The Legislative Service Commission staff updates the Revised Code on an ongoing basis, as it completes its act review of enacted legislation.
Updates may be slower during some times of the year, depending on the volume of enacted legislation.
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Section 3737.01 | Fire marshal - fire safety definitions.
Effective:
March 19, 2003
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 115 - 124th General Assembly
As used in this chapter: (A) "Assistant fire marshal" means any person who is employed by the fire marshal and who carries out specific duties assigned by the fire marshal, including, but not limited to, enforcement of Chapters 3731., 3737., and 3743. of the Revised Code, fire inspection, fire code enforcement, fire investigation, fire prevention, or the regulation of underground storage tank systems as defined in section 3737.87 of the Revised Code. (B) "Consumer goods" means any item sold, leased, or rented primarily for personal or household use. (C) "Fire agency" means any state or local fire service or agency whose function is to examine the property of another person for the purpose of identifying fire safety hazards. (D) "Fire safety inspector" means any person who is a member of the civil service, as defined in section 124.01 of the Revised Code, or who is employed by or voluntarily serves a village or township, and who examines the property of another person for the purpose of identifying fire safety hazards. (E) "Person," in addition to the meaning in section 1.59 of the Revised Code, means the state and any political subdivision of the state, and any other entity, public or private. (F) "Responsible person" means the person responsible for compliance with the state fire code, including, but not limited to, the owner, lessee, agent, operator, or occupant of a building, premises, or vehicle.
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Section 3737.02 | Fees - federal funding.
Effective:
October 3, 2023
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly
(A) The fire marshal may collect fees to cover the costs of performing inspections and other duties that the fire marshal is authorized or required by law to perform. Except as provided in division (B) of this section, all fees collected by the fire marshal shall be deposited to the credit of the fire marshal's fund. (B)(1) All of the following shall be credited to the underground storage tank administration fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury: (a) Fees collected under sections 3737.88 and 3737.881 of the Revised Code for operation of the underground storage tank and underground storage tank installer certification programs; (b) Moneys recovered under section 3737.89 of the Revised Code for the state's costs of undertaking corrective or enforcement actions under that section or section 3737.882 of the Revised Code; (c) Fines and penalties collected under section 3737.882 of the Revised Code and other moneys, including corrective action enforcement case settlements or bankruptcy case awards or settlements, received by the fire marshal under sections 3737.88 to 3737.89 of the Revised Code. (2) All interest earned on moneys credited to the underground storage tank administration fund shall be credited to the fund. Moneys credited to the underground storage tank administration fund shall be used by the fire marshal for implementation and enforcement of underground storage tank, corrective action, and installer certification programs under sections 3737.88 to 3737.89 of the Revised Code. (C) The fire marshal shall take all actions necessary to obtain any federal funding available to carry out the fire marshal's responsibilities under sections 3737.88 to 3737.89 of the Revised Code and federal laws regarding the cleaning up of releases of petroleum, as "release" is defined in section 3737.87 of the Revised Code, including, without limitation, any federal funds that are available to reimburse the state for the costs of undertaking corrective actions for such releases of petroleum. The state may, when appropriate, return to the United States any federal funds recovered under sections 3737.882 and 3737.89 of the Revised Code.
Last updated September 25, 2023 at 12:19 PM
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Section 3737.03 | Duties of state fire council.
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 171 - 129th General Assembly
The state fire council may do all of the following: (A) Conduct research, make and publish reports on fire safety, and recommend to the governor, the general assembly, the board of building standards, and other state agencies, any needed changes in the laws, rules, or administrative policies relating to fire safety; (B) Recommend revisions in the rules included in the state fire code adopted by the fire marshal. The recommendations may propose the adoption of new rules or the amendment or repeal of existing rules. The council shall file its recommendations in the office of the fire marshal, and, within sixty days after the recommendations are filed, the fire marshal shall file with the chairperson of the council the fire marshal's comments on, and proposed action in response to, the recommendations. (C) Maintain the Ohio fire service hall of fame. In maintaining the hall of fame, the council shall keep official commendations that recognize and commemorate exemplary accomplishments and acts of heroism by firefighters and other persons at fire-related incidents or similar events occurring in the state. The council may adopt criteria and guidelines for selecting individuals for that recognition and commemoration. The recognition and commemoration of individuals may occur annually and include an annual awards ceremony. The expenses associated with the recognition and commemoration of individuals shall be paid in accordance with division (F) of section 3737.81 of the Revised Code.
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Section 3737.07 | Inspection of protective door assemblies.
Effective:
October 24, 2024
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 112 - 135th General Assembly
(A) As used in this section: (1) "Authority having jurisdiction" means an organization, office, agency, or individual responsible for enforcing the requirements under this section. (2) "NFPA 101" means the standards for life safety code published by the national fire protection association, which includes the NFPA 80 standards for fire doors and other opening protectives. (3) "Protective door assembly" or "protective door assemblies" means any of the following: (a) Doors with panic hardware or fire exit hardware; (b) Door assemblies in exit enclosures; (c) Electricity controlled egress doors; (d) Door assemblies with special locking arrangements, such as delayed egress, sensor release egress doors, and elevator lobby doors. (4) "Qualified inspector" means a person, who by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, professional standing, or skill, and who, by knowledge, training, and experience, has demonstrated the ability to deal with the subject matter, the work, or the project. (5) "School building" means a structure used for the instruction of students by a school governing authority. (6) "School governing authority" means any of the following: (a) The board of education of a school district; (b) The governing authority of a chartered nonpublic school; (c) The governing authority of a community school established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code; (d) The governing body of a STEM school established under Chapter 3328. of the Revised Code; (e) The board of trustees of a college-preparatory boarding school established under Chapter 3328. of the Revised Code. (B) Each school governing authority in this state shall do both of the following: (1) Cause all protective door assemblies in school buildings used by the school governing authority for instruction of students to be inspected and tested every twelve months in accordance with division (C) of this section; (2) Verify that such protective door assemblies are in compliance with the following standards: (a) If the protective door assembly was installed in 2015 or after, the 2015 NFPA 101, or other standards required by the board of building standards; (b) If the protective door assembly was installed prior to 2015, the NFPA 101 that was in effect on the date the protective door assembly was installed or, if the protective door assembly was installed before the NFPA 101 was published and in effect, the building code standards in effect at the time of installation. (C)(1) A school governing authority shall cause all of the protective door assemblies in school buildings used for the instruction of students to be inspected and tested every twelve months by a qualified inspector to confirm proper operation and full closure. (2) If a protective door assembly is not in compliance with the applicable standards described in division (B)(2) of this section, then the school governing authority shall take all steps necessary to make the protective door assembly compliant. (D) After the inspection of a protective door assembly in a school building, the qualified inspector shall provide a report to the school governing authority indicating any of the following: (1) That the protective door assembly is in compliance with the applicable standards described in division (B)(2) of this section and no further inspection is required respecting that protective door assembly for the next twelve months; (2) That the protective door assembly is not in compliance with the applicable standards; (3) That the protective door assembly is not in compliance with the applicable standards and there is a serious risk for fire or life safety hazard. (E) Each school governing authority shall maintain records verifying annual inspections. (F) If one or more protective door assemblies in a school building are not in compliance with the applicable standards described in division (B)(2) of this section, as indicated in a report under division (D)(2), (D)(3), (G)(2), or (G)(3) of this section, then the school governing authority shall do both of the following: (1) Take all steps necessary to make each such protective door assembly compliant with the applicable standards; (2) Cause another inspection of each such protective door assembly immediately after completing those steps. (G) After each inspection of a protective door assembly in the school building under division (F)(2) of this section has been completed, the qualified inspector shall provide a report to the school governing authority indicating any of the following: (1) That the protective door assembly is in compliance with the applicable standards described in division (B)(2) of this section and no further inspection is required respecting that protective door assembly for the next twelve months; (2) That the protective door assembly is not in compliance with the applicable standards; (3) That the protective door assembly is not in compliance with the applicable standards and there is a serious risk for fire or life safety hazard. (H)(1) Beginning eighteen months after the effective date of this section , the authority having jurisdiction shall annually cause an inspection of the records retained by each school governing authority under division (E) of this section. If a protective door assembly in a school building is not fully compliant with the applicable standards within eighteen months after a report issued under division (D)(2) of this section, or within one hundred eighty days after a report issued under division (D)(3) of this section, and the school governing authority is not actively taking steps to achieve compliance, then the authority having jurisdiction shall issue a citation pursuant to section 3737.42 of the Revised Code. Each protective door assembly that is not in compliance with the applicable standards, and which the respecting school governing authority is not actively taking steps to achieve compliance with those standards, is a separate violation and is subject to an additional citation. (2) If a citation is issued under division (H)(1) of this section and section 3737.42 of the Revised Code, the school governing authority shall post the citation issued concerning the protective door assembly on a public web site managed by the school governing authority. The school governing authority may remove the citation posted under this division once the protective door assembly is made compliant with the applicable standards and an inspection confirms such compliance. (I) No authority having jurisdiction shall do either of the following: (1) Issue a citation pursuant to this section and section 3737.42 of the Revised Code to a school governing authority that is actively taking steps to reach compliance with the applicable standards, regardless of whether full compliance is reached for all protective door assemblies in the school building; (2) Assess a civil penalty or any fine associated with a citation issued pursuant to this section. (J) A qualified inspector that inspects more than one protective door assembly under division (D) or (G) of this section in the same school building may combine the results of such inspections into one report, so long as the report clearly indicates which protective door assemblies are in compliance with the applicable standards and which are not. (K)(1) The fire marshal shall adopt rules, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, that are necessary to implement the requirements of this section. (2) The fire marshal shall work in conjunction with the board of building standards to implement such requirements. (3) The rules shall require that protective door assemblies are inspected in accordance with this section and that the protective door assemblies continue to meet the compliance standards required at the time of installation. (L) Notwithstanding any provision of this section, a temporary door-locking device in compliance with the rules adopted by the fire marshal is not in conflict with this section. (M) Any citation issued pursuant to this section may be appealed under section 3737.43 of the Revised Code.
Last updated September 19, 2024 at 10:51 AM
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Section 3737.14 | Right of entry.
Effective:
September 29, 1994
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 264 - 120th General Assembly
(A) The fire marshal, any assistant fire marshal, the chief of the fire department of each municipal corporation where a fire department is established, the chief of the fire department in each township where a fire department is established, and such members of any such departments as may be designated by such chief, the fire prevention officer of a municipal corporation where no fire department exists, or the fire prevention officer of a township where no fire department is established, at all reasonable hours, may enter into all buildings and upon all premises and vehicles within their jurisdiction for the purpose of examination. (B) No building that contains asbestos shall be burned for the purpose of instruction in the methods of fire fighting or research in the control of fires. (C) Notwithstanding section 3745.11 of the Revised Code, the notification fee established under division (G) of that section does not apply to a notification made in accordance with division (D) of this section that involves a building, formerly in use as a residence, that contains four or less dwelling units, has an overall floor area of less than ten thousand square feet, and is used by a volunteer fire department for the purpose of instruction in the methods of fire fighting or research in the control of fires. (D) The chief of any volunteer fire department or his designee shall notify the environmental protection agency, in writing, of any scheduled burning of a building, as described in division (C) of this section, that is being used for the purpose of instruction in the methods of fire fighting or research in the control of fires.
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Section 3737.16 | Release of, or request for, information relating to fire loss by insurance company.
Effective:
March 19, 2003
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 115 - 124th General Assembly
(A) The fire marshal, any assistant fire marshal, the chief of the fire and explosion investigation bureau established pursuant to section 3737.22 of the Revised Code, the chief of a fire department of any municipal corporation or township where a fire department is established, the fire prevention officer of any municipal corporation or township where no fire department exists, any federal, state, or local law enforcement agency, or the prosecuting attorney of any county may request any insurance company that has investigated or is investigating a fire loss or potential fire loss of real or personal property to release any information in its possession relative to that loss or potential loss. The company shall release the information and cooperate with any official authorized to request the information under this section. The information shall include, but is not limited to, the following: (1) Any insurance policy relevant to a fire loss under investigation and any application for such a policy; (2) Policy premium payment records; (3) History of previous claims made by the insured or previous insureds for fire loss; (4) Material relating to the investigation of the loss or potential loss, including statements of any person, proof of loss, and any other relevant evidence. (B) If an insurance company has reason to suspect that a fire loss to its insured's real or personal property was caused by incendiary means, the company shall notify the fire marshal and the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the loss occurred, and furnish them with all relevant material acquired during its investigation of the fire loss, cooperate with and take such action as may be requested of it by any federal, state, or local law enforcement agency, and permit any other person ordered by a court to inspect any of its records pertaining to the policy and the loss. (C) If an agency, official, or officer mentioned in division (A) or (B) of this section has received information under those divisions from an insurance company that has investigated or is investigating a fire loss of real or personal property, the agency, official, or officer may release to, and share with, the insurance company any information in the agency's, official's, or officer's possession relative to the loss, upon the request of the insurance company. (D) In the absence of fraud or malice, no insurance company, or person who furnishes information on its behalf, is liable in damages in any civil action, including any action brought pursuant to section 1347.10 of the Revised Code, or subject to criminal prosecution for any oral or written statement made or any other action taken that is necessary to supply information required under this section. (E) Except as otherwise provided in division (C) of this section, the officials and departmental and agency personnel receiving any information furnished under this section shall hold the information in confidence until such time as its release is required pursuant to a criminal or civil proceeding. (F) Any official referred to in division (A) of this section may testify as to any information in the official's possession regarding the fire loss of real or personal property in any civil action in which any person seeks recovery under a policy against an insurance company for the fire loss. (G) As used in this section, "insurance company" includes the Ohio fair plan underwriting association as established in section 3929.43 of the Revised Code. (H)(1) No person shall purposely refuse to release any information requested, pursuant to division (A) of this section, by an agency, official, or officer authorized to request the information by that division. (2) No person shall purposely refuse to notify the fire marshal and prosecuting attorney of a fire loss required to be reported under division (B) of this section. (3) No person shall purposely refuse to supply the fire marshal and prosecuting attorney with pertinent information required to be furnished under division (B) of this section. (4) No person shall purposely fail to hold in confidence information required to be held in confidence by division (E) of this section.
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Section 3737.17 | Small government fire department services revolving loan program.
Effective:
September 30, 2021
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly
(A) As used in this section, a "qualifying small government" means any of the following: (1) A township that has a population of not more than five thousand or, regardless of its population, is located in a county that has a population of less than one hundred thousand; (2) A municipal corporation that has a population of not more than seven thousand five hundred; (3) A fire district, joint fire district, or fire and ambulance district that shares territory exclusively with townships or municipal corporations that meet the conditions of division (A)(1) or (2) of this section. (B) The state fire marshal shall administer a small government fire department services revolving loan program under which the state fire marshal makes loans to qualifying small governments for the following purposes: (1) To expedite purchases of major equipment for fire fighting, ambulance, emergency medical, or rescue services; (2) To expedite projects for the construction or renovation of fire department buildings. A loan for either purpose under the small government fire department services revolving loan program is not to carry interest, and is to be repaid within a term of not longer than twenty years. A qualifying small government is not eligible to receive a loan for a project or purchase under the program unless the qualifying small government contributes to the project or purchase an amount equal to at least five per cent of the loan amount. (C) A qualifying small government may apply to the state fire marshal for a loan under the small government fire department services revolving loan program. In its application, the qualifying small government shall explain how it qualifies for the loan, describe the project or purchase for which it is requesting a loan, state the amount of the loan it requests, and state the amount it is prepared to contribute to the project or purchase. The qualifying small government shall provide additional information to support its application for a loan under the program as requested by the state fire marshal. (D) The state fire marshal, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt rules for the administration of the small government fire department services revolving loan program. (E) There is hereby created in the state treasury the small government fire department services revolving loan fund, into which shall be deposited repayments by qualifying small governments of loans authorized under this section. The fund also shall consist of appropriated money. Investment earnings on money in the fund shall be credited to the fund. The state fire marshal shall use the money credited to the fund to make loans to qualifying small governments as described in this section. The state fire marshal may loan money from repaid loans credited to the fund at any time to qualifying small governments in accordance with this section. (F) If the director of commerce determines that the cash balance in the small government fire department services revolving loan fund is insufficient to implement the program established under this section, the director may certify the amount needed, which cannot exceed the amount appropriated to the program for the biennium period for which the certification is made, to the director of budget and management. Upon certification, the director of budget and management may transfer from the state fire marshal's fund established in section 3737.71 of the Revised Code to the small government fire department services revolving loan fund any amount up to, but not exceeding, the amount certified by the director of commerce.
Last updated August 18, 2021 at 2:04 PM
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Section 3737.21 | Appointment, qualifications of fire marshal - vacancy.
Effective:
September 29, 2017
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly
(A) The director of the department of commerce shall appoint, from names submitted to the director by the state fire council, a state fire marshal, who shall serve at the pleasure of the director and shall possess the following qualifications: (1) A degree from an accredited college or university with specialized study in either the field of fire protection or fire protection engineering, or the equivalent qualifications determined from training, experience, and duties in a fire service; (2) Five years of recent, progressively more responsible experience in fire inspection, fire code enforcement, fire investigation, fire protection engineering, teaching of fire safety engineering, or fire fighting. (B) When a vacancy occurs in the position of state fire marshal, the director shall notify the state fire council. The council shall submit the names of at least three persons for the position of state fire marshal who are qualified under this section to the director. The director shall appoint the state fire marshal from the list of at least three names or may request the council to submit additional names.
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Section 3737.22 | Fire marshal - powers and duties.
Effective:
October 3, 2023
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly
(A) The fire marshal shall do all of the following: (1) Adopt the state fire code under sections 3737.82 to 3737.86 of the Revised Code; (2) Enforce the state fire code; (3) Appoint assistant fire marshals who are authorized to enforce the state fire code; (4) Conduct investigations into the cause, origin, and circumstances of fires and explosions, and assist in the prosecution of persons believed to be guilty of arson or a similar crime; (5) Compile statistics concerning loss due to fire and explosion as the fire marshal considers necessary, and consider the compatibility of the fire marshal's system of compilation with the systems of other state and federal agencies and fire marshals of other states; (6) Engage in research on the cause and prevention of losses due to fire and explosion; (7) Engage in public education and informational activities which will inform the public of fire safety information; (8) Operate a fire training academy and forensic laboratory; (9) Conduct other fire safety and fire fighting training activities for the public and groups as will further the cause of fire safety; (10) Conduct licensing examinations, and issue permits, licenses, and certificates, as authorized by the Revised Code; (11) Conduct tests of fire protection systems and devices, and fire fighting equipment to determine compliance with the state fire code, unless a building is insured against the hazard of fire, in which case such tests may be performed by the company insuring the building; (12) Establish and collect fees for conducting licensing examinations and for issuing permits, licenses, and certificates; (13) Make available for the prosecuting attorney and an assistant prosecuting attorney from each county of this state, in accordance with section 3737.331 of the Revised Code, a seminar program, attendance at which is optional, that is designed to provide current information, data, training, and techniques relative to the prosecution of arson cases; (14) Administer and enforce Chapter 3743. of the Revised Code; (15) Develop a uniform standard for the reporting of information required to be filed under division (E)(4) of section 2921.22 of the Revised Code, and accept the reports of the information when they are filed. (B) The fire marshal shall appoint a chief deputy fire marshal, and shall employ professional and clerical assistants as the fire marshal considers necessary. The chief deputy shall be a competent former or current member of a fire agency and possess five years of recent, progressively more responsible experience in fire inspection, fire code enforcement, and fire code management. The chief deputy, with the approval of the director of commerce, shall temporarily assume the duties of the fire marshal when the fire marshal is absent or temporarily unable to carry out the duties of the office. When there is a vacancy in the office of fire marshal, the chief deputy, with the approval of the director of commerce, shall temporarily assume the duties of the fire marshal until a new fire marshal is appointed under section 3737.21 of the Revised Code. All employees, other than the fire marshal; the chief deputy fire marshal; the superintendent of the Ohio fire academy; the grants administrator; the fiscal officer; the executive secretary to the fire marshal; legal counsel; the pyrotechnics administrator, the chief of the forensic laboratory; the person appointed by the fire marshal to serve as administrator over functions concerning testing, license examinations, and the issuance of permits and certificates; and the chiefs of the bureaus of fire prevention, of fire and explosion investigation, of code enforcement, and of underground storage tanks shall be in the classified civil service. The fire marshal shall authorize the chief deputy and other employees under the fire marshal's supervision to exercise powers granted to the fire marshal by law as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the fire marshal's office. (C) The fire marshal shall create, in and as a part of the office of fire marshal, a fire and explosion investigation bureau consisting of a chief of the bureau and additional assistant fire marshals as the fire marshal determines necessary for the efficient administration of the bureau. The chief shall be experienced in the investigation of the cause, origin, and circumstances of fires, and in administration, including the supervision of subordinates. The chief, among other duties delegated to the chief by the fire marshal, shall be responsible, under the direction of the fire marshal, for the investigation of the cause, origin, and circumstances of fires and explosions in the state, and for assistance in the prosecution of persons believed to be guilty of arson or a similar crime. (D)(1) The fire marshal shall create, as part of the office of fire marshal, a bureau of code enforcement consisting of a chief of the bureau and additional assistant fire marshals as the fire marshal determines necessary for the efficient administration of the bureau. The chief shall be qualified, by education or experience, in fire inspection, fire code development, fire code enforcement, or any other similar field determined by the fire marshal, and in administration, including the supervision of subordinates. The chief is responsible, under the direction of the fire marshal, for fire inspection, fire code development, fire code enforcement, and any other duties delegated to the chief by the fire marshal. (2) The fire marshal, the chief deputy fire marshal, the chief of the bureau of code enforcement, or any assistant fire marshal under the direction of the fire marshal, the chief deputy fire marshal, or the chief of the bureau of code enforcement may cause to be conducted the inspection of all buildings, structures, and other places, the condition of which may be dangerous from a fire safety standpoint to life or property, or to property adjacent to the buildings, structures, or other places. (E) The fire marshal shall create, as a part of the office of fire marshal, a bureau of fire prevention consisting of a chief of the bureau and additional assistant fire marshals as the fire marshal determines necessary for the efficient administration of the bureau. The chief shall be qualified, by education or experience, to promote programs for rural and urban fire prevention and protection. The chief, among other duties delegated to the chief by the fire marshal, is responsible, under the direction of the fire marshal, for the promotion of rural and urban fire prevention and protection through public information and education programs. (F) The fire marshal shall cooperate with the director of job and family services when the director adopts rules under section 5104.052 of the Revised Code regarding fire prevention and fire safety in licensed type B family child care homes, as defined in section 5104.01 of the Revised Code, recommend procedures for inspecting type B homes to determine whether they are in compliance with those rules, and provide training and technical assistance to the director and county directors of job and family services on the procedures for determining compliance with those rules. (G) The fire marshal, upon request of a provider of child care in a type B home that is not licensed by the director of job and family services, as a precondition of approval by the department of education and workforce under section 3313.813 of the Revised Code for receipt of United States department of agriculture child and adult care food program funds established under the "National School Lunch Act," 60 Stat. 230 (1946), 42 U.S.C. 1751, as amended, shall inspect the type B home to determine compliance with rules adopted under section 5104.052 of the Revised Code regarding fire prevention and fire safety in licensed type B homes. In municipal corporations and in townships where there is a certified fire safety inspector, the inspections shall be made by that inspector under the supervision of the fire marshal, according to rules adopted under section 5104.052 of the Revised Code. In townships outside municipal corporations where there is no certified fire safety inspector, inspections shall be made by the fire marshal.
Last updated August 28, 2023 at 9:13 AM
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Section 3737.221 | Negligent operation of motor vehicles by fire marshal employees.
Effective:
March 19, 2003
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 115 - 124th General Assembly
(A) As used in this section, "motor vehicle" has the same meaning as in section 4511.01 of the Revised Code. (B) The office of the fire marshal is liable for injury, death, or loss to person or property caused by the negligent operation of any motor vehicle by its employees upon the public roads, highways, or streets in the state when the employees are engaged within the scope of their employment and authority, without regard to the proximity of that operation to the office of the fire marshal. Notwithstanding division (A)(1) of section 2743.02 of the Revised Code, a full defense to that liability is that if the fire marshal, the chief deputy fire marshal, or an assistant fire marshal was operating the motor vehicle, the fire marshal, chief deputy fire marshal, or assistant fire marshal was acting within the scope of division (A)(2), (4), or (14) of section 3737.22, or section 3737.24 or 3737.26, of the Revised Code and the operation of the vehicle did not constitute willful or wanton misconduct. (C) The fire marshal, the chief deputy fire marshal, and any assistant fire marshal is immune from liability for injury, death, or loss to person or property caused by the operation of any motor vehicle upon the public roads, highways, or streets in the state when acting within the scope of division (A)(2), (4), or (14) of section 3737.22, or section 3737.24 or 3737.26, of the Revised Code, without regard to the proximity of that operation to the office of the fire marshal, unless one of the following applies: (1) The operation of the vehicle was manifestly outside the scope of the employee's employment or official responsibilities. (2) The operation of the vehicle constituted willful or wanton misconduct.
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Section 3737.23 | Record of all fires.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 590 - 112th General Assembly
The fire marshal shall keep in his office a record of all fires occurring in the state, the origin of such fires, and all facts, statistics, and circumstances relating thereto which have been determined by investigations. Except for the testimony given upon an investigation, such record shall be a public record and such portions thereof, as the superintendent of insurance considers necessary, shall be transcribed and forwarded to the superintendent within fifteen days from the first day of January each year.
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Section 3737.24 | Investigation of fire.
Effective:
September 17, 1986
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 552 - 116th General Assembly
The fire marshal and the chief of the fire department of each municipal corporation in which a fire department is established, the chief of the fire department in each township in which a fire department is established, the chief of the fire department of a joint fire district, or the fire prevention officer in each township or village where no fire department is established, shall investigate the cause, origin, and circumstances of each major fire, as determined by the rules of the fire marshal, occurring in such municipal corporation, joint fire district, or township by which property has been destroyed or damaged, and shall make an investigation to determine whether the fire was the result of carelessness or design. The investigation shall be commenced within two days, not including Sunday, if the fire occurred on that day. The marshal may superintend the investigation. An officer making an investigation of a fire occurring in a municipal corporation, joint fire district, or township shall forthwith notify the marshal, and within one week of the occurrence of the fire shall furnish him a written statement of all facts relating to its cause and origin and such other information as is required by forms provided by the marshal. In the performance of the duties imposed by Chapter 3737. of the Revised Code, the marshal and each of his subordinates, and any other officers mentioned in this section, at any time of day or night, may enter upon and examine any building or premises where a fire has occurred, and other buildings and premises adjoining or near thereto.
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Section 3737.25 | Taking of testimony on oath.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 590 - 112th General Assembly
If in the opinion of the fire marshal further investigation is necessary, he, or an assistant fire marshal, shall take or cause to be taken the testimony on oath of all persons supposed to be cognizant of any facts, or to have means of knowledge in relation to the matter concerning which an examination is required to be made, and cause such testimony to be reduced to writing.
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Section 3737.26 | Arrest of suspect.
Effective:
March 19, 2003
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 115 - 124th General Assembly
If the fire marshal or an assistant fire marshal determines that there is evidence sufficient to charge a person with arson or a similar crime, or with a violation of section 3737.62 of the Revised Code, the marshal or assistant marshal may arrest the person or cause the person to be arrested and charged with the offense. The fire marshal or assistant fire marshal shall provide the prosecuting attorney the evidence, the names of witnesses, and a copy of material testimony taken in the case.
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Section 3737.27 | Power to summon and compel attendance of witnesses.
Effective:
March 19, 2003
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 115 - 124th General Assembly
The fire marshal or an assistant fire marshal may summon and compel the attendance of witnesses to testify in relation to any matter that is a proper subject of inquiry or investigation, and may require the production of any book, paper, document, or record, regardless of physical form or characteristic.
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Section 3737.28 | Power to administer oaths - refusal to cooperate.
Effective:
March 19, 2003
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 115 - 124th General Assembly
The fire marshal or an assistant fire marshal may administer an oath to any person appearing as a witness before the fire marshal or assistant fire marshal. No witness shall refuse to be sworn, refuse to testify, disobey an order of the fire marshal or an assistant fire marshal, or fail or refuse to produce a book, paper, document, or record, regardless of physical form or characteristic, concerning a matter under examination, or be guilty of contemptuous conduct after being summoned by the fire marshal or an assistant fire marshal to appear before the fire marshal or assistant fire marshal to give testimony in relation to a matter or subject under investigation.
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Section 3737.29 | Investigation may be private.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 590 - 112th General Assembly
Investigation by or under the direction of the fire marshal may be private. The marshal may exclude from the place where such investigation is held all persons other than those required to be present, and witnesses may be kept separate from each other and not allowed to communicate with each other until they have been examined.
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Section 3737.31 | Fire marshal to report to superintendent of insurance.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 590 - 112th General Assembly
When required by the superintendent of insurance, the fire marshal shall report his proceedings, the progress made in all prosecutions for arson and similar crimes, and the result of all cases finally disposed of.
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Section 3737.32 | Fire marshal to investigate bombing.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 590 - 112th General Assembly
The fire marshal shall, upon the request of any sheriff or mayor, investigate any bombing and shall work with local law enforcement officials in the apprehension of any person participating in any bombing.
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Section 3737.33 | Ohio fire academy.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 590 - 112th General Assembly
The fire marshal shall establish and conduct a training school for firemen, including volunteer firemen, of any political subdivision of the state, and for other persons interested in the vocation of firefighting and desiring to attend. The school shall be known as the Ohio fire academy. The fire marshal shall establish the training program and all rules governing qualifications for admission to the academy. He may require competitive examinations to determine the fitness of prospective trainees so long as the examinations or other criteria for admission to the academy are not inconsistent with Chapter 124. of the Revised Code. The fire marshal shall determine reasonable tuition costs and other fees which shall be charged for the courses of instruction or other programs offered by the academy. In determining these tuition costs and other fees, the fire marshal shall take into consideration any moneys received from the state fire marshal fund pursuant to section 3737.71 of the Revised Code. The costs of acquiring and equipping the academy shall be paid from appropriations made by the general assembly to the fire marshal for that purpose, or from gifts or grants received for that purpose. The firemen, during the period of their training, shall receive compensation as determined by the political subdivision which sponsors them. Such political subdivisions may pay the tuition costs of the firemen they are sponsoring.
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Section 3737.331 | Arson seminar programs.
Effective:
September 26, 1984
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 4 - 115th General Assembly
The fire marshal, after consultation with prosecuting attorneys of this state selected with due regard for geographic, urban, and rural representation, shall make available a seminar program, attendance at which is optional, that is designed to provide the prosecuting attorney and an assistant prosecuting attorney from each county of this state with current information, data, training, and techniques relative to the prosecution of arson cases. The fire marshal shall cooperate with the attorney general in the establishment of the seminar program. The fire marshal shall offer the seminar program at least twice annually. Each prosecuting attorney may personally attend, or may require an assistant prosecuting attorney to attend, one of the seminar programs annually. While attending a seminar program offered by the fire marshal, each prosecuting or assistant prosecuting attorney shall receive his full regular compensation from the county by which he is employed.
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Section 3737.34 | Fire safety inspector certificate.
Effective:
November 12, 1992
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 98 - 119th General Assembly
No person shall serve as a fire safety inspector for any fire agency unless he has received a certificate issued under former section 3303.07 or section 4765.55 of the Revised Code evidencing his satisfactory completion of a fire safety inspector training program.
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Section 3737.41 | Citation to remedy dangerous condition.
Effective:
September 17, 1986
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 552 - 116th General Assembly
(A) If the fire marshal, an assistant fire marshal, or any certified fire safety inspector, upon an examination or inspection, finds a building or other structure, which for want of proper repair, by reason of age and dilapidated condition, defective or poorly installed electrical wiring and equipment, defective chimneys, gas connections, or heating apparatus, or for any other reason, is especially liable to fire or endangers life or other buildings or property, such officer shall issue a citation and order such building or structure to be repaired, torn down, demolished, or materials removed, and all dangerous conditions remedied. (B) If such officer finds in a building or upon any premises any combustible or explosive material, rubbish, rags, waste, oils, gasoline, or inflammable conditions of any kind, which are especially dangerous to the safety of persons or such building, premises, or property, he shall issue a citation and order such materials removed or conditions remedied. (C) If such officer finds that any building, structure, tank, container, or vehicle used for the storage, handling, or transportation of flammable or combustible liquids, or of liquefied petrolum gas, or the pumps, piping, valves, wiring, and materials used in connection therewith, are especially dangerous to the safety of persons or such building, structure, tank, container, or vehicle, he shall issue a citation and order such condition remedied. (D) The fire marshal, an assistant fire marshal, or any certified fire safety inspector may proceed, on a citation issued under this section, to seek enforcement by use of the procedures established by section 3737.43 or 3737.44 of the Revised Code.
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Section 3737.42 | Issuing citation or notice of violation.
Effective:
October 24, 2024
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 112 - 135th General Assembly
(A) As used in this section, "authority having jurisdiction" and "school governing authority" have the same meanings as in section 3737.07 of the Revised Code. (B) If, upon inspection or investigation, the fire marshal, an assistant fire marshal, or a certified fire safety inspector believes that the state fire code or an associated order has been violated, or if an authority having jurisdiction believes that section 3737.07 of the Revised Code has been violated and that the school governing authority is not actively taking steps to achieve compliance within the time prescribed by division (H)(1) of that section, the fire marshal, assistant fire marshal, certified fire safety inspector, or authority having jurisdiction shall, with reasonable promptness, issue a citation to the responsible person. Each citation shall be in writing and shall describe with particularity the nature of the violation, including a reference to the provision of the state fire code or associated order alleged to have been violated. In addition, the citation shall fix a reasonable time for the abatement of the violation. When the citation is issued by a certified fire safety inspector, an assistant fire marshal, or an authority having jurisdiction other than the fire marshal, a copy of the citation shall be furnished to the fire marshal. (C) The fire marshal may prescribe procedures for the issuance of a notice in lieu of a citation with respect to de minimis violations that have no direct or immediate relationship to safety or health. A notice in lieu of a citation shall not be issued with respect to a violation of section 3737.07 of the Revised Code. (D) Except as provided in section 3737.07 of the Revised Code, each citation issued under this section, or a copy or copies of the citation, shall be prominently posted by the responsible person, as prescribed in the state fire code, at or near each place a violation referred to in the citation occurs.
Last updated August 14, 2024 at 10:07 AM
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Section 3737.43 | Notice of penalty and right to appeal.
Effective:
March 19, 2003
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 115 - 124th General Assembly
(A) If, after an inspection or investigation, the fire marshal, an assistant fire marshal, or a certified fire safety inspector issues a citation under section 3737.41 or 3737.42 of the Revised Code, the issuing authority shall, within a reasonable time after such inspection or investigation and in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, notify the responsible person of the citation and penalty, if any, proposed to be assessed under section 3737.51 of the Revised Code, and of the responsible person's right to appeal the citation and penalty, under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, to the state board of building appeals established under section 3781.19 of the Revised Code within thirty days after receipt of the notice. (B) If the responsible person is aggrieved by an order of the board, the person may appeal to the court of common pleas where the property that is the subject of the citation is located, within thirty days after the board renders its decision. (C) As used in this section, "issuing authority" means the office of the fire marshal, in the case of a citation issued by the fire marshal or an assistant fire marshal, or the applicable township or municipal corporation, in the case of a citation issued by a certified fire safety inspector.
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Section 3737.44 | Injunction - temporary restraining order.
Effective:
September 17, 1986
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 552 - 116th General Assembly
(A) The courts of common pleas shall have jurisdiction, upon a complaint filed by the fire marshal, an assistant fire marshal, or a certified fire safety inspector, to restrain, immediately or before the imminence of such danger can be eliminated through the enforcement procedures otherwise provided by Chapter 3737. of the Revised Code, any condition or practices in any building or upon any premises which violate the state fire code and are such that a fire or explosion hazard exists which could reasonably be expected to cause death or serious physical harm. Any order issued under this section may require such steps to be taken as may be necessary to avoid, correct, or remove such imminent danger. (B) Upon the filing of any such complaint the court has jurisdiction to grant such injunctive relief or temporary restraining order pending the outcome of an enforcement proceeding pursuant to Chapter 3737. of the Revised Code. (C) Whenever the fire marhsal, an assistant fire marshal, or a certified fire safety inspector concludes that conditions or practices described in division (A) of this section exist in any building or on any premises he shall inform the owner, operator, lessees, occupants, and other affected persons of the danger and that he is seeking relief. If necessary to preserve life, the fire marshal, an assistant fire marshal, or a certified fire safety inspector, if authorized by the fire marshal or his deputy, may orally order the building or premises vacated immediately. Such an order shall remain in effect for not more than twenty-four hours. In addition, the officer making the order shall post written notice in conspicuous places on the building or premises. (D) If the fire marshal, an assistant fire marshal, or a certified fire safety inspector arbitrarily or capriciously fails to seek relief under this section, any person who may be injured by reason of such failure may bring an action against the fire marshal, an assistant fire marshal, or a certified fire safety inspector in the court of common pleas of the county in which the imminent danger is alleged to exist for a writ of mandamus to compel the fire marshal, an assistant fire marshal, or certified fire safety inspector to seek such relief.
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Section 3737.45 | Failure to comply with order.
Effective:
March 19, 2003
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 115 - 124th General Assembly
If any responsible person fails to comply with an order of the fire marshal, an assistant fire marshal, or a certified fire safety inspector as finally affirmed or modified by the state board of building appeals under section 3737.43 of the Revised Code, within the time fixed in the order, then the fire marshal, assistant fire marshal, or certified fire safety inspector may file a complaint in the court of common pleas of the county where the property is located for a court order authorizing the fire marshal, assistant fire marshal, or certified fire safety inspector to cause the building, structure, or premises to be repaired or demolished, materials to be removed, and all dangerous conditions to be remedied, if such was the mandate of the order as affirmed or modified by the state board of building appeals, at the expense of the responsible person. If the responsible person, within thirty days thereafter, fails, neglects, or refuses to pay the expense that would be incurred in enforcing the order of the court of common pleas under this section, the court shall order that the real estate upon which the building, structure, or premises is or was situated be sold pursuant to Chapter 2329. of the Revised Code, except as otherwise provided in this section. The proceeds of the sale shall be credited to the fire marshal's fund. The fire marshal shall use the proceeds of the sale to cause the repair or demolition of any building, structure, or premises, the removal of materials, or the remedy of all dangerous conditions unless the purchaser of the real estate enters into an agreement with the court to perform the repair, demolition, removal, or remedy within a time period acceptable to the court. No bid of a prospective purchaser shall be acceptable which is insufficient to pay the expense that the fire marshal would incur. If the amount received from the sale exceeds the expense that the fire marshal would incur, the court shall direct the payment of the surplus first to those parties with encumbrances, mortgages, or liens on the real estate in order of their priority, and then to the responsible person or into the court for its use and benefit.
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Section 3737.46 | Actions against violators.
Effective:
September 20, 1999
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 187 - 123rd General Assembly
Upon the request of the fire marshal, the fire marshal's authorized representative, or a certified fire safety inspector, the attorney general, the legal officer of any county or municipal corporation, or the law director of a township that has adopted a limited home rule government under Chapter 504. of the Revised Code shall bring an action for an injunction, temporary or permanent, or any other appropriate proceedings against any person violating or threatening to violate any provision of the state fire code or any order issued pursuant thereto in the court of common pleas in the county where the violation is occurring or is threatened to occur. This section does not expand, and shall not be construed as expanding, the authority of the fire marshal, the fire marshal's authorized representative, or a certified fire safety inspector to enforce any requirements that are adopted pursuant to Chapter 3781. or 3791. of the Revised Code or any rules adopted pursuant to section 3781.10 or 3781.11 of the Revised Code.
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Section 3737.51 | Civil penalty for violations.
Effective:
October 24, 2024
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 112 - 135th General Assembly
(A) No person shall knowingly violate any provision of the state fire code or any order made pursuant to it. (B) Except as provided in section 3737.07 of the Revised Code, any person who has received a citation for a serious violation of the fire code or any order issued pursuant to it, shall be assessed a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each such violation. (C) Except as provided in section 3737.07 of the Revised Code, any person who has received a citation for a violation of the fire code or any order issued pursuant to it, and such violation is specifically determined not to be of a serious nature, may be assessed a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each such violation. (D) Except as provided in section 3737.07 of the Revised Code, any person who fails to correct a violation for which a citation has been issued within the period permitted for its correction, may be assessed a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each day during which such failure or violation continues. (E) Except as provided in section 3737.07 of the Revised Code, any person who violates any of the posting requirements, as prescribed by division (D) of section 3737.42 of the Revised Code, shall be assessed a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each violation. (F) Due consideration to the appropriateness of the penalty with respect to the gravity of the violation, the good faith of the person being charged, and the history of previous violations shall be given whenever a penalty is assessed under this chapter. (G) For purposes of this section, a serious violation shall be considered to exist if there is a substantial probability that an occurrence causing death or serious physical harm to persons could result from a condition which exists, or from one or more practices, means, methods, operations, or processes which have been adopted or are in use, unless the person did not and could not with the exercise of reasonable diligence, know of the presence of the violation. (H) Civil penalties imposed by this chapter shall be paid to the fire marshal for deposit into the general revenue fund. Such penalties may be recovered in a civil action in the name of the state brought in the court of common pleas of the county where the violation is alleged to have occurred.
Last updated August 14, 2024 at 10:07 AM
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Section 3737.52 | PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 158 - 134th General Assembly
(A) As used in this section: (1) "Class B firefighting foam" means a foam that is designed to extinguish a fire caused by flammable liquid. (2) "PFAS chemicals" means a class of fluorinated organic chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom, including perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, that are designed to be fully functional in class B firefighting foam formulations. (3) "Testing" includes calibration testing, conformance testing, and fixed system testing. (B) No person shall use a class B firefighting foam containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals for training purposes. (C)(1) Except as provided in division (C)(2) of this section, no person shall use a class B firefighting foam containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals for testing purposes. (2) A person may use a class B firefighting foam containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals for testing purposes if required by law, regulation, or ordinance and the testing facility has implemented appropriate containment, treatment, and disposal measures to prevent releases of the class B firefighting foam into the environment. (D) Nothing in this section restricts either of the following: (1) The manufacture, sale, or distribution of class B firefighting foam containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals. (2) The use of class B firefighting foam containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals in emergency firefighting or fire prevention operations. (E) For purposes of using foam during firefighting operations training, a person may use a training foam that does not contain intentionally added PFAS chemicals.
Last updated March 21, 2022 at 5:10 PM
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Section 3737.61 | Posting arson laws.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 590 - 112th General Assembly
The owner, operator, or lessee of any transient residential building shall post the provisions of sections 2909.02 and 2909.03 of the Revised Code in a conspicuous place in each room occupied by guests in such building. The owner, operator, or lessee of any nontransient residential building, institution, school, or place of assembly shall post the provisions of such sections in conspicuous places upon such premises. No person shall fail to comply with this section.
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Section 3737.62 | Negligent spread of fires.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 590 - 112th General Assembly
No person shall set, kindle, or cause to be set or kindled any fire, which through his negligence, spreads beyond its immediate confines to any structure, field, or wood lot.
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Section 3737.63 | Discovery of unfriendly fire.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 590 - 112th General Assembly
(A) The owner, operator, or lessee, an employee of any owner, operator, or lessee, an occupant, and any person in direct control of any building regulated under the Ohio building code, upon the discovery of an unfriendly fire, or upon receiving information that there is an unfriendly fire on the premises, shall immediately, and with all reasonable dispatch and diligence, call or otherwise notify the fire department concerning the fire, and shall spread an alarm immediately to all occupants of the building. (B) For the purposes of this section, "unfriendly fire" means a fire of a destructive nature as distinguished from a controlled fire intended for a beneficial purpose. (C) No person shall fail to comply with this section.
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Section 3737.64 | Disclosing purpose of non-official inspection.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 590 - 112th General Assembly
No person who is not a certified fire safety inspector shall act as such or hold himself out to be such, unless prior to commencing any inspection function, he discloses the purpose for which he is making such inspection and the fact that he is not employed by any state or local fire service or agency, and that he is not acting in an official capacity for any governmental subdivision or agency.
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Section 3737.65 | Fire protection equipment - prohibited activities.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 471 - 123rd General Assembly
(A) No person shall sell, offer for sale, or use any fire protection or fire fighting equipment that does not meet the minimum standards established by the fire marshal in the state fire code. (B) Except for public and private mobile fire trucks, no person shall service, test, repair, or install for profit any fire protection or fire fighting equipment without a certificate or a provisional certificate issued by the fire marshal. (C) The fire marshal shall not issue a provisional certificate pursuant to division (B) of this section to any individual who is not enrolled in a bona fide apprenticeship training program registered with the apprenticeship council pursuant to section 4139.05 of the Revised Code or with the bureau of apprenticeship and training of the United States department of labor. A provisional certificate issued pursuant to this section authorizes an individual to engage in the activities permitted under division (B) of this section only if the individual: (1) Remains enrolled in such an apprenticeship training program; and (2) Is directly supervised by an individual who possesses a valid and current certificate issued pursuant to division (B) of this section for the activities in which the individual issued the provisional certificate is engaged and the certified individual directly supervising the individual issued the provisional certificate only supervises one provisional certificate holder.
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Section 3737.66 | Qualifications for firefighter or fire official.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 401 - 126th General Assembly
(A) As used in this section, "firefighting agency" and "private fire company" have the same meanings as in section 9.60 of the Revised Code. (B) No person shall claim to the public to be or act as a firefighter, volunteer firefighter, member of a fire department, chief of a fire department, or fire prevention officer unless the person is recognized as a firefighter, volunteer firefighter, member of a fire department, member of a private fire company, chief of a fire department, or fire prevention officer by the fire marshal or has received a certificate issued under former section 3303.07 or section 4765.55 of the Revised Code evidencing satisfactory completion of a firefighter training program and has been appointed by the governing board of a firefighting agency or, in the case of a volunteer firefighter, receives such a certificate within one year after appointment by the governing board of a firefighting agency.
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Section 3737.71 | Additional tax on fire insurance premiums.
Effective:
September 30, 2021
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly
Each insurance company doing business in this state shall pay to the state in installments, at the time of making the payments required by section 5729.05 of the Revised Code, in addition to the taxes required to be paid by it, three-fourths of one per cent on the gross premium receipts derived from fire insurance and that portion of the premium reasonably allocable to insurance against the hazard of fire included in other coverages except life and sickness and accident insurance, after deducting return premiums paid and considerations received for reinsurances as shown by the annual statement of such company made pursuant to sections 3929.30, 3931.06, and 5729.02 of the Revised Code. The money received shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the state fire marshal's fund, which is hereby created. The fund shall be used for the maintenance and administration of the office of the fire marshal and the Ohio fire academy established by section 3737.33 of the Revised Code. If the director of commerce certifies to the director of budget and management that the cash balance in the state fire marshal's fund is in excess of the amount needed to pay ongoing operating expenses, the director of commerce, with the approval of the director of budget and management, may use the excess amount to acquire by purchase, lease, or otherwise, real property or interests in real property to be used for the benefit of the office of the state fire marshal, or to construct, acquire, enlarge, equip, furnish, or improve the fire marshal's office facilities or the facilities of the Ohio fire academy. The state fire marshal's fund shall be assessed a proportionate share of the administrative costs of the department of commerce in accordance with procedures prescribed by the director of commerce. Such assessment shall be paid from the state fire marshal's fund to the division of administration fund. Notwithstanding any other provision in this section, if the director of budget and management determines at any time that the money in the state fire marshal's fund exceeds the amount necessary to defray ongoing operating expenses in a fiscal year, the director may transfer the excess to the general revenue fund.
Last updated August 18, 2021 at 2:05 PM
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Section 3737.72 | Fire stations required to have gas masks.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 590 - 112th General Assembly
(A) "Gas mask" means any self-contained oxygen breathing apparatus using oxygen or air in suitable containers that enable their wearers to live in atmospheres containing less than sixteen per cent oxygen and poisonous gases in excess of two per cent by volume and having been approved by the United States bureau of mines for use in irrespirable atmospheres. (B) Every political subdivision which operates a fire department shall provide at least two gas masks for each fire station and shall further provide that the chief of the fire department give adequate instructions to each member of the fire department in the use of such gas masks.
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Section 3737.73 | Prohibition against failure to instruct pupils in fire drills and tornado safety precautions.
Effective:
March 24, 2021
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 123 - 133rd General Assembly
(A) No principal or person in charge of a public or private school or educational institution having an average daily attendance of twenty or more pupils, and no person in charge of any children's home or orphanage housing twenty or more minor persons, shall willfully neglect to instruct and train such children by means of drills or rapid dismissals, so that such children in a sudden emergency may leave the building in the shortest possible time without confusion. Except as provided for in division (F) of this section, the principal or person in charge of a school or educational institution shall conduct drills or rapid dismissals at least six times during the school year, pursuant to division (E) of this section, which shall be at the times and frequency prescribed in rules adopted by the fire marshal. The principal or person in charge of a children's home or orphanage shall conduct drills or rapid dismissals at least once each month while the home is in operation. In the case of schools, no principal or person in charge of a school shall willfully neglect to keep the doors and exits of such building unlocked during school hours. The fire marshal may order the immediate installation of necessary fire gongs or signals in such schools, institutions, or children's homes and enforce this division and divisions (B), (C)(3), and (F) of this section. (B) In conjunction with the drills or rapid dismissals required by division (A) or (F) of this section, whichever is applicable, principals or persons in charge of public or private primary and secondary schools, or educational institutions, shall instruct pupils in safety precautions to be taken in case of a tornado alert or warning. Such principals or persons in charge of such schools or institutions shall designate, in accordance with standards prescribed by the fire marshal, appropriate locations to be used to shelter pupils in case of a tornado, tornado alert, or warning. (C)(1) The fire marshal or the fire marshal's designee shall annually inspect each school, institution, home, or orphanage subject to division (A) or (F) of this section to determine compliance with the applicable division, and each school or institution subject to division (B) of this section to ascertain whether the locations comply with the standards prescribed under that division. Nothing in this section shall require a school or institution to construct or improve a facility or location for use as a shelter area. (2) The fire marshal or the fire marshal's designee shall issue a warning to any person found in violation of division (A), (B), or (F) of this section. The warning shall indicate the specific violation and a date by which such violation shall be corrected. (3) No person shall fail to correct violations by the date indicated on a warning issued under division (C)(2) of this section. (D)(1)(a) The principal or person in charge of each public or private school or educational institution shall conduct school safety drills at least three times during the school year, pursuant to division (E) of this section, to provide pupils with instruction in the procedures to follow in situations where pupils must be secured in the school building or rapidly evacuated in response to a threat to the school involving an act of terrorism; a person possessing a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance, as defined in section 2923.11 of the Revised Code, on school property; or other act of violence. At least one safety drill shall include a scenario where pupils must be secured in the school building rather than rapidly evacuated. Each safety drill shall be conducted in conjunction with the police chief or other similar chief law enforcement officer, or designee, of the municipal corporation, township, or township or joint police district in which the school or institution is located, or, in absence of any such person, the county sheriff of the county, or designee, in which the school or institution is located. (b) In addition to the three safety drills described in division (D)(1)(a) of this section, the principal or person in charge shall conduct a theoretical school safety drill at least once during the school year to provide all faculty and staff employed by the school or institution with instruction in the procedures to follow in such situations. The theoretical drill does not need to include student participation and may be conducted at the annual training session required by division (D)(3) of this section. (c) All safety drills required under division (D) of this section shall be conducted pursuant to the district's or school's emergency management plan adopted under section 5502.262 of the Revised Code. (2)(a) The principal or person in charge of each public or private school or educational institution shall provide to the police chief or other similar chief law enforcement officer of the municipal corporation, township, or township or joint police district in which the school or institution is located, or, in absence of any such person, the county sheriff of the county in which the school or institution is located advance written notice of each school safety drill required under division (D)(1) of this section and shall keep a written record of the date and time of each drill conducted. The advance notice shall be provided not later than seventy-two hours prior to the date the drill will be conducted and shall include the date and time the drill will be conducted and the address of the school or educational institution. The notice shall be provided by mail, facsimile, or electronic submission. (b) Not later than the fifth day of December each year, the principal or person in charge of each public or private school or educational institution shall provide written certification by mail, facsimile, or electronic submission of the date and time each school safety drill required under division (D)(1) of this section was conducted during the previous school year, as well as the date and time each drill will be conducted during the current school year, to the police chief or other similar chief law enforcement officer of the municipal corporation, township, or township or joint police district in which the school or institution is located, or, in the absence of any such person, the county sheriff of the county in which the school or institution is located. If such certification is not provided, the principal or person in charge of the school or institution shall be considered to have failed to meet this requirement and shall be subject to division (D)(4) of this section. (3) The principal or person in charge of each public or private school or educational institution shall hold annual training sessions for employees of the school or institution regarding the conduct of school safety drills. (4) The police chief or other similar chief law enforcement officer of a municipal corporation, township, or township or joint police district, or, in the absence of any such person, the county sheriff shall issue a warning to any person found in violation of division (D)(1) of this section. Each warning issued for a violation of division (D)(1) of this section shall require the principal or person in charge of the school or institution to correct the violation by conducting a school safety drill not later than the thirtieth day after the date the warning is issued. The violation shall not be considered corrected unless, not later than forty days after the date the warning is issued, the principal or person in charge of the school or institution provides written certification of the date and time this drill was conducted, as well as the date and time each remaining drill will be conducted during the current school year, to the police chief or other similar chief law enforcement officer or county sheriff who issued the warning. (5) No person shall fail to correct violations by the date indicated on a warning issued under division (D)(4) of this section. (E) The principal or person in charge of each public or private school or educational institution shall conduct at least one drill or rapid dismissal required under division (A) or (F) of this section, whichever is applicable, or one school safety drill required under division (D) of this section during each month of the school year. However, the principal or person in charge may determine the exact date and time that each drill will be conducted. A drill or rapid dismissal under division (A) or (F) of this section may be conducted during the same month as a school safety drill under division (D) of this section. (F) If a public or private school or educational institution does not currently have smoke detectors, as defined in section 3781.104 of the Revised Code, or a sprinkler system in all classroom buildings of the school, the principal or person in charge of the school or educational institution shall conduct drills or rapid dismissals at least nine times during the school year, pursuant to division (E) of this section, which shall be at the times and frequency prescribed in rules adopted by the fire marshal. At the discretion of the principal or person in charge of the school or institution, drills conducted under this division may be combined with drills conducted under division (D) of this section, so long as at least one drill conducted under that division provides pupils with instruction in the procedures to follow in situations where pupils must be secured in the school building rather than rapidly evacuated.
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Section 3737.80 | Chief of fire department responsible for primary coordination in emergency situation.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
In any emergency situation relating to the prevention of an imminent release of a hazardous material, to the cleanup or disposal of a hazardous material that has been released, or to the related mitigation of the effects of a release of a hazardous material, the chief of the fire department in whose jurisdiction the emergency situation is occurring or his designee is responsible for primary coordination of the on-scene activities of all agencies of the state, the United States government, and political subdivisions that are responding to the emergency situation until the chief relinquishes that responsibility to a representative of one of the responding public agencies and so notifies that representative. As used in this section, "hazardous material" means any material that is designated as such under the "Hazardous Materials Transportation Act," 88 Stat. 2156 (1975), 49 U.S.C.A. 1801, as amended, and regulations adopted under it.
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Section 3737.81 | State fire council.
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 171 - 129th General Assembly
(A) There is hereby created the state fire council consisting of ten members to be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. The fire marshal or chief deputy fire marshal, a representative designated by the department of public safety who has tenure in fire suppression, and a representative designated by the board of building standards shall be ex officio members. Of the initial appointments made to the council, two shall be for a term ending one year after November 1, 1978, two shall be for a term ending two years after that date, two shall be for a term ending three years after that date, two shall be for a term ending four years after that date, and two shall be for a term ending five years after that date. Thereafter, terms of office shall be for five years, each term ending on the same day of the same month of the year as did the term which it succeeds. Each member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of that term. Any member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until a successor takes office, or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first. Members shall be qualified by experience and training to deal with the matters that are the responsibility of the council. Two members shall be members of paid fire services, one shall be a member of volunteer fire services, two shall be mayors, managers, or members of legislative authorities of municipal corporations, one shall represent commerce and industry, one shall be a representative of a fire insurance company domiciled in this state, one shall represent the flammable liquids industry, one shall represent the construction industry, and one shall represent the public. At no time shall more than six members be members of or associated with the same political party. Membership on the council shall not constitute holding a public office, and no person shall forfeit or otherwise vacate the person's office or position of employment because of membership on the council. (B) The ex officio members may not vote, except that the fire marshal or chief deputy fire marshal may vote in case of a tie. (C) Each member of the council, other than ex officio members, shall be paid an amount fixed pursuant to division (J) of section 124.15 of the Revised Code, and the member's actual and necessary expenses. (D) The council shall select a chairperson and a vice-chairperson from among its members. No business may be transacted in the absence of a quorum. A quorum shall be at least six members, excluding ex officio members, and shall include either the chairperson or vice-chairperson. The council shall hold regular meetings at least once every two months and may meet at any other time at the call of the chairperson. (E) The fire marshal shall provide the council with office space, meeting rooms, staff, and clerical assistance necessary for the council to perform its duties. If the council maintains the Ohio fire service hall of fame under division (C) of section 3737.03 of the Revised Code, the fire marshal shall preserve, in an appropriate manner, in the office space or meeting rooms provided to the council under this division or in another location, copies of all official commendations awarded to individuals recognized and commemorated for their exemplary accomplishments and acts of heroism at fire-related incidents or similar events that occurred in this state. (F) If the council maintains the Ohio fire service hall of fame under division (C) of section 3737.03 of the Revised Code, the expenses incurred for the recognition and commemoration of individuals for their exemplary accomplishments and acts of heroism at fire-related incidents or similar events that occurred in this state, including, but not limited to, expenses for official commendations and an annual awards ceremony as described in division (B) of section 3737.03 of the Revised Code, may be paid from moneys appropriated by the general assembly for purposes of that recognition and commemoration, from moneys that are available to the fire marshal under this chapter, or from other funding sources available to the council.
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Section 3737.82 | Adopting state fire code rules.
Effective:
September 17, 1986
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 552 - 116th General Assembly
The fire marshal shall adopt a state fire code which shall consist of rules relating to all aspects of fire safety. The rules shall be the minimum standards for safeguarding life and property from fire and explosion, and the fire marshal may, in adopting these rules, incorporate by reference existing published standards as well as amendments thereto subsequently published by the same authority. The fire code shall include, but not be limited to, rules relating to the movable contents of any building, or class of buildings, the transportation, storage, location, and use of flammable or explosive materials, the procedures to be employed by persons in the event of fire, the installation and location of fire protection equipment, and other similar matters. The fire code may contain rules applicable to particular classes of existing buildings or structures as the use and occupancy of such buildings or structures suggest are necessary. The fire marshal may amend, modify, or repeal any rule of the state fire code.
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Section 3737.83 | Provisions to be included in state fire code.
Effective:
December 29, 2023
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly
The state fire marshal shall, as part of the state fire code, adopt rules to: (A) Establish minimum standards of performance for fire protection equipment and fire fighting equipment; (B) Establish minimum standards of training, fix minimum qualifications, and require certificates for all persons who engage in the business for profit of installing, testing, repairing, or maintaining fire protection equipment; (C) Provide for the issuance of certificates required under division (B) of this section and establish the fees to be charged for such certificates. A certificate shall be granted, renewed, or revoked according to rules the state fire marshal shall adopt, except that the state fire marshal shall grant a certificate in accordance with Chapter 4796. of the Revised Code to an applicant if either of the following applies: (1) The applicant holds a license or certificate in another state. (2) The applicant has satisfactory work experience, a government certification, or a private certification as described in that chapter as a person engaged in the business of installing, testing, repairing, or maintaining fire protection equipment in a state that does not issue that certificate. (D) Establish minimum standards of flammability for consumer goods in any case where the federal government or any department or agency thereof has established, or may from time to time establish standards of flammability for consumer goods. The standards established by the state fire marshal shall be identical to the minimum federal standards. In any case where the federal government or any department or agency thereof, establishes standards of flammability for consumer goods subsequent to the adoption of a flammability standard by the state fire marshal, standards previously adopted by the state fire marshal shall not continue in effect to the extent such standards are not identical to the minimum federal standards. With respect to the adoption of minimum standards of flammability, this division shall supersede any authority granted a political subdivision by any other section of the Revised Code. (E) Establish minimum standards pursuant to section 5104.05 of the Revised Code for fire prevention and fire safety in child care centers and in type A family child care homes, as defined in section 5104.01 of the Revised Code. (F) Establish minimum standards for fire prevention and safety in a residential facility licensed under section 5119.34 of the Revised Code that provides accommodations, supervision, and personal care services for three to sixteen unrelated adults. The state fire marshal shall adopt the rules under this division in consultation with the director of mental health and addiction services and interested parties designated by the director of mental health and addiction services.
Last updated December 29, 2023 at 5:17 AM
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Section 3737.831 | Issuance of permit for temporary structures.
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 305 - 126th General Assembly
The state fire code adopted pursuant to sections 3737.82 and 3737.83 of the Revised Code shall contain a provision directing the fire marshal to issue any permit that is required for any temporary membrane structure, tent, or canopy located on state-owned property or used for an event sponsored by a state agency, unless the fire marshal directs the person seeking the permit to obtain the permit from the appropriate local fire code official.
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Section 3737.832 | Fire and safety standards relating to shale oil processing premises.
Effective:
September 10, 2012
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 315 - 129th General Assembly
(A) As used in this section: (1) "Natural gas processing facilities" means installations, including associated buildings, pipes, valves, tanks, and other equipment, used to separate various fluids, hydrocarbons, natural gas liquids, and impurities from the raw natural gas, manufacturing residue gas suitable for transmission and distribution to end users. (2) "Natural gas liquids fractionation facilities" means installations, including associated buildings, pipes, valves, tanks, and other equipment, used for the separation of mixtures of light hydrocarbons or natural gas liquids into individual, purity natural gas liquid products, which include ethane, propane, normal butane, iso-butane, and natural gasolines. (3) "Shale oil processing premise" means a single parcel or contiguous parcels of real estate, including any structures, facilities, appurtenances, equipment, devices, and activities thereon, where the processing of substances extracted from the Point Pleasant, Utica, and Marcellus formations occurs at a natural gas liquids fractionation or natural gas processing facility. "Shale oil processing premise" does not include a well pad or a production operation, as those terms are defined in section 1509.01 of the Revised Code, that is regulated under Chapter 1509. of the Revised Code. (B) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Revised Code, the state fire marshal and the board of building standards shall have the exclusive authority to adopt fire safety standards relating to the construction at a shale oil processing premise of any structure subject to the nonresidential building codes established pursuant to section 3781.10 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Revised Code, the state fire marshal shall have the sole and exclusive authority to adopt all other fire safety standards relating to a shale oil processing premise. Any standards established by the state fire marshal under this section shall be part of the state fire code. (C) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Revised Code, the state fire marshal shall have sole and exclusive authority to enforce all fire safety standards adopted pursuant to this section, any other fire safety standards existing in the state fire code that are applicable to shale oil processing premises, and any actions authorized by sections 3737.41 to 3737.51 of the Revised Code at a shale oil processing premise. (D) The state fire marshal may establish and collect reasonable permit and inspection fees for the regulation of a shale oil processing premise.
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Section 3737.833 | Temporary fire permit for retail establishments.
Effective:
October 3, 2023
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly
(A) As used in this section, "retail establishment" means a place of business open to the general public for the sale of goods or services. (B) If the fire code official having jurisdiction over a retail establishment, including a retail establishment that is under construction and not yet open to the public, is unable to conduct an inspection or issue a permit required by the state fire code adopted pursuant to sections 3737.82 and 3737.83 of the Revised Code, for more than five business days, the owner, operator, or developer of the retail establishment may seek a temporary permit from any fire code official authorized to conduct such an inspection or issue such a permit elsewhere in this state. If that fire code official grants a temporary permit, the permit is valid for fourteen calendar days.
Last updated September 26, 2023 at 5:44 PM
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Section 3737.84 | Provisions not to be included in state fire code.
Effective:
January 1, 2018
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 26 - 132nd General Assembly
(A) The state fire code adopted pursuant to sections 3737.82 and 3737.83 of the Revised Code shall not contain any provision as follows: (1) Relating to the organization or structure of a municipal or township fire department; (2) Relating to structural building requirements covered by the Ohio building code; (3) That would cause an employer, in complying with it, to be in violation of the "Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970," 84 Stat. 1590, 29 U.S.C.A. 651, or the "Consumer Product Safety Act of 1972," 86 Stat. 1207, 15 U.S.C.A. 2051; (4) Regulating manufacturers or manufacturing facilities with respect to occupational hazards where they are subject to regulation by the federal occupational safety and health administration; (5) That is inconsistent with, or in conflict with, regulations of the federal occupational safety and health administration or the hazardous materials regulations of the hazardous materials regulations board of the federal highway administration, United States department of transportation, or the public utilities commission; (6) That establishes a minimum standard of flammability for consumer goods in any area where the "Flammable Fabrics Act," 81 Stat. 568 (1967), 15 U.S.C. 1191 authorizes the federal government or any department or agency of the federal government to establish national standards of flammability for consumer goods; (7) That establishes a health or safety standard for the use of explosives in mining, for which the federal government through its authorized agency sets health or safety standards pursuant to section 6 of the "Federal Metal and Nonmetallic Mine Safety Act of 1966," 80 Stat. 772, 30 U.S.C. 725, or section 101 of the "Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969," 83 Stat. 745, 30 U.S.C.A. 811; (8) That is inconsistent with, or in conflict with, section 3737.73 or Chapter 3743. of the Revised Code, or the rules adopted pursuant to that chapter; (9)(a) Restricting the dispensing of diesel fuel at a terminal or bulk plant into a motor vehicle that is transporting petroleum products or equipment essential to the operation of the terminal or bulk plant, provided that the motor vehicle is owned or leased by or operated under a contract with a person who has been issued a motor fuel dealer's license under section 5735.021 of the Revised Code; (b) Authorizing the dispensing of any petroleum products at a terminal or bulk plant from an aboveground storage tank at the terminal or bulk plant to a motor vehicle other than a motor vehicle that is described in division (A)(9)(a) of this section or to a member of the general public. As used in division (A)(9) of this section, "terminal or bulk plant" means that portion of a property where petroleum products are received by tank vessels, pipelines, tank cars, or tank vehicles and are stored or blended in bulk for the purpose of distributing the petroleum products via tank vessel, pipeline, tank car, tank vehicle, portable tank, or container. (10) That prohibits the use of a device described in section 3781.106 of the Revised Code and used in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to that section. (B) No penalty shall be imposed by the fire marshal on any person for a violation of the state fire code if a penalty has been imposed or an order issued by the federal government for a violation of a similar provision contained in or adopted pursuant to the federal acts referred to in this section, where the facts that constitute the violation of the state fire code are the same as those that constitute the violation or alleged violation of the federal act.
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Section 3737.841 | Fire safety and standards definitions.
Effective:
October 3, 2023
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly
As used in this section and section 3737.842 of the Revised Code: (A) "Public occupancy" means all of the following: (1) Any state correctional institution as defined in section 2967.01 of the Revised Code and any county, multicounty, municipal, or municipal-county jail or workhouse; (2) Any hospital as defined in section 3727.01 of the Revised Code, any hospital licensed by the department of mental health and addiction services under section 5119.33 of the Revised Code, and any institution, hospital, or other place established, controlled, or supervised by the department of mental health and addiction services under Chapter 5119. of the Revised Code; (3) Any nursing home, residential care facility, or home for the aging as defined in section 3721.01 of the Revised Code and any residential facility licensed under section 5119.34 of the Revised Code that provides accommodations, supervision, and personal care services for three to sixteen unrelated adults; (4) Any child care center and any type A family child care home as defined in section 5104.01 of the Revised Code; (5) Any public auditorium or stadium; (6) Public assembly areas of hotels and motels containing more than ten articles of seating furniture. (B) "Sell" includes sell, offer or expose for sale, barter, trade, deliver, give away, rent, consign, lease, possess for sale, or dispose of in any other commercial manner. (C) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, "seating furniture" means any article of furniture, including children's furniture, that can be used as a support for an individual, or an individual's limbs or feet, when sitting or resting in an upright or reclining position and that either: (1) Is made with loose or attached cushions or pillows; (2) Is stuffed or filled in whole or in part with any filling material; (3) Is or can be stuffed or filled in whole or in part with any substance or material, concealed by fabric or any other covering. "Seating furniture" includes the cushions or pillows belonging to or forming a part of the furniture, the structural unit, and the filling material and its container or covering. (D) "Seating furniture" does not include, except if intended for use by children or in facilities designed for the care or treatment of humans, any of the following: (1) Cushions or pads intended solely for outdoor use; (2) Any article with a smooth surface that contains no more than one-half inch of filling material, if that article does not have an upholstered horizontal surface meeting an upholstered vertical surface; (3) Any article manufactured solely for recreational use or physical fitness purposes, including weight-lifting benches, gymnasium mats or pads, and sidehorses. (E) "Filling material" means cotton, wool, kapok, feathers, down, hair, liquid, or any other natural or artificial material or substance that is used or can be used as stuffing in seating furniture.
Last updated August 28, 2023 at 10:02 AM
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Section 3737.842 | Rules for flammability standards.
Effective:
April 10, 1993
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 193 - 119th General Assembly
(A) The state fire marshal shall adopt rules that conform with technical bulletin 133, state of California bureau of home furnishings and thermal insulation, establishing flammability testing procedures and flammability standards for seating furniture used in public occupancies and rules he considers necessary for the administration and enforcement of this section. The rules shall not require any manufacturer of seating furniture to conduct such tests itself, but shall require that any seating furniture manufactured on or after the effective date of this section for use in public occupancies in this state comply with the flammability standards, and may require the submission of authenticated research reports to the state fire marshal verifying that the seating furniture meets the flammability standards. The state fire marshal may inspect any testing of seating furniture conducted under rules adopted under this division as he considers necessary. (B) The manufacturer of any seating furniture sold in this state on or after the effective date of this section for use in a public occupancy that conforms to the flammability standards adopted by rule under division (A) of this section shall attach a permanent label to the article, in plain view, stating the following: "Notice This article is manufactured for use in public occupancies and meets the flammability requirements of California bureau of home furnishings and thermal insulation technical bulletin 133. However, care should be exercised near open flame and with burning cigarettes." The label shall be no less than two inches by three inches and the type shall be in all capital letters and no smaller than one-eighth inch in height. (C) No person shall sell for use in a public occupancy or use in a public occupancy any seating furniture manufactured on or after the effective date of this section that does not conform with the flammability standards adopted by rule under division (A) of this section or the labeling requirement in division (B) of this section. (D) Whenever the state fire marshal, an assistant fire marshal, or a certified fire safety inspector has reason to believe a violation of division (C) of this section has occurred or is occurring, he may seek enforcement of the prohibition contained in that division through use of the procedures established in sections 3737.41 to 3737.51 of the Revised Code.
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Section 3737.85 | Rules for giving notice or serving notice.
Effective:
November 1, 1978
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 590 - 112th General Assembly
The fire marshal shall, as part of the state fire code, adopt rules for giving notice to or serving a citation or order upon a responsible person, to assure that: (A) The owner of a building or premises receives notice before any action is taken with respect to that building or premises; (B) The person responsible by law for a violation of the state fire code receives notice of such violation; (C) The person responsible by law for any violation is given notice of and the opportunity for a hearing as provided in this chapter.
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Section 3737.86 | Rule adoption procedure.
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 171 - 129th General Assembly
(A) As used in this section, "rule" includes the adoption, amendment, or repeal of any rule by the fire marshal under sections 3737.82 to 3737.86 of the Revised Code, regardless of whether or not the rule is included in the state fire code. (B) The fire marshal shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. In adopting rules, the fire marshal shall consider and make appropriate findings with respect to the degree and nature of the risk of injury that the rule is designed to prevent or reduce, the approximate number of products or types or classes of products subject to the rule, the public need for the products involved, the probable effect of the rule on the utility, cost, or availability of such product, and any means of achieving the objective of the rule that will minimize adverse effects on competition or disruption or dislocation of manufacturing and other commercial practices. The minimum standards embodied in the rules shall be published in such a manner as to assure that all interested parties have a reasonable opportunity to be informed of the standards so established. (C) The fire marshal shall file a copy of the full text of any proposed rule with the chairperson of the state fire council. The fire marshal shall not adopt the proposed rule until the council has filed in the office of the fire marshal recommendations for revisions in the proposed rule or until a period of sixty days has elapsed since the proposed rule was filed with the chairperson of the council, whichever occurs first. The fire marshal shall consider any recommendations made by the council before adopting the proposed rule, but may accept, reject, or modify the recommendations.
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Section 3737.87 | Underground storage tank definitions.
Effective:
September 5, 2012
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 294 - 129th General Assembly
As used in sections 3737.87 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code: (A) "Accidental release" means any sudden or nonsudden release of petroleum that was neither expected nor intended by the owner or operator of the applicable underground storage tank system and that results in the need for corrective action or compensation for bodily injury or property damage. (B) "Corrective action" means any action necessary to protect human health and the environment in the event of a release of petroleum into the environment, including, without limitation, any action necessary to monitor, assess, and evaluate the release. In the instance of a suspected release, "corrective action" includes, without limitation, an investigation to confirm or disprove the occurrence of the release. In the instance of a confirmed release, "corrective action" includes, without limitation, the initial corrective action taken under section 3737.88 or 3737.882 of the Revised Code and rules adopted or orders issued under those sections and any action taken consistent with a remedial action to clean up contaminated ground water, surface water, soils, and subsurface material and to address the residual effects of a release after the initial corrective action is taken. (C) "Eligible lending institution" means a financial institution that is eligible to make commercial loans, is a public depository of state funds under section 135.03 of the Revised Code, and agrees to participate in the petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit program provided for in sections 3737.95 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code. (D) "Eligible owner" means any person that owns six or fewer petroleum underground storage tanks comprising a petroleum underground storage tank or underground storage tank system. (E) "Installer" means a person who supervises the installation of, performance of major repairs on site to, abandonment of, or removal of underground storage tank systems. (F) "Major repair" means the restoration of a tank or an underground storage tank system component that has caused a release of a product from the underground storage tank system. "Major repair" does not include modifications, upgrades, or routine maintenance for normal operational upkeep to prevent an underground storage tank system from releasing a product. (G) "Operator" means the person in daily control of, or having responsibility for the daily operation of, an underground storage tank system. (H) "Owner" means: (1) In the instance of an underground storage tank system in use on November 8, 1984, or brought into use after that date, the person who owns the underground storage tank system; (2) In the instance of an underground storage tank system in use before November 8, 1984, that was no longer in use on that date, the person who owned the underground storage tank system immediately before the discontinuation of its use. "Owner" includes any person who holds, or, in the instance of an underground storage tank system in use before November 8, 1984, but no longer in use on that date, any person who held immediately before the discontinuation of its use, a legal, equitable, or possessory interest of any kind in an underground storage tank system or in the property on which the underground storage tank system is located, including, without limitation, a trust, vendor, vendee, lessor, or lessee. "Owner" does not include any person who, without participating in the management of an underground storage tank system and without otherwise being engaged in petroleum production, refining, or marketing, holds indicia of ownership in an underground storage tank system primarily to protect the person's security interest in it. (I) "Person," in addition to the meaning in section 3737.01 of the Revised Code, means the United States and any department, agency, or instrumentality thereof. (J) "Petroleum" means petroleum, including crude oil or any fraction thereof, that is a liquid at the temperature of sixty degrees Fahrenheit and the pressure of fourteen and seven-tenths pounds per square inch absolute. "Petroleum" includes, without limitation, motor fuels, jet fuels, distillate fuel oils, residual fuel oils, lubricants, petroleum solvents, and used oils. (K) "Petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit" means a certificate of deposit placed by the treasurer of state with an eligible lending institution pursuant to sections 3737.95 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code. (L) "Regulated substance" means petroleum or any substance identified or listed as a hazardous substance in rules adopted under division (D) of section 3737.88 of the Revised Code. (M) "Release" means any spilling, leaking, emitting, discharging, escaping, leaching, or disposing of from an underground storage tank system into ground or surface water or subsurface soils or otherwise into the environment. (N) Notwithstanding division (F) of section 3737.01 of the Revised Code, "responsible person" means the person who is the owner or operator of an underground storage tank system. (O) "Tank" means a stationary device designed to contain an accumulation of regulated substances that is constructed of manufactured materials. (P) "Underground storage tank" means one or any combination of tanks, including the underground pipes connected thereto, that are used to contain an accumulation of regulated substances the volume of which, including the volume of the underground pipes connected thereto, is ten per cent or more beneath the surface of the ground. "Underground storage tank" does not include any of the following or any pipes connected to any of the following: (1) Pipeline facilities, including gathering lines, regulated under the "Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968," 82 Stat. 720, 49 U.S.C.A. 1671, as amended, or the "Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979," 93 Stat. 1003, 49 U.S.C.A. 2001, as amended; (2) Farm or residential tanks of one thousand one hundred gallons or less capacity used for storing motor fuel for noncommercial purposes; (3) Tanks used for storing heating fuel for consumptive use on the premises where stored; (4) Surface impoundments, pits, ponds, or lagoons; (5) Storm or waste water collection systems; (6) Flow-through process tanks; (7) Storage tanks located in underground areas, including, without limitation, basements, cellars, mine workings, drifts, shafts, or tunnels, when the tanks are located on or above the surface of the floor; (8) Septic tanks; (9) Liquid traps or associated gathering lines directly related to oil or gas production and gathering operations. (Q) "Underground storage tank system" means an underground storage tank and the connected underground piping, underground ancillary equipment, and containment system, if any. (R) "Revenues" means all fees, premiums, and charges paid by owners and operators of petroleum underground storage tanks to the petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board created in section 3737.90 of the Revised Code; proceeds received by the board from any insurance, condemnation, or guaranty; the proceeds of petroleum underground storage tank revenue bonds; and the income and profits from the investment of any such revenues. (S) "Revenue bonds," unless the context indicates a different meaning or intent, means petroleum underground storage tank revenue bonds and petroleum underground storage tank revenue refunding bonds that are issued by the petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board pursuant to sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code. (T) "Class C release" means a release of petroleum occurring or identified from an underground storage tank system subject to sections 3737.87 to 3737.89 of the Revised Code for which the responsible person for the release is specifically determined by the fire marshal not to be a viable person capable of undertaking or completing the corrective actions required under those sections for the release. "Class C release" also includes any release designated as a "class C release" in accordance with rules adopted under section 3737.88 of the Revised Code.
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Section 3737.88 | Underground storage tank program and corrective action program for releases.
Effective:
October 3, 2023
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly
(A)(1) The fire marshal shall have responsibility for implementation of the underground storage tank program and corrective action program for releases of petroleum from underground storage tanks established by the "Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976," 90 Stat. 2795, 42 U.S.C.A. 6901, as amended. To implement the programs, the fire marshal may adopt, amend, and rescind such rules, conduct such inspections, require annual registration of underground storage tanks, issue such citations and orders to enforce those rules, enter into environmental covenants in accordance with sections 5301.80 to 5301.92 of the Revised Code, and perform such other duties, as are consistent with those programs. The fire marshal, by rule, may delegate the authority to conduct inspections of underground storage tanks to certified fire safety inspectors. (2) In the place of any rules regarding release containment and release detection for underground storage tanks adopted under division (A)(1) of this section, the fire marshal, by rule, shall designate areas as being sensitive for the protection of human health and the environment and adopt alternative rules regarding release containment and release detection methods for new and upgraded underground storage tank systems located in those areas. In designating such areas, the fire marshal shall take into consideration such factors as soil conditions, hydrogeology, water use, and the location of public and private water supplies. Not later than July 11, 1990, the fire marshal shall file the rules required under this division with the secretary of state, director of the legislative service commission, and joint committee on agency rule review in accordance with divisions (B) and (C) of section 119.03 of the Revised Code. (3) Notwithstanding sections 3737.87 to 3737.89 of the Revised Code, a person who is not a responsible person, as determined by the fire marshal pursuant to this chapter, may conduct a voluntary action in accordance with Chapter 3746. of the Revised Code and rules adopted under it for either of the following: (a) A class C release; (b) A release, other than a class C release, that is subject to the rules adopted by the fire marshal under division (B) of section 3737.882 of the Revised Code pertaining to a corrective action, provided that both of the following apply: (i) The voluntary action also addresses hazardous substances or petroleum that is not subject to the rules adopted under division (B) of section 3737.882 of the Revised Code pertaining to a corrective action. (ii) The fire marshal has not issued an administrative order concerning the release or referred the release to the attorney general for enforcement. The director of environmental protection, pursuant to section 3746.12 of the Revised Code, may issue a covenant not to sue to any person who properly completes a voluntary action with respect to any such release in accordance with Chapter 3746. of the Revised Code and rules adopted under it. (B) Before adopting any rule under this section or section 3737.881 or 3737.882 of the Revised Code, the fire marshal shall file written notice of the proposed rule with the chairperson of the state fire council, and, within sixty days after notice is filed, the council may file responses to or comments on and may recommend alternative or supplementary rules to the fire marshal. At the end of the sixty-day period or upon the filing of responses, comments, or recommendations by the council, the fire marshal may adopt the rule filed with the council or any alternative or supplementary rule recommended by the council. (C) The state fire council may recommend courses of action to be taken by the fire marshal in carrying out the fire marshal's duties under this section. The council shall file its recommendations in the office of the fire marshal, and, within sixty days after the recommendations are filed, the fire marshal shall file with the chairperson of the council comments on, and proposed action in response to, the recommendations. (D) For the purpose of sections 3737.87 to 3737.89 of the Revised Code, the fire marshal shall adopt, and may amend and rescind, rules identifying or listing hazardous substances. The rules shall be consistent with and equivalent in scope, coverage, and content to regulations identifying or listing hazardous substances adopted under the "Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980," 94 Stat. 2779, 42 U.S.C.A. 9602, as amended, except that the fire marshal shall not identify or list as a hazardous substance any hazardous waste identified or listed in rules adopted under division (A) of section 3734.12 of the Revised Code. (E) Except as provided in division (A)(3) of this section, the fire marshal shall have exclusive jurisdiction to regulate the storage, treatment, and disposal of petroleum contaminated soil generated from corrective actions undertaken in response to releases of petroleum from underground storage tank systems. The fire marshal may adopt, amend, or rescind such rules as the fire marshal considers to be necessary or appropriate to regulate the storage, treatment, or disposal of petroleum contaminated soil so generated. (F) The fire marshal shall adopt, amend, and rescind rules under sections 3737.88 to 3737.882 of the Revised Code in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.
Last updated September 25, 2023 at 12:21 PM
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Section 3737.881 | Certifying underground storage tank systems installers.
Effective:
December 29, 2023
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 131 (GA 134), House Bill 509 (GA 134)
(A) The state fire marshal shall certify underground storage tank systems installers who meet the standards for certification established in rules adopted under division (D)(1) of this section, pass the certification examination required by this division, and pay the certificate fee established in rules adopted under division (D)(5) of this section. Any individual who wishes to obtain certification as an installer shall apply to the state fire marshal on a form prescribed by the state fire marshal. The application shall be accompanied by the application and examination fees established in rules adopted under division (D)(5) of this section. The state fire marshal shall prescribe an examination designed to test the knowledge of applicants for certification as underground storage tank system installers in the installation, repair, abandonment, and removal of those systems. The examination shall also test the applicants' knowledge and understanding of the requirements and standards established in rules adopted under sections 3737.88 and 3737.882 of the Revised Code pertaining to the installation, repair, abandonment, and removal of those systems. Installer certifications issued under this division shall be renewed biennially, upon submission of a certification renewal form prescribed by the state fire marshal, provision of proof of successful completion of continuing education requirements, and payment of the certification renewal fee established in rules adopted under division (D)(5) of this section. In addition, the fire marshal may from time to time prescribe an examination for certification renewal and may require applicants to pass the examination and pay the fee established for it in rules adopted under division (D)(5) of this section. The state fire marshal may, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, deny, suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew an installer's certification or renewal thereof after finding that any of the following applies: (1) The applicant for certification or certificate holder fails to meet the standards for certification or renewal thereof under this section and rules adopted under it; (2) The certification was obtained through fraud or misrepresentation; (3) The certificate holder recklessly caused or permitted a person under the certificate holder's supervision to install, perform major repairs on site to, abandon, or remove an underground storage tank system in violation of the performance standards set forth in rules adopted under section 3737.88 or 3737.882 of the Revised Code. As used in division (A)(3) of this section, "recklessly" has the same meaning as in section 2901.22 of the Revised Code. (B)(1) Any person who wishes to sponsor a training program for underground storage tank system installers may do so if both of the following conditions are met: (a) The person holds an underground storage tank installer certificate in good standing. (b) The person has applied for, and received, approval from the fire marshal to sponsor an underground storage tank installer training program. (2) The state fire marshal may, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, deny an application for, suspend, or revoke a training program approval after finding that the training program does not or will not meet the standards for approval established in rules adopted under division (D)(4) of this section. (C) The state fire marshal may conduct or cause to be conducted training programs for underground storage tank systems installers as the fire marshal considers to be necessary or appropriate. The state fire marshal is not subject to division (B) of this section with respect to training programs conducted by employees of the office of the state fire marshal. (D) The state fire marshal shall adopt, and may amend and rescind, rules doing all of the following: (1) Defining the activities that constitute supervision over the installation, performance of major repairs on site to, abandonment of, and removal of underground storage tank systems; (2) Establishing standards and procedures for certification of underground storage tank systems installers; (3) Establishing standards and procedures for continuing education for certification renewal, subject to the provisions of section 5903.12 of the Revised Code relating to active duty military service; (4) Establishing standards and procedures for approval of training programs for installers; (5) Establishing fees for applications for certification or approval under this section, the examinations prescribed under division (A) of this section, the issuance and renewal of certificates under division (A) of this section, and attendance at training programs conducted by the fire marshal under division (C) of this section. Fees received under this section shall be credited to the underground storage tank administration fund created in section 3737.02 of the Revised Code and shall be used to defray the costs of implementing, administering, and enforcing this section and the rules adopted thereunder, conducting training sessions, and facilitating prevention of releases. (a) The application fee for an underground storage tank systems installer certification shall be three hundred dollars; (b) The renewal fee for an underground storage tank systems installer certification shall be three hundred dollars. (6) That are necessary or appropriate for the implementation, administration, and enforcement of this section. (E) Nothing in this section or the rules adopted under it prohibits an owner or operator of an underground storage tank system from installing, making major repairs on site to, abandoning, or removing an underground storage tank system under the supervision of an installer certified under division (A) of this section who is a full-time or part-time employee of the owner or operator. (F) On and after January 7, 1990, no person shall do any of the following: (1) Install, make major repairs on site to, abandon, or remove an underground storage tank system unless the activity is performed under the supervision of a qualified individual who holds a valid installer certificate issued under division (A) of this section; (2) Act in the capacity of providing supervision for the installation of, performance of major repairs on site to, abandonment of, or removal of an underground storage tank system unless the person holds a valid installer certificate issued under division (A) of this section; (3) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, sponsor a training program for underground storage tank systems installers unless the person has received approval from the fire marshal to do so. (G) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the state fire marshal shall issue an installer's certification or a training program certificate in accordance with Chapter 4796. of the Revised Code to an applicant if either of the following applies: (1) The applicant holds an installer's license or certification or a training program license or certificate in another state. (2) The applicant has satisfactory work experience, a government certification, or a private certification as described in that chapter as an installer of underground storage tank systems in a state that does not issue one or both of those certifications.
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 December 29, 2023 at 5:34 AM
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Section 3737.882 | Confirming or disproving suspected petroleum release.
Effective:
October 3, 2023
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly
(A) If, after an examination or inspection, the fire marshal or an assistant fire marshal finds that a release of petroleum is suspected, the fire marshal shall take such action as the fire marshal considers necessary to ensure that a suspected release is confirmed or disproved and, if the occurrence of a release is confirmed, to correct the release. These actions may include one or more of the following: (1) Issuance of a citation and order requiring the responsible person to undertake, in a manner consistent with the requirements of section 9003 of the "Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976," 98 Stat. 3279, 42 U.S.C.A. 6991b, as amended, applicable regulations adopted thereunder, and rules adopted under division (B) of this section, such actions as are necessary to protect human health and the environment, including, without limitation, the investigation of a suspected release; (2) Requesting the attorney general to bring a civil action for appropriate relief, including a temporary restraining order or preliminary or permanent injunction, in the court of common pleas of the county in which a suspected release is located or in which the release occurred, to obtain the corrective action necessary to protect human health and the environment. In granting any such relief, the court shall ensure that the terms of the temporary restraining order or injunction are sufficient to provide comprehensive corrective action to protect human health and the environment. (3) Entry onto premises and undertaking corrective action with respect to a release of petroleum if, in the fire marshal's judgment, such action is necessary to protect human health and the environment. Any corrective action undertaken by the fire marshal or assistant fire marshal under division (A)(3) of this section shall be consistent with the requirements of sections 9003 and 9005 of the "Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976," 98 Stat. 3279, 42 U.S.C.A. 6991b, and 98 Stat. 3284, 42 U.S.C.A. 6991e, respectively, as amended, applicable regulations adopted thereunder, and rules adopted under division (B) of this section. (B) The fire marshal shall adopt, and may amend and rescind, such rules as the fire marshal considers necessary to establish standards for corrective actions for suspected and confirmed releases of petroleum and standards for the recovery of costs incurred for undertaking corrective or enforcement actions with respect to such releases. The rules also shall include requirements for financial responsibility for the cost of corrective actions for and compensation of bodily injury and property damage incurred by third parties that are caused by releases of petroleum. Rules regarding financial responsibility shall, without limitation, require responsible persons to provide evidence that the parties guaranteeing payment of the deductible amount established under division (E) or (F) of section 3737.91 of the Revised Code are, at a minimum, secondarily liable for all corrective action and third-party liability costs incurred within the scope of the deductible amount. The rules shall be consistent with sections 9003 and 9005 of the "Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976," 98 Stat. 3279, 42 U.S.C.A. 6991b, and 98 Stat. 3284, 42 U.S.C.A. 6991e, respectively, as amended, and applicable regulations adopted thereunder. (C)(1) No person shall violate or fail to comply with a rule adopted under division (A) of section 3737.88 of the Revised Code or division (B) of this section, and no person shall violate or fail to comply with the terms of any order issued under division (A) of section 3737.88 of the Revised Code or division (A)(1) of this section. (2) Whoever violates division (C)(1) of this section or division (F) of section 3737.881 of the Revised Code shall pay a civil penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars for each day that the violation continues. The fire marshal may, by order, assess a civil penalty under this division, or the fire marshal may request the attorney general to bring a civil action for imposition of the civil penalty in the court of common pleas of the county in which the violation occurred. If the fire marshal determines that a responsible person is in violation of division (C)(1) of this section or division (F) of section 3737.881 of the Revised Code, the fire marshal may request the attorney general to bring a civil action for appropriate relief, including a temporary restraining order or preliminary or permanent injunction, in the court of common pleas of the county in which the underground storage tank or, in the case of a violation of division (F)(3) of section 3737.881 of the Revised Code, the training program that is the subject of the violation is located. The court shall issue a temporary restraining order or an injunction upon a demonstration that a violation of division (C)(1) of this section or division (F) of section 3737.881 of the Revised Code has occurred or is occurring. Any action brought by the attorney general under this division is a civil action, governed by the Rules of Civil Procedure and other rules of practice and procedure applicable to civil actions. (D) Orders issued under division (A) of section 3737.88 of the Revised Code and divisions (A)(1) and (C) of this section, and appeals thereof, are subject to and governed by Chapter 3745. of the Revised Code. Such orders shall be issued without the necessity for issuance of a proposed action under that chapter. For purposes of appeals of any such orders, the term "director" as used in Chapter 3745. of the Revised Code includes the fire marshal and an assistant fire marshal. (E) Any restrictions on the use of real property for the purpose of the achievement by an owner or operator of applicable standards pursuant to rules adopted under division (B) of this section shall be contained in a deed or in another instrument that is signed and acknowledged by the property owner in the same manner as a deed or an environmental covenant that is entered into in accordance with sections 5301.80 to 5301.92 of the Revised Code. The deed, other instrument containing the restrictions, or environmental covenant shall be filed and recorded in the office of the county recorder of the county in which the property is located. Pursuant to Chapter 5309. of the Revised Code, if the use restrictions or environmental covenant are connected with registered land, as defined in section 5309.01 of the Revised Code, the restrictions or environmental covenant shall be entered as a memorial on the page of the register where the title of the owner is registered. (F) Any restrictions on the use of real property for the purpose of the achievement by a person that is not a responsible person, or by a person undertaking a voluntary action of applicable standards pursuant to rules adopted under division (B) of this section shall be contained in an environmental covenant that is entered into in accordance with sections 5301.80 to 5301.92 of the Revised Code. The environmental covenant shall be filed and recorded in the office of the county recorder of the county in which the property is located. Pursuant to Chapter 5309. of the Revised Code, if the environmental covenant is connected with registered land, as defined in section 5309.01 of the Revised Code, the environmental covenant shall be entered as a memorial on the page of the register where the title of the owner is registered.
Last updated September 18, 2023 at 4:53 PM
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Section 3737.884 | Effect of child support default on certificate.
Effective:
September 29, 2013
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 59 - 130th General Assembly
On receipt of a notice pursuant to section 3123.43 of the Revised Code, the state fire marshal shall comply with sections 3123.41 to 3123.50 of the Revised Code and any applicable rules adopted under section 3123.63 of the Revised Code with respect to a certificate issued pursuant to section 3737.34, 3737.65, 3737.83, or 3737.881 of the Revised Code.
Last updated May 6, 2021 at 3:57 PM
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Section 3737.89 | Liability for costs of corrective or enforcement action.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
(A) Except when a responsible person can prove that a release of petroleum was caused solely by any one or a combination of an act of God, an act of war, or an act or omission of a third party without regard to whether any such act or omission was or was not negligent, a responsible person, notwithstanding any other provision of the Revised Code or common law of this state, is strictly liable to the state for any costs incurred for any corrective or enforcement action undertaken by the fire marshal under section 3737.882 of the Revised Code and for any costs incurred for any enforcement action undertaken by the attorney general under this section or section 3737.882 of the Revised Code with respect to a release of petroleum. The attorney general, upon the request of the fire marshal, shall bring a civil action to recover those costs in the court of common pleas of the county in which the corrective or enforcement action was undertaken. (B) If a responsible person alleges that a release of petroleum was caused solely by an act or omission of a third party or was caused solely by such an act or omission in combination with an act of God or an act of war, the responsible person shall pay to the state the cost of any corrective or enforcement action undertaken by the fire marshal under section 3737.882 of the Revised Code and any enforcement action undertaken by the attorney general under this section or section 3737.882 of the Revised Code with respect to the release and is entitled by subrogation to all rights of the state to recover those costs from the third party under division (C) of this section. The attorney general, upon the request of the fire marshal, shall bring a civil action to recover payment from the responsible party for those costs in the court of common pleas of the county in which the corrective or enforcement action was undertaken. (C) If the responsible person proves that a release of petroleum was caused solely by an act or omission of a third party or by such an act or omission in combination with an act of God or an act of war, the third party, notwithstanding any other provision of the Revised Code or common law of this state, is strictly liable to the state for any costs incurred for any corrective or enforcement action undertaken by the fire marshal under section 3737.882 of the Revised Code and for any enforcement action undertaken by the attorney general under this section or section 3737.882 of the Revised Code with respect to the release. The attorney general, upon the request of the fire marshal or any person entitled by subrogation to the rights of the state under division (B) of this section, may bring a civil action to recover those costs in the court of common pleas of the county in which the corrective or enforcement action was undertaken. (D) No indemnification, hold harmless, or similar agreement or conveyance shall be effective to transfer from the responsible person, or from any other person who may be liable under division (C) of this section, to another person the liability imposed by this section. Nothing in this division bars either of the following: (1) Any agreement to insure, hold harmless, or indemnify a party to such an agreement for any liability under this section; (2) A cause of action that any person has or would have against any other person by reason of subrogation or otherwise. (E) Nothing in this section limits the duty of a responsible person under section 3737.882 of the Revised Code and rules adopted under it to notify the fire marshal and to take action with respect to a release of petroleum. (F) Nothing in this section limits the right of the federal government to recover from the responsible person any federal money expended for any corrective or enforcement action as a result of a release of petroleum.
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Section 3737.90 | Petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board.
Effective:
April 11, 1991
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 396 - 118th General Assembly
(A) There is hereby created the petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board consisting of the treasurer of state and the directors of commerce and environmental protection as members ex officio, or their designees, and nine members to be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. No more than five of the appointed members shall be affiliated with the same political party. Of the appointed members, one shall represent the interests of petroleum refiners, one shall represent the interests of petroleum marketers, one shall represent the interests of retail petroleum dealers, one shall represent the interests of local governments, one shall have experience in casualty and fire or pollution liability insurance, two shall represent the interests of businesses that own petroleum underground storage tanks and are not primarily engaged in the sale of petroleum, and two shall be professional engineers registered under Chapter 4733. of the Revised Code with experience in geology or environmental engineering who shall represent the interests of the public and shall not be associated with the petroleum industry. Of the initial appointments to the board, three shall be for a term ending July 11, 1990, three shall be for a term ending July 11, 1991, and three shall be for a term ending July 11, 1992. Thereafter, terms of office shall be for three years, with each term ending on the same day of the same month as did the term that it succeeds. Each member shall hold office from the date of his appointment until the end of the term for which he was appointed. Members may be reappointed. Vacancies shall be filled in the manner provided for original appointments. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration date of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall hold office as a member for the remainder of that term. A member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date of his term until his successor takes office or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first. Appointed members of the board shall be compensated on a per diem basis in accordance with division (J) of section 124.15 of the Revised Code for each day of actual attendance at meetings of the board. Members shall receive their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the board. The petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board is a body both corporate and politic in this state, and the carrying out of its purposes and the exercise by it of the powers conferred by sections 3737.90 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code shall be held to be, and are hereby determined to be, essential governmental functions and public purposes of the state. Each appointed member of the board shall give a surety bond to the state in the penal sum of not less than twenty-five thousand dollars as determined by the board. The chairman of the board shall give a bond in the penal sum of not less than fifty thousand dollars as determined by the board. Each surety bond shall be conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties of the office, be executed by a surety company authorized to transact business in this state, be approved by the governor, and be filed in the office of the secretary of state. The surety bonds shall be given at such time as is established by the board, provided that they shall be given prior to the issuance of any revenue bonds by the board under sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code. The board shall meet at least quarterly and shall hold such additional meetings as are necessary to implement and administer sections 3737.90 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code. Additional meetings may be called in accordance with rules adopted under this section. The board shall annually select from among its members a chairman and a vice-chairman. A majority of the members of the board constitutes a quorum for the transaction of any business of the board. (B) The board may: (1) In accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, adopt, amend, and rescind rules establishing procedures for calling special meetings of the board; (2) In accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, adopt, amend, and rescind such other rules as are necessary or appropriate to implement and administer sections 3737.90 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code, including, without limitation, rules for the administration of the petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit program established under sections 3737.95 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code; rules establishing priorities for the payment of claims under section 3737.92 of the Revised Code on the petroleum underground storage tank financial assurance fund created in section 3737.91 of the Revised Code based upon a consideration of the date that a claim is originally filed and the threat posed to human health and the environment by the release to which the claim applies; and rules providing for the payment of any such claims in installments, when appropriate. The rules adopted under division (B)(2) of this section shall be consistent with section 9003 of the "Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976," 98 Stat. 3279, 42 U.S.C.A. 6991b, as amended, and regulations adopted under it. (3) Employ and fix the compensation of the director of the petroleum underground storage tank financial assurance fund and such other personnel as are necessary to implement and administer sections 3737.90 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code and rules adopted under them. The board may designate positions in the unclassified civil service for which it may employ persons who shall be eligible for membership in the public employees retirement system under Chapter 145. of the Revised Code and who shall not be subject to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code. (4) Enter into contracts or agreements for the purposes of sections 3737.90 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code, including, without limitation, a contract for administration of the petroleum underground storage tank financial assurance fund by an agent; (5) Sue or be sued in its own name in actions arising out of any act or omission in connection with its business or affairs under sections 3737.90 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code; (6) Issue revenue bonds payable solely from revenues as provided in sections 3737.94 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code for the purpose of funding the petroleum underground storage tank financial assurance fund to preserve jobs and employment opportunities in the state and to control water pollution and ensure the viability of ground water in the state by reimbursements to responsible persons for improving property damaged by releases of petroleum; (7) Establish by rule the maximum percentage of the petroleum underground storage tank financial assurance fund that may be used to make petroleum underground storage tank linked deposits under sections 3737.95 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code. (C) Section 9.86 of the Revised Code applies to the petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board and to any officer or employee of the board, as "officer" and "employee" are defined in section 109.36 of the Revised Code. (D) The board, in the conduct of its functions and duties, is not subject to the regulation of the superintendent of insurance under Title XXXIX of the Revised Code nor any rules of the department of insurance adopted thereunder.
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Section 3737.91 | Petroleum underground storage tank financial assurance fund.
Effective:
December 18, 1997
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 46 - 122nd General Assembly
(A) There is hereby created the petroleum underground storage tank financial assurance fund, which shall be in the custody of the treasurer of state, but is not a part of the state treasury. The fund shall consist of moneys from the following sources: (1) All fees collected under divisions (B) and (F) of this section and all supplemental fees collected under division (C) of this section; (2) Interest earned on moneys in the fund; (3) Appropriations to the fund from the general revenue fund; (4) The proceeds of revenue bonds issued under sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code, provided that upon resolution of the petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board created in section 3737.90 of the Revised Code, all or part of those proceeds may be deposited into a separate account of the fund. Chapters 131. and 135. of the Revised Code do not apply to the establishment, deposit, investment, application, and safeguard of any such account and moneys in any such account. (B) For the purposes of paying the costs of implementing and administering this section and sections 3737.90 and 3737.92 of the Revised Code and rules adopted under them; payment or reimbursement of corrective action costs under section 3737.92 of the Revised Code; compensating third parties for bodily injury or property damage under that section; and payment of principal and interest on revenue bonds issued under sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code to raise capital for the fund, there is hereby assessed an annual petroleum underground storage tank financial assurance fee on each tank comprising an underground storage tank or an underground storage tank system that contains or has contained petroleum and for which a responsible person is required to demonstrate financial responsibility by rules adopted by the fire marshal under division (B) of section 3737.882 of the Revised Code. The fee assessed by this division shall be paid to the board by a responsible person for each tank that is subject to the fee. The fee shall be paid not later than the first day of July of each year, except that in 1989 the fee shall be paid by either the first day of September or ninety days after July 11, 1989, whichever is later. The fee is in addition to any fee established by the fire marshal under section 3737.88 of the Revised Code. The amount of the annual fee due in 1989 and 1990 is one hundred fifty dollars per tank per year. In 1991 and subsequent years the board shall establish the amount of the annual fee in accordance with this division. Not later than the first day of April of 1991 and each subsequent year, the board, in consultation with the administrative agent of the fund with whom the board has entered into a contract under division (B)(3) of section 3737.90 of the Revised Code, if any, shall determine the amount of the annual fee to be assessed in that year and shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to establish the fee at that amount. The fee shall be established at an amount calculated to maintain the continued financial soundness of the fund, provided that if the unobligated balance of the fund exceeds forty-five million dollars on the date that an annual determination is made, the board may assess a fee in the year to which the determination applies only to the extent required in or by, or necessary to comply with covenants or other requirements in, revenue bonds issued under sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code or in proceedings or other covenants or agreements related to such bonds. Not later than the first day of May of 1991 and each subsequent year, the board shall notify each responsible person by certified mail of the amount of the annual fee per tank due in that year. As used in this paragraph, "proceedings" has the same meaning as in section 133.01 of the Revised Code. If a responsible person is both the owner and operator of a tank, the responsible person shall pay any annual fee assessed under this division in compliance with this division and the rules adopted thereunder. If the owner of the tank and the operator of the tank are not the same person, any annual fee assessed under this division in compliance with this division and the rules adopted thereunder shall be paid by one of the responsible persons; however, all such responsible persons are liable for noncompliance with this division. (C) As necessary to maintain the financial soundness of the fund, the board, by rules adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, may at any time assess a supplemental petroleum underground storage tank financial assurance fee on tanks subject to the fee assessed under division (B) or (F) of this section in any fiscal year in which the board finds that the unobligated balance in the fund is less than fifteen million dollars. The board, in consultation with the fund's administrative agent, if any, shall establish the amount of the supplemental fee at an amount that will ensure an unobligated balance in the fund of at least fifteen million dollars at the end of the fiscal year in which the supplemental fee is assessed. Not less than thirty days before the date on which payment of the supplemental fee is due under the board's rules, the board shall notify each responsible person by certified mail of the amount of the supplemental fee and the date on which payment of the supplemental fee to the board is due. If a responsible person is both the owner and operator of a tank, the responsible person shall pay any supplemental fee assessed under this division in compliance with this division and the rules adopted thereunder. If the owner of the tank and the operator of the tank are not the same person, any supplemental fee assessed under this division in compliance with this division and the rules adopted thereunder shall be paid by one of the responsible persons; however, all such responsible persons are liable for noncompliance with this division. (D)(1) The board shall issue a certificate of coverage to any responsible person who has complied with all of the following: (a) Paid the fee assessed under division (B) or (F) of this section; (b) Demonstrated to the board financial responsibility in compliance with the rules adopted by the fire marshal under division (B) of section 3737.882 of the Revised Code for the deductible amount established under division (E) of this section or, when appropriate, the reduced deductible amount established under division (F) of this section. If the responsible person utilizes self-insurance as a financial responsibility mechanism, the responsible person shall provide the board with an affidavit in which the responsible party certifies that all documentation submitted to the board is true and accurate; (c) Certified to the board that for each petroleum underground storage tank system for which a certificate of coverage is sought, the responsible person is in compliance with applicable rules for petroleum underground storage tank systems that have been adopted by the fire marshal under section 3737.88 of the Revised Code. The certificate of coverage shall state the amount of coverage to which the responsible person is entitled from the fund pursuant to division (D)(3) of this section and the time period for which the certificate provides that coverage. An issued certificate of coverage is subject to the condition that the holder timely pay any supplemental fee assessed under division (C) of this section during the time that the certificate is in effect. (2) The board shall not issue a certificate of coverage to any responsible person who fails to comply with divisions (D)(1)(a), (b), and (c) of this section. (3) The maximum disbursement from the fund for any single release of petroleum is the difference between the deductible amount established under division (E) of this section or, when appropriate, the reduced deductible amount established under division (F) of this section and one million dollars. The maximum disbursement from the fund during any fiscal year on behalf of any responsible person shall not exceed in the aggregate one million dollars less the deductible amount if the responsible person owns or operates not more than one hundred tanks comprising underground petroleum storage tanks or underground petroleum storage tank systems, shall not exceed in the aggregate two million dollars less the deductible amount if the responsible person owns or operates not more than two hundred such tanks, shall not exceed in the aggregate three million dollars less the deductible amount if the responsible person owns or operates not more than three hundred such tanks, and shall not exceed in the aggregate four million dollars less the deductible amount if the responsible person owns or operates more than three hundred such tanks. The maximum disbursement from the fund for any single release or for any fiscal year under this division does not in any manner limit the liability of a responsible person for a release of petroleum. (E)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (F) of this section, no responsible person is eligible to receive moneys from the fund under section 3737.92 of the Revised Code until the responsible person demonstrates to the board financial responsibility for the first fifty thousand dollars of the cost for corrective action for, and compensating third parties for bodily injury and property damage caused by, accidental releases of petroleum from an underground storage tank owned or operated by the responsible party. The fifty thousand dollar amount is the deductible amount for the purposes of this section and section 3737.92 of the Revised Code. (2) The board, in consultation with the fund's administrative agent, if any, may, by rules adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, establish for any fiscal year a deductible amount that differs from fifty thousand dollars. The deductible amount established by the board shall be such an amount as to maintain the financial soundness of the fund. Any action of the board to establish a differing deductible amount or to alter a deductible amount previously established by it shall be taken concurrently with the establishment under division (B) of this section of the annual fee due on the first day of the fiscal year in which the deductible amount will apply. If the deductible amount established under this division differs from that in effect at the time of the board's action, the board shall notify each responsible person of the change by certified mail not later than the first day of May preceding the effective date of the change. (F)(1) Any responsible person owning, or owning or operating, a total of six or fewer petroleum underground storage tanks may elect in calendar years 1989 and 1990 to pay twice the amount of the per tank annual fee for each tank assessed under division (B) of this section in order to reduce the amount of the deductible established in division (E) of this section to the total amount of ten thousand dollars. The election shall be available only at the time of the payment of the annual fee and any supplemental fee. The election shall not be retroactively applied. (2) Any responsible person owning, or owning or operating, a total of six or fewer petroleum underground storage tanks may elect in calendar year 1991 and in each subsequent year to pay an additional fee at an amount established by the board in addition to the per tank annual fee assessed under division (B) of this section in order to reduce the deductible amount established under division (E) of this section. In calendar year 1991 and in each subsequent year, the board shall establish the amount of the additional fee and the reduced deductible amount. In determining the amount of the additional fee and the reduced deductible amount, the board shall take into consideration the effect of the additional claims paid under section 3737.92 of the Revised Code to responsible persons making an election under division (F)(2) of this section and balance that consideration with such factors as the availability of liability insurance, the difficulty of proving financial responsibility pursuant to the rules adopted by the fire marshal under division (B) of section 3737.882 of the Revised Code, and the hardship created on small owners and operators of petroleum underground storage tanks by an increase in either the additional fee or the reduced deductible amount. (3) Any responsible person owning, or owning or operating, a total of six or fewer petroleum underground storage tanks who elects to pay the additional fee under divisions (F)(1) and (2) of this section shall pay any per tank supplemental fee assessed under division (C) of this section. (G) If the director of the fund determines that a responsible person has failed to comply with division (B), (C), or (F) of this section, the director of the fund shall notify each responsible person for the petroleum underground storage tank of the noncompliance. If, within thirty days after the notification, the responsible person fails to pay the applicable fee or any fee previously assessed upon the responsible person under this section, the director of the fund shall issue an order requiring the responsible person to pay all of the fees the responsible person owes to the fund and an additional late payment fee in the amount of one thousand dollars to the fund. If a responsible person fails to comply with any order of the director of the fund within thirty days after the issuance of the order, the director shall notify the fire marshal of that noncompliance. Upon the request of the director of the fund, the attorney general may bring a civil action for appropriate relief, including a temporary restraining order or preliminary or permanent injunction, in the court of common pleas of the county in which the petroleum underground storage tank that is the subject of the order is located. The court shall issue an injunction upon a demonstration that a failure to comply with the director's order has occurred or is occurring. Any orders issued by the director of the fund under this division may be appealed by the responsible person under division (F) of section 3737.92 of the Revised Code. For the purpose of an appeal of any order of the director of the fund, "determination" as used in that division includes any order of the director of the fund. The filing of a notice of appeal under this division does not operate as a stay of any order of the director of the fund.
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Section 3737.92 | Purpose of fund.
Effective:
December 18, 1997
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 46 - 122nd General Assembly
(A) The petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board created in section 3737.90 of the Revised Code shall use moneys in the petroleum underground storage tank financial assurance fund established in section 3737.91 of the Revised Code exclusively for the following purposes: (1) Payment of the expenses of administering the fund; (2) Payment of the administrative expenses of the board; (3) Payment to or reimbursement of responsible persons for the necessary cost of corrective action for and compensating third parties for bodily injury and property damage caused by accidental releases of petroleum in accordance with this section, provided that proceeds from the issuance of revenue bonds under sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code may only be used for the payment to or reimbursement of responsible persons for the necessary costs of corrective action for improving property damaged by accidental releases of petroleum in accordance with this section; (4) Deposit into any funds provided for in a resolution or resolutions of the board in connection with any revenue bonds issued under sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code; (5) Placement of petroleum underground storage tank linked deposits under sections 3737.95 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code. (B) A responsible person seeking to obtain from the fund payment of or reimbursement for corrective action costs for an accidental release of petroleum shall submit a claim to the board in accordance with and containing the information required by rules adopted by the board in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. Before authorizing any disbursement from the fund to pay all or any portion of a claim submitted under this division, the director of the fund shall first determine that the claim meets all of the following criteria: (1) The responsible person is eligible under division (D) of this section to receive payment of or reimbursement for the corrective action costs from the fund; (2) The corrective action performed or to be performed has been authorized by the fire marshal under section 3737.882 of the Revised Code and rules adopted under that section; (3) The costs of performing the corrective action are necessary to comply with the rules of the fire marshal adopted under sections 3737.88 and 3737.882 of the Revised Code governing corrective actions. (C) A responsible person seeking to obtain from the fund payment of or reimbursement for compensation paid or to be paid to third parties for bodily injury or property damage caused by an accidental release of petroleum shall submit a claim to the board in accordance with and containing the information required by rules adopted by the board in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. Before authorizing any disbursement from the fund to pay all or any portion of a claim submitted under this division, the director of the fund shall first determine that the claim meets both of the following criteria: (1) The responsible person who submitted the claim is eligible under division (D) of this section to receive payment of or reimbursement for the third-party compensation from the fund; (2) There is a legally enforceable judgment against the responsible person for bodily injury or property damage to one or more third parties resulting from the release in the amount stated in the claim, or, if there is a settlement with a third party as a result of the release, the amount of the settlement stated in the claim is reasonable. (D) A responsible person is not eligible to receive payment or reimbursement from the fund under division (B) or (C) of this section unless all of the following conditions are met: (1) At the time that the release was first suspected or confirmed, a responsible person possessed a valid certificate of coverage issued by the board under division (D) of section 3737.91 of the Revised Code for the petroleum underground storage tank system from which the release occurred; (2) One of the following applies: (a) The petroleum underground storage tank system from which the release occurred was registered in compliance with rules adopted by the fire marshal under section 3737.88 of the Revised Code when the occurrence of the release was first suspected or confirmed; (b) The fire marshal has recommended that payment or reimbursement be made because good cause existed for the responsible person's failure to have so registered the petroleum underground storage tank system, and the responsible person has registered the petroleum underground storage tank system with the fire marshal and paid all back registration fees payable under those rules for registration of the system from the time the responsible person should have, but failed to register the system. (3) The fire marshal has determined that, when the claim was filed, a responsible person was in compliance with all orders issued under sections 3737.88 and 3737.882 of the Revised Code regarding the petroleum underground storage tank system from which the release occurred; (4) A responsible person demonstrates financial responsibility for the deductible amount applicable under section 3737.91 of the Revised Code for the petroleum underground storage tank system from which the release has occurred; (5) The responsible person has not falsified any attestation contained on a registration application required by rules adopted under section 3737.88 of the Revised Code; (6) The petroleum underground storage tank system from which the release occurred was in compliance with rules, other than rules regarding registration, adopted by the fire marshal under section 3737.88 of the Revised Code when the occurrence of the release was first suspected or confirmed. (E) The director of the fund may make a determination to approve or disapprove a claim and to authorize a disbursement from the fund for payment of an approved claim administratively without a hearing. If the director of the fund makes a determination regarding a claim that is inconsistent with a recommendation or determination of the fire marshal for purposes of division (B)(2) or (3) or (D)(2), (3), or (5) of this section, the director shall detail those inconsistencies in a written finding of fact before authorizing any disbursement from the fund for payment of the claim. Upon making a determination of a claim under this section, the director of the fund shall provide written notice of the determination and a copy of any written finding of fact accompanying the determination to the responsible person who submitted the claim and to the fire marshal. (F) If the responsible person who submitted a claim under this section or the fire marshal objects to the determination of the claim made by the director of the fund and files an objection to the determination with the board within thirty days after the mailing of the notification of the determination and finding of fact, if any, the board shall appoint a referee to conduct an adjudication hearing on the determination. The adjudication hearing shall be conducted in accordance with section 119.09 of the Revised Code. For the purposes of adjudication hearings on determinations of the director of the fund, the term "agency" as used in that section includes the board. If any party is aggrieved by an order of the board made after the adjudication hearing on the determination, the party may appeal the order in accordance with section 119.12 of the Revised Code. For the purposes of appeals of any such orders, the terms "fire marshal" and "building" as used in that section include the board and petroleum underground storage tank, respectively. (G) Neither the state, the board, nor the director of the fund is liable to any responsible person to pay the cost of any corrective action or of third party compensation for a release of petroleum when the fund is depeleted of moneys because the amount of the claims made on the fund exceeds the unobligated balance in the fund. However, upon assessing and collecting a supplemental fee under division (C) of section 3737.91 of the Revised Code, the board shall again consider the claim of a responsible person whose claim was not initially honored because of the insufficiency of unobligated balances in the fund to pay that person's claim. The inability of a responsible person to obtain money from the fund does not in any manner limit the liability of a responsible person for a release of petroleum. (H) Neither the right to apply for payment or reimbursement nor the receipt of payment or reimbursement under this section limits the liability of any responsible person to the state for the payment of any corrective action or enforcement costs under sections 3737.882 and 3737.89 of the Revised Code, or to any third party for bodily injury or property damage, resulting from a release of petroleum from an underground storage tank system owned or operated by the responsible person. Neither the right to apply for payment or reimbursement under this section nor any delay by the board or director of the fund in acting upon any claim for any such payment or reimbursement limits or postpones the duty of any responsible person to comply with any order of the fire marshal issued under section 3737.88 or 3737.882 of the Revised Code. (I) The board, upon payment to or reimbursement of a responsible person from the fund for corrective action costs or the cost of compensation to third parties for bodily injury or property damage, is entitled by subrogation to all rights of the responsible person to recover those costs from any other person. The attorney general, upon the request of the board, may bring a civil action to recover those costs in the court of common pleas of the county in which the release of petroleum occurred. (J) Nothing in this section limits the right of the federal government to recover from the responsible person any federal money expended for any corrective or enforcement action as a result of a release of petroleum. (K) If the responsible person described in division (D) of this section is a state agency, any payments or reimbursements received by the state agency under this section shall be deposited into the fund from which the expenditures for the corrective action or third party compensation originally were made.
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Section 3737.93 | Transferor of title to petroleum to give notice of registration requirements.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
During the period commencing ninety days after the effective date of this section and ending on January 1, 1991, a person who transfers title to petroleum that is placed by the person directly into an underground storage tank of the transferee shall provide written notice to the transferee of the requirements for the registration of underground storage tanks established by rules adopted under sections 3737.88 and 3737.882 of the Revised Code. No person shall fail to comply with this section.
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Section 3737.94 | Public policy governing petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
(A) It is hereby declared to be the public policy of the state through the operations of the petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board under sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code to contribute toward one or more of the following: to preserve and protect the water resources of the state and to prevent, abate, or control the pollution of water resources, particularly ground water, for the protection and preservation of the public health, safety, convenience, and welfare, to assist in the financing of repair and replacement of petroleum underground storage tanks and to improve property damaged by any petroleum releases from those tanks, and to preserve jobs and employment opportunities or improve the economic welfare of the people of the state. In furtherance of that public policy and pursuant to Section 13 of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution, the petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board may determine the amount of reimbursement to responsible persons for costs necessary to improve property damaged by accidental releases of petroleum and to have been incurred in anticipation of reimbursement by the board and may issue revenue bonds payable solely from revenues of the board to pay the costs incurred by the responsible person for improving the property. Determination by the board that the amount of reimbursement is or was necessary to improve property so damaged and was incurred in anticipation of reimbursement by the board shall be conclusive for the purposes of issuance of revenue bonds. (B) The board may, from time to time, issue revenue bonds of the state in such principal amount as determined by the board to be necessary to implement division (A) of this section. Determination by the board that the issuance of revenue bonds is necessary to implement division (A) of this section shall be conclusive. Every issue of bonds shall be special obligations of the board payable solely from premiums, charges, and fees collected by or on behalf of the board from responsible persons and by resolution of the board pledged for such payment, without preference or priority of the first bonds issued, subject only to any agreements with the holders of particular bonds pledging any particular revenues. Such a pledge is valid and binding from the time the pledge is made, and the revenues so pledged and thereafter received by the board are immediately subject to the lien of the pledge without any physical delivery thereof or further act. The lien of any such pledge is valid and binding as against all parties having claims of any kind in tort, contract, or otherwise against the board, irrespective of whether the parties have notice thereof. Neither the resolution nor any trust agreement by which a pledge is created need be filed or recorded except in the records of the board. Premiums, charges, and fees received by the board and pledged in accordance with this division shall be expended or set aside as may be provided in the resolution or trust agreement securing the revenue bonds in such funds and in such manner as may be provided in the resolution or trust agreement. (C) Whether or not the bonds are of such form and character as to be negotiable instruments, the bonds shall have all the qualities and incidents of negotiable instruments, subject only to the provisions of the bonds for registration as provided in division (D) of this section. (D) The board shall authorize revenue bonds by resolution. The bonds shall bear such date or dates and shall mature at such time or times not exceeding forty years from the date of issue as the resolution or resolutions provide. The bonds shall bear interest at such rate or rates, which may be a variable rate or rates and may contain a maximum rate, be in such denominations, be in such form, either coupon or registered, carry such registration privileges, be payable in such medium of payment, at such place or places, and be subject to such terms of redemption and other terms as the board authorizes. The bonds of the board may be sold by the board, at public or private sale, at or not less than the price or prices the board determines. The chairman and vice-chairman of the board shall execute the bonds, either or both of whom may use a facsimile signature; the official seal of the board or a facsimile thereof shall be affixed thereto or printed thereon and attested, manually or by facsimile signature, by the chairman of the board; and any coupons attached thereto shall bear the signature or facsimile signature of the chairman of the board. In case any officer whose signature, or a facsimile of whose signature, appears on any bonds or coupons ceases to be an officer before delivery of the bonds, the signature or facsimile remains sufficient for all purposes the same as if he had remained in office until delivery, and in case the seal of the board has been changed after a facsimile has been imprinted on such bonds, the facsimile seal remains sufficient for all purposes. (E) Any resolution or resolutions authorizing any bonds or any issue thereof may contain provisions, subject to such agreements with bondholders as may then exist, which provisions shall be a part of the contract with the holders thereof, as to the: (1) Pledging of any payments received and of any revenues of the board to secure the payment of the revenue bonds or of any issue thereof; (2) Use and disposition of the revenues of the board; (3) Setting aside of reserve funds or replacement and improvement funds and the regulation and disposition thereof; (4) Crediting of the proceeds of the sale of bonds to and among the funds referred to or provided for in the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds; (5) Limitations on the purpose to which the proceeds of the sale of the bonds may be applied and pledging the proceeds to secure the payment of the bonds or of any issue thereof; (6) Limitations on the issuance of additional bonds; (7) Terms upon which additional bonds may be issued and secured; (8) Procedure, if any, by which the terms of any contract with bondholders may be amended or abrogated, the amount of bonds the holders of which must consent thereto, and the manner in which that consent may be given; (9) Limitations on the amount of moneys to be expended by the board for operating, administrative, or other expenses of the board; (10) Securing any bonds by a trust agreement; (11) Bond insurance, letters of credit, and related agreements; (12) Any other terms of the revenue bonds or other matters, of like or different character, that in any way affect the security or protection of the bonds. (F) The board may appoint paying agents, bond registrars, authenticating agents, securities depositories, and transfer agents, retain the services of financial advisers, attorneys, and accounting experts, and retain or contract for the services of marketing, remarketing, indexing, and administrative agents, other consultants, and independent contractors, including printing services, as are necessary in the board's judgment to carry out sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code. Financing costs are payable, as provided in the bond proceedings, from the proceeds of the obligations or from other moneys available for that purpose. (G) Neither the members of the board nor any person executing the bonds is liable personally on the bonds or is subject to any personal liability or accountability by reason of the issuance thereof.
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Section 3737.941 | Application of other bond laws.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
The issuance of revenue bonds under sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code need not comply with any other law applicable to the issuance of bonds, except sections 9.96 and 9.97 of the Revised Code.
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Section 3737.942 | Securing revenue bonds.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
(A) The petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board may secure any revenue bonds issued under sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code by a trust agreement between the board and a corporate trustee, which trustee may be any trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within or without the state. (B) Any trust agreement may: (1) Pledge or assign revenues of the board to be received; (2) Set forth the rights and remedies of the bondholders and of the trustee and restrict the individual right of action by bondholders as is customary in trust agreements or trust indentures securing similar bonds; (3) Contain such other provisions as the board considers reasonable and proper for the security of the bondholders. (C) Any trust agreement or any resolution providing for the issuance of bonds may contain provisions for protecting and enforcing the rights and remedies of the bondholders as are reasonable and proper and not in violation of law, including the custody, safeguarding, and application of all moneys. (D) All expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of any trust agreement may be treated as a part of the cost of the operation of the petroleum underground storage tank financial assurance fund.
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Section 3737.943 | Protection and enforcement of rights of bondholder and trustees.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
Any holder of revenue bonds issued under sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code, or any of the coupons appertaining thereto, and the trustee under any trust agreement, except to the extent the rights given by those sections may be restricted by the applicable resolution or a trust agreement, may by suit, action, mandamus, or other proceedings protect and enforce any rights under the laws of the state or granted under those sections, the trust agreement, or the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds, and may enforce and compel the performance of all duties required by those sections, or by the trust agreement or resolution, to be performed by the petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board or any officer thereof, provided that no holder has any right to have the state or the board levy any tax or excises.
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Section 3737.944 | Bonds not a debt of state.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
Revenue bonds issued under sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code do not constitute a debt, or a pledge of the faith and credit, of the state or of any political subdivision thereof, and the holders thereof have no right to have taxes levied by the general assembly or the taxing authority of any political subdivision of the state for the payment of the principal thereof or interest thereon. The bonds are payable solely from the revenues and funds pledged for their payment as authorized by those sections. All bonds shall contain on the face thereof a statement to the effect that the bonds, as to both principal and interest, are not debts of the state or any political subdivision thereof, but are payable solely from revenues and funds pledged for their payment. Pursuant to Section 13 of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution, such revenue bonds shall not be deemed to be debts or bonded indebtedness of the state under any other section of Article VIII, or Sections 6 and 11 of Article XII, Ohio Constitution. All expenses incurred in carrying out sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code are payable solely from funds provided under section 3737.91 of the Revised Code. Those sections do not authorize the petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board to incur indebtedness or liability on behalf of or payable by the state or any political subdivision thereof.
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Section 3737.945 | Investments.
Effective:
October 3, 2023
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly
Moneys in the funds of the petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board, except as otherwise provided in any resolution authorizing the issuance of its revenue bonds or in any trust agreement securing the same, in excess of current needs, may be invested by the board in notes, bonds, or other obligations of the United States, or of any agency or instrumentality thereof, or in obligations of this state or any political subdivision thereof, or the treasurer of state's investment pool authorized under section 135.45 of the Revised Code. Income from all such investments of moneys in any fund shall be credited to such funds as the board determines, subject to the provisions of any resolution or trust agreement, and the investments may be sold as the board determines.
Last updated September 6, 2023 at 2:42 PM
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Section 3737.946 | Refunding bonds.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
The petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board may authorize and issue revenue bonds for the refunding of previously issued revenue bonds for either of the following purposes: (A) Refunding any revenue bonds previously issued by the board when the revenue pledged for the payment of those bonds is insufficient to pay the revenue bonds that have matured or are about to mature or to maintain reserve or other funds required by the applicable resolution or trust agreement; (B) Refunding any revenue bonds previously issued by the board when the refunding bonds to be issued will bear interest at a lower rate than the revenue bonds to be refunded or when the board has determined that it is reasonably anticipated that the interest cost of the refunding bonds will be less than the interest cost of the revenue bonds to be refunded. Such a determination by the board shall be conclusive. The terms of issuance and sale of refunding bonds issued under this section shall be the same as provided in sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code for any other revenue bonds. Refunding bonds issued under this section shall be deemed to be issued for those purposes for which prior revenue bonds were issued under those sections and may be issued in amounts sufficient for retirement of previously issued revenue bonds, for establishment of reserves as required by the refunding bonds or the resolution authorizing or the trust agreement securing the refunding bonds, and for payment of any fees and expenses incurred or to be incurred in connection with that issuance and refunding.
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Section 3737.947 | Bonds are lawful investments.
Effective:
November 2, 1999
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 222 - 123rd General Assembly
All revenue bonds issued under sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code are lawful investments of banks, societies for savings, savings and loan associations, trust companies, trustees, fiduciaries, insurance companies, including domestic for life and domestic not for life, trustees or other officers having charge of sinking and bond retirement or other special funds of political subdivisions and taxing districts of this state, the commissioners of the sinking fund of the state, the administrator of workers' compensation, the state teachers retirement system, the public employees retirement system, the school employees retirement system, and the Ohio police and fire pension fund, and are acceptable as security for the deposit of public moneys.
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Section 3737.948 | Purpose of powers of release compensation board.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
The exercise of the powers granted by sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code shall be in all respects for the benefit of the people of the state, for the improvement of their health, safety, convenience, and welfare, and for the enhancement of their residential, agricultural, recreational, economic, commercial, and industrial opportunities and is a public purpose. Because the oversight of corrective actions and victim compensation concerning releases of petroleum constitutes the performance of essential governmental functions, the petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board is not required to pay any taxes upon any property acquired or used by the board under sections 3737.90 to 3737.948 of the Revised Code, or upon the income therefrom.
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Section 3737.95 | Purpose of linked deposit program.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
The general assembly finds that there exists in the state an inadequate supply of credit and loan financing at affordable interest rates for the purpose of replacing or improving petroleum underground storage tanks and tank systems, which makes it difficult for persons who store petroleum or petroleum products in petroleum underground storage tanks to continue operations at present levels in an environmentally sound manner and has an adverse effect upon the economic welfare of the people of the state. The petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit program provided for in sections 3737.95 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code is intended to provide a statewide availability of lower cost funds for lending to persons who own six or fewer petroleum underground storage tanks. Accordingly, it is declared to be the public policy of the state through the petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit program to encourage the availability of low-cost funds for the replacement and rehabilitation of tanks and tank systems and thereby preserve the economy and protect human health and the environment of the state.
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Section 3737.96 | Loan applications.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
(A) An eligible lending institution that desires to receive a petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit shall accept and review applications for loans from eligible owners. The lending institution shall apply all the usual lending standards to determine the creditworthiness of each eligible owner. (B) An eligible owner shall certify on his loan application that the reduced rate loan will be used exclusively for the replacement or improvement of petroleum underground storage tanks in compliance with division (A) of section 3737.88 of the Revised Code. Whoever knowingly makes a false statement concerning an application is guilty of the offense of falsification under section 2921.13 of the Revised Code. (C) In considering which eligible owners to include in the petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit loan package for reduced rate loans under division (D) of this section, the eligible lending institution shall give priority to the economic needs of the area in which the owners' tanks are located and such other factors as the eligible lending institution considers appropriate to determine the relative financial needs of the eligible owners. (D) The eligible lending institution shall forward to the petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board created in section 3737.90 of the Revised Code a petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit loan package, in the form and manner prescribed by the board. The package shall include information regarding the amount of the loan requested and the number of tanks to be replaced by each eligible owner and any other information required by the board. The institution shall certify that each applicant is an eligible owner and shall for each applicant certify the present borrowing rate applicable to each specific eligible owner.
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Section 3737.97 | Accepting or rejecting loan package.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
(A) The petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board may accept or reject a petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit loan package or any portion thereof, based upon the board's evaluation of the eligible owners included in the package and the amount of funds to be deposited from the petroleum underground storage tank financial assurance fund created under section 3737.91 of the Revised Code. (B) Upon acceptance of the petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit loan package or any portion thereof, the board may direct the treasurer of state to place certificates of deposit from moneys contained in the fund with the eligible lending institution at a rate below the current market rates determined and calculated by the treasurer of state. When necessary, the board may direct the treasurer to place certificates of deposits prior to the acceptance of a petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit loan package. (C) The eligible lending institution shall enter into a petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit agreement with the board that shall include the requirements necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 3737.95 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code. The agreement may include a specification of the period of time during which the eligible lending institution is to lend funds upon the placement of a linked deposit and shall include provisions for the certificate of deposit to be placed for any maturity considered appropriate by the board, not to exceed two years, and authority for it to be renewed for up to an additional two years at the option of the board. Interest shall be paid at times determined by the board. (D) Eligible lending institutions shall comply fully with sections 3737.95 to 3737.98 of the Revised Code.
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Section 3737.98 | Lending funds.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 421 - 118th General Assembly
(A) Upon placement of a petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit with an eligible lending institution, the institution shall lend the funds to each approved eligible owner listed in the petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit loan package required by division (D) of section 3737.96 of the Revised Code and in accordance with the linked deposit agreement required by division (C) of section 3737.97 of the Revised Code. The loan shall be at a rate below the present borrowing rate determined in the agreement with the petroleum underground storage tank release compensation board applicable to each eligible owner. A certificate of compliance with this section, in the form and manner prescribed by the board, shall be required for the eligible lending institution. The borrowing rate set by the agreement shall be uniform and may not be revised during the period of the deposit. (B) The board shall take any and all steps necessary to implement the petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit program and to monitor the compliance of eligible lending institutions and eligible owners, including the development of guidelines for those purposes as necessary. (C) The board and the fire marshal shall notify owners of petroleum underground storage tanks of the linked deposit program and its eligibility requirements. Annually, on or before the first day of February, the board shall report on the petroleum underground storage tank linked deposit program for the preceding calendar year to the governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and president of the senate. The speaker of the house of representatives and president of the senate shall transmit copies of the report to the chairmen of their respective standing committees that customarily consider legislation regarding underground storage tanks and the environment. The report shall set forth the petroleum underground storage tank linked deposits made by the board during the preceding year and shall include information regarding the nature, terms, and amounts of loans upon which the linked deposits were made and the eligible owners to which the loans were made.
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Section 3737.99 | Penalty.
Effective:
September 28, 2006
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 422 - 126th General Assembly
(A) Whoever violates section 3737.28 of the Revised Code may be summarily punished, by the officer concerned, by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars or commitment to the county jail until that person is willing to comply with the order of such officer. (B) Except as a violation of section 2923.17 of the Revised Code involves subject matter covered by the state fire code and except as such a violation is covered by division (G) of this section, whoever violates division (A) of section 3737.51 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. (C) Whoever violates section 3737.61 of the Revised Code is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. (D) Whoever violates section 3737.62 or 3737.64 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. (E) Whoever violates section 3737.63 or division (A) or (B) of section 3737.65 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree. (F) Whoever violates division (C)(3) or (D)(5) of section 3737.73 of the Revised Code shall be fined one thousand dollars. (G) Whoever violates section 3737.66 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. (H) Whoever knowingly violates division (C) of section 3737.882 of the Revised Code is guilty of an unclassified felony and shall be fined not more than twenty-five thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than fourteen months, or both. Whoever recklessly violates division (C) of section 3737.882 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. (I) Whoever knowingly violates division (F)(1), (2), or (3) of section 3737.881 or section 3737.93 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. (J) Whoever knowingly violates division (B) or (C) of section 3737.91 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree.
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