(A) There is hereby created in the department of public safety a bureau of motor vehicles, which shall be administered by a registrar of motor vehicles. The registrar shall be appointed by the director of public safety and shall serve at the director's pleasure.

The registrar shall administer the laws of the state relative to the registration of and certificates of title for motor vehicles, and the licensing of motor vehicle dealers, motor vehicle leasing dealers, distributors, and salespersons, and of motor vehicle salvage dealers, salvage motor vehicle auctions, and salvage motor vehicle pools. The registrar also shall, in accordance with section 4503.61 of the Revised Code, take those steps necessary to enter this state into membership in the international registration plan and carry out the registrar's other duties under that section. The registrar, with the approval of the director of public safety, may do all of the following:

(1) Adopt such forms and rules as are necessary to carry out all laws the registrar is required to administer;

(2) Appoint such number of assistants, deputies, clerks, stenographers, and other employees as are necessary to carry out such laws;

(3) Acquire or lease such facilities as are necessary to carry out the duties of the registrar's office;

(4) Apply for, allocate, disburse, and account for grants made available under federal law or from other federal, state, or private sources;

(5) Establish accounts in a bank or depository and deposit any funds collected by the registrar in those accounts to the credit of "state of Ohio, bureau of motor vehicles." Within three days after the deposit of funds in such an account, the registrar shall draw on that account in favor of the treasurer of state. The registrar may reserve funds against the draw to the treasurer of state to the extent reasonably necessary to ensure that the deposited items are not dishonored. The registrar may pay any service charge usually collected by the bank or depository;

(6) Develop rules that establish disqualifying offenses for licensure as a motor vehicle salvage dealer pursuant to sections 4738.04, 4738.07, and 4776.10 of the Revised Code.

The registrar shall give a bond for the faithful performance of the registrar's duties in such amount and with such security as the director approves. When in the opinion of the director it is advisable, any deputy or other employee may be required to give bond in such amount and with such security as the director approves. In the discretion of the director, the bonds authorized to be taken on deputies or other employees may be individual, schedule, or blanket bonds.

The director of public safety may investigate the activities of the bureau and have access to its records at any time, and the registrar shall make a report to the director at any time upon request.

All laws relating to the licensing of motor vehicle dealers, motor vehicle leasing dealers, distributors, and salespersons, and of motor vehicle salvage dealers, salvage motor vehicle auctions, and salvage motor vehicle pools, designating and granting power to the registrar shall be liberally construed to the end that the practice or commission of fraud in the business of selling motor vehicles and of disposing of salvage motor vehicles may be prohibited and prevented.

(B) There is hereby created in the department of public safety a division of emergency medical services, which shall be administered by an executive director of emergency medical services appointed under section 4765.03 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.131, SB 337, §1, eff. 9/28/2012.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.7, HB 114, §101.01, eff. 6/29/2011.

Effective Date: 09-30-1998; 09-16-2004