130th Ohio General Assembly
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Am. Sub. H. B. No. 176  As Passed by the House
As Passed by the House

128th General Assembly
Regular Session
2009-2010
Am. Sub. H. B. No. 176


Representatives Stewart, McGregor 

Cosponsors: Representatives Skindell, Celeste, Letson, Garland, Blair, Foley, Yuko, Heard, Williams, S., Harris, Harwood, Carney, Chandler, Boyd, Hagan, Ujvagi, Koziura, Winburn, Luckie, Williams, B., Mallory, Sykes, Yates, Brown, Driehaus, Gerberry, Lundy, Bolon, Dyer, Garrison, Murray, Otterman, Pillich, Slesnick, Szollosi, Weddington 



A BILL
To amend sections 9.03, 124.93, 125.111, 340.12, 511.03, 717.01, 1501.012, 1751.18, 2927.03, 3113.36, 3301.53, 3304.14, 3304.50, 3313.481, 3314.06, 3332.09, 3721.13, 3905.55, 4111.17, 4112.01, 4112.02, 4112.021, 4112.04, 4112.05, 4112.08, 4117.19, 4735.16, 4735.55, 4757.07, 4758.16, 4765.18, 5104.09, 5107.26, 5111.31, 5119.61, 5123.351, 5126.07, 5515.08, and 5709.832 of the Revised Code to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1.  That sections 9.03, 124.93, 125.111, 340.12, 511.03, 717.01, 1501.012, 1751.18, 2927.03, 3113.36, 3301.53, 3304.14, 3304.50, 3313.481, 3314.06, 3332.09, 3721.13, 3905.55, 4111.17, 4112.01, 4112.02, 4112.021, 4112.04, 4112.05, 4112.08, 4117.19, 4735.16, 4735.55, 4757.07, 4758.16, 4765.18, 5104.09, 5107.26, 5111.31, 5119.61, 5123.351, 5126.07, 5515.08, and 5709.832 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:
Sec. 9.03.  (A) As used in this section, "political subdivision" means any body corporate and politic, except a municipal corporation that has adopted a charter under Section 7 of Article XVIII, Ohio Constitution, and except a county that has adopted a charter under Sections 3 and 4 of Article X, Ohio Constitution, to which both of the following apply:
(1) It is responsible for governmental activities only in a geographic area smaller than the state.
(2) It is subject to the sovereign immunity of the state.
(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (C) of this section, the governing body of a political subdivision may use public funds to publish and distribute newsletters, or to use any other means, to communicate information about the plans, policies, and operations of the political subdivision to members of the public within the political subdivision and to other persons who may be affected by the political subdivision.
(C) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(7) of section 340.03 or division (A)(12) of section 340.033 of the Revised Code, no governing body of a political subdivision shall use public funds to do any of the following:
(1) Publish, distribute, or otherwise communicate information that does any of the following:
(a) Contains defamatory, libelous, or obscene matter;
(b) Promotes alcoholic beverages, cigarettes or other tobacco products, or any illegal product, service, or activity;
(c) Promotes illegal discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, color, religion, national origin, handicap, age, or ancestry;
(d) Supports or opposes any labor organization or any action by, on behalf of, or against any labor organization;
(e) Supports or opposes the nomination or election of a candidate for public office, the investigation, prosecution, or recall of a public official, or the passage of a levy or bond issue.
(2) Compensate any employee of the political subdivision for time spent on any activity to influence the outcome of an election for any of the purposes described in division (C)(1)(e) of this section. Division (C)(2) of this section does not prohibit the use of public funds to compensate an employee of a political subdivision for attending a public meeting to present information about the political subdivision's finances, activities, and governmental actions in a manner that is not designed to influence the outcome of an election or the passage of a levy or bond issue, even though the election, levy, or bond issue is discussed or debated at the meeting.
(D) Nothing in this section prohibits or restricts any political subdivision from sponsoring, participating in, or doing any of the following:
(1) Charitable or public service advertising that is not commercial in nature;
(2) Advertising of exhibitions, performances, programs, products, or services that are provided by employees of a political subdivision or are provided at or through premises owned or operated by a political subdivision;
(3) Licensing an interest in a name or mark that is owned or controlled by the political subdivision.
(E) As used in this section, "cigarettes" and "tobacco product" have the same meanings as in section 5743.01 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 124.93.  (A) As used in this section, "physician" means any person who holds a valid certificate to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery issued under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code.
(B) No health insuring corporation that, on or after July 1, 1993, enters into or renews a contract with the department of administrative services under section 124.82 of the Revised Code, because of a physician's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin,; disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or military status as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code,; age,; or ancestry, shall refuse to contract with that physician for the provision of health care services under section 124.82 of the Revised Code.
Any health insuring corporation that violates this division is deemed to have engaged in an unlawful discriminatory practice as defined in section 4112.02 of the Revised Code and is subject to Chapter 4112. of the Revised Code.
(C) Each health insuring corporation that, on or after July 1, 1993, enters into or renews a contract with the department of administrative services under section 124.82 of the Revised Code and that refuses to contract with a physician for the provision of health care services under that section shall provide that physician with a written notice that clearly explains the reason or reasons for the refusal. The notice shall be sent to the physician by regular mail within thirty days after the refusal.
Any health insuring corporation that fails to provide notice in compliance with this division is deemed to have engaged in an unfair and deceptive act or practice in the business of insurance as defined in section 3901.21 of the Revised Code and is subject to sections 3901.19 to 3901.26 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 125.111.  (A) Every contract for or on behalf of the state or any of its political subdivisions for any purchase shall contain provisions similar to those required by section 153.59 of the Revised Code in the case of construction contracts by which the contractor agrees to both of the following:
(1) That, in the hiring of employees for the performance of work under the contract or any subcontract, no contractor or subcontractor, by reason of race, color, religion, sex, or age,; disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or military status, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code,; national origin,; or ancestry, shall discriminate against any citizen of this state in the employment of a person qualified and available to perform the work to which the contract relates;
(2) That no contractor, subcontractor, or person acting on behalf of any contractor or subcontractor, in any manner, shall discriminate against, intimidate, or retaliate against any employee hired for the performance of work under the contract on account of race, color, religion, sex, or age,; disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or military status, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code,; national origin,; or ancestry.
(B) All contractors from whom the state or any of its political subdivisions make purchases shall have a written affirmative action program for the employment and effective utilization of economically disadvantaged persons, as referred to in division (E)(1) of section 122.71 of the Revised Code. Annually, each such contractor shall file a description of the affirmative action program and a progress report on its implementation with the equal employment opportunity office of the department of administrative services.
Sec. 340.12.  No board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services or any agency, corporation, or association under contract with such a board shall discriminate in the provision of services under its authority, in employment, or contract on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, color, sex, creed, disability, or national origin.
Each board, each community mental health agency, and each alcohol and drug addiction program shall have a written affirmative action program. The affirmative action program shall include goals for the employment and effective utilization of, including contracts with, members of economically disadvantaged groups as defined in division (E)(1) of section 122.71 of the Revised Code in percentages reflecting as nearly as possible the composition of the alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health service district served by the board. Each board, agency, and program shall file a description of the affirmative action program and a progress report on its implementation with the department of mental health or the department of alcohol and drug addiction services.
Sec. 511.03.  After an affirmative vote in an election held under sections 511.01 and 511.02 of the Revised Code, the board of township trustees may make all contracts necessary for the purchase of a site, and the erection, improvement, or enlargement of such building. The board shall have control of any town hall belonging to the township, and it may rent or lease all or part of any hall, lodge, or recreational facility belonging to the township, to any person or organization under terms the board considers proper, for which all rent shall be paid in advance or fully secured. In establishing the terms of any rental agreement or lease pursuant to this section, the board of township trustees may give preference to persons who are residents of or organizations that are headquartered in the township or that are charitable or fraternal in nature. All persons or organizations shall be treated on a like or similar basis, and no differentiation shall be made on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, or political affiliation. The rents received for such facilities may be used for their repair or improvement, and any balance shall be used for general township purposes.
Sec. 717.01.  Each municipal corporation may do any of the following:
(A) Acquire by purchase or condemnation real estate with or without buildings on it, and easements or interests in real estate;
(B) Extend, enlarge, reconstruct, repair, equip, furnish, or improve a building or improvement that it is authorized to acquire or construct;
(C) Erect a crematory or provide other means for disposing of garbage or refuse, and erect public comfort stations;
(D) Purchase turnpike roads and make them free;
(E) Construct wharves and landings on navigable waters;
(F) Construct infirmaries, workhouses, prisons, police stations, houses of refuge and correction, market houses, public halls, public offices, municipal garages, repair shops, storage houses, and warehouses;
(G) Construct or acquire waterworks for supplying water to the municipal corporation and its inhabitants and extend the waterworks system outside of the municipal corporation limits;
(H) Construct or purchase gas works or works for the generation and transmission of electricity, for the supplying of gas or electricity to the municipal corporation and its inhabitants;
(I) Provide grounds for cemeteries or crematories, enclose and embellish them, and construct vaults or crematories;
(J) Construct sewers, sewage disposal works, flushing tunnels, drains, and ditches;
(K) Construct free public libraries and reading rooms, and free recreation centers;
(L) Establish free public baths and municipal lodging houses;
(M) Construct monuments or memorial buildings to commemorate the services of soldiers, sailors, and marines of the state and nation;
(N) Provide land for and improve parks, boulevards, and public playgrounds;
(O) Construct hospitals and pesthouses;
(P) Open, construct, widen, extend, improve, resurface, or change the line of any street or public highway;
(Q) Construct and improve levees, dams, waterways, waterfronts, and embankments and improve any watercourse passing through the municipal corporation;
(R) Construct or improve viaducts, bridges, and culverts;
(S)(1) Construct any building necessary for the police or fire department;
(2) Purchase fire engines or fire boats;
(3) Construct water towers or fire cisterns;
(4) Place underground the wires or signal apparatus of any police or fire department.
(T) Construct any municipal ice plant for the purpose of manufacturing ice for the citizens of a municipal corporation;
(U) Construct subways under any street or boulevard or elsewhere;
(V) Acquire by purchase, gift, devise, bequest, lease, condemnation proceedings, or otherwise, real or personal property, and thereon and thereof to establish, construct, enlarge, improve, equip, maintain, and operate airports, landing fields, or other air navigation facilities, either within or outside the limits of a municipal corporation, and acquire by purchase, gift, devise, lease, or condemnation proceedings rights-of-way for connections with highways, waterways, and electric, steam, and interurban railroads, and improve and equip such facilities with structures necessary or appropriate for such purposes. No municipal corporation may take or disturb property or facilities belonging to any public utility or to a common carrier engaged in interstate commerce, which property or facilities are required for the proper and convenient operation of the utility or carrier, unless provision is made for the restoration, relocation, or duplication of the property or facilities elsewhere at the sole cost of the municipal corporation.
(W) Provide by agreement with any regional airport authority, created under section 308.03 of the Revised Code, for the making of necessary surveys, appraisals, and examinations preliminary to the acquisition or construction of any airport or airport facility and pay the portion of the expense of the surveys, appraisals, and examinations as set forth in the agreement;
(X) Provide by agreement with any regional airport authority, created under section 308.03 of the Revised Code, for the acquisition, construction, maintenance, or operation of any airport or airport facility owned or to be owned and operated by the regional airport authority or owned or to be owned and operated by the municipal corporation and pay the portion of the expense of it as set forth in the agreement;
(Y) Acquire by gift, purchase, lease, or condemnation, land, forest, and water rights necessary for conservation of forest reserves, water parks, or reservoirs, either within or without the limits of the municipal corporation, and improve and equip the forest and water parks with structures, equipment, and reforestation necessary or appropriate for any purpose for the utilization of any of the forest and water benefits that may properly accrue therefrom to the municipal corporation;
(Z) Acquire real property by purchase, gift, or devise and construct and maintain on it public swimming pools, either within or outside the limits of the municipal corporation;
(AA) Construct or rehabilitate, equip, maintain, operate, and lease facilities for housing of elderly persons and for persons of low and moderate income, and appurtenant facilities. No municipal corporation shall deny housing accommodations to or withhold housing accommodations from elderly persons or persons of low and moderate income because of race, color, religion, or sex,; familial status as defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, military status as defined in that section, disability as defined in that section, or sexual orientation, or gender identity, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code; ancestry,; or national origin. Any elderly person or person of low or moderate income who is denied housing accommodations or has them withheld by a municipal corporation because of race, color, religion, or sex,; familial status as defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, military status as defined in that section, disability as defined in that section, sexual orientation, or gender identity, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code; ancestry,; or national origin may file a charge with the Ohio civil rights commission as provided in Chapter 4112. of the Revised Code.
(BB) Acquire, rehabilitate, and develop rail property or rail service, and enter into agreements with the Ohio rail development commission, boards of county commissioners, boards of township trustees, legislative authorities of other municipal corporations, with other governmental agencies or organizations, and with private agencies or organizations in order to achieve those purposes;
(CC) Appropriate and contribute money to a soil and water conservation district for use under Chapter 1515. of the Revised Code;
(DD) Authorize the board of county commissioners, pursuant to a contract authorizing the action, to contract on the municipal corporation's behalf for the administration and enforcement within its jurisdiction of the state building code by another county or another municipal corporation located within or outside the county. The contract for administration and enforcement shall provide for obtaining certification pursuant to division (E) of section 3781.10 of the Revised Code for the exercise of administration and enforcement authority within the municipal corporation seeking those services and shall specify which political subdivision is responsible for securing that certification.
(EE) Expend money for providing and maintaining services and facilities for senior citizens.
"Airport," "landing field," and "air navigation facility," as defined in section 4561.01 of the Revised Code, apply to division (V) of this section.
As used in divisions (W) and (X) of this section, "airport" and "airport facility" have the same meanings as in section 308.01 of the Revised Code.
As used in division (BB) of this section, "rail property" and "rail service" have the same meanings as in section 4981.01 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 1501.012.  (A) The director of natural resources may lease lands in state parks, as defined in section 1501.07 of the Revised Code, and contract for the construction and operation of public service facilities, as mentioned in that section, and for major renovation or remodeling of existing public service facilities by the lessees on those lands. If the director determines that doing so would be consistent with long-range planning of the department of natural resources and in the best interests of the department and the division of parks and recreation in the department, the director shall negotiate and execute a lease and contract for those purposes in accordance with this chapter except as otherwise provided in this section.
(B) With the approval of the recreation and resources council created under section 1501.04 of the Revised Code, the director shall draft a statement of intent describing any public service facility that the department wishes to have constructed in accordance with this section and establishing a procedure for the submission of proposals for providing the facility, including, but not limited to, a requirement that each prospective bidder or lessee of land shall submit with the proposal a completed questionnaire and financial statement, on forms prescribed and furnished by the department, to enable the department to ascertain the person's financial worth and experience in maintaining and operating facilities similar or related to the public service facility in question. The completed questionnaire and financial statement shall be verified under oath by the prospective bidder or lessee. Questionnaires and financial statements submitted under this division are confidential and are not open to public inspection. Nothing in this division shall be construed to prevent use of or reference to questionnaires and financial statements in a civil action or criminal prosecution commenced by the state.
The director shall publish the statement of intent in at least three daily newspapers of general circulation in the state at least once each week for four consecutive weeks. The director then shall accept proposals in response to the statement of intent for at least thirty days following the final publication of the statement. At the end of the period during which proposals may be submitted under this division, the director shall select the proposal that the director determines best complies with the statement of intent and may negotiate a lease and contract with the person that submitted that proposal.
(C) Any lease and contract negotiated under this section shall include in its terms and conditions all of the following:
(1) The legal description of the leasehold;
(2) The duration of the lease and contract, which shall not exceed forty years, and a requirement that the lease and contract be nonrenewable;
(3) A requirement that the lessee maintain in full force and effect during the term of the lease and contract comprehensive liability insurance for injury, death, or loss to persons or property and fire casualty insurance for the public service facility and all its structures in an amount established by the director and naming the department as an additional insured;
(4) A requirement that the lessee maintain in full force and effect suitable performance bonds or other adequate security pertaining to the construction and operation of the public service facility;
(5) Detailed plans and specifications controlling the construction of the public service facility that shall include all of the following:
(a) The size and capacity of the facility;
(b) The type and quality of construction;
(c) Other criteria that the department considers necessary and advisable.
(6) The manner of rental payment;
(7) A stipulation that the director shall have control and supervision over all of the following:
(a) The operating season of the public service facility;
(b) The facility's hours of operation;
(c) The maximum rates to be charged guests using the facility;
(d) The facility's sanitary conditions;
(e) The quality of food and service furnished the guests of the facility;
(f) The lessee's general and structural maintenance responsibilities at the facility.
(8) The disposition of the leasehold and improvements at the expiration of the lease and contract;
(9) A requirement that the public service facility be available to all members of the public without regard to sex, race, color, creed, ancestry, or national origin,; or disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code;
(10) Other terms and conditions that the director considers necessary and advisable to carry out the purposes of this section.
(D) The attorney general shall approve the form of the lease and contract prior to its execution by the director.
(E) The authority granted in this section to the director is in addition and supplemental to any other authority granted the director under state law.
Sec. 1751.18.  (A)(1) No health insuring corporation shall cancel or fail to renew the coverage of a subscriber or enrollee because of any health status-related factor in relation to the subscriber or enrollee, the subscriber's or enrollee's requirements for health care services, or for any other reason designated under rules adopted by the superintendent of insurance.
(2) Unless otherwise required by state or federal law, no health insuring corporation, or health care facility or provider through which the health insuring corporation has made arrangements to provide health care services, shall discriminate against any individual with regard to enrollment, disenrollment, or the quality of health care services rendered, on the basis of the individual's race, color, sex, age, religion, military status, sexual orientation, or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, or status as a recipient of medicare or medicaid, or any health status-related factor in relation to the individual. However, a health insuring corporation shall not be required to accept a recipient of medicare or medical assistance, if an agreement has not been reached on appropriate payment mechanisms between the health insuring corporation and the governmental agency administering these programs. Further, except during a period of open enrollment under section 1751.15 of the Revised Code, a health insuring corporation may reject an applicant for nongroup enrollment on the basis of any health status-related factor in relation to the applicant.
(B) A health insuring corporation may cancel or decide not to renew the coverage of an enrollee if the enrollee has performed an act or practice that constitutes fraud or intentional misrepresentation of material fact under the terms of the coverage and if the cancellation or nonrenewal is not based, either directly or indirectly, on any health status-related factor in relation to the enrollee.
(C) An enrollee may appeal any action or decision of a health insuring corporation taken pursuant to section 2742(b) to (e) of the "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996," Pub. L. No. 104-191, 110 Stat. 1955, 42 U.S.C.A. 300gg-42, as amended. To appeal, the enrollee may submit a written complaint to the health insuring corporation pursuant to section 1751.19 of the Revised Code. The enrollee may, within thirty days after receiving a written response from the health insuring corporation, appeal the health insuring corporation's action or decision to the superintendent.
(D) As used in this section, "health status-related factor" means any of the following:
(1) Health status;
(2) Medical condition, including both physical and mental illnesses;
(3) Claims experience;
(4) Receipt of health care;
(5) Medical history;
(6) Genetic information;
(7) Evidence of insurability, including conditions arising out of acts of domestic violence;
(8) Disability.
Sec. 2927.03.  (A) No person, whether or not acting under color of law, shall by force or threat of force willfully injure, intimidate, or interfere with, or attempt to injure, intimidate, or interfere with, any of the following:
(1) Any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or ancestry; or familial status as defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, national origin, military status as defined in that section, disability as defined in that section, gender identity, or ancestry sexual orientation, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, and because that person is or has been selling, purchasing, renting, financing, occupying, contracting, or negotiating for the sale, purchase, rental, financing, or occupation of any housing accommodations, or applying for or participating in any service, organization, or facility relating to the business of selling or renting housing accommodations;
(2) Any person because that person is or has been doing, or in order to intimidate that person or any other person or any class of persons from doing, either of the following:
(a) Participating, without discrimination on account of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or ancestry; or familial status as defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, national origin, military status as defined in that section, disability as defined in that section, gender identity, or ancestry, sexual orientation, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, in any of the activities, services, organizations, or facilities described in division (A)(1) of this section;
(b) Affording another person or class of persons opportunity or protection so to participate.
(3) Any person because that person is or has been, or in order to discourage that person or any other person from, lawfully aiding or encouraging other persons to participate, without discrimination on account of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or ancestry; or familial status as defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, national origin, military status as defined in that section, disability as defined in that section, gender identity, or ancestry, sexual orientation, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, in any of the activities, services, organizations, or facilities described in division (A)(1) of this section, or participating lawfully in speech or peaceful assembly opposing any denial of the opportunity to so participate.
(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
Sec. 3113.36.  (A) To qualify for funds under section 3113.35 of the Revised Code, a shelter for victims of domestic violence shall meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Be incorporated in this state as a nonprofit corporation;
(2) Have trustees who represent the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of the community to be served, including at least one person who is or has been a victim of domestic violence;
(3) Receive at least twenty-five per cent of its funds from sources other than funds distributed pursuant to section 3113.35 of the Revised Code. These other sources may be public or private, and may include funds distributed pursuant to section 3113.37 of the Revised Code, and contributions of goods or services, including materials, commodities, transportation, office space, or other types of facilities or personal services.
(4) Provide residential service or facilities for children when accompanied by a parent, guardian, or custodian who is a victim of domestic violence and who is receiving temporary residential service at the shelter;
(5) Require persons employed by or volunteering services to the shelter to maintain the confidentiality of any information that would identify individuals served by the shelter.
(B) A shelter for victims of domestic violence does not qualify for funds if it discriminates in its admissions or provision of services on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, religion, color, age, marital status, national origin, or ancestry. A shelter does not qualify for funds in the second half of any year if its application projects the provision of residential service and such service has not been provided in the first half of that year; such a shelter does not qualify for funds in the following year.
Sec. 3301.53.  (A) The state board of education, in consultation with the director of job and family services, shall formulate and prescribe by rule adopted under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code minimum standards to be applied to preschool programs operated by school district boards of education, county MR/DD boards, or eligible nonpublic schools. The rules shall include the following:
(1) Standards ensuring that the preschool program is located in a safe and convenient facility that accommodates the enrollment of the program, is of the quality to support the growth and development of the children according to the program objectives, and meets the requirements of section 3301.55 of the Revised Code;
(2) Standards ensuring that supervision, discipline, and programs will be administered according to established objectives and procedures;
(3) Standards ensuring that preschool staff members and nonteaching employees are recruited, employed, assigned, evaluated, and provided inservice education without discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, age, color, national origin, race, or sex; and that preschool staff members and nonteaching employees are assigned responsibilities in accordance with written position descriptions commensurate with their training and experience;
(4) A requirement that boards of education intending to establish a preschool program demonstrate a need for a preschool program prior to establishing the program;
(5) Requirements that children participating in preschool programs have been immunized to the extent considered appropriate by the state board to prevent the spread of communicable disease;
(6) Requirements that the parents of preschool children complete the emergency medical authorization form specified in section 3313.712 of the Revised Code.
(B) The state board of education in consultation with the director of job and family services shall ensure that the rules adopted by the state board under sections 3301.52 to 3301.58 of the Revised Code are consistent with and meet or exceed the requirements of Chapter 5104. of the Revised Code with regard to child day-care centers. The state board and the director of job and family services shall review all such rules at least once every five years.
(C) The state board of education, in consultation with the director of job and family services, shall adopt rules for school child programs that are consistent with and meet or exceed the requirements of the rules adopted for school child day-care centers under Chapter 5104. of the Revised Code.
Sec. 3304.14.  The governor shall appoint an administrator of the rehabilitation services commission to serve at the pleasure of the governor and shall fix the administrator's compensation. The administrator shall devote the administrator's entire time to the duties of the administrator's office, shall hold no other office or position of trust and profit, and shall engage in no other business during the administrator's term of office. The governor may grant the administrator the authority to appoint, remove, and discipline without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, sex, race, creed, color, age, or national origin, such other professional, administrative, and clerical staff members as are necessary to carry out the functions and duties of the commission.
Sec. 3304.50.  The Ohio independent living council established and appointed by the governor under the authority of section 107.18 of the Revised Code and pursuant to the "Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992," 106 Stat. 4344, 29 U.S.C.A. 796d, shall appoint an executive director to serve at the pleasure of the council and shall fix his the executive director's compensation. The executive director shall not be considered a public employee for purposes of Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code. The council may delegate to the executive director the authority to appoint, remove, and discipline, without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, sex, race, creed, color, age, or national origin, such other professional, administrative, and clerical staff members as are necessary to carry out the functions and duties of the council.
Sec. 3313.481.  (A) With the approval of the department of education, a board of education of a city, exempted village, local, or joint vocational school district may operate any of its schools on a schedule other than that required by section 3313.48 of the Revised Code in order to do any of the following:
(1) To provide a flexible school day during which may be held parent-teacher conferences and reporting periods involving time in excess of that permitted to be credited toward fulfillment of the minimum school year under section 3313.48 of the Revised Code;
(2) To establish and maintain a calendar of quarters, trimesters, or pentamesters;
(3) To provide staggered attendance schedules if it receives approval to do so from the department of education.
(B) A school district operating a school under this section shall have such school open for instruction for each pupil enrolled in that school for at least nine hundred ten hours during the school year. For purposes of determining whether a school that is on a staggered attendance schedule is in compliance with this section in any school year, the department of education may include days the school was open for instruction with pupils in attendance for not more than the first seventy days of the ensuing school year provided such days are not considered as days the school was open for instruction during such ensuing school year. The following shall be considered as time during which the schools are open for instruction for a pupil enrolled in such a school, or for a pupil enrolled in a school that is not on a staggered attendance schedule but that operates under this section:
(1) Morning and afternoon recess periods of not more than fifteen minutes duration per period for a pupil in grades one through six;
(2) Ten hours during which the pupil would otherwise be in attendance but when he is not required to attend school in order to provide time for individualized parent-teacher conferences and reporting periods;
(3) Ten hours during which the pupil would otherwise be in attendance but is not required to attend school in order to provide time for teachers to attend professional meetings;
(4) The number of hours pupils would otherwise be in attendance but are not required to attend because school is closed as a result of a public calamity as provided in section 3317.01 of the Revised Code.
(C) No board of education shall discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, sex, race, religion, or national origin when assigning pupils to attendance schedules pursuant to this section.
Sec. 3314.06.  The governing authority of each community school established under this chapter shall adopt admission procedures that specify the following:
(A) That except as otherwise provided in this section, admission to the school shall be open to any individual age five to twenty-two entitled to attend school pursuant to section 3313.64 or 3313.65 of the Revised Code in a school district in the state.
(B)(1) That admission to the school may be limited to students who have attained a specific grade level or are within a specific age group; to students that meet a definition of "at-risk," as defined in the contract; to residents of a specific geographic area within the district, as defined in the contract; or to separate groups of autistic students and nondisabled students, as authorized in section 3314.061 of the Revised Code and as defined in the contract.
(2) For purposes of division (B)(1) of this section, "at-risk" students may include those students identified as gifted students under section 3324.03 of the Revised Code.
(C) Whether enrollment is limited to students who reside in the district in which the school is located or is open to residents of other districts, as provided in the policy adopted pursuant to the contract.
(D)(1) That there will be no discrimination in the admission of students to the school on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, creed, color, disability, or sex except that:
(a) The governing authority may establish single-gender schools for the purpose described in division (G) of this section provided comparable facilities and learning opportunities are offered for both boys and girls. Such comparable facilities and opportunities may be offered for each sex at separate locations.
(b) The governing authority may establish a school that simultaneously serves a group of students identified as autistic and a group of students who are not disabled, as authorized in section 3314.061 of the Revised Code. However, unless the total capacity established for the school has been filled, no student with any disability shall be denied admission on the basis of that disability.
(2) That upon admission of any student with a disability, the community school will comply with all federal and state laws regarding the education of students with disabilities.
(E) That the school may not limit admission to students on the basis of intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, or athletic ability, except that a school may limit its enrollment to students as described in division (B) of this section.
(F) That the community school will admit the number of students that does not exceed the capacity of the school's programs, classes, grade levels, or facilities.
(G) That the purpose of single-gender schools that are established shall be to take advantage of the academic benefits some students realize from single-gender instruction and facilities and to offer students and parents residing in the district the option of a single-gender education.
(H) That, except as otherwise provided under division (B) of this section or section 3314.061 of the Revised Code, if the number of applicants exceeds the capacity restrictions of division (F) of this section, students shall be admitted by lot from all those submitting applications, except preference shall be given to students attending the school the previous year and to students who reside in the district in which the school is located. Preference may be given to siblings of students attending the school the previous year.
Notwithstanding divisions (A) to (H) of this section, in the event the racial composition of the enrollment of the community school is violative of a federal desegregation order, the community school shall take any and all corrective measures to comply with the desegregation order.
Sec. 3332.09.  The state board of career colleges and schools may limit, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew a certificate of registration or program authorization or may impose a penalty pursuant to section 3332.091 of the Revised Code for any one or combination of the following causes:
(A) Violation of any provision of sections 3332.01 to 3332.09 of the Revised Code, the board's minimum standards, or any rule made by the board;
(B) Furnishing of false, misleading, deceptive, altered, or incomplete information or documents to the board;
(C) The signing of an application or the holding of a certificate of registration by a person who has pleaded guilty or has been found guilty of a felony or has pleaded guilty or been found guilty of a crime involving moral turpitude;
(D) The signing of an application or the holding of a certificate of registration by a person who is addicted to the use of any controlled substance, or who is found to be mentally incompetent;
(E) Violation of any commitment made in an application for a certificate of registration or program authorization;
(F) Presenting to prospective students, either at the time of solicitation or enrollment, or through advertising, mail circulars, or phone solicitation, misleading, deceptive, false, or fraudulent information relating to any program, employment opportunity, or opportunities for enrollment in accredited institutions of higher education after entering or completing programs offered by the holder of a certificate of registration;
(G) Failure to provide or maintain premises or equipment for offering programs in a safe and sanitary condition;
(H) Refusal by an agent to display the agent's permit upon demand of a prospective student or other interested person;
(I) Failure to maintain financial resources adequate for the satisfactory conduct of programs as presented in the plan of operation or to retain a sufficient number and qualified staff of instruction, except that nothing in this chapter requires an instructor to be licensed by the state board of education or to hold any type of post-high school degree;
(J) Offering training or programs other than those presented in the application, except that schools may offer special courses adapted to the needs of individual students when the special courses are in the subject field specified in the application;
(K) Discrimination in the acceptance of students upon the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, color, religion, sex, or national origin;
(L) Accepting the services of an agent not holding a valid permit issued under section 3332.10 or 3332.11 of the Revised Code;
(M) The use of monetary or other valuable consideration by the school's agents or representatives to induce prospective students to enroll in the school, or the practice of awarding monetary or other valuable considerations without board approval to students in exchange for procuring the enrollment of others;
(N) Failure to provide at the request of the board, any information, records, or files pertaining to the operation of the school or recruitment and enrollment of students.
If the board modifies or adopts additional minimum standards or rules pursuant to section 3332.031 of the Revised Code, all schools and agents shall have sixty days from the effective date of the modifications or additional standards or rules to comply with such modifications or additions.
Sec. 3721.13.  (A) The rights of residents of a home shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) The right to a safe and clean living environment pursuant to the medicare and medicaid programs and applicable state laws and regulations prescribed by the public health council;
(2) The right to be free from physical, verbal, mental, and emotional abuse and to be treated at all times with courtesy, respect, and full recognition of dignity and individuality;
(3) Upon admission and thereafter, the right to adequate and appropriate medical treatment and nursing care and to other ancillary services that comprise necessary and appropriate care consistent with the program for which the resident contracted. This care shall be provided without regard to considerations such as sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, color, religion, national origin, age, or source of payment for care.
(4) The right to have all reasonable requests and inquiries responded to promptly;
(5) The right to have clothes and bed sheets changed as the need arises, to ensure the resident's comfort or sanitation;
(6) The right to obtain from the home, upon request, the name and any specialty of any physician or other person responsible for the resident's care or for the coordination of care;
(7) The right, upon request, to be assigned, within the capacity of the home to make the assignment, to the staff physician of the resident's choice, and the right, in accordance with the rules and written policies and procedures of the home, to select as the attending physician a physician who is not on the staff of the home. If the cost of a physician's services is to be met under a federally supported program, the physician shall meet the federal laws and regulations governing such services.
(8) The right to participate in decisions that affect the resident's life, including the right to communicate with the physician and employees of the home in planning the resident's treatment or care and to obtain from the attending physician complete and current information concerning medical condition, prognosis, and treatment plan, in terms the resident can reasonably be expected to understand; the right of access to all information in the resident's medical record; and the right to give or withhold informed consent for treatment after the consequences of that choice have been carefully explained. When the attending physician finds that it is not medically advisable to give the information to the resident, the information shall be made available to the resident's sponsor on the resident's behalf, if the sponsor has a legal interest or is authorized by the resident to receive the information. The home is not liable for a violation of this division if the violation is found to be the result of an act or omission on the part of a physician selected by the resident who is not otherwise affiliated with the home.
(9) The right to withhold payment for physician visitation if the physician did not visit the resident;
(10) The right to confidential treatment of personal and medical records, and the right to approve or refuse the release of these records to any individual outside the home, except in case of transfer to another home, hospital, or health care system, as required by law or rule, or as required by a third-party payment contract;
(11) The right to privacy during medical examination or treatment and in the care of personal or bodily needs;
(12) The right to refuse, without jeopardizing access to appropriate medical care, to serve as a medical research subject;
(13) The right to be free from physical or chemical restraints or prolonged isolation except to the minimum extent necessary to protect the resident from injury to self, others, or to property and except as authorized in writing by the attending physician for a specified and limited period of time and documented in the resident's medical record. Prior to authorizing the use of a physical or chemical restraint on any resident, the attending physician shall make a personal examination of the resident and an individualized determination of the need to use the restraint on that resident.
Physical or chemical restraints or isolation may be used in an emergency situation without authorization of the attending physician only to protect the resident from injury to self or others. Use of the physical or chemical restraints or isolation shall not be continued for more than twelve hours after the onset of the emergency without personal examination and authorization by the attending physician. The attending physician or a staff physician may authorize continued use of physical or chemical restraints for a period not to exceed thirty days, and at the end of this period and any subsequent period may extend the authorization for an additional period of not more than thirty days. The use of physical or chemical restraints shall not be continued without a personal examination of the resident and the written authorization of the attending physician stating the reasons for continuing the restraint.
If physical or chemical restraints are used under this division, the home shall ensure that the restrained resident receives a proper diet. In no event shall physical or chemical restraints or isolation be used for punishment, incentive, or convenience.
(14) The right to the pharmacist of the resident's choice and the right to receive pharmaceutical supplies and services at reasonable prices not exceeding applicable and normally accepted prices for comparably packaged pharmaceutical supplies and services within the community;
(15) The right to exercise all civil rights, unless the resident has been adjudicated incompetent pursuant to Chapter 2111. of the Revised Code and has not been restored to legal capacity, as well as the right to the cooperation of the home's administrator in making arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote;
(16) The right of access to opportunities that enable the resident, at the resident's own expense or at the expense of a third-party payer, to achieve the resident's fullest potential, including educational, vocational, social, recreational, and habilitation programs;
(17) The right to consume a reasonable amount of alcoholic beverages at the resident's own expense, unless not medically advisable as documented in the resident's medical record by the attending physician or unless contradictory to written admission policies;
(18) The right to use tobacco at the resident's own expense under the home's safety rules and under applicable laws and rules of the state, unless not medically advisable as documented in the resident's medical record by the attending physician or unless contradictory to written admission policies;
(19) The right to retire and rise in accordance with the resident's reasonable requests, if the resident does not disturb others or the posted meal schedules and upon the home's request remains in a supervised area, unless not medically advisable as documented by the attending physician;
(20) The right to observe religious obligations and participate in religious activities; the right to maintain individual and cultural identity; and the right to meet with and participate in activities of social and community groups at the resident's or the group's initiative;
(21) The right upon reasonable request to private and unrestricted communications with the resident's family, social worker, and any other person, unless not medically advisable as documented in the resident's medical record by the attending physician, except that communications with public officials or with the resident's attorney or physician shall not be restricted. Private and unrestricted communications shall include, but are not limited to, the right to:
(a) Receive, send, and mail sealed, unopened correspondence;
(b) Reasonable access to a telephone for private communications;
(c) Private visits at any reasonable hour.
(22) The right to assured privacy for visits by the spouse, or if both are residents of the same home, the right to share a room within the capacity of the home, unless not medically advisable as documented in the resident's medical record by the attending physician;
(23) The right upon reasonable request to have room doors closed and to have them not opened without knocking, except in the case of an emergency or unless not medically advisable as documented in the resident's medical record by the attending physician;
(24) The right to retain and use personal clothing and a reasonable amount of possessions, in a reasonably secure manner, unless to do so would infringe on the rights of other residents or would not be medically advisable as documented in the resident's medical record by the attending physician;
(25) The right to be fully informed, prior to or at the time of admission and during the resident's stay, in writing, of the basic rate charged by the home, of services available in the home, and of any additional charges related to such services, including charges for services not covered under the medicare or medicaid program. The basic rate shall not be changed unless thirty days notice is given to the resident or, if the resident is unable to understand this information, to the resident's sponsor.
(26) The right of the resident and person paying for the care to examine and receive a bill at least monthly for the resident's care from the home that itemizes charges not included in the basic rates;
(27)(a) The right to be free from financial exploitation;
(b) The right to manage the resident's own personal financial affairs, or, if the resident has delegated this responsibility in writing to the home, to receive upon written request at least a quarterly accounting statement of financial transactions made on the resident's behalf. The statement shall include:
(i) A complete record of all funds, personal property, or possessions of a resident from any source whatsoever, that have been deposited for safekeeping with the home for use by the resident or the resident's sponsor;
(ii) A listing of all deposits and withdrawals transacted, which shall be substantiated by receipts which shall be available for inspection and copying by the resident or sponsor.
(28) The right of the resident to be allowed unrestricted access to the resident's property on deposit at reasonable hours, unless requests for access to property on deposit are so persistent, continuous, and unreasonable that they constitute a nuisance;
(29) The right to receive reasonable notice before the resident's room or roommate is changed, including an explanation of the reason for either change.
(30) The right not to be transferred or discharged from the home unless the transfer is necessary because of one of the following:
(a) The welfare and needs of the resident cannot be met in the home.
(b) The resident's health has improved sufficiently so that the resident no longer needs the services provided by the home.
(c) The safety of individuals in the home is endangered.
(d) The health of individuals in the home would otherwise be endangered.
(e) The resident has failed, after reasonable and appropriate notice, to pay or to have the medicare or medicaid program pay on the resident's behalf, for the care provided by the home. A resident shall not be considered to have failed to have the resident's care paid for if the resident has applied for medicaid, unless both of the following are the case:
(i) The resident's application, or a substantially similar previous application, has been denied by the county department of job and family services.
(ii) If the resident appealed the denial pursuant to division (C) of section 5101.35 of the Revised Code, the director of job and family services has upheld the denial.
(f) The home's license has been revoked, the home is being closed pursuant to section 3721.08, sections 5111.35 to 5111.62, or section 5155.31 of the Revised Code, or the home otherwise ceases to operate.
(g) The resident is a recipient of medicaid, and the home's participation in the medicaid program is involuntarily terminated or denied.
(h) The resident is a beneficiary under the medicare program, and the home's participation in the medicare program is involuntarily terminated or denied.
(31) The right to voice grievances and recommend changes in policies and services to the home's staff, to employees of the department of health, or to other persons not associated with the operation of the home, of the resident's choice, free from restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal. This right includes access to a residents' rights advocate, and the right to be a member of, to be active in, and to associate with persons who are active in organizations of relatives and friends of nursing home residents and other organizations engaged in assisting residents.
(32) The right to have any significant change in the resident's health status reported to the resident's sponsor. As soon as such a change is known to the home's staff, the home shall make a reasonable effort to notify the sponsor within twelve hours.
(B) A sponsor may act on a resident's behalf to assure that the home does not deny the residents' rights under sections 3721.10 to 3721.17 of the Revised Code.
(C) Any attempted waiver of the rights listed in division (A) of this section is void.
Sec. 3905.55.  (A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, an agent may charge a consumer a fee if all of the following conditions are met:
(1) The fee is disclosed to the consumer in a manner that separately identifies the fee and the premium.
(2) The fee is not calculated as a percentage of the premium.
(3) The fee is not refunded, forgiven, waived, offset, or reduced by any commission earned or received for any policy or coverage sold.
(4) The amount of the fee, and the consumer's obligation to pay the fee, are not conditioned upon the occurrence of a future event or condition, such as the purchase, cancellation, lapse, declination, or nonrenewal of insurance.
(5) The agent discloses to the consumer that the fee is being charged by the agent and not by the insurance company, that neither state law nor the insurance company requires the agent to charge the fee, and that the fee is not refundable.
(6) The consumer consents to the fee.
(7) The agent, in charging the fee, does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, national origin, religion, disability, health status, age, marital status, military status, gender identity, or sexual orientation as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, or geographic location, and does not unfairly discriminate between persons of essentially the same class and of essentially the same hazard or expectation of life.
(B) A fee may not be charged for taking or submitting an initial application for coverage with any one insurer or different programs with the same insurer, or processing a change to an existing policy, a cancellation, a claim, or a renewal, in connection with any of the following personal lines policies:
(1) Private passenger automobile;
(2) Homeowners, including coverage for tenants or condominium owners, owner-occupied fire or dwelling property coverage, personal umbrella liability, or any other personal lines-related coverage whether sold as a separate policy or as an endorsement to another personal lines policy;
(3) Individual life insurance;
(4) Individual sickness or accident insurance;
(5) Disability income policies;
(6) Credit insurance products.
(C) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an agent may charge a fee for agent services in connection with a policy issued on a no-commission basis, if the agent provides the consumer with prior disclosure of the fee and of the services to be provided.
(D) In the event of a dispute between an agent and a consumer regarding any disclosure required by this section, the agent has the burden of proving that the disclosure was made.
(E)(1) No person shall fail to comply with this section.
(2) Whoever violates division (E)(1) of this section is deemed to have engaged in an unfair and deceptive act or practice in the business of insurance under sections 3901.19 to 3901.26 of the Revised Code.
(F) This section does not apply with respect to any expense fee charged by a surety bail bond agent to cover the costs incurred by the surety bail bond agent in executing the bail bond.
Sec. 4111.17.  (A) No employer, including the state and political subdivisions thereof, shall discriminate in the payment of wages on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, or ancestry by paying wages to any employee at a rate less than the rate at which the employer pays wages to another employee for equal work on jobs the performance of which requires equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and which are performed under similar conditions.
(B) Nothing in this section prohibits an employer from paying wages to one employee at a rate different from that at which the employer pays another employee for the performance of equal work under similar conditions on jobs requiring equal skill, effort, and responsibility, when the payment is made pursuant to any of the following:
(1) A seniority system;
(2) A merit system;
(3) A system which measures earnings by the quantity or quality of production;
(4) A wage rate differential determined by any factor other than sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, or ancestry.
(C) No employer shall reduce the wage rate of any employee in order to comply with this section.
(D) The director of commerce shall carry out, administer, and enforce this section. Any employee discriminated against in violation of this section may sue in any court of competent jurisdiction to recover two times the amount of the difference between the wages actually received and the wages received by a person performing equal work for the employer, from the date of the commencement of the violation, and for costs, including attorney fees. The director may take an assignment of any such wage claim in trust for such employee and sue in the employee's behalf. In any civil action under this section, two or more employees of the same employer may join as co-plaintiffs in one action. The director may sue in one action for claims assigned to the director by two or more employees of the same employer. No agreement to work for a discriminatory wage constitutes a defense for any civil or criminal action to enforce this section. No employer shall discriminate against any employee because such employee makes a complaint or institutes, or testifies in, any proceeding under this section.
(E) Any action arising under this section shall be initiated within one year after the date of violation.
Sec. 4112.01.  (A) As used in this chapter:
(1) "Person" includes one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, organizations, corporations, legal representatives, trustees, trustees in bankruptcy, receivers, and other organized groups of persons. "Person" also includes, but is not limited to, any owner, lessor, assignor, builder, manager, broker, salesperson, appraiser, agent, employee, lending institution, and the state and all political subdivisions, authorities, agencies, boards, and commissions of the state.
(2) "Employer" includes the state, any political subdivision of the state, any person employing four or more persons within the state, and any person acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer, except that for purposes of discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identity, "employer" includes the state, any political subdivision of the state, any person employing fifteen or more persons within the state, and any person acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer.
(3) "Employee" means an individual employed by any employer but does not include any individual employed in the domestic service of any person.
(4) "Labor organization" includes any organization that exists, in whole or in part, for the purpose of collective bargaining or of dealing with employers concerning grievances, terms or conditions of employment, or other mutual aid or protection in relation to employment.
(5) "Employment agency" includes any person regularly undertaking, with or without compensation, to procure opportunities to work or to procure, recruit, refer, or place employees.
(6) "Commission" means the Ohio civil rights commission created by section 4112.03 of the Revised Code.
(7) "Discriminate" includes segregate or separate.
(8) "Unlawful discriminatory practice" means any act prohibited by section 4112.02, 4112.021, or 4112.022 of the Revised Code.
(9) "Place of public accommodation" means any inn, restaurant, eating house, barbershop, public conveyance by air, land, or water, theater, store, other place for the sale of merchandise, or any other place of public accommodation or amusement of which the accommodations, advantages, facilities, or privileges are available to the public.
(10) "Housing accommodations" includes any building or structure, or portion of a building or structure, that is used or occupied or is intended, arranged, or designed to be used or occupied as the home residence, dwelling, dwelling unit, or sleeping place of one or more individuals, groups, or families whether or not living independently of each other; and any vacant land offered for sale or lease. "Housing accommodations" also includes any housing accommodations held or offered for sale or rent by a real estate broker, salesperson, or agent, by any other person pursuant to authorization of the owner, by the owner, or by the owner's legal representative.
(11) "Restrictive covenant" means any specification limiting the transfer, rental, lease, or other use of any housing accommodations because of race, color, religion, sex, military status, familial status, national origin, disability, or ancestry, or any limitation based upon affiliation with or approval by any person, directly or indirectly, employing race, color, religion, sex, military status, familial status, national origin, disability, or ancestry as a condition of affiliation or approval.
(12) "Burial lot" means any lot for the burial of deceased persons within any public burial ground or cemetery, including, but not limited to, cemeteries owned and operated by municipal corporations, townships, or companies or associations incorporated for cemetery purposes.
(13) "Disability" means a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, including the functions of caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working; a record of a physical or mental impairment; or being regarded as having a physical or mental impairment.
(14) Except as otherwise provided in section 4112.021 of the Revised Code, "age" means at least forty years old.
(15) "Familial status" means either of the following:
(a) One or more individuals who are under eighteen years of age and who are domiciled with a parent or guardian having legal custody of the individual or domiciled, with the written permission of the parent or guardian having legal custody, with a designee of the parent or guardian;
(b) Any person who is pregnant or in the process of securing legal custody of any individual who is under eighteen years of age.
(16)(a) Except as provided in division (A)(16)(b) of this section, "physical or mental impairment" includes any of the following:
(i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genito-urinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine;
(ii) Any mental or psychological disorder, including, but not limited to, mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities;
(iii) Diseases and conditions, including, but not limited to, orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, human immunodeficiency virus infection, mental retardation, emotional illness, drug addiction, and alcoholism.
(b) "Physical or mental impairment" does not include any of the following:
(i) Homosexuality and bisexuality;
(ii) Transvestism, transsexualism, pedophilia, exhibitionism, voyeurism, gender identity disorders not resulting from physical impairments, or other sexual behavior disorders;
(iii) Compulsive gambling, kleptomania, or pyromania;
(iv) Psychoactive substance use disorders resulting from the current illegal use of a controlled substance or the current use of alcoholic beverages.
(17) "Dwelling unit" means a single unit of residence for a family of one or more persons.
(18) "Common use areas" means rooms, spaces, or elements inside or outside a building that are made available for the use of residents of the building or their guests, and includes, but is not limited to, hallways, lounges, lobbies, laundry rooms, refuse rooms, mail rooms, recreational areas, and passageways among and between buildings.
(19) "Public use areas" means interior or exterior rooms or spaces of a privately or publicly owned building that are made available to the general public.
(20) "Controlled substance" has the same meaning as in section 3719.01 of the Revised Code.
(21) "Disabled tenant" means a tenant or prospective tenant who is a person with a disability.
(22) "Military status" means a person's status in "service in the uniformed services" as defined in section 5923.05 of the Revised Code.
(23) "Sexual orientation" means actual or perceived, heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality.
(24) "Gender identity" means the gender-related identity, appearance, or mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of an individual, with or without regard to the individual's designated sex at birth.
(B) For the purposes of divisions (A) to (F) of section 4112.02 of the Revised Code, the terms "because of sex" and "on the basis of sex" include, but are not limited to, because of or on the basis of pregnancy, any illness arising out of and occurring during the course of a pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Women affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions shall be treated the same for all employment-related purposes, including receipt of benefits under fringe benefit programs, as other persons not so affected but similar in their ability or inability to work, and nothing in division (B) of section 4111.17 of the Revised Code shall be interpreted to permit otherwise. This division shall not be construed to require an employer to pay for health insurance benefits for abortion, except where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term or except where medical complications have arisen from the abortion, provided that nothing in this division precludes an employer from providing abortion benefits or otherwise affects bargaining agreements in regard to abortion.
Sec. 4112.02.  It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice:
(A) For any employer, because of the race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry of any person, to discharge without just cause, to refuse to hire, or otherwise to discriminate against that person with respect to hire, tenure, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, or any matter directly or indirectly related to employment.
(B) For an employment agency or personnel placement service, because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry, to do any of the following:
(1) Refuse or fail to accept, register, classify properly, or refer for employment, or otherwise discriminate against any person;
(2) Comply with a request from an employer for referral of applicants for employment if the request directly or indirectly indicates that the employer fails to comply with the provisions of sections 4112.01 to 4112.07 of the Revised Code.
(C) For any labor organization to do any of the following:
(1) Limit or classify its membership on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry;
(2) Discriminate against, limit the employment opportunities of, or otherwise adversely affect the employment status, wages, hours, or employment conditions of any person as an employee because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry.
(D) For any employer, labor organization, or joint labor-management committee controlling apprentice training programs to discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, or ancestry in admission to, or employment in, any program established to provide apprentice training.
(E) Except where based on a bona fide occupational qualification certified in advance by the commission, for any employer, employment agency, personnel placement service, or labor organization, prior to employment or admission to membership, to do any of the following:
(1) Elicit or attempt to elicit any information concerning the race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry of an applicant for employment or membership;
(2) Make or keep a record of the race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry of any applicant for employment or membership;
(3) Use any form of application for employment, or personnel or membership blank, seeking to elicit information regarding race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry; but an employer holding a contract containing a nondiscrimination clause with the government of the United States, or any department or agency of that government, may require an employee or applicant for employment to furnish documentary proof of United States citizenship and may retain that proof in the employer's personnel records and may use photographic or fingerprint identification for security purposes;
(4) Print or publish or cause to be printed or published any notice or advertisement relating to employment or membership indicating any preference, limitation, specification, or discrimination, based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry;
(5) Announce or follow a policy of denying or limiting, through a quota system or otherwise, employment or membership opportunities of any group because of the race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry of that group;
(6) Utilize in the recruitment or hiring of persons any employment agency, personnel placement service, training school or center, labor organization, or any other employee-referring source known to discriminate against persons because of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry.
(F) For any person seeking employment to publish or cause to be published any advertisement that specifies or in any manner indicates that person's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry, or expresses a limitation or preference as to the race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry of any prospective employer.
(G) For any proprietor or any employee, keeper, or manager of a place of public accommodation to deny to any person, except for reasons applicable alike to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry, the full enjoyment of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, or privileges of the place of public accommodation.
(H) For any person to do any of the following:
(1) Refuse to sell, transfer, assign, rent, lease, sublease, or finance housing accommodations, refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of housing accommodations, or otherwise deny or make unavailable housing accommodations because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability, or national origin;
(2) Represent to any person that housing accommodations are not available for inspection, sale, or rental, when in fact they are available, because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability, or national origin;
(3) Discriminate against any person in the making or purchasing of loans or the provision of other financial assistance for the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair, or maintenance of housing accommodations, or any person in the making or purchasing of loans or the provision of other financial assistance that is secured by residential real estate, because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability, or national origin or because of the racial composition of the neighborhood in which the housing accommodations are located, provided that the person, whether an individual, corporation, or association of any type, lends money as one of the principal aspects or incident to the person's principal business and not only as a part of the purchase price of an owner-occupied residence the person is selling nor merely casually or occasionally to a relative or friend;
(4) Discriminate against any person in the terms or conditions of selling, transferring, assigning, renting, leasing, or subleasing any housing accommodations or in furnishing facilities, services, or privileges in connection with the ownership, occupancy, or use of any housing accommodations, including the sale of fire, extended coverage, or homeowners insurance, because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability, or national origin or because of the racial composition of the neighborhood in which the housing accommodations are located;
(5) Discriminate against any person in the terms or conditions of any loan of money, whether or not secured by mortgage or otherwise, for the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair, or maintenance of housing accommodations because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability, or national origin or because of the racial composition of the neighborhood in which the housing accommodations are located;
(6) Refuse to consider without prejudice the combined income of both husband and wife for the purpose of extending mortgage credit to a married couple or either member of a married couple;
(7) Print, publish, or circulate any statement or advertisement, or make or cause to be made any statement or advertisement, relating to the sale, transfer, assignment, rental, lease, sublease, or acquisition of any housing accommodations, or relating to the loan of money, whether or not secured by mortgage or otherwise, for the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair, or maintenance of housing accommodations, that indicates any preference, limitation, specification, or discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, specification, or discrimination;
(8) Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(8) or (17) of this section, make any inquiry, elicit any information, make or keep any record, or use any form of application containing questions or entries concerning race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability, or national origin in connection with the sale or lease of any housing accommodations or the loan of any money, whether or not secured by mortgage or otherwise, for the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair, or maintenance of housing accommodations. Any person may make inquiries, and make and keep records, concerning race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability, or national origin for the purpose of monitoring compliance with this chapter.
(9) Include in any transfer, rental, or lease of housing accommodations any restrictive covenant, or honor or exercise, or attempt to honor or exercise, any restrictive covenant;
(10) Induce or solicit, or attempt to induce or solicit, a housing accommodations listing, sale, or transaction by representing that a change has occurred or may occur with respect to the racial, religious, sexual, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, or ethnic composition of the block, neighborhood, or other area in which the housing accommodations are located, or induce or solicit, or attempt to induce or solicit, a housing accommodations listing, sale, or transaction by representing that the presence or anticipated presence of persons of any race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability, or national origin, in the block, neighborhood, or other area will or may have results including, but not limited to, the following:
(a) The lowering of property values;
(b) A change in the racial, religious, sexual, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, or ethnic composition of the block, neighborhood, or other area;
(c) An increase in criminal or antisocial behavior in the block, neighborhood, or other area;
(d) A decline in the quality of the schools serving the block, neighborhood, or other area.
(11) Deny any person access to or membership or participation in any multiple-listing service, real estate brokers' organization, or other service, organization, or facility relating to the business of selling or renting housing accommodations, or discriminate against any person in the terms or conditions of that access, membership, or participation, on account of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, national origin, disability, or ancestry;
(12) Coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any person in the exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of that person's having exercised or enjoyed or having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment of, any right granted or protected by division (H) of this section;
(13) Discourage or attempt to discourage the purchase by a prospective purchaser of housing accommodations, by representing that any block, neighborhood, or other area has undergone or might undergo a change with respect to its religious, racial, sexual, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, or ethnic composition;
(14) Refuse to sell, transfer, assign, rent, lease, sublease, or finance, or otherwise deny or withhold, a burial lot from any person because of the race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, age, ancestry, disability, or national origin of any prospective owner or user of the lot;
(15) Discriminate in the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny, housing accommodations to any buyer or renter because of a disability of any of the following:
(a) The buyer or renter;
(b) A person residing in or intending to reside in the housing accommodations after they are sold, rented, or made available;
(c) Any individual associated with the person described in division (H)(15)(b) of this section.
(16) Discriminate in the terms, conditions, or privileges of the sale or rental of housing accommodations to any person or in the provision of services or facilities to any person in connection with the housing accommodations because of a disability of any of the following:
(a) That person;
(b) A person residing in or intending to reside in the housing accommodations after they are sold, rented, or made available;
(c) Any individual associated with the person described in division (H)(16)(b) of this section.
(17) Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(17) of this section, make an inquiry to determine whether an applicant for the sale or rental of housing accommodations, a person residing in or intending to reside in the housing accommodations after they are sold, rented, or made available, or any individual associated with that person has a disability, or make an inquiry to determine the nature or severity of a disability of the applicant or such a person or individual. The following inquiries may be made of all applicants for the sale or rental of housing accommodations, regardless of whether they have disabilities:
(a) An inquiry into an applicant's ability to meet the requirements of ownership or tenancy;
(b) An inquiry to determine whether an applicant is qualified for housing accommodations available only to persons with disabilities or persons with a particular type of disability;
(c) An inquiry to determine whether an applicant is qualified for a priority available to persons with disabilities or persons with a particular type of disability;
(d) An inquiry to determine whether an applicant currently uses a controlled substance in violation of section 2925.11 of the Revised Code or a substantively comparable municipal ordinance;
(e) An inquiry to determine whether an applicant at any time has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any offense, an element of which is the illegal sale, offer to sell, cultivation, manufacture, other production, shipment, transportation, delivery, or other distribution of a controlled substance.
(18)(a) Refuse to permit, at the expense of a person with a disability, reasonable modifications of existing housing accommodations that are occupied or to be occupied by the person with a disability, if the modifications may be necessary to afford the person with a disability full enjoyment of the housing accommodations. This division does not preclude a landlord of housing accommodations that are rented or to be rented to a disabled tenant from conditioning permission for a proposed modification upon the disabled tenant's doing one or more of the following:
(i) Providing a reasonable description of the proposed modification and reasonable assurances that the proposed modification will be made in a workerlike manner and that any required building permits will be obtained prior to the commencement of the proposed modification;
(ii) Agreeing to restore at the end of the tenancy the interior of the housing accommodations to the condition they were in prior to the proposed modification, but subject to reasonable wear and tear during the period of occupancy, if it is reasonable for the landlord to condition permission for the proposed modification upon the agreement;
(iii) Paying into an interest-bearing escrow account that is in the landlord's name, over a reasonable period of time, a reasonable amount of money not to exceed the projected costs at the end of the tenancy of the restoration of the interior of the housing accommodations to the condition they were in prior to the proposed modification, but subject to reasonable wear and tear during the period of occupancy, if the landlord finds the account reasonably necessary to ensure the availability of funds for the restoration work. The interest earned in connection with an escrow account described in this division shall accrue to the benefit of the disabled tenant who makes payments into the account.
(b) A landlord shall not condition permission for a proposed modification upon a disabled tenant's payment of a security deposit that exceeds the customarily required security deposit of all tenants of the particular housing accommodations.
(19) Refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services when necessary to afford a person with a disability equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling unit, including associated public and common use areas;
(20) Fail to comply with the standards and rules adopted under division (A) of section 3781.111 of the Revised Code;
(21) Discriminate against any person in the selling, brokering, or appraising of real property because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability, or national origin;
(22) Fail to design and construct covered multifamily dwellings for first occupancy on or after June 30, 1992, in accordance with the following conditions:
(a) The dwellings shall have at least one building entrance on an accessible route, unless it is impractical to do so because of the terrain or unusual characteristics of the site.
(b) With respect to dwellings that have a building entrance on an accessible route, all of the following apply:
(i) The public use areas and common use areas of the dwellings shall be readily accessible to and usable by persons with a disability.
(ii) All the doors designed to allow passage into and within all premises shall be sufficiently wide to allow passage by persons with a disability who are in wheelchairs.
(iii) All premises within covered multifamily dwelling units shall contain an accessible route into and through the dwelling; all light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats, and other environmental controls within such units shall be in accessible locations; the bathroom walls within such units shall contain reinforcements to allow later installation of grab bars; and the kitchens and bathrooms within such units shall be designed and constructed in a manner that enables an individual in a wheelchair to maneuver about such rooms.
For purposes of division (H)(22) of this section, "covered multifamily dwellings" means buildings consisting of four or more units if such buildings have one or more elevators and ground floor units in other buildings consisting of four or more units.
(I) For any person to discriminate in any manner against any other person because that person has opposed any unlawful discriminatory practice defined in this section or because that person has made a charge, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in any investigation, proceeding, or hearing under sections 4112.01 to 4112.07 of the Revised Code.
(J) For any person to aid, abet, incite, compel, or coerce the doing of any act declared by this section to be an unlawful discriminatory practice, to obstruct or prevent any person from complying with this chapter or any order issued under it, or to attempt directly or indirectly to commit any act declared by this section to be an unlawful discriminatory practice.
(K)(1) Nothing in division (H) of this section shall bar any religious or denominational institution or organization, or any nonprofit charitable or educational organization that is operated, supervised, or controlled by or in connection with a religious organization, from limiting the sale, rental, or occupancy of housing accommodations that it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose to persons of the same religion, or from giving preference in the sale, rental, or occupancy of such housing accommodations to persons of the same religion, unless membership in the religion is restricted on account of race, color, or national origin.
(2) Nothing in division (H) of this section shall bar any bona fide private or fraternal organization that, incidental to its primary purpose, owns or operates lodgings for other than a commercial purpose, from limiting the rental or occupancy of the lodgings to its members or from giving preference to its members.
(3) Nothing in division (H) of this section limits the applicability of any reasonable local, state, or federal restrictions regarding the maximum number of occupants permitted to occupy housing accommodations. Nothing in that division prohibits the owners or managers of housing accommodations from implementing reasonable occupancy standards based on the number and size of sleeping areas or bedrooms and the overall size of a dwelling unit, provided that the standards are not implemented to circumvent the purposes of this chapter and are formulated, implemented, and interpreted in a manner consistent with this chapter and any applicable local, state, or federal restrictions regarding the maximum number of occupants permitted to occupy housing accommodations.
(4) Nothing in division (H) of this section requires that housing accommodations be made available to an individual whose tenancy would constitute a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals or whose tenancy would result in substantial physical damage to the property of others.
(5) Nothing in division (H) of this section pertaining to discrimination on the basis of familial status shall be construed to apply to any of the following:
(a) Housing accommodations provided under any state or federal program that have been determined under the "Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988," 102 Stat. 1623, 42 U.S.C.A. 3607, as amended, to be specifically designed and operated to assist elderly persons;
(b) Housing accommodations intended for and solely occupied by persons who are sixty-two years of age or older;
(c) Housing accommodations intended and operated for occupancy by at least one person who is fifty-five years of age or older per unit, as determined under the "Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988," 102 Stat. 1623, 42 U.S.C.A. 3607, as amended.
(L) Nothing in divisions (A) to (E) of this section shall be construed to require a person with a disability to be employed or trained under circumstances that would significantly increase the occupational hazards affecting either the person with a disability, other employees, the general public, or the facilities in which the work is to be performed, or to require the employment or training of a person with a disability in a job that requires the person with a disability routinely to undertake any task, the performance of which is substantially and inherently impaired by the person's disability.
(M) Nothing in divisions (H)(1) to (18) of this section shall be construed to require any person selling or renting property to modify the property in any way or to exercise a higher degree of care for a person with a disability, to relieve any person with a disability of any obligation generally imposed on all persons regardless of disability in a written lease, rental agreement, or contract of purchase or sale, or to forbid distinctions based on the inability to fulfill the terms and conditions, including financial obligations, of the lease, agreement, or contract.
(N) An aggrieved individual may enforce the individual's rights relative to discrimination on the basis of age as provided for in this section by instituting a civil action, within one hundred eighty days after the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice occurred, in any court with jurisdiction for any legal or equitable relief that will effectuate the individual's rights.
A person who files a civil action under this division is barred, with respect to the practices complained of, from instituting a civil action under section 4112.14 of the Revised Code and from filing a charge with the commission under section 4112.05 of the Revised Code.
(O) With regard to age, it shall not be an unlawful discriminatory practice and it shall not constitute a violation of division (A) of section 4112.14 of the Revised Code for any employer, employment agency, joint labor-management committee controlling apprenticeship training programs, or labor organization to do any of the following:
(1) Establish bona fide employment qualifications reasonably related to the particular business or occupation that may include standards for skill, aptitude, physical capability, intelligence, education, maturation, and experience;
(2) Observe the terms of a bona fide seniority system or any bona fide employee benefit plan, including, but not limited to, a retirement, pension, or insurance plan, that is not a subterfuge to evade the purposes of this section. However, no such employee benefit plan shall excuse the failure to hire any individual, and no such seniority system or employee benefit plan shall require or permit the involuntary retirement of any individual, because of the individual's age except as provided for in the "Age Discrimination in Employment Act Amendment of 1978," 92 Stat. 189, 29 U.S.C.A. 623, as amended by the "Age Discrimination in Employment Act Amendments of 1986," 100 Stat. 3342, 29 U.S.C.A. 623, as amended.
(3) Retire an employee who has attained sixty-five years of age who, for the two-year period immediately before retirement, is employed in a bona fide executive or a high policymaking position, if the employee is entitled to an immediate nonforfeitable annual retirement benefit from a pension, profit-sharing, savings, or deferred compensation plan, or any combination of those plans, of the employer of the employee, which equals, in the aggregate, at least forty-four thousand dollars, in accordance with the conditions of the "Age Discrimination in Employment Act Amendment of 1978," 92 Stat. 189, 29 U.S.C.A. 631, as amended by the "Age Discrimination in Employment Act Amendments of 1986," 100 Stat. 3342, 29 U.S.C.A. 631, as amended;
(4) Observe the terms of any bona fide apprenticeship program if the program is registered with the Ohio apprenticeship council pursuant to sections 4139.01 to 4139.06 of the Revised Code and is approved by the federal committee on apprenticeship of the United States department of labor.
(P) Nothing in this chapter prohibiting age discrimination and nothing in division (A) of section 4112.14 of the Revised Code shall be construed to prohibit the following:
(1) The designation of uniform age the attainment of which is necessary for public employees to receive pension or other retirement benefits pursuant to Chapter 145., 742., 3307., 3309., or 5505. of the Revised Code;
(2) The mandatory retirement of uniformed patrol officers of the state highway patrol as provided in section 5505.16 of the Revised Code;
(3) The maximum age requirements for appointment as a patrol officer in the state highway patrol established by section 5503.01 of the Revised Code;
(4) The maximum age requirements established for original appointment to a police department or fire department in sections 124.41 and 124.42 of the Revised Code;
(5) Any maximum age not in conflict with federal law that may be established by a municipal charter, municipal ordinance, or resolution of a board of township trustees for original appointment as a police officer or firefighter;
(6) Any mandatory retirement provision not in conflict with federal law of a municipal charter, municipal ordinance, or resolution of a board of township trustees pertaining to police officers and firefighters;
(7) Until January 1, 1994, the mandatory retirement of any employee who has attained seventy years of age and who is serving under a contract of unlimited tenure, or similar arrangement providing for unlimited tenure, at an institution of higher education as defined in the "Education Amendments of 1980," 94 Stat. 1503, 20 U.S.C.A. 1141(a).
(Q)(1)(a) Except as provided in division (Q)(1)(b) of this section, for purposes of divisions (A) to (E) of this section, a disability does not include any physiological disorder or condition, mental or psychological disorder, or disease or condition caused by an illegal use of any controlled substance by an employee, applicant, or other person, if an employer, employment agency, personnel placement service, labor organization, or joint labor-management committee acts on the basis of that illegal use.
(b) Division (Q)(1)(a) of this section does not apply to an employee, applicant, or other person who satisfies any of the following:
(i) The employee, applicant, or other person has successfully completed a supervised drug rehabilitation program and no longer is engaging in the illegal use of any controlled substance, or the employee, applicant, or other person otherwise successfully has been rehabilitated and no longer is engaging in that illegal use.
(ii) The employee, applicant, or other person is participating in a supervised drug rehabilitation program and no longer is engaging in the illegal use of any controlled substance.
(iii) The employee, applicant, or other person is erroneously regarded as engaging in the illegal use of any controlled substance, but the employee, applicant, or other person is not engaging in that illegal use.
(2) Divisions (A) to (E) of this section do not prohibit an employer, employment agency, personnel placement service, labor organization, or joint labor-management committee from doing any of the following:
(a) Adopting or administering reasonable policies or procedures, including, but not limited to, testing for the illegal use of any controlled substance, that are designed to ensure that an individual described in division (Q)(1)(b)(i) or (ii) of this section no longer is engaging in the illegal use of any controlled substance;
(b) Prohibiting the illegal use of controlled substances and the use of alcohol at the workplace by all employees;
(c) Requiring that employees not be under the influence of alcohol or not be engaged in the illegal use of any controlled substance at the workplace;
(d) Requiring that employees behave in conformance with the requirements established under "The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988," 102 Stat. 4304, 41 U.S.C.A. 701, as amended;
(e) Holding an employee who engages in the illegal use of any controlled substance or who is an alcoholic to the same qualification standards for employment or job performance, and the same behavior, to which the employer, employment agency, personnel placement service, labor organization, or joint labor-management committee holds other employees, even if any unsatisfactory performance or behavior is related to an employee's illegal use of a controlled substance or alcoholism;
(f) Exercising other authority recognized in the "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990," 104 Stat. 327, 42 U.S.C.A. 12101, as amended, including, but not limited to, requiring employees to comply with any applicable federal standards.
(3) For purposes of this chapter, a test to determine the illegal use of any controlled substance does not include a medical examination.
(4) Division (Q) of this section does not encourage, prohibit, or authorize, and shall not be construed as encouraging, prohibiting, or authorizing, the conduct of testing for the illegal use of any controlled substance by employees, applicants, or other persons, or the making of employment decisions based on the results of that type of testing.
(R)(1) Nothing in this section shall prohibit any religious association, corporation, or society that is not organized for private profit, or any institution organized for educational purposes that is operated, supervised, or controlled by such a religious association, corporation, or society, from doing either of the following:
(a) Limiting admission to or giving preference to persons of the same religion or denomination;
(b) In matters related to sexual orientation or gender identity, taking any action with respect to education, employment, housing and real property, or use of facilities.
(2) Division (R)(1) of this section shall not apply to secular business activities regularly carried on in which the religious association, corporation, or society engages if the conduct of those activities is unrelated to the religious and educational purposes for which the association, corporation, or society is organized.
(S) Nothing in this section shall be construed to establish an unlawful employment practice based on actual or perceived gender identity due to the denial of access to shared shower or dressing facilities in which being seen unclothed is unavoidable, provided that the employer provides reasonable access to adequate facilities that are not inconsistent with an employee's gender identity as established with the employer at the time of initial employment or upon notification to the employer that the employee has undergone or is undergoing gender transition, whichever is later.
(T) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the construction of new or additional facilities.
(U) Nothing in this section prohibits an employer from implementing, enforcing, or modifying a dress code or grooming standards not prohibited by other provisions of federal, state, or local law and requiring an employee, during the employee's hours at work, to adhere to the dress code or grooming standards, provided that the employer permits any employee who has undergone gender transition before being initially employed, and any employee who has notified the employer that the employee has undergone or is undergoing gender transition after being initially employed, to adhere to the same dress code or grooming standards to which the employee has transitioned or is transitioning.
(V) Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize or require any private employer, employment agency, or labor organization to implement quotas or affirmative action policies or programs, based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
(W) Upon receiving certification of a bona fide occupational qualification from the commission, nothing in this section requires an employer, whose business is primarily religious in nature, to take any employment action that would compromise that business's religious purposes relating to sexual orientation or gender identity.
(X)(1) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for any employer, employment agency, or labor organization to limit, segregate, or classify its employees or applicants for employment in any way that would deprive or tend to deprive any individual of employment or otherwise adversely affect the status of the individual as an employee because of the individual's actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
(2) The commission shall not collect statistics on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity from any employer, employment agency, or labor organization nor compel any of them to collect such statistics.
(3) Only disparate treatment claims, and not disparate impact claims, may be brought under this section on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. As used in division (X)(3) of this section, "disparate impact" means a facially neutral policy or practice that has a negative impact on a protected group.
Sec. 4112.021.  (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Credit" means the right granted by a creditor to a person to defer payment of a debt, to incur debt and defer its payment, or to purchase property or services and defer payment for the property or services.
(2) "Creditor" means any person who regularly extends, renews, or continues credit, any person who regularly arranges for the extension, renewal, or continuation of credit, or any assignee of an original creditor who participates in the decision to extend, renew, or continue credit, whether or not any interest or finance charge is required.
(3) "Credit reporting agency" means any person who, for monetary fees or dues or on a cooperative nonprofit basis, regularly assembles or evaluates credit information for the purpose of furnishing credit reports to creditors.
(4) "Age" means any age of eighteen years or older.
(B) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice:
(1) For any creditor to do any of the following:
(a) Discriminate against any applicant for credit in the granting, withholding, extending, or renewing of credit, or in the fixing of the rates, terms, or conditions of any form of credit, on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, marital status, national origin, disability, or ancestry, except that this division shall not apply with respect to age in any real estate transaction between a financial institution, a dealer in intangibles, or an insurance company as defined in section 5725.01 of the Revised Code and its customers;
(b) Use or make any inquiry as to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, marital status, national origin, disability, or ancestry for the purpose of limiting or specifying those persons to whom credit will be granted, except that an inquiry of marital status does not constitute discrimination for the purposes of this section if the inquiry is made for the purpose of ascertaining the creditor's rights and remedies applicable to the particular extension of credit, and except that creditors are excepted from this division with respect to any inquiry, elicitation of information, record, or form of application required of a particular creditor by any instrumentality or agency of the United States, or required of a particular creditor by any agency or instrumentality to enforce the "Civil Rights Act of 1968," 82 Stat. 84, 85, 42 U.S.C.A. 3608(c);
(c) Refuse to consider the sources of income of an applicant for credit, or disregard or ignore the income of an applicant, in whole or in part, on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, marital status, disability, national origin, or ancestry;
(d) Refuse to grant credit to an individual in any name that individual customarily uses, if it has been determined in the normal course of business that the creditor will grant credit to the individual;
(e) Impose any special requirements or conditions, including, but not limited to, a requirement for co-obligors or reapplication, upon any applicant or class of applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, marital status, national origin, disability, or ancestry in circumstances where similar requirements or conditions are not imposed on other applicants similarly situated, unless the special requirements or conditions that are imposed with respect to age are the result of a real estate transaction exempted under division (B)(1)(a) of this section or are the result of programs that grant preferences to certain age groups administered by instrumentalities or agencies of the United States, a state, or a political subdivision of a state;
(f) Fail or refuse to provide an applicant for credit a written statement of the specific reasons for rejection of the application if requested in writing by the applicant within sixty days of the rejection. The creditor shall provide the written statement of the specific reason for rejection within thirty days after receipt of a request of that nature. For purposes of this section, a statement that the applicant was rejected solely on the basis of information received from a credit reporting agency or because the applicant failed to meet the standards required by the creditor's credit scoring system, uniformly applied, shall constitute a specific reason for rejection.
(g) Fail or refuse to print on or firmly attach to each application for credit, in a type size no smaller than that used throughout most of the application form, the following notice: "The Ohio laws against discrimination require that all creditors make credit equally available to all credit worthy customers, and that credit reporting agencies maintain separate credit histories on each individual upon request. The Ohio civil rights commission administers compliance with this law." This notice is not required to be included in applications that have a multi-state distribution if the notice is mailed to the applicant with the notice of acceptance or rejection of the application.
(h) Fail or refuse on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, marital status, national origin, disability, or ancestry to maintain, upon the request of the individual, a separate account for each individual to whom credit is extended;
(i) Fail or refuse on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, marital status, national origin, disability, or ancestry to maintain records on any account established after November 1, 1976, to furnish information on the accounts to credit reporting agencies in a manner that clearly designates the contractual liability for repayment as indicated on the application for the account, and, if more than one individual is contractually liable for repayment, to maintain records and furnish information in the name of each individual. This division does not apply to individuals who are contractually liable only if the primary party defaults on the account.
(2) For any credit reporting agency to do any of the following:
(a) Fail or refuse on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, marital status, national origin, disability, or ancestry to maintain, upon the request of the individual, a separate file on each individual about whom information is assembled or evaluated;
(b) Fail or refuse on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, marital status, national origin, disability, or ancestry to clearly note, maintain, and report any information furnished it under division (B)(1)(i) of this section.
(C) This section does not prohibit a creditor from requesting the signature of both spouses to create a valid lien, pass clear title, or waive inchoate rights to property.
(D) The rights granted by this section may be enforced by aggrieved individuals by filing a civil action in a court of common pleas within one hundred eighty days after the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice occurred. Upon application by the plaintiff and in circumstances that the court considers just, the court in which a civil action under this section is brought may appoint an attorney for the plaintiff and may authorize the commencement of a civil action upon proper showing without the payment of costs. If the court finds that an unlawful discriminatory practice prohibited by this section occurred or is about to occur, the court may grant relief that it considers appropriate, including a permanent or temporary injunction, temporary restraining order, or other order, and may award to the plaintiff compensatory and punitive damages of not less than one hundred dollars, together with attorney's fees and court costs.
(E) Nothing contained in this section shall bar a creditor from reviewing an application for credit on the basis of established criteria used in the normal course of business for the determination of the credit worthiness of the individual applicant for credit, including the credit history of the applicant.
Sec. 4112.04.  (A) The commission shall do all of the following:
(1) Establish and maintain a principal office in the city of Columbus and any other offices within the state that it considers necessary;
(2) Appoint an executive director who shall serve at the pleasure of the commission and be its principal administrative officer. The executive director shall be paid a salary fixed pursuant to Chapter 124. of the Revised Code.
(3) Appoint hearing examiners and other employees and agents who it considers necessary and prescribe their duties subject to Chapter 124. of the Revised Code;
(4) Adopt, promulgate, amend, and rescind rules to effectuate the provisions of this chapter and the policies and practice of the commission in connection with this chapter;
(5) Formulate policies to effectuate the purposes of this chapter and make recommendations to agencies and officers of the state or political subdivisions to effectuate the policies;
(6) Receive, investigate, and pass upon written charges made under oath of unlawful discriminatory practices;
(7) Make periodic surveys of the existence and effect of discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry on the enjoyment of civil rights by persons within the state;
(8) Report, from time to time, but not less than once a year, to the general assembly and the governor, describing in detail the investigations, proceedings, and hearings it has conducted and their outcome, the decisions it has rendered, and the other work performed by it, which report shall include a copy of any surveys prepared pursuant to division (A)(7) of this section and shall include the recommendations of the commission as to legislative or other remedial action;
(9) Prepare a comprehensive educational program, in cooperation with the department of education, for the students of the primary and secondary public schools of this state and for all other residents of this state that is designed to eliminate prejudice on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, military status, familial status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry in this state, to further good will among those groups, and to emphasize the origin of prejudice against those groups and discrimination, its their harmful effects, and its their incompatibility with American principles of equality and fair play;
(10) Receive progress reports from agencies, instrumentalities, institutions, boards, commissions, and other entities of this state or any of its political subdivisions and their agencies, instrumentalities, institutions, boards, commissions, and other entities regarding affirmative action programs for the employment of persons against whom discrimination is prohibited by this chapter, or regarding any affirmative housing accommodations programs developed to eliminate or reduce an imbalance of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, national origin, disability, or ancestry. All agencies, instrumentalities, institutions, boards, commissions, and other entities of this state or its political subdivisions, and all political subdivisions, that have undertaken affirmative action programs pursuant to a conciliation agreement with the commission, an executive order of the governor, any federal statute or rule, or an executive order of the president of the United States shall file progress reports with the commission annually on or before the first day of November. The commission shall analyze and evaluate the progress reports and report its findings annually to the general assembly on or before the thirtieth day of January of the year immediately following the receipt of the reports.
(B) The commission may do any of the following:
(1) Meet and function at any place within the state;
(2) Initiate and undertake on its own motion investigations of problems of employment or housing accommodations discrimination;
(3) Hold hearings, subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, administer oaths, take the testimony of any person under oath, require the production for examination of any books and papers relating to any matter under investigation or in question before the commission, and make rules as to the issuance of subpoenas by individual commissioners.
(a) In conducting a hearing or investigation, the commission shall have access at all reasonable times to premises, records, documents, individuals, and other evidence or possible sources of evidence and may examine, record, and copy the premises, records, documents, and other evidence or possible sources of evidence and take and record the testimony or statements of the individuals as reasonably necessary for the furtherance of the hearing or investigation. In investigations, the commission shall comply with the fourth amendment to the United States Constitution relating to unreasonable searches and seizures. The commission or a member of the commission may issue subpoenas to compel access to or the production of premises, records, documents, and other evidence or possible sources of evidence or the appearance of individuals, and may issue interrogatories to a respondent, to the same extent and subject to the same limitations as would apply if the subpoenas or interrogatories were issued or served in aid of a civil action in a court of common pleas.
(b) Upon written application by a respondent, the commission shall issue subpoenas in its name to the same extent and subject to the same limitations as subpoenas issued by the commission. Subpoenas issued at the request of a respondent shall show on their face the name and address of the respondent and shall state that they were issued at the respondent's request.
(c) Witnesses summoned by subpoena of the commission are entitled to the witness and mileage fees provided for under section 119.094 of the Revised Code.
(d) Within five days after service of a subpoena upon any person, the person may petition the commission to revoke or modify the subpoena. The commission shall grant the petition if it finds that the subpoena requires an appearance or attendance at an unreasonable time or place, that it requires production of evidence that does not relate to any matter before the commission, that it does not describe with sufficient particularity the evidence to be produced, that compliance would be unduly onerous, or for other good reason.
(e) In case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena, the commission or person at whose request it was issued may petition for its enforcement in the court of common pleas in the county in which the person to whom the subpoena was addressed resides, was served, or transacts business.
(4) Create local or statewide advisory agencies and conciliation councils to aid in effectuating the purposes of this chapter. The commission may itself, or it may empower these agencies and councils to, do either or both of the following:
(a) Study the problems of discrimination in all or specific fields of human relationships when based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry;
(b) Foster through community effort, or otherwise, good will among the groups and elements of the population of the state.
The agencies and councils may make recommendations to the commission for the development of policies and procedures in general. They shall be composed of representative citizens who shall serve without pay, except that reimbursement for actual and necessary traveling expenses shall be made to citizens who serve on a statewide agency or council.
(5) Issue any publications and the results of investigations and research that in its judgment will tend to promote good will and minimize or eliminate discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry.
Sec. 4112.05.  (A) The commission, as provided in this section, shall prevent any person from engaging in unlawful discriminatory practices, provided that, before instituting the formal hearing authorized by division (B) of this section, it shall attempt, by informal methods of conference, conciliation, mediation, and persuasion, to induce compliance with this chapter.
(B)(1) Any person may file a charge with the commission alleging that another person has engaged or is engaging in an unlawful discriminatory practice. In the case of a charge alleging an unlawful discriminatory practice described in division (A), (B), (C), (D), (E), (F), (G), (I), or (J) of section 4112.02 or in section 4112.021 or 4112.022 of the Revised Code, the charge shall be in writing and under oath and shall be filed with the commission within six months after the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice was committed. In the case of a charge alleging an unlawful discriminatory practice described in division (H) of section 4112.02 of the Revised Code, the charge shall be in writing and under oath and shall be filed with the commission within one year after the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice was committed.
(2) Upon receiving a charge, the commission may initiate a preliminary investigation to determine whether it is probable that an unlawful discriminatory practice has been or is being engaged in. The commission also may conduct, upon its own initiative and independent of the filing of any charges, a preliminary investigation relating to any of the unlawful discriminatory practices described in division (A), (B), (C), (D), (E), (F), (I), or (J) of section 4112.02 or in section 4112.021 or 4112.022 of the Revised Code. Prior to a notification of a complainant under division (B)(4) of this section or prior to the commencement of informal methods of conference, conciliation, and persuasion under that division, the members of the commission and the officers and employees of the commission shall not make public in any manner and shall retain as confidential all information that was obtained as a result of or that otherwise pertains to a preliminary investigation other than one described in division (B)(3) of this section.
(3)(a) Unless it is impracticable to do so and subject to its authority under division (B)(3)(d) of this section, the commission shall complete a preliminary investigation of a charge filed pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section that alleges an unlawful discriminatory practice described in division (H) of section 4112.02 of the Revised Code, and shall take one of the following actions, within one hundred days after the filing of the charge:
(i) Notify the complainant and the respondent that it is not probable that an unlawful discriminatory practice described in division (H) of section 4112.02 of the Revised Code has been or is being engaged in and that the commission will not issue a complaint in the matter;
(ii) Initiate a complaint and schedule it for informal methods of conference, conciliation, and persuasion;
(iii) Initiate a complaint and refer it to the attorney general with a recommendation to seek a temporary or permanent injunction or a temporary restraining order. If this action is taken, the attorney general shall apply, as expeditiously as possible after receipt of the complaint, to the court of common pleas of the county in which the unlawful discriminatory practice allegedly occurred for the appropriate injunction or order, and the court shall hear and determine the application as expeditiously as possible.
(b) If it is not practicable to comply with the requirements of division (B)(3)(a) of this section within the one-hundred-day period described in that division, the commission shall notify the complainant and the respondent in writing of the reasons for the noncompliance.
(c) Prior to the issuance of a complaint under division (B)(3)(a)(ii) or (iii) of this section or prior to a notification of the complainant and the respondent under division (B)(3)(a)(i) of this section, the members of the commission and the officers and employees of the commission shall not make public in any manner and shall retain as confidential all information that was obtained as a result of or that otherwise pertains to a preliminary investigation of a charge filed pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section that alleges an unlawful discriminatory practice described in division (H) of section 4112.05 of the Revised Code.
(d) Notwithstanding the types of action described in divisions (B)(3)(a)(ii) and (iii) of this section, prior to the issuance of a complaint or the referral of a complaint to the attorney general and prior to endeavoring to eliminate an unlawful discriminatory practice described in division (H) of section 4112.02 of the Revised Code by informal methods of conference, conciliation, and persuasion, the commission may seek a temporary or permanent injunction or a temporary restraining order in the court of common pleas of the county in which the unlawful discriminatory practice allegedly occurred.
(4) If the commission determines after a preliminary investigation other than one described in division (B)(3) of this section that it is not probable that an unlawful discriminatory practice has been or is being engaged in, it shall notify any complainant under division (B)(1) of this section that it has so determined and that it will not issue a complaint in the matter. If the commission determines after a preliminary investigation other than the one described in division (B)(3) of this section that it is probable that an unlawful discriminatory practice has been or is being engaged in, it shall endeavor to eliminate the practice by informal methods of conference, conciliation, and persuasion.
(5) Nothing said or done during informal methods of conference, conciliation, and persuasion under this section shall be disclosed by any member of the commission or its staff or be used as evidence in any subsequent hearing or other proceeding. If, after a preliminary investigation and the use of informal methods of conference, conciliation, and persuasion under this section, the commission is satisfied that any unlawful discriminatory practice will be eliminated, it may treat the charge involved as being conciliated and enter that disposition on the records of the commission. If the commission fails to effect the elimination of an unlawful discriminatory practice by informal methods of conference, conciliation, and persuasion under this section and to obtain voluntary compliance with this chapter, the commission shall issue and cause to be served upon any person, including the respondent against whom a complainant has filed a charge pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section, a complaint stating the charges involved and containing a notice of an opportunity for a hearing before the commission, a member of the commission, or a hearing examiner at a place that is stated in the notice and that is located within the county in which the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice has occurred or is occurring or in which the respondent resides or transacts business. The hearing shall be held not less than thirty days after the service of the complaint upon the complainant, the aggrieved persons other than the complainant on whose behalf the complaint is issued, and the respondent, unless the complainant, an aggrieved person, or the respondent elects to proceed under division (A)(2) of section 4112.051 of the Revised Code when that division is applicable. If a complaint pertains to an alleged unlawful discriminatory practice described in division (H) of section 4112.02 of the Revised Code, the complaint shall notify the complainant, an aggrieved person, and the respondent of the right of the complainant, an aggrieved person, or the respondent to elect to proceed with the administrative hearing process under this section or to proceed under division (A)(2) of section 4112.051 of the Revised Code.
(6) The attorney general shall represent the commission at any hearing held pursuant to division (B)(5) of this section and shall present the evidence in support of the complaint.
(7) Any complaint issued pursuant to division (B)(5) of this section after the filing of a charge under division (B)(1) of this section shall be so issued within one year after the complainant filed the charge with respect to an alleged unlawful discriminatory practice.
(C) Any complaint issued pursuant to division (B) of this section may be amended by the commission, a member of the commission, or the hearing examiner conducting a hearing under division (B) of this section, at any time prior to or during the hearing. The respondent has the right to file an answer or an amended answer to the original and amended complaints and to appear at the hearing in person, by attorney, or otherwise to examine and cross-examine witnesses.
(D) The complainant shall be a party to a hearing under division (B) of this section, and any person who is an indispensable party to a complete determination or settlement of a question involved in the hearing shall be joined. Any person who has or claims an interest in the subject of the hearing and in obtaining or preventing relief against the unlawful discriminatory practices complained of may be permitted, in the discretion of the person or persons conducting the hearing, to appear for the presentation of oral or written arguments.
(E) In any hearing under division (B) of this section, the commission, a member of the commission, or the hearing examiner shall not be bound by the Rules of Evidence but, in ascertaining the practices followed by the respondent, shall take into account all reliable, probative, and substantial statistical or other evidence produced at the hearing that may tend to prove the existence of a predetermined pattern of employment or membership, provided that nothing contained in this section shall be construed to authorize or require any person to observe the proportion that persons of any race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry bear to the total population or in accordance with any criterion other than the individual qualifications of the applicant.
(F) The testimony taken at a hearing under division (B) of this section shall be under oath and shall be reduced to writing and filed with the commission. Thereafter, in its discretion, the commission, upon the service of a notice upon the complainant and the respondent that indicates an opportunity to be present, may take further testimony or hear argument.
(G)(1) If, upon all reliable, probative, and substantial evidence presented at a hearing under division (B) of this section, the commission determines that the respondent has engaged in, or is engaging in, any unlawful discriminatory practice, whether against the complainant or others, the commission shall state its findings of fact and conclusions of law and shall issue and, subject to the provisions of Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, cause to be served on the respondent an order requiring the respondent to cease and desist from the unlawful discriminatory practice, requiring the respondent to take any further affirmative or other action that will effectuate the purposes of this chapter, including, but not limited to, hiring, reinstatement, or upgrading of employees with or without back pay, or admission or restoration to union membership, and requiring the respondent to report to the commission the manner of compliance. If the commission directs payment of back pay, it shall make allowance for interim earnings. If it finds a violation of division (H) of section 4112.02 of the Revised Code, the commission additionally shall require the respondent to pay actual damages and reasonable attorney's fees, and may award to the complainant punitive damages as follows:
(a) If division (G)(1)(b) or (c) of this section does not apply, punitive damages in an amount not to exceed ten thousand dollars;
(b) If division (G)(1)(c) of this section does not apply and if the respondent has been determined by a final order of the commission or by a final judgment of a court to have committed one violation of division (H) of section 4112.02 of the Revised Code during the five-year period immediately preceding the date on which a complaint was issued pursuant to division (B) of this section, punitive damages in an amount not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars;
(c) If the respondent has been determined by a final order of the commission or by a final judgment of a court to have committed two or more violations of division (H) of section 4112.02 of the Revised Code during the seven-year period immediately preceding the date on which a complaint was issued pursuant to division (B) of this section, punitive damages in an amount not to exceed fifty thousand dollars.
(2) Upon the submission of reports of compliance, the commission may issue a declaratory order stating that the respondent has ceased to engage in particular unlawful discriminatory practices.
(H) If the commission finds that no probable cause exists for crediting charges of unlawful discriminatory practices or if, upon all the evidence presented at a hearing under division (B) of this section on a charge, the commission finds that a respondent has not engaged in any unlawful discriminatory practice against the complainant or others, it shall state its findings of fact and shall issue and cause to be served on the complainant an order dismissing the complaint as to the respondent. A copy of the order shall be delivered in all cases to the attorney general and any other public officers whom the commission considers proper.
(I) Until the time period for appeal set forth in division (H) of section 4112.06 of the Revised Code expires, the commission, subject to the provisions of Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, at any time, upon reasonable notice, and in the manner it considers proper, may modify or set aside, in whole or in part, any finding or order made by it under this section.
Sec. 4112.08.  This chapter shall be construed liberally for the accomplishment of its purposes, and any law inconsistent with any provision of this chapter shall not apply. Nothing contained in this chapter shall be considered to repeal any of the provisions of any law of this state relating to discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, familial status, disability, national origin, age, or ancestry, except that any person filing a charge under division (B)(1) of section 4112.05 of the Revised Code, with respect to the unlawful discriminatory practices complained of, is barred from instituting a civil action under section 4112.14 or division (N) of section 4112.02 of the Revised Code. This chapter does not limit actions, procedures, and remedies afforded under federal law.
Sec. 4117.19.  (A) Every employee organization that is certified or recognized as a representative of public employees under this chapter shall file with the state employment relations board a registration report that is signed by its president or other appropriate officer. The report shall be in a form prescribed by the board and accompanied by two copies of the employee organization's constitution and bylaws. The board shall accept a filing by a statewide, national, or international employee organization of its constitution and bylaws in lieu of a filing of the documents by each subordinate organization. The exclusive representative or other employee organization originally filing its constitution and bylaws shall report, promptly, to the board all changes or amendments to its constitution and bylaws.
(B) Every employee organization shall file with the board an annual report. The report shall be in a form prescribed by the board and shall contain the following information:
(1) The names and addresses of the organization, any parent organization or organizations with which it is affiliated, and all organizationwide officers;
(2) The name and address of its local agent for service of process;
(3) A general description of the public employees the organization represents or seeks to represent;
(4) The amounts of the initiation fee and monthly dues members must pay;
(5) A pledge, in a form prescribed by the board, that the organization will comply with the laws of the state and that it will accept members without regard to age, race, color, sex, creed, religion, ancestry, or national origin,; disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or military status, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, military status as defined in that section,; or physical disability as provided by law:;
(6) A financial report.
(C) The constitution or bylaws of every employee organization shall do all of the following:
(1) Require that the organization keep accurate accounts of all income and expenses, prepare an annual financial report, keep open for inspection by any member of the organization its accounts, and make loans to officers and agents only on terms and conditions available to all members;
(2) Prohibit business or financial interests of its officers and agents, their spouses, minor children, parents, or otherwise, in conflict with the fiduciary obligation of such persons to the organization;
(3) When specifically requested by the board, require every official who is designated as a fiscal officer of an employee organization and who is responsible for funds or other property of the organization or trust in which an organization is interested, or a subsidiary organization be bonded with the amount, scope, and form of the bond determined by the board;
(4) Require periodic elections of officers by secret ballot subject to recognized safeguards concerning the equal right of all members to nominate, seek office, and vote in the elections, the right of individual members to participate in the affairs of the organization, and fair and equitable procedures in disciplinary actions.
(D) The board shall prescribe rules necessary to govern the establishment and reporting of trusteeships over employee organizations. The establishment of trusteeships is permissible only if the constitution or bylaws of the organization set forth reasonable procedures.
(E) The board may withhold certification of an employee organization that willfully refuses to register or file an annual report or that willfully refuses to comply with other provisions of this section. The board may revoke a certification of an employee organization for willfully failing to comply with this section. The board may enforce the prohibitions contained in this section by petitioning the court of common pleas of the county in which the violation occurs for an injunction. Persons complaining of a violation of this section shall file the complaint with the board.
(F) Upon the written request to the board of any member of a certified employee organization and where the board determines the necessity for an audit, the board may require the employee organization to provide a certified audit of its financial records.
(G) Any employee organization subject to the "Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959," 73 Stat. 519, 29 U.S.C.A., 401, as amended, may file copies with the board of all reports it is required to file under that act in lieu of compliance with all parts of this section other than division (A) of this section. The board shall accept a filing by a statewide, national, or international employee organization of its reports in lieu of a filing of such reports by each subordinate organization.
Sec. 4735.16.  (A) Every real estate broker licensed under this chapter shall have and maintain a definite place of business in this state and shall erect or maintain a sign on the premises plainly stating that the licensee is a real estate broker. If the real estate broker maintains one or more branch offices, the real estate broker shall erect or maintain a sign at each branch office plainly stating that the licensee is a real estate broker.
(B)(1) Any licensed real estate broker or salesperson who advertises to buy, sell, exchange, or lease real estate, or to engage in any act regulated by this chapter, including, but not limited to, any licensed real estate broker or salesperson who advertises to sell, exchange, or lease real estate that the licensee owns, shall be identified in the advertisement by name and by indicating that the licensee is a real estate broker or real estate salesperson. Except a real estate salesperson who advertises the sale, exchange, or lease of real estate that the salesperson owns and that is not listed for sale, exchange, or lease with a real estate broker, any real estate salesperson who advertises, as provided in this section, also shall indicate in the advertisement the name of the broker under whom the salesperson is licensed and the fact that the salesperson's broker is a real estate broker. The name of the broker shall be displayed in equal prominence with the name of the salesperson in the advertisement.
(2) A real estate broker who is representing a seller under an exclusive right to sell or lease listing agreement shall not advertise such property to the public as "for sale by owner" or otherwise mislead the public to believe that the seller is not represented by a real estate broker.
(3) If any real estate broker or real estate salesperson advertises in a manner other than as provided in this section or the rules adopted under this section, that advertisement is prima-facie evidence of a violation under division (A)(21) of section 4735.18 of the Revised Code.
When the superintendent determines that prima-facie evidence of a violation of division (A)(21) of section 4735.18 of the Revised Code or any of the rules adopted thereunder exists, the superintendent may do either of the following:
(a) Initiate disciplinary action under section 4735.051 of the Revised Code for a violation of division (A)(21) of section 4735.18 of the Revised Code, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code;
(b) Personally, or by certified mail, serve a citation upon the licensee.
(C)(1) Every citation served under this section shall give notice to the licensee of the alleged violation or violations charged and inform the licensee of the opportunity to request a hearing in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. The citation also shall contain a statement of a fine of two hundred dollars per violation, not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars per citation. All fines collected pursuant to this section shall be credited to the real estate recovery fund, created in the state treasury under section 4735.12 of the Revised Code.
(2) If any licensee is cited three times within twelve consecutive months, the superintendent shall initiate disciplinary action pursuant to section 4735.051 of the Revised Code for any subsequent violation that occurs within the same twelve-month period.
(3) If a licensee fails to request a hearing within thirty days of the date of service of the citation, or the licensee and the superintendent fail to reach an alternative agreement, the citation shall become final.
(4) Unless otherwise indicated, the licensee named in a final citation must meet all requirements contained in the final citation within thirty days of the effective date of that citation.
(5) The superintendent shall suspend automatically a licensee's license if the licensee fails to comply with division (C)(4) of this section.
(D) A real estate broker or salesperson obtaining the signature of a party to a listing or other agreement involved in a real estate transaction shall furnish a copy of the listing or other agreement to the party immediately after obtaining the party's signature. Every broker's office shall prominently display in the same immediate area as licenses are displayed a statement that it is illegal to discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or ancestry; or familial status as defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, national origin, military status as defined in that section, disability as defined in that section, gender identity, or ancestry sexual orientation, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, in the sale or rental of housing or residential lots, in advertising the sale or rental of housing, in the financing of housing, or in the provision of real estate brokerage services and that blockbusting also is illegal. The statement shall bear the United States department of housing and urban development equal housing logo, shall contain the information that the broker and the broker's salespersons are licensed by the division of real estate and professional licensing and that the division can assist with any consumer complaints or inquiries, and shall explain the provisions of section 4735.12 of the Revised Code. The statement shall provide the division's address and telephone number. The Ohio real estate commission shall provide by rule for the wording and size of the statement. The pamphlet required under section 4735.03 of the Revised Code shall contain the same statement that is required on the statement displayed as provided in this section and shall be made available by real estate brokers and salespersons to their clients. The commission shall provide the wording and size of the pamphlet.
Sec. 4735.55.  (A) Each written agency agreement shall contain all of the following:
(1) An expiration date;
(2) A statement that it is illegal, pursuant to the Ohio fair housing law, division (H) of section 4112.02 of the Revised Code, and the federal fair housing law, 42 U.S.C.A. 3601, to refuse to sell, transfer, assign, rent, lease, sublease, or finance housing accommodations, refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of housing accommodations, or otherwise deny or make unavailable housing accommodations because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or ancestry; or familial status as defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, ancestry, military status as defined in that section, disability as defined in that section, gender identity, or national origin sexual orientation, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, or to so discriminate in advertising the sale or rental of housing, in the financing of housing, or in the provision of real estate brokerage services;
(3) A statement defining the practice known as "blockbusting" and stating that it is illegal;
(4) A copy of the United States department of housing and urban development equal housing opportunity logotype, as set forth in 24 C.F.R. 109.30.
(B) Each written agency agreement shall contain a place for the licensee and the client to sign and date the agreement.
(C) A licensee shall furnish a copy of any written agency agreement to a client in a timely manner after the licensee and the client have signed and dated it.
Sec. 4757.07.  The counselor, social worker, and marriage and family therapist board and its professional standards committees shall not discriminate against any licensee, registrant, or applicant for a license or certificate of registration under this chapter because of the person's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin,; disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code,; or age. The board or committee, as appropriate, shall afford a hearing to any person who files with the board or committee a statement alleging discrimination based on any of those reasons.
Sec. 4758.16. The chemical dependency professionals board shall not discriminate against any licensee, certificate holder, or applicant for a license or certificate under this chapter because of the individual's race, color, religion, gender, or national origin,; disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code,; or age. The board shall afford a hearing to any individual who files with the board a statement alleging discrimination based on any of those reasons.
Sec. 4765.18.  The state board of emergency medical services may suspend or revoke a certificate of accreditation or a certificate of approval issued under section 4765.17 of the Revised Code for any of the following reasons:
(A) Violation of this chapter or any rule adopted under it;
(B) Furnishing of false, misleading, or incomplete information to the board;
(C) The signing of an application or the holding of a certificate of accreditation by a person who has pleaded guilty to or has been convicted of a felony, or has pleaded guilty to or been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude;
(D) The signing of an application or the holding of a certificate of accreditation by a person who is addicted to the use of any controlled substance or has been adjudicated incompetent for that purpose by a court, as provided in section 5122.301 of the Revised Code;
(E) Violation of any commitment made in an application for a certificate of accreditation or certificate of approval;
(F) Presentation to prospective students of misleading, false, or fraudulent information relating to the emergency medical services training program or emergency medical services continuing education program, employment opportunities, or opportunities for enrollment in accredited institutions of higher education after entering or completing courses offered by the operator of a program;
(G) Failure to maintain in a safe and sanitary condition premises and equipment used in conducting courses of study;
(H) Failure to maintain financial resources adequate for the satisfactory conduct of courses of study or to retain a sufficient number of certified instructors;
(I) Discrimination in the acceptance of students upon the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Sec. 5104.09.  (A)(1) Except as provided in rules adopted pursuant to division (D) of this section, no individual who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation described in division (A)(9) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code, a violation of section 2905.11, 2909.02, 2909.03, 2909.04, 2909.05, 2917.01, 2917.02, 2917.03, 2917.31, 2921.03, 2921.34, or 2921.35 of the Revised Code or a violation of an existing or former law or ordinance of any municipal corporation, this state, any other state, or the United States that is substantially equivalent to any of those violations, or two violations of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code during operation of the center or home shall be certified as an in-home aide or be employed in any capacity in or own or operate a child day-care center, type A family day-care home, type B family day-care home, or certified type B family day-care home.
(2) Each employee of a child day-care center and type A home and every person eighteen years of age or older residing in a type A home shall sign a statement on forms prescribed by the director of job and family services attesting to the fact that the employee or resident person has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any offense set forth in division (A)(1) of this section and that no child has been removed from the employee's or resident person's home pursuant to section 2151.353 of the Revised Code. Each licensee of a type A home shall sign a statement on a form prescribed by the director attesting to the fact that no person who resides at the type A home and who is under the age of eighteen has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing a violation of any section listed in division (A)(1) of this section. The statements shall be kept on file at the center or type A home.
(3) Each in-home aide and every person eighteen years of age or older residing in a certified type B home shall sign a statement on forms prescribed by the director of job and family services attesting that the aide or resident person has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any offense set forth in division (A)(1) of this section and that no child has been removed from the aide's or resident person's home pursuant to section 2151.353 of the Revised Code. Each authorized provider shall sign a statement on forms prescribed by the director attesting that the provider has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any offense set forth in division (A)(1) of this section and that no child has been removed from the provider's home pursuant to section 2151.353 of the Revised Code. Each authorized provider shall sign a statement on a form prescribed by the director attesting to the fact that no person who resides at the certified type B home and who is under the age of eighteen has been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing a violation of any section listed in division (A)(1) of this section. The statements shall be kept on file at the county department of job and family services.
(4) Each administrator and licensee of a center or type A home shall sign a statement on a form prescribed by the director of job and family services attesting that the administrator or licensee has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any offense set forth in division (A)(1) of this section and that no child has been removed from the administrator's or licensee's home pursuant to section 2151.353 of the Revised Code. The statement shall be kept on file at the center or type A home.
(B) No in-home aide, no administrator, licensee, authorized provider, or employee of a center, type A home, or certified type B home, and no person eighteen years of age or older residing in a type A home or certified type B home shall withhold information from, or falsify information on, any statement required pursuant to division (A)(2), (3), or (4) of this section.
(C) No administrator, licensee, or child-care staff member shall discriminate in the enrollment of children in a child day-care center upon the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
(D) The director of job and family services shall adopt rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to implement this section, including rules specifying exceptions to the prohibition in division (A) of this section for persons who have been convicted of an offense listed in that division but meet rehabilitation standards set by the department.
Sec. 5107.26.  (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Transitional child care" means publicly funded child care provided under division (A)(3) of section 5104.34 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Transitional medicaid" means the medical assistance provided under section 5111.0115 of the Revised Code.
(B) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, each member of an assistance group participating in Ohio works first is ineligible to participate in the program for six payment months if a county department of job and family services determines that a member of the assistance group terminated the member's employment and each person who, on the day prior to the day a recipient begins to receive transitional child care or transitional medicaid, was a member of the recipient's assistance group is ineligible to participate in Ohio works first for six payment months if a county department determines that the recipient terminated the recipient's employment.
(C) No assistance group member shall lose or be denied eligibility to participate in Ohio works first pursuant to division (B) of this section if the termination of employment was because an assistance group member or recipient of transitional child care or transitional medicaid secured comparable or better employment or the county department of job and family services certifies that the member or recipient terminated the employment with just cause.
Just cause includes the following:
(1) Discrimination by an employer based on sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, age, race, sex, color, handicap, religious beliefs, or national origin;
(2) Work demands or conditions that render continued employment unreasonable, such as working without being paid on schedule;
(3) Employment that has become unsuitable due to any of the following:
(a) The wage is less than the federal minimum wage;
(b) The work is at a site subject to a strike or lockout, unless the strike has been enjoined under section 208 of the "Labor-Management Relations Act," 61 Stat. 155 (1947), 29 U.S.C.A. 178, as amended, an injunction has been issued under section 10 of the "Railway Labor Act," 44 Stat. 586 (1926), 45 U.S.C.A. 160, as amended, or an injunction has been issued under section 4117.16 of the Revised Code;
(c) The documented degree of risk to the member or recipient's health and safety is unreasonable;
(d) The member or recipient is physically or mentally unfit to perform the employment, as documented by medical evidence or by reliable information from other sources.
(4) Documented illness of the member or recipient or of another assistance group member of the member or recipient requiring the presence of the member or recipient;
(5) A documented household emergency;
(6) Lack of adequate child care for children of the member or recipient who are under six years of age.
Sec. 5111.31.  (A) Every provider agreement with the provider of a nursing facility or intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded shall:
(1) Prohibit the provider from failing or refusing to retain as a patient any person because the person is, becomes, or may, as a patient in the facility, become a medicaid recipient. For the purposes of this division, a medicaid recipient who is a patient in a facility shall be considered a patient in the facility during any hospital stays totaling less than twenty-five days during any twelve-month period. Recipients who have been identified by the department of job and family services or its designee as requiring the level of care of an intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded shall not be subject to a maximum period of absences during which they are considered patients if prior authorization of the department for visits with relatives and friends and participation in therapeutic programs is obtained under rules adopted under section 5111.02 of the Revised Code.
(2) Except as provided by division (B)(1) of this section, include any part of the facility that meets standards for certification of compliance with federal and state laws and rules for participation in the medicaid program.
(3) Prohibit the provider from discriminating against any patient on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, color, sex, creed, or national origin.
(4) Except as otherwise prohibited under section 5111.55 of the Revised Code, prohibit the provider from failing or refusing to accept a patient because the patient is, becomes, or may, as a patient in the facility, become a medicaid recipient if less than eighty per cent of the patients in the facility are medicaid recipients.
(B)(1) Except as provided by division (B)(2) of this section, the following are not required to be included in a provider agreement unless otherwise required by federal law:
(a) Beds added during the period beginning July 1, 1987, and ending July 1, 1993, to a nursing home licensed under Chapter 3721. of the Revised Code;
(b) Beds in an intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded that are designated for respite care under a medicaid waiver component operated pursuant to a waiver sought under section 5111.87 of the Revised Code.
(2) If a provider chooses to include a bed specified in division (B)(1)(a) of this section in a provider agreement, the bed may not be removed from the provider agreement unless the provider withdraws the facility in which the bed is located from the medicaid program.
(C) Nothing in this section shall bar a provider that is a religious organization operating a religious or denominational nursing facility or intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded from giving preference to persons of the same religion or denomination. Nothing in this section shall bar any provider from giving preference to persons with whom the provider has contracted to provide continuing care.
(D) Nothing in this section shall bar the provider of a county home organized under Chapter 5155. of the Revised Code from admitting residents exclusively from the county in which the county home is located.
(E) No provider of a nursing facility or intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded for which a provider agreement is in effect shall violate the provider contract obligations imposed under this section.
(F) Nothing in divisions (A) and (C) of this section shall bar a provider from retaining patients who have resided in the provider's facility for not less than one year as private pay patients and who subsequently become medicaid recipients, but refusing to accept as a patient any person who is or may, as a patient in the facility, become a medicaid recipient, if all of the following apply:
(1) The provider does not refuse to retain any patient who has resided in the provider's facility for not less than one year as a private pay patient because the patient becomes a medicaid recipient, except as necessary to comply with division (F)(2) of this section;
(2) The number of medicaid recipients retained under this division does not at any time exceed ten per cent of all the patients in the facility;
(3) On July 1, 1980, all the patients in the facility were private pay patients.
Sec. 5119.61.  Any provision in this chapter that refers to a board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services also refers to the community mental health board in an alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health service district that has a community mental health board.
The director of mental health with respect to all facilities and programs established and operated under Chapter 340. of the Revised Code for mentally ill and emotionally disturbed persons, shall do all of the following:
(A) Adopt rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that may be necessary to carry out the purposes of Chapter 340. and sections 5119.61 to 5119.63 of the Revised Code.
(1) The rules shall include all of the following:
(a) Rules governing a community mental health agency's services under section 340.091 of the Revised Code to an individual referred to the agency under division (C)(2) of section 173.35 of the Revised Code;
(b) For the purpose of division (A)(16) of section 340.03 of the Revised Code, rules governing the duties of mental health agencies and boards of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services under section 3722.18 of the Revised Code regarding referrals of individuals with mental illness or severe mental disability to adult care facilities and effective arrangements for ongoing mental health services for the individuals. The rules shall do at least the following:
(i) Provide for agencies and boards to participate fully in the procedures owners and managers of adult care facilities must follow under division (A)(2) of section 3722.18 of the Revised Code;
(ii) Specify the manner in which boards are accountable for ensuring that ongoing mental health services are effectively arranged for individuals with mental illness or severe mental disability who are referred by the board or mental health agency under contract with the board to an adult care facility.
(c) Rules governing a board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services when making a report to the director of health under section 3722.17 of the Revised Code regarding the quality of care and services provided by an adult care facility to a person with mental illness or a severe mental disability.
(2) Rules may be adopted to govern the method of paying a community mental health facility, as defined in section 5111.023 of the Revised Code, for providing services listed in division (B) of that section. Such rules must be consistent with the contract entered into between the departments of job and family services and mental health under section 5111.91 of the Revised Code and include requirements ensuring appropriate service utilization.
(B) Review and evaluate, and, taking into account the findings and recommendations of the board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services of the district served by the program and the requirements and priorities of the state mental health plan, including the needs of residents of the district now residing in state mental institutions, approve and allocate funds to support community programs, and make recommendations for needed improvements to boards of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services;
(C) Withhold state and federal funds for any program, in whole or in part, from a board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services in the event of failure of that program to comply with Chapter 340. or section 5119.61, 5119.611, 5119.612, or 5119.62 of the Revised Code or rules of the department of mental health. The director shall identify the areas of noncompliance and the action necessary to achieve compliance. The director shall offer technical assistance to the board to achieve compliance. The director shall give the board a reasonable time within which to comply or to present its position that it is in compliance. Before withholding funds, a hearing shall be conducted to determine if there are continuing violations and that either assistance is rejected or the board is unable to achieve compliance. Subsequent to the hearing process, if it is determined that compliance has not been achieved, the director may allocate all or part of the withheld funds to a public or private agency to provide the services not in compliance until the time that there is compliance. The director shall establish rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to implement this division.
(D) Withhold state or federal funds from a board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services that denies available service on the basis of religion, race, color, creed, sex, national origin, or age,; disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code,; developmental disability,; or the inability to pay;
(E) Provide consultative services to community mental health agencies with the knowledge and cooperation of the board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services;
(F) Provide to boards of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services state or federal funds, in addition to those allocated under section 5119.62 of the Revised Code, for special programs or projects the director considers necessary but for which local funds are not available;
(G) Establish criteria by which a board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services reviews and evaluates the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of services provided through its community mental health plan. The criteria shall include requirements ensuring appropriate service utilization. The department shall assess a board's evaluation of services and the compliance of each board with this section, Chapter 340. or section 5119.62 of the Revised Code, and other state or federal law and regulations. The department, in cooperation with the board, periodically shall review and evaluate the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of services provided through each board. The department shall collect information that is necessary to perform these functions.
(H) Develop and operate a community mental health information system.
Boards of alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services shall submit information requested by the department in the form and manner prescribed by the department. Information collected by the department shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Information regarding units of services provided in whole or in part under contract with a board, including diagnosis and special needs, demographic information, the number of units of service provided, past treatment, financial status, and service dates in accordance with rules adopted by the department in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code;
(2) Financial information other than price or price-related data regarding expenditures of boards and community mental health agencies, including units of service provided, budgeted and actual expenses by type, and sources of funds.
Boards shall submit the information specified in division (H)(1) of this section no less frequently than annually for each client, and each time the client's case is opened or closed. The department shall not collect any information for the purpose of identifying by name any person who receives a service through a board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services, except as required by state or federal law to validate appropriate reimbursement. For the purposes of division (H)(1) of this section, the department shall use an identification system that is consistent with applicable nationally recognized standards.
(I) Review each board's community mental health plan submitted pursuant to section 340.03 of the Revised Code and approve or disapprove it in whole or in part. Periodically, in consultation with representatives of boards and after considering the recommendations of the medical director, the director shall issue criteria for determining when a plan is complete, criteria for plan approval or disapproval, and provisions for conditional approval. The factors that the director considers may include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) The mental health needs of all persons residing within the board's service district, especially severely mentally disabled children, adolescents, and adults;
(2) The demonstrated quality, effectiveness, efficiency, and cultural relevance of the services provided in each service district, the extent to which any services are duplicative of other available services, and whether the services meet the needs identified above;
(3) The adequacy of the board's accounting for the expenditure of funds.
If the director disapproves all or part of any plan, the director shall provide the board an opportunity to present its position. The director shall inform the board of the reasons for the disapproval and of the criteria that must be met before the plan may be approved. The director shall give the board a reasonable time within which to meet the criteria, and shall offer technical assistance to the board to help it meet the criteria.
If the approval of a plan remains in dispute thirty days prior to the conclusion of the fiscal year in which the board's current plan is scheduled to expire, the board or the director may request that the dispute be submitted to a mutually agreed upon third-party mediator with the cost to be shared by the board and the department. The mediator shall issue to the board and the department recommendations for resolution of the dispute. Prior to the conclusion of the fiscal year in which the current plan is scheduled to expire, the director, taking into consideration the recommendations of the mediator, shall make a final determination and approve or disapprove the plan, in whole or in part.
Sec. 5123.351.  The director of mental retardation and developmental disabilities, with respect to the eligibility for state reimbursement of expenses incurred by facilities and programs established and operated under Chapter 5126. of the Revised Code for persons with mental retardation or a developmental disability, shall do all of the following:
(A) Make rules that may be necessary to carry out the purposes of Chapter 5126. and sections 5123.35, 5123.351, and 5123.36 of the Revised Code;
(B) Define minimum standards for qualifications of personnel, professional services, and in-service training and educational leave programs;
(C) Review and evaluate community programs and make recommendations for needed improvements to county boards of mental retardation and developmental disabilities and to program directors;
(D) Withhold state reimbursement, in whole or in part, from any county or combination of counties for failure to comply with Chapter 5126. or section 5123.35 or 5123.351 of the Revised Code or rules of the department of mental retardation and developmental disabilities;
(E) Withhold state funds from an agency, corporation, or association denying or rendering service on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, ancestry, or national origin,; disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity, as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code,; or inability to pay;
(F) Provide consultative staff service to communities to assist in ascertaining needs and in planning and establishing programs.
Sec. 5126.07.  No county board of mental retardation and developmental disabilities or any agency, corporation, or association under contract with a county board of mental retardation and developmental disabilities shall discriminate in the provision of services under its authority or contract on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, color, sex, creed, disability, national origin, or the inability to pay.
Each county board of mental retardation and developmental disabilities shall provide a plan of affirmative action describing its goals and methods for the provision of equal employment opportunities for all persons under its authority and shall ensure nondiscrimination in employment under its authority or contract on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, color, sex, creed, disability, or national origin.
Sec. 5515.08.  (A) The department of transportation may contract to sell commercial advertising space within or on the outside surfaces of any building located within a roadside rest area under its jurisdiction in exchange for cash payment. Money the department receives under this section shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the roadside rest area improvement fund, which is hereby created. The department shall use the money in the fund only to improve roadside rest areas in accordance with section 5529.06 of the Revised Code.
(B) Advertising placed under this section shall comply with all of the following:
(1) It shall not be libelous or obscene and shall not promote any illegal product or service.
(2) It shall not promote illegal discrimination on the basis of the sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, religion, national origin, handicap, age, or ancestry of any person.
(3) It shall not support or oppose any candidate for political office or any political cause, issue, or organization.
(4) It shall comply with any controlling federal or state regulations or restrictions.
(5) To the extent physically and technically practical, it shall state that the advertisement is a paid commercial advertisement and that the state does not endorse the product or service promoted by the advertisement or make any representation about the accuracy of the advertisement or the quality or performance of the product or service promoted by the advertisement.
(6) It shall conform to all applicable rules adopted by the director of transportation under division (E) of this section.
(C) Contracts entered into under this section shall be awarded only to the qualified bidder who submits the highest responsive bid or according to uniformly applied rate classes.
(D) No person, except an advertiser alleging a breach of contract or the improper awarding of a contract, has a cause of action against the state with respect to any contract or advertising authorized by this section. Under no circumstances is the state liable for consequential or noneconomic damages with respect to any contract or advertising authorized under this section.
(E) The director, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt rules to implement this section. The rules shall be consistent with the policy of protecting the safety of the traveling public and consistent with the national policy governing the use and control of such roadside rest areas. The rules shall regulate the awarding of contracts and may regulate the content, display, and other aspects of the commercial advertising authorized by this section.
Sec. 5709.832.  The legislative authority of a county, township, or municipal corporation that grants an exemption from taxation under Chapter 725. or 1728. or section 3735.67, 5709.40, 5709.41, 5709.62, 5709.63, 5709.632, 5709.73, or 5709.78 of the Revised Code shall develop policies to ensure that the recipient of the exemption practices nondiscriminatory hiring in its operations. As used in this section, "nondiscriminatory hiring" means that no individual may be denied employment solely on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as those terms are defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, race, religion, sex, disability, color, national origin, or ancestry.
Section 2.  That existing sections 9.03, 124.93, 125.111, 340.12, 511.03, 717.01, 1501.012, 1751.18, 2927.03, 3113.36, 3301.53, 3304.14, 3304.50, 3313.481, 3314.06, 3332.09, 3721.13, 3905.55, 4111.17, 4112.01, 4112.02, 4112.021, 4112.04, 4112.05, 4112.08, 4117.19, 4735.16, 4735.55, 4757.07, 4758.16, 4765.18, 5104.09, 5107.26, 5111.31, 5119.61, 5123.351, 5126.07, 5515.08, and 5709.832 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
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