(a) All facilities engaged in the manufacture, production, sale, or distribution of drugs or devices utilized in the practice of pharmacy or pharmacies where drugs or devices are dispensed or pharmacy care is provided shall be licensed by the board and shall biennially renew their license with the board. Where operations are conducted at more than one location, each such location shall be licensed by the board.

(b) The board may by rule determine the licensure classifications of all persons and facilities licensed as a pharmacy under this article and establish minimum standards for such persons and facilities.

(c)(1) The board shall establish by rule, under the powers granted to it under Article 2 of this chapter and as may be required from time to time under federal law the criteria which each person must meet to qualify for licensure as a pharmacy in each classification. The board may issue licenses with varying restrictions to such persons where the board deems it necessary.

(2) All applications for a new license shall be accompanied by a fee. Upon the filing of an application for a license, the board may cause a thorough investigation of the applicant to be made, and, if satisfied that the applicant possesses the necessary qualifications and that the pharmacy will be conducted in accordance with law, shall issue a license.

(d) Each pharmacy shall have a pharmacist in charge. Whenever an applicable rule requires or prohibits action by a pharmacy, responsibility shall be that of the owner and the pharmacist in charge of the pharmacy, whether the owner is a sole proprietor, partnership, association, corporation, or otherwise.

(e) The board may enter into agreements with other states or with third parties for the purpose of exchanging information concerning licensure of any pharmacy.

(f) The board may deny or refuse to renew a pharmacy license if it determines that the granting or renewing of such license would not be in the public interest.

(g) It shall be unlawful for any person in connection with any place of business or in any manner to take, use, or exhibit the title "drug store," "pharmacy," "apothecary," or any combination of such titles or any title or designation of like import or other term to take the place of such title, unless such place of business is licensed as a pharmacy under the provisions of this chapter, has submitted a written request to the board and received a waiver from this subsection, or meets the provisions of any rule or regulation regarding use of such titles and promulgated by the board.

(h) Every pharmacy licensed under this chapter shall have a prescription department which shall be kept clean and free of all materials not currently in use in the practice of compounding or preparing a medication for dispensing. The space behind the prescription counter shall be kept free of obstruction at all times.

(i) During hours of operation, every pharmacy licensed pursuant to this chapter shall have a prescription department under the personal supervision of a duly licensed pharmacist who shall have personal supervision of not more than one pharmacy at the same time, provided that nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit any pharmacist from having personal supervision of a pharmacy located in a hospital, nursing home, college of pharmacy, or a pharmacy owned and operated directly by a health maintenance organization. Every pharmacy licensed under this chapter, except those located within and owned and operated by a duly licensed and accredited hospital, nursing home, or college of pharmacy or a pharmacy complying with subsection (j) of this Code section, shall have a prescription department open for business at all times that the business establishment is open to the public, except that during temporary absences of any licensed pharmacist not to exceed three hours daily or more than one and one-half hours at any one time the prescription department shall be closed and no prescription shall be filled or dispensed.

(j) If a pharmacy is located in a general merchandising establishment, or if the owner of the pharmacy so chooses, a portion of the space of the business establishment may be set aside and permanently enclosed or otherwise secured. Only that permanently enclosed or otherwise secured area shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter and shall be registered as a pharmacy. In such case, the area to be registered as a pharmacy shall be permanently enclosed with a partition built from the floor to the ceiling or otherwise secured in a manner as provided by the board through rules and regulations.