Chapter 2108 | Human Bodies Or Parts Thereof

Section 2108.01 | Anatomical gift definitions.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

As used in sections 2108.02 to 2108.35 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Adult" means an individual who is at least eighteen years of age.

(B) "Agent" means an individual who is either of the following:

(1) The principal's attorney in fact under a durable power of attorney for health care;

(2) Expressly authorized to make an anatomical gift on the principal's behalf by any other record signed by the principal.

(C) "Anatomical gift" means a donation of all or part of a human body to take effect after the donor's death for the purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education.

(D) "Decedent" means a deceased individual whose body or part is or may be the source of an anatomical gift. The term includes a stillborn infant and, subject to restrictions imposed by law other than sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code, a fetus.

(E) "Disinterested witness" means a witness other than a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandchild, grandparent, or guardian of the individual who makes an anatomical gift, or another adult who exhibited special care and concern for the individual. "Disinterested witness" does not include a person to which an anatomical gift could pass under section 2108.11 of the Revised Code.

(F) "Document of gift" means a donor card or other record used to make an anatomical gift. "Document of gift" includes a statement or symbol on a driver's license or identification card or in the donor registry.

(G) "Donor" means an individual whose body or part is the subject of an anatomical gift.

(H) "Donor registry" means a database that contains records of anatomical gifts and amendments to or revocations of anatomical gifts.

(I) "Driver's license" means a license or permit issued by the registrar of motor vehicles, or a deputy registrar, to operate a vehicle, whether or not conditions are attached to the license or permit and includes a driver's license, commercial driver's license, and a motorcycle operator's license or endorsement.

(J) "Durable power of attorney for health care" means a document created pursuant to sections 1337.11 to 1337.17 of the Revised Code.

(K) "Eye bank" means a person conducting operations in this state that is licensed, accredited, or regulated under federal or state law to engage in the recovery, screening, testing, processing, storage, or distribution of human eyes or portions of human eyes.

(L) "Guardian" means a person appointed by a court to make decisions regarding the support, care, education, health, or welfare of an individual. "Guardian" does not include a guardian ad litem.

(M) "Hospital" means a facility operated as a hospital under the laws of this or any other state or a facility operated as a hospital by the United States, this or any other state, or a subdivision of this or any other state.

(N) "Identification card" means an identification card issued by the registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar.

(O) "Know" means to have actual knowledge.

(P) "Minor" means an individual who is under eighteen years of age.

(Q) "Organ procurement organization" means a person conducting operations in this state that is designated by the secretary of the United States department of health and human services as an organ procurement organization.

(R) "Parent" means a parent whose parental rights have not been terminated.

(S) "Part" means an organ, an eye, or tissue of a human being. "Part" does not include the whole body.

(T) "Person" means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity.

(U) "Physician" means an individual authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and surgery, or an individual authorized under the laws of any other state to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and surgery.

(V) "Procurement organization" means an eye bank, organ procurement organization, or tissue bank.

(W) "Prospective donor" means an individual who is dead or near death and has been determined by a procurement organization to have a part that could be medically suitable for transplantation, therapy, research, or education. "Prospective donor" does not include an individual who has made a refusal.

(X) "Reasonably available" means able to be contacted by a procurement organization without undue effort and willing and able to act in a timely manner consistent with existing medical criteria necessary for the making of an anatomical gift.

(Y) "Recipient" means an individual into whose body a decedent's part has been or is intended to be transplanted.

(Z) "Record" means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.

(AA) "Refusal" means a record created under section 2108.07 of the Revised Code that expressly states an intent to bar other persons from making an anatomical gift of an individual's body or part.

(BB) "Sign" means to do either of the following with the present intent to authenticate or adopt a record:

(1) Execute or adopt a tangible symbol;

(2) Attach to or logically associate with the record an electronic symbol, sound, or process.

(CC) "Technician" means an individual determined to be qualified to remove or process parts by an appropriate organization that is licensed, accredited, or regulated under federal or state law. "Technician" includes an enucleator and an embalmer licensed pursuant to Chapter 4717. of the Revised Code who has completed a course in eye enucleation and has received a certificate of competency to that effect from a school of medicine recognized by the state medical board or from an eye bank that is a member of the eye bank association of America.

(DD) "Tissue" means a portion of the human body other than an organ or an eye. "Tissue" does not include blood unless the blood is donated for the purpose of research or education.

(EE) "Tissue bank" means a person conducting operations in this state that is licensed, accredited, or regulated under federal or state law to engage in the recovery, screening, testing, processing, storage, or distribution of tissue.

(FF) "Transplant hospital" means a hospital that furnishes organ transplants and other medical and surgical specialty services required for the care of transplant patients.

Section 2108.02 | Revised uniform anatomical gift act adopted.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

Sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code are enacted to adopt the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (2006), national conference of commissioners on uniform state laws.

Section 2108.03 | Application of RC 2108.01 to RC 2108.29.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

Sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code apply to an anatomical gift or amendment to, revocation of, or refusal to make an anatomical gift, whenever made.

Section 2108.04 | Persons who may make anatomical gift.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

Subject to section 2108.08 of the Revised Code, an anatomical gift of a donor's body or part may be made during the life of the donor for the purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education in the manner provided in section 2108.05 of the Revised Code by any of the following:

(A) The donor, if the donor is an adult or if the donor is a minor and either of the following applies:

(1) The donor is emancipated.

(2) The donor is authorized to apply for a temporary instruction permit issued under section 4507.05 of the Revised Code because the donor is at least fifteen years and six months of age.

(B) An agent of the donor, unless the durable power of attorney for health care or other record prohibits the agent from making an anatomical gift;

(C) A parent of the donor, if the donor is an unemancipated minor;

(D) The donor's guardian.

Section 2108.05 | Manner of making anatomical gift.

• Effective: October 1, 2022
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 21 - 134th General Assembly

(A) A donor may make an anatomical gift by doing any of the following:

(1) Authorizing a statement or symbol to be imprinted on the donor's driver's license or identification card indicating that the donor has certified a willingness to make an anatomical gift;

(2) Specifying during an application for or renewal of a motor vehicle registration that the donor has certified a willingness to make an anatomical gift;

(3) During a terminal illness or injury of the donor, communicating in any manner to a minimum of two adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness, that the donor intends to make an anatomical gift;

(4) Following the procedure in division (B) of this section.

(B) A donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under section 2108.04 of the Revised Code may make a gift by a donor card or other record signed by the donor or other person making the gift or by authorizing that a statement or symbol indicating that the donor has certified a willingness to make an anatomical gift be included in a donor registry. If the donor or other person is physically unable to sign a record, the record may be signed by another individual at the direction of the donor or other person and shall do both of the following:

(1) Be witnessed by at least two adults, at least one of whom is a disinterested witness, who have signed at the request of the donor or the other person;

(2) State that it has been signed and witnessed as provided in division (B)(1) of this section.

(C) Once a donor has certified a willingness to make an anatomical gift through either a symbol on the donor's driver's license or identification card or at the time of motor vehicle registration, the donor does not need to recertify the donor's willingness to make an anatomical gift upon renewal of the driver's license, identification card, or motor vehicle registration. The authorization shall remain in effect until the donor withdraws that authorization.

(D) Revocation, suspension, expiration, or cancellation of a driver's license or identification card upon which an anatomical gift is indicated does not invalidate the gift.

Last updated January 13, 2023 at 12:57 PM

Section 2108.06 | Amendment of anatomical gift.

• Effective: August 17, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 7 - 134th General Assembly

(A) Subject to section 2108.08 of the Revised Code, an anatomical gift made under section 2108.04 of the Revised Code may be amended by any of the following means:

(1) By a record signed by the donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under section 2108.04 of the Revised Code;

(2) Subject to division (C) of this section, by a record signed by another individual acting at the direction of the donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under section 2108.04 of the Revised Code if the donor or other person is physically unable to sign;

(3) By a later-executed document of gift that amends a previous anatomical gift or portion of an anatomical gift, either expressly or by inconsistency;

(4) By any form of communication during a terminal illness or injury addressed to at least two adults;

(5) By a parent who is reasonably available, if the donor is an unemancipated minor who has died.

(B) Subject to section 2108.08 of the Revised Code, an anatomical gift made under section 2108.04 of the Revised Code may be revoked by any of the following means:

(1) By a record signed by the donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under section 2108.04 of the Revised Code;

(2) Subject to division (C) of this section, by a record signed by another individual acting at the direction of the donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under section 2108.04 of the Revised Code if the donor or other person is physically unable to sign;

(3) By a later-executed document of gift that revokes a previous anatomical gift or portion of an anatomical gift, either expressly or by inconsistency;

(4) By any form of communication during a terminal illness or injury addressed to at least two adults;

(5) By a parent who is reasonably available, if the donor is an unemancipated minor who has died;

(6) By the destruction or cancellation of the document of gift, or the portion of the document of gift, used to make the gift, with the intent to revoke the gift.

(C) A record signed pursuant to division (A)(2) or (B)(2) of this section shall do both of the following:

(1) Be witnessed by a minimum of two adults who have signed at the request of the donor or other person;

(2) State that it has been signed and witnessed as provided in division (C)(1) of this section.

Last updated May 20, 2021 at 2:08 PM

Section 2108.07 | Refusal to make anatomical gift.

• Effective: August 17, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 7 - 134th General Assembly

(A) An individual may refuse to make an anatomical gift of the individual's body or part by doing any of the following:

(1) Indicating a refusal in a record signed by either of the following:

(a) The individual;

(b) Subject to division (B) of this section, another individual acting at the direction of the individual, if the individual is physically unable to sign.

(2) Indicating a refusal by any form of communication made by the individual during the individual's terminal illness or injury addressed to a minimum of two adults.

(B) A record signed pursuant to division (A)(1)(b) of this section shall do both of the following:

(1) Be witnessed by at least two adults who have signed at the request of the individual;

(2) State that it has been signed and witnessed as provided in division (B)(1) of this section.

(C) An individual who has made a refusal may amend or revoke the refusal by doing any of the following:

(1) Amending or revoking the refusal in the manner provided in division (A) of this section for making a refusal;

(2) Subsequently making an anatomical gift pursuant to section 2108.05 of the Revised Code that is inconsistent with the refusal;

(3) Destroying or canceling the record evidencing the refusal, or the portion of the record used to make the refusal, with the intent to revoke the refusal.

(D) Except as provided in division (E) of this section, in the absence of an express, contrary indication by the individual set forth in the refusal, an individual's unrevoked refusal to make an anatomical gift of the individual's body or part bars all other persons from making an anatomical gift of the individual's body or part.

(E) The parent of a deceased unemancipated minor who is reasonably available may revoke a refusal made by the minor.

Last updated May 20, 2021 at 2:08 PM

Section 2108.08 | Action by person other than donor.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

(A) Subject to division (F) of this section, in the absence of an express, contrary indication by the donor, a person other than the donor shall be barred from making, amending, or revoking an anatomical gift of a donor's body or part if the donor made an anatomical gift of the donor's body or part under section 2108.05 of the Revised Code or an amendment to an anatomical gift of the donor's body or part under section 2108.06 of the Revised Code.

(B) A donor's revocation of an anatomical gift of the donor's body or part under section 2108.06 of the Revised Code is not a refusal and shall not bar another person specified in section 2108.04 or 2108.09 of the Revised Code from making an anatomical gift of the donor's body or part under section 2108.05 or 2108.10 of the Revised Code.

(C) If a person other than the donor makes an unrevoked anatomical gift of the donor's body or part under section 2108.05 of the Revised Code or an amendment to an anatomical gift of the donor's body or part under section 2108.06 of the Revised Code, another person shall not make, amend, or revoke the gift of the donor's body or part under section 2108.10 of the Revised Code.

(D) A revocation by a person other than the donor of an anatomical gift of a donor's body or part under section 2108.06 of the Revised Code shall not bar another person from making an anatomical gift of the body or part under section 2108.05 or 2108.10 of the Revised Code.

(E) In the absence of an express, contrary indication by the donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under section 2108.04 of the Revised Code, an anatomical gift of a part is neither a refusal to give another part nor a limitation on the making of an anatomical gift of another part at a later time by the donor or another person.

(F) In the absence of an express, contrary indication by the donor or other person authorized to make an anatomical gift under section 2108.04 of the Revised Code, an anatomical gift of a part for one or more of the purposes set forth in section 2108.04 of the Revised Code shall not be a limitation on the making of an anatomical gift of the part for any of the other purposes by the donor or other person under section 2108.05 or 2108.10 of the Revised Code.

Section 2108.09 | Anatomical gift after donor's death.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

(A) Subject to divisions (B) and (C) of this section, and unless barred by section 2108.07 or 2108.08 of the Revised Code, an anatomical gift of a decedent's body or part for purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education may be made in the manner provided for under section 2108.10 of the Revised Code by any member of the following classes of persons who is reasonably available, in the following order of priority:

(1) An agent of the decedent at the time of death who could have made an anatomical gift under division (B) of section 2108.04 of the Revised Code immediately before the decedent's death;

(2) The decedent's surviving spouse;

(3) The decedent's surviving adult children;

(4) The decedent's surviving parent or parents;

(5) The decedent's surviving adult siblings;

(6) The decedent's surviving adult grandchildren;

(7) The decedent's surviving grandparent or grandparents;

(8) A surviving adult who exhibited special care and concern for the decedent;

(9) The persons who were acting as the guardians of the person of the decedent at the time of death;

(10) The persons, other than those in divisions (A)(1) to (9) of this section, to whom the right of disposition for the decedent's body has been assigned pursuant to section 2108.70 of the Revised Code or who have the right of disposition for the decedent's body as described in section 2108.81 of the Revised Code.

(B) If there is more than one member of a class listed in division (A)(1), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), or (9) of this section entitled to make an anatomical gift, an anatomical gift may be made by a single member of the class unless that member or a person to which the gift may pass under section 2108.11 of the Revised Code knows of an objection by another member of the class. If an objection is known, the gift may be made only by a majority of the members of the class who are reasonably available.

(C) A person shall not make an anatomical gift if, at the time of the decedent's death, a person in a prior class under division (A) of this section is reasonably available to make or object to the making of an anatomical gift.

Section 2108.10 | Making anatomical gift after donor's death.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

(A) A person authorized to make an anatomical gift under section 2108.09 of the Revised Code may make an anatomical gift by a document of gift signed by the person making the gift or by that person's oral communication that is electronically recorded or is contemporaneously reduced to a record and signed by the individual receiving the oral communication.

(B) Subject to division (C) of this section, an anatomical gift made by a person authorized to make a gift under section 2108.09 of the Revised Code may be amended or revoked orally or in a record by any member of a prior class who is reasonably available. If more than one member of the prior class is reasonably available, the gift made by a person authorized to make a gift under section 2108.09 of the Revised Code may be amended if a majority of the reasonably available members agree to the amendment or revoked if at least half of the reasonably available members agree to the revocation.

(C) A revocation under division (B) of this section shall be effective only if the procurement organization, transplant hospital, physician, or technician knows of the revocation, before an incision has been made to remove a part from the donor's body or before invasive procedures have begun to prepare the recipient.

Section 2108.11 | Donees and purposes of anatomical gift.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

(A) An anatomical gift may be made to any of the following persons named in the document of gift:

(1) A hospital; an accredited medical school, dental school, college, or university; an organ procurement organization; or another appropriate person, for research or education;

(2) Subject to division (B) of this section, an individual designated by the person making the anatomical gift if the individual is the recipient of the part;

(3) An eye bank or tissue bank.

(B) If an anatomical gift to an individual under division (A)(2) of this section cannot be transplanted into the individual, the part shall pass in accordance with division (G) of this section in the absence of an express, contrary indication by the person making the anatomical gift.

(C) If an anatomical gift of one or more specific parts or of all parts is made in a document of gift that does not name a person described in division (A) of this section but identifies the purpose for which an anatomical gift may be used, the following rules apply:

(1) If the part is an eye and the gift is for the purpose of transplantation or therapy, the gift shall pass to the appropriate eye bank.

(2) If the part is tissue and the gift is for the purpose of transplantation or therapy, the gift shall pass to the appropriate tissue bank.

(3) If the part is an organ and the gift is for the purpose of transplantation or therapy, the gift shall pass to the appropriate organ procurement organization as custodian of the organ.

(4) If the part is an organ, an eye, or tissue and the gift is for the purpose of research or education, the gift shall pass to the appropriate procurement organization.

(D) For the purpose of division (C) of this section, if there is more than one purpose of an anatomical gift set forth in the document of gift but the purposes are not set forth in any priority, the gift shall be used for transplantation or therapy, if suitable. If the gift cannot be used for transplantation or therapy, the gift may be used for research or education.

(E) If an anatomical gift of one or more specific parts is made in a document of gift that does not name a person described in division (A) of this section and does not identify the purpose of the gift, the gift shall be used only for transplantation or therapy, and the gift shall pass in accordance with division (G) of this section.

(F) If a document of gift specifies only a general intent to make an anatomical gift by words such as "donor," "organ donor," or "body donor," or by a symbol or statement of similar import, the gift shall be used only for transplantation or therapy, and the gift shall pass in accordance with division (G) of this section.

(G) For purposes of divisions (B), (E), and (F) of this section, the following rules apply:

(1) If the part is an eye, the gift shall pass to the appropriate eye bank.

(2) If the part is tissue, the gift shall pass to the appropriate tissue bank.

(3) If the part is an organ, the gift shall pass to the appropriate organ procurement organization as custodian of the organ.

(H) An anatomical gift of an organ for transplantation or therapy, other than an anatomical gift under division (A)(2) of this section, shall pass to the organ procurement organization as custodian of the organ.

(I) If an anatomical gift does not pass pursuant to divisions (A) to (H) of this section, or the decedent's body or part is not used for transplantation, therapy, research, or education, custody of the body or part shall pass to the person to whom the right of disposition for the decedent's body has been assigned pursuant to section 2108.70 of the Revised Code or who has the right of disposition for the decedent's body as described in section 2108.81 of the Revised Code.

(J) A person shall not accept an anatomical gift if the person knows that the gift was not effectively made under section 2108.05 or 2108.10 of the Revised Code, or if the person knows that the decedent made a refusal under section 2108.07 of the Revised Code that was not revoked. For purposes of this division, if a person knows that an anatomical gift was made on a document of gift, the person is deemed to know of any amendment or revocation of the gift or any refusal to make an anatomical gift on the same document of gift.

(K) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2) of this section, nothing in sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code affects the allocation of organs for transplantation or therapy.

Section 2108.12 | Search for evidence of donor intent.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

(A) If any of the following persons, while acting in the course of the person's official duties, finds an individual and reasonably believes that the individual is dead or near death, the person shall make a reasonable search of the body of the individual for a document of gift or other information identifying the individual as a donor or as an individual who made a refusal:

(1) A law enforcement officer as defined in section 2901.01 of the Revised Code;

(2) A member of a fire department as defined in section 4117.01 of the Revised Code;

(3) A first responder, emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-intermediate, or emergency medical technician-paramedic, as those terms are defined in section 4765.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) If a document of gift or refusal to make an anatomical gift is located by the search required by division (A) of this section, and the individual or deceased individual to whom it relates is taken to a hospital, the person responsible for conducting the search shall send the document of gift or refusal to the hospital.

(C) A person is not subject to criminal or civil liability for failing to discharge the duties imposed by this section but may be subject to any of the following:

(1) Disciplinary action under a collective bargaining agreement, if the person is covered by a collective bargaining agreement entered into under Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code;

(2) Disciplinary action under section 124.34 of the Revised Code, if the person is an officer or employee in the classified service of this state or the counties, civil service townships, cities, city health districts, general health districts, or city school districts of this state;

(3) Disciplinary action by the person's employer.

Section 2108.13 | Delivery of document of gift not required.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

(A) A document of gift need not be delivered during the donor's lifetime to be effective.

(B) On or after an individual's death, a person in possession of a document of gift or a refusal to make an anatomical gift with respect to the individual shall allow examination and copying of the document of gift or refusal by a person authorized to make or object to the making of an anatomical gift with respect to the individual or by a person to which the gift could pass under section 2108.11 of the Revised Code.

Section 2108.14 | Referral of dying person to procurement organization.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

(A) When a hospital employee or agent refers an individual at or near death to a procurement organization, the organization shall make a reasonable search of the records of the bureau of motor vehicles and any donor registry that it knows exists for the geographical area in which the individual resides to ascertain whether the individual has made an anatomical gift. The bureau of motor vehicles shall allow the procurement organization reasonable access to its records for purposes of ascertaining whether the individual is a donor.

(B) When a hospital employee or agent refers an individual at or near death to a procurement organization, the organization may conduct any reasonable examination necessary to ensure the medical suitability of a part that is or could be the subject of an anatomical gift for transplantation, therapy, research, or education from a donor or prospective donor. During the examination period, measures necessary to ensure the medical suitability of the part shall not be withdrawn unless the hospital or procurement organization knows that the individual expressed a contrary intent.

(C) Unless prohibited by law other than sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code, at any time after a donor's death, the person to which a part passes under section 2108.11 of the Revised Code may conduct any reasonable examination necessary to ensure the medical suitability of the body or part for its intended purpose.

(D) Unless prohibited by law other than sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code, an examination under division (B) or (C) of this section may include an examination of all medical and dental records of the donor or prospective donor.

(E) Upon the death of a minor who was a donor or had signed a refusal, unless a procurement organization knows the minor was emancipated, the procurement organization shall conduct a reasonable search for the parents of the minor and provide the parents with an opportunity to revoke or amend the anatomical gift or revoke the refusal.

(F) Upon referral by a hospital under division (A) of this section, a procurement organization shall make a reasonable search for any person listed in section 2108.09 of the Revised Code having an opportunity to make an anatomical gift on behalf of the prospective donor. If a procurement organization receives information that an anatomical gift to any other person was made, amended, or revoked, it shall promptly advise the other person of all relevant information.

Section 2108.15 | Rights of anatomical gift donee - acceptance or rejection.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

Subject to division (I) of section 2108.11 and sections 2108.26 to 2108.272 of the Revised Code, the rights of the person to which a part passes under section 2108.11 of the Revised Code shall be superior to the rights of all others with respect to the part. The person may accept or reject an anatomical gift in whole or in part.

Subject to the terms of the document of gift and sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code, a person that accepts an anatomical gift of an entire body may allow embalming, burial, or cremation, and use of remains in a funeral service. If the gift is of a part, the person to whom the part passes under section 2108.11 of the Revised Code, upon the death of the donor and before embalming, burial, or cremation, shall cause the part to be removed without unnecessary mutilation. After removal of the part, custody of the remainder of the decedent's body passes to the persons to whom the right of disposition for the body has been assigned pursuant to section 2108.70 of the Revised Code or who have the right of disposition for the body as described in section 2108.81 of the Revised Code.

Section 2108.16 | Who may remove donated part.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, a physician or technician may remove a donated part from the body of a donor that the physician or technician is qualified to remove.

(B) Neither the physician who attends the decedent at death nor the physician who determines the time of the decedent's death shall participate in the procedures for removing or transplanting a part from the decedent.

Section 2108.17 | Hospital agreement with procurement organizations.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

Each hospital in this state shall enter into agreements or affiliations with procurement organizations for coordination of procurement and use of anatomical gifts.

Section 2108.18 | Purchase or sale of donated part - permitted charges.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

(A) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, no person shall, for valuable consideration, knowingly purchase or sell a part for transplantation or therapy if removal of a part from an individual is intended to occur after the individual's death.

(B) A person may charge a reasonable amount for the removal, processing, preservation, quality control, storage, transportation, implantation, or disposal of a part.

Section 2108.19 | Prohibited acts regarding donation documents.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

No person shall intentionally falsify, forge, conceal, deface, or obliterate a document of gift, an amendment or revocation of a document of gift, or a refusal in order to obtain a financial gain.

Section 2108.20 | Good faith immunity for compliance with chapter.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

(A) A person who acts in accordance with sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code or with the applicable anatomical gift laws of another state, or attempts in good faith to do so, is not liable for the act in a civil action, criminal prosecution, or administrative proceeding.

(B) Neither the person making the anatomical gift nor the donor's estate is liable for any injury or damage that results from the making or use of the gift.

Section 2108.21 | Determination whether anatomical gift made.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

In determining whether an anatomical gift has been made, amended, or revoked under sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code, a person may rely upon representations of an individual listed in division (A)(2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), or (8) of section 2108.09 of the Revised Code relating to the individual's relationship to the donor or prospective donor unless the person knows that the representation is untrue.

Section 2108.22 | Validity of document of gift.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

(A) A document of gift is valid if executed in accordance with any of the following:

(1) Sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code;

(2) The laws of the state or country where it was executed;

(3) The laws of the state or country where the person making the anatomical gift was domiciled, has a place of residence, or was a resident or national at the time the document of gift was executed.

(B) If a document of gift is valid under this section, the law of this state shall govern the interpretation of the document of gift.

(C) A person may presume that a document of gift or amendment of an anatomical gift is valid unless that person knows that it was not validly executed or was revoked.

Section 2108.23 | Bureau of motor vehicles donor registry.

• Effective: October 1, 2022
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 21 - 134th General Assembly

(A)(1) The bureau of motor vehicles shall develop and maintain a donor registry that identifies each individual who has agreed to make an anatomical gift at the time of application or renewal of a driver's license, identification card, or motor vehicle registration as provided in division (A)(1) or (2) of section 2108.05 of the Revised Code. The registry shall be fully operational not later than July 1, 2002.

(2) The registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar shall ask whether each of the following wishes to certify the applicant's willingness to become a donor:

(a) A person applying for or renewing a driver's license;

(b) A person applying for or renewing an identification card;

(c) A person applying for or renewing a motor vehicle registration.

(3) The registrar or deputy registrar shall provide to any applicant who wishes to certify the applicant's willingness to become a donor the form set forth in division (C)(2) of section 2133.07 of the Revised Code.

(4) Any person who provides to the bureau the form set forth in division (C)(2) of section 2133.07 of the Revised Code requesting to be included in the donor registry shall be included.

(5) Neither the registrar nor a deputy registrar shall ask a person, who is already included in the donor registry, to be a donor.

(B) The bureau shall maintain the registry in a manner that provides to organ procurement organizations, tissue banks, and eye banks immediate access to the information in the registry twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week.

(C)(1) The registrar of motor vehicles, in consultation with the director of health and the second chance trust fund advisory committee created under section 2108.35 of the Revised Code, shall formulate proposed rules that specify all of the following:

(a) The information to be included in the registry;

(b) A process, in accordance with division (B) of section 2108.06 of the Revised Code, for an individual to revoke the individual's intent to make an anatomical gift and for updating information in the registry;

(c) How the registry will be made available to organ procurement organizations, tissue banks, and eye banks;

(d) Limitations on the use of and access to the registry;

(e) How information on organ, tissue, and eye donation will be developed and disseminated to the public by the bureau and the department of health;

(f) The manner in which a person may request to be included in the registry on a written application for a driver's license, identification card, motor vehicle registration, or the renewal thereof. The manner of the request may include either allowing the requestor to provide the necessary information on the bureau application or redirecting the requestor to another form specific to the registry.

(g) Anything else the registrar considers appropriate.

(2) In adopting the proposed rules under this division, the registrar may consult with any person or entity that expresses an interest in the matters to be dealt with in the rules.

(3) Following formulation of the proposed rules, the registrar shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(D) The costs of developing and initially implementing the registry shall be paid from the second chance trust fund created in section 2108.34 of the Revised Code.

Last updated January 13, 2023 at 12:57 PM

Section 2108.24 | Conflict between anatomical gift and health care directive.

• Effective: August 17, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 7 - 134th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Advance health-care directive" means a durable power of attorney for health care or a record signed by a prospective donor containing the prospective donor's direction concerning a health-care decision.

(2) "Health care decision" means any decision regarding the health care of the prospective donor.

(B) If a prospective donor has an advance health-care directive the terms of which are in conflict with the express or implied terms of a potential anatomical gift with regard to administration of measures necessary to ensure the medical suitability of a part for transplantation or therapy and the prospective donor is capable of resolving the conflict, subject to division (G) of this section, the prospective donor's attending physician shall confer with the prospective donor to resolve the conflict.

(C) If a prospective donor has an advance health-care directive the terms of which are in conflict with the express or implied terms of a potential anatomical gift with regard to administration of measures necessary to ensure the medical suitability of a part for transplantation or therapy and the prospective donor is incapable of resolving the conflict, one of the following shall apply depending on the circumstances:

(1) If the prospective donor has an agent, the agent shall, subject to division (G) of this section, act for the prospective donor to resolve the conflict.

(2) If the prospective donor does not have an agent, the individual or class of individuals determined in the following descending order of priority and subject to divisions (D), (E), (F), and (G) of this section shall act for the prospective donor to resolve the conflict:

(a) The prospective donor's surviving spouse;

(b) The prospective donor's surviving adult children;

(c) The prospective donor's surviving parent or parents;

(d) The prospective donor's surviving adult siblings;

(e) The prospective donor's surviving adult grandchildren;

(f) The prospective donor's surviving grandparent or grandparents;

(g) A surviving adult who exhibited special care and concern for the prospective donor;

(h) The prospective donor's guardians of the person;

(i) The persons, other than those in divisions (C)(2)(a) to (h) of this section, to whom the prospective donor has assigned the right of disposition for the prospective donor's body pursuant to section 2108.70 of the Revised Code or who have the right of disposition for the prospective donor's body at the time of death as described in section 2108.81 of the Revised Code.

(D) If an appropriate individual entitled to resolve a conflict between the terms of a prospective donor's advance health-care directive and the express or implied terms of a potential anatomical gift as described in division (C) of this section is not reasonably available to resolve the conflict, is incapacitated, or declines to resolve the conflict, the next priority individual or class of individuals specified in that division is authorized to resolve the conflict.

(E) If at least one individual in a class of individuals entitled to resolve a conflict between the terms of a prospective donor's advance health-care directive and the express or implied terms of a potential anatomical gift is not reasonably available, is incapacitated, or declines to resolve the conflict, the conflict shall be resolved by the individual or individuals in the class who are reasonably available, not incapacitated, and willing to resolve the conflict.

(F) If individuals in a class of individuals determined in accordance with division (C)(2) of this section disagree on how a conflict between the terms of a prospective donor's advance health-care directive and the express or implied terms of a potential anatomical gift should be resolved, the opinion of the majority of the individuals who are reasonably available, not incapacitated, and are willing to resolve the conflict shall prevail.

(G) A conflict between the terms of a prospective donor's advance health-care directive and the express or implied terms of a potential anatomical gift with regard to the administration of measures necessary to ensure the medical suitability of a part for transplantation or therapy shall be resolved as expeditiously as possible. Information relevant to the resolution of the conflict may be obtained from the appropriate procurement organization and any other person authorized to make an anatomical gift for the prospective donor under section 2108.09 of the Revised Code. Before resolution of the conflict, measures necessary to ensure the medical suitability of the part shall not be withheld or withdrawn from the prospective donor unless withholding or withdrawing the measures is necessary for appropriate end-of-life care.

Last updated May 20, 2021 at 2:09 PM

Section 2108.25 | Cooperation of coroner with procurement organization.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

As used in this section and sections 2108.26 to 2108.272 of the Revised Code, "coroner" includes a medical examiner.

A coroner shall cooperate with procurement organizations as described in sections 2108.26 to 2108.271 of the Revised Code to maximize the opportunity to recover anatomical gifts for the purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education.

Section 2108.26 | Release of information to procurement organization.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

On request of a procurement organization, a coroner shall, if such information is available, release to the procurement organization the name, contact information, and available medical and social history of a decedent whose body is under the jurisdiction of the coroner.

If the decedent's body or part is medically suitable for life-saving organ transplantation or therapy, the coroner shall release post-mortem examination results to the procurement organization. The procurement organization shall make a subsequent disclosure of the post-mortem examination results or other information received from the coroner only if relevant to life-saving organ transplantation or therapy.

Section 2108.261 | Medicolegal review of records by coroner.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

A coroner may conduct a medicolegal examination by reviewing all medical records, laboratory test results, x-rays, other diagnostic results, and other information that any person possesses about a donor or prospective donor whose body is under the jurisdiction of the coroner which the coroner determines may be relevant to the investigation.

Section 2108.262 | Information requested by coroner for review.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

A person that has any information requested by a coroner pursuant to section 2108.261 of the Revised Code shall provide that information as expeditiously as possible to allow the coroner to conduct the medicolegal investigation within a period compatible with the preservation of parts for the purpose of life-saving organ transplantation or therapy.

Section 2108.263 | Cooperation in timely removal of part.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

A coroner and procurement organization shall cooperate in the timely removal of a part from a decedent for the purpose of life-saving organ transplantation or therapy if an anatomical gift has been or might be made of the part and either of the following is the case:

(A) The decedent's body is under the jurisdiction of the coroner and a post-mortem examination or autopsy is not required.

(B) The decedent has been referred to the coroner for post-mortem examination, it is determined that an autopsy is required, and after consultation with the prosecuting attorney, if a consultation is necessary, it is determined that the recovery of the part will not interfere with the autopsy.

Section 2108.264 | Information regarding cause of death.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

If an anatomical gift of a part from a decedent under the jurisdiction of the coroner has been or might be made and, after any necessary consultation with the prosecuting attorney, it is determined that the recovery of the part could interfere with the determination of the decedent's cause or manner of death, the coroner shall communicate with a procurement organization or physician or technician designated by the procurement organization about the proposed recovery. The procurement organization shall provide the coroner with all information the procurement organization has that could relate to the cause or manner of death. The coroner shall allow the recovery unless the coroner reasonably believes that the part or the decedent's intact body is needed for law enforcement purposes.

Section 2108.265 | Agreement regarding post-mortem procedures.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

A coroner and a procurement organization shall enter into an agreement establishing protocols and procedures governing the relations between them when an anatomical gift of a part from a decedent whose body is under the jurisdiction of the coroner has been or might be made, but the coroner believes that the recovery of the part could interfere with the post-mortem investigation into the decedent's cause or manner of death. Decisions regarding the recovery of the part from the decedent shall be made in accordance with the agreement. The coroner and procurement organization shall evaluate the effectiveness of the agreement at regular intervals but not less than every two years.

Section 2108.266 | Recovery of part without post-mortem agreement.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

In the absence of an agreement entered into under section 2108.265 of the Revised Code establishing protocols and procedures governing the relations between a coroner and a procurement organization, if the coroner intends to deny recovery of an organ for transplantation or therapy from a decedent whose body is under the jurisdiction of the coroner, the coroner or the coroner's designee, at the request of the procurement organization, shall attend the removal procedure for the organ before making a final determination not to allow the procurement organization to recover the organ. During the removal procedure, the coroner or the coroner's designee may allow recovery by the procurement organization to proceed, or, if the coroner or the coroner's designee reasonably believes that the organ may be involved in determining the decedent's cause or manner of death or that the organ or the decedent's intact body is needed for law enforcement purposes, deny recovery by the procurement organization.

A coroner may designate another coroner or employees of another coroner's office to act on the coroner's behalf under this section.

Section 2108.267 | Denial of recovery of part by coroner.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, if the coroner or the coroner's designee denies recovery of an organ, tissue, or eye from a decedent whose body is under the jurisdiction of the coroner, the coroner or designee shall do all of the following:

(1) Explain in a record the specific reasons for not allowing recovery of the part;

(2) Include in the records of the coroner the specific reasons for not allowing recovery of the part;

(3) Provide a record with the specific reasons for not allowing recovery of the part to the procurement organization.

(B) The requirements of division (A) of this section do not apply when a coroner or designee denies recovery of an organ from a decedent under two years of age.

Section 2108.268 | Refusal of procurement organization to accept gift.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

If a procurement organization refuses to accept an anatomical gift of a part from a decedent whose body is under the jurisdiction of a coroner, the organization shall explain to the coroner, in writing, the organization's reasons for not accepting the part.

Section 2108.269 | Documentation of condition of recovered part.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

If the coroner or the coroner's designee allows recovery of a part under section 2108.263, 2108.264, 2108.265, or 2108.266 of the Revised Code, the procurement organization shall, on the coroner's request, cooperate with the coroner in any documentation of injuries and the preservation and collection of evidence prior to and during the recovery of the part and shall provide the coroner with a record describing the condition of the part, a biopsy, a photograph, and any other information and observations that would assist in the post-mortem examination.

Section 2108.27 | Reimbursement of coroner attending removal.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

If a coroner or a coroner's designee attends a removal procedure under section 2108.266 of the Revised Code, on request of the coroner or coroner's designee the procurement organization requesting the recovery of the organ shall reimburse the office of the coroner for the additional costs incurred in attending the removal procedure. Any reimbursement made under this section shall be applied directly to, and used only for the purpose of, offsetting the salary, wages, and expenses of the coroner's office.

Section 2108.271 | Removal to permit preservation of parts.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

Any recovery or removal procedure conducted under section 2108.263, 2108.264, 2108.265, or 2108.266 of the Revised Code shall be conducted within a period compatible with the preservation of parts for the purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education.

Section 2108.272 | Immunity for denial of recovery of part.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

A coroner or coroner's designee shall not be subject to liability in tort or other civil action for denying recovery of a part from a decedent whose body is under the jurisdiction of the coroner.

Section 2108.28 | Construction to promote uniformity.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

In applying and construing the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act enacted in sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code, consideration shall be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.

Section 2108.29 | Conflict with federal electronic signatures law.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

This section and sections 2108.01 to 2108.28 of the Revised Code modify, limit, and supersede the "Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act," 15 U.S.C. 7001 et seq., but do not modify, limit, or supersede section 101(a) of that act, 15 U.S.C. 7001, or authorize electronic delivery of any of the notices described in division 103(b) of that act, 15 U.S.C. 7003(b).

Nothing in this section, or sections 2108.01 to 2108.28 of the Revised Code, negates the applicability of sections 1306.01 to 1306.15 of the Revised Code to this section or sections 2108.01 to 2108.28 of the Revised Code.

Section 2108.30 | Anatomical gifts not considered sale of fluid or body part.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

Subject to the prohibition in section 2108.18 of the Revised Code, the procuring, furnishing, donating, processing, distributing, or using of human whole blood, plasma, blood products, blood derivatives, and products, corneas, bones, organs, or other human tissue except hair, for the purpose of injecting, transfusing, or transplanting the fluid or body part in another human body, is considered for all purposes as the rendition of a service by every person participating in the act and not a sale of any such fluid or body part. No warranties of any kind or description are applicable to the act.

Section 2108.31 | No parental consent needed for blood donations.

• Effective: October 6, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 67 - 128th General Assembly

Any person seventeen years of age or older may, without consent of the person's parent or guardian, donate blood in a voluntary blood program that is not operated for profit. Any person sixteen years of age but less than seventeen years of age may, with consent of the person's parent or guardian, donate blood in a voluntary blood program that is not operated for profit.

Before obtaining blood donations from students at high schools, joint vocational schools, or technical schools, a blood program shall arrange for the dissemination of written donation information to students to be shared with their parents or guardians. This information shall include a statement that the students will be requested to donate blood.

Section 2108.32 | Toll-free telephone number to provide organ donor information.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

The bureau of motor vehicles shall maintain a toll-free telephone number available twenty-four hours a day that the public may use to obtain information on becoming an organ, tissue, or eye donor as provided in section 2108.05 of the Revised Code. The bureau of motor vehicles shall pay the costs of maintaining the toll-free telephone number.

Section 2108.33 | Immunity.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

The bureau of motor vehicles, registrar of motor vehicles, deputy registrars of motor vehicles, and agents and employees of the bureau of motor vehicles are not liable for damages in any civil action or subject to prosecution in a criminal proceeding for acting, attempting to act, or failing to act in accordance with section 2108.23, 2108.32, or 4501.024 of the Revised Code, unless the act, attempt, or omission was committed or omitted with malicious purpose, in bad faith, or in a wanton or reckless manner.

Section 2108.34 | Second chance trust fund.

• Effective: October 1, 2022
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 21 - 134th General Assembly

(A) There is hereby created in the state treasury the second chance trust fund. The fund shall consist of voluntary contributions deposited as provided in sections 4501.028 and 4503.721 of the Revised Code. All investment earnings of the fund shall be credited to the fund.

(B) The director of health shall use the money in the fund only for the following purposes:

(1) Development and implementation of a campaign that explains and promotes the second chance trust fund;

(2) Development and implementation of local and statewide public education programs about organ, tissue, and eye donation, including the informational material required to be provided under section 4501.028 of the Revised Code;

(3) Development and implementation of local and statewide donor awareness programs in schools;

(4) Development and implementation of local and statewide programs to recognize donor families;

(5) Development and distribution of materials promoting organ, tissue, and eye donation;

(6) Cooperation with the Ohio Supreme Court, Ohio State Bar Association, and law schools of this state to more effectively educate attorneys about the donation of anatomical gifts and to encourage them to assist their clients in donating anatomical gifts through anatomical gift declarations, durable powers of attorney for health care, and any other appropriate means;

(7) Cooperation with the state medical board, state medical, osteopathic, and ophthalmological associations, and colleges of medicine and osteopathic medicine in this state to more effectively educate physicians about the donation of anatomical gifts and to encourage them to assist their patients in making declarations of anatomical gifts;

(8) Development of statewide hospital training programs to encourage and facilitate compliance with sections 2108.14 and 2108.15 of the Revised Code;

(9) Reimbursement of the bureau of motor vehicles for the administrative costs incurred in the performance of duties under section 4501.028 of the Revised Code;

(10) Reimbursement of the department of health for administrative costs incurred in the performance of duties under this section and section 2108.35 of the Revised Code;

(11) Reimbursement of members of the second chance fund advisory committee for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties.

(C) The director shall make the materials developed under division (B)(5) of this section available to other state agencies.

(D) The director shall consider recommendations made by the second chance trust fund advisory committee pursuant to section 2108.35 of the Revised Code. The director shall determine the appropriateness of and approve or disapprove projects recommended by the advisory committee for funding and approve or disapprove the disbursement of money from the second chance trust fund.

Last updated January 13, 2023 at 12:57 PM

Section 2108.35 | Second chance trust fund advisory committee.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) There is hereby created within the department of health the second chance trust fund advisory committee, consisting of eleven members. The members shall include the following:

(1) One representative of each of the following appointed by the director of health:

(a) An Ohio organ procurement organization that is a member of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network;

(b) An Ohio tissue bank that is an accredited member of the American association of tissue banks;

(c) An Ohio eye bank that is certified by the eye bank association of America;

(d) The Ohio solid organ transplantation consortium;

(e) A hospital to which both of the following apply:

(i) It is a member of the Ohio hospital association.

(ii) It has a transplant program or a facility that has been verified as a level I or level II trauma center by the American college of surgeons.

(f) The department of health.

(2) Three members of the public appointed by the director who are not affiliated with procurement organizations;

(3) Two members appointed by the director who are either affiliated with procurement organizations or members of the public.

(B) Of the members first appointed under division (A)(1) of this section, the representatives of the organ procurement organization, tissue procurement organization, and eye bank shall serve terms of three years; the representatives of the department of health and Ohio solid organ transplantation consortium shall serve terms of two years; and the member representing the Ohio hospital association shall serve a term of one year. Thereafter, all members shall serve terms of three years.

(C) Members appointed under this section shall be geographically and demographically representative of the state. No more than a total of three members appointed under this section shall be affiliated with the same procurement organization or group of procurement organizations. Procurement organizations that recover only one type of organ, tissue, or part, as well as procurement organizations that recover more than one type of organ, tissue, or part, shall be represented.

Each member shall serve from the date of appointment until the member's successor is appointed. All vacancies on the committee shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.

(D) The committee shall elect a chairperson from among its members and shall establish procedures for the governance of its operations. The committee shall meet at least semiannually. It shall submit an annual report of its activities and recommendations to the director of health.

(E) Committee members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed from the second chance trust fund for all actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties.

(F) The committee shall do all of the following:

(1) Make recommendations to the director of health for projects for funding from the second chance trust fund;

(2) Consult with the registrar of motor vehicles in formulating proposed rules under division (C)(1) of section 2108.23 of the Revised Code;

(3) As requested, consult with the registrar or director on other matters related to organ donation;

(4) Approve brochures, written materials, and electronic media regarding anatomical gifts and anatomical gift procedures for use in driver training schools pursuant to section 4508.021 of the Revised Code.

(G) The committee is not subject to section 101.84 of the Revised Code.

Last updated September 20, 2023 at 1:07 PM

Section 2108.36 | Definitions; prohibited actions based on physical disability by covered entity.

• Effective: September 28, 2018
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 332 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) As used in this section and sections 2108.37 and 2108.38 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Auxiliary aid or service" means an aid or service that is used to provide information to an individual with a cognitive, developmental, intellectual, neurological, or physical disability and is available in a format or manner that allows the individual to easily understand the information. An auxiliary aid or service may include the following:

(a) A qualified interpreter or other effective means of making aurally delivered materials available to an individual with a hearing impairment;

(b) A qualified reader, taped text, text in an accessible electronic format, or other effective means of making visually delivered materials available to an individual with a visual impairment;

(c) A supported decision-making service, including the following:

(i) The use of an individual to communicate information to the individual with a disability, ascertain the wishes of the individual, or assist the individual in making decisions;

(ii) The disclosure of information to a legal guardian, authorized representative, or another individual designated by the individual with a disability for such purpose, as long as the disclosure is consistent with state and federal law, including the federal "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996," 42 U.S.C. 1320d et seq. and any regulations promulgated by the United States department of health and human services to implement the act.

(2) "Covered entity" means any of the following:

(a) A licensed health professional as defined in section 3721.21 of the Revised Code;

(b) A hospital registered under section 3701.07 of the Revised Code or as defined in section 5122.01 of the Revised Code;

(c) An ambulatory surgical facility as defined in section 3702.30 of the Revised Code;

(d) A hospice care program as defined in section 3712.01 of the Revised Code;

(e) A public hospital as defined in section 5122.01 of the Revised Code;

(f) A home, including a nursing home, residential care facility, or home for the aging as defined in section 3721.01 of the Revised Code or a veterans' home operated under Chapter 5907. of the Revised Code;

(g) A residential facility as defined in section 5119.34 or section 5123.19 of the Revised Code;

(h) An intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities as described in section 5124.01 of the Revised Code;

(i) A long-term care facility as defined in section 3721.21 of the Revised Code;

(j) A correctional medical center established by the department of rehabilitation and corrections;

(k) Any entity responsible for matching anatomical gift donors to potential recipients.

(3) "Disability" has the same meaning as in the "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990," 42 U.S.C. 12102.

(4) "Qualified recipient" means a recipient who has a disability and meets the eligibility requirements for receipt of an anatomical gift with or without any of the following:

(a) Individuals or entities available to support and assist the recipient with an anatomical gift or transplantation;

(b) Auxiliary aids or services;

(c) Reasonable modifications to the policies, practices, or procedures of a covered entity, including modifications to allow for either or both of the following:

(i) Communication with one or more individuals or entities available to support or assist with the recipient's care after surgery or transplantation;

(ii) Consideration of the availability of such individuals or entities when determining whether the recipient is able to comply with medical requirements following transplantation.

(B) A covered entity shall not do any of the following solely on the basis of an individual's disability:

(1) Consider a qualified recipient ineligible for transplantation or to receive an anatomical gift;

(2) Deny medical or other services related to transplantation, including evaluation, surgery, and counseling and treatment following transplantation;

(3) Refuse to refer an individual to a transplant center or specialist;

(4) Refuse to place a qualified recipient on an organ or tissue waiting list;

(5) Place a qualified recipient at a position on an organ or tissue waiting list that is lower than the position at which the recipient would have been placed if not for the recipient's disability.

(C)(1) Subject to division (C)(2) of this section, when making treatment recommendations or decisions related to an anatomical gift or transplantation, a covered entity may consider an individual's disability, if the disability has been determined by a physician, following an examination of the individual, to be medically significant to the provision of an anatomical gift or transplantation.

(2) A covered entity shall not consider the inability to comply with medical requirements following transplantation to be medically significant if a qualified recipient has individuals or entities available to assist in complying with the requirements.

(D) A covered entity shall make reasonable modifications to its policies, practices, or procedures to allow individuals with disabilities access to transplantation-related treatment and services, except when the entity can demonstrate that the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the treatment and services.

Section 2108.37 | Violation; civil actions.

• Effective: September 28, 2018
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 332 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) Whenever it appears that a covered entity has violated or is violating section 2108.36 of the Revised Code, the affected individual may commence a civil action for injunctive and other equitable relief against the covered entity for purposes of enforcing compliance with that section. The action shall be commenced in the court of common pleas of the county in which the violation occurred or is occurring.

(B) In an action commenced under this section, the court shall schedule a hearing as soon as practicable and shall apply the same standards when rendering judgment as would be applied in an action brought in federal court under the "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990," 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.

(C) This section does not create a right to compensatory or punitive damages against a covered entity.

Section 2108.38 | Denial of coverage for covered person based on disability prohibited.

• Effective: September 28, 2018
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 332 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Covered person" means a policyholder, subscriber, enrollee, member, or individual covered by a health benefit plan.

(2) "Health benefit plan" means a policy, contract, certificate, or agreement offered by a health plan issuer to provide, deliver, arrange for, pay for, or reimburse any of the costs of health care services, including benefit plans marketed in the individual or group market by all associations, whether bona fide or not. "Health benefit plan" also means a limited benefit plan, except as follows. "Health benefit plan" does not mean any of the following types of coverage: a policy, contract, certificate, or agreement that covers only a specified accident, accident only, credit, dental, disability income, long-term care, hospital indemnity, supplemental coverage, as described in section 3923.37 of the Revised Code, specified disease, or vision care; coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance; insurance arising out of workers' compensation or similar law; automobile medical payment insurance; or insurance under which benefits are payable with or without regard to fault and which is statutorily required to be contained in any liability insurance policy or equivalent self-insurance; a medicare supplement policy of insurance, as defined by the superintendent of insurance by rule, coverage under a plan through medicare, medicaid, or the federal employees benefit program; any coverage issued under Chapter 55 of Title 10 of the United States Code and any coverage issued as a supplement to that coverage.

(3) "Health plan issuer" means an entity subject to the insurance laws and rules of this state, or subject to the jurisdiction of the superintendent of insurance, that contracts, or offers to contract to provide, deliver, arrange for, pay for, or reimburse any of the costs of health care services under a health benefit plan, including a sickness and accident insurance company, a health insuring corporation, a fraternal benefit society, a self-funded multiple employer welfare arrangement, or a nonfederal, government health plan. "Health plan issuer" includes a third-party administrator licensed under Chapter 3959. of the Revised Code to the extent that the benefits that such an entity is contracted to administer under a health benefit plan are subject to the insurance laws and rules of this state or subject to the jurisdiction of the superintendent.

(B) A health plan issuer that provides coverage for anatomical gifts, transplantation, or related treatment and services shall not deny such coverage to a covered person solely on the basis of the person's disability.

Section 2108.40 | Definition of death.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

An individual is dead if the individual has sustained either irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions or irreversible cessation of all functions of the brain, including the brain stem, as determined in accordance with accepted medical standards. If the respiratory and circulatory functions of a person are being artificially sustained, under accepted medical standards a determination that death has occurred is made by a physician by observing and conducting a test to determine that the irreversible cessation of all functions of the brain has occurred.

A physician who makes a determination of death in accordance with this section and accepted medical standards is not liable for damages in any civil action or subject to prosecution in any criminal proceeding for the physician's acts or the acts of others based on that determination.

Any person who acts in good faith in reliance on a determination of death made by a physician in accordance with this section and accepted medical standards is not liable for damages in any civil action or subject to prosecution in any criminal proceeding for the person's actions.

Section 2108.50 | Consent to autopsy or post-mortem examination.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

(A) Subject to section 2108.521 of the Revised Code, an autopsy or post-mortem examination may be performed upon the body of a deceased person by a licensed physician or surgeon if consent has been given by the person who has the right of disposition under section 2108.70 or 2108.81 of the Revised Code.

(B) Consent to an autopsy or post-mortem examination given under this section may be revoked only by the person executing the consent and in the same manner as required for execution of consent under this section.

Section 2108.51 | Immunity.

• Effective: January 13, 2012
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 124 - 129th General Assembly

Any licensed physician or surgeon who, in good faith and acting in reliance upon an instrument of consent for an autopsy or post-mortem examination executed under section 2108.50 of the Revised Code and without actual knowledge of revocation of that consent, performs an autopsy or post-mortem examination is not liable in a civil or criminal action brought against the licensed physician or surgeon for that act.

Section 2108.52 | Exceptions.

• Effective: June 13, 1975
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 111th General Assembly

The requirements of section 2108.50 of the Revised Code do not apply to a post-mortem or other examination performed under sections 313.01 to 313.22 of the Revised Code, or to medical, surgical, and anatomical study performed under sections 1713.34 to 1713.42 of the Revised Code.

Section 2108.521 | Suspicious death of a person with a developmental disability.

• Effective: October 12, 2016
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 158 - 131st General Assembly

(A) If a person with a developmental disability dies, if the department of developmental disabilities or a county board of developmental disabilities has a good faith reason to believe that the deceased person's death occurred under suspicious circumstances, if the coroner was apprised of the circumstances of the death, and if the coroner after being so apprised of the circumstances declines to conduct an autopsy, the department or the board may file a petition in a court of common pleas seeking an order authorizing an autopsy or post-mortem examination under this section.

(B) Upon the filing of a petition under division (A) of this section, the court may conduct, but is not required to conduct, a hearing on the petition. The court may determine whether to grant the petition without a hearing. The department or board, and all other interested parties, may submit information and statements to the court that are relevant to the petition, and, if the court conducts a hearing, may present evidence and testimony at the hearing. The court shall order the requested autopsy or post-mortem examination if it finds that, under the circumstances, the department or board has demonstrated a need for the autopsy or post-mortem examination. The court shall order an autopsy or post-mortem examination in the circumstances specified in this division regardless of whether any consent has been given, or has been given and withdrawn, under section 2108.50 of the Revised Code, and regardless of whether any information was presented to the coroner pursuant to section 313.131 of the Revised Code or to the court under this section regarding an autopsy being contrary to the deceased person's religious beliefs.

(C) An autopsy or post-mortem examination ordered under this section may be performed upon the body of the deceased person by a licensed physician or surgeon. The court may identify in the order the person who is to perform the autopsy or post-mortem examination. If an autopsy or post-mortem examination is ordered under this section, the department or board that requested the autopsy or examination shall pay the physician or surgeon who performs the autopsy or examination for costs and expenses incurred in performing the autopsy or examination.

Last updated April 16, 2021 at 10:26 AM

Section 2108.61 | Umbilical cord blood donation definitions.

• Effective: June 30, 2010
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 102 - 128th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section and sections 2108.62 and 2108.63 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Health care institution" means a hospital registered as such under section 3701.07 of the Revised Code or a freestanding birthing center.

(2) "Health care professional" means a physician authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery; a registered nurse, including a certified nurse-midwife, authorized to practice under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code; or a physician assistant authorized to practice under Chapter 4130. of the Revised Code.

(3) "Umbilical cord blood" means the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after the birth of a newborn child.

(B) The department of health shall encourage health care professionals who provide health care services that are directly related to a woman's pregnancy to provide a woman before her third trimester of pregnancy with the publications described in section 2108.62 of the Revised Code.

Last updated July 27, 2022 at 2:56 PM

Section 2108.62 | Umbilical cord blood banking.

• Effective: June 30, 2010
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 102 - 128th General Assembly

(A) The department of health, on its internet web site, shall make available to health care professionals printable publications that can be downloaded containing standardized, objective information about umbilical cord blood banking that is sufficient to allow a pregnant woman to make an informed decision about whether to participate in an umbilical cord blood banking program. The publications shall include all of the following information:

(1) The medical processes involved in the collection of umbilical cord blood;

(2) The medical risks of umbilical cord blood collection to the mother and the newborn child;

(3) The options available to a mother regarding stem cells contained in the umbilical cord blood after delivery of the mother's newborn child, including:

(a) Having the stem cells discarded;

(b) Donating the stem cells to a public umbilical cord blood bank;

(c) Having the stem cells stored in a private umbilical cord blood bank for use by immediate and extended family members;

(d) Storing the stem cells for use by the family through a family or sibling donor banking program that provides free collection, processing, and storage of the stem cells where there is a medical need.

(4) The current and potential future medical uses, risks, and benefits of umbilical cord blood collection to the mother, newborn child, and biological family;

(5) The current and potential future medical uses, risks, and benefits of umbilical cord blood collection to individuals who are not biologically related to the mother or newborn child;

(6) Any costs that may be incurred by a pregnant woman who chooses to make an umbilical cord blood donation;

(7) The average cost of public and private umbilical cord blood banking.

(B) The department may update the publications prepared pursuant to this section as it considers necessary.

Section 2108.63 | Health care professional or institution not liable for damages.

• Effective: June 30, 2010
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 102 - 128th General Assembly

A health care professional or health care institution is not liable for damages in a civil action, subject to prosecution in a criminal proceeding, or subject to disciplinary action by the state medical board or board of nursing for acting in good faith pursuant to section 2108.61 of the Revised Code.

Section 2108.70 | Assignment of rights regarding disposition of remains.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section and sections 2108.71 to 2108.90 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Adult" means an individual who is eighteen years of age or older.

(2) "Declarant" means an adult who has executed a written declaration described in division (B) of this section.

(3) "Representative" means an adult or a group of adults, collectively, to whom a declarant has assigned the right of disposition.

(4) "Right of disposition" means one or more of the rights described in division (B) of this section that a declarant chooses to assign to a representative in a written declaration executed under that division or all of the rights described in division (B) of this section that are assigned to a person pursuant to section 2108.81 of the Revised Code.

(5) "Successor representative" means an adult or group of adults, collectively, to whom the right of disposition for a declarant has been reassigned because the declarant's representative is disqualified from exercising the right under section 2108.75 of the Revised Code. Each successor representative shall be considered in the order the representative is designated by the declarant.

(B) An adult who is of sound mind may execute at any time a written declaration assigning to a representative one or more of the following rights:

(1) The right to direct the disposition, after death, of the declarant's body or any part of the declarant's body that becomes separated from the body before death. This right includes the right to determine the location, manner, and conditions of the disposition of the declarant's bodily remains.

(2) The right to make arrangements and purchase goods and services for the declarant's funeral. This right includes the right to determine the location, manner, and condition of the declarant's funeral.

(3) The right to make arrangements and purchase goods and services for the declarant's burial, cremation, or other manner of final disposition. This right includes the right to determine the location, manner, and condition of the declarant's burial, cremation, or other manner of final disposition.

(C)(1) Subject to division (C)(2) of this section, a declarant may designate a successor representative.

(2) If a representative is a group of persons and not all of the persons in the group meet at least one criterion to be disqualified from serving as the representative, as described in section 2108.75 of the Revised Code, the persons in the group who are not disqualified shall remain the representative who has the right of disposition.

(D) The assignment or reassignment of a right of disposition to a representative and a successor representative supercedes an assignment of a right of disposition under section 2108.81 of the Revised Code.

Section 2108.71 | Vesting of assignment of right of disposition.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

The assignment or reassignment of a right of disposition by a declarant under section 2108.70 of the Revised Code vests in a representative or a successor representative at the time of the declarant's death.

Section 2108.72 | Written declaration of assignment.

• Effective: September 17, 2010
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 449 - 128th General Assembly

(A) The written declaration described in section 2108.70 of the Revised Code shall include all of the following:

(1) The declarant's legal name and present address;

(2) A statement that the declarant, an adult being of sound mind, willfully and voluntarily appoints a representative to have the declarant's right of disposition for the declarant's body upon the declarant's death;

(3) A statement that all decisions made by the declarant's representative with respect to the right of disposition are binding;

(4) The name, last known address, and last known telephone number of the representative or, if the representative is a group of persons, the name, last known address, and last known telephone number of each person in the group;

(5) If the declarant chooses to have a successor representative, a statement that if any person or group of persons named as the declarant's representative is disqualified from serving in such position as described in section 2108.75 of the Revised Code, the declarant appoints a successor representative;

(6) If applicable, the name, last known address, and last known telephone number of the successor representative or, if the successor representative is a group of persons, the name, last known address, and last known telephone number of each person in the group;

(7) A space where the declarant may indicate the declarant's preferences regarding how the right of disposition should be exercised, including any religious observances the declarant wishes the person with the right of disposition to consider;

(8) A space where the declarant may indicate one or more sources of funds that may be used to pay for goods and services associated with the exercise of the right of disposition;

(9) A statement that the declarant's written declaration becomes effective on the declarant's death;

(10) A statement that the declarant revokes any written declaration that the declarant executed, in accordance with section 2108.70 of the Revised Code, prior to the execution of the present written declaration;

(11) A space where the declarant can sign and date the written declaration;

(12) A space where a notary public or two witnesses can sign and date the written declaration as described in section 2108.73 of the Revised Code.

(B) A written declaration may take the following form:

APPOINTMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISPOSITION OF BODILY REMAINS, FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS, AND BURIAL OR CREMATION GOODS AND SERVICES:

I, _________________ (legal name and present address of declarant), an adult being of sound mind, willfully and voluntarily appoint my representative, named below, to have the right of disposition, as defined in section 2108.70 of the Revised Code, for my body upon my death. All decisions made by my representative with respect to the right of disposition shall be binding.

REPRESENTATIVE:

(If the representative is a group of persons, indicate the name, last known address, and telephone number of each person in the group.)

Name(s): __________________________

Address(es): __________________________

Telephone Number(s): __________________________

SUCCESSOR REPRESENTATIVE:

If my representative is disqualified from serving as my representative as described in section 2108.75 of the Revised Code, then I hereby appoint the following person or group of persons to serve as my successor representative.

(If the successor representative is a group of persons, indicate the name, last known address, and telephone number of each person in the group.)

Name(s): _________________________

Address(es): _________________________

Telephone Number(s): _________________________

PREFERENCES REGARDING HOW THE RIGHT OF DISPOSITION SHOULD BE EXERCISED, INCLUDING ANY RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES THE DECLARANT WISHES A REPRESENTATIVE OR A SUCCESSOR REPRESENTATIVE TO CONSIDER:

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ONE OR MORE SOURCES OF FUNDS THAT COULD BE USED TO PAY FOR GOODS AND SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH AN EXERCISE OF THE RIGHT OF DISPOSITION:

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DURATION:

The appointment of my representative and, if applicable, successor representative, becomes effective upon my death.

PRIOR APPOINTMENTS REVOKED:

I hereby revoke any written declaration that I executed in accordance with section 2108.70 of the Ohio Revised Code prior to the date of execution of this written declaration indicated below.

AUTHORIZATION TO ACT:

I hereby agree that any of the following that receives a copy of this written declaration may act under it:

- Cemetery organization;

- Crematory operator;

- Business operating a columbarium;

- Funeral director;

- Embalmer;

- Funeral home;

- Any other person asked to assist with my funeral, burial, cremation, or other manner of final disposition.

MODIFICATION AND REVOCATION - WHEN EFFECTIVE:

Any modification or revocation of this written declaration is not effective as to any party until that party receives actual notice of the modification or revocation.

LIABILITY:

No person who acts in accordance with a properly executed copy of this written declaration shall be liable for damages of any kind associated with the person's reliance on this declaration.

Signed this ______ day of_______

_____________________________

(Signature of declarant)

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ASSUMPTION OF OBLIGATIONS AND COSTS:

By signing below, the representative, or successor representative, if applicable, acknowledges that he or she, as representative or successor representative, assumes the right of disposition as defined in section 2108.70 of the Revised Code, and understands that he or she is liable for the reasonable costs of exercising the right, including any goods and services that are purchased.

ACCEPTANCE (OPTIONAL):

The undersigned hereby accepts this appointment as representative or successor representative, as applicable, for the right of disposition as defined in section 2108.70 of the Revised Code.

Signed this ______ day of ________

____________________________

Signature of representative (if

representative is a group of persons,

each person in the group shall sign)

Signed this ______ day of _______

__________________________________

Signature of successor representative

(if successor representative is a

group of persons, each person in the

group shall sign)

WITNESSES:

I attest that the declarant signed or acknowledged this assignment of the right of disposition under section 2108.70 of the Revised Code in my presence and that the declarant is at least eighteen years of age and appears to be of sound mind and not under or subject to duress, fraud, or undue influence. I further attest that I am not the declarant's representative or successor representative, I am at least eighteen years of age, and I am not related to the declarant by blood, marriage, or adoption.

First witness:

Name (printed):

_______________________ Residing at: ____________

Signature: ____________

____________________________ ____________

Date:

____________________________

Second witness:

Name (printed):

____________________________ Residing at: ____________

Signature: ____________

____________________________ ____________

Date:

__________________________

OR

NOTARY ACKNOWLEDGMENT

State of Ohio

County of _____________ SS.

On _______________, before me, the undersigned notary public, personally appeared _________________, known to me or satisfactorily proven to be the person whose name is subscribed as the declarant, and who has acknowledged that he or she executed this written declaration under section 2108.70 of the Revised Code for the purposes expressed in that section. I attest that the declarant is at least eighteen years of age and appears to be of sound mind and not under or subject to duress, fraud, or undue influence.

Signature of notary public

__________________________

My commission expires on:

__________________________

(C) Completion of a federal Record of Emergency Data form, DD Form 93, or its successor form, by a member of the military, is sufficient to constitute a written declaration under section 2108.70 of the Revised Code if section 13a of DD Form 93, entitled "Person Authorized to Direct Disposition," has been properly completed by the member of the military who has subsequently died while under active duty orders as described in 10 U.S.C. 1481.

Section 2108.73 | Witnesses to declaration of assignment.

• Effective: September 17, 2010
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 449 - 128th General Assembly

A written declaration executed by a declarant under section 2108.70 of the Revised Code shall be signed and dated by the declarant in the presence of one of the following:

(A) A notary public who shall make the certification described in section 147.53 of the Revised Code.

(B) Two witnesses who are adults and who are not related by blood, marriage, or adoption to the declarant.

(C) If the written declaration is a DD Form 93, Record of Emergency Data, by whomever the form requires.

Section 2108.74 | Declarant warrants truth of declaration.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

A declarant who executes a written declaration in accordance with section 2108.73 of the Revised Code warrants the truthfulness of the entire content of the declaration.

Section 2108.75 | Disqualification of assignee of right of disposition.

• Effective: September 13, 2022
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 224 - 134th General Assembly

(A) A person shall be disqualified from serving as a representative or successor representative, or from having the right of disposition for a deceased person pursuant to section 2108.81 of the Revised Code, if any of the following occurs:

(1) The person dies.

(2) A probate court declares or determines that the person is incompetent.

(3) The person resigns or declines to exercise the right as described in section 2108.88 of the Revised Code.

(4) The person fails to exercise the right within forty-eight hours after notification of the declarant's or deceased person's death or, if there is no notification, within seventy-two hours of either of the following, as applicable:

(a) The declarant's or deceased person's death;

(b) The discovery of the declarant's or deceased person's remains, when such discovery occurs more than an hour after the declarant's or deceased person's death.

(5) The person cannot be located with reasonable effort.

(6) The person meets the criteria described in section 2108.76 or 2108.77 of the Revised Code.

(7) The person refuses to assume the liability for the costs of disposition.

(B) No owner, employee, or agent of a funeral home, cemetery, or crematory providing funeral, burial, or cremation services for a declarant shall serve as a representative or successor representative for the declarant unless the owner, employee, or agent is related to the declarant by blood, marriage, or adoption.

(C) Subject to divisions (C)(2) and (D) of section 2108.70 of the Revised Code, if a person is disqualified from serving as the declarant's representative or successor representative, or from having the right of disposition for a deceased person pursuant to section 2108.81 of the Revised Code, as described in division (A) of this section, the right is automatically reassigned to, and vests in, the next person who has the right pursuant to the declarant's written declaration or pursuant to the order of priority in section 2108.81 of the Revised Code.

If a right of disposition for a deceased person is assigned to a funeral director under division (B)(9) of section 2108.81 of the Revised Code, the funeral director is not liable for the cost of disposition.

Last updated July 15, 2022 at 2:03 PM

Section 2108.76 | Assignee no longer declarant's spouse.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, if the person named as the declarant's representative or successor representative in a written declaration was the declarant's spouse at the time the declaration was executed, but is not the declarant's spouse at the time of the declarant's death, the former spouse shall no longer be qualified to serve as the declarant's representative or successor representative.

(B) Division (A) of this section shall not apply and a former spouse is qualified to serve as a declarant's representative or successor representative if the declarant signs and dates, after the termination of the marriage, a document stating the declarant's intent that the former spouse be the declarant's representative or successor representative. The document must be notarized or witnessed in accordance with the procedures described in section 2108.73 of the Revised Code.

Section 2108.77 | Loss of assigned right of disposition.

• Effective: September 13, 2022
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 224 - 134th General Assembly

If the person named as the declarant's representative or successor representative in a written declaration, or the person who has a deceased person's right of disposition pursuant to section 2108.81 of the Revised Code, meets any of the following criteria, the person shall be disqualified from serving as the representative or successor representative, or from having the right:

(A)(1) Subject to division (A)(2) of this section, the person has been charged with murder, aggravated murder, or voluntary manslaughter.

(2) If the charges against the person described in division (A)(1) of this section are dismissed or if the person is acquitted of such charges, the right is restored to the person.

(B)(1) Subject to division (B)(2) of this section, the person has been charged with an act of domestic violence under section 2919.25 of the Revised Code and it has been alleged in the charging instrument or accompanying papers that the act resulted in or contributed to the declarant's death.

(2) If the charges against the person described in division (B)(1) of this section are dismissed or if the person is acquitted of such charges, the right is restored to the person.

(C) The person and the declarant or deceased person are spouses and an action to terminate the marriage pursuant to Chapter 3105. of the Revised Code was pending at the time of the declarant's or deceased person's death.

(D) The person and the declarant or deceased person are spouses and a probate court, on the motion of any other person or its own motion, determines that the declarant's or deceased person's spouse and the declarant were estranged at the time of the declarant's or deceased person's death. As used in this division, "estranged" means that a declarant's or a deceased person's spouse and the declarant or deceased person were physically and emotionally separated from each other, at the time of the declarant's or deceased person's death, and had been separated for a period of time that clearly demonstrates an absence of due affection, trust, and regard between spouse and the declarant or deceased person.

Last updated July 15, 2022 at 2:04 PM

Section 2108.78 | Assignee bound by declaration of anatomical gift.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

If a declarant or deceased adult has made an anatomical gift under sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code, any person to whom the declarant has assigned the right of disposition under section 2108.70 of the Revised Code, or who has the right as described in section 2108.81 of the Revised Code, is bound by the anatomical gift and must follow the instructions associated with the gift before making any decisions or taking any other actions associated with the right.

Section 2108.79 | Multiple assignees - majority rule - deadlock.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

(A) Subject to divisions (B) and (C) of this section, if a declarant's representative or successor representative is a group of people in whom the right of disposition has vested as described in section 2108.71 of the Revised Code, or if a class of persons has the right as described in section 2108.81 of the Revised Code, and the persons in the group or class disagree regarding how the right is to be exercised, the decisions of the majority of the persons in the group or class shall prevail.

(B) If, after reasonable efforts, less than all of the persons in a group or class described in division (A) of this section have been located, the decisions of the majority of the persons in the group or class who have been located prevail.

(C) If a majority of persons cannot reach a decision under division (A) or (B) of this section, the probate court of the county in which the declarant or deceased person resided at the time of death shall make the decision in accordance with the criteria set forth in division (B) of section 2108.82 of the Revised Code.

Section 2108.80 | Revocation of declaration of assignment.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

A declarant may revoke a written declaration executed under section 2108.70 of the Revised Code by indicating the declarant's desire to revoke the declaration in a document signed and dated by the declarant in the presence of either of the following:

(A) A notary public who shall make the certification described in section 147.53 of the Revised Code.

(B) Two witnesses who are adults and are not related by blood, marriage, or adoption to the declarant.

Section 2108.81 | Right of disposition - no declaration of assignment.

• Effective: September 13, 2022
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 224 - 134th General Assembly

(A) If either of the following is true, division (B) of this section shall apply:

(1) A person has not executed a written declaration pursuant to sections 2108.70 to 2108.73 of the Revised Code that remains in force at the time of the person's death.

(2) Each person to whom the right of disposition has been assigned or reassigned pursuant to a written declaration is disqualified from exercising the right as described in section 2108.75 of the Revised Code.

(B) Subject to division (A) of this section and sections 2108.75 and 2108.79 of the Revised Code, the right of disposition is assigned to the following persons, if mentally competent adults who can be located with reasonable effort, in the order of priority stated:

(1) The deceased person's surviving spouse;

(2) The sole surviving child of the deceased person or, if there is more than one surviving child, all of the surviving children, collectively;

(3) The deceased person's surviving parent or parents, subject to division (C) of this section;

(4) The deceased person's surviving sibling, whether of the whole or of the half blood or, if there is more than one sibling of the whole or of the half blood, all of the surviving siblings, collectively;

(5) The deceased person's surviving grandparent or grandparents;

(6) The deceased person's surviving grandchild, or if there is more than one surviving grandchild, all of the surviving grandchildren collectively;

(7) The lineal descendants of the deceased person's grandparents, as described in division (I) of section 2105.06 of the Revised Code;

(8) The person who was the deceased person's guardian at the time of the deceased person's death, if a guardian had been appointed;

(9) Any other person willing to assume the right of disposition, including the personal representative of the deceased person's estate or the licensed funeral director with custody of the deceased person's body, after attesting in writing that a good faith effort has been made to locate the persons in divisions (B)(1) to (8) of this section.

(10) If the deceased person was an indigent person or other person the final disposition of whose body is the financial and statutory responsibility of the state or a political subdivision of this state, the public officer or employee responsible for arranging the final disposition of the remains of the deceased person.

(C)(1) If a parent was the residential parent and legal custodian of the deceased person at the time the deceased person reached the age of majority, that parent's right of disposition for the deceased person shall take precedence over the parent who was not the residential parent and legal custodian of the deceased person at that time.

(2) Division (C)(1) of this section shall not apply if the parent with precedence is disqualified from the right of disposition for the deceased person under section 2108.75 of the Revised Code.

(3) Section 2108.79 of the Revised Code shall not affect the precedence under division (C)(1) of this section;

(4) For purposes of this section, a parent's status as a residential parent and legal custodian of a child shall be established by a court order or decree that allocates parental rights and responsibilities for the care of the child and was in effect up to or at the time that the deceased person reached the age of majority, or by other uncontroverted evidence. No funeral director, embalmer, or crematory operator is required to investigate whether or not the person claiming to be the residential parent and legal custodian of a deceased person is in fact the residential parent and legal custodian.

Last updated July 15, 2022 at 2:04 PM

Section 2108.82 | Assignment of right of disposition by probate court.

• Effective: April 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 224 (GA 134), Senate Bill 202 (GA 134)

(A) Notwithstanding section 2108.81 of the Revised Code and in accordance with division (B) of this section, the probate court for the county in which the declarant or deceased person resided at the time of death may, on its own motion or the motion of another person, assign to any person the right of disposition for a declarant or deceased person.

(B) In making a determination for purposes of division (A) of this section and division (C) of section 2108.79 of the Revised Code, the court shall consider the following:

(1) Whether evidence presented to, or in the possession of the court, demonstrates that the person who is the subject of the motion and the declarant or deceased person had a close personal relationship;

(2) The reasonableness and practicality of any plans that the person who is the subject of the motion may have for the declarant's or deceased person's funeral, burial, cremation, final disposition, redisposition, or disinterment, including the degree to which such plans allow maximum participation by all persons who wish to pay their final respects to the deceased person;

(3) The convenience and needs of other family members and friends wishing to pay their final respects to the declarant or deceased person;

(4) The express written desires of the declarant or deceased person;

(5) The religious beliefs or other evidence of the desires of the declarant or deceased person;

(6) The conduct of the persons involved in the proceedings related to the circumstances concerning the deceased person, the deceased person's estate, and other family members;

(7) The length of time that has elapsed since the original or last disposition;

(8) Whether there is a change of circumstances, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

(a) A change to the physical or environmental conditions of the cemetery or other location of the deceased person's bodily remains or the surrounding area;

(b) A change to the financial condition of the cemetery operator or organization containing the deceased person's bodily remains;

(c) A change related to the residence of the deceased person's family members;

(d) A change to the burial arrangements for the deceased person's family members.

A change of circumstances does not include a mere change of the representative who has been assigned the right to direct the disposition of the deceased person's bodily remains.

(C) There shall be no disinterment or other change of the original or last disposition unless the court makes a finding of compelling reasons based upon the factors listed in division (B) of this section.

(D) The personal representative of either the declarant or the deceased does not have a greater claim to the right of disposition than such persons otherwise have pursuant to law.

The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation.

Last updated February 16, 2023 at 11:54 AM

Section 2108.83 | Dispute regarding right of disposition.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

In the event of a dispute regarding the right of disposition, a funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person asked to assist with a declarant's or deceased person's funeral, burial, cremation, or other manner of final disposition shall not be liable for damages of any kind for refusing to accept the remains, refusing to inter, cremate, or otherwise dispose of the remains, or refusing to complete funeral or other arrangements pertaining to final disposition until such funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person receives a court order or a written document that is executed by a person that the funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person reasonably believes has the right of disposition and that clearly expresses how the right of disposition is to be exercised.

Section 2108.84 | Procedure pending resolution of dispute.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

If a funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, or other person asked to assist with a declarant's or deceased person's funeral, burial, cremation, or other manner of final disposition is in possession of a declarant's or deceased person's remains while a dispute described in section 2108.83 of the Revised Code is pending, the funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, or other person may embalm or refrigerate and shelter the remains to preserve them and may add the cost of embalming, refrigeration, and sheltering to the final disposition costs to be charged.

Section 2108.85 | Costs and legal fees arising from legal action.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

(A) If a funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person asked to assist with a declarant's or deceased person's funeral, burial, cremation, or other manner of final disposition brings a legal action for purposes of section 2108.83 or 2108.84 of the Revised Code, the funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person may add to the costs the person charges for the goods and services the person provided the legal fees, if reasonable, and the court costs that the person incurred.

(B) The right created by division (A) of this section shall neither be construed to require, nor impose a duty on, a funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person asked to assist with a declarant's or deceased person's funeral, burial, cremation, or other manner of final disposition, to bring a legal action and such person shall not be held criminally or civilly liable for not bringing an action.

Section 2108.86 | Right to rely on declaration and instructions.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

(A) A funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person asked to assist with a declarant's funeral, burial, cremation, or other manner of final disposition has the right to rely on the content of a written declaration and the instructions of the person or group of persons whom the funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person reasonably believes has the right of disposition.

(B) If the circumstances described in division (A) of section 2108.81 of the Revised Code apply, a funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person asked to assist with a deceased person's funeral, burial, cremation, or other manner of final disposition has the right to rely on the instructions of the person or group of persons the funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person reasonably believes has the right of disposition pursuant to section 2108.81 of the Revised Code.

(C) No funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person asked to assist with a deceased person's funeral, burial, cremation, or other manner of final disposition, who relies, pursuant to divisions (A) and (B) of this section, in good faith on the contents of a written declaration or the instructions of the person or group of persons the funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person reasonably believes has the right of disposition, shall be subject to criminal or civil liability or subject to disciplinary action for taking an action or not taking an action in reliance on such contents or instructions and for otherwise complying with sections 2108.70 to 2108.90 of the Revised Code.

Section 2108.87 | Right to make independent investigation.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

(A) A funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person asked to assist with a deceased person's funeral, burial, cremation, or other manner of final disposition may independently investigate the existence of, or locate or contact, the following persons:

(1) A representative or successor representative named in a written declaration;

(2) A person listed in section 2108.81 of the Revised Code.

(B) In no circumstances shall a funeral home, funeral director, crematory operator, cemetery operator, cemetery organization, or other person asked to assist with a deceased person's funeral, burial, cremation, or other manner of final disposition have a duty to independently investigate the existence of, or locate or contact, the persons described in division (A) of this section.

Section 2108.88 | Refusal or resignation by assignee of right.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

(A) A person to whom a declarant's or deceased person's right of disposition has been assigned or reassigned pursuant to section 2108.70 or 2108.81 of the Revised Code may decline to exercise the right or resign after beginning to exercise the right.

(B) A person described in division (A) of this section who resigns after beginning to exercise the right shall be subject to section 2108.89 of the Revised Code.

Section 2108.89 | Liability for costs of disposition.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

The following persons shall be liable for the reasonable costs of any goods or services purchased in connection with the exercise of the right of disposition for a declarant or deceased person:

(A) A representative or successor who assumes liability for the cost of such goods and services by signing a written declaration that states that such an assumption is made;

(B) A person to whom the right of disposition is assigned pursuant to section 2108.81 of the Revised Code and who has purchased goods or services associated with an exercise of the right.

Section 2108.90 | Exclusive jurisdiction of probate court over disputes.

• Effective: October 12, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 426 - 126th General Assembly

Pursuant to division (A) of section 2101.24 of the Revised Code, the probate court for the county in which the declarant or deceased person resided at the time of death or the county in which a living person whose post-death arrangements are the subject of dispute resides shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any action that results from sections 2108.70 to 2108.89 of the Revised Code.

Section 2108.99 | Penalty.

• Effective: April 7, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 529 - 127th General Assembly

Whoever violates division (A) of section 2108.18 or section 2108.19 of the Revised Code is guilty of a felony of the third degree.