No board, commission, or agency created under or by virtue of Title 47 of the Revised Code shall restrict entry into any occupation, profession, or trade under its supervision or regulation by:

(A) Unreasonably restricting the number of schools or other institutions it certifies or accredits for the purpose of fulfilling educational or training requirements for such occupation, profession, or trade;

(B) Denying certification or accreditation for the purpose of fulfilling such educational or training requirements to any school, college, or other educational institution that has been certified by the Ohio board of regents or the state board of career colleges and schools or to a high school for which the state board of education prescribes minimum standards under division (D) of section 3301.07 of the Revised Code, unless the educational or training program offered by such school, college, or institution is not in substantial compliance with applicable standards of the occupation, profession, or trade.

(C) Rules of state regulatory boards relevant to age and level of education required for admission to courses of study leading to examination and licensing in professions or occupations controlled by regulatory boards not requiring a technical, associate, or baccalaureate degree shall not apply to vocational education programs conducted in the public schools where such vocational education programs in all other respects meet the minimum standards and requirements of any regulatory board and students completing such programs are of the minimum age required for examination and licensing for the purpose of practicing professions or occupations controlled by regulatory boards. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a board, commission, or agency from prescribing and enforcing educational and training requirements and standards for certification and accreditation of schools and other institutions that constitute reasonable bases for maintaining necessary standards of performance in any occupation, profession, or trade.

Effective Date: 04-03-2003 .