The recently-enacted state budget bill (House Bill 49) contained a provision attempting to address federal litigation that raises potential antitrust concerns with actions of professional licensing boards, which include the State Medical Board of Ohio and the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy.
The bill creates a new antitrust review function within the Common Sense Initiative (CSI) Office to review antitrust-related activities of the state’s licensing boards and commissions.
In addition to amending the Business Impact Analysis document, the CSI will set up a new review function to handle referrals of potential antitrust actions and will review them for their consistency with state policies and statutes.
The CSI will be working with stakeholders to develop the process for these reviews, which will take effect in October.