SB 324

As Passed by the Senate
136th General Assembly
   Regular Session  S. B. No. 324
       2025-2026
  Senator Huffman
  Cosponsors: Senators Ingram, Romanchuk, Cirino, Hicks-Hudson, Manning,
  O'Brien, Reineke, Reynolds, Roegner
  To amend sections 4773.01, 4773.02, 4773.03, and  1
  4773.06 of the Revised Code to revise the law  2
  governing general X-ray machine operators and  3
  other radiation technicians.  4
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
     Section 1. That sections 4773.01, 4773.02, 4773.03, and  5
4773.06 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:  6
     Sec. 4773.01. As used in this chapter:  7
     (A) "General x-ray machine operator" means an individual  8
who operates ionizing radiation-generating equipment in order to  9
perform standard radiology procedures; whose performance of such  10
procedures is limited to specific body sites; and who does not,  11
to any significant degree, determine procedure positioning or  12
the dosage of radiation to which a patient is exposed.  13
     (B) "Chiropractor" means an individual licensed under  14
Chapter 4734. of the Revised Code to practice chiropractic.  15
     (C) "Ionizing radiation" means any electromagnetic or  16
particulate radiation that interacts with atoms to produce  17
ionization in matter, including x-rays, gamma rays, alpha and  18
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beta particles, high speed electrons, neutrons, and other  19
nuclear particles.  20
       (D) "Physician" means an individual authorized under  21
Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and  22
surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery.  23
       (E) "Podiatrist" means an individual authorized under  24
Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice podiatric medicine  25
and surgery.  26
       (F) "Nuclear medicine technologist" means an individual  27
who does all of the following:  28
       (1) Prepares and administers radio-pharmaceuticals to  29
human beings;  30
       (2) Conducts in vivo or in vitro detection and measurement  31
of radioactivity for medical purposes;  32
       (3) Documents orders for radio-pharmaceuticals in patient  33
medical records.  34
       (G) "Radiation therapy technologist" means an individual  35
who utilizes ionizing radiation-generating equipment, including  36
therapy simulator radiation-generating equipment, for  37
therapeutic purposes on human beings.  38
       "Radiation therapy technologist" is the same as a  39
radiation therapist.  40
       (H) "Radiographer" means an individual who does all of the  41
following in order to perform a comprehensive scope of radiology  42
procedures on human beings:  43
       (1) Operates ionizing radiation-generating equipment;  44
       (2) Administers contrast;  45
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As Passed by the Senate
       (3) Documents orders for contrast in patient medical  46
records;  47
       (4) Determines procedure positioning;  48
       (5) Determines the dosage of ionizing radiation.  49
       (I) "Mechanotherapist" means an individual who holds a  50
certificate issued under section 4731.15 of the Revised Code  51
authorizing the individual to practice mechanotherapy.  52
       (J) "Certified nurse practitioner" has the same meaning as  53
in section 4723.01 of the Revised Code.  54
       (K) "Physician assistant" means an individual licensed  55
under Chapter 4730. of the Revised Code to practice as a  56
physician assistant.  57
       Sec. 4773.02. (A) Except as provided in division (B) of  58
this section, no person shall practice or hold self out as a  59
general x-ray machine operator, radiographer, radiation therapy  60
technologist, or nuclear medicine technologist without a valid  61
license issued under this chapter for the person's area of  62
practice.  63
       (B) Division (A) of this section does not apply to any of  64
the following:  65
       (1) A physician, podiatrist, mechanotherapist, or  66
chiropractor, certified nurse practitioner, or physician  67
assistant;  68
       (2) An individual licensed under Chapter 4715. of the  69
Revised Code to practice dentistry, to practice as a dental  70
hygienist, or to practice as a dental x-ray machine operator;  71
       (3) As specified in 42 C.F.R. 75, radiologic personnel  72
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As Passed by the Senate
employed by the federal government or serving in a branch of the  73
armed forces of the United States;  74
       (4) Students engaging in any of the activities performed  75
by basic x-ray machine operators, radiographers, radiation  76
therapy technologists, and nuclear medicine technologists as an  77
integral part of a program of study leading to receipt of a  78
license issued under this chapter or Chapter 4715., 4723.,  79
4730., 4731., or 4734. of the Revised Code.  80
       Sec. 4773.03. (A) Except as provided in division (G) of  81
this section, each individual seeking a license to practice as a  82
general x-ray machine operator, radiographer, radiation therapy  83
technologist, or nuclear medicine technologist shall apply to  84
the department of health on a form the department shall  85
prescribe and provide. The application shall be accompanied by  86
the appropriate license application fee established in rules  87
adopted under section 4773.08 of the Revised Code.  88
       (B) Except as provided in division (G) of this section,  89
the department shall review all applications received and issue  90
the appropriate general x-ray machine operator, radiographer,  91
radiation therapy technologist, or nuclear medicine technologist  92
license to each applicant who meets all of the following  93
requirements:  94
       (1) Is eighteen years of age or older;  95
       (2) Except as provided in division (C) of this section,  96
passes the examination administered under section 4773.04 of the  97
Revised Code for the applicant's area of practice;  98
       (3) Complies with any other licensing standards  99
established in rules adopted under section 4773.08 of the  100
Revised Code.  101
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       (C) An applicant is not required to take a licensing  102
examination if one of the following applies to the applicant:  103
       (1) The individual is applying for a license as a general  104
x-ray machine operator and holds certification in that area of  105
practice from the American registry of radiologic technologists  106
or the American chiropractic registry of radiologic  107
technologists.  108
       (2) The individual is applying for a license as a general  109
x-ray machine operator and has successfully passed the anatomy  110
modules examination offered by the American registry of  111
radiologic technologists for the individual's intended practice  112
area in a limited scope of practice in radiology.  113
       (3) The individual is applying for a license as a  114
radiographer and holds certification in that area of practice  115
from the American registry of radiologic technologists.  116
       (3)(4) The individual is applying for a license as a  117
radiation therapy technologist and holds certification in that  118
area of practice from the American registry of radiologic  119
technologists.  120
       (4)(5) The individual is applying for a license as a  121
nuclear medicine technologist and holds certification in that  122
area of practice from the American registry of radiologic  123
technologists or the nuclear medicine technology certification  124
board.  125
       (5)(6) The individual holds a conditional license issued  126
under section 4773.05 of the Revised Code and has completed the  127
continuing education requirements established in rules adopted  128
under section 4773.08 of the Revised Code.  129
       (D) A license issued under this section expires biennially  130
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on the license holder's birthday, except for an initial license  131
which expires on the license holder's birthday following two  132
years after it is issued. For an initial license, the fee  133
established in rules adopted under section 4773.08 of the  134
Revised Code may be increased in proportion to the amount of  135
time beyond two years that the license may be valid.  136
       A license may be renewed. To be eligible for renewal, the  137
license holder must complete the continuing education  138
requirements specified in rules adopted by the department under  139
section 4773.08 of the Revised Code. Applications for license  140
renewal shall be accompanied by the appropriate renewal fee  141
established in rules adopted under section 4773.08 of the  142
Revised Code. Renewals shall be made in accordance with the  143
standard renewal procedure established under Chapter 4745. of  144
the Revised Code.  145
       (E)(1) A license that has lapsed or otherwise become  146
inactive may be reinstated. An individual seeking reinstatement  147
of a license shall apply to the department on a form the  148
department shall prescribe and provide. The application shall be  149
accompanied by the appropriate reinstatement fee established in  150
rules adopted under section 4773.08 of the Revised Code.  151
       (2) To be eligible for reinstatement, both of the  152
following apply:  153
       (a) An applicant must continue to meet the conditions for  154
receiving an initial license, including the examination or  155
certification requirements specified in division (B) or (C) of  156
this section. In the case of an applicant seeking reinstatement  157
based on having passed an examination administered under section  158
4773.04 of the Revised Code, the length of time that has elapsed  159
since the examination was passed is not a consideration in  160
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determining whether the applicant is eligible for reinstatement.  161
       (b) The applicant must complete the continuing education  162
requirements for reinstatement established in rules adopted  163
under section 4773.08 of the Revised Code.  164
       (F) The department shall refuse to issue, renew, or  165
reinstate and may suspend or revoke a general x-ray machine  166
operator, radiographer, radiation therapy technologist, or  167
nuclear medicine technologist license if the applicant or  168
license holder does not comply with the applicable requirements  169
of this chapter or rules adopted under it.  170
       (G) The department shall issue a general x-ray machine  171
operator, radiographer, radiation therapy technologist, or  172
nuclear medicine technologist license in accordance with Chapter  173
4796. of the Revised Code to an applicant if either of the  174
following applies:  175
       (1) The applicant holds a license in another state.  176
       (2) The applicant has satisfactory work experience, a  177
government certification, or a private certification as  178
described in that chapter as a general x-ray machine operator,  179
radiographer, radiation therapy technologist, or nuclear  180
medicine technologist in a state that does not issue that  181
license.  182
       Sec. 4773.06. (A) Except as provided in division (C) of  183
this section, a general x-ray machine operator may perform  184
radiologic procedures only if a physician, podiatrist,  185
mechanotherapist, or chiropractor, certified nurse practitioner,  186
or physician assistant is providing direct supervision. Direct  187
supervision does not require the practitioner to observe each  188
radiologic procedure performed by the operator, but does require  189
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that the practitioner to be present at the location where the  190
operator is performing radiologic procedures for purposes of  191
consulting with and directing the operator while performing the  192
procedures. A practitioner supervising a general x-ray machine  193
operator may authorize the operator to perform only those  194
radiologic procedures that are within the practitioner's scope  195
of practice as determined by the laws under which the  196
practitioner is authorized to practice.  197
       (B) A radiographer, radiation therapy technologist, or  198
nuclear medicine technologist may perform radiologic procedures  199
only if a physician is providing general supervision. General  200
supervision does not require the physician to observe each  201
radiologic procedure performed or to be present at the location  202
where the procedure is being performed, but does require that  203
the physician to be readily available for purposes of consulting  204
with and directing the individual while performing the  205
procedures.  206
       (C) A general x-ray machine operator who is licensed under  207
Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code to practice as a registered  208
nurse and is providing occupational health nursing services in  209
an industrial workplace may perform radiologic procedures under  210
a physician's general supervision, as described in division (B)  211
of this section.  212
       This division does not subject a registered nurse who is  213
also a certified nurse practitioner to a requirement to be  214
supervised.  215
       Section 2. That existing sections 4773.01, 4773.02,  216
4773.03, and 4773.06 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.  217