Ohio Code 4798.02 – General Provisions
With respect to occupational regulation of individuals, all of the following are the policy of the state:
Terms Used In Ohio Code 4798.02
- Another: when used to designate the owner of property which is the subject of an offense, includes not only natural persons but also every other owner of property. See Ohio Code 1.02
- Certification: means a voluntary program in which a private organization or the state grants nontransferable recognition to an individual who meets personal qualifications established by the private organization or state law. See Ohio Code 4798.01
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
- Individual: means a natural person. See Ohio Code 4798.01
- Least restrictive regulation: means the public policy of relying on one of the following, listed from the least to the most restrictive, as a means of consumer protection: market competition; third-party or consumer-created ratings and reviews; private certification; specific private civil cause of action to remedy consumer harm; actions under Chapter 1345 of the Revised Code; regulation of the process of providing the specific goods or services to consumers; inspection; bonding or insurance; registration; government certification; specialty occupational license for medical reimbursement; and occupational license. See Ohio Code 4798.01
- Occupational license: means nontransferable authorization in law that an individual must possess in order to perform a lawful occupation for compensation based on meeting personal qualifications established by statute, or by a rule authorized by statute. See Ohio Code 4798.01
- Occupational licensing board: means any board, commission, committee, or council, or any other similar state public body, and any administrative department enumerated under section 121. See Ohio Code 4798.01
- Occupational regulation: includes registration, certification, and occupational license. See Ohio Code 4798.01
- Registration: means a requirement to give notice to the government that may include the individual's name and address, the individual's agent for service of process, the location of the activity to be performed, and a description of the service the individual provides. See Ohio Code 4798.01
- Specialty occupational license for medical reimbursement: is a nontransferable authorization in law for an individual to qualify for payment or reimbursement from a government agency, for providing identified medical services, based on meeting personal qualifications established in law, which may be recognized by a private company. See Ohio Code 4798.01
- state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
- United States: includes all the states. See Ohio Code 1.59
(A) Occupational regulations shall be construed and applied to increase economic opportunities, promote competition, and encourage innovation.
(B) Where the state finds it is necessary to displace competition, the state will use the least restrictive regulation to protect consumers from present, significant, and substantiated harms that threaten public health, safety, or welfare. The policy of employing the least restrictive regulation shall presume that market competition and private remedies are sufficient to protect consumers. Where needed, regulations shall be tailored to meet the predominate identified need to protect consumers, as follows:
(1) If regulations are intended to protect consumers against fraud, the appropriate state action shall be to strengthen powers under deceptive trade practices acts.
(2) If regulations are intended to protect consumers against unsanitary facilities and general health, safety, or welfare concerns, the appropriate state action shall be to require periodic inspections.
(3) If regulations are intended to protect consumers against potential damages to third parties who are not party to a contract between the seller and buyer, and other types of externalities, the appropriate state action shall be to require b onding or insurance.
(4) If regulations are intended to protect consumers against potential damages by transient providers, the appropriate state action shall be to require registration with the secretary of state.
(5) If regulations are intended to protect consumers against asymmetrical information between the seller and buyer, the appropriate state action shall be to offer voluntary certification, unless suitable, privately offered voluntary certification for the relevant occupation is available.
As used in this division, “suitable” means widely recognized as reflecting established standards of competency, skill, or knowledge in the field.
(6) If regulations are intended to facilitate governmental reimbursement for providing medical services for an emerging medical specialty, the appropriate state action shall be to require a specialty occupational license for medical reimbursement.
(7) If regulations are required to perform services regulated by both federal laws and laws of this state, require the state to recognize an individual‘s occupational license from another United States state or territory to allow that individual to practice in this state, and are based on uniform national laws, practices, and examinations that have been adopted by at least fifty United States states and territories, the appropriate state action shall be to require an occupational license.
For purposes of this division, a uniform national law is one that has been adopted in a substantially equivalent manner in at least fifty United States states and territories.
(C) An occupational regulation may be enforced against an individual only to the extent the individual sells goods and services that are included explicitly in the statute that defines the occupation’s scope of practice.
(D) Nothing in this chapter is intended to restrict an occupational licensing board from requiring, as a condition of licensure or renewal of licensure, that an individual’s personal qualifications include obtaining or maintaining certification from a private organization that credentials individuals in the relevant occupation.
By establishing and executing the policies in this section, in concert with section 107.56 of the Revised Code, the state intends to ensure that occupational licensing boards and board members will avoid liability under federal antitrust laws.