(A) As used in this chapter:

"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.

"Individual" means a natural person.

"Lawful occupation" means a course of conduct, pursuit, or profession that includes the sale of goods or services that are not themselves illegal to sell irrespective of whether the individual selling the goods or services is subject to an occupational regulation.

"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.

"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. "Occupational license" does not include a commercial or other driver's license issued under the Revised Code.

"Occupational licensing board" means any board, commission, committee, or council, or any other similar state public body, and any administrative department enumerated under section 121.02 of the Revised Code, and any agency, division, or office of state government, that issues an occupational license.

"Occupational regulation" means a statute, policy, rule, adjudication order, practice, or other state law requiring an individual to possess certain personal qualifications to use an occupational title or work in a lawful occupation. "Occupational regulation" includes registration, certification, and occupational license. "Occupational regulation" excludes a business license, facility license, building permit, or zoning and land use regulation, except to the extent those laws regulate an individual's personal qualifications to perform a lawful occupation, and excludes sections of the Revised Code related to commercial or other driver's license.

"Personal qualifications" mean criteria related to an individual's personal background and characteristics including completion of an approved educational program, satisfactory performance on an examination, work experience, other evidence of attainment of requisite skills or knowledge, moral standing, criminal history, and completion of continuing education.

"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. "Registration" does not include personal qualifications but may require a bond or insurance.

"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.

(B) For purposes of this chapter:

(1) The terms "certification" and "registration" are not synonymous with "occupational license."

(2) The use of the words "certification" and "certified" in other statutes to mean requiring an individual to meet certain personal qualifications to work legally shall be interpreted for the purposes of this chapter as requiring an individual to meet the requirements of an "occupational license."

(3) The use of the words "registration" and "registered" in other statutes to mean requiring an individual to meet certain personal qualifications to work legally shall be interpreted for the purposes of this chapter as requiring an individual to meet the requirements of an "occupational license."

Added by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 255, §1, eff. 4/5/2019.