(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Veterinary business facility" means a structure or business location that is maintained for the purpose of regularly providing veterinary services and that is owned, operated, or controlled by either of the following:

(a) A for-profit business entity of which a majority controlling interest is vested in individuals who are not licensed veterinarians;

(b) A nonprofit entity of which a majority of the members of the board of directors are not licensed veterinarians.

(2) "Disciplinary action" means any of the actions specified in division (F)(1) of this section.

(B)

(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of this section or rules adopted under this section, no person shall operate a veterinary business facility in this state without a valid veterinary business facility license.

(2) A person who operates an existing veterinary business facility on the effective date of this section is not in violation of the licensure requirement during the time period that the initial application for licensure of the veterinary business facility is pending.

(C) A person who wishes to obtain a veterinary business facility license shall file an application with the state veterinary medical licensing board. The application shall include all of the following information:

(1) The name and address of the veterinary business facility;

(2) The name and address of each licensed veterinarian who is a resident of this state and who will be responsible for the management of the provision of veterinary services at the veterinary business facility;

(3) The name and address of the entity that owns, operates, or controls the veterinary business facility and, if the entity is a subsidiary of another entity, the name of its parent entity. An application shall be accompanied by a fee of three hundred dollars.

(D) A veterinary business facility license expires biennially on June 1 in odd-numbered years and may be renewed. An application for renewal shall contain any information that the board requires, shall be accompanied by a renewal fee of three hundred dollars, and shall be submitted to the board not earlier than the first day of April and not later than the thirtieth day of April in odd-numbered years.

(E) Not later than ninety days following receipt of an application for an initial or renewed veterinary business facility license under this section, the board shall issue the license to the applicant unless grounds for denial of licensure exist as established in rules adopted under this section.

(F)

(1) The board shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that establish grounds for the following:

(a) Refusal to issue or renew a veterinary business facility license;

(b) Suspension or revocation of a veterinary business facility license;

(c) Imposition of civil penalties of up to ten thousand dollars on a person who owns, operates, or controls a veterinary business facility;

(d) Seeking the issuance, by a court having jurisdiction in the county in which a veterinary business facility is located, of an injunction that would require the closure of the veterinary business facility.

(2) The board may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that establish both of the following:

(a) Circumstances in which a veterinary business facility is not considered to be in violation of the licensure requirement during the time period that an application for licensure of the veterinary business facility is pending;

(b) Any other provisions necessary for the administration of this section.

(G) The board may conduct an inspection of a veterinary business facility in accordance with section 4721.26 of the Revised Code to determine if grounds exist for disciplinary action.

(H) On determining that grounds may exist for disciplinary action against a veterinary business facility, other than the refusal to issue a veterinary business facility license, the executive director of the board shall file written charges with the board. The board subsequently shall conduct a hearing in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code concerning the charges. If, at the conclusion of the hearing, the board determines that grounds for disciplinary action exist, the board shall take the appropriate disciplinary action.

(I) The board shall seek the issuance, by a court having jurisdiction in the county in which is located a veterinary business facility that is in violation of the licensure requirement established in this section, of an injunction that would require the unlicensed veterinary business facility to be closed until an application for its licensure is filed. The injunction shall be in addition to any other penalties established by law.

(J) Any change in the information specified in division (C)(1), (2), or (3) of this section shall be reported in writing to the board not later than ninety days after the change occurs.

Effective Date: 10-12-2006 .