Source: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/119
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 22:12:11+00:00

Document:
(1) "Agency" means, except as limited by this division, any official, board, or commission having authority to promulgate rules or make adjudications in the civil service commission, the division of liquor control, the department of taxation, the industrial commission, the bureau of workers' compensation, the functions of any administrative or executive officer, department, division, bureau, board, or commission of the government of the state specifically made subject to sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, and the licensing functions of any administrative or executive officer, department, division, bureau, board, or commission of the government of the state having the authority or responsibility of issuing, suspending, revoking, or canceling licenses.
Sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code do not apply to the public utilities commission. Sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code do not apply to the utility radiological safety board; to the controlling board; to actions of the superintendent of financial institutions and the superintendent of insurance in the taking possession of, and rehabilitation or liquidation of, the business and property of banks, savings and loan associations, savings banks, credit unions, insurance companies, associations, reciprocal fraternal benefit societies, and bond investment companies; to any action taken by the division of securities under section 1707.201 of the Revised Code; or to any action that may be taken by the superintendent of financial institutions under section 1113.03, 1121.06, 1121.10, 1125.09, 1125.12, 1125.18, 1349.33, 1733.35, 1733.361, 1733.37, or 1761.03 of the Revised Code.
(B) "License" means any license, permit, certificate, commission, or charter issued by any agency. "License" does not include any arrangement whereby a person or government entity furnishes medicaid services under a provider agreement with the department of medicaid.
(I) "Internal management rule" means any rule, regulation, or standard governing the day-to-day staff procedures and operations within an agency.
Amended by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 49, §130.21, eff. 1/1/2018.
Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.45, HB 292, §1, eff. 9/13/2010.
Effective Date: 06-18-2002; 04-14-2006; 2007 HB100 09-10-2007.
119.02 Compliance - validity of rules.
Every agency authorized by law to adopt, amend, or rescind rules shall comply with the procedure prescribed in sections 119.01 to 119.13, inclusive, of the Revised Code, for the adoption, amendment, or rescission of rules. Unless otherwise specifically provided by law, the failure of any agency to comply with such procedure shall invalidate any rule or amendment adopted, or the rescission of any rule.
119.03 [Effective Until 8/18/2019] Procedure for adoption, amendment, or rescission of rules.
(B) The full text of the proposed rule, amendment, or rule to be rescinded, accompanied by the public notice required under division (A) of this section, shall be filed in electronic form with the secretary of state and with the director of the legislative service commission. (If in compliance with this division an agency files more than one proposed rule, amendment, or rescission at the same time, and has prepared a public notice under division (A) of this section that applies to more than one of the proposed rules, amendments, or rescissions, the agency shall file only one notice with the secretary of state and with the director for all of the proposed rules, amendments, or rescissions to which the notice applies.) The proposed rule, amendment, or rescission and public notice shall be filed as required by this division at least sixty-five days prior to the date on which the agency, in accordance with division (E) of this section, issues an order adopting the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission.
If the agency files a revision in the text of the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission, it shall also promptly file the full text of the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission in its revised form in electronic form with the secretary of state and with the director of the legislative service commission.
The agency shall file the rule summary and fiscal analysis prepared under section 127.18 of the Revised Code in electronic form along with a proposed rule, amendment, or rescission or proposed rule, amendment, or rescission in revised form that is filed with the secretary of state or the director of the legislative service commission.
The agency shall file the hearing report relating to a proposed rule, amendment, or rescission in electronic form with the secretary of state and the director of the legislative service commission at the same time the agency files the hearing report with the joint committee on agency rule review.
The director of the legislative service commission shall publish in the register of Ohio the full text of the original and each revised version of a proposed rule, amendment, or rescission; the full text of a public notice; the full text of a rule summary and fiscal analysis; and the full text of a hearing report that is filed with the director under this division.
(C) When an agency files a proposed rule, amendment, or rescission under division (B) of this section, it also shall file in electronic form with the joint committee on agency rule review the full text of the proposed rule, amendment, or rule to be rescinded in the same form and the public notice required under division (A) of this section. (If in compliance with this division an agency files more than one proposed rule, amendment, or rescission at the same time, and has given a public notice under division (A) of this section that applies to more than one of the proposed rules, amendments, or rescissions, the agency shall file only one notice with the joint committee for all of the proposed rules, amendments, or rescissions to which the notice applies.) The proposed rule, amendment, or rescission is subject to legislative review and invalidation under sections 106.02, 106.021, and 106.022 of the Revised Code. If the agency makes a revision in a proposed rule, amendment, or rescission after it is filed with the joint committee, the agency promptly shall file the full text of the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission in its revised form in electronic form with the joint committee.
An agency shall file the rule summary and fiscal analysis prepared under section 127.18 of the Revised Code in electronic form along with a proposed rule, amendment, or rescission, and along with a proposed rule, amendment, or rescission in revised form, that is filed under this division.
If a proposed rule, amendment, or rescission has an adverse impact on businesses, the agency also shall file the business impact analysis, any recommendations received from the common sense initiative office, and the agency's memorandum of response, if any, in electronic form along with the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission, or along with the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission in revised form, that is filed under this division.
The agency shall file the hearing report in electronic form with the joint committee before the joint committee holds its public hearing on the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission. The filing of a hearing report does not constitute a revision of the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission to which the hearing report relates.
If the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission requires liability insurance, a bond, or any other financial responsibility instrument as a condition of licensure, the agency shall conduct a diligent search to determine if the liability insurance, bond, or other financial responsibility instrument is readily available in the amounts required as a condition of licensure, and shall certify to the joint committee that the search was conducted.
A proposed rule, amendment, or rescission that is subject to legislative review under this division may not be adopted under division (E) of this section or filed in final form under section 119.04 of the Revised Code unless the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission has been filed with the joint committee on agency rule review under this division and the time for legislative review of the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission has expired without adoption of a concurrent resolution to invalidate the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission.
If a rule or amendment is exempt from legislative review under division (C)(2) of this section, and if the federal law or rule pursuant to which the rule or amendment was adopted expires, is repealed or rescinded, or otherwise terminates, the rule or amendment, or its rescission, is thereafter subject to legislative review under division (C) of this section.
(D) On the date and at the time and place designated in the notice, the agency shall conduct a public hearing at which any person affected by the proposed action of the agency may appear and be heard in person, by the person's attorney, or both, may present the person's position, arguments, or contentions, orally or in writing, offer and examine witnesses, and present evidence tending to show that the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission, if adopted or effectuated, will be unreasonable or unlawful. An agency may permit persons affected by the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission to present their positions, arguments, or contentions in writing, not only at the hearing, but also for a reasonable period before, after, or both before and after the hearing. A person who presents a position or arguments or contentions in writing before or after the hearing is not required to appear at the hearing.
The agency shall consider the positions, arguments, or contentions presented at, or before or after, the hearing. The agency shall prepare a hearing summary of the positions, arguments, or contentions, and of the issues raised by the positions, arguments, or contentions. The agency then shall prepare a hearing report explaining, with regard to each issue, how it is reflected in the rule, amendment, or rescission. If an issue is not reflected in the rule, amendment, or rescission, the hearing report shall explain why the issue is not reflected. The agency shall include the hearing summary in the hearing report as an appendix thereto. And, in the hearing report, the agency shall identify the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission to which the hearing report relates.
(E) After divisions (A), (B), (C), and (D) of this section have been complied with, and when the time for legislative review under sections 106.02, 106.022, and 106.023 of the Revised Code has expired without adoption of a concurrent resolution to invalidate the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission, the agency may issue an order adopting the proposed rule or the proposed amendment or rescission of the rule, consistent with the synopsis or general statement included in the public notice. At that time the agency shall designate the effective date of the rule, amendment, or rescission, which shall not be earlier than the tenth day after the rule, amendment, or rescission has been filed in its final form as provided in section 119.04 of the Revised Code.
(F) Prior to the effective date of a rule, amendment, or rescission, the agency shall make a reasonable effort to inform those affected by the rule, amendment, or rescission and to have available for distribution to those requesting it the full text of the rule as adopted or as amended.
(G) If the governor, upon the request of an agency, determines that an emergency requires the immediate adoption, amendment, or rescission of a rule, the governor shall issue an order, the text of which shall be filed in electronic form with the agency, the secretary of state, the director of the legislative service commission, and the joint committee on agency rule review, that the procedure prescribed by this section with respect to the adoption, amendment, or rescission of a specified rule is suspended. The agency may then adopt immediately the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission and it becomes effective on the date the rule, amendment, or rescission, in final form and in compliance with division (A)(2) of section 119.04 of the Revised Code, is filed in electronic form with the secretary of state, the director of the legislative service commission, and the joint committee on agency rule review. The director shall publish the full text of the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission in the register of Ohio.
The emergency rule, amendment, or rescission shall become invalid at the end of the one hundred twentieth day it is in effect. Prior to that date the agency may adopt the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission as a nonemergency rule, amendment, or rescission by complying with the procedure prescribed by this section for the adoption, amendment, and rescission of nonemergency rules. The agency shall not use the procedure of this division to readopt the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission so that, upon the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission becoming invalid under this division, the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission will continue in effect without interruption for another one-hundred-twenty-day period, except when section 106.02 of the Revised Code prevents the agency from adopting the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission as a nonemergency rule, amendment, or rescission within the one-hundred-twenty-day period.
(H) Rules adopted by an authority within the department of job and family services for the administration or enforcement of Chapter 4141. of the Revised Code or of the department of taxation shall be effective without a hearing as provided by this section if the statutes pertaining to such agency specifically give a right of appeal to the board of tax appeals or to a higher authority within the agency or to a court, and also give the appellant a right to a hearing on such appeal. This division does not apply to the adoption of any rule, amendment, or rescission by the tax commissioner under division (C)(1) or (2) of section 5117.02 of the Revised Code, or deny the right to file an action for declaratory judgment as provided in Chapter 2721. of the Revised Code from the decision of the board of tax appeals or of the higher authority within such agency.
119.03 [Effective 8/18/2019] [Effective Until 3/22/2020] Procedure for adoption, amendment, or rescission of rules.
If the proposed rule, amendment, or rescission incorporates a text or other material by reference, the agency shall comply with sections 121.71 to 121.75 of the Revised Code.
The agency shall file the rule summary and fiscal analysis prepared under section 106.024 of the Revised Code in electronic form along with a proposed rule, amendment, or rescission or proposed rule, amendment, or rescission in revised form that is filed with the secretary of state or the director of the legislative service commission.
An agency shall file the rule summary and fiscal analysis prepared under section 106.024 of the Revised Code in electronic form along with a proposed rule, amendment, or rescission, and along with a proposed rule, amendment, or rescission in revised form, that is filed under this division.
119.03 [Effective 3/22/2020] Procedure for adoption, amendment, or rescission of rules.
(3) A proposed rule, amendment, or rescission that, as set forth in section 3719.41 of the Revised Code, must be adopted by the state board of pharmacy pursuant to federal law or rule, to become effective within sixty days of adoption, so long as the proposed rule contains a statement that it is proposed for the purpose of complying with federal law or rule.
(1) If the governor, upon the request of an agency, determines that an emergency requires the immediate adoption, amendment, or rescission of a rule, the governor shall issue an order, the text of which shall be filed in electronic form with the agency, the secretary of state, the director of the legislative service commission, and the joint committee on agency rule review, that the procedure prescribed by this section with respect to the adoption, amendment, or rescission of a specified rule is suspended. The agency may then adopt immediately the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission and it becomes effective on the date the rule, amendment, or rescission, in final form and in compliance with division (A)(2) of section 119.04 of the Revised Code, is filed in electronic form with the secretary of state, the director of the legislative service commission, and the joint committee on agency rule review. The director shall publish the full text of the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission in the register of Ohio.
Except as provided in division (G)(2) of this section, the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission shall become invalid at the end of the one hundred twentieth day it is in effect. Prior to that date the agency may adopt the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission as a nonemergency rule, amendment, or rescission by complying with the procedure prescribed by this section for the adoption, amendment, and rescission of nonemergency rules. The agency shall not use the procedure of division (G)(1) of this section to readopt the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission so that, upon the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission becoming invalid under division (G)(1) of this section, the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission will continue in effect without interruption for another one-hundred-twenty-day period, except when section 106.02 of the Revised Code prevents the agency from adopting the emergency rule, amendment, or rescission as a nonemergency rule, amendment, or rescission within the one-hundred-twenty-day period.
Division (G)(1) of this section does not apply to the adoption of any emergency rule, amendment, or rescission by the tax commissioner under division (C)(2) of section 5117.02 of the Revised Code.
(2) An emergency rule or amendment adding a substance to a controlled substance schedule shall become invalid at the end of the one hundred eightieth day it is in effect. Prior to that date, the state board of pharmacy may adopt the emergency rule or amendment as a nonemergency rule or amendment by complying with the procedure prescribed by this section for adoption and amendment of nonemergency rules. The board shall not use the procedure of division (G)(1) of this section to readopt the emergency rule or amendment so that, upon the emergency rule or amendment becoming invalid under division (G)(2) of this section, the emergency rule or amendment will continue in effect beyond the one-hundred-eighty-day period.
Amended by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 229, §1, eff. 3/22/2020.
Repealed by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 3, §3, eff. 9/17/2014.
An agency may appoint an advisory committee to advise the agency concerning its development of a rule, amendment, or rescission, and may otherwise consult with persons representing interests that would be affected by the rule, amendment, or rescission were it actually to be proposed and adopted. Upon an agency's request, the executive director or another officer or employee of the Ohio commission on dispute resolution and conflict management may serve as a group facilitator for, but not as a member of, such an advisory committee.
119.037 Publication in Register of Ohio gives notice of rule.
Unless explicitly provided otherwise by statute, if a document is required by statute to be published in the register of Ohio, its publication in the register is sufficient to give notice of the content of the document to a person who is subject to or affected by the content. Until the document is so published, its content is not valid against a person who does not have actual knowledge of the content.
119.038 Electronic publication of the register of Ohio.
An agency shall provide the director of the legislative service commission with assistance that is within the agency's competence and that the director requests with respect to electronic publication of the register of Ohio.
119.039 Reimbursement for publishing documents in Register.
An agency by means of an intrastate transfer voucher shall pay to the director of the legislative service commission the amount the director seeks as reimbursement from the agency for the actual costs of publishing the agency's documents in the register of Ohio.
119.0311 Guide to public participation in rule-making.
(G) Other information the agency reasonably concludes will assist members of the public meaningfully to participate in the agency's rule-making.
An agency's guide is not to be adopted as a rule, but rather as a narrative explanation of the matters outlined in this section. An agency's failure to conform its rule-making process to its guide is not cause for invalidating a rule, amendment, or rescission adopted by the agency.
The agency shall publish or republish its guide both in the register of Ohio and as a printed pamphlet.
The agency shall submit a copy of its guide, in electronic form, to the director of the legislative service commission. The director thereupon shall publish the agency's guide in the register of Ohio.
The agency shall provide a copy of its pamphlet guide to any person upon request. The agency may charge the person a fee for this service, but the fee is not to exceed the per copy cost of producing the pamphlet guide and the actual cost of delivering it to the person.
119.04 Administrative rule effective dates.
(b) The rule shall be filed in electronic form with the joint committee on agency rule review. Division (A)(1)(b) of this section does not apply to any rule to which division (C) of section 119.03 of the Revised Code does not apply.
If an agency in adopting a rule designates an effective date that is later than the effective date provided for by this division, the rule if filed as required by this division shall become effective on the later date designated by the agency.
An agency that adopts or amends a rule that is subject to section 106.03 of the Revised Code shall assign a review date to the rule that is not later than five years after its effective date. If a review date assigned to a rule exceeds the five-year maximum, the review date for the rule is five years after its effective date. A rule with a review date is subject to review under section 106.03 of the Revised Code.
If the director of the legislative service commission or the director's designee gives an agency notice pursuant to section 103.05 of the Revised Code that a rule filed by the agency is not in compliance with the rules of the commission, the agency shall within thirty days after receipt of the notice conform the rule to the rules of the commission as directed in the notice.
(3) As used in this section, "rule" includes an amendment or rescission of a rule.
(B) The secretary of state and the director shall preserve the rules filed under division (A)(1)(a) of this section in an accessible manner. Each such rule shall be a public record open to public inspection and may be transmitted to any law publishing company that wishes to reproduce it.
119.06 Adjudication order of agency valid and effective - hearings - periodic registration of licenses.
No adjudication order of an agency shall be valid unless the agency is specifically authorized by law to make such order.
No adjudication order shall be valid unless an opportunity for a hearing is afforded in accordance with sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code. Such opportunity for a hearing shall be given before making the adjudication order except in those situations where this section provides otherwise.
(C) Orders or decisions of an authority within an agency if the rules of the agency or the statutes pertaining to such agency specifically give a right of appeal to a higher authority within such agency, to another agency, or to the board of tax appeals, and also give the appellant a right to a hearing on such appeal.
When a statute permits the suspension of a license without a prior hearing, any agency issuing an order pursuant to such statute shall afford the person to whom the order is issued a hearing upon request.
Whenever an agency claims that a person is required by statute to obtain a license, it shall afford a hearing upon the request of a person who claims that the law does not impose such a requirement.
Every agency shall afford a hearing upon the request of any person who has been refused admission to an examination where such examination is a prerequisite to the issuance of a license unless a hearing was held prior to such refusal.
Unless a hearing was held prior to the refusal to issue the license, every agency shall afford a hearing upon the request of a person whose application for a license has been rejected and to whom the agency has refused to issue a license, whether it is a renewal or a new license, except that the following are not required to afford a hearing to a person to whom a new license has been refused because the person failed a licensing examination: the state medical board, state chiropractic board, architects board, Ohio landscape architects board, and any section of the Ohio occupational therapy, physical therapy, and athletic trainers board.
When periodic registration of licenses is required by law, the agency shall afford a hearing upon the request of any licensee whose registration has been denied, unless a hearing was held prior to such denial.
When periodic registration of licenses or renewal of licenses is required by law, a licensee who has filed an application for registration or renewal within the time and in the manner provided by statute or rule of the agency shall not be required to discontinue a licensed business or profession merely because of the failure of the agency to act on the licensee's application. Action of an agency rejecting any such application shall not be effective prior to fifteen days after notice of the rejection is mailed to the licensee.
Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 48, SB 68, §1, eff. 12/19/2013.
119.061 Power of certain agencies.
Every agency authorized by law to adopt, amend, or rescind rules may suspend the license of any person, over whom such agency has jurisdiction within the purview of sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, for engaging in deceptive trade practice as defined in section 4165.02 of the Revised Code. Except as otherwise expressly provided by law existing as of November 2, 1959, no agency may make rules which would limit or restrict the right of any person to advertise in compliance with law.
119.062 Revocation or suspension of driver's license.
(A) Notwithstanding section 119.06 of the Revised Code, the registrar of motor vehicles is not required to hold any hearing in connection with an order canceling or suspending a motor vehicle driver's or commercial driver's license pursuant to section 2903.06, 2903.08, 2907.24, 2921.331, 4549.02, 4549.021, or 5743.99 or any provision of Chapter 2925., 4509., 4510., or 4511. of the Revised Code or in connection with an out-of-service order issued under Chapter 4506. of the Revised Code.
(B) Notwithstanding section 119.07 of the Revised Code, the registrar is not required to use registered mail, return receipt requested, in connection with an order canceling or suspending a motor vehicle driver's or commercial driver's license or a notification to a person to surrender a certificate of registration and registration plates.
119.07 Notice of hearing - contents - notice of order of suspension of license - publication of notice - effect of failure to give notice.
Except when a statute prescribes a notice and the persons to whom it shall be given, in all cases in which section 119.06 of the Revised Code requires an agency to afford an opportunity for a hearing prior to the issuance of an order, the agency shall give notice to the party informing the party of the party's right to a hearing. Notice shall be given by registered mail, return receipt requested, and shall include the charges or other reasons for the proposed action, the law or rule directly involved, and a statement informing the party that the party is entitled to a hearing if the party requests it within thirty days of the time of mailing the notice. The notice shall also inform the party that at the hearing the party may appear in person, by the party's attorney, or by such other representative as is permitted to practice before the agency, or may present the party's position, arguments, or contentions in writing and that at the hearing the party may present evidence and examine witnesses appearing for and against the party. A copy of the notice shall be mailed to attorneys or other representatives of record representing the party. This paragraph does not apply to situations in which such section provides for a hearing only when it is requested by the party.
When a statute specifically permits the suspension of a license without a prior hearing, notice of the agency's order shall be sent to the party by registered mail, return receipt requested, not later than the business day next succeeding such order. The notice shall state the reasons for the agency's action, cite the law or rule directly involved, and state that the party will be afforded a hearing if the party requests it within thirty days of the time of mailing the notice. A copy of the notice shall be mailed to attorneys or other representatives of record representing the party.
Whenever a party requests a hearing in accordance with this section and section 119.06 of the Revised Code, the agency shall immediately set the date, time, and place for the hearing and forthwith notify the party thereof. The date set for the hearing shall be within fifteen days, but not earlier than seven days, after the party has requested a hearing, unless otherwise agreed to by both the agency and the party.
When any notice sent by registered mail, as required by sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, is returned because the party fails to claim the notice, the agency shall send the notice by ordinary mail to the party at the party's last known address and shall obtain a certificate of mailing. Service by ordinary mail is complete when the certificate of mailing is obtained unless the notice is returned showing failure of delivery.
If any notice sent by registered or ordinary mail is returned for failure of delivery, the agency either shall make personal delivery of the notice by an employee or agent of the agency or shall cause a summary of the substantive provisions of the notice to be published once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the last known address of the party is located. When notice is given by publication, a proof of publication affidavit, with the first publication of the notice set forth in the affidavit, shall be mailed by ordinary mail to the party at the party's last known address and the notice shall be deemed received as of the date of the last publication. An employee or agent of the agency may make personal delivery of the notice upon a party at any time.
Refusal of delivery by personal service or by mail is not failure of delivery and service is deemed to be complete. Failure of delivery occurs only when a mailed notice is returned by the postal authorities marked undeliverable, address or addressee unknown, or forwarding address unknown or expired. A party's last known address is the mailing address of the party appearing in the records of the agency.
The failure of an agency to give the notices for any hearing required by sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code in the manner provided in this section shall invalidate any order entered pursuant to the hearing.
Effective Date: 03-27-1991; 2007 HB119 09-29-2007 .
119.08 Date, time, and place of adjudication hearing.
The date, time, and place of each adjudication hearing required by sections 119.01 to 119.13, inclusive, of the Revised Code, shall be determined by the agency. If requested by the party in writing, the agency may designate as the place of hearing the county seat of the county wherein such person resides or a place within fifty miles of such person's residence.
As used in this section "stenographic record" means a record provided by stenographic means or by the use of audio electronic recording devices, as the agency determines.
For the purpose of conducting any adjudication hearing required by sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, the agency may require the attendance of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, and papers as it desires, and it may take the depositions of witnesses residing within or without the state in the same manner as is prescribed by law for the taking of depositions in civil actions in the court of common pleas, and for that purpose the agency may, and upon the request of any party receiving notice of the hearing as required by section 119.07 of the Revised Code shall, issue a subpoena for any witness or a subpoena duces tecum to compel the production of any books, records, or papers, directed to the sheriff of the county where such witness resides or is found, which shall be served and returned in the same manner as a subpoena in a criminal case is served and returned. The sheriff shall be paid the same fees for services as are allowed in the court of common pleas in criminal cases. Witnesses shall be paid the fees and mileage provided for under section 119.094 of the Revised Code. Fees and mileage shall be paid from the fund in the state treasury for the use of the agency in the same manner as other expenses of the agency are paid.
An agency may postpone or continue any adjudication hearing upon the application of any party or upon its own motion.
In any case of disobedience or neglect of any subpoena served on any person or the refusal of any witness to testify to any matter regarding which the witness may lawfully be interrogated, the court of common pleas of any county where such disobedience, neglect, or refusal occurs or any judge thereof, on application by the agency shall compel obedience by attachment proceedings for contempt, as in the case of disobedience of the requirements of a subpoena issued from such court, or a refusal to testify therein.
At any adjudication hearing required by sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, the record of which may be the basis of an appeal to court, a stenographic record of the testimony and other evidence submitted shall be taken at the expense of the agency. Such record shall include all of the testimony and other evidence, and rulings on the admissibility thereof presented at the hearing. This paragraph does not require a stenographic record at every adjudication hearing. In any situation where an adjudication hearing is required by sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, if an adjudication order is made without a stenographic record of the hearing, the agency shall, on request of the party, afford a hearing or rehearing for the purpose of making such a record which may be the basis of an appeal to court. The rules of an agency may specify the situations in which a stenographic record will be made only on request of the party; otherwise such a record shall be made at every adjudication hearing from which an appeal to court might be taken.
The agency shall pass upon the admissibility of evidence, but a party may at the time make objection to the rulings of the agency thereon, and if the agency refuses to admit evidence, the party offering the same shall make a proffer thereof, and such proffer shall be made a part of the record of such hearing.
In any adjudication hearing required by sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, the agency may call any party to testify under oath as upon cross-examination.
The agency, or any one delegated by it to conduct an adjudication hearing, may administer oaths or affirmations.
In any adjudication hearing required by sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, the agency may appoint a referee or examiner to conduct the hearing. The referee or examiner shall have the same powers and authority in conducting the hearing as is granted to the agency. Such referee or examiner shall have been admitted to the practice of law in the state and be possessed of such additional qualifications as the agency requires. The referee or examiner shall submit to the agency a written report setting forth the referee's or examiner's findings of fact and conclusions of law and a recommendation of the action to be taken by the agency. A copy of such written report and recommendation of the referee or examiner shall within five days of the date of filing thereof, be served upon the party or the party's attorney or other representative of record, by certified mail. The party may, within ten days of receipt of such copy of such written report and recommendation, file with the agency written objections to the report and recommendation, which objections shall be considered by the agency before approving, modifying, or disapproving the recommendation. The agency may grant extensions of time to the party within which to file such objections. No recommendation of the referee or examiner shall be approved, modified, or disapproved by the agency until after ten days after service of such report and recommendation as provided in this section. The agency may order additional testimony to be taken or permit the introduction of further documentary evidence. The recommendation of the referee or examiner may be approved, modified, or disapproved by the agency, and the order of the agency based on such report, recommendation, transcript of testimony and evidence, or objections of the parties, and additional testimony and evidence shall have the same effect as if such hearing had been conducted by the agency. No such recommendation shall be final until confirmed and approved by the agency as indicated by the order entered on its record of proceedings, and if the agency modifies or disapproves the recommendations of the referee or examiner it shall include in the record of its proceedings the reasons for such modification or disapproval.
After such order is entered on its journal, the agency shall serve by certified mail, return receipt requested, upon the party affected thereby, a certified copy of the order and a statement of the time and method by which an appeal may be perfected. A copy of such order shall be mailed to the attorneys or other representatives of record representing the party.
Effective Date: 07-26-1991; 2008 HB525 07-01-2009 .
119.091 Failure of agency to hold adjudication hearing before expiration of license.
The failure of any agency to hold an adjudication hearing before the expiration of a license shall not terminate the request for a hearing and shall not invalidate any order entered by the agency after holding the hearing. If during or after such hearing but before the issuance of an order the existing license shall expire[,] the adjudicatory agency shall in its order in favor of the affected party provide that the licensing authority shall renew the license upon payment of the fee prescribed by law for the renewal of the license.
(d) A sole owner of an unincorporated business that employed, or a partnership, corporation, association, or organization that employed, more than five hundred persons at the time the party received notification of the hearing.
(2) "Fees" means reasonable attorney's fees, in an amount not to exceed seventy-five dollars per hour or a higher hourly fee that the agency establishes by rule and that is applicable under the circumstances.
(3) "Internal Revenue Code" means the "Internal Revenue Code of 1954," 68A Stat. 3, 26 U.S.C. 1, as amended.
(4) "Prevailing eligible party" means an eligible party that prevails after an adjudication hearing, as reflected in an order entered in the journal of the agency.
(e) Itemize all fees sought in the requested award. This itemization shall include a statement from any attorney who represented the prevailing eligible party, that indicates the fees charged, the actual time expended, and the rate at which the fees were calculated.
(2) Upon the filing of a motion under this section, the request for the award shall be reviewed by the referee or examiner who conducted the adjudication hearing or, if none, by the agency involved. In the review, the referee, examiner, or agency shall determine whether the fees incurred by the prevailing eligible party exceeded one hundred dollars, whether the position of the agency in initiating the matter in controversy was substantially justified, whether special circumstances make an award unjust, and whether the prevailing eligible party engaged in conduct during the course of the hearing that unduly and unreasonably protracted the final resolution of the matter in controversy. The referee, examiner, or agency shall issue a determination, in writing, on the motion of the prevailing eligible party, which determination shall include a statement indicating whether an award has been granted, the findings and conclusions underlying it, the reasons or bases for the findings and conclusions, and, if an award has been granted, its amount. The determination shall be entered in the record of the prevailing eligible party's case, and a copy of it mailed to the prevailing eligible party.
(c) If the determination is that the fees of the prevailing eligible party were not in excess of one hundred dollars, the referee, agency, or examiner shall deny the motion.
(3) For purposes of this section, decisions by referees or examiners upon motions are final and are not subject to review and approval by an agency. These decisions constitute final determinations of the agency for purposes of appeals under division (C) of this section.
(C) A prevailing eligible party that files a motion for an award of compensation for fees under this section and that is denied an award or receives a reduced award may appeal the determination of the referee, examiner, or agency to the same court, as determined under section 119.12 of the Revised Code, as the party could have appealed the adjudication order of the agency had the party been adversely affected by it. An agency may appeal the grant of an award to this same court if a referee or examiner made the final determination pursuant to division (B)(3) of this section. Notices of appeal shall be filed in the manner and within the period specified in section 119.12 of the Revised Code.
Upon the filing of an appeal under this division, the agency shall prepare and certify to the court involved a complete record of the case, and the court shall conduct a hearing on the appeal. The agency and the court shall do so in accordance with the procedures established in section 119.12 of the Revised Code for appeals pursuant to that section, unless otherwise provided in this division.
The court hearing an appeal under this division may modify the determination of the referee, examiner, or agency with respect to the motion for compensation for fees only if the court finds that the failure to grant an award, or the calculations of the amount of an award, involved an abuse of discretion. The judgment of the court is final and not appealable, and a copy of it shall be certified to the agency involved and the prevailing eligible party.
(D) Compensation for fees awarded to a prevailing eligible party under this section may be paid by an agency from any funds available to it for payment of such compensation. If an agency does not pay compensation from such funds or no such funds are available, upon the filing of a referee's, examiner's, agency's, or court's determination or judgment in favor of the prevailing eligible party with the clerk of the court of claims, the determination or judgment awarding compensation for fees shall be treated as if it were a judgment under Chapter 2743. of the Revised Code and be payable in accordance with the procedures specified in section 2743.19 of the Revised Code, except that interest shall not be paid in relation to the award.
(3) Any other relevant information that may aid the general assembly in evaluating the scope and impact of awards of compensation for fees.
(4) An adjudication hearing was conducted by the state personnel board of review pursuant to authority conferred by section 124.03 of the Revised Code, or by the state employment relations board pursuant to authority conferred by Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code.
119.093 Defining net worth for purpose of attorney fees.
The attorney general shall adopt a rule pursuant to this chapter that defines the term "net worth" for purposes of sections 119.092 and 2335.39 of the Revised Code. The definition shall be designed to permit agencies and courts to apply identical principles in determining whether a party to an adjudication hearing, civil action or appeal of a civil action, or appeal of an adjudication order pursuant to section 119.12 of the Revised Code is an eligible party for purposes of the provisions of sections 119.092 and 2335.39 of the Revised Code.
119.094 Adjudication hearing witness fees.
(A) Unless otherwise provided by the Revised Code, each witness subpoenaed to an adjudication hearing shall receive twelve dollars for each full day's attendance and six dollars for each half day's attendance. Each witness also shall receive fifty and one-half cents for each mile necessarily traveled to and from the witness's place of residence to the adjudication hearing.
(1) "Full day's attendance" means a day on which a witness is required or requested to be present at an adjudication hearing before and after twelve noon, regardless of whether the witness actually testifies.
(2) "Half day's attendance" means a day on which a witness is required or requested to be present at an adjudication hearing either before or after twelve noon, but not both, regardless of whether the witness actually testifies.
Effective Date: 2008 HB525 07-01-2009.
119.10 Counsel to represent agency.
At any adjudication hearing required by sections 119.01 to 119.13, inclusive, of the Revised Code, the record of which may be the basis of an appeal to court, and in all proceedings in the courts of this state or of the United States, the attorney general or any of his assistants or special counsel who have been designated by him shall represent the agency.
119.12 Appeal by party adversely affected - notice - record - hearing - judgment.
(1) Except as provided in division (A)(2) or (3) of this section, any party adversely affected by any order of an agency issued pursuant to an adjudication denying an applicant admission to an examination, or denying the issuance or renewal of a license or registration of a licensee, or revoking or suspending a license, or allowing the payment of a forfeiture under section 4301.252 of the Revised Code may appeal from the order of the agency to the court of common pleas of the county in which the place of business of the licensee is located or the county in which the licensee is a resident.
(e) The bureau of workers' compensation regarding participation in the health partnership program created in sections 4121.44 and 4121.441 of the Revised Code.
(3) If any party appealing from an order described in division (A)(1) of this section is not a resident of and has no place of business in this state, the party may appeal to the court of common pleas of Franklin county.
(B) Any party adversely affected by any order of an agency issued pursuant to any other adjudication may appeal to the court of common pleas of Franklin county, except that appeals from orders of the fire marshal issued under Chapter 3737. of the Revised Code may be to the court of common pleas of the county in which the building of the aggrieved person is located and except that appeals under division (B) of section 124.34 of the Revised Code from a decision of the state personnel board of review or a municipal or civil service township civil service commission shall be taken to the court of common pleas of the county in which the appointing authority is located or, in the case of an appeal by the department of rehabilitation and correction, to the court of common pleas of Franklin county.
(C) This section does not apply to appeals from the department of taxation.
(D) Any party desiring to appeal shall file a notice of appeal with the agency setting forth the order appealed from and stating that the agency's order is not supported by reliable, probative, and substantial evidence and is not in accordance with law. The notice of appeal may, but need not, set forth the specific grounds of the party's appeal beyond the statement that the agency's order is not supported by reliable, probative, and substantial evidence and is not in accordance with law. The notice of appeal shall also be filed by the appellant with the court. In filing a notice of appeal with the agency or court, the notice that is filed may be either the original notice or a copy of the original notice. Unless otherwise provided by law relating to a particular agency, notices of appeal shall be filed within fifteen days after the mailing of the notice of the agency's order as provided in this section. For purposes of this paragraph, an order includes a determination appealed pursuant to division (C) of section 119.092 of the Revised Code. The amendments made to this paragraph by Sub. H.B. 215 of the 128th general assembly are procedural, and this paragraph as amended by those amendments shall be applied retrospectively to all appeals pursuant to this paragraph filed before September 13, 2010, but not earlier than May 7, 2009, which was the date the supreme court of Ohio released its opinion and judgment in Medcorp, Inc. v. Ohio Dep't. of Job and Family Servs. (2009), 121 Ohio St.3d 622.
(E) The filing of a notice of appeal shall not automatically operate as a suspension of the order of an agency. If it appears to the court that an unusual hardship to the appellant will result from the execution of the agency's order pending determination of the appeal, the court may grant a suspension and fix its terms. If an appeal is taken from the judgment of the court and the court has previously granted a suspension of the agency's order as provided in this section, the suspension of the agency's order shall not be vacated and shall be given full force and effect until the matter is finally adjudicated. No renewal of a license or permit shall be denied by reason of the suspended order during the period of the appeal from the decision of the court of common pleas. In the case of an appeal from the Ohio casino control commission, the state medical board, or the state chiropractic board state chiropractic board, the court may grant a suspension and fix its terms if it appears to the court that an unusual hardship to the appellant will result from the execution of the agency's order pending determination of the appeal and the health, safety, and welfare of the public will not be threatened by suspension of the order. This provision shall not be construed to limit the factors the court may consider in determining whether to suspend an order of any other agency pending determination of an appeal.
(F) The final order of adjudication may apply to any renewal of a license or permit which has been granted during the period of the appeal.
(G) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any order issued by a court of common pleas or a court of appeals suspending the effect of an order of the liquor control commission issued pursuant to Chapter 4301. or 4303. of the Revised Code that suspends, revokes, or cancels a permit issued under Chapter 4303. of the Revised Code or that allows the payment of a forfeiture under section 4301.252 of the Revised Code shall terminate not more than six months after the date of the filing of the record of the liquor control commission with the clerk of the court of common pleas and shall not be extended. The court of common pleas, or the court of appeals on appeal, shall render a judgment in that matter within six months after the date of the filing of the record of the liquor control commission with the clerk of the court of common pleas. A court of appeals shall not issue an order suspending the effect of an order of the liquor control commission that extends beyond six months after the date on which the record of the liquor control commission is filed with a court of common pleas.
[H] Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any order issued by a court of common pleas or a court of appeals suspending the effect of an order of the Ohio casino control commission issued under Chapter 3772. of the Revised Code that limits, conditions, restricts, suspends, revokes, denies, not renews, fines, or otherwise penalizes an applicant, licensee, or person excluded or ejected from a casino facility in accordance with section 3772.031 of the Revised Code shall terminate not more than six months after the date of the filing of the record of the Ohio casino control commission with the clerk of the court of common pleas and shall not be extended. The court of common pleas, or the court of appeals on appeal, shall render a judgment in that matter within six months after the date of the filing of the record of the Ohio casino control commission with the clerk of the court of common pleas. A court of appeals shall not issue an order suspending the effect of an order of the Ohio casino control commission that extends beyond six months after the date on which the record of the Ohio casino control commission is filed with the clerk of a court of common pleas.
(H) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any order issued by a court of common pleas suspending the effect of an order of the state medical board or state chiropractic board that limits, revokes, suspends, places on probation, or refuses to register or reinstate a certificate issued by the board or reprimands the holder of the certificate shall terminate not more than fifteen months after the date of the filing of a notice of appeal in the court of common pleas, or upon the rendering of a final decision or order in the appeal by the court of common pleas, whichever occurs first.
(I) Within thirty days after receipt of a notice of appeal from an order in any case in which a hearing is required by sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, the agency shall prepare and certify to the court a complete record of the proceedings in the case. Failure of the agency to comply within the time allowed, upon motion, shall cause the court to enter a finding in favor of the party adversely affected. Additional time, however, may be granted by the court, not to exceed thirty days, when it is shown that the agency has made substantial effort to comply. The record shall be prepared and transcribed, and the expense of it shall be taxed as a part of the costs on the appeal. The appellant shall provide security for costs satisfactory to the court of common pleas. Upon demand by any interested party, the agency shall furnish at the cost of the party requesting it a copy of the stenographic report of testimony offered and evidence submitted at any hearing and a copy of the complete record.
(J) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any party desiring to appeal an order or decision of the state personnel board of review shall, at the time of filing a notice of appeal with the board, provide a security deposit in an amount and manner prescribed in rules that the board shall adopt in accordance with this chapter. In addition, the board is not required to prepare or transcribe the record of any of its proceedings unless the appellant has provided the deposit described above. The failure of the board to prepare or transcribe a record for an appellant who has not provided a security deposit shall not cause a court to enter a finding adverse to the board.
(K) Unless otherwise provided by law, in the hearing of the appeal, the court is confined to the record as certified to it by the agency. Unless otherwise provided by law, the court may grant a request for the admission of additional evidence when satisfied that the additional evidence is newly discovered and could not with reasonable diligence have been ascertained prior to the hearing before the agency.
(L) The court shall conduct a hearing on the appeal and shall give preference to all proceedings under sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, over all other civil cases, irrespective of the position of the proceedings on the calendar of the court. An appeal from an order of the state medical board issued pursuant to division (G) of either section 4730.25 or 4731.22 of the Revised Code, the state chiropractic board issued pursuant to section 4734.37 of the Revised Code, the liquor control commission issued pursuant to Chapter 4301. or 4303. of the Revised Code, or the Ohio casino control commission issued pursuant to Chapter 3772. of the Revised Code shall be set down for hearing at the earliest possible time and takes precedence over all other actions. The hearing in the court of common pleas shall proceed as in the trial of a civil action, and the court shall determine the rights of the parties in accordance with the laws applicable to a civil action. At the hearing, counsel may be heard on oral argument, briefs may be submitted, and evidence may be introduced if the court has granted a request for the presentation of additional evidence.
(M) The court may affirm the order of the agency complained of in the appeal if it finds, upon consideration of the entire record and any additional evidence the court has admitted, that the order is supported by reliable, probative, and substantial evidence and is in accordance with law. In the absence of this finding, it may reverse, vacate, or modify the order or make such other ruling as is supported by reliable, probative, and substantial evidence and is in accordance with law. The court shall award compensation for fees in accordance with section 2335.39 of the Revised Code to a prevailing party, other than an agency, in an appeal filed pursuant to this section.
(N) The judgment of the court shall be final and conclusive unless reversed, vacated, or modified on appeal. These appeals may be taken either by the party or the agency, shall proceed as in the case of appeals in civil actions, and shall be pursuant to the Rules of Appellate Procedure and, to the extent not in conflict with those rules, Chapter 2505. of the Revised Code. An appeal by the agency shall be taken on questions of law relating to the constitutionality, construction, or interpretation of statutes and rules of the agency, and, in the appeal, the court may also review and determine the correctness of the judgment of the court of common pleas that the order of the agency is not supported by any reliable, probative, and substantial evidence in the entire record.
The court shall certify its judgment to the agency or take any other action necessary to give its judgment effect.
Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 52, §1, eff. 9/29/2015.
Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.44, HB 215, §1, eff. 9/13/2010.
119.121 Effect of expiration of license on appeal process.
The expiration of the license involved in an appeal filed pursuant to section 119.12 of the Revised Code shall not affect the appeal. If during an appeal the existing license shall expire the court in its order in favor of an aggrieved person shall order the agency to renew the license upon payment of the fee prescribed by law for the license.
At any hearing conducted under sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, a party or an affected person may be represented by an attorney or by such other representative as is lawfully permitted to practice before the agency in question, but, except for hearings held before the state personnel board of review under section 124.03 of the Revised Code, only an attorney at law may represent a party or an affected person at a hearing at which a record is taken which may be the basis of an appeal to court.
At any hearing conducted under sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, a witness, if he so requests, shall be permitted to be accompanied, represented, and advised by an attorney, whose participation in the hearing shall be limited to the protection of the rights of the witness, and who may not examine or cross-examine witnesses, and the witness shall be advised of his right to counsel before he is interrogated.
119.14 Waiver of penalties for first-time paperwork offenses.
(A) For any small business that engages in a paperwork violation, the state agency or regulatory authority that regulates the field of operation in which the business operates shall waive any and all administrative fines or civil penalties on that small business for the violation, if the paperwork violation is a first-time offense.
(1) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a state agency or regulatory authority from waiving administrative fines or civil penalties incurred by a small business for a paperwork violation that is not a first-time offense.
Effective Date: 2008 HB285 09-16-2008.

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