(A) A board of health acting as a licensor of retail food establishments or food service operations may withdraw from serving as licensor of either or both. Before withdrawing as licensor, the board shall provide written notice of its intent to withdraw. If the withdrawal applies to the licensing of retail food establishments, the board shall provide the notice to the director of agriculture. If the withdrawal applies to the licensing of food service operations, the board shall provide the notice to the director of health. On receipt of the notice, the responsible director shall designate an alternative licensor for the health district served by the board. The alternative licensor shall be a board of health that is qualified and has the requisite capacity to serve as alternative licensor, except that if a qualified and capable board is not available from a health district within reasonable proximity, the director of agriculture or director of health, as appropriate, shall act as the alternative licensor.

(B) When a board withdraws as licensor, all valid licenses issued by that board for retail food establishments or food service operations, whichever have been affected, shall be treated as though issued by the alternative licensor. The licenses shall remain valid until scheduled to expire unless earlier suspended or revoked by the alternative licensor.

(C) All fees charged under section 3717.25 or 3717.45 of the Revised Code that have not been expended by a board that has withdrawn as licensor shall be transferred to the alternative licensor. A board of health acting as alternative licensor shall deposit the fees into a special fund it establishes for receipt of funds pertaining to the district for which it is acting as licensor. If the director of agriculture is acting as licensor, the director shall deposit the fees in the food safety fund created in section 915.24 of the Revised Code. If the director of health is acting as licensor, the director shall deposit the fees in the general operations fund created in section 3701.83 of the Revised Code. All subsequent fees charged in the district by the alternative licensor shall be deposited in the same manner. Moneys deposited under this division shall be used solely for the administration and enforcement of this chapter and the rules adopted under it in the district for which the alternative licensor is acting as licensor.

Effective Date: 11-21-2001.