(A) The director of agriculture may authorize any department of agriculture laboratory to perform a laboratory service for any person, organization, political subdivision, state agency, federal agency, or other entity, whether public or private. The director shall adopt and enforce rules to provide for the rendering of a laboratory service.

(B) The director may charge a reasonable fee for the performance of a laboratory service, except when the service is performed on an official sample taken by the director acting pursuant to Title IX, Chapter 3715., or Chapter 3717. of the Revised Code; by a board of health acting as the licensor of retail food establishments or food service operations under Chapter 3717. of the Revised Code; or by the director of health acting as the licensor of food service operations under Chapter 3717. of the Revised Code. The director of agriculture shall adopt rules specifying what constitutes an official sample.

The director shall publish a list of laboratory services offered, together with the fee for each service.

(C) The director may enter into a contract with any person, organization, political subdivision, state agency, federal agency, or other entity for the provision of a laboratory service.

(D)

(1) The director may adopt rules establishing standards for accreditation of laboratories and laboratory services and in doing so may adopt by reference existing or recognized standards or practices.

(2) The director may inspect and accredit laboratories and laboratory services, and may charge a reasonable fee for the inspections and accreditation.

(E)

(1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the animal and consumer protection laboratory fund. Moneys from the following sources shall be deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the fund: all moneys collected by the director under this section that are from fees generated by a laboratory service performed by the department and related to the diseases of animals, all moneys so collected that are from fees generated for the inspection and accreditation of laboratories and laboratory services related to the diseases of animals, all moneys collected by the director under this section that are from fees generated by a laboratory service performed by the consumer protection laboratory, all moneys so collected that are from fees generated for the inspection and accreditation of laboratories and laboratory services not related to weights and measures, money received by the director under sections 947.01 to 947.06 of the Revised Code, and all moneys collected under Chapters 942., 943., and 953. of the Revised Code. The director may use the moneys held in the fund to pay the expenses necessary to operate the animal industry laboratory and the consumer protection laboratory, including the purchase of supplies and equipment.

(2) All moneys collected by the director under this section that are from fees generated by a laboratory service performed by the weights and measures laboratory, and all moneys so collected that are from fees generated for the inspection and accreditation of laboratories and laboratory services related to weights and measures, shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the weights and measures laboratory fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury. The moneys held in the fund may be used to pay the expenses necessary to operate the division of weights and measures, including the purchase of supplies and equipment.

Amended by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 49, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2017.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.42, HB 229, §1, eff. 10/17/2011.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 7/17/2009.

Effective Date: 06-06-2001; 06-30-2005

Related Legislative Provision: See 129th General AssemblyFile No.42, HB 229, §6 .