Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 737.221 – Criminal records check

(A) The fire chief of a village fire department may request the superintendent of BCII to conduct a criminal records check with respect to any person who is under consideration for appointment or employment as a permanent, full-time paid firefighter or any person who is under consideration for appointment as a volunteer firefighter.
(B)
1. (1) The fire chief of the village fire department may request that the superintendent of BCII obtain information from the federal bureau of investigation as a part of the criminal records check requested pursuant to division (A) of this section.
2. (2) A fire chief authorized by division (A) of this section to request a criminal records check shall provide to each person for whom the fire chief intends to request a criminal records check a copy of the form prescribed pursuant to division (C)(1) of section 109.578 of the Revised Code and a standard impression sheet to obtain fingerprint impressions prescribed pursuant to division (C)(2) of section 109.578 of the Revised Code, obtain the completed form and impression sheet from the person, and forward the completed form and impression sheet to the superintendent of BCII at the time the criminal records check is requested.
3. (3) Any person subject to a criminal records check who receives a copy of the form and a copy of the impression sheet pursuant to division (B)(2) of this section and who is requested to complete the form and provide a set of fingerprint impressions shall complete the form or provide all the information necessary to complete the form and shall provide the impression sheet with the impressions of the person's fingerprints. If a person fails to provide the information necessary to complete the form or fails to provide impressions of the person's fingerprints, the appointing authority shall not appoint or employ the person as a permanent full-time paid firefighter or a volunteer firefighter.
(C)
1. (1) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2) of this section, an appointing authority shall not appoint or employ a person as a permanent, full-time paid firefighter or a volunteer firefighter if the fire chief has requested a criminal records check pursuant to division (A) of this section and the criminal records check indicates that the person previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any of the following:
  1. (a) A felony;
  2. (b) A violation of section 2909.03 of the Revised Code;
  3. (c) A violation of an existing or former law of this state, any other state, or the United States that is substantially equivalent to any of the offenses described in division (C)(1)(a) or (b) of this section.
2. (2) Notwithstanding division (C)(1) of this section, an appointing authority may appoint or employ a person as a permanent, full-time paid firefighter or a volunteer firefighter if all of the following apply:
  1. (a) The fire chief has requested a criminal records check pursuant to division (A) of this section.
  2. (b) The criminal records check indicates that the person previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any of the offenses described in division (C)(1) of this section.
  3. (c) The person meets rehabilitation standards established in rules adopted under division (E) of this section.
3. (3) If a fire chief requests a criminal records check pursuant to division (A) of this section, an appointing authority may appoint or employ a person as a permanent, full-time paid firefighter or volunteer firefighter conditionally until the criminal records check is completed and the fire chief receives the results. If the results of the criminal records check indicate that, pursuant to division (C)(1) of this section, the person subject to the criminal records check is disqualified from appointment or employment, the fire chief shall release the person from appointment or employment.
(D) The fire chief shall pay to the bureau of criminal identification and investigation the fee prescribed pursuant to division (C)(3) of section 109.578 of the Revised Code for each criminal records check conducted in accordance with that section. The fire chief may charge the applicant who is subject to the criminal records check a fee for the costs the fire chief incurs in obtaining the criminal records check. A fee charged under this division shall not exceed the amount of fees the fire chief pays for the criminal records check. If a fee is charged under this division, the fire chief shall notify the applicant at the time of the applicant's initial application for appointment or employment of the amount of the fee and that, unless the fee is paid, the applicant will not be considered for appointment or employment.
(E) The appointing authority shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to implement this section. The rules shall include rehabilitation standards a person who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to an offense listed in division (C)(1) of this section must meet for the appointing authority to appoint or employ the person as a permanent, full-time paid firefighter or a volunteer firefighter.
(F) A fire chief who intends to request a criminal records check for an applicant shall inform each applicant, at the time of the person's initial application for appointment or employment, that the applicant is required to provide a set of impressions of the person's fingerprints and that the fire chief requires a criminal records check to be conducted and satisfactorily completed in accordance with section 109.578 of the Revised Code.
(G) As used in this section:
1. (1) "Appointing authority" means any person or body that has the authority to hire, appoint, or employ permanent, full-time paid firefighters and volunteer firefighters under section 737.22 of the Revised Code.
2. (2) "Criminal records check" has the same meaning as in section 109.578 of the Revised Code.
3. (3) "Superintendent of BCII" has the same meaning as in section 2151.86 of the Revised Code.