• In addition to the $514 million being allocated for local infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges and water systems through the Public Works Commission, the Capital Budget Bill will dedicate $222 million for infrastructure to support programs for opioid addition treatment, doubling the amount dedicated to combat the crisis in the last Capital Budget Bill. You can read more about the allocations within the current Capital Budget Bill below.
  
  
• The Bureau of Workers' Compensation has announced it will drop premiums for private employers by roughly 12% on July 1 - a change that is projected to save private employers $163.5 million.
  
  
• Governor Kasich's last State of the State address is taking place next week on Tuesday, March 6^th, at Otterbein University in his hometown, Westerville.

• HB 488 - PROPERTY TAX BALLOT LANGUAGE. Sponsored by Rep. Hood (R - Ashville) and Rep. Becker (R - Union Township), this bill would modify the information conveyed in election notices and ballot language for property tax levies. The legislation requires county auditors to express the certified average annual property tax levy in only dollars. Current law expresses the levy in either dollars or cents for each one hundred dollars. Current law also uses tax valuation to express the amount, but the bill changes that to fair market value. It also changes the expression to mills for each one dollar of taxable value instead of one dollar of tax valuation. To read a more detailed explanation of what is entailed in the bill, a memo providing bullet points is attached HERE. During its first hearing before the House Ways and Means Committee, both the sponsors of the bill and proponents testified explaining the legislation's intent to clarify tax levy ballot language to make it easier for voters to understand exactly what a levy will do. We are currently evaluating our position on this bill.

• SB 195 - DOGS LAW. Sponsored by Sen. Beagle (R - Tipp City) and Sen. Lehner (R - Kettering), this bill would revise provisions of the Dogs Law governing nuisance, dangerous, and vicious dogs, revise enforcement of that Law, and establish a notification process regarding complaints of certain violations of that Law. During its third hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, the bill was amended to remove dog warden and vet techs from making determinations about euthanatizing dogs and to require notification of an investigation. Testimony was offered by the Humane Society, the Northwest Ohio Dog Wardens and Animal Control Officers' Association, and the Cleveland Animal Protective League either as supporters or as interested party. The League is also supportive of this bill.

• HB 378 - BROADBAND GRANTS. Sponsored by Rep. Smith (R - Bidwell) and Rep. Cera (D - Bellaire), this bill would create the Ohio Broadband Development Grant Program and make an appropriation. During its fifth hearing before the House Finance Committee, a substitute bill was adopted that allows challenges to grant awards, outlines experience and capability requirements for applicants demonstrating their ability to connect broadband and create a business plan, and allows satellite internet companies to apply for the grants as well. During its sixth hearing, no testimony was offered. The League is supportive of the bill as well as the newly-adopted substitute bill.  

• HB 382 - UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION LAW. This bill, sponsored by Rep. Schuring (R - Canton), would modify terms describing payments made under the Unemployment Compensation Law, increase the amount of wages subject to unemployment compensation premiums, require qualifying employees to make payments to the Unemployment Compensation Insurance Fund, allow the Director of Job and Family Services to adjust maximum weekly benefit amounts, reduce the maximum number of benefit weeks, and make other changes to the Unemployment Compensation Law. No testimony was heard during its fifteenth hearing before the House Government Accountability and Oversight Committee. The League is neutral on this legislation.

• HJR 4 - UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION BONDS. Also sponsored by Rep. Schuring (R - Canton), this joint resolution would enact Section 2t of Article VIII of the Constitution of the State of Ohio to allow the General Assembly to provide by law for the issuance of bonds to pay unemployment compensation benefits when the fund created for that purpose is or will be depleted or to repay outstanding advances made by the federal government to the unemployment compensation program. No testimony was heard during its fifteenth hearing before the House Government Accountability and Oversight Committee. The League is neutral on this resolution.

• HB 342 - TAX LEVIES. Sponsored by Rep. Merrin (R - Monclova Township), this bill would permit local tax-related proposals to appear only on general and primary election ballots and not on an August special election ballot and to modify the information conveyed in election notices and ballot language for property tax levies. During its fourth hearing before the House Government Accountability and Oversight Committee, a technical amendment was adopted that does not change the content of the bill. The League is opposed to this legislation.

• HB 263 - DOGS ON PATIOS. This bill, sponsored by Rep. Lanese (R - Grove City), would generally allow an owner, keeper, or harborer of a dog to take the dog in an outdoor dining area of a retail food establishment or food service operation. During its sixth hearing before the House Economic Development, Commerce and Labor Committee, the bill was voted out of committee 10-4. The League is opposed to this bill as it preempts local health ordinances.

• HB 484 - HEALTH DISTRICTS. Sponsored by Rep. Brenner (R - Powell), this bill would authorize city and general health districts to use credit cards in accordance with prescribed requirements. During its first hearing before the House State and Local Government Committee, the bill's sponsor gave an example as to when a particular health district would have benefitted from having a credit card when they needed to make a large emergency purchase. Rep. Brenner also explained that while municipalities could pass language authorizing credit card use for municipal health districts, counties did not have that option. The League is neutral on this legislation.

• HB 168 - CEMETERY REGISTRATION. This bill, sponsored by Rep. Stein (R - Norwalk), would modify duties of the Division of Real Estate in the Department of Commerce regarding cemetery registration, to specify cemetery owners must reasonably maintain cemeteries, to establish the Cemetery Grant Program, and to make an appropriation. During its fourth hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, this bill was voted unanimously out of committee. The League is supportive of this legislation.

• HB 251 - BOND MATURATION. Sponsored by Rep. Greenspan (R - Westlake), increase from five to ten years the maturity period of other political subdivision's bonds and obligations eligible for investment of a subdivision's interim moneys, a county's inactive moneys, and money in the county public library fund. During its fourth hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, this bill was voted unanimously out of committee. The League is supportive of this legislation.

• HB 226 - FIREWORKS. Sponsored by Rep. Seitz (R - Cincinnati) and Rep. Sweeney (D - Cleveland), this bill would establish a fireworks study group to review and make recommendations regarding the Fireworks Law; extend to July 1, 2020, the moratorium on issuing fireworks manufacturer and wholesaler licenses; eliminate, beginning January 1, 2021, the moratorium on geographic transfer of fireworks manufacturer and wholesaler licenses; and, beginning July 1, 2020, impose a fee on the retail sale of consumer grade fireworks in this state and expand the ability of individuals to obtain 1.3G display fireworks and obtain and use 1.4G consumer fireworks. During its second hearing before the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee, testimony was offered by representatives from companies that sell fireworks supporting the legislation but opposing an amendment that designates "tube sparklers" or "fountains" from the definition of fireworks. The League is supportive of this bill.

• SB 239 - REGIONAL COUNCILS OF GOVERNMENT. Sponsored by Rep. Dolan (R - Chagrin Falls) this bill would modify the law concerning regional councils of governments. During its third hearing before the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee, no testimony was offered. The League is supportive of this bill.

• HB 371 - PROPERTY TAX. Sponsored by Rep. Merrin (R - Monclova Township), this bill would exempt from property taxation the increased value of land subdivided for residential development until construction commences or the land is sold. It was slated to be heard on the full House floor this year, but ended up being informally passed and re-referred back to the Rules and Reference Committee. The League is opposed to this bill.

• SB 268 - THEFT IN OFFICE. Sponsored by Sen. Wilson (R - Maineville), this bill would expand the increased penalties for theft in office based on the amount of property or services stolen and to include as restitution certain audit costs of the entity that suffered the loss involved in the offense.

• SB 269 - ROAD MAINTENANCE. Sponsored by Sen. Yuko (D - Richmond Heights), this bill would make supplemental appropriations in order to provide political subdivisions with funding for road maintenance repairs.

COMMITTEE SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 4, 2018

 

 

CHECK OUR WEBSITE MONDAY FOR ANY CHANGES TO THE COMMITTEE SCHEDULE