to disclose material facts, is intended or is likely to create false or unjustified expectations of favorable results, or includes representations or implications that in reasonable probability will cause an ordinarily prudent person to misunderstand or be deceived.
(9) Representing, with the purpose of obtaining compensation or other advantage personally or for any other person, that an incurable disease or injury, or other incurable condition, can be permanently cured;
(10) The obtaining of, or attempting to obtain, money or anything of value by fraudulent misrepresentations in the course of practice;
(11) A plea of guilty to, a judicial finding of guilt of, or a judicial finding of eligibility for treatment intervention in lieu of conviction for, a felony;
(12) Commission of an act that constitutes a felony in this state, regardless of the jurisdiction in which the act was committed;
(13) A plea of guilty to, a judicial finding of guilt of, or a judicial finding of eligibility for treatment intervention in lieu of conviction for, a misdemeanor committed in the course of practice;
(14) A plea of guilty to, a judicial finding of guilt of, or a judicial finding of eligibility for treatment intervention in lieu of conviction for, a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;
(15) Commission of an act in the course of practice that constitutes a misdemeanor in this state, regardless of the jurisdiction in which the act was committed;
(16) Commission of an act involving moral turpitude that constitutes a misdemeanor in this state, regardless of the jurisdiction in which the act was committed;
(17) A plea of guilty to, a judicial finding of guilt of, or a judicial finding of eligibility for treatment intervention in lieu of conviction for violating any state or federal law regulating the possession, distribution, or use of any drug, including trafficking in drugs;
(18) Any of the following actions taken by the state agency responsible for regulating the practice of physician assistants in another state, for any reason other than the nonpayment of fees: the limitation, revocation, or suspension of an individual's license to practice; acceptance of an individual's license surrender; denial of a license; refusal to renew or reinstate a license; imposition of probation; or issuance of an order of censure or other reprimand;
(19) A departure from, or failure to conform to, minimal standards of care of similar physician assistants under the same or similar circumstances, regardless of whether actual injury to a patient is established;
(20) Violation of the conditions placed by the board on a certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant, a certificate to prescribe, physician assistant utilization a physician supervisory plan, or supervision agreement;
(21) Violation of the conditions on which a temporary certificate of registration is issued;
(22) Failure to use universal blood and body fluid precautions established by rules adopted under section 4731.051 of the Revised Code;
(23)(22) Failure to cooperate in an investigation conducted by the board under section 4730.26 of the Revised Code, including failure to comply with a subpoena or order issued by the board or failure to answer truthfully a question presented by the board at a deposition or in written interrogatories, except that failure to cooperate with an investigation shall not constitute grounds for discipline under this section if a court of competent jurisdiction has issued an order that either quashes a subpoena or permits the individual to withhold the testimony or evidence in issue;
(24)(23) Assisting suicide as defined in section 3795.01 of the Revised Code;
(24) Prescribing any drug or device to perform or induce an abortion, or otherwise performing or inducing an abortion.
(C) Disciplinary actions taken by the board under divisions (A) and (B) of this section shall be taken pursuant to an adjudication under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, except that in lieu of an adjudication, the board may enter into a consent agreement with a physician assistant or applicant to resolve an allegation of a violation of this chapter or any rule adopted under it. A consent agreement, when ratified by an affirmative vote of not fewer than six members of the board, shall constitute the findings and order of the board with respect to the matter addressed in the agreement. If the board refuses to ratify a consent agreement, the admissions and findings contained in the consent agreement shall be of no force or effect.
(D) For purposes of divisions (B)(12), (15), and (16) of this section, the commission of the act may be established by a finding by the board, pursuant to an adjudication under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, that the applicant or certificate holder committed the act in question. The board shall have no jurisdiction under these divisions in cases where the trial court renders a final judgment in the certificate holder's favor and that judgment is based upon an adjudication on the merits. The board shall have jurisdiction under these divisions in cases where the trial court issues an order of dismissal upon technical or procedural grounds.
(E) The sealing of conviction records by any court shall have no effect upon a prior board order entered under the provisions of this section or upon the board's jurisdiction to take action under the provisions of this section if, based upon a plea of guilty, a judicial finding of guilt, or a judicial finding of eligibility for treatment intervention in lieu of conviction, the board issued a notice of opportunity for a hearing prior to the court's order to seal the records. The board shall not be required to seal, destroy, redact, or otherwise modify its records to reflect the court's sealing of conviction records.
(F) For purposes of this division, any individual who holds a certificate of registration issued under this chapter, or applies for a certificate of registration issued under this chapter, shall be deemed to have given consent to submit to a mental or physical examination when directed to do so in writing by the board and to have waived all objections to the admissibility of testimony or examination reports that constitute a privileged communication.
(1) In enforcing division (B)(4) of this section, the board, upon a showing of a possible violation, may compel any individual who holds a certificate of registration issued under this chapter or who has applied for a certificate of registration pursuant to this chapter to submit to a mental examination, physical examination, including an HIV test, or both a mental and physical examination. The expense of the examination is the responsibility of the individual compelled to be examined. Failure to submit to a mental or physical examination or consent to an HIV test ordered by the board constitutes an admission of the allegations against the individual unless the failure is due to circumstances beyond the individual's control, and a default and final order may be entered without the taking of testimony or presentation of evidence. If the board finds a physician assistant unable to practice because of the reasons set forth in division (B)(4) of this section, the board shall require the physician assistant to submit to care, counseling, or treatment by physicians approved or designated by the board, as a condition for an initial, continued, reinstated, or renewed certificate of registration. An individual affected under this division shall be afforded an opportunity to demonstrate to the board the ability to resume practicing in compliance with acceptable and prevailing standards of care.
(2) For purposes of division (B)(5) of this section, if the board has reason to believe that any individual who holds a certificate of registration issued under this chapter or any applicant for a certificate of registration suffers such impairment, the board may compel the individual to submit to a mental or physical examination, or both. The expense of the examination is the responsibility of the individual compelled to be examined. Any mental or physical examination required under this division shall be undertaken by a treatment provider or physician qualified to conduct such examination and chosen by the board.
Failure to submit to a mental or physical examination ordered by the board constitutes an admission of the allegations against the individual unless the failure is due to circumstances beyond the individual's control, and a default and final order may be entered without the taking of testimony or presentation of evidence. If the board determines that the individual's ability to practice is impaired, the board shall suspend the individual's certificate or deny the individual's application and shall require the individual, as a condition for initial, continued, reinstated, or renewed licensure certification to practice or prescribe, to submit to treatment.
Before being eligible to apply for reinstatement of a certificate suspended under this division, the physician assistant shall demonstrate to the board the ability to resume practice or prescribing in compliance with acceptable and prevailing standards of care. The demonstration shall include the following:
(a) Certification from a treatment provider approved under section 4731.25 of the Revised Code that the individual has successfully completed any required inpatient treatment;
(b) Evidence of continuing full compliance with an aftercare contract or consent agreement;
(c) Two written reports indicating that the individual's ability to practice has been assessed and that the individual has been found capable of practicing according to acceptable and prevailing standards of care. The reports shall be made by individuals or providers approved by the board for making such assessments and shall describe the basis for their determination.
The board may reinstate a certificate suspended under this division after such demonstration and after the individual has entered into a written consent agreement.
When the impaired physician assistant resumes practice or prescribing, the board shall require continued monitoring of the physician assistant. The monitoring shall include compliance with the written consent agreement entered into before reinstatement or with conditions imposed by board order after a hearing, and, upon termination of the consent agreement, submission to the board for at least two years of annual written progress reports made under penalty of falsification stating whether the physician assistant has maintained sobriety.
(G) If the secretary and supervising member determine that there is clear and convincing evidence that a physician assistant has violated division (B) of this section and that the individual's continued practice or prescribing presents a danger of immediate and serious harm to the public, they may recommend that the board suspend the individual's certificate to practice or prescribe without a prior hearing. Written allegations shall be prepared for consideration by the board.
The board, upon review of those allegations and by an affirmative vote of not fewer than six of its members, excluding the secretary and supervising member, may suspend a certificate without a prior hearing. A telephone conference call may be utilized for reviewing the allegations and taking the vote on the summary suspension.
The board shall issue a written order of suspension by certified mail or in person in accordance with section 119.07 of the Revised Code. The order shall not be subject to suspension by the court during pendency of any appeal filed under section 119.12 of the Revised Code. If the physician assistant requests an adjudicatory hearing by the board, the date set for the hearing shall be within fifteen days, but not earlier than seven days, after the physician assistant requests the hearing, unless otherwise agreed to by both the board and the certificate holder.
A summary suspension imposed under this division shall remain in effect, unless reversed on appeal, until a final adjudicative order issued by the board pursuant to this section and Chapter 119. of the Revised Code becomes effective. The board shall issue its final adjudicative order within sixty days after completion of its hearing. Failure to issue the order within sixty days shall result in dissolution of the summary suspension order, but shall not invalidate any subsequent, final adjudicative order.
(H) If the board takes action under division (B)(11), (13), or (14) of this section, and the judicial finding of guilt, guilty plea, or judicial finding of eligibility for treatment intervention in lieu of conviction is overturned on appeal, upon exhaustion of the criminal appeal, a petition for reconsideration of the order may be filed with the board along with appropriate court documents. Upon receipt of a petition and supporting court documents, the board shall reinstate the certificate of registration to practice or prescribe. The board may then hold an adjudication under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to determine whether the individual committed the act in question. Notice of opportunity for hearing shall be given in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. If the board finds, pursuant to an adjudication held under this division, that the individual committed the act, or if no hearing is requested, it may order any of the sanctions identified under division (B) of this section.
(I) The certificate of registration of to practice issued to a physician assistant and the physician assistant's practice in this state are automatically suspended as of the date the physician assistant pleads guilty to, is found by a judge or jury to be guilty of, or is subject to a judicial finding of eligibility for intervention in lieu of conviction in this state or treatment or intervention in lieu of conviction in another state for any of the following criminal offenses in this state or a substantially equivalent criminal offense in another jurisdiction: aggravated murder, murder, voluntary manslaughter, felonious assault, kidnapping, rape, sexual battery, gross sexual imposition, aggravated arson, aggravated robbery, or aggravated burglary. Continued practice after the suspension shall be considered practicing without a certificate.
The board shall notify the individual subject to the suspension by certified mail or in person in accordance with section 119.07 of the Revised Code. If an individual whose certificate is suspended under this division fails to make a timely request for an adjudication under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, the board shall enter a final order permanently revoking the individual's certificate of registration to practice.
(J) In any instance in which the board is required by Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to give notice of opportunity for hearing and the individual subject to the notice does not timely request a hearing in accordance with section 119.07 of the Revised Code, the board is not required to hold a hearing, but may adopt, by an affirmative vote of not fewer than six of its members, a final order that contains the board's findings. In that final order, the board may order any of the sanctions identified under division (A) or (B) of this section.
(K) Any action taken by the board under division (B) of this section resulting in a suspension shall be accompanied by a written statement of the conditions under which the physician assistant's certificate may be reinstated. The board shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code governing conditions to be imposed for reinstatement. Reinstatement of a certificate suspended pursuant to division (B) of this section requires an affirmative vote of not fewer than six members of the board.
(L) When the board refuses to grant to an applicant a certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant to an applicant or a certificate to prescribe, revokes an individual's certificate of registration, refuses to issue a certificate of registration, or refuses to reinstate an individual's certificate of registration, the board may specify that its action is permanent. An individual subject to a permanent action taken by the board is forever thereafter ineligible to hold a the certificate of registration as a physician assistant and the board shall not accept an application for reinstatement of the certificate or for issuance of a new certificate.
(M) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Revised Code, all of the following apply:
(1) The surrender of a certificate of registration as a physician assistant issued under this chapter is not effective unless or until accepted by the board. Reinstatement of a certificate surrendered to the board requires an affirmative vote of not fewer than six members of the board.
(2) An application made under this chapter for a certificate of registration, approval of a standard or supplemental utilization physician supervisory plan, or approval of a supervision agreement may not be withdrawn without approval of the board.
(3) Failure by an individual to renew a certificate of registration in accordance with section 4730.12 4730.14 or section 4730.48 of the Revised Code shall not remove or limit the board's jurisdiction to take disciplinary action under this section against the individual.
Sec. 4730.26.  (A) The state medical board shall investigate evidence that appears to show that any person has violated this chapter or a rule adopted under it. Any In an investigation involving the practice or supervision of a physician assistant pursuant to the policies of a health care facility, the board may require that the health care facility provide any information the board considers necessary to identify either or both of the following:
(1) The facility's policies for the practice of physician assistants within the facility;
(2) The services that the facility has authorized a particular physician assistant to provide for the facility.
(B) Any person may report to the board in a signed writing any information the person has that appears to show a violation of any provision of this chapter or rule adopted under it. In the absence of bad faith, a person who reports such information or testifies before the board in an adjudication conducted under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code shall not be liable for civil damages as a result of reporting the information or providing testimony. Each complaint or allegation of a violation received by the board shall be assigned a case number and be recorded by the board.
(B)(C) Investigations of alleged violations of this chapter or rules adopted under it shall be supervised by the supervising member elected by the board in accordance with section 4731.02 of the Revised Code and by the secretary as provided in section 4730.33 of the Revised Code. The president may designate another member of the board to supervise the investigation in place of the supervising member. A member of the board who supervises the investigation of a case shall not participate in further adjudication of the case.
(C)(D) In investigating a possible violation of this chapter or a rule adopted under it, the board may administer oaths, order the taking of depositions, issue subpoenas, and compel the attendance of witnesses and production of books, accounts, papers, records, documents, and testimony, except that a subpoena for patient record information shall not be issued without consultation with the attorney general's office and approval of the secretary and supervising member of the board. Before issuance of a subpoena for patient record information, the secretary and supervising member shall determine whether there is probable cause to believe that the complaint filed alleges a violation of this chapter or a rule adopted under it and that the records sought are relevant to the alleged violation and material to the investigation. The subpoena may apply only to records that cover a reasonable period of time surrounding the alleged violation.
On failure to comply with any subpoena issued by the board and after reasonable notice to the person being subpoenaed, the board may move for an order compelling the production of persons or records pursuant to the Rules of Civil Procedure.
A subpoena issued by the board may be served by a sheriff, the sheriff's deputy, or a board employee designated by the board. Service of a subpoena issued by the board may be made by delivering a copy of the subpoena to the person named therein, reading it to the person, or leaving it at the person's usual place of residence. When the person being served is a physician assistant, service of the subpoena may be made by certified mail, restricted delivery, return receipt requested, and the subpoena shall be deemed served on the date delivery is made or the date the person refuses to accept delivery.
A sheriff's deputy who serves a subpoena shall receive the same fees as a sheriff. Each witness who appears before the board in obedience to a subpoena shall receive the fees and mileage provided for witnesses in civil cases in the courts of common pleas.
(D)(E) All hearings and investigations of the board shall be considered civil actions for the purposes of section 2305.252 of the Revised Code.
(E)(F) Information received by the board pursuant to an investigation is confidential and not subject to discovery in any civil action.
The board shall conduct all investigations and proceedings in a manner that protects the confidentiality of patients and persons who file complaints with the board. The board shall not make public the names or any other identifying information about patients or complainants unless proper consent is given or, in the case of a patient, a waiver of the patient privilege exists under division (B) of section 2317.02 of the Revised Code, except that consent or a waiver is not required if the board possesses reliable and substantial evidence that no bona fide physician-patient relationship exists.
The board may share any information it receives pursuant to an investigation, including patient records and patient record information, with law enforcement agencies, other licensing boards, and other governmental agencies that are prosecuting, adjudicating, or investigating alleged violations of statutes or administrative rules. An agency or board that receives the information shall comply with the same requirements regarding confidentiality as those with which the state medical board must comply, notwithstanding any conflicting provision of the Revised Code or procedure of the agency or board that applies when it is dealing with other information in its possession. In a judicial proceeding, the information may be admitted into evidence only in accordance with the Rules of Evidence, but the court shall require that appropriate measures are taken to ensure that confidentiality is maintained with respect to any part of the information that contains names or other identifying information about patients or complainants whose confidentiality was protected by the state medical board when the information was in the board's possession. Measures to ensure confidentiality that may be taken by the court include sealing its records or deleting specific information from its records.
(F)(G) The state medical board shall develop requirements for and provide appropriate initial and continuing training for investigators employed by the board to carry out its duties under this chapter. The training and continuing education may include enrollment in courses operated or approved by the Ohio peace officer training council that the board considers appropriate under conditions set forth in section 109.79 of the Revised Code.
(G)(H) On a quarterly basis, the board shall prepare a report that documents the disposition of all cases during the preceding three months. The report shall contain the following information for each case with which the board has completed its activities:
(1) The case number assigned to the complaint or alleged violation;
(2) The type of certificate to practice, if any, held by the individual against whom the complaint is directed;
(3) A description of the allegations contained in the complaint;
(4) The disposition of the case.
The report shall state how many cases are still pending, and shall be prepared in a manner that protects the identity of each person involved in each case. The report shall be submitted to the physician assistant policy committee of the board and is a public record for purposes of section 149.43 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.27.  If the state medical board has reason to believe that any person who has been granted a certificate of registration under this chapter is mentally ill or mentally incompetent, it may file in the probate court of the county in which such person has a legal residence an affidavit in the form prescribed in section 5122.11 of the Revised Code and signed by the board secretary or a member of the secretary's staff, whereupon the same proceedings shall be had as provided in Chapter 5122. of the Revised Code. The attorney general may represent the board in any proceeding commenced under this section.
If a physician assistant is adjudged by a probate court to be mentally ill or mentally incompetent, the individual's certificate of registration shall be automatically suspended until the individual has filed with the board a certified copy of an adjudication by a probate court of being restored to competency or has submitted to the board proof, satisfactory to the board, of having been discharged as being restored to competency in the manner and form provided in section 5122.38 of the Revised Code. The judge of the court shall immediately notify the board of an adjudication of incompetence and note any suspension of a certificate in the margin of the court's record of the certificate.
Sec. 4730.28. (A) An individual whose certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant has been suspended or is in an inactive state for any cause for more than two years may apply to the state medical board to have the certificate reinstated restored. Before reinstating
(B)(1) Before restoring a certificate that has been in a suspended or inactive state for any cause for more than two years under this section, the board shall determine the physician assistant's applicant's present fitness to resume practice. The board shall consider the moral background and the activities of the applicant during the period of suspension or inactivity.
(2) When reinstating restoring a certificate, the board may impose terms and conditions, including the following:
(A)(a) Requiring the physician assistant applicant to obtain additional training and pass an examination upon completion of the training;
(B)(b) Restricting or limiting the extent, scope, or type of practice of the as a physician assistant that the individual may resume.
Sec. 4730.31.  (A) As used in this section, "prosecutor" has the same meaning as in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code.
(B) Whenever any person holding a valid certificate issued pursuant to this chapter pleads guilty to, is subject to a judicial finding of guilt of, or is subject to a judicial finding of eligibility for treatment intervention in lieu of conviction for a violation of Chapter 2907., 2925., or 3719. of the Revised Code or of any substantively comparable ordinance of a municipal corporation in connection with practicing as a physician assistant, the prosecutor in the case shall, on forms prescribed and provided by the state medical board, promptly notify the board of the conviction. Within thirty days of receipt of such information, the board shall initiate action in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to determine whether to suspend or revoke the certificate under section 4730.31 4730.25 of the Revised Code.
(C) The prosecutor in any case against any person holding a valid certificate issued pursuant to this chapter shall, on forms prescribed and provided by the state medical board, notify the board of any of the following:
(1) A plea of guilty to, a judicial finding of guilt of, or judicial finding of eligibility for treatment intervention in lieu of conviction for a felony, or a case where the trial court issues an order of dismissal upon technical or procedural grounds of a felony charge;
(2) A plea of guilty to, a judicial finding of guilt of, or judicial finding or eligibility for treatment intervention in lieu of conviction for a misdemeanor committed in the course of practice, or a case where the trial court issues an order of dismissal upon technical or procedural grounds of a charge of a misdemeanor, if the alleged act was committed in the course of practice;
(3) A plea of guilty to, a judicial finding of guilt of, or judicial finding of eligibility for treatment intervention in lieu of conviction for a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, or a case where the trial court issues an order of dismissal upon technical or procedural grounds of a charge of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.
The report shall include the name and address of the certificate holder, the nature of the offense for which the action was taken, and the certified court documents recording the action.
Sec. 4730.32.  (A) Within sixty days after the imposition of any formal disciplinary action taken by any a health care facility, including a hospital, health care facility operated by an insuring corporation, ambulatory surgical center, or similar facility, against any individual holding a valid certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant, the chief administrator or executive officer of the facility shall report to the state medical board the name of the individual, the action taken by the facility, and a summary of the underlying facts leading to the action taken. Upon request, the board shall be provided certified copies of the patient records that were the basis for the facility's action. Prior to release to the board, the summary shall be approved by the peer review committee that reviewed the case or by the governing board of the facility.
The filing of a report with the board or decision not to file a report, investigation by the board, or any disciplinary action taken by the board, does not preclude a health care facility from taking disciplinary action against a physician assistant.
In the absence of fraud or bad faith, no individual or entity that provides patient records to the board shall be liable in damages to any person as a result of providing the records.
(B) A physician assistant, professional association or society of physician assistants, physician, or professional association or society of physicians that believes a violation of any provision of this chapter, Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code, or rule of the board has occurred shall report to the board the information upon which the belief is based. This division does not require any treatment provider approved by the board under section 4731.25 of the Revised Code or any employee, agent, or representative of such a provider to make reports with respect to a physician assistant participating in treatment or aftercare for substance abuse as long as the physician assistant maintains participation in accordance with the requirements of section 4731.25 of the Revised Code and the treatment provider or employee, agent, or representative of the provider has no reason to believe that the physician assistant has violated any provision of this chapter or rule adopted under it, other than being impaired by alcohol, drugs, or other substances. This division does not require reporting by any member of an impaired practitioner committee established by a health care facility or by any representative or agent of a committee or program sponsored by a professional association or society of physician assistants to provide peer assistance to physician assistants with substance abuse problems with respect to a physician assistant who has been referred for examination to a treatment program approved by the board under section 4731.25 of the Revised Code if the physician assistant cooperates with the referral for examination and with any determination that the physician assistant should enter treatment and as long as the committee member, representative, or agent has no reason to believe that the physician assistant has ceased to participate in the treatment program in accordance with section 4731.25 of the Revised Code or has violated any provision of this chapter or rule adopted under it, other than being impaired by alcohol, drugs, or other substances.
(C) Any professional association or society composed primarily of physician assistants that suspends or revokes an individual's membership for violations of professional ethics, or for reasons of professional incompetence or professional malpractice, within sixty days after a final decision, shall report to the board, on forms prescribed and provided by the board, the name of the individual, the action taken by the professional organization, and a summary of the underlying facts leading to the action taken.
The filing or nonfiling of a report with the board, investigation by the board, or any disciplinary action taken by the board, shall not preclude a professional organization from taking disciplinary action against a physician assistant.
(D) Any insurer providing professional liability insurance to any person holding a valid certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant or any other entity that seeks to indemnify the professional liability of a physician assistant shall notify the board within thirty days after the final disposition of any written claim for damages where such disposition results in a payment exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars. The notice shall contain the following information:
(1) The name and address of the person submitting the notification;
(2) The name and address of the insured who is the subject of the claim;
(3) The name of the person filing the written claim;
(4) The date of final disposition;
(5) If applicable, the identity of the court in which the final disposition of the claim took place.
(E) The board may investigate possible violations of this chapter or the rules adopted under it that are brought to its attention as a result of the reporting requirements of this section, except that the board shall conduct an investigation if a possible violation involves repeated malpractice. As used in this division, "repeated malpractice" means three or more claims for malpractice within the previous five-year period, each resulting in a judgment or settlement in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars in favor of the claimant, and each involving negligent conduct by the physician assistant.
(F) All summaries, reports, and records received and maintained by the board pursuant to this section shall be held in confidence and shall not be subject to discovery or introduction in evidence in any federal or state civil action involving a physician assistant, supervising physician, or health care facility arising out of matters that are the subject of the reporting required by this section. The board may use the information obtained only as the basis for an investigation, as evidence in a disciplinary hearing against a physician assistant or supervising physician, or in any subsequent trial or appeal of a board action or order.
The board may disclose the summaries and reports it receives under this section only to health care facility committees within or outside this state that are involved in credentialing or recredentialing a physician assistant or supervising physician or reviewing their privilege to practice within a particular facility. The board shall indicate whether or not the information has been verified. Information transmitted by the board shall be subject to the same confidentiality provisions as when maintained by the board.
(G) Except for reports filed by an individual pursuant to division (B) of this section, the board shall send a copy of any reports or summaries it receives pursuant to this section to the physician assistant. The physician assistant shall have the right to file a statement with the board concerning the correctness or relevance of the information. The statement shall at all times accompany that part of the record in contention.
(H) An individual or entity that reports to the board or refers an impaired physician assistant to a treatment provider approved by the board under section 4731.25 of the Revised Code shall not be subject to suit for civil damages as a result of the report, referral, or provision of the information.
(I) In the absence of fraud or bad faith, a professional association or society of physician assistants that sponsors a committee or program to provide peer assistance to a physician assistant with substance abuse problems, a representative or agent of such a committee or program, and a member of the state medical board shall not be held liable in damages to any person by reason of actions taken to refer a physician assistant to a treatment provider approved under section 4731.25 of the Revised Code for examination or treatment.
Sec. 4730.33.  The secretary of the state medical board shall enforce the laws relating to the practice of physician assistants. If the secretary has knowledge or notice of a violation of this chapter or the rules adopted under it, the secretary shall investigate the matter, and, upon probable cause appearing, file a complaint and prosecute the offender. When requested by the secretary, the prosecuting attorney of the proper county shall take charge of and conduct such prosecution.
In the prosecution of any person for violation of division (A) of section 4730.02 of the Revised Code it shall not be necessary to allege or prove want of a valid certificate of registration to practice as a physician assistant, but such matters shall be a matter of defense to be established by the accused.
Sec. 4730.34.  In the absence of fraud or bad faith, the state medical board, the board's physician assistant policy committee, a current or former board or committee member, an agent of the board or committee, a person formally requested by the board to be the board's representative or by the committee to be the committee's representative, or an employee of the board or committee shall not be held liable in damages to any person as the result of any act, omission, proceeding, conduct, or decision related to official duties undertaken or performed pursuant to this chapter. If any such person requests to be defended by the state against any claim or action arising out of any act, omission, proceeding, conduct, or decision related to the person's official duties, and if the request is made in writing at a reasonable time before trial and the person requesting defense cooperates in good faith in the defense of the claim or action, the state shall provide and pay for the person's defense and shall pay any resulting judgment, compromise, or settlement. At no time shall the state pay any part of a claim or judgment that is for punitive or exemplary damages.
Sec. 4730.38.  (A) Not later than six months after the effective date of this section, the physician assistant policy committee of the state medical board shall submit to the board its initial recommendations regarding physician-delegated prescriptive authority for physician assistants. The committee's recommendations shall address all of the following:
(1) Policy and procedures regarding physician-delegated prescriptive authority, including the issuance of certificates to prescribe under this chapter;
(2) Subject to the limitations specified in section 4730.40 of the Revised Code, a formulary listing the drugs and therapeutic devices by class and specific nomenclature that a supervising physician may include in the physician-delegated prescriptive authority granted to a physician assistant who holds a certificate to prescribe issued under this chapter;
(3) Any issue the committee considers necessary to assist the board in fulfilling its duty to adopt rules governing physician-delegated prescriptive authority, including the issuance of certificates to prescribe.
(B) After the board's adoption of initial rules under section 4730.39 of the Revised Code, the committee shall conduct an annual review of its recommendations regarding physician-delegated prescriptive authority. Based on its review, the committee shall submit recommendations to the board as the committee considers necessary.
(C) Recommendations submitted under this section are subject to the procedures and time frames specified in division (C) of section 4730.06 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.39.  (A) Not later than six months after receiving the initial recommendations of the physician assistant policy committee submitted pursuant to division (A) of section 4730.38 of the Revised Code, the state medical board shall adopt rules governing physician-delegated prescriptive authority for physician assistants, including the issuance of certificates to prescribe under this chapter. The board's rules shall establish all of the following:
(1) Subject to the limitations specified in section 4730.40 of the Revised Code, a formulary listing the drugs and therapeutic devices by class and specific generic nomenclature that a physician may include in the physician-delegated prescriptive authority granted to a physician assistant who holds a certificate to prescribe under this chapter;
(2) Requirements regarding the pharmacology courses that a physician assistant is required to complete to receive a certificate to prescribe;
(3) Standards and procedures for the issuance and renewal of certificates to prescribe to physician assistants;
(4) Standards and procedures for the appropriate conduct of the provisional period that a physician assistant is required to complete pursuant to section 4730.45 of the Revised Code and for determining whether a physician assistant has successfully completed the provisional period;
(5) A specific prohibition against prescribing any drug or device to perform or induce an abortion;
(6) Standards and procedures to be followed by a physician assistant in personally furnishing samples of drugs or complete or partial supplies of drugs to patients under section 4730.43 of the Revised Code;
(7) Any other requirements the board considers necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter regarding physician-delegated prescriptive authority and the issuance of certificates to prescribe.
(B) After adopting the initial rules, the board shall conduct an annual review of the rules. Based on its review, the board shall make any necessary modifications to the rules.
(C) All rules adopted under this section shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. When adopting the initial rules, the board shall consider the recommendations of the physician assistant policy committee submitted pursuant to division (A) of section 4730.38 of the Revised Code. When making any modifications to the rules subsequent to its annual review of the rules, the board shall consider the committee's recommendations submitted pursuant to division (B) of section 4730.38 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.40.  (A) Subject to divisions (B) and (C) of this section, the formulary established by the state medical board in rules adopted under section 4730.39 of the Revised Code listing the drugs and therapeutic devices by class and specific nomenclature that a supervising physician may include in the physician-delegated prescriptive authority granted to a physician assistant who holds a certificate to prescribe issued under this chapter may include any or all of the following drugs:
(1) Schedule III, IV, and V controlled substances;
(2) Drugs that under state or federal law may be dispensed only pursuant to a prescription by a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs, as defined in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code;
(3) Any drug that is not a dangerous drug, as defined in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code.
(B) The formulary established in the board's rules shall not include, and shall specify that it does not include, the following:
(1) Any schedule II controlled substance;
(2) Any drug or device used to perform or induce an abortion.
(C) When adopting rules establishing the initial formulary, the board shall include provisions ensuring that a physician assistant who holds a certificate to prescribe issued under this chapter may be granted physician-delegated prescriptive authority for all drugs and therapeutic devices that may be prescribed on the effective date of the rules by a holder of a certificate to prescribe issued by the board of nursing under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code, with the exception of schedule II controlled substances. To the extent permitted by division (A) of this section, the initial formulary may include additional drugs or therapeutic devices.
Sec. 4730.401.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter referring to the formulary established in rules adopted by the state medical board under section 4730.39 of the Revised Code, all of the following apply:
(A) If the state medical board has adopted all rules necessary to issue certificates to prescribe under this chapter other than the formulary, the board shall begin issuing the certificates to prescribe, and the formulary established under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code shall constitute the formulary of drugs and therapeutic devices that a physician may include in the physician-delegated prescriptive authority granted to a physician assistant who holds a certificate to prescribe issued under this chapter. The application of the formulary established under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code shall cease on the effective date of the initial rules establishing a formulary under section 4730.39 of the Revised Code.
(B) During the period specified in division (A) of this section, all changes relative to the formulary established under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code shall apply in like manner to physician-delegated prescriptive authority for physician assistants.
(C) Notwithstanding the inclusion of schedule II controlled substances in the formulary established under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code, the formulary that applies to physician-delegated prescriptive authority for physician assistants under this section shall not include schedule II controlled substances.
Sec. 4730.41.  (A) A certificate to prescribe issued under this chapter authorizes a physician assistant to prescribe and personally furnish drugs and therapeutic devices in the exercise of physician-delegated prescriptive authority.
(B) In exercising physician-delegated prescriptive authority, a physician assistant is subject to all of the following:
(1) The physician assistant shall exercise physician-delegated prescriptive authority only to the extent that the physician supervising the physician assistant has granted that authority.
(2) The physician assistant shall comply with all conditions placed on the physician-delegated prescriptive authority, as specified by the supervising physician who is supervising the physician assistant in the exercise of physician-delegated prescriptive authority.
(3) If the physician assistant possesses physician-delegated prescriptive authority for controlled substances, the physician assistant shall register with the federal drug enforcement administration.
Sec. 4730.42.  (A) In granting physician-delegated prescriptive authority to a particular physician assistant who holds a certificate to prescribe issued under this chapter, the supervising physician is subject to all of the following:
(1) The supervising physician shall not grant physician-delegated prescriptive authority for any drug or therapeutic device that is not listed on the formulary established in rules adopted under section 4730.39 of the Revised Code as a drug or therapeutic device that may be included in the physician-delegated prescriptive authority granted to a physician assistant.
(2) The supervising physician shall not grant physician-delegated prescriptive authority for any drug or device that may be used to perform or induce an abortion.
(3) The supervising physician shall not grant physician-delegated prescriptive authority in a manner that exceeds the supervising physician's prescriptive authority.
(4) The supervising physician shall supervise the physician assistant in accordance with all of the following:
(a) The supervision requirements specified in section 4730.21 of the Revised Code and, in the case of supervision provided during a provisional period of physician-delegated prescriptive authority, the supervision requirements specified in section 4730.45 of the Revised Code;
(b) The physician supervisory plan approved for the supervising physician or the policies of the health care facility in which the physician and physician assistant are practicing;
(c) The supervision agreement approved under section 4730.19 of the Revised Code that applies to the supervising physician and the physician assistant.
(B)(1) The supervising physician of a physician assistant may place conditions on the physician-delegated prescriptive authority granted to the physician assistant. If conditions are placed on that authority, the supervising physician shall maintain a written record of the conditions and make the record available to the state medical board on request.
(2) The conditions that a supervising physician may place on the physician-delegated prescriptive authority granted to a physician assistant include the following:
(a) Identification by class and specific generic nomenclature of drugs and therapeutic devices that the physician chooses not to permit the physician assistant to prescribe;
(b) Limitations on the dosage units or refills that the physician assistant is authorized to prescribe;
(c) Specification of circumstances under which the physician assistant is required to refer patients to the supervising physician or another physician when exercising physician-delegated prescriptive authority;
(d) Responsibilities to be fulfilled by the physician in supervising the physician assistant that are not otherwise specified in the physician supervisory plan or otherwise required by this chapter.
Sec. 4730.43. (A) A physician assistant who holds a certificate to prescribe issued under this chapter and has been granted physician-delegated prescriptive authority by a supervising physician may personally furnish to a patient samples of drugs and therapeutic devices that are included in the physician assistant's physician-delegated prescriptive authority, subject to all of the following:
(1) The amount of the sample furnished shall not exceed a seventy-two hour supply, except when the minimum available quantity of the sample is packaged in an amount that is greater than a seventy-two hour supply, in which case the physician assistant may furnish the sample in the package amount.
(2) No charge may be imposed for the sample or for furnishing it.
(3) Samples of controlled substances may not be personally furnished.
(B) A physician assistant who holds a certificate to prescribe issued under this chapter and has been granted physician-delegated prescriptive authority by a supervising physician may personally furnish to a patient a complete or partial supply of the drugs and therapeutic devices that are included in the physician assistant's physician-delegated prescriptive authority, subject to all of the following:
(1) The physician assistant shall personally furnish only antibiotics, antifungals, scabicides, contraceptives, prenatal vitamins, antihypertensives, drugs and devices used in the treatment of diabetes, drugs and devices used in the treatment of asthma, and drugs used in the treatment of dyslipidemia.
(2) The physician assistant shall not furnish the drugs and devices in locations other than a health department operated by the board of health of a city or general health district or the authority having the duties of a board of health under section 3709.05 of the Revised Code, a federally funded comprehensive primary care clinic, or a nonprofit health care clinic or program.
(3) The physician assistant shall comply with all standards and procedures for personally furnishing supplies of drugs and devices, as established in rules adopted under section 4730.39 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.44. (A) A physician assistant seeking a certificate to prescribe shall submit to the state medical board a written application on a form prescribed and supplied by the board. The application shall include all of the following information:
(1) The applicant's name, residential address, business address, if any, and social security number;
(2) Evidence of holding a valid certificate to practice as a physician assistant issued under this chapter;
(3) Satisfactory proof that the applicant meets the requirements specified in section 4730.46 of the Revised Code to participate in a provisional period of physician-delegated prescriptive authority or satisfactory proof of successful completion of the provisional period, evidenced by a letter or copy of a letter attesting to the successful completion written by a supervising physician of the physician assistant at the time of completion;
(4) Any other information the board requires.
(B) At the time of making application for a certificate to prescribe, the applicant shall pay the board a fee of one hundred dollars, no part of which shall be returned. The fees shall be deposited in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.
(C) The board shall review all applications received. If an application is complete and the board determines that the applicant meets the requirements for a certificate to prescribe, the board shall issue the certificate to the applicant. The initial certificate to prescribe issued to an applicant shall be issued as a provisional certificate to prescribe.
Sec. 4730.45.  (A) A provisional certificate to prescribe issued under section 4730.44 of the Revised Code authorizes the physician assistant holding the certificate to participate in a provisional period of physician-delegated prescriptive authority. The physician assistant shall successfully complete the provisional period as a condition of receiving a new certificate to prescribe.
(B) The provisional period shall be conducted by one or more supervising physicians in accordance with rules adopted under section 4730.39 of the Revised Code. When supervising a physician assistant who is completing the first five hundred hours of a provisional period, the supervising physician shall provide on-site supervision of the physician assistant's exercise of physician-delegated prescriptive authority.
The provisional period shall last not longer than one year, unless it is extended for not longer than one additional year at the direction of a supervising physician. The physician assistant shall not be required to participate in the provisional period for more than one-thousand-eight-hundred hours, except when a supervising physician has extended the physician assistant's provisional period.
(C) If a physician assistant does not successfully complete the provisional period, each supervising physician shall cease granting physician-delegated prescriptive authority to the physician assistant. The supervising physician with primary responsibility for conducting the provisional period shall promptly notify the state medical board that the physician assistant did not successfully complete the provisional period and the board shall revoke the certificate.
(D) A physician assistant who successfully completes a provisional period shall not be required to complete another provisional period as a condition of being eligible to be granted physician-delegated prescriptive authority by a supervising physician who was not involved in the conduct of the provisional period.
Sec. 4730.46.  (A) To be eligible to participate in the provisional period of physician-delegated prescriptive authority required by section 4730.45 of the Revised Code, both of the following apply:
(1) The physician assistant shall meet the educational requirements specified in division (B)(1) of this section or the educational and clinical experience requirements specified in division (B)(2) of this section.
(2) The physician assistant shall successfully complete the pharmacology instruction specified in division (C) of this section.
(B)(1) For purposes of division (A)(1) of this section, a physician assistant shall meet either of the following educational requirements unless division (B)(2) of this section applies:
(a) The physician assistant shall hold a master's or higher degree that was obtained from a program accredited by the accreditation review commission on education for the physician assistant or a predecessor or successor organization recognized by the state medical board.
(b) The physician assistant shall hold a degree other than a master's or higher degree that was obtained from a school or program accredited by the accreditation review commission on education for the physician assistant or a predecessor or successor organization recognized by the board and shall hold a master's or higher degree in a course of study with clinical relevance to the practice of physician assistants that was obtained from a program accredited by a regional or specialized and professional accrediting agency recognized by the council for higher education accreditation.
(2) Until two years after the effective date of the initial rules adopted under section 4730.39 of the Revised Code, a physician assistant who does not hold a master's or higher degree as specified in division (B)(1) of this section is eligible to participate in a provisional period if both of the following apply:
(a) The physician assistant holds a degree other than a master's or higher degree that was obtained from a program accredited by the accreditation review commission on education for the physician assistant or a predecessor or successor organization recognized by the board.
(b) The physician assistant has obtained not less than ten years of clinical experience as a physician assistant in this state or another jurisdiction, three years of which were obtained in the five-year period immediately preceding the date the evidence is submitted to the supervising physician.
(C) For purposes of division (A)(2) of this section, all of the following conditions shall be met:
(1) The pharmacology instruction shall be completed not longer than three years prior to applying for the certificate to prescribe.
(2) The instruction shall be obtained through a course of study consisting of planned classroom or continued education and clinical study that meets either of the following conditions:
(a) It is accredited by the accreditation review commission on education for the physician assistant or a predecessor or successor organization recognized by the board.
(b) It is approved by the board in accordance with standards established in rules adopted under section 4730.39 of the Revised Code.
(3) The content of the instruction shall include all of the following:
(a) A minimum of thirty contact hours of training in pharmacology that includes pharmacokinetic principles and clinical application and the use of drugs and therapeutic devices in the prevention of illness and maintenance of health;
(b) A minimum of twenty contact hours of clinical training in pharmacology;
(c) A minimum of fifteen contact hours including training in the fiscal and ethical implications of prescribing drugs and therapeutic devices and training in the state and federal laws that apply to the authority to prescribe;
(d) Any additional training required pursuant to rules adopted under section 4730.39 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.47.  (A) After a physician assistant successfully completes the provisional period of physician-delegated prescriptive authority required under section 4730.45 of the Revised Code, the physician assistant may apply for a new certificate to prescribe.
(B) A supervising physician participating in the provisional period may continue to grant physician-delegated prescriptive authority to the physician assistant pursuant to the provisional certificate to prescribe until one of the following occurs:
(1) The supervision agreement between the supervising physician and the physician assistant expires;
(2) The supervision agreement is terminated;
(3) A decision is made by the state medical board regarding an application submitted by the physician assistant for a new certificate to prescribe.
Sec. 4730.48. (A) Except in the case of a provisional certificate to prescribe, a physician assistant's certificate to prescribe expires on the same date as the physician assistant's certificate to practice as a physician assistant, as provided in section 4730.14 of the Revised Code. The certificate to prescribe may be renewed in accordance with this section.
A person seeking to renew a certificate to prescribe shall, on or before the thirty-first day of January of each even-numbered year, apply for renewal of the certificate. The state medical board shall send renewal notices at least one month prior to the expiration date. The notice may be sent as part of the notice sent for renewal of the certificate to practice.
Applications for renewal shall be submitted to the board on forms the board shall prescribe and furnish. An application for renewal of a certificate to prescribe may be submitted in conjunction with an application for renewal of a certificate to practice.
Each application for renewal of a certificate to prescribe shall be accompanied by a biennial renewal fee of fifty dollars. The board shall deposit the fees in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.
The applicant shall report any criminal offense that constitutes grounds under section 4730.25 of the Revised Code for refusing to issue a certificate to prescribe to which the applicant has pleaded guilty, of which the applicant has been found guilty, or for which the applicant has been found eligible for intervention in lieu of conviction, since last signing an application for a certificate to prescribe.
(B) The board shall review all renewal applications received. If an applicant submits a complete renewal application and meets the requirements for renewal specified in section 4730.49 of the Revised Code, the board shall issue to the applicant a renewed certificate to prescribe.
Sec. 4730.49.  (A) To be eligible for renewal of a certificate to prescribe, an applicant shall complete every two years at least twelve hours of continuing education in pharmacology from an accredited institution recognized by the state medical board. Except as provided in division (B) of this section and in section 5903.12 of the Revised Code, the continuing education shall be completed not later than the thirty-first day of January of each even-numbered year.
(B) The state medical board shall provide for pro rata reductions by month of the number of hours of continuing education in pharmacology that is required to be completed for physician assistants who are in their first certification period after completing the provisional period required under section 4730.45 of the Revised Code, who have been disabled due to illness or accident, or who have been absent from the country. The board shall adopt rules, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, as necessary to implement this division.
(C) The continuing education required by this section is in addition to the continuing education required under section 4730.14 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4730.50.  If a physician assistant holds a certificate to prescribe and the physician assistant's certificate to practice expires, the physician assistant's certificate to prescribe is lapsed until the certificate to practice is reinstated. If a sanction under section 4730.25 of the Revised Code applies to a physician assistant's certificate to practice, the same sanction is placed on the physician assistant's certificate to prescribe while the sanction applies to the certificate to practice.
Sec. 4730.51.  In the information the board maintains on the internet, the state medical board shall include the following:
(A) The name of each physician assistant who holds a certificate to prescribe under this chapter;
(B) For each physician assistant who holds a certificate to prescribe, the name of each supervising physician who has authority to grant physician-delegated prescriptive authority to the physician assistant.
Sec. 4730.52.  On application by the holder of a certificate to prescribe issued under this chapter, the state medical board shall issue a duplicate certificate to replace one that is missing or damaged, to reflect a name change, or for any other reasonable cause. The fee for a duplicate certificate is thirty-five dollars. All fees collected under this section shall be deposited in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4731.141.  Any person who was authorized in practice limited osteopathic medicine and surgery on January 1, 1980, may continue to practice in accordance with the statutory limitations in effect on that date. The board shall regulate such practitioners and shall require them to register on or before the first day of June, 1983, and on or before the first day of June every second year thereafter, on a form prescribed by the board and pay at such time a biennial registration fee of twenty-five dollars. At least one month in advance of the date of registration, a written notice shall be sent to such practitioners, whether a resident of the state or not, at the last known address, that the biennial registration fee is due on or before the first day of June. All such practitioners shall provide the board written notice of any change of address. A holder of a certificate to practice under this section shall have his the certificate automatically suspended if the registration fee is not paid by the first day of September of the same year, and continued practice after the suspension shall be considered as practicing without a license in violation of section 4731.43 of the Revised Code. An applicant for reinstatement of a certificate to practice suspended for failure to register shall submit his the applicant's current and delinquent registration fees and a penalty in the sum of twenty-five dollars.
Any certificate of registration to practice issued pursuant to this section may be refused, limited, revoked, or suspended, an applicant may be denied certification or reinstatement, or the holder of a certificate may be reprimanded, or placed on probation as provided in section 4731.22 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 5903.12.  (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Continuing education" means continuing education required of a licensee by law and includes, but is not limited to, the continuing education required of licensees under sections 3737.881, 3781.10, 4701.11, 4715.141, 4715.25, 4717.09, 4723.24, 4725.16, 4725.51, 4730.14, 4730.49, 4731.281, 4734.25, 4735.141, 4736.11, 4741.16, 4741.19, 4751.07, 4755.63, 4757.33, 4759.06, 4761.06, and 4763.07 of the Revised Code.
(2) "License" means a license, certificate, permit, or other authorization issued or conferred by a licensing agency under which a licensee may engage in a profession, occupation, or occupational activity.
(3) "Licensee" means a person to whom all of the following apply:
(a) The person has been issued a license by a licensing agency.
(b) The person is a member of the Ohio national guard, the Ohio military reserve, the Ohio naval militia, or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States.
(c) The person has been called to active duty, whether inside or outside the United States, because of an executive order issued by the president of the United States or an act of congress, for a period in excess of thirty-one days.
(4) "Licensing agency" means any state department, division, board, commission, agency, or other state governmental unit authorized by the Revised Code to issue a license.
(5) "Reporting period" means the period of time during which a licensee must complete the number of hours of continuing education required of the licensee by law.
(B) Each licensing agency, upon receiving an application from one of its licensees that is accompanied by proper documentation certifying that the licensee has been called to active duty as described in division (A)(3)(c) of this section during the current or a prior reporting period and certifying the length of that active duty, shall extend the current reporting period by an amount of time equal to the total number of months that the licensee spent on active duty during the current reporting period. For purposes of this division, any portion of a month served on active duty shall be considered one full month.
Section 2. That existing sections 1.64, 1751.01, 2305.113, 2925.02, 2925.03, 2925.11, 2925.12, 2925.14, 2925.23, 2925.36, 3327.10, 3331.02, 3719.06, 3719.81, 4723.481, 4723.50, 4729.01, 4729.51, 4730.01, 4730.02, 4730.03, 4730.05, 4730.06, 4730.07, 4730.10, 4730.11, 4730.12, 4730.16, 4730.18, 4730.19, 4730.21, 4730.22, 4730.25, 4730.26, 4730.27, 4730.28, 4730.31, 4730.32, 4730.33, 4730.34, 4731.141, and 5903.12 and sections 4730.15 and 4730.17 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
Section 3. In addition to adopting rules under section 4730.39 of the Revised Code governing physician-delegated prescriptive authority for physician assistants, the State Medical Board shall, not later than six months after the effective date of this section, adopt, amend, and rescind any other rules necessary to implement the remaining provisions of this act. The rules adopted under Chapter 4730. of the Revised Code that are in effect immediately prior to the effective date of this act shall continue in effect until rules are adopted, amended, or rescinded in accordance with the provisions of this act.
Section 4. (A) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 4730.05 of the Revised Code specifying that the terms of office of members of the Physician Assistant Policy Committee of the State Medical Board are two years, the Board shall appoint the initial pharmacist members of the Committee for terms ending on the same date as the terms of the members of the Committee in office immediately prior to the effective date of this act.
(B) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 4730.05 of the Revised Code specifying that the terms of office of members of the Committee are two years, on the expiration date of the terms of the members of the Committee in office immediately prior to the effective date of this act and of the members of the Committee appointed pursuant to division (A) of this section, the Board shall do the following:
(1) Appoint two physicians for terms ending two years after the date of appointment and one physician for a term ending one year after the date of appointment;
(2) Appoint two physician assistants for terms ending two years after the date of appointment and one physician assistant for a term ending one year after the date of appointment;
(3) Appoint one pharmacist for a term ending two years after the date of appointment and one pharmacist for a term ending one year after the date of appointment;
(4) Appoint the member who is not affiliated with any health care profession for a term ending one year after the date of appointment.
(C) After the terms specified in this section, terms of office shall be two years and appointments shall be made in accordance with section 4730.05 of the Revised Code.
Section 5. This act does not require the State Medical Board to invalidate the supervision agreements between physicians and physician assistants that are in effect immediately prior to the effective date of this act.
Section 6.  Section 3719.81 of the Revised Code is presented in this act as a composite of the section as amended by both Am. Sub. H.B. 454 and Am. Sub. S.B. 80 of the 125th General Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds that the composite is the resulting version of the section in effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in this act.
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