NEW TERRORISM-RELATED FORMS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, GOVERNMENT FUNDING AND BUSINESS CONTRACTS, AND CERTAIN STATE LICENSES

Applicants for registered sanitarian and registered sanitarian renewal are now required to complete a Declaration Regarding Material Assistance/Nonassistance to a Terrorist Organization (DMA).

The DMA is a provision of Ohio Senate Bill 9, which is Ohio's homeland security and anti-terrorism legislation. Governor Taft signed the revised version of the bill into law on January 11, 2006 and it went into effect on April 14, 2006. The DMA was created to provide the state with an additional tool to deter and prosecute acts of terrorism within Ohio. The United States Department of State Terrorist Exclusion List (TEL) is being used to identify terrorist organizations. As a result, applicants seeking certain state issued licenses must fill out a DMA certifying that they have not provided "material assistance" to a terrorist organization.

The State Board of Sanitarian Registration is responsible for providing applicants for registered sanitarian or registered sanitarian renewal with the DMA and TEL documents, and retaining the completed DMA with the application for registration or renewal.

Ohio Revised Code 2909.32(B)(1) requires the State Board of Sanitarian Registration to inform applicants for registered sanitarian registration or renewal that they must truthfully answer each question on the DMA form. If an applicant answers "yes" to any of the questions, or if they fail to answer "no" to any question, it will be deemed as a disclosure that they have provided material assistance to an organization on the TEL. Incomplete forms, or forms that include an affirmative response on the DMA will result in denial of the registered sanitarian application or the revocation of registered sanitarian registration. The Board is also required to notify the Ohio Department of Public Safety if it denies an application for registration or renewal because the applicant disclosed the provision of material assistance to an organization listed on the TEL. Failure to disclose the provision of material assistance to such an organization or knowingly making false statements regarding material assistance to such an organization is a felony of the fifth degree.

Questions regarding the provisions of the new law should be directed to Ohio Homeland Security at the DMA hotline 614-644-3892 or email dma-info@dps.state.oh.us.