(A) A board of township trustees, by resolution, may regulate and require the registration of massage establishments and their employees within the unincorporated territory of the township. In accordance with sections 503.40 to 503.49 of the Revised Code, for that purpose, the board, by a majority vote of all members, may adopt, amend, administer, and enforce regulations within the unincorporated territory of the township.

(B) A board may adopt regulations and amendments under this section only after public hearing at not fewer than two regular sessions of the board. The board shall cause to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the township, or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, notice of the public hearings, including the time, date, and place, once a week for two weeks immediately preceding the hearings. The board shall make available proposed regulations or amendments to the public at the office of the board.

(C) Regulations or amendments adopted by the board are effective thirty days after the date of adoption unless, within thirty days after the adoption of the regulations or amendments, the township fiscal officer receives a petition, signed by a number of qualified electors residing in the unincorporated area of the township equal to not less than ten per cent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor in the area at the most recent general election at which a governor was elected, requesting the board to submit the regulations or amendments to the electors of the area for approval or rejection at the next primary or general election occurring at least ninety days after the board receives the petition.

No regulation or amendment for which the referendum vote has been requested is effective unless a majority of the votes cast on the issue is in favor of the regulation or amendment. Upon certification by the board of elections that a majority of the votes cast on the issue was in favor of the regulation or amendment, the regulation or amendment takes immediate effect.

(D) The board shall make available regulations it adopts or amends to the public at the office of the board and shall cause to be published once a notice of the availability of the regulations in a newspaper of general circulation in the township within ten days after their adoption or amendment.

(E) Nothing in sections 503.40 to 503.49 of the Revised Code shall be construed to allow a board of township trustees to regulate the practice of any limited branch of medicine specified in section 4731.15 of the Revised Code or the practice of providing therapeutic massage by a licensed physician, a licensed chiropractor, a licensed podiatrist, a licensed nurse, or any other licensed health professional. As used in this division, "licensed" means licensed, certified, or registered to practice in this state.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.29, HB 48, §1, eff. 7/2/2010.

Effective Date: 03-09-1999; 12-20-2005