Section 1701.03 - Purposes of corporation(A)(1) A corporation may be formed under this chapter for any purpose or combination of purposes for which individuals lawfully may associate themselves, except that, if the Revised Code contains special provisions pertaining to the formation of any designated type of corporation other than a professional association, as defined in section 1785.01 of the Revised Code, a corporation of that type shall be formed in accordance with the special provisions.(2) The purpose for which a corporation is formed may include a beneficial purpose. Except to the extent that the articles otherwise provide, both of the following apply:(a) Having a beneficial purpose does not prevent a corporation from seeking any of the other purposes for which the corporation is formed, including operation of the corporation for pecuniary gain or profit and distribution of net earnings.(b) No particular purpose of a corporation has priority over any other purpose of the corporation.(3) A corporation that does not have a beneficial purpose is not required to operate exclusively for profit or distribution of net earnings of the corporation in all instances.(4) To be effective, a beneficial purpose shall be expressly provided in the articles. A statement of purpose in the articles that includes any purpose or combination of purposes for which individuals lawfully may associate themselves, without the express provision of a beneficial purpose, does not establish a beneficial purpose as a purpose of the corporation.(5) A corporation that meets both of the following shall not amend its articles of incorporation to include a beneficial purpose: (a) The corporation has issued and has outstanding shares listed on a national securities exchange or regularly quoted in an over-the-counter market by one or more members of a national or affiliated securities association.(b) The initial articles of the corporation did not include a beneficial purpose.(B) On and after July 1, 1994, a corporation may be formed under this chapter for the purpose of carrying on the practice of any profession, including, but not limited to, a corporation for the purpose of providing public accounting or certified public accounting services, a corporation for the erection, owning, and conducting of a sanitarium for receiving and caring for patients, medical and hygienic treatment of patients, and instruction of nurses in the treatment of disease and in hygiene, a corporation for the purpose of providing architectural, landscape architectural, professional engineering, or surveying services or any combination of those types of services, and a corporation for the purpose of providing a combination of the professional services, as defined in section 1785.01 of the Revised Code, of optometrists authorized under Chapter 4725. of the Revised Code, chiropractors authorized under Chapter 4734. of the Revised Code to practice chiropractic or acupuncture, psychologists authorized under Chapter 4732. of the Revised Code, registered or licensed practical nurses authorized under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code, pharmacists authorized under Chapter 4729. of the Revised Code, physical therapists authorized under sections 4755.40 to 4755.56 of the Revised Code, occupational therapists authorized under sections 4755.04 to 4755.13 of the Revised Code, mechanotherapists authorized under section 4731.151 of the Revised Code, doctors of medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and surgery authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code, and licensed professional clinical counselors, licensed professional counselors, independent social workers, social workers, independent marriage and family therapists, marriage and family therapists, art therapists, or music therapists authorized under Chapter 4757. of the Revised Code. This chapter does not restrict, limit, or otherwise affect the authority or responsibilities of any agency, board, commission, department, office, or other entity to license, register, and otherwise regulate the professional conduct of individuals or organizations of any kind rendering professional services, as defined in section 1785.01 of the Revised Code, in this state or to regulate the practice of any profession that is within the jurisdiction of the agency, board, commission, department, office, or other entity, notwithstanding that an individual is a director, officer, employee, or other agent of a corporation formed under this chapter and is rendering professional services or engaging in the practice of a profession through a corporation formed under this chapter or that the organization is a corporation formed under this chapter.
(C) Nothing in division (A) or (B) of this section precludes the organization of a professional association in accordance with this chapter and Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code or the formation of a limited liability company under Chapter 1706. of the Revised Code with respect to a trade, occupation, or profession.(D) No corporation formed for the purpose of providing a combination of the professional services, as defined in section 1785.01 of the Revised Code, of optometrists authorized under Chapter 4725. of the Revised Code, chiropractors authorized under Chapter 4734. of the Revised Code to practice chiropractic or acupuncture, psychologists authorized under Chapter 4732. of the Revised Code, registered or licensed practical nurses authorized under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code, pharmacists authorized under Chapter 4729. of the Revised Code, physical therapists authorized under sections 4755.40 to 4755.56 of the Revised Code, occupational therapists authorized under sections 4755.04 to 4755.13 of the Revised Code, mechanotherapists authorized under section 4731.151 of the Revised Code, doctors of medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and surgery authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code, and licensed professional clinical counselors, licensed professional counselors, independent social workers, social workers, independent marriage and family therapists, marriage and family therapists, art therapists, or music therapists authorized under Chapter 4757. of the Revised Code shall control the professional clinical judgment exercised within accepted and prevailing standards of practice of a licensed, certificated, or otherwise legally authorized optometrist, chiropractor, chiropractor practicing acupuncture through the state chiropractic board, psychologist, nurse, pharmacist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, mechanotherapist, doctor of medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and surgery, licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed professional counselor, independent social worker, social worker, independent marriage and family therapist, marriage and family therapist, art therapist, or music therapist in rendering care, treatment, or professional advice to an individual patient. This division does not prevent a hospital, as defined in section 3727.01 of the Revised Code, insurer, as defined in section 3999.36 of the Revised Code, or intermediary organization, as defined in section 1751.01 of the Revised Code, from entering into a contract with a corporation described in this division that includes a provision requiring utilization review, quality assurance, peer review, or other performance or quality standards. Those activities shall not be construed as controlling the professional clinical judgment of an individual practitioner listed in this division.
Amended by 135th General Assembly, HB 33,§101.01, eff. 10/3/2023.Amended by 133rd General Assembly, SB 276,§1, eff. 4/12/2021.Amended by 133rd General Assembly, SB 21,§1, eff. 3/24/2021.Amended by 130th General Assembly, HB 232,§1, eff. 7/10/2014.Effective Date: 03-22-1999; 2007 SB33 08-22-2007