Bill InformationCREATE NEW SCHOOL FINANCING SYSTEM
(CALLENDER J, SWEENEY B)To create a new school financing system for fiscal year 2022 and each fiscal year thereafter.
CURRENT STATUS3/1/2021 - House Finance Primary and Secondary Education Subcommittee, (Fourth Hearing)
REGARDS BROADBAND EXPANSION
(CARFAGNA R, STEWART B)Regarding broadband expansion, including access to electric cooperative easements and facilities, to make an appropriation, and to declare an emergency.
CURRENT STATUS5/17/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. immediately
MODIFY LAWS GOVERNING CERTAIN PROFESSIONS DUE TO COVID-19
(ROEMER B)To amend Section 30 of H.B. 197 of the 133rd General Assembly to modify the laws governing certain health professionals and educator preparation programs due to COVID-19 and other circumstances and to modify the electric utility laws regarding energy efficiency programs; to amend the version of section 4729.92 of the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect on October 9, 2021, to continue the changes to that section on and after that date; and to declare an emergency.
CURRENT STATUS5/14/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. Immediately, Sections 3 and 4 eff. 10/9/21
MODIFY THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAW
(GRENDELL D, FRAIZER M)To modify the campaign finance law and to declare an emergency.
CURRENT STATUS4/15/2021 - House Government Oversight, (Second Hearing)
HALT DEBT COLLECTION DURING COVID-19
(MIRANDA J, INGRAM C)To halt the collection of all debt owed to any state institution of higher education or hospital operated by a state institution of higher education, to freeze the accrual of interest and collection of fees on all outstanding debt owed to those entities, and to declare an emergency.
CURRENT STATUS3/2/2021 - House Civil Justice, (Second Hearing)
STATE PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS
(WEST T, ROEMER B)To amend Sections 265.220, 307.270, 343.30, and 701.70 of H.B. 110 of the 134th General Assembly, Sections 219.10 as subsequently amended, 221.10 as subsequently amended, 221.13 as subsequently amended, and 237.13 as subsequently amended of H.B. 597 of the 134th General Assembly, and Sections 207.15, 221.10, 221.13, 223.10, 223.15, 237.10, and 237.13 of H.B. 687 of the 134th General Assembly and to repeal Section 715.20 of H.B. 110 of the 134th General Assembly to make appropriations and to provide authorization and conditions for the operation of state programs.
CURRENT STATUS1/6/2023 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. immediately
INTERNAL REVENUE CODE CHANGES
(ROEMER B, PAVLIGA G)To expressly incorporate changes in the Internal Revenue Code since March 27, 2020, into Ohio law and to declare an emergency.
CURRENT STATUS2/9/2021 - House Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
LEGAL MALPRACTICE ACTIONS
(HILLYER B)To shorten the period of limitations for actions upon a contract; to make changes to the borrowing statute pertaining to applicable periods of limitations; and to establish a statute of repose for a legal malpractice action.
CURRENT STATUS2/4/2021 - Referred to Committee House Civil Justice
REVIEW PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS
(HOOPS J)To amend Section 130.12 of H.B. 110 of the 134th General Assembly and Section 8 of S.B. 18 of the 134th General Assembly as subsequently amended to revise the tax laws and to make certain operating appropriations for the biennium ending June 30, 2023, and capital appropriations for the biennium ending June 30, 2024.
CURRENT STATUS1/2/2023 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. immediately
INCREASE STATE MINIMUM WAGE
(KELLY B, JARRELLS D)To increase the state minimum wage.
CURRENT STATUS11/29/2022 - House Commerce and Labor, (First Hearing)
ENACT FY22-23 TRANSPORTATION BUDGET
(OELSLAGER S)To make appropriations for programs related to transportation and public safety for the biennium beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2023, and to provide authorization and conditions for the operation of those programs.
CURRENT STATUS3/31/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. immediately
ENACT FY22-23 WORKERS' COMPENSATION BUDGET
(OELSLAGER S)To make appropriations for the Bureau of Workers' Compensation for the biennium beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2023, to provide authorization and conditions for the operation of the Bureau's programs, and to make changes to the Workers' Compensation Law.
CURRENT STATUS6/29/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 7/1/21
ENACT FY22-23 INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION BUDGET
(OELSLAGER S)To make appropriations for the Industrial Commission for the biennium beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2023, and to provide authorization and conditions for the operation of Commission programs.
CURRENT STATUS6/2/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 7/1/21
AUTHORIZE TAX CREDIT FOR CAREGIVER EXPENSES
(RUSSO A, BOYD J)To authorize a refundable tax credit for certain expenses incurred by caregivers.
CURRENT STATUS5/11/2021 - House Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
BONUS DEPRECIATION ADJUSTMENTS FOR CERTAIN TAXPAYERS
(ROEMER B)To temporarily suspend provisions relating to bonus depreciation adjustments for a taxpayer with a federal net operating loss.
CURRENT STATUS5/25/2021 - House Ways and Means, (Second Hearing)
TAXES-FARMERS, TIFS, VEHICLE SHOWS
(MANCHESTER S, LIGHTBODY M)To temporarily allow income tax credits for beginning farmers who participate in a financial management program and for businesses that sell or rent agricultural land, livestock, facilities, or equipment to beginning farmers, to modify the law governing certain tax increment financing arrangements, to alter the types of vehicles that may be purchased at a motor vehicle show, and to permit, for a limited time, the abatement of unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest for certain municipal property.
CURRENT STATUS4/18/2022 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 90 days
OPERATING BUDGET
(OELSLAGER S)To make operating appropriations for the biennium beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2023, to levy taxes, and to provide authorization and conditions for the operation of state programs.
CURRENT STATUS7/1/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; effective 7/1/21
EQUALIZE PASS-THROUGH ENTITY WITHHOLDING
(ROEMER B, YOUNG B)To equalize the pass-through entity withholding and the business income tax rate.
CURRENT STATUS2/23/2021 - House Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
REGARDING PROPERTY VALUES
(MERRIN D)To require local governments that contest property values to formally pass an authorizing resolution for each contest and to notify property owners.
CURRENT STATUS4/21/2022 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 90 days
MODIFY MUNICIPAL INCOME TAX RULES - COVID WFH
(JORDAN K, EDWARDS J)To amend Section 29 of H.B. 197 of the 133rd General Assembly to modify municipal income tax employer withholding rules for COVID-19-related work-from-home employees.
CURRENT STATUS6/2/2021 - Referred to Committee Senate Ways and Means
ALLOW TEMPORARY TAX CREDIT FOR SALE OF CERTAIN MOTOR FUEL
(MCCLAIN R)To temporarily authorize a nonrefundable tax credit for the retail sale of high-ethanol blend motor fuel.
CURRENT STATUS2/15/2022 - Senate Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
PROVIDE RENT, UTILITY ASSISTANCE
(OELSLAGER S)To provide rent and utility assistance and to make an appropriation.
CURRENT STATUS5/11/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. immediately
UNEMPLOYMENT DEBT
(FRAIZER M, LOYCHIK M)To remit funds from the State Fiscal Recovery Fund to repay unemployment advances, to provide funds to support improvements at pediatric behavioral health care facilities, to require the Development Services Agency to establish the Water and Sewer Quality Program, and to make appropriations.
CURRENT STATUS6/29/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. immediately
SUPPORT PANDEMIC RECOVERY
(CUTRONA A, SWEARINGEN D)To make appropriations to support recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
CURRENT STATUS12/23/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 12/23/21
SCHOOL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
(BIRD A, RICHARDSON T)To provide assistance to schools and other entities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to make an appropriation.
CURRENT STATUS6/2/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. Immediately
AUTHORIZE INCOME TAX DEDUCTION FOR CERTAIN CAPITAL GAINS
(CROSS J, LANESE L)To authorize an income tax deduction for capital gains received by investors in certain Ohio-based venture capital operating companies.
CURRENT STATUS3/24/2021 - House Economic and Workforce Development, (First Hearing)
ALLOW GOVERNMENTS TO USE BLOCKCHAIN
(CARFAGNA R, FRAIZER M)To allow a governmental entity to utilize distributed ledger technology, including blockchain technology.
CURRENT STATUS12/1/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 3/2/22
FIRST-TIME HOME BUYER SAVINGS ACT
(SWEARINGEN D, WILKIN S)To enact the First-time Home Buyer Savings Act, authorizing income tax deductions for contributions to and earnings on savings accounts designated for the purchase of a home.
CURRENT STATUS12/15/2021 - Referred to Committee Senate Ways and Means
EARNINGS, DEDUCTIONS STATEMENTS
(KELLY B, LIPPS S)To require an employer to provide earnings and deductions statements to each of the employer's employees.
CURRENT STATUS10/27/2021 - Senate Small Business and Economic Opportunity, (First Hearing)
INCOME TAX CREDIT - TRAINING COMMERCIAL VEHICLE OPERATOR
(STOLTZFUS R, CREECH R)To authorize a temporary income tax credit for an employer's expenses to train a commercial vehicle operator.
CURRENT STATUS3/15/2022 - Senate Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
REMOVE CAP FOR NONECONOMIC LOSS - RAPE VICTIMS
(BOGGS K, RUSSO A)To remove the cap on damages for noneconomic loss when a victim of rape or assault brings a tort action.
CURRENT STATUS4/27/2021 - House Civil Justice, (First Hearing)
OHIO FAIRNESS ACT
(HILLYER B, SKINDELL M)To enact the Ohio Fairness Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, to add mediation as an informal method that the Ohio Civil Rights Commission may use, and to uphold existing religious exemptions under Ohio's Civil Rights Law.
CURRENT STATUS11/29/2022 - House Commerce and Labor, (First Hearing)
BUSINESS FAIRNESS ACT
(WILKIN S, CROSS J)To enact The Business Fairness Act.
CURRENT STATUS12/1/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 3/2/22
GRANT INCOME TAX CREDITS TO EMERGENCY VOLUNTEERS
(EDWARDS J, HALL T)To grant income tax credits to persons who serve as volunteer peace officers, firefighters, or emergency medical service technicians.
CURRENT STATUS3/8/2022 - Referred to Committee House Ways and Means
STATE-ADMINISTERED MUNICIPAL NET PROFIT TAXES
(ROEMER B)To make changes related to the state administration of municipal net profits taxes and the municipal taxation of retirement benefits.
CURRENT STATUS11/8/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 2/7/22
REPEAL THE COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY TAX
(GROSS J, MCCLAIN R)To repeal the commercial activity tax with a five-year phase-out.
CURRENT STATUS5/24/2022 - House Ways and Means, (Third Hearing)
VACCINE CHOICE ACT
(GROSS J)To authorize an individual to decline a vaccination and to name this act the Vaccine Choice and Anti-Discrimination Act.
CURRENT STATUS8/24/2021 - House Health, (Sixth Hearing)
TAX CREDIT FOR CERTAIN CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
(POWELL J, MCCLAIN R)To authorize a nonrefundable income tax credit for contributions to certain charitable organizations.
CURRENT STATUS5/4/2021 - House Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
REGARDS PROOF OF COVID-19 VACCINATIONS
(CUTRONA A)Regarding proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.
CURRENT STATUS5/18/2021 - BILL AMENDED, House Health, (First Hearing)
MODIFY TAX RULE FOR EMPLOYEES OF TEMPORARY WORKSITE
(SMITH M, SOBECKI L)To amend Section 29 of H.B. 197 of the 133rd General Assembly to modify the municipal income tax withholding rule for employees working at a temporary worksite.
CURRENT STATUS4/22/2021 - Referred to Committee House Ways and Means
OHIO ELECTION SECURITY, MODERNIZATION ACT
(SEITZ B, RAY S)To modify the law governing absent voting, to make other changes to the Election Law, and to make an appropriation.
CURRENT STATUS12/12/2022 - REPORTED OUT AS AMENDED, House Government Oversight, (Sixth Hearing)
TAX CREDIT FOR EDUCATION EXPENSES
(FOWLER S)To authorize a personal income tax credit for certain primary and secondary education expenses.
CURRENT STATUS6/15/2021 - House Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
CHANGE UNCLAIMED FUNDS LAW
(MERRIN D)To make changes to the Unclaimed Funds Law.
CURRENT STATUS3/29/2022 - Senate Finance, (First Hearing)
INDEX HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AMOUNTS
(STEPHENS J, LARE J)To index the homestead exemption amounts to inflation.
CURRENT STATUS10/12/2021 - House Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
EMPLOYER-MANDATED COVID VACCINATION INJURY
(EDWARDS J)To exempt an injury or disability caused by an employer-mandated COVID-19 vaccination from the Workers' Compensation Law and to allow the employee to sue the employer for damages.
CURRENT STATUS8/24/2021 - Introduced
REQUIRE CERTAIN TAX-RELATED ADDRESSES PUBLISHED ONLINE
(STOLTZFUS R, ROEMER B)To require mailing addresses to which certain tax complaints and appeals are filed to be published online.
CURRENT STATUS10/26/2021 - House Ways and Means, (Second Hearing)
COVID-19 VACCINE - QUALIFIED IMMUNITIES
(KOEHLER K)To prohibit a political subdivision, public official, public school, state agency, or state institution of higher education from taking certain actions related to the COVID-19 vaccine, to codify the qualified civil immunities under H.B. 606 of the 133rd General Assembly permanently, to repeal section 3792.05 of the Revised Code on the date that is two years after the effective date of that section, and to declare an emergency.
CURRENT STATUS9/20/2021 - Introduced
VACCINE REQUIREMENTS
(CARFAGNA R, SEITZ B)To address COVID-19 vaccine requirements for employees and students; to extend certain timelines for qualified civil immunity and expand immunity to include hearing aid dealers and hearing aid fitters; to authorize emergency medical technicians to administer COVID-19 tests; to expressly cover COVID-19 vaccine injuries under the workers' compensation system; and to repeal sections 3792.05, 3792.06, 3792.07, and 3792.08 of the Revised Code on June 30, 2023.
CURRENT STATUS10/13/2021 - Bills for Third Consideration; (Pending Committee Report)
WFH EMPLOYEES
(LAMPTON B)Regarding workers' compensation for employees who work from home and other changes to the Workers' Compensation Law.
CURRENT STATUS6/24/2022 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; Eff. 90 days
ESTABLISH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
(OELSLAGER S)To declare the General Assembly's intent to enact legislation establishing congressional district boundaries for the state based on the 2020 decennial census.
CURRENT STATUS11/12/2021 - , (Second Hearing)
TAX FRAUD STUDY COMMISSION
(CUTRONA A, EDWARDS J)To create a Tax Fraud Study Commission to study and make recommendations for preventing income tax fraud.
CURRENT STATUS4/6/2022 - Referred to Committee Senate Ways and Means
BAD DEBTS - CIGARETTE, VAPOR PRODUCT TAXES
(CROSS J, ROEMER B)Regarding the deduction and recovery of bad debts for cigarette and tobacco and vapor products taxes, the taxation of certain vapor product manufacturers and importers, and local regulation of tobacco products and alternative nicotine products.
CURRENT STATUS1/5/2023 - VETOED BY GOVERNOR
HIGHER ED STUDENT FINANCIAL AID, INTERN WAGES
(CROSS J, DENSON S)To authorize tax incentives for higher education intern and graduate wages, to make other changes regarding higher education student financial aid, and to make an appropriation.
CURRENT STATUS5/24/2022 - Re-Referred to Committee
TAX EXEMPTION - SALE OF OWNERSHIP INTEREST
(HOOPS J, RIEDEL C)To exempt from income tax certain gains from the sale of an ownership interest in a business.
CURRENT STATUS6/24/2022 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; Eff. 90 days
MUNICIPAL INCOME TAX FILINGS
(ROEMER B, LANESE L)To modify the law regarding extensions for filing municipal income tax returns and to limit penalties for late filings.
CURRENT STATUS4/6/2022 - Referred to Committee Senate Ways and Means
FILING FALSE CLAIMS WITH STATE
(CROSSMAN J, HICKS-HUDSON P)Regarding filing false or fraudulent claims with the state and defrauding the state of money or property.
CURRENT STATUS11/15/2022 - House Civil Justice, (Second Hearing)
ALLOW VIRTUAL MEETINGS
(KOEHLER K, KELLY B)To provide temporary authority, expiring July 1, 2022, for members of a public body to meet by means of teleconference or video conference, and to declare an emergency.
CURRENT STATUS2/15/2022 - Referred to Committee House Government Oversight
NONPROFIT CORPORATION LAW
(SWEARINGEN D)To amend the Nonprofit Corporation Law.
CURRENT STATUS12/13/2022 - REPORTED OUT AS AMENDED, Senate Judiciary, (Third Hearing)
TAX CREDIT FOR AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING
(HOOPS J, PAVLIGA G)To authorize a nonrefundable tax credit for the construction or rehabilitation of affordable rental housing.
CURRENT STATUS12/1/2022 - House Families, Aging and Human Services, (Third Hearing)
UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION LAW
(FRAIZER M, MERRIN D)To make changes to the Unemployment Compensation Law and to make an appropriation.
CURRENT STATUS3/16/2022 - House Finance, (First Hearing)
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TAX DEDUCTION
(MILLER J, SOBECKI L)To allow an income tax deduction for up to $10,200 in unemployment benefits received in 2021.
CURRENT STATUS11/30/2022 - House Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
CAPITAL REAPPROPRIATIONS
(OELSLAGER S)To revise the law regarding priority for classroom facilities projects for which the prior conditional approval lapsed and to make capital reappropriations for the biennium ending June 30, 2024.
CURRENT STATUS4/1/2022 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 90 days
PUBLIC SAFETY FACTOR IN SETTING BAIL
(LARE J, SWEARINGEN D)To add public safety as a factor in setting bail.
CURRENT STATUS5/31/2022 - Re-Referred to Committee
PERSONAL INCOME TAX JOINT FILER CREDIT
(ROEMER B, YOUNG T)To modify the computation of the personal income tax joint filer credit.
CURRENT STATUS5/24/2022 - House Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
TAX TRANSPARENCY ACT
(YOUNG T)To require local governments to provide certain information to residents regarding proposed property and income tax levies and to name this act the Tax Transparency Act.
CURRENT STATUS5/24/2022 - House Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
DECLARE RACISM PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS
(HOWSE S, CRAWLEY E)To declare racism a public health crisis and to ask the governor to establish a working group to promote racial equity in Ohio.
CURRENT STATUS6/23/2021 - House State and Local Government, (First Hearing)
REPEAL STATE INCOME TAX WITHIN A DECADE
(BRINKMAN T)To declare the General Assembly's intention to repeal the state individual income tax within a decade.
CURRENT STATUS2/15/2022 - House Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
CA: LOCAL ELECTIONS
(EDWARDS J, SEITZ B)Proposing to amend Section 1 of Article V, Section 3 of Article X, and Section 3 of Article XVIII of the Constitution of the State of Ohio to prohibit local governments from allowing persons who lack the qualifications of an elector to vote in local elections.
CURRENT STATUS6/1/2022 - ADOPTED BY SENATE; Vote 32-0
FINANCIAL LITERACY EDUATION, SUBSTITUTE TEACHER REQUIREMENTS
(WILSON S, MCCOLLEY R)Relating to teaching financial literacy in high school, to provide discretion regarding educational requirements of substitute teachers for the 2021-2022 school year, and to declare an emergency.
CURRENT STATUS10/28/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 10/28/21
REDUCE REGULATIONS, ELECTION FUNDING
(MCCOLLEY R, ROEGNER K)To limit regulatory restrictions in administrative rules, to make various technical and
corrective changes to the liquor laws, to amend the version of section 111.15 of
the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect September 30, 2024, to continue
the limitations on and after that date, and to make an appropriation.
CURRENT STATUS3/10/2022 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; Appropriations language eff. 3/10/22, Statutory language eff. 90 days
SHORTEN PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS-CONTRACTS
(LANG G)To shorten the period of limitations for actions upon a contract; to make changes to the borrowing statute pertaining to applicable periods of limitations; and to establish a statute of repose for a legal malpractice action.
CURRENT STATUS3/11/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 6/16/21
FISCAL OFFICERS-LIABILITY
(WILSON S)To change the circumstances in which certain fiscal officers may be held liable for a loss of public funds.
CURRENT STATUS6/14/2022 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 90 days
INTERNAL REVENUE CODE
(ROEGNER K, SCHAFFER T)To expressly incorporate changes in the Internal Revenue Code since March 27, 2020, into Ohio law, to exclude certain loan amounts forgiven under federal law from the commercial activity tax, to authorize a commercial activity tax exclusion for Bureau of Workers' Compensation dividends paid to employers, and to declare an emergency.
CURRENT STATUS3/31/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. immediately
FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS
(GAVARONE T, PETERSON B)To enact the First-time Home Buyer Savings Act, authorizing income tax deductions for contributions to and earnings on savings accounts designated for the purchase of a home.
CURRENT STATUS10/19/2021 - Senate Ways and Means, (Fifth Hearing)
529 TAX DEDUCTION
(HOTTINGER J, BRENNER A)To expand the income tax deduction allowed for contributions to Ohio's 529 education savings plans to include contributions to 529 plans established by other states.
CURRENT STATUS1/2/2023 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 90 days
TAX CREDIT-PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
(SCHAFFER T)To allow an income tax credit for law enforcement officials and volunteer firefighters who purchase safety or protective items to be used in the course of official law enforcement or firefighting activities.
CURRENT STATUS10/5/2021 - Senate Ways and Means, (Third Hearing)
TAX INDUCEMENTS-CERTAIN BUSINESSES
(PETERSON B, KUNZE S)To enhance state and local tax inducements for businesses making substantial fixed asset and employment investments and their suppliers.
CURRENT STATUS2/23/2021 - Senate Ways and Means, (Third Hearing)
OVERTIME PAY-EXEMPTIONS
(BRENNER A, PETERSON B)To except traveling to and from a worksite and performing certain routine tasks from the overtime pay requirement and to prohibit opt-out class actions for overtime violations.
CURRENT STATUS4/6/2022 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 90 days
INCREASE MINIMUM WAGE
(THOMAS C, CRAIG H)To increase the state minimum wage and to allow municipalities, townships, and counties to establish higher minimum wage requirements.
CURRENT STATUS3/10/2021 - Senate Workforce and Higher Education, (First Hearing)
COMMERCE AND TAXATION
(HACKETT R)Relating to commerce and taxation.
CURRENT STATUS3/23/2021 - Senate Financial Institutions and Technology, (Third Hearing)
PROHIBIT ASKING JOB APPLICANT'S SALARY HISTORY
(MAHARATH T)To prohibit employers from seeking a prospective employee's wage or salary history.
CURRENT STATUS3/17/2021 - Senate Small Business and Economic Opportunity, (First Hearing)
JUNETEENTH-LEGAL HOLIDAY
(CRAIG H, BRENNER A)To establish the nineteenth of June as Juneteenth, a legal holiday for which government employees receive paid leave.
CURRENT STATUS2/24/2021 - Referred to Committee Senate Government Oversight and Reform
REQUIRE VOTE-COUNTY SALES TAX INCREASE
(ANTANI N)To require voter approval of any increase in the rate of a county sales tax.
CURRENT STATUS9/21/2021 - Senate Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
NON-RECOURSE CIVIL LITIGATION
(WILSON S)To amend the law regarding the non-recourse civil litigation advance business.
CURRENT STATUS3/1/2022 - Senate Judiciary, (Third Hearing)
MUNICIPAL INCOME TAX-WORK FROM HOME
(ROEGNER K)To modify municipal income tax employer withholding rules for COVID-19-related work-from-home employees
CURRENT STATUS5/12/2021 - Senate Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
SALES TAX EXEMPTION
(ANTANI N)To exempt from sales and use tax things used primarily to move completed manufactured products or general merchandise.
CURRENT STATUS9/21/2021 - Senate Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
PANDEMIC RELIEF-BARS, RESTAURANTS, LODGING
(HUFFMAN S, ROMANCHUK M)To provide grants to bars and restaurants and the lodging industry and to make an appropriation.
CURRENT STATUS5/17/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. immediately
PANDEMIC RELIEF-BUSINESS, CHILD CARE, VETERANS
(MANNING N, RULLI M)To provide grants to businesses, local fairs, child care providers, and veterans homes and to make an appropriation.
CURRENT STATUS5/17/2021 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. immediately
NURSING FACILITIES
(O'BRIEN S, WILSON S)To establish requirements for the registration and operation of health care staffing agencies, to require the Department of Medicaid to complete a report on the inventory of private rooms in nursing facilities, to provide funds for immediate relief payments to nursing facilities, to amend the version of section 3701.83 of the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect on September 30, 2024, to continue the change on and after that date, and to make an appropriation.
CURRENT STATUS12/1/2022 - PASSED BY HOUSE; Vote 63-18
VACCINATIONS, CORONAVIRUS RECOVERY INCLUDING TOWNSHIPS
(BLESSING III L, BRENNER A)To prohibit certain mandatory vaccinations and other activities related to an individual's vaccination status and to make an appropriation related to coronavirus local fiscal recovery.
CURRENT STATUS6/24/2021 - PASSED BY HOUSE; Amended on Floor, Bill Vote 62-34
PROOF OF IDENTITY-UNEMPLOYMENT
(HACKETT R, REINEKE W)To require a person to provide proof of identity at a local employment office before receiving unemployment compensation or pandemic unemployment assistance and to declare an emergency.
CURRENT STATUS3/24/2021 - Senate Insurance, (Second Hearing)
PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION-SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER
(ANTONIO N, RULLI M)To enact the Ohio Fairness Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, to add mediation as an informal method that the Ohio Civil Rights Commission may use, and to uphold existing religious exemptions under Ohio's Civil Rights Law.
CURRENT STATUS12/7/2022 - Senate Government Oversight and Reform, (First Hearing)
INCOME TAX DEDUCTION-EDUCATOR EXPENSES
(FEDOR T, MANNING N)To increase the personal income tax deduction for qualified educator expenses.
CURRENT STATUS3/31/2021 - Senate Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
INCOME TAX CREDIT-TOWNSHIP DONATIONS
(HOAGLAND F)To authorize a refundable income tax credit for donations of cash, property, or services to townships.
CURRENT STATUS3/31/2021 - Senate Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
LICENSURE RECIPROCITY
(ROEGNER K, MCCOLLEY R)To require an occupational licensing authority to issue a license or government certification to an applicant who holds a license, government certification, or private certification or has satisfactory work experience in another state under certain circumstances, to specify that individuals may not register as credit services organizations, to specify that individuals may not be licensed as manufacturers or wholesalers of fireworks, to maintain State Teacher Retirement System membership for certain school psychologists, and to revise continuing education requirements for licensed auctioneers.
CURRENT STATUS1/2/2023 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 90 days
REGARDING 'BUSINESS FAIRNESS'
(LANG G)To enact The Business Fairness Act and to declare an emergency.
CURRENT STATUS6/9/2021 - House Economic and Workforce Development, (First Hearing)
TAX CREDIT-NONRESIDENT TAXPAYERS
(SCHAFFER T)To require municipal corporations with more than $100 million in annual income tax collections to provide a tax credit to nonresident taxpayers.
CURRENT STATUS5/4/2021 - Introduced
LEGALIZE SPORTS BETTING
(ANTANI N, MANNING N)To legalize and regulate sports gaming in this state, to levy a tax on businesses that provide sports gaming, and to make other changes to the Gambling Law.
CURRENT STATUS6/22/2021 - Referred to Committee House Finance
SALES TAX HOLIDAY EXPANSION
(ANTANI N)To expand the class of products exempt from the sales tax if bought during a sales tax holiday.
CURRENT STATUS12/14/2021 - Senate Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
TAX CREDITS - TEMPORARY MODIFICATION
(SCHURING K)To modify the historic rehabilitation and the opportunity zone investment tax credits, to adjust the applicability of certain recently enacted provisions related to tax increment financing and downtown redevelopment districts, and to authorize the City of Canton to distribute moneys in the Hartford-Houtz Poor Fund to the Canton Ex-Newsboys Association or any other charitable organization.
CURRENT STATUS6/14/2022 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 90 days
LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT - UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION
(SCHAFFER T)To establish legislative oversight of executive action regarding voluntary federal unemployment compensation programs.
CURRENT STATUS12/15/2021 - SUBSTITUTE BILL ACCEPTED, Senate Insurance, (Third Hearing)
TAX REFUNDS AFTER DEATH
(HOTTINGER J)To expressly authorize the issuance of an income tax refund in the name of a deceased taxpayer's fiduciary.
CURRENT STATUS6/14/2022 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 90 days
SALES TAX - DOCUMENTARY SERVICE CHARGES
(ROEGNER K)To exempt documentary service charges and income tax electronic filing fees from sales and use taxation.
CURRENT STATUS12/14/2022 - Bills for Third Consideration
PASS-THROUGH ENTITY TAXES
(RULLI M, LANG G)To levy a tax on a pass-through entity's income apportioned to Ohio and to authorize a refundable income tax credit for an owner for such tax paid.
CURRENT STATUS6/14/2022 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 90 days
TAX EXEMPTION-OWNERSHIP INTERESTS
(LANG G, ROEGNER K)To exempt from income tax certain gains from the sale of an ownership interest in a business.
CURRENT STATUS12/14/2021 - Senate Ways and Means, (Third Hearing)
FUEL TAXES-TEMPORARY REDUCTION
(HUFFMAN S)To temporarily reduce motor fuel excise tax rates and suspend collection of the additional motor vehicle registration taxes on electric and hybrid vehicles, both for five years, and to amend the version of section 4503.10 of the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2022, to continue the changes to that section on and after that date.
CURRENT STATUS2/16/2022 - Senate Transportation, (First Hearing)
TAX CREDIT-CHILD CARE CONTRIBUTIONS
(MAHARATH T)To authorize a tax credit for contributions to certain child care programs.
CURRENT STATUS3/15/2022 - Senate Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT TAX INCENTIVES
(SCHAFFER T)To authorize tax incentives relating to nonprofit management and operations.
CURRENT STATUS3/15/2022 - Senate Ways and Means, (Second Hearing)
UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION LAW CHANGES
(HACKETT R, REINEKE W)To amend Section 8 of S.B. 18 of the 134th General Assembly, as subsequently amended, to make changes to the Unemployment Compensation Law.
CURRENT STATUS1/2/2023 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 90 days
NONBUSINESS INCOME TAX REPEAL
(HUFFMAN S)To repeal the state income tax on nonbusiness income with a ten-year phase-out.
CURRENT STATUS5/18/2022 - Referred to Committee Senate Ways and Means
FILM, THEATER TAX CREDITS
(SCHURING K)To modify the film and theater tax credit and to authorize a tax credit for capital improvement projects relating to the film and theater industries.
CURRENT STATUS5/25/2022 - Referred to Committee Senate Ways and Means
FY23-24 CAPITAL APPROPRIATIONS
(DOLAN M)To declare the General Assembly's intent to enact legislation making capital appropriations for the biennium ending June 30, 2024.
CURRENT STATUS5/31/2022 - SUBSTITUTE BILL ACCEPTED, Senate Finance, (Second Hearing)
COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION TAX CREDITS
(SCHURING K)To create the Ohio community revitalization program, authorizing nonrefundable income tax credits for undertaking community projects.
CURRENT STATUS5/25/2022 - Referred to Committee Senate Ways and Means
DECLARE RACISM PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS
(CRAIG H, WILLIAMS S)To declare racism a public health crisis and to ask the Governor to establish a working group to promote racial equity in Ohio.
CURRENT STATUS11/30/2022 - Senate Health, (First Hearing)
DENOUNCE RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION-COVID-19
(MAHARATH T, THOMAS C)To denounce all forms of stigmatization, racism, and discrimination occurring as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
CURRENT STATUS3/24/2021 - Referred to Committee Senate Health
LEGISLATIVE INTENT-INCOME TAX REPEAL
(LANG G)To declare the General Assembly's intention to repeal the state individual income tax within a decade.
CURRENT STATUS12/15/2021 - Referred to Committee Senate Ways and Means
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE-BAIL DETERMINATIONS
(GAVARONE T)Proposing to amend Section 9 of Article I of the Constitution of the State of Ohio to eliminate the requirement that the amount and conditions of bail be established pursuant to Section 5(b) of Article IV of the Constitution of the State of Ohio, and instead allow the courts to use factors such as public safety, a person's criminal record, the likelihood a person will return to court, and the seriousness of a person's offense.
CURRENT STATUS5/31/2022 - Referred to Committee House Rules and Reference
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE-ELECTOR REQUIREMENTS
(BLESSING III L)Proposing to amend Section 1 of Article V, Section 3 of Article X, and Section 3 of Article XVIII of the Constitution of the State of Ohio to prohibit local governments from allowing persons who lack the qualifications of an elector to vote in local elections.
CURRENT STATUS5/24/2022 - Senate Local Government and Elections, (Second Hearing)
Week in ReviewFriday, Jan. 27, 2023
ABORTION
Disagreement over the
importance of going to the ballot in November 2023 is the main reason two major
abortion rights groups are continuing to work on separate constitutional
amendments, leaders of Protect Choice Ohio (PCO) and Ohioans for Reproductive
Freedom (ORF) told Hannah News. PCO, which is led by Ohio Physicians for
Reproductive Rights (OPRR), and ORF -- which includes the American Civil
Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio (PPAO),
Abortion Fund Ohio, Pro-Choice Ohio, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Ohio
Women's Alliance Preterm-Cleveland and URGE -- both announced their potential
campaigns in December 2022. PCO President Dr. Marcela Azevedo said her
organization started working on its ballot measure in July 2022, shortly after
the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
ADDICTION/SUBSTANCE ABUSE
The OneOhio Recovery
Foundation is currently accepting applications from individuals interested in
joining its expert panel, a group of independent advisers who will help guide
the distribution of millions of dollars to support addiction relief, recovery
and prevention efforts across the state. Ohioans interested in applying should
visit www.OneOhioFoundation.com/Expert-Panel-Application and submit a
completed application using the online form or by emailing the PDF application
to Apply@oneohiofoundation.com. All applications and applicant resumes must be
received no later than Friday, Feb. 17.
AGRICULTURE
Gov. Mike DeWine
Friday announced the selection of Rep. Brian Baldridge (R-Winchester) as the
next director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODAg). Baldridge represents
the 90th Ohio House District which encompasses all of Adams and Scioto counties
and parts of Brown County. He succeeds another former legislator, Dorothy
Pelanda, who retired at the end of 2022 after having served as ODAg director
for the governor's first term. Baldridge chaired the House Transportation and
Public Safety Committee in the last General Assembly and supported Rep. Derek
Merrin (R-Maumee) for speaker. Baldrige must be confirmed by the Ohio Senate.
Ohio State Fair
officials announced that Kidz Bop will once again take the stage in the WCOL
Celeste Center for opening day of the Ohio State Fair on Wednesday, July 26
with its "Kidz Bop Never Stop Live Tour" concert. Fairgoers of all
ages can sing and dance along with the Kidz Bop children as they perform. Tickets
will go on sale Friday, Feb. 24.
ARTS,
SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Eight winners have
been selected to receive the "Governor's Awards for the Arts in Ohio"
in 2023, the Ohio Arts Council (OAC) announced Tuesday. The awards recognize
exceptional Ohio artists, arts organizations, leaders, patrons, educators and business
support of the arts. The awardees will be honored during a ceremony on
Wednesday, May 17. Award recipients include the following: Kathy Wade of
Cincinnati for arts administration; Douglas Marrah of Ashland for arts
education; Louella Reese of Granville for being an arts patron; Walnut Street
Gallery in Wooster for business support of the arts; co-winners Michael London
of Dayton and Black Swamp Arts Festival in Bowling Green for community
development and participation; and Tricia Kaman of Cleveland as the individual
artist. Ann Hamilton of Columbus will receive the Irma Lazarus Award.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Two of Attorney
General Dave Yost's highest-ranking staff members face questioning over his
relationship with the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) and Rule
of Law Defense Fund (RLDF) after former Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor and
Democrats on the Ohio Supreme Court refused to dismiss the Center for Media and
Democracy's (CMD) public records complaint against Yost. Senior Policy Advisor
Kevin Servick, director of business and government for the AG, and Communications
Director Bethany McCorkle must respond to CMD depositions concerning Yost's
private communications with RAGA, RLFD and their corporate donors.
Individuals who
solicit and purchase sex from human trafficking victims -- also known as
"johns" -- are becoming less comfortable in Ohio as law enforcement
has stepped up demand reduction efforts, Attorney General (AG) Dave Yost said
Thursday. "I've noticed something that's happened over the last four years
-- particularly on a john sting, or one of these operations where we're looking
at guys that are responding to Internet ads and such -- they're really getting
nervous," Yost said during the fourth annual Human Trafficking Summit at
the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
FY24-25 BUDGET
With the General
Assembly expected to begin debate on the FY24-25 transportation budget shortly,
Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) released its recommendations focusing on two programs.
First, GOPC said lawmakers should invest at least $75 million per year in
public transportation, or $150 million over the biennium. The group noted that
the current transportation budget relies on a combination of General Revenue
Funds (GRF) and federal highway "flex funding" to get a net
allocation of $70 million for public transit agencies. However, a requirement
that local agencies provide matching funds to draw down federal funds means the
funding is inaccessible to small, rural systems, GOPC said, so it is
recommending that instead of using "flex funding” lawmakers should favor
100 percent GRF spending. The group is also asking lawmakers to match Ohio's $5
million in federal funding for the "Safe Routes to Schools" Program
with $5 million from the GRF for a total of $10 million per year. GOPC said the
program is popular and oversubscribed and protects the lives of children.
An alliance of
organizations focused on children's wellbeing and the think tank Policy Matters
Ohio (PMO) Thursday separately released their priorities for the upcoming
FY24-25 biennial budget deliberations ahead of Gov. Mike DeWine’s delivering
his executive proposal to lawmakers on Tuesday, Jan. 31. The Ohio Children's
Budget Coalition released a report, "Creating a Vision of Child Well-Being
for Ohio," which describes current policy, opportunities for improvement
and specific recommendations in 15 areas spanning physical and behavioral
health, nutrition, education, child care, foster care, youth incarceration and
economic security. Among the coalition's recommendations is doubling funding
for key lead poisoning prevention programs and moving enforcement authority for
the federal Renovation, Repair and Painting (RPP) rule for pre-1978 housing to
the state level and giving it to the Ohio Department of Health. Another
recommendation is providing additional Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF) money for rapid rehousing and wrap-around services for families and
pregnant women, as well as additional money for the Healthy Beginnings at Home
pilot project, which provides housing supports and other assistance to pregnant
women and new mothers in an effort to improve infant mortality rates and
improve birth outcomes. Expansion of this program was already identified as a
priority by DeWine as part of his "Bold Beginning" initiative.
Policy Matters
structures its recommendations around measuring how Ohio compares to other
states in four domains: health and wellness; learning and growth; connection
and community; and dignity and opportunity. The think tank frames its report
around assessing a claim made by DeWine in his 2022 "State of the
State" speech that "there is simply no better place to raise a family
than Ohio."
Groundwork Ohio, too, released
its new "Early Childhood Dashboard," which takes an in-depth,
data-driven look at the health and education of young children in Ohio ahead of
the release of the proposed FY24-25 budget. The dashboard, which was created in
partnership with the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO), incorporates more
than 60 metrics across six different domains. It compares Ohio data to national
averages on a range of issues from infant and maternal health and health care
access to kindergarten readiness, chronic absenteeism, exposure to traumatic events
in early childhood, economic stability, and more. The dashboard
"illuminates areas in need of increased investment, focused attention, and
urgent action in Ohio's upcoming biennial budget and beyond; and will help
inform policymakers and the public about the realities facing Ohio
families," Groundwork Ohio said.
EDUCATION
In the past two
decades, researchers have made great strides in uncovering how children learn
math, but little of that new knowledge has trickled down to teachers, according
to a new book on math education co-authored by an Ohio State University (OSU)
professor. The gap between research and practice is particularly unfortunate,
given the current state of American students' math skills, said Nancy Krasa,
co-author of How Children Learn Math: The Science of Math Learning in
Research and Practice. Krasa, who is an adjunct assistant professor of
psychology at Ohio State, said, "In 2019, only about one-fourth of high
school seniors scored at or above the proficiency level in math. And all
indications are that this has only gotten worse with the learning loss
associated with the COVID-19 pandemic." Krasa, a licensed psychologist
specializing in children with learning difficulties, said there is a way to
meet these challenges, including for children who have trouble with
mathematics.
Nearly three years
after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, school closures and lost
instructional time continue to take a toll on students and schools. The latest
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) -- also called the Nation's Report
Card -- found significant drop-offs in reading and math proficiency for fourth
and eighth grade students both in Ohio and across the country. The pandemic
also exacerbated existing gaps in the education system with students from low
income families and Black and Hispanic students faring far worse than higher
income, White students. The Columbus Metropolitan Club's (CMC) Wednesday forum sought
to identify some ways to move forward. Panelist Stephane Lavertu suggested
schools and policy makers might need to moderate their expectations of how much
learning loss can be quickly recovered.
Former U.S. Rep. Jim
Renacci Thursday announced a new a political action committee that would help
"restore conservative leadership" to Ohio's school districts. The
Save Our Schools Ohio (SOS Ohio) PAC will be working with and uniting dozens of
statewide, education-based organizations to help elect or reelect local school
board candidates in dozens of races in 2023, Renacci said. The group will work
to collect data and analyze all school races to help identify crucial races to
flip control of local school boards. It will also assist candidates in raising
funds and targeting voters.
ELECTIONS
The Ohio Elections
Commission Thursday levied a $250 fine against Rep. Terrence Upchurch's
(D-Cleveland) campaign based on a referral from the secretary of state's office
over a failure to respond to errors in the campaign's finance reports. Brian
Katz, director of campaign finance for the secretary of state's office, said
the issues with the campaign go back to 2018 and the Upchurch campaign failed
to respond to multiple letters from the secretary of state's office, with the
final letter leading to a referral in 2021. Among the issues he noted were
expenses with an unknown vendor, multiple months of withdrawals from the
campaign fund that were not properly reported, and a cash contribution above
the $100 limit not reported correctly.
ELECTIONS 2024
Democrat Tamie Wilson
of Delaware announced Wednesday that she will seek the Democratic nomination to
run for the 4th Congressional District in 2024, potentially setting up a
rematch with U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Urbana). Jordan defeated Wilson in
November with 69 percent of the vote.
EMPLOYMENT/UNEMPLOYMENT
According to the Ohio
Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), Ohio's unemployment was 4.2
percent in December, unchanged from November's rate, as the state added 1,900
jobs over the month. ODFJS said the number of workers unemployed in Ohio in
December was 244,000, up from 243,000 in November. The number of unemployed has
decreased by 12,000 in the past 12 months from 256,000. The U.S. unemployment
rate for December 2022 was 3.5 percent, down from 3.6 percent in November 2022,
and down from 3.9 percent in December 2021.
ENERGY/UTILITIES
Natural gas output
from Ohio's Utica and Marcellus shale regions rose just over 1 percent in the
third quarter of 2022 -- the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' (ODNR)
latest reporting period -- while oil yields fell by roughly the same amount. Horizontal
wells in eastern and southern Ohio produced 543 billion cubic feet (cf) of
natural gas between July-September of last year compared to a revised
department figure of 536 billion cf in the second quarter. Year-over-year, Q3
2022 still trailed 674 billion cf of natural gas from third-quarter 2021 and
Ohio's all-time high of 685 billion cf in 2019.
The Public Utilities
Commission of Ohio (PUCO) unanimously approved a $68.2 million rate hike for
Columbia Gas of Ohio Thursday over the objection of Ohio Partners for
Affordable Energy (OPAE), Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) and Citizens
Utility Board (CUB), which said higher residential fixed charges and eliminated
energy efficiency programs for all but low-income groups were not in consumers'
interests. The vote made official a three-month-old settlement between a wide
range of parties including PUCO staff, Office of Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC),
Ohio Manufacturers' Association (OMA) Energy Group, Industrial Energy Users
(IEU) Ohio, Interstate Gas Supply (IGS), Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council
(NOPEC), Ohio Schools Council (OSC), Retail Energy Supply Association (RESA),
The Kroger Co., and Columbia Gas, which serves 1.45 million customers in 60
Ohio counties.
The Public Utilities
Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Nominating Council forwarded four names to the
governor Thursday to replace outgoing Commissioner M. Beth Trombold, including
PUCO veteran and current Transportation Department Director John Williams of
Columbus, a political independent who received 10 votes; Regulatory Affairs
Director Christopher Healey of Enervee Corp. in Lewis Center, a former
assistant consumers' counsel at the Office of Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC) and
Democrat who received nine votes; former state representative and attorney
general candidate Jeffrey Crossman of Parma, a Democrat who received eight
votes; and state Rep. Mike Skindell (D-Lakewood), a longtime legislator who
received five votes.
ENVIRONMENT
The Greater Ohio
Policy Center (GOPC) Wednesday released an updated white paper which examined
all three funding rounds of the Brownfield Remediation Fund. GOPC previously
released a paper on the first round of the program and called for allocating
another $500 million in the next budget. The fund invested a total of $341
million in environmental cleanup, with projects underway to "assess,
cleanup and revitalize brownfields" in 83 Ohio counties, according to GOPC.
That supports 188 clean-up projects and 125 assessments, and nearly 98 percent
of the Ohio population lives in the counties which received grant awards.
ETHICS
A lobbying income
reporting provision of Rep. Derek Merrin's (R-Maumee) proposed ethics reform
bill could be problematic, according to Ohio Lobbying Association (OLA)
President Josh Sanders. Part of the ethics reform bill would require all lobbying
income to be reported and sourced directly to clients. "While we have not
yet seen any details of the legislation, it is greatly concerning to hear part
of the proposed legislation is to force private companies to reveal the terms
of private contracts, which does little to improve ethics laws governing
policymakers," Sanders said in a statement.
FEDERAL
Hospital-based nurse
training programs have gone from an existential crisis to positioning
themselves to expand thanks to recently adopted federal legislation sponsored
by Ohio's U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, one college leader said Wednesday. Brown
held a press conference call with Nate Brandstater, president of Kettering
College, one of several Ohio programs that will benefit from the federal
Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, which was
passed in December as part of the sweeping government funding package. Brown
introduced the legislation with his GOP neighbor to the southeast, West
Virginia U.S. Sen. Shelly Moore Capito. The legislation provides funding and
protections for hospital-based nursing and allied health profession training
programs.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE
In a raucous floor
session Tuesday, the Ohio House elected the rest of the chamber's Republican
leadership slate and adopted the rules for the chamber over the loud objections
of Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Maumee) and his allied members, after House Speaker
Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) refused to allow debate on the resolutions. In its
only unanimous vote, the House adopted HCR3 (Oelslager), which sets a joint
House and Senate session for the "State of the State" address for
noon Tuesday, Jan. 31.
After the vote on HR10
(Oelslager) was adopted 62-34, some Republican members refused to stand and
applaud with the rest of the House as the leadership team -- Rep. Bill Seitz
(R-Cincinnati) as majority floor leader, Rep. Jon Cross (R-Kenton) as assistant
majority floor leader, Rep. Jim Hoops (R-Napoleon) as majority whip, and Rep.
Sharon Ray (R-Wadsworth) as assistant majority whip -- was sworn in. Hoops and
Ray had both supported Merrin for speaker.
On the next motion to
adopt the rules, Stephens again called for a vote rather than allow amendments.
The rules package as part of HR11 (Oelslager) passed 63-35. At least one
concern of Merrin and his allies was addressed, stating that the "speaker
shall not eliminate parking privileges or the office of a member without the
member's consent and may not remove a member's staff without the member's
acquiescence." Some Republicans had expressed concerns that they could be
punished by losing staff or parking spots for falling out of line with the
speaker. Also under those rules, the House minority leader will have more say
over her own members than in previous sessions.
Stephens announced
committee chairs on Monday, choosing Rep. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) to lead
the House Finance Committee. Rep. Jeff LaRe (R-Canal Winchester) will be vice
chair. Chairing the seven House Finance subcommittees are the following:
- House Finance
Subcommittee on Agriculture, Development and Natural Resources, chaired by Rep.
Don Jones (RFreeport).
- House Finance
Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, chaired by Rep. Sara Carruthers
(R-Hamilton).
- House Finance
Subcommittee on Higher Education, chaired by Rep. Gayle Manning (R-North
Ridgeville).
- House Finance Subcommittee on Infrastructure and American Rescue
Plan, chaired by Rep. Jamie Callender (R-Concord).
- House Finance
Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education, chaired by Rep. Tracy Richardson
(R-Marysville).
- House Finance
Subcommittee on Public Safety, chaired by Rep. Kevin Miller (R-Newark).
- House Finance
Subcommittee on Transportation, chaired by Rep. Tom Patton (R-Strongsville).
House Minority Leader
Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) released the committee assignments for her
members on Thursday, with a number of freshmen getting spots as ranking members
on various committees. Rep. Bride Sweeney (D-Cleveland) will again serve as the
ranking member for the House Finance Committee. Ranking minority members on the
subcommittees include the following:
- House Finance
Subcommittee on Agriculture, Development and Natural Resources – Rep. Dan Troy
(D-Willowick).
- House Finance
Subcommittee on Health and Human Services – Rep. Beth Liston (D-Dublin).
- House Finance
Subcommittee on Higher Education – Rep. Dontavious Jarrells (D-Columbus).
- House Finance
Subcommittee on Infrastructure and American Rescue Plan – Skindell.
- House Finance
Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education – Rep. Dani Isaacsohn
(D-Cincinnati).
- House Finance
Subcommittee on Public Safety – Rep. Adam Miller (D-Columbus).
- House Finance
Subcommittee on Transportation – Rep. Mike Skindell (D-Lakewood).
A change to House
rules this session means subcommittee members do not have to be members of the
full House Finance Committee.
In its first meeting
of the new General Assembly and with a number of new faces, the Controlling
Board continued to ask questions of state agencies on unbid contracts or to
urge better communication with lawmakers. Among the items held for questioning
but later approved was a request from the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) to
continue contracting with Gainwell Technologies for the use of its software for
the Medicaid Information Technology System at least through the end of FY23.
Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) asked the agency why the contract wasn't being
competitively bid. Steven Alexander, legislative liaison for ODM, explained
that ODM has been competitively bidding various aspects of its new enterprise
system, and have been bidding out different modules of that new system
piecemeal. He said as a result of doing that process incrementally, ODM will
have to continue to use the Gainwell system for a little longer.
Rep. Beth Lear (R-Galena), who defeated incumbent Rep. Shawn Stevens
(R-Sunbury) in the primary and then Louise Valentine in the general election to
win the 61st House District seat, is no stranger to the Statehouse,
having been a legislative aide to Reps. Jim Mason and
Ron Hood, an education policy analyst and lobbyist for the Buckeye Institute and then lobbyist for the Associated Builders and Contractors of Ohio.
Rep. Tim Barhorst (R-Fort Loramie), while new to elected office, is experienced in state
politics from his work with the former Ohio Association of Health Underwriters,
now known as the National Association of Benefits & Insurance Professionals
Ohio Chapter. That background and his experience with the rollout of the
federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) prompted him to first seek office a few years
ago. Barhorst made an unsuccessful run for the House in 2018 in the Columbus
suburbs, losing to Rep. Mary Lightbody (DWesterville). After that, he moved
back to his Shelby County hometown of Fort Loramie, saying as a single father
he wanted to raise his now-teenaged son closer to family. In his 2022 run, he
won a three-way primary over Rochiel Foulk and Lilli Johnson Vitale, the spouse
of the term-limited incumbent he was seeking to succeed, Rep. Nino Vitale
(R-Urbana). Barhorst faced no general election opponent and now holds the 85th
District seat, which encompasses Champaign and Shelby counties and part of
Logan County.
Sen. Bill DeMora
(D-Columbus) never expected to hold elected office and previously tried to
avoid the Statehouse, but he nonetheless intends to make his presence known,
particularly to the GOP majority. "I have an open-door policy, I'm going
to meet with anybody who wants to meet with me, but, I mean, I'm here to be the
Democrat in the caucus, with a big D. That's my role," DeMora told Hannah
News during an interview in his office. "I'm going to ruffle some
feathers. I'm going to ruffle some Democratic feathers, I'm sure of that, but
I'm certainly going to ruffle some Republican feathers." DeMora is a
veteran of state politics on the campaign side, having worked for the Ohio
Democratic Party and run many campaigns -- including a few while he was campaigning
for his own Senate seat.
GOVERNOR
Gov. Mike DeWine and
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted Thursday announced a plan to remove "duplicative,
outdated and unnecessary regulations" from the Ohio Administrative Code
(OAC), reducing its size by one-third. Husted said the proposal will eliminate
more than five million words covering over 20,000 pages in the OAC, and gave
examples of sections to be removed. They include Ohio Lottery Commission
regulations on games that are no longer played; Ohio Department of Higher
Education copies of university policies that are already published on each
institution's website; and word-for-word replication of national building and
fire code standards that can be rewritten to only identify differences between
Ohio and other states. The review process was augmented by using an artificial
intelligence (AI) tool. The DeWine administration is also adding a
re-introduction of "Innovate the Code" provisions from the 134th
General Assembly to the forthcoming budget. That language was previously
offered in 134-SB279 (Wilson) and 134-HB524 (T. Hall).
Gov. Mike DeWine told
reporters Thursday he believes House Republicans will work out the ongoing
tensions after Rep. Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) was elected speaker over Rep.
Derek Merrin (R-Maumee), adding that it was not "appropriate" for him
as governor to get involved in the matter. In response to a question from Hannah
News on Afghan and Ukrainian refugees, DeWine discussed how language
barriers can be an impediment to finding work. Among those who do speak English
already, many can face challenges in obtaining licensure for careers they previously
had as well. The administration is looking at how to address those problems, he
added. Asked about proposed House rule changes which were not accepted, such as
carrying firearms on the floor or only allowing Christian prayers, DeWine said
he would defer to the House rather than giving his opinions but also noted that
"just because suggestions are made or bills are introduced, doesn't mean
they are going anywhere."
GUNS
Fairfield County Judge
Richard Berens Friday declined to issue a preliminary injunction to block
recently-passed gun ordinances by Columbus City Council from taking effect,
saying that Attorney General Dave Yost, who filed the lawsuit, had not
demonstrated a likelihood of success at trial or that there will be an
irreparable injury if the injunction is not granted. The Columbus ordinances
were passed on Dec. 5 and ban magazines that hold 30 or more rounds and require
safe storage of firearms around children, among other provisions. Yost filed the
lawsuit in Fairfield County, where 11,000 Columbus residents live, arguing that
the ordinances violate the Ohio Constitution's right to bear arms. Berens had
originally granted Yost's request for a temporary restraining order last month.
However, in his opinion on the preliminary injunction, Berens referred to Arnold
v. Cleveland, where the Ohio Supreme Court applied a test of
"reasonableness" to local gun ordinances and found that
"reasonable gun control legislation is that which is fair, proper,
moderate, suitable under the circumstances and not excessive."
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Gov. Mike DeWine and
Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) Director Maureen Corcoran launched
Comprehensive Maternal Care (CMC) on Monday. CMC is a community-based,
statewide program aimed at improving the health and well-being of mothers,
infants and families covered by Medicaid. The program creates a framework for
providers and community partners to work together to develop person-centered,
customized interventions to support women and families who've historically
lacked ready access to high-quality responsive care before and after pregnancy.
To participate, obstetrical practices are required to measure and engage with
patients and families through advisory councils or other means to hear
firsthand accounts of how access to care, cultural competence and communication
methods affect patient outcomes. Practices must use patient input to improve
the patient experience and reduce disparities. They also must consider and link
patients to resources that address broader factors of health -- such as
housing, food instability and transportation.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Wright State
University students can now learn how to design and fabricate circuit boards
and other microelectronics in a new lab supported by a $29.75 million Air Force
contract, the university said. Located in the Russ Engineering Center, the
Digital Microelectronics Lab provides a space for hands-on training to work in
the microchip and microelectronic fields. Students will also learn how to test
and assure that circuit boards, microchips and microelectronics are free of
malicious software and hardware. The lab is supported by the ADMETE contract
awarded by the U.S. Air Force to Wright State and the University of Akron, Youngstown
State, Ohio University, the University of Toledo and Lorain County Community
College.
The family of Stone
Foltz and Bowling Green State University (BGSU) announced Monday they have
reached a $2.9 million settlement in the lawsuit over the hazing death of Stone
Foltz nearly two years ago. The settlement is the largest payout ever by a
public university in a hazing case in Ohio, according to the attorney for the
family. Stone Foltz was a 20-year-old sophomore at BGSU when he died in March
2021 after drinking "a copious amount of alcohol" at an off-campus
event organized by the BGSU chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE) fraternity, of
which Foltz was a new pledge.
Mike Rodgers will join
the Ohio State University (OSU) Office of Government Affairs as the next
associate vice president for state relations, effective Monday, Jan. 30, 2023.
Rodgers will represent the university before the Ohio General Assembly,
executive branch, and other government entities. Rodgers has nearly 20 years of
experience working in state government, spending the past four as a member of
Attorney General Dave Yost's executive staff, serving as director of policy and
public affairs. Prior to that, Rodgers was the chief legal counsel at
Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, a deputy legal counsel at the Ohio
Department of Natural Resources and the chief legal counsel for the Ohio
Department of Agriculture. Rodgers replaces Brian Perera, who was in the role
for eight years.
Capital University and
Columbus State Community College (CSCC) announced an expansion of their ongoing
partnership to include scholarships that cover full tuition and mandatory fees
for eligible CSCC students who transfer to Capital to pursue bachelor's degrees
beginning in fall 2023. This is the latest expansion of Capital's Main Street
Scholarship program, which offers a minimum of a $20,000 merit-based
scholarship to all accepted, full-time, undergraduate students who are entering
their first year of college. The program began in fall 2022.
INSURANCE
The Ohio Department of
Insurance (ODI) announced that its director, Judith French, was named chair of
the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Life Insurance and
Annuities Committee, among other ODI representation on NAIC panels. French is
also a member of the Innovation, Cybersecurity and Technology Committee. The
Life Insurance and Annuities Committee focuses on issues around the
underwriting, pricing, and suitability aspects of life insurance and annuity
products while the Innovation, Cybersecurity, and Technology Committee addresses
cybersecurity, innovation, data security, and privacy protections in insurance.
INTEL
Intel said in a
release Monday that it had been approximately one year since the company
announced it would invest an initial $20 billion to build two semiconductor
chip factories in New Albany. As part of that anniversary, Intel said the site
will be named "Ohio One." "The name is a nod to the state's long
and storied history in manufacturing and its track record of producing
firsts," Intel explained. The company also released a one-year anniversary
video. In it, Vice President and Ohio General Manager Jim Evers discusses that
Intel picked Ohio for its government cooperation and sources of talent. He added
he believes Intel has lived up to its commitment to be a "great
neighbor" so far.
JUDICIAL
"Larry
Householder sold the Statehouse." Thus did Deputy Criminal Chief Emily
Glatfelter of the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District in Ohio frame
the public corruption case against former Republican House Speaker Larry
Householder Monday in her opening statement on the first day of trial before
federal Judge Timothy Black. Glatfelter linked the two-time House speaker and
former Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges -- on trial with Householder
-- to a $61 million FirstEnergy bribe to the two men and alleged coconspirators
to help pass legislation benefiting the utility with $1 billion in nuclear
energy subsidies, 133-HB6 (Callender-Wilkin).
A dozen current and
former Ohio Supreme Court justices and members of the General Assembly joined
the attorney general and lieutenant governor Wednesday to honor Chief Justice
Sharon Kennedy at her swearing-in as the state's top jurist. Speakers praised
her optimism and determination, and Kennedy promised not only to uphold the
rule of law and address court backlogs but also to lift up the needy. Officials
present for the afternoon ceremony included Attorney General Dave Yost, Lt.
Gov. Jon Husted, House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) and former House
Speaker/Supreme Court Justice Bob Cupp. Justices Melody Stewart, Michael
Donnelly and Joe Deters were in attendance, while Justices Patrick Fischer, R.
Patrick DeWine and Jennifer Brunner submitted prepared remarks due to
scheduling conflicts. Past members of the Court also included Hon. Paul
Pfeifer, Hon. Mary DeGenaro and Hon. Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, who delivered
the oath. Among legislators on hand were Reps. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati), Sara
Carruthers (R-Hamilton), Thomas Hall (R-Middletown), Monica Robb Blasdel
(R-Columbiana) and the outgoing Brian Baldridge (R-Winchester). Former veteran
legislator Dave Johnson, a member of the Ohio Republican Party (ORP) State
Central Committee and the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) Board of
Directors, served as master of ceremonies.
The Ohio Supreme Court
this week dismissed an appeal of a case involving an appeals court candidate
and a tie-breaking vote cast by the secretary of state, saying that the case is
now moot. The case, McKitrick v. LaRose, was related to the candidacy of
Jill Flagg Lanzinger, a Barberton Municipal Court judge who was elected in
November to the Ninth District Court of Appeals.
LIBRARIES
Laura Lee Wilson,
director of the Huron County Community Library, is the new chair of the Ohio
Library Council (OLC), the organization announced. Wilson succeeds Tom Dillie,
director of the Minerva Public Library, who will serve as past chair. Other
officers include Sarah Clevidence, director of the Findlay-Hancock County
Public library, as chair-elect and Mary Ellen Icaza, director of the Stark
County District Library, as secretary-treasurer. All officers serve one-year
terms. New board members include Kathy Bach, public services director for
Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library; Julianne Bedel, director of
Medina County District Library; and Robert Jenkins, trustee with Dr. Samuel L.
Bossard Memorial Library of Gallia County.
LOBBYISTS
The Ohio Township
Association (OTA) has hired Kyle Brooks as director of governmental affairs,
the organization announced Friday. Brooks previously worked for former U.S.
Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Lakeville), where he served in various positions since 2016.
With a focus on military and veteran services, he represented Gibbs in five of
the 10 counties in the district and worked extensively on policy briefings,
collaborated on strategic goals, and led roundtable discussions on current
events and issues with constituents.
The Strategy Group
Company announced that Billy Grant will join the company as political director.
Described by the company as a "well-connected" GOP operative, Grant
will be leading The Strategy Group's sales efforts in the 2024 cycle and
beyond. According to the release, Grant has years of experience, including
having served in 2022 as vice president of strategy at Arsenal Media Group,
where he led Kari Lake's successful primary campaign.
NATURAL RESOURCES
The Ohio Department of
Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife stocked 52.3 million fish of 11
species in Ohio waters throughout 2022 at 203 locations statewide. The total
represents a 15 increase over the annual production and stocking goal of 44
million fish. The division operates six state fish hatcheries that raise sport
fish including saugeye, walleye, yellow perch, rainbow trout, steelhead trout,
brown trout, muskellunge, hybrid-striped bass, blue catfish, channel catfish,
and bluegill. The majority of Ohio's fish populations are sustained through
natural reproduction; however, stocking expands and diversifies fishing
opportunities in waters where existing habitats do not support some fish
populations.
Hunters checked 13,617
white-tailed deer during Ohio's muzzleloader season that concluded on Tuesday,
Jan. 10, according to the ODNR Division of Wildlife. This total accounts for
all deer taken with a muzzleloader or archery equipment during the four-day
season. Over the last three years, an average of 11,429 deer were taken during
the muzzleloader season. In 2022, hunters checked 12,912 deer in the same
period. Deer hunters found success in all 88 of Ohio's counties during the
season. The top 10 counties for harvest were Coshocton (518), Muskingum (468),
Tuscarawas (452), Knox (397), Licking (390), Guernsey (375), Washington (345),
Carroll (338), Meigs (335), and Ashtabula (288). Coshocton County was top in
the state during the 2022 season with 489 deer harvested.
It is now illegal to
sell, grow, or plant Callery pear (also known as Bradford pear) in Ohio because
of its invasive qualities and likelihood to cause economic or environmental
harm. There is no requirement for the removal of existing plants, but the ODNR
Division of Forestry is encouraging control and removal to benefit native
forest ecosystems. "Callery pear often dominates young, regenerating
forest areas and inhibits the growth and establishment of native plant
species," Division of Forestry Chief Dan Balser said. Callery pear is an
ornamental species native to regions of Asia. It was introduced to North
America in the early 1900s for agricultural use. It quickly became a favorite
in landscaping for its adaptability, flowering, fall color, and rounded crown.
PENSIONS
The investment expert
appointed to the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Board of Trustees by
Treasurer Robert Sprague has resigned, and a new appointment is in the works.
Scott Roulston, the appointee of the treasurer's office, resigned near year's
end, citing "other commitments" in a letter to STRS leadership.
PEOPLE
Natural Allies for a
Clean Energy Future, a 501(c)(4) organization that supports the use of natural
gas, announced that former U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) is joining its leadership
council alongside former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA). Ryan left Congress
last year after he lost a bid for the U.S. Senate against J.D. Vance. He served
10 terms in the U.S. House.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Fire departments across
the state will receive $3.5 million in Multi-Agency Radio Communications
(MARCS) grants, according to the Ohio Department of Commerce's (DOC) Division
of State Fire Marshal. The grants go to 325 fire departments in 76 counties,
DOC said.
SECRETARY OF STATE
Secretary of State
Frank LaRose announced that 2022 saw the second highest number of business
filings since his office began tracking the data. According to the secretary of
state's office, there were 179,636 new business filings in 2022, down 18,374
filings from the all-time record-setting year in 2021. December 2022 saw 13,012
new business filings, 496 more filings than December 2021.
STATE GOVERNMENT
Ohio Office of Budget
and Management (OBM) Director Kimberly Murnieks and Ohio Department of
Administrative Services (DAS) Director Kathleen Madden were both reelected to
their positions as chair and vice chair respectively of the Ohio Facilities
Construction Commission (OFCC) Thursday. OFCC oversees school facility programs
and capital projects for state agencies and higher education institutions. Both
Murnieks and Madden were reelected by a unanimous vote. Murnieks told Hannah
News the agency is still experiencing some supply chain issues from the
pandemic but has been successful with moving projects forward and continues to
do "tremendous work" for students and schools across Ohio.
TAXATION
Patricia Harris will
be the next commissioner of the Ohio Department of Taxation (ODT), Gov. Mike
DeWine announced Tuesday. Harris currently serves as chief operating officer of
the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC). If the nomination is confirmed
by the Senate, Harris will replace Jeff McClain, who retired as ODT
commissioner in 2022.
TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE
The Ohio Department of
Transportation (ODOT) is researching alternative ways to pay for road and
bridge maintenance in the state and has launched a website seeking public input
on the issue. According to the website, www.OhioRoadFunding.com , the state needs to
look at how it currently pays for bridges and highways because the current
method which draws mostly from proceeds of the state's gas tax is not
sustainable "More Ohioans are driving high-mileage gas vehicles or hybrid
or electric vehicles, which has welcomed environmental benefits but decreases
the amount of gas being purchase," ODOT states on the website, adding that
it is "evaluating a variety of funding options to replace the fuel tax and
stabilize transportation revenues in Ohio well into the future." ODOT said
the information it collects through its research effort will be put together in
a report that will be sent to the General Assembly in late spring of this year.
It will ultimately be up to lawmakers to create any new funding option.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION
A total of $15 million
in grants is being offered by the state Workforce Safety Innovation Center
(WSIC), the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) announced Thursday. The
grants can be used for the research and development of personal protective
equipment (PPE) and personal protective technology (PPT) to enhance workplace
safety, BWC said. Utilizing data from BWC claims, workforce safety innovation
grants focus on new ideas that help reduce the frequency and severity of
on-the-job injuries. The grant is administered with a goal of accelerating the
process for innovations from proof-of-concept to the marketplace.