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Rules and Regulations

By statute, the Ohio Department of Health shall consist of a Director of Health and a Public Health Council [R.C. 3701.02]. Legislation passed by the General Assembly requiring the Department of Health to establish rules dictates if rules are to be promulgated by the Director of Health or by the Public Health Council.

Draft Rules
Text that the Department staff is drafting and editing and has not yet been formally proposed for adoption by the Director of Health or the Public Health Council.

The first initial draft of rules is prepared by division/bureau/program staff that will be responsible for carrying out the requirements in the rules. During the initial drafting of rules, every effort is made to solicit input from affected organizations/individuals. This is done through a statutorily created advisory committee, if one exists, or an hoc committee created to draft specific rules, and or review and comment by interested parties.

Pending Rules
The proposed rules are filed with the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR), the Legislative Service Commission (LSC), and the Secretary of State. In some cases, rules are also filed with the Office of Small Business and the Department of Aging (see Revised Code sections 121.24 and 173.01, respectively, for applicability). A public hearing is held on proposed rules.

Final Rules
Rules that have completed the rules process, been adopted by the Public Health Council or the Director of Health, and are codified in the Ohio Administrative Code.

Regulatory Ombudsman
 

Robert Jennings is the Ohio Department of Health’s Regulatory Ombudsman. In this role, he serves as a problem-solving liaison between  the agency and those affected by its rules and processes.

As a direct report to the Director of Health, Mr. Jennings is charged with ensuring consumer concerns are addressed at the agency’s executive level.

For questions or concerns, please contact Mr. Jennings by e-mail at ombudsman@odh.ohio.gov, or by phone (614) 466-3543.

Want more information about ODH's Regulatory Ombudsman? Also check out ODH's policy and the Governor's Executive Order.

Last Updated: 9/11/08